The Breakaway Travel Blog
Air France Makes the Skies More Friendly
Don’t put away that cell phone just yet on your next flight over France. You may soon be able to talk with friends and family or whomever you desire while flying the friendly skies. AirFrance, with partner OnAir, are launching a trial of inflight voice calls in what is the first full mobile phone service onboard a commercial aircraft.
The trial started several months ago, allowing passengers to send and receive unlimited SMS text messages and emails, including attachments. The company recently added to that the ability to make and receive up to six simultaneous calls. The service is activated above 3000 metres and is charged according to your phone company’s agreement.
Air France, founded in 1933, operates 1,700 daily flights with a fleet of 393 aircraft, including 134 regional aircraft operated by its subsidiaries Britair, CityJet and Régional.
Labels: air travel, France
Which Trip Suits Your “Taste”?
Food is a big part of many Breakaway Adventures trips from sidewalk cafes, to elegant sit-down meals to picnics overlooking beautiful views. But when sorting through all of our tours, many of which are centered around food and wine, which do you choose?
Those looking for the finest of the fine are a perfect fit for France. Our favorites include Brittany for seafood, the Lot and Dordogne for its rich, powerful menus -- foie gras, confit de canard and world-famous truffles -- and Provence where the air is heavy with the scent of wild herbs, garlic and lavender.
If home-cooked meals are a little more your style, consider Italy. Known for their straightforward menus relying on fresh, seasonal and local produce, Alto Mugello, Chianti, and Piedmont offer the most gastronomic options. You've also got some fantastic wines here, including full-bodied Barolo's, Barbaresco's and Dolcetto's.
If the meal is all about getting to know your fellow diners, try Spain, Greece, Turkey and North Africa, where mealtimes are very much a social occasion with many dishes served to share. You have tapas in Spain, mezze in Greece, and Turkey and fragrant tajines in Morroco with lots of choice for vegetarians too. And, wherever you visit in the Mediterranean, you'll come across wonderful outdoor markets selling sun-ripened fruits, colorful vegetables and pungent spices.
We’re certain with all these choices you can find just the right fit for your palate – the hardest part is choosing which to try first!
Labels: africa, food, France, italy, Spain, wine
Save on Your Next French Adventure
Dying to wander through the French countryside, but finding the price a bit too steep? We’ve got the answer. We’re offering 20% off the per person price on several of our walking tours to France.
The tours include:
- The eight-day Valleys & Volcanoes Walk in the Massif Central region of France, departing on May 18. This tour is based in the traditional mountain village of Les Estables and offers views of the Alps, Mont Blanc and Mont Ventoux.
- Our eight-day High Pyrenees Walk, near the Spanish border of France, departing on May 31. This independent tour is an ornithologist’s dream – you’ll see eagles, vultures and grand tetra set against a backdrop of high peaks, mountain streams and passes, lush meadows and picturesque villages.
Just think, you can put that extra money toward next year’s trip or save it to purchase some special mementos of your French getaway. Contact us now to book one of these money-saving adventures.
Labels: France, france walking
New Tours for '08
Planning your vacation for 2008? Now is the time! And we’ve got lots of new tours you can choose from.
New for this year include more than 20 tours from Africa to Portugal. We won’t go through them all (you can visit our Web site to see the complete list), but some of the highlights include:
- Back Roads of Provence Cycling – A self-guided cycling tour that takes you past the Gothic Popes’ Palace in Medieval Avignon, the Greco -Roman Arles, as well as forests, vineyards and olive groves.
- Wicklow Way (Ireland) – Stroll along the Wicklow Way, Ireland's oldest way marked trail that goes from Marlay Park in Dublin to Clonegal on the borders of Wicklow and Carlow, covering a distance of 127 kilometres.
- Hills of Hungary Walk – An independent walking tour through Baroque towns and past Ottoman ruins, castles, caverns and war graves with optional extra nights in Budapest.
Our new 2008 brochures are also available. If you’d like one, send us your information here and one will be on its way to you very soon.
Labels: France, Hungary, Ireland, New, tours
Lighting up Abroad
Gone are the days of enjoying a delicious croissant, cup of coffee and cigarette at sidewalk cafés in France. As of Jan. 1, cafes, restaurants and nightclubs joined a nationwide ban on smoking, just 11 months after smoking was banned in workplaces, schools, hospitals and shops throughout the country. Even though the country is trying to become more health conscious, it’s going to be a difficult habit to break for France’s estimated 13.5 million smokers. But with a hefty fine, 450 euros (about $645 dollars), the French will have to find a way to quit.
This ban comes six months after Great Britain decided to make its pubs smoke-free and four years after Ireland banned smoking in public spaces, the first to take such a stance in Europe.
Read the full
article.
Labels: France, Great Britain, smoking
