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Showing posts from 2013

112 is the Emergency Number to remember in Europe

Wherever you may chose to go on holiday there is always the issue of security and safety and as much as most places can be, and are safe, there is always the issue of someone getting pick pocketed and thieves, especially during specific times such as summer where many tourists can be found in many major cities. And even if you take the precautions to being safe while on holiday in Paris , or any other city throughout Europe, the unforeseen can always happen, where being able to easily access and use the Emergency number can always provide help of any kind. But even if you are not the one in immediate danger, some quick thinking to make a call can save someone's life when it's needed most, and for this reason it is why the number is being implemented in not only France but the European Union and even more countries around the world. 112 - The number to remember. The number is now the emergency number throughout all of Europe, accessible from any mobile, payphone or landline.

EHIC medical cards and tips for travelling in Europe on holiday

When going on holiday there are many things which you have to consider, but one of them which can at times be overlooked is the right documentation, and it can also be the difference between making things easier or have problems if anything unfortunate were to happen while you were on holiday in Europe. Within Europe all documentation is required to be carried at all times, which includes your passport and medical cards as well as a drivers license if you have one. Which when asking for identification at tills or checkouts most cashiers will accept the drivers license for the proof of identity when paying by debit or credit card. Although, despite the rule if you were to misplace your bag or purse, or worse it were to get stolen or taken from you, it does mean the documents would also be lost. That is why it is advisable to have a copy of those documents somewhere safe and separate from your actual documents, such as a hotel safe. Another option is to leave an additional copy of your

Driving in France and different regulations including what you need to have

Driving through France can be a fantastic experience which you can never forget, and as always the rules and regulations between countries can differ, which is where we've composed a small list to help keep on the right side of the law and to help keep you safe! Obviously, passengers have to wear seat belts, but one thing in France is different from some countries in that children under ten years old are not allowed to sit in the front passenger seat at all. Another is, even if you have acquired your driving licence before you are 18 in any other country, you still are not able to drive in France until you are 18, as the law forbids it. Also, you must always carry your driving license with you. If you have a provisional license, you again, are not allowed to drive in France. If you have also been driving less than two years you must always follow the weather condition speed limits that can be found on motor ways and dual carriage ways. For example, motorways hold the speed limi

The Conciergerie palace turned prison where Marie Antoinette was held captive

La Conciergerie was the first royal palace that was built in Paris, and is found on the Ile de la Cite island, which was originally called Palais de la Cite, which eventually became a prison. The name Conciergerie was from the official who was appointed from the king to oversee various prison records and policing. But that's not all, the history of the La Conciergerie is intriguing from when it was a palace through to the French Revolution and the prison it became. Today now it is one of the more popular tourist attractions in Paris, as it was the place Marie Antoinette was held before her beheading at Place de la Concorde , also you can visit the Sainte Chapelle, which was built within the palace right back in the 1240s. Over the years the palace has gained much damage and been destroyed so only the lower parts remain in place, but there are still many halls and parts of the building which you can visit if you plan to go there while on holiday in Paris . The lower floors of th

The Pompidou Centre and the Musee d’Art Moderne museum in Paris

The Pompidou Centre, or the official name of Centre Georges Pompidou, or the other name of Beaubourg due to where it is constructed, or if you prefer its nickname of "the inside out building" due to how the building techniques which were used to provide much space, has much to offer for all of the family. Although the history of the Pompidou Centre shares some light onto why it is here. With the initiative of French President Georges Pompidou who longed for a free public library to gain information but also a multi-cultural centre that would become home to Musee d’Art Moderne and more. The opinion of the Pompidou centre can vary from being hideous to some and for others being an interesting tourist attractions in Paris , which has picked up popularity over the years. With millions of visitors from around the globe who visit the Modern Art Museum and the Pompidou itself, it has become one of the top places to visit while on holiday in Paris , suitable for all ages. Within t

The Tour Montparnasse Tower has great views and the highest restaurant in Europe

The Tour Montparnasse is more of a modern tourist attraction in Paris which has attracted both love and hate being a sky scraper in Paris, people seeking it out for the fabulous views it provides across the city and others for disliking the idea of having a skyscraper across the height of Paris. In fact the tower is also known as Tour Maine-Montparnasse, but more commonly called the Tour Montparnasse, or Montparnasse Tower, and stands as the only skyscraper in Paris at a height of over 200 metres. The Montparnasse Tower was built above the Metro and various underground lines meaning it had to be reinforced much more. With 56 concrete reinforced concrete pillars which go down in the ground for over 60 meters to help for this very reason. Another impressive feat is that the Tour Montparnasse weighs 150,000 tons, and has a total of 59 floors including 6 underground floors, with a facade of 40,000 metres it can also measure in at an even more impressive amount of windows, which is at 7

The Lido Cabaret Venue in Paris with its impressive sets and dinner shows

The Lido is a cabaret venue in Paris which provides entertainment dinner shows, an ice rink, pool, amazing scenes, the famous Bluebell Girls, water features and much more to enjoy any type of evening. One of the revues hosted at The Lido is the Revue Bonhour which is more than just the ordinary show, allowing you to see many different scenes and emotions sure to keep you entertained during an evening. And from one extreme to the other The Lido has it, with many special effects to hand, 23 different sets to utilise including a 5 metre tall Indian temple, 90 different spotlights for the acts, 80 thousand litres of water for the pool and the amazing amount of electricity they use for other such lighting which can amount to over 20,000 watts of usage! For the Revue Bonhour alone there are over 70 different artists which go on stage, where The Lido also called for assistance from some of the best costume designers and best names in haute couture. Featuring many amazing amounts of luxury

Napoleon Bonaparte I and the Tomb of Napoleon at Les Invalides in Paris

Les Invalides is a fascinating tourist attraction in Paris with many museums, fantastic architecture, amazing history and others to keep you entertained but one of the things you can also visit is the famous Tomb of Napoleon. A bit of history on the well known emperor can help give an insight to the past history and what happened before we move onto the crypt or the tomb of Napoleon. Napoleon Bonaparte I was from the island, Corsica, born in 1769 he was educated in military school and soon made his way through the ranks until he was commander of the French army in Italy, where he forced Austria and their allies to make peace. Some years later a new threat loomed when Russia and Austria allied with Britain and Bonaparte returned to Paris as the government were in a crisis. The year 1800 Napoleon Bonaparte I defeated the Austrians and negotiated a peace treaty, making France have the controlling power over Europe.. Thanks to that victory he was made a Consul for life and saw the maki

Les Invalides with the Tomb of Napoleon and its impressive museums in Paris

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The Hotel National des Invalides is perhaps more well known as simply Les Invalides, and is just one of the many great monuments in Paris which you can find around. Originally thought of in 1670 by King Louis XIV for a place to hold war veterans which were no longer able to fight for the country. This place is a fantastic place to go to if you are interested in history, and especially military history in particular, with a very rich history of Les Invalides but also having the Tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte I as well. To expand on the Tomb of Napoleon , as most people know who Napoleon is, and was, a major part of history and still is, being taught throughout schools of his influence throughout French military history. And some twenty years after the man's death his remains were brought upstream along the River Seine to Paris. Once his remains were there he had a state funeral which ventured through Paris and paused briefly at the Arc de Triomphe which was built to the commands of

The Palais Garnier Opera House in Paris with its museum, tours and performances

The Palais Garnier, also known as the Opera Garnier is the 13th theatre to house the Paris Opera since it was founded in the late 1660's by King Louis XIV, and this particular opera house was built by the orders of Napoleon III to be part of the great Parisian reconstruction project, the building being named after the architect Charles Garnier. The Palais Garnier was inaugurated in 1875 on 5th January after taking a full 15 years to complete. Today now it is known by various different names from the Opera National de Paris, the Palais Garnier and finally, Opera Garnier. Nowadays the main focus is ballet performances as other operas are performed in the newer Paris Opera House of the Opera Bastille . The Opera Garnier was renovated in 2000, making the main facade impressive to look at just as if it was from the 19th century again with its many rich colours and golden statue work. Yet one of the most well known features of this tourist attraction has to be the Grand Staircase, th

The Moulin Rouge cabaret in Paris with its windmill and famous cancan girls

The Moulin Rouge is another famous and well known icon within Paris where many will know of it from being the origin of the French Cancan in this cabaret venue, where over 100 years it is still visited from tourists from all around the world wishing to visit and have an experience. The history of this spectacular tourist attractions in Paris in itself is interesting in how it has played host to many famous celebrities including that of Elton John, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and more, but also helped with the introducing of the French Cancan as well as helping upcoming artists reach popularity. Additionally the Moulin Rouge has also featured as a title of a book by Pierre La Mure, which was later made into a film in 1952 named Moulin Rouge, staring Zsa-Zsa Gabor and Jose Ferrer, yet in 2001 there was another movie made, this time with the name of Moulin Rouge! which included the actors Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. There have also been many drawings, paintings and posters ma

Some unusual facts and what tourist attractions to discover on the River Seine in Paris

From the first glance the River Seine in Paris may just look like a plain river which runs through Paris, but it happens to be much more than just that, having turned into a major tourist attraction and a landmark with many fantastic bridges, two islands within it and much more. The River Seine has always been a major and prominent river even before the City came to life. Dating right back to when the first Parisii tribes settled their fishing villages close to the river as well as when the roman Empire took over the river for the reason it had become a highly valued commercial waterway. Yet surprisingly the river is only around 24 meters above sea level and in places only 8 meters deep, making it a slow flowing river which is also easily navigated, and even to this day provides Paris with water. The river divides the city into two; known as the typical left and the right. The settlers first stayed around the Right Bank but it wasn't until the Roman Empire times that Paris had

Ideas and tourist attractions to visit for a memorable holiday in Paris

Taking a holiday in Paris is both popular and amazing but not surprisingly, with over 30 million tourists yearly and with a full array of culture, entertainment, history and all of the spectacular monuments in Paris, the city also being known as The City of Lights, there is something to suit everyone's interest from all around the world. For this reason Paris is a great place to experience a special occasion form anything such as a birthday right through to an engagement or a romantic getaway. And even better, if you do not have the time to plan there are companies which offer specially made packages for you, even ranging to having a wedding in Paris. But even with those, the city can also be great for all ages, meaning it can be perfect for a family holiday in Paris , with varying hotels in Paris, and even campsites which can have many numerous activities on them also within the Ile de France region meaning it can be suitable for children of any age. Also there are very many t

OpenTour Bus Tours in Paris for seeing the many monuments and tourist attractions

OpenTour is a firm which operates tour buses in Paris with different routes around the capital city but also run bus tours in other locations such as Marseille and Nice, within the Provence-Alpes Cote d’Azur region. If you only have a small amount of time if you go for a holiday in Paris then one of the easiest and most convenient tours you can take is the OpenTour, allowing you to visit many places, which you may not see or discover otherwise. The tour buses are large double decker buses with open tops to allow you to take advantage of the great views. The buses are also very easy to spot due to their bright yellow and green colour scheme which operate daily throughout the whole year around Paris. The idea behind these bus tours in Paris is that you can buy a pass, jump into a bus and jump off as you wish, to see monuments, tourist attractions, museums and more that it stops at, and then when you wish jump back on another bus allowing you to visit many different places at your own