Practical Paris

FOR several years, the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau has been active on the subject of accessibility, leading dedicated workshops and raising awareness among Parisian tourism professionals who are seeking to improve the welcome they offer to their visitors. Helping all visitors to enjoy and explore the French capital they have published the 2019-2020 version of its dedicated brochure Accessible Paris.

This practical 28-page guide provides visitors with everything they need to know on how to get to and around #Paris, where to stay, and also where to find adapted places for entertainment. It is also a source of information for #accessible cultural attractions and recreational activities, and suggests a sightseeing itinerary adapted to wheelchair users. The rich content of this new edition provides an increased number of accessible activities for everyone to discover.

Available in French and in English, at the Tourist Office’s information point, at City Hall (Hôtel de Ville), it is also available on request in large print or in (French) braille. In addition, it can be consulted and downloaded on the website PARISINFO.COM, in the rubric ‘Practical/Visiting Paris with a disability’.


Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

New ports of call in Europe for Viking cruises

VIKING cruises today announced the addition of two new itineraries and a variety of new pre- and post-cruise extensions to its river cruise offerings for 2019. 

Debuting in March 2019, the new 10-day Holland & Belgium itinerary will sail between Amsterdam and Antwerp, allowing guests to explore the inland waterways of the Low Countries and visit new ports of call for Viking: Rotterdam, Maastricht and Nijmegen.

Also, in commemoration of World War II and D-Day, Viking will offer a new 11-day cruisetour, Paris & D-Day 75th Anniversary, with two special departures that coincide with the June 6, 2019 anniversary. On this historic journey, guests will travel from London to the maritime city of Portsmouth before boarding their ship in Paris and sailing through Normandy, where they will visit and honor D-Day landing sites.


Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

The Louvre crowned as France’s top tourist spot

THE world’s largest art museum the Louvre hosted a record breaking 10.2 million visitors in 2018, up from 25% the previous year, with the Eiffel Tower coming in second place.

The historic museum is home to many renowned pieces such as Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa and Théodore Géricault's 19th century masterpiece the Raft of the Medusa, not forgetting many antiquities and sculptures.

Frances’ tourism industry took a sharp decline after terrorist attacks claimed 230 lives between 2015 and 2016, but figures have recently increased, with #Paris once again becoming a European hotspot for tourists.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Where will you be ringing in the New Year?

TOKYO, Paris and New York City are the top destinations to ring in 2019 according to Agoda, one of the world's fastest growing online travel agents (OTA), with more than a third more people opting to getaway to celebrate on New Year's Eve.

A top ten destination for many markets globally and number one for Chinese and Singaporean travelers, Tokyo's appeal continues with a jam-packed itinerary of concerts, parades and light shows making it the perfect destination to cast off the old and welcome in the #NewYear.

It's no wonder Paris, boasting endless themed parties, New Year countdowns at popular landmarks and shows for the whole family, has secured the top spot for travel in Europe. The "City of Love" is a top ten for their British neighbors as well as travelers from Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The ball drop at Times Square in New York City is one of the most iconic and star-driven celebrations of New Year's Eve in the world, so it comes as no surprise that New York City is the top North American destination for travelers globally and number two for Americans traveling domestically.


Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Lucky Thirteen: Paris to Fuzhou

XIAMEN Airlines, voted China's "Best Airlines" for its extraordinary aviation service for 6 consecutive years since 2012, is officially launching its new direct flight between Paris and Fuzhou on Dec. 11th, 2018. The opening of this new route will provide unique experiences for passengers.

The Paris – Fuzhou route operates three times a week every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, 13 hours and 25 minutes one way. It departs from Paris at 13:30 (GMT+8) and arrives at Fuzhou around 07:30 the next morning; the returning flight departs at 00:30 from Fuzhou Changle International Airport (FOC) and reaches Paris at 06:55.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Reimagined renaissance

RENAISSANCE Hotels has officially unveiled the Renaissance Paris Vendome Hotel following a multi-million dollar transformation of its guest rooms and public spaces. Reimagined by Didier Gomez Interior Design, the 97-room intimate hotel evokes its enviable location in the heart of the historic 1st arrondissement.

Tucked away on a quiet street between the Tuileries Garden and the boutiques of Rue Saint-Honoré, Renaissance #Paris Vendome Hotel is inspired by the fashion designers and jewellers that have had their salons in the neighbourhood. Contrasting eighteen century style with contemporary design, the hotel conveys softness and elegance reflective of today's Parisian sense of style.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Most popular European destinations for American travellers

LONDON and Paris continue to be the most popular European destinations for American travelers this summer, but the remaining spots on the Top 20 list saw significant movement from 2017, according to an analysis by Allianz Global Assistance. This year, Reykjavik, Iceland jumped from 17th to third, Barcelona, Spain slipped from fifth to seventh and Nice, France cracked the Top 20 for the first time to come in at 11th.

American travellers visiting Reykjavik has grown significantly in the last few years. Ranked 28th in 2015, the destination cracked the top 20 in 2016 and 2017.Thanks in part to increased direct airlift from the U.S. to the island nation, Iceland's otherworldly landscapes and colorful city homes have been trending on social media in recent years. Despite talk of over-tourism and discussion to potentially limit the number of annual visitors to the country, Reykjavik's popularity continues to rise this summer.

Barcelona's fall in rankings from fifth in 2016 and 2017 to seventh in 2018, may have been caused by several recent incidents. In the last year, Barcelona experienced a terrorist attack in the popular Las Ramblas area; political turmoil as Catalonia attempted to cede from Spain; and organized street protests in Barcelona.

Nice lands on the list for the first time, this suggests that American perception of the city's safety has recovered from the 2016 terrorist truck attack during the city's Bastille Day celebration.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Cork underground in Paris

ADS highlighting Cork are running in the metro stations of Paris right now – part of a new Tourism Ireland campaign in conjunction with Aer Lingus and Cork Airport, to promote flights from Paris to Cork and to grow French tourist numbers to the South of Ireland this year.

The ads are running on around 137 screens in the metro stations across the French capital and will be seen by more than 10 million people. The campaign also includes online advertising on popular websites – highlighting Cork Airport as an important gateway to the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Paris, a green and eco-responsible destination

IN addition to its 460 public parks and gardens, #Paris has important ecological aspects that tourists can experience. Non-motorized and public modes of transport are favoured: the creation of bus lanes, the extension of the Paris tramway, the development of self-service bicycles and Autolib’, 16 highly-efficient metro lines — despite being over a century old.

The pedestrianization of the riverside expressways (Left Bank since 2013, Right Bank since September 2016) with the creation of the Parc Rives de Seine, and the redeveloped Place de la République also contribute to making the city greener and more dynamic. The Place de la Nation is soon to be redeveloped as well as the iconic Place de la Bastille, where the lower part of the Colonne de Juillet will be open to the public, from 2018. 

The Parisian hotel sector continues to be more committed to eco-responsible initiatives — more than 460 Parisian establishments have signed the Tourist Office’s Charter ‘For Sustainable Accommodation in Paris’, and the adoption of ecological labels continues to increase. 

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Marvel, Frozen and Star Wars to join Disneyland Paris

ANNOUNCED recently were plans for a 2 billion euro, multi-year expansion for Disneyland Paris. The new development will include a transformation of the Walt Disney Studios Park, adding three new areas that are based on Marvel, Frozen and Star Wars, along with multiple new attractions and live entertainment experiences.

The expansion plan is one of the most ambitious development projects at Disneyland Paris since its opening in 1992 and underscores the Company’s commitment to the long-term success of the resort as Disney’s brand beacon in Europe.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

bmi expands its Bristol - Paris service

BMI has announced it will be expanding the #Paris CDG service from its Bristol hub, with increased frequencies starting from 14 May 2018. The airline currently flies twice daily between Bristol and Paris but, in response to demand from customers, will be adding a further flight three times a week - on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. 

bmi offers flights from Bristol to Paris from £70 one way. All fares are inclusive of 23kg of hold luggage, allocated seating, complimentary in-flight drinks and snacks and speedy 30 minute check-ins.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Follow in the steps of the masters

WALKING vacation specialist “The Blue Walk” has announced the dates for a variety of #Art Walks in #France and #Italy that have proven to be a hit with solo travelers. 

Tailored to all skills levels, the tours are led by popular artist-teachers. They provide the perfect opportunity for budding novices and experienced artists to “follow in the steps of the masters” in some of Europe’s most picturesque cities and coastal towns. Tours are limited to small groups to allow for maximum one-on-one opportunities between students and art instructors.

Available tours include Art Walk Italy that incorporates watercolor and sketching lessons with artist Leslie Fehling, September 22 – 29; Watercolor Sketching in Paris with artist Laure Ferlita, October 7 – 13; and Chalk Painting in Florence, Italy with Tracy Lee Stum and Sharyn Chan, October 15 – 21.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Paris celebrates 2017 visitor numbers

AFTER a year in 2016 that was strongly affected by the repercussions of the attacks of 2015 and 2016, #Paris has recovered with unparalleled dynamism in 2017.

In September 2017, overall cumulative hotel arrivals for the previous 12 months in Grand Paris surpassed the record registered in 2012, reaching 23.1 million hotel arrivals. And according to our forecasts, the calendar year 2017 should see growth in tourism numbers of between 10% and 12% compared to 2016 and between 5% and 7% compared to 2015, surpassing 23 million arrivals in hotels for the first time.


Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk

All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Up in the air . . .

STARTING on March 25, 2018, Air France will offer its customers non-stop service between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Paris-Charles de Gaulle with up to five weekly flights connecting the two cities. The route will be serviced by a Boeing 777-200 equipped with the latest generation long-haul travel cabins in Business, Premium Economy and Economy, with a capacity of 280 to 312 seats.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Baby Boomers Top 10 Destinations

WITH an increasing number of baby boomers opting to travel later in life, new data from Emirates has revealed the top 10 destinations visited by this group of travellers. The top #destinations highlight the baby boomers’ love for all things European. On average, baby boomer’s trips spanned 20 days and they travelled twice a year.

The top 10 Emirates destinations for baby boomers are: 

1.   London 

2.   Rome 

3.   Paris 

4.   Dublin 

5.   Athens 

6.   Barcelona 

7.   Manchester 

8.   Amsterdam 

9.   Milan 

10. Frankfurt

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Eurostar tempting Australian travellers and travel agents

EUROSTAR is tempting travellers with an ‘Early Bird Savings’ promotion that slashes 20 percent off the cost of selected tickets while also rewarding travel agents with a $50 Coles Group & Myer gift card for every $1000 worth of #Eurostar fares booked during the sale period. 

The 20 percent reduction applies to Standard Premier (First Class) and Youth (Second Class) fares booked between 3 October and 10 November 2017. The discounted tickets are valid for travel between London, Paris and Brussels from 2 November 2017 until 21 August 2018. 

The Early Bird fares – available through Rail Plus, Rail Tickets and Infinity Rail – are exchangeable with a fee, but are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Picture Credit: Planet Blue Adventure 49548826@N02/36860072242 London & Eurostar views via photopin

Enjoy a cocktail while you wait

EUROSTAR, the high-speed rail service linking the UK and mainland Europe, will be treating Business Premier passengers to a new range of winter cocktails to enjoy whilst relaxing in the Paris lounge.

Designed by the London Cocktail Club, the bespoke cocktails encapsulate Eurostar’s heritage, reminiscent of both British and French cultures. Featuring a range of French spirits such as pastis and Côtes de Provence rosé and typical British ingredients such as cucumber juice and fresh rosemary, the drinks are sure to suit tastes on either side of the Channel.Designed by global architects, Softroom, the Paris lounge has transformed the travel experience for Business Premier passengers. 

Situated on the top floor of the original 19th century building, and featuring high ceilings, marble fireplaces, a cocktail bar and intimate snug spaces, the lounge captures the spirit of a Parisian apartment.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Up in the air . . .

ETIHAD Airways offers Early bird travel deals for 2018 , the offers are available for departures out of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, meaning there is no better time to book a 2018 European holiday and to enjoy Etihad Airways’ acclaimed service and hospitality. With connections via Abu Dhabi, travellers have a host of European destinations to choose from, including London, Paris, Rome, Dublin and Athens. The promotion is available for bookings until 6 October, for travel from 1 February – 26 September 2018.

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

Disneyland Paris Celebrates its 25th Anniversary

DISNEYLAND Paris has been celebrating its 25th Anniversary since March this year in fitting style with a host of new additions – a new parade, new day-time shows, a new night-time show and redesigned attractions.

This makes it the ideal opportunity to offer visitors an abundance of new events that will make their experience even more unique. There’s something for everyone – flowers, sports, culinary delights, the un-missable Halloween Festival, and to finish off, a breath-taking way to welcome in the new year!

The Disneyland Paris Magic Run Weekend – 21-24 September 2017After the success of last year’s inaugural event, the magical races are back, weaving an enchanting course through both Disney Parks. Take part in these unforgettable races with family or friends, cheered on by Disney Characters, who’ll be making a special appearance to encourage the athletes along the entire course!  run.disneylandparis.com

The un-missable Halloween Festival – Disneyland Park – 31 October 2017Disneyland Paris is still THE place to celebrate Halloween in style! As well as enjoying the Park’s attractions, experience special shows and parades, events, and meet ’n’ greets with Disney Characters who have come specially for the occasion. And it’s also an opportunity to dress up in your best Halloween costume!  Disneyland Park – From 8.30pm to 1.00am. Tickets on sale from 15 June. Events fee: 49€ per guest, free for children under 3.
www.disneylandparis.co.uk/events/halloween-party

Celebrate New Year’s Eve! New Year’s Eve Party – Disneyland Park – 31 December 2017In this 25th Anniversary year, New Year’s Eve will be one to remember at Disneyland Park. Featuring a unique parade, a dance party and fireworks, this extraordinary evening is full of surprises – it’s the most magical and unforgettable way to welcome in 2018!  Disneyland Park – From 8pm – Tickets on sale from 15 June – Events fee: 49€ per guest, free for children under3.

www.disneylandparis.co.uk/events/new-years-eve

Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK

On the runway . . .

BRITISH Airways is to launch new routes from London City Airport to three European capitals, Paris, Prague and Reykjavik, in October.

The new services to the three popular cities will mean British Airways will fly to 30 destinations from London City this winter.

The Orly flights are being transferred to London City Airport from Heathrow, offering customers a choice of two London airports from Paris. Flights to Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris will continue to operate from Heathrow.

It will be the fifth French route served by British Airways from the Docklands airport. The launch of Prague and Reykjavik routes will be the first time British Airways has flown to the Czech Republic or Iceland from London City.


Go Holiday news : www.govillasandcottages.co.uk
All your holiday needs: IN PRINT - ON-LINE - DiGiMAG - SMARTPHONE -TABLET - BLOG - TWITTER - G+ - FACEBOOK