Archive for May, 2010

The recent flight suspensions because of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano may have hit airline’s hard, but it has brought a booking windfall for rail and ferry companies. 

As airports slowly resume to normal, French rail and ferry companies are hoping to turn the sudden rush of business, into prolonged growth, cashing in on the cynicism of flying.

Paul de Rosen, Lines Director for the biggest passenger ferry operator out of the port of Marseille, SNCM, told the BBC: “Normally, 10% of our customers are totally new to our database, which means they haven’t gone on a ferry of ours for at least six years. Now, in the weeks since the end of the ash cloud crisis, that figure is 20%.”

Mr de Rosen believes that even the threat of the returning ash clouds is enough to stop consumers using air travel to reach destinations. He said to the BBC: “Totally new customers are booking on ferries for summer holidays, because they want to travel with their car, which they believe is a way to maintain their autonomy on holiday if something should go wrong.”

Train operators are also optimistic that their recent business boost is here to stay. Michel Leboeuf, head of long distance projects at SNCF, the French national train operating company believes the high- speed TGV train is an effective competitor with planes, so those with French holidays booked need not worry.

One passenger told the BBC “It’s easier to get to the station than the airport. It’s fast, easier to work on board and more relaxing, usually with fewer delays.”

The European Commission admits that the ash cloud caught them out. “We saw that when one transport mode went down, passengers found it hard to shift to rail and boats. Anything we can do as regulators to open up options, for instance, make it easier to take a train instead of a plane we will be trying to do as an urgent priority,” said Helen Kearns, spokeswoman for transport at the Commission in Brussels.

If you’re going on a French holiday then make sure you take your smart phone; the French Tourist Office has released over a dozen apps for iPhone and Android devices which aim to help people make the most of their holiday.

Available from the official website of the French Government Tourist Office (Uk.Franceguide.com) the apps are generally available in several languages as well as English. The iPhone specific apps can also be found on the iTunes apps store, whilst the Android tools can be found on the Android Library site.

The tools aim to help people navigate their way around France, find the best food and wine, get a guide for their trip, easily find places with maps, access the weather through the French met office, as well as a variety of useful tools and easily accessible transport information.

Although some of the tools are exclusively focused on Paris and the subways, airport and other such services, many would be useful to those visiting elsewhere in the country. Some of the tools which would be particularly useful for visitors to the Dordogne include:

• The World Heritage app: This allows users to see satellite pictures, Google map positions and wikipedia articles on all of the sites designated by UNESCO as World Heritage sites – such as the Lascaux caves or the prehistoric settlements of the Vezere Valley.
• Hachette Wine Guide/Wine Guide app: These tools – for the iPhone and Android devices respectively – provide a insight into more than 700 French vintages and give the user a comprehensive glossary of viticultural terms and areas. The iPhone app is only available in French however.
• Meteo France: Only available in French unfortunately but one of the most useful tools on offer – this gives a direct and real-time link to the French met (meteorological) office, giving the most accurate information available on weather predictions across the country.
• Currency Converter: Great for whenever you want to work out just how much you’re spending in terms that you’re naturally familiar with.

Last Monday elected officials from the Dordogne‘s central municipal authority came together with others throughout the Green Perigord area to discuss the future of tourism in the Aquitaine region.

Attended by nearly 120 people and dozens of officials, the meeting laid out the concerns of many of those involved in the regions tourism industry. A key concern for many is the competition between local tourism offices and internet sites that market the regions attractions, such as the prehistoric artwork of the Lascaux caves or the many country and river side activities throughout the Dordogne’s idyllic valleys.

During the course of the meeting though several interesting figures were published – revealing just how popular the Dordogne is as a tourist destination. Each year nearly 2.9 million visitors visit the region, placing it firmly in top place for the position of Aquitaine’s most popular department among tourists.

The area’s natural beauty appears to attract visitors from France as well as those from further afield. Some 60% of these 2.9 million annual visitors are from France itself, demonstrating the rare beauty of the unspoiled and historic department.

The popularity of the Dordogne is largely responsible for keeping Aquitaine in the coveted position of Frances fifth most popular tourism area. In the wider region there are 179 tourist offices and 280 tourist sites, many of which are open all year around. Each year some 35 million euros is invested in the tourism trade by regional authorities, helping to develop and maintain the many attractions and keeping the countryside and towns in a state of picturesque perfection.

Spring heralds the end of Truffle season and as the year grows closer to Summer, you could be forgiven for thinking that the culinary appeal of the Dordogne is somewhat diminished. Of course, you’d be wrong – as one season finishes, another begins.

If the idea of seeing the rich heritage sites of the department or the idyllic scenery of the rivers, valleys and gentle hills isn’t enough to get you on a French holiday to the area then maybe another foodie treat will be. It turns out that the Dordogne isn’t just famous for its fine fungi – it’s also well known for its strawberries.

Starting this week, the Dordogne’s towns and village markets will be dominated by the Fete de La Fraise – in other words, the “festival of the strawberry”. Throughout May the region’s historic medieval marketplaces will be dominated by the scarlet red of the beloved fruit, with stalls laden with baskets of fresh produce sitting alongside offerings of seasonal cuisine.

From simple strawberries and cream to pies, tarts and cakes, these French festivals will offer some stiff competition for the iconic English summertime dish. Visitors should keep an eye out for local variations on the Eton Mess – or for the annual attempts at the title of “World’s largest strawberry tart.”

The current holder of this proud title is the town of Beaulie-Sur-Dordogne, whose own Fete de la Fraise takes place this weekend on the 9th of May.

Still, the competition is fierce in the region; last year in Vergt, organisers managed to construct a tart that measured a staggering four metres in circumference and used nearly 240kg of strawberries. Cleverly, each segment or ‘slice’ of the pie used fruit from different areas of the Dordogne, offering a taste of the different varieties found in the local fields.

This year Vergt’s strawberry festival will take place on the 16th of May. Many other towns will also be hosting their own markets and festivals throughout the month.

One of the Dordogne‘s greatest features is in its simple rural beauty and its rich heritage. Still although these attractions – or at the very least the fine foods and wine on offer – draw adults from across the world to a French holiday in the region, for the younger and more easily distracted generation they can wear a little thin.

So, families on a French holiday who are looking for ways to distract the kids in between trips to medieval châteaus or markets will be pleased to hear that Perigueux boasts a new activity.

From this week, visitors to the Dordogne’s departmental capital will be able to hunt each other down and trade fire as part of a friendly (or not so friendly) game of Laser Quest.

Laser Quest Perigueux, located at 39 Rue des Dames Combe, should be opening its doors later this month. Aimed at everyone from young teenagers to “team building” business outings,, the new attraction offers a startlingly futuristic form of entertainment for the otherwise bucolic department.

Decorated in a style described by Sud-Ouest as midway between Total Recall and 2001: A Space Odyssey, the new Laser Quest features 450 square meters of labyrinth game environment built on the grounds of a former supermarket. Up to twenty people can compete among the futuristic battlefield which features multiple levels and a maze of corridors and obstacles to take cover behind.

For 20 minutes of play the new attraction charges eight euros per player. There is no age limit for participants – upper or lower.