Posts Tagged ‘French Holiday’

The Connexion has reported that vast sea defence work across the whole of the French coastline and waterways have been planned to avoid a repeat of last weekend’s storm induced floods.

The French government has commissioned a task force to examine over 1,000 km of sea walls in the upcoming weeks. By May, the government has announced it will publish a report on any improvements or further reinforcements that will need to be implemented along its coastlines.

During the height of the recent storms, an old sea wall on the Vendee coast was breached, causing a large flood that submerged local houses and French holiday homes under nearly 2 metres of water, claiming the lives of 52 people in the country.

The government hopes to create a warning system for homes on coastal floodplains and will create tougher planning regulations for homes in previous flood affected areas.

Many homes on the banks of the Loire river, have been condemned, to protect against floods – with the local council buying up homes, to allow residents to find alternative accommodation.

Chantal Jouanno, Junior Ecology Minister commented that although the financing of the scheme had yet to be agreed, the improvements could cost around 3 billion Euros.

Such improvements have given reassurance to those with holiday cottages or second homes in France, who were worried that flood risks from both rivers and coasts may affect their investments.

If you are looking to go for a French holiday with a difference, then Paris is kicking off it’s world famous Paris Fashion Week on Thursday. The city will be buzzing while this event runs for nine days and you could even catch a glimpse of top fashionista’s and celebs.

Those with children can take a trip to Disneyland, and the fashion lovers can attend nearby fashion exhibitions which are put on throughout the city whilst fashion week is going on. For the not-so fashion orientated, then the Paris Sightseeing Pass gives access to over fifty of the French capital’s top attractions, guaranteeing boredom will never set in. Take time to explore the historical sights and attractions such as the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe before enjoying a relaxing cruise along the Seine River. There is also a wine tasting experience for the adults to enjoy.

Though if you aren’t the hustle and bustle type, your holiday is probably best spent in a more relaxed area, such as the Dordogne. A more tranquil and laid back countryside filled with vineyards and peace. 

So whether you want a break consisting of fashion, a busy city break, or a tranquil stay in a luxury traditional house, France offers a variety of different options available for every taste.

Services in the Dordogne may be affected today by a national demonstration over immigration.

A national “day without immigrants” is to take place today as a form of protest over political hostility towards immigrants and labour in France. Foreign residents across France, as well as all those citizens who were born overseas have been encouraged to halt work throughout the first of March, in order to highlight their contribution to the economy at a national and local level.

Claimed to the be the first of its kind in France, the initiative was inspired by a similar demonstration in the US in 2006. Similar protests will take place in other EU countries today, with immigrants in Italy, Greece and Spain seeking to illustrate their contribution to their respective nations.

The protests are supported by five national unions. It is hoped by the organisers that none of the 70,000 people who joined the supporting Facebook group or any of those acting in solidarity, will either work in any form of employment or buy any kind of product for the next 24 hours.

Some demonstrations will take place outside town halls between 1200 and 1400 though it is unknown whether any of these will take place in the Dordogne.

Although mass disruption is unlikely to affect anyone on a French holiday significantly, people should be prepared for the possibility of reduced staff in many areas of private and public services throughout France.

For those planning a French holiday in March, it may be prudent to take note of their GP’s day of strike action on March 11.

Four unions, including the largest MG France organisation, have encouraged doctors to take part in the walkout and shut their practices for one day. Nevertheless, it is not expected that hospital doctors will participate, so visitors should have no problems should they be unfortunate enough to encounter any emergencies on their vacations.

French GP’s are striking in protest to a lack of resources, an increasing workload and low pay. Unions argue that practices are dealing with a high volume of patients as existing doctors retire and graduates decide on higher paid roles.

Earlier in February, the French medical audit office the ‘Cour de Comptes’, commented that GP’s were wasting up to 200m Euros per annum by using traditional paper medical claim forms, instead of utilising the new innovative electronic card system. However, doctors have retaliated, saying that surgeries cannot afford to employ such technologies.

Despite the walkout, it is expected that hospitals will be prepared to cope for the extra influx in patients.

The Connexion has reported that by 2015, every home in France should be fitted with a smoke alarm according to a new law.

Responsibility for equipping a home with a smoke alarm will lie with the person living in the home, except in the case of French holiday cottages or gites where the landlord will be in charge of making sure that the device is working correctly.

Holiday home landlords, tenants and homeowners who neglect to fulfil these new regulations by 2015, are likely to face an additional 5,000 Euros on there insurance premium in the event of a fire.

It is reported that there are around 800 fatalities from fires in France every year, with only 2 per cent having smoke alarms in their homes. This is a poor figure compared to the UK, where 89 per cent of homes are equipped with a smoke detector. Meanwhile, in Norway almost every home is equipped – with 98% of homes fitted with the device.

Damien Meslot the UMP’s deputy, has been championing the law for the past five years. He said of the new legislation: ”Smoke alarms will save the lives of hundreds of people every year.”

The revised law was supported by a large MP majority, bar the Communist Party, who commented that the responsibility in standard rented accommodation should lie with the landlord, not the tenant.

British buyers look like they are venturing out there again – investing in overseas property in France. More than 70 per cent of Knight Frank’s enquiries for France so far this year have been from British people, with the greatest interest in the Dordogne, as well as areas in the South, South west, and the Alps.

Paul Humphreys, from Knight Frank’s French department commented on the trend, saying: “It’s a good time to buy. French property prices have fallen and there’s a nice supply of good-quality properties at the right price on the market, in places we’ve always had love affairs with, such as Gascony and the Dordogne.”

As well as the country’s aesthetically pleasing appeals, the vineyards and châteaux, the food, culture and countryside, France also rates highly on practical points too. Its proximity, which good for those who hate flying or airports, and prefer to drive or take the train. For those who relish flying, there is an international appeal- a bonus for holiday lets. The weather is hot and sunny and a weakening Euro are all factors of advantage towards French holidays.

The Dordogne is particularly attractive to British families and couples, as it boasts a relaxed setting, with rivers, market towns and no hustle or bustle. Harris Raphael from Pioneer France says: “The Dordogne is as the British imagine the countryside should be. We’ve seen an increase in enquiries and sales since the end of late 2009, mainly families with children looking for a holiday home and couples in their fifties thinking of retirement in a few years.”

Knight Frank says they are hearing more from commuters seeking a family home in France, where the husband can fly back from Bergerac or Bordeaux airports to an office in London.

The UK half-term may be over for most of Britain’s school kids, but in France the school break has barely begun. For the many schools across the Dordogne, lessons are out for at least two weeks from Saturday the 20th to Sunday the 7th of March.

Although this may mean longer queues for those on a French holiday, it also means that there will be many opportunities for family activities throughout the Dordogne, specially organised for the half-term break.

Those attracted to the Dordogne by the valley’s prehistoric heritage, such as the world famous Lascaux caves, will be pleased to know that both the National Museum of Prehistory and the Vezere prehistoric cave organisation are running a family discovery program until March 7.

The Museum, located in Les Eyz€ies, will have daily tours throughout the week; prices range from €10 for adults, €5 for those under 18 and free entry for under 13′s.  There will also be visits to sites at Le Moustier, Micoque, Laugerie Haute and Font De Gaume.

If history doesn’t appeal, then you may be interested in the downhill ice-run located in Bergerac for the half-term period. An ice rink has been installed in the town’s Room Anatole France; covering an area of 600 square metres, holding 150 people at once. Entry costs €7 for adults, €5 for children and the rink is open from 1000 to 1200, 1400-1600 and 1700-1900 on weekdays. Night-time sessions are held on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 2100 to midnight.

People who are planning to visit the Dordogne for a French holiday over the next month should be aware that five major trade unions are planning a nationwide day of strike action on the 23rd of March.

Connexion, the English-language French news monthly, reports that the unions are likely to strike in protest at proposed pension reforms. Although the publication says that it is “too early” to say what effect the strike will have or where the effects will be most felt, given the prominence of the unions it seems likely that services will be disrupted across the country.

CFDT, CGT, FSU, Solidaires and UNSA have all announced plans for an industry-wide walkout after President Sarkozy said that a new law on retirement would be pushed back to the Autumn, instead of summer as originally planned. Between them, the five unions represent many in blue-collar jobs, such as transport, retail or municipal services, as well as those in white-collar jobs such as civil administration.

Those on a French holiday may find it easier to plan around the strike. They may find shops, services and public attractions disrupted or closed due to lack of staff or temporarily closed as a gesture of solidarity with the movement. In the Dordogne specifically, it seems unlikely that the strike will affect the smaller villages and towns in the region, although larger settlements like Perigueux or Bergerac may be affected.

People who take or rent a car on their French holiday will have to pay close attention to speed limits rather than the position of speed cameras as the national government introduces a new generation of technology to the country’s motorways.

Prime Minister Francois Fillon recently announced that 800 new speed cameras will be introduced, with new measures taken to ensure that speeding drivers don’t simply brake just before they come in range to avoid being caught. Connexion, the English language French news monthly, reports that Mr Fillon also confirmed that a new type of camera would be rolled out across the country after being tested since 2003 on the A10 road in Orleans.

Starting this year, warning signs will be placed between 1 and 2 kilometres ahead of speed cameras rather than the current distance of 400 metres. A new type of speed camera will also be added to some motorways, which will measure a vehicle’s speed over a long distance and use the average to judge whether a car is speeding.

Other announcements were made which reinforced the importance of driving safely during a French holiday and paying strict attention to local laws. Nearly 2000 electronic breathalysers have been issued to police forces around the country and the punitive measures for those caught drink-driving or without a valid license or insurance have been increased; now, any motorist in breach of the law faces having their car taken away on the spot and impounded for seven days.

The new measures will help make France a safer place for motorists but also means that UK drivers shouldn’t take their holiday for granted. If you get caught speeding through the Dordogne on the A89, you face a similar punishment as if you are speeding on the M62 at home.

Fine food and drink are among the many reasons that people choose to take a French holiday. Yet according to a recent study, only 11% of the French are obese – compared with 25% in Britain.

Writing in Connexion France, the English-language French news and lifestyle magazine, the former slimming editor of The Sun says that the French attitude to food could teach the British a few lessons in healthy eating. Sally Ann Voak, who has written 28 books on weight loss and worked on The Sun for 32 years, writes that the difference in attitude is profound.

“Brits are becoming conditioned to accepting obesity” says Voak. In France, “women admire Carla and Segolene for their chic and slender bodies, as well as their intelligence. In some UK towns, reasonably-sized people appear undernourished. In France, it is still considered unhealthy to be fat.”

She also says that the UK has taken on “the American custom of serving huge portions”, for both “lunchtime fare” and “at the top end of the market.”

“We Brits want value for money. One single, delicious slice of tarte au chocolat? No thanks, let us have a pile of profiteroles…French meals are well-balanced, and the traditional ‘proper’ lunch means that snacking is unnecessary. French women do not experience the 1600 blood sugar ‘low’ that hits most offices in the UK – when biscuits and cakes appear as if by magic.”

Voak also says that in France, exercise is a much more natural activity. “Going to the gym or health club is a luxury in the UK. Municipal facilities such as pools and tennis courts are less accessible…sports have declined at school, and family activities like skiing – for all income groups in France – are only enjoyed by the few.”

Her comments are likely to ring true to anyone who has taken a French holiday in the Dordogne. Although the region is famous for its locally produced wines, hearty traditional Occitan dishes and delicacies such as pate, fois gras or the black Perigord truffle, it was also recently recognised for its enthusiastic sporting clubs and facilities by the Aquitaine regional board.

Whilst skiing is a less than available activity in the south-west of France, the Dordogne has an extensive system of cycle lanes, many municipal facilities and the calm waters of the eponymous river make it a popular place for kayaking, swimming and wild camping.