Go Where The French Go!


Stephen Hay

Run Out Of Holiday Ideas

Have a basic understanding of French

Then plan a get-away to destinations youd not normally consider and...

Go Where The French Go!

Youll first need to get yourself to France, which is best done from where you are...

But why not start your holidays with a week visiting the vineyards of Bordeaux, the chateaux of the Loire or the hinterland of the Côte dAzur. Staying in a "gîte rural", a homestay.

But before leaving for France, use one of the principal French travel sites to book a package in the sun, or whatever you feel like... youll need some French to do so...

For flights, packages and everything else, the big three are:

Opodo, http://www.the-process-improver.com/OpodoVols

Anyway, http://www.the-process-improver.com/AnywaySejours

Promo-Vacances, http://www.the-process-improver.com/PromoVacances

Opodo is owned by nine of Europes leading airlines: Aer Lingus, Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa and by GDS and travel technology provider, Amadeus. So theyre pretty solid.

Anyway is powered by Expedia, well known in the North American market, and owned by IAC Travel which also owns Interval International, TV Travel Shop, Hotels.com.

Both these will provide you with the usual 450-500 airlines, 40-50000 hotels, etc, etc. And tend to fly out of Paris Charles de Gaulle or Paris Orly Sud.

Promo-Vacances is the best for Séjours packages. And theyre owned by Karavel, an interesting alternative to the large on-line agencies. They were started by 10 travel directors, have an office in Paris and their CEO is the past-CEO of Air France. So they too are solid...

Why French Travel Sites

Consider this...

The French have a highly developed travel industry

To match their highly developed sense of vacation... Why

Because they have time for affordable activities.

Whys that

From the UBS Prices and Earnings Survey, they have the lowest pay but the most paid holidays and work the shortest hours. How so You ask...

Well, in Paris, the average worker works less than 1600 hours per year and has 28 paid days holiday. In Toronto, she works over 1950 hours per year and takes less than 12 days paid holidays.

In London, the figures are just over 1800 hours per year worked and 22 holiday days paid. In New York, your average worker puts in close to 1900 hours per year and takes just 13 days paid holidays for his efforts.

Using the Big Mac index from UBS, a Parisian must work for 19 minutes to buy a Big Mac, a Torontan or is that Torontonite, 13. In London, its 18 minutes and New York, 12.

So, if youre stuck for ideas for affordable holidays...

Go Where The French Go!

And the French holiday "en famille" so all their destinations are family friendly...





About The Author

Stephen Hay has lived in France for a few years and now lives in New Zealand with his French wife and children. He runs a business catering to home-based and small businesses but misses the French approach to holidays, though not necessarily in France. Hence the article, and the link: http://the-process-improver.com/GoWhereTheFrenchGo
stephen@the-process-improver.com

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