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Easy Day Trips from Paris: Monet's Gardens at Giverny

For most people, Paris is such a dream destination that the idea of leaving town sounds anticlimactic. However, even lifelong Parisiens know the value of occasionally getting out of the city. This week, we'll be looking at four daytrips—or even two-day trips—that you can take from the City of Light.

Today's destination: Giverny.

Though the village of Giverny is quite charming, the reason that 99% of tourists come here is to visit the house and gardens of artist Claude Monet. Unlike Versailles and Fontainebleau, Giverny is quite difficult to reach via public transit from Paris; the best option is either to rent a car or join up with one of the many tour companies which ferry visitors there and back (Citylink, located near the Eiffel Tower, is a good option with both full and half day tours that are quite hands-off and no leaders with giant flags in sight).

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Easy Day Trips from Paris: A Frolick at Fontainebleau

For most people, Paris is such a dream destination that the idea of leaving town sounds anticlimactic. However, even lifelong Parisiens know the value of occasionally getting out of the city. This week, we'll be looking at four daytrips—or even two-day trips—that you can take from the City of Light.

Today's destination: Fontainebleau.

While Fontainebleau is much less famous than its cousin, Versailles, this palace is an excellent daytrip from Paris, especially for the traveler who's "done everything already" in town. To get there, you’ll need to go to Gare de Lyon and take the regional train—go all the way to the top floor and use the green machines (there are about a thousand yellow SNCF ones and probably two Billet Ile de France green ones, so don’t be afraid to ask people where they are or just go to an information booth/help desk).

Trains leave about once every 30 or 40 minutes, so just look for ones that make a stop at Fontainebleau Avon. This is the station for both the forest and the chateau. Both are quite a long walk, so you’ll need to check the signs for appropriate buses; the number one drops you off right in front of the palace and is usually chock full of tourists, so you should find it easily. Because the train station is pretty bare bones (only two tracks, no shops or cafes, minimal signage), return buses from Fontainebleau often time it so that you’ll arrive at the station just in time to catch the next train back to Paris. No dawdling!

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Easy Day Trips from Paris: Crossing Versailles Off the List

For most people, Paris is such a dream destination that the idea of leaving town sounds anticlimactic. However, even lifelong Parisiens know the value of occasionally getting out of the city. This week, we'll be looking at four daytrips—or even two-day trips—that you can take from the City of Light.

Today's destination: Versailles.

By far the most famous and popular daytrip from Paris is Versailles. It’s quite easy to get there, as there are dozens of trains per day. The most efficient way is to take the RER line C, which picks up from tourist-central metro stations including Invalides and Musee d’Orsay. Just look on the map for a letter C inside a big circle. The RER is sort of like New York’s Metro North or Long Island Railroad, as it serves Paris suburbs and is not considered part of the metro.

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The Five Spots in Cannes for Spotting Film Festival Celebrities

The Cannes Film Festival is in full swing, which means film's biggest stars have descended on the French Riviera along with the crowds jostling to have a look at them. If you're in that mix and hoping for a new Facebook photo with Leo DiCaprio, check out our list of the best places to spot the A (and B) listers this year:

· Nikki Beach

On May 25, Nikki Beach hold its annual Cannes party which always draws a famous crowd. Past attendees have included Woody Allen, Michael Douglas, Penelope Cruz, and Ryan Gosling.

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How to Get a Taste of the Cannes Film Festival for Free

The Cannes Film Festival kicks off tomorrow with a screening of The Great Gatsby, and the only thing more glamorous than the parties on the big screen, will be the ones happening outside.

Leonardo DiCaprio might have said best when he compared going to Cannes to entering the helicopter scene in La Dolce Vita. "It's an insane experience," he explained. "The entire town is turned into a red carpet. Every hotel is a premiere. But at the same time, it is the mecca for the world to celebrate filmmaking and bold filmmaking."

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Europe Joins the 'Vomit Comet' Game as Zero-G Flights Begin

We’re all about in-flight comfort—from fine wining and dining to the latest in sleeper suites, it's all of interest to us, and of course we want to try it. However, that doesn’t mean that we aren’t interested in something a little more adventurous when climbing aboard an aircraft. That’s why we’re pretty intrigued about the Zero-G flights now available to the paying public over in Europe.

You’ve probably heard of the “Vomit Comet” before, as aircraft flying wild courses to experience reduced gravity is hardly a new concept. Space agencies have been using airplanes for years to simulate varying degrees of weightlessness, but you no longer need to be an astronaut to climb aboard. Trips like this have been available in the United States and Russia, but this is the first time these kinds of flights have been open to one and all in Europe.

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How Air France is (Literally) Selling Their Ads to Travelers

More and more we are seeing environmentally responsible decisions coming from airlines in the form of fuel conservation, on-board recycling programs and carbon off-setting. Air France has taken "thinking green" to the next level and we're not just talking about recycling bins for newspapers; although, they do that too.

Partnering with environmentally friendly bag maker, Bilum Paris, AF has created a line of travel bags and wallets made from the giant billboards plastered up on the side of highways. Not only are they made from the super tough plastic material, but they are actual Air France billboard posters.

The first poster has created 9 cabin bags, 23 laptop bags and 30 travel cases. For as little as 69 Euros, you can have your own little one-of-a-kind slice of Air France. To browse the range, head to their e-shop.

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Why €10 is the New Price for France's Main High-Speed Train

It was really only a matter of time, but it's finally happened and the world now has some low-cost, high-speed rail options...in France. Have a few Euros in your pocket and need to head from Paris to the French Riviera? Well, it can actually happen now, thanks to Ouigo (pronounced wee-go), a train from the SNCF designed to bring affordable travel to all.

Starting April 3rd, the super-fast TGV train is launching its low-cost tickets from Paris to Lyon, Marseille and Montpellier at an absolute steal of 10 Euros each way. Since there are a few stops in between these cities, a weekend get-away in Provence is not out of the question.

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The Best Thing I Ever Bought at An Airport...Black Sweater Edition

With airports these days resembling malls filled with clothing stores, gadget shops and restaurants-fine, casual and fast, it was inevitable that we would do a little shopping while we wait to board our flight. In our newest series, we take a look at some of the airport swag Jaunted contributors have found and loved, even years later. Kicking it off is managing editor, Juliana, whose travels lately have been grounded by babies but her airport buy lives on.

Whenever I wear this oversized but thin black sweater from Zara (which is a lot), I'm reminded of Paris' Charles DeGaulle Airport. Way back in 2008, I was returning from a 10-day trip to Europe that started off in Paris, continued on to Munich and Barcelona and then back to Paris. Before heading to the airport for my return flight home, I took one last stroll around the 7th Arrondissement, picking up some patisserie chocolates to take home.

Yet during the entire ride to the aiport, I kept smelling something funny--merde to be exact. I kept sniffing my clothes, the car, my bag, even my husband but could not find the culprit. It was only once I checked my bags inside the airport that I realized the merde was coming from me and my Christian Louboutin flats. Like 90 percent of Parisian tourists, I had stepped in dog shit.

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New Airline Alert: Hop! Puts Destination Dots All Over Europe

Thank goodness for even more options for low-cost, short-haul flights in Europe; we were worried that that market wasn't big enough. [sarcasm] You see, Air France just announced the launch of their own little regional carrier and, keeping with the theme of onomatopoeic budget airline names, this time we introduce "Hop!."

Hop! isn't exactly new; it's just a fresh brand that encompasses the three legs of AF's regional carriers. Brit Air, Regional and Airlinair will be folded into the one name to operate as a single short-to-medium haul carrier, mainly, out of one of Paris' other airports, Orly. Hop! will also have a handful of flights out of Charles de Gaulle, just to keep things interesting.

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Cheapy Cheap Air France Flights Now Possible with 'MiNi' Fares

Everyone is always asking, "how can I get cheaper airfare?" Well today's your lucky day as Air France announces a bare-bones ticket that's nothing but cheaper airfare, and they're calling it the "MiNi."

One-way "MiNi" fares would start at €49 (including tax), which is around €20 less than a normal economy ticket, though MiNi means no itinerary changes, no seat selection at booking, and no mileage earning. Still, if you can keep it to carry-on only (checked baggage is €15 per piece in advance, €30 at the airport), it's a heck of a lot cheaper than taking the Eurostar from London to Paris and the TGV on to Nice.

There are 58 starter destinations, all short- and medium-haul, for example from London City to Brest, Nantes, Pau, Avignon, Toulon and Paris-Orly. If you're like, "what the heck in Toulon," then know that it's an airport much nearer to St. Tropez, Cannes and Monte Carlo than Marseille, so that's our first choice right there. Other MiNi fare hubs are Paris-Orly, Marseille, Toulouse and Nice.

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Air France and Barneys Want to Send You to Paris in Business Class

We like contests. Even more so, we like travel contests. When these contests are coupled with fashion, we've died and gone to heaven. Now that may be a little dramatic, but we really do like a contest that includes business class travel instead of the usual economy roundtrip. This time, the goods come from Air France and the grand prize includes not only biz class tickets to Paris, but also a hotel stay at a Sofitel and an entirely new wardrobe from Barneys, all wrapped up in the cuteness of Disney.

The contest can be found on Air France's US Facebook page and involves very little effort, but will bring a few smiles and giggles. Just head on over to the fan page and give them the thumbs-up and click over to the Electric Holiday Sweepstakes. Once there, all you need to do is watch the short cartoon featuring Minnie Mouse and various other fashion icons, then type in your details at the end.

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