Vive la France!
TOURISTS are flocking
to France, and Paris in
particular, after a tough
two years following terrorist
attacks in Paris.
In the Paris region, tourist
visits increased sharply in the
first half of 2017, according
to figures released by tourism
authorities last month.
The Paris region registered
16,4 million arrivals in the six
months to June, the tourist
board said.
If all continues as normal,
89 million foreign tourists are
expected to visit France in
2017.
There has been a surge
in South Africans, too,
travelling to France, showing
an increase of around 25%,
says Hélène Bezuidenhoudt,
regional manager of Atout
France.
The French
Government is
also taking steps
to support and
develop tourism.
The government’s
tourism roadmap
was presented
by the Prime
Minister on July
26 at an interministerial
tourism council
meeting.
The first concrete measures
were announced, including:
Issuing visas in under
48 hours in ten additional
countries. This is already
happening in China,
Singapore, South Africa,
Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman
and Turkey. The issuing of
visas under 48 hours will be
extended from
November 1 to
Russia, Thailand,
the Philippines,
Cambodia,
Laos, Burma,
Indonesia and
India.
Reducing
waiting time
at borders in
airports to 30
minutes for European citizens
and 45 minutes for nonEuropeans
as of
January 1, 2018.
Establishing a motorway
maintenance plan between Ilede-France
airports and Paris.
Preparing an investment
plan in seaside and mountain
resorts to maintain the
quality of services in existing
accommodation facilities.
Gardens at Château de Chambord reopen
THE gardens at the
Château de Chambord
(pictured above) are
open to the public after
restoration work, which
was completed in March.
The gardens closed
when work costing €3,5m
(R55m) began at the
castle in the Loire Valley
in August last year.
The landscape
has been in need of
restoration since the
French Revolution.
The renovation is the
culmination of over a
decade of planning,
with research for the
project taking 14 years to
ensure that the modern
gardens are historically
representative – as they
were during the 17th and
18th centuries during the
reign of Louis XIV.
Photocap: Air France ups CPT flights
Air France will up the number of flights on its Cape
Town-Paris route from three to five a week, effective
October 29 until March 2018. Flight AF864 will depart
Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 10h10 every day of the week
except Mondays and Thursdays and will arrive at Cape
Town International Airport at 22h30 that evening.
Return flight AF871 will depart Cape Town International
Airport two hours later (at 00h30) to arrive at Charles
de Gaulle Airport at 11h00 that morning. The route will
be serviced by a Boeing 777-200ER.
Book it!
Disneyland Paris is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year.
Agents can get up to 30% off hotel and park ticket packages
through Travel Vision. The offer is valid for bookings made
before October 29 for stays until October 31. Packages are
available for two-night stays at Disney’s Sequoia Lodge,
Newport Bay Club, Hotel New York, Disneyland Hotel and
Davy Crockett Ranch and three-night stays at Disney’s Hotel
Santa Fe and Hotel Cheyenne.
Tips for travellers
Going solo:
G Adventures’ Local Living in Provence
itinerary is a great way for solo
travellers to explore France on their
own schedule. Local Living sets
travellers up in their own mini-chateau
in the French countryside.
Solo travellers should visit local
tourist offices, which offer various
activities and excursions that are
planned for the day, and travellers can
join them.
On a budget:
At many museums, entrance is free
on the first Sunday of each month
between October and March, including
Quai Branly, Musée d’Orsay, Musée
National Picasso, Le Louvre, and
Musée Rodin.
When visitors are travelling from city
to city, agents can book bus or train
tickets in advance.
The romantics:
The old district of Montmartre in Paris
holds a special meeting place for lovers
from around the world. The Mur des
Je T’aime, translated as ‘I Love You
Wall’, is a small wall in Montmartre on
which the words are scrawled in 250
languages on enamelled lava tiles.
Paris also boasts some of the best
picnic spots in the world. Parc de
Belleville in the 20th arrondissement
offers spectacular views of the city.
F is for family
The most popular destination for any
family travelling to France is Disneyland
Paris. But outside the capital, there
is more to explore. The popular Puy
du Fou historical theme park offers a
completely idiosyncratic experience.
The Parc Asterix and the Futuroscope
(a theme park that previews life in the
future) also make for a fun-filled family
day out.
Skiing in the French Alps is also
a popular family activity. Resorts
like Meribel, Megève, Val Thorens,
Paradiski, and Courchevel all cater for
families.
Photocap: Club Med to debut new resort
Club Med will open a new resort in France by the end of the year. Club
Med Grand Massif Samoëns Morillon Resort in the French Alps will
open in December, and will be its new flagship ski resort. The resort has
420 rooms, including family suites. Guests will be able to explore the
Samoëns village by taking the express ski lift followed by shuttles to the
town centre. In addition to accommodation and meals, the all-inclusive
packages to Samoëns cover ski/snowboarding equipment, ski lessons
and lift passes to five ski stations that include Samoëns, Morillon, Les
Carroz and Flaine and a natural ski park in Sixt Fer a Cheval.
Did you know?
To surprise customers with a new form of entertainment, Air France has started rolling
out a new immersive entertainment system in partnership with start-up, SkyLights. The
virtual reality headsets allow passengers to experience 3D and 2D movies or series
in a private movie theatre in isolation from the rest of the cabin. The virtual reality
experience is being tested in business class on the A340 servicing the Paris-St Martin
route. Four headsets and a selection of 40 films and series are available. The new
system is expected to be rolled out on other flights in the months ahead.
