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Tags: Swine Flu / Travel Health / France Travel / Romance Travel / Travel News / H1N1 / Germ Travel / → All Tags
French Discourage Kissing In Order To Curb Swine Flu Spread
We were going to use a photo of people kissing cheeks, but come on; kitties!
Just when we were coming around to the idea of being rude by not returning handshakes and thereby steering clear of Swine Flu, the French had to go and ruin all our fun. You see, they've reminded us that the traditional double-cheek-kiss—called la bise—is also pretty unsanitary if you don't want to catch the H1N1 virus, especially if you're greeting someone who has just traveled and may be exposed.
We can't shake hands and we can't cheek-kiss; what will we will do? Thank heavens there's still the good old rump-pat, and the "hey-yo" wave. We do feel badly for the Frenchies though:
In schools, teachers are telling their young charges to forgo the bise, and instead capture their displays of affection in heart-shaped greetings to slip into 'bise boxes.' It is restraint that is easier to sell to young students than their older brothers and sisters. Some things, however, are finding an accepting audience: masks—which do a pretty good job of discouraging just about any sort of kissing.
Tags: Celeb Travel / Swine Flu / Jack Nicholson / French Riviera / France Travel / Monoco / Cap d'Ail / → All Tags
Jack Nicholson Lets It All Hang Out in the French Riviera
Nothing stops Jack Nicholson from having a good time, not his age, his moobs or even the swine flu. Jack is continuing his French getaway this week in Cap d'Ail, outside of Monaco, where he was spotted snorkeling, slathering on sunscreen and jumping off of a boat with his kids yesterday. All that fun must have tuckered the old guy out though because he was also caught sleeping on a random plot of sidewalk grass. Hey, everyone needs a good power nap now and then.
Hopefully his sudden sleepiness wasn't an early symptom of the Swine Flu. Last week, 64 cases of the flu were confirmed at the Centre Mediterranean Language School in Cap d'Ail though most of the students were sent home and weren't considered to be in any serious danger.
Tags: Swine Flu / Cruises / France Travel / Royal Caribbean / → All Tags
60 Sick On Swine Flu Cruise Off The French Riviera
Just when you thought it was safe to resume traveling to Mexico and taking cruises comes a story about another outbreak of the summer's biggest vacation-ruiner: Swine Flu.
Right now, off the coast of the French Riviera, the Voyager of the Seas from Royal Caribbean is experiencing an explosion of the sickness among 60 of their crew members, with another 70 showing symptoms of swine flu. The first 60 have been confined to their cabins—although it's common knowledge that cruise crew share cabins—while the ship's 3,600 passengers head ashore to party in Nice and Monaco.
Although it's not known if the passengers are aware of the news of their sick ship, the loss of so many crew members from their posts is no doubt hurting the ship's service. We just hope that the virus doesn't use the rest of its vacation at sea to infect the rest of the crew and spread its way onto passengers. Apparently the crew began showing signs of swine flu after the cruise depart Barcelona earlier in the week; so now it's the Mexican/Spanish Swine Flu?
Related Stories:
· 60 crew have swine flu on cruise ship off France [USA Today]
· Will Flu-Free Guarantees Lure Travelers Back to Mexico? [Jaunted]
· Cruise Coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: Eric Gaillard, Reuters]
Tags: Worlds-Coolest-Pools / Robert Pattinson / French Riviera / France Travel / → All Tags
Roll Like An Old-School Movie Star In The South Of France
Last one in's a rotten egg! We're finding the best places in the world to stick our toes in this summer (or next winter) for our World's Coolest Pools map. Know of any pools we must check out? Let us know.
Ask the old lady with the full complement of well-traveled Louis Vuitton suitcases: Sometimes the deluxe original is still the best. If you'd rather look to the young and hip, they'd have to agree with the seasoned jetsetter that the Hotel du Cap Eden-Roc and its infinity pool is still one of the greats of the world. Twilight star Robert Pattinson will even vouch for it.
The grande dame hotel popular with the Cannes crowd was originally a mansion rented by loaded Americans during the Jazz Age—in fact, it inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald to write Tender Is The Night after a stay with his friends in the uber-plush environs. So snooty is the hotel that, until 2006, it didn't even accept credit cards. And don't even think of stashing that cash in a non-designer bag.
The seawater-filled pool faces the Mediterranean and, if you remembered to bring it, your yacht. TripAdvisor commenters note that it can get crowded for those without the wherewithal to arrange for its private rental, so stake your claim to a chaise early.
Related Stories:
· Robert Pattinson Shacks Up at Hotel du Cap Eden Roc [Jaunted]
· Raise A Champagne Cocktail Toast At Cannes' Le Festival [Jaunted]
· Date Night For The Super World Travelers in Antibes, France [Source2]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: crza]
Tags: Summer-Signature-Cocktails-Map / Drinking Travel / France Travel / French Riviera / → All Tags
Raise A Champagne Cocktail Toast At Cannes' Le Festival
While the summer is at its peak and you're no doubt tired of chugging bottled water under the sun at tourist sites, we're going to hit some of the world's best watering holes and down their famous summer cocktails. Bottoms up!
Tyically, when you tell someone that you are headed to "Le Festival" in Cannes on the French Riviera, they assume you mean the International Film Fest that takes place every May. But Cannes sparkles all throughout the summer, not just in May, and you may head to a different "Le Festival," a restaurant and bar, to toast your good fortune at being in paradise.
Occupying an enviable position right on Le Croisette, Cannes' stretch of beach, the bar Le Festival serves up fresh grilled fish and of course a slew of desserts doused in liqueur. But darling, you'd do well to remember that you're on the French Riviera and so you simply must ask to be seated out on the expansive patio with glasses of the restaurant's signature Festival Champagne.
Tags: Crime / Museum Travel / Paris / France Travel / → All Tags
Art Theft Travel: Paris Loses a Picasso
We love a good art theft mystery, but usually in the form of a book or movie like The Thomas Crown Affair. Today however, the real thing is going down in Paris as authorities have discovered the disappearance of a book of Picasso sketches from the Picasso Museum.
Its value? 11 million dollars. Its historical importance? Priceless. Although there are several Picasso museums in the world, including ones in Switzerland and Barcelona, the Paris collection is known for having over 3000 of his works plus paintings that he owned by the likes of Degas, Matisse and Cezanne.
In cases such as art theft, any press is good press for both the return of the artwork and tourist numbers to the museum. if you're planning a visit to the Paris Picasso Museum, expect heightened security, larger crowds, and general paranoia until the investigation gets further underway. But then, it's not like there aren't enough Picasso Museums to go around.
The Picasso Museum Paris is located closeest to the Metro Line 8 stop at Saint-Sébastien Froissart; the museum is open from 9:30am to 6pm, and costs 8.50 Euro per adult.
Related Stories:
· French police: notebook of Picasso sketches stolen [Washington Post]
· Picasso Museum [Official Site]
· Museum Travel Coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: Kristin Myers Harvey]
Tags: Obama-Around-The-World / Presidential Travel / Barack Obama / Paris / France Travel / Michelle Obama / → All Tags
The Obamas Take Paris: A Guide To Their Family Weekend Getaway
None of that constantly hanging out indoors and sticking to all business for President Obama; his last few stops on a whirlwind tour have included some quality tourist time as he takes in more than just the interiors of conference rooms and embassies.
This past weekend when he swung by France to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, he flew in the whole family for a little interlude in Paris. It was the first visit to Europe for Malis and Sasha, as well as Sasha's 8th birthday.
Before arriving, Obama hinted at his touristic ambitions by saying that "American people love all things French, you've got the food, you've got Paris," and sample the city and its cuisine he and the family did.
To do Paris in three days a la Obama, check out our guide to their hotspots from their visit:
Tags: D-Day Travel / Normandy / France Travel / Historical Travel / Death / → All Tags
D-Day's 65th Anniversary Invades Normandy With Tourists
It's Thursday, which probably means that you are asking yourself what's going on this weekend. If it were 65 years ago, the answer wouldn't be anything nearly as nice as seeing a movie or sleeping in—it'd be invading the beaches of Normandy.
This Saturday marks the 65th anniversary of that tragic but triumphant day when Allied forces stormed five beach areas of Northern France in order to begin wrestling control of the country away from the Nazis in World War II. Since Normandy sees so much tourism of the historical sites on normal days, we're going to bet that this weekend will be the craziest yet.
Tags: Adventure Travel / France Travel / Sports Travel / Parkour / Videos / → All Tags
Adventure Travel: Leap Tall Buildings in Suburban Paris
Getting bored of sitting on a plane or train on your travels? Then you might need to head to Lisses, near Paris, for a session of parkour.
You might not know its name, but you've definitely seen parkour in action: That simultaneously crazy yet graceful art of jumping off buildings or climbing up walls made famous by Daniel Craig in the first chase scene of "Casino Royale." Lisses is the town where the whole parkour craze began and word is that on the last weekend of the month, a free training session takes place for novices.
Just meet at the famous Park du Lac--for example, this coming weekend should see some action--but don't forget to check first if your travel insurance will cover a broken leg caused by jumping off a staircase onto a wall.
Related Stories:
· Crazy Travel Experiences [news.com.au]
· Paris Travel coverage [Jaunted]
Tags: Food / Food Travel / France Travel / → All Tags
Bad Food Travel: Don't Eat in France
Ever ended up with a bellyache after eating out in France? Chances are you'd be in good company if the results of a recent inspection by French health inspectors are anything to go by.
Authorities checked out over 9,000 cafes and restaurants across a bunch of tourist hotspots in France and the shocking result is that a quarter of these were breaking hygiene rules. And we're not taking minor digressions either, because the inspectors closed down 37 places completely, and from others carted away 30 tons of food they considered unfit to serve.
We always knew there was a reason we shy away from the escargots. Now we know what it is.
Related Stories:
· French Tourist Eateries Get Hygiene Thumbs Down [The Age]
· OMG, Baguettes Are Not French! [Jaunted]
· France Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: panduh]
Tags: France Travel / Space Tourism / Space Travel / Amusement Parks / → All Tags
The City of Space is Actually in France
It's been open for ten years, but a UK Times report has only just alerted us to the existence of the Cité de l'Espace or City of Space, a space-themed amusement park near Toulouse, France which sounds surprisingly well worth visiting.
Along with full scale models of the Mir space station and a couple of rockets, there are also heaps of different interactive exhibits that give you a better idea of how life is for astronauts in space. Children get to do astronaut training courses, you can drive a replica of an American space scooter and of course there's some suitably tasteless space food to try.
The Times reviewer also checked out the on-site restaurant, and was pleased that the French version of space had good wine, even if the food was a bit questionable. Luckily if you've had a couple of glasses of French vino, even space food tastes good.
Related Stories:
· France's Futuristic Theme Park [UK Times]
· Cité de l'Espace [Official Site]
· Space Travel Coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: barclakj]
Tags: Love / France Travel / Ski Travel / Valentine's Day / → All Tags
France Ski Slopes Are For Love, Baby
How can we not keep thinkin' of love on Valentine's Day? We already figured out--a little sadly--that Paris is the ciy of arguments, if not a damn fine place to break up with your other half, at least for the British. But all is not lost with the we-thought-they-were-romantic French, because Singles Week at Avoriaz Ski Resort exists.
Yep, the UK Times checked out a special Singles Week in the French Alps. The travelers are all singles who've found out about the week through one of a variety of online dating sites, like the UK's Dating Direct.
Single you come, and single you might well leave unless you get really lucky, but in the middle of your week in France you definitely won't be lonely. Various games and activities are set up to help people get to know each other (there's a "musical snowball fight" for example), and big meals and plenty of booze help things along.
Being Europe, you may find yourself attracted to someone who doesn't speak your language--about two thirds of the last Singles Week participants were French-speakers--but the language of love is international, right?
Related Stories:
· Looking for Love in the Alps [UK Times]
· Paris, the City of Arguments [Jaunted]
[Photo: Yaaaaan]
