Travel in France

Almost two thirds of UK adults are unaware of the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) which is scheduled to launch later this year.

Travel tech holding company Travelsoft Group said today that it has acquired Eventiz Media Group, publisher of French travel trade magazine L’Echo Touristique, which was founded in 1934. 

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. A relaxing week in Paris and Normandy on a Viking river cruise sailing down the Seine ended with a multi-hour delay once I arrived at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) for my flight home on United Airlines.

Travel advisors report that the luxury travel market is booming. Among the top travel trends for these high-end clients are those that focus on spending time with loved ones, including Family travel (immediate family), Celebration travel, and Multigenerational travel, according to the 2024 Virtuoso Luxe Report. Active/adventure trips are also among the top trends reported in the study. In addition, travel advisors are booking more off-season trips and are seeing requests for cultural immersion. The desire for personalized amenities and services is also important to upscale travelers, say advisors.

"I can't wait for my trip to France — I'm planning to visit all the tourist traps!"… is not something you'll typically hear a Paris-bound traveler say, even if their itinerary consists entirely of the top recommended things to do in every guidebook — the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame — and little else.

Good hotels are in the business of cherishing their guests. Hotels - at the highest end - are all about curation, which makes the products they sell in their shops particularly desirable, whether fashion, furnishings or art. Here are some presents that every mother will love.

Travelers to Europe who get behind the wheel may soon be more accountable when they engage in risky driving. The European Union has made a major move to crackdown on foreign drivers who do not follow the rules of the road.

An amazing part of traveling is discovering a new place, but there’s something special about returning to a beloved destination—which also speaks volumes about what makes a place stand out as one of the best.

The Big Easy might be known for its festivals and easy, musical atmosphere, but it’s also home to a lively river and ocean port for leisure cruising. 

Many affluent travelers seeking unique, intimate, local experiences while globetrotting will consult a specialist travel agent to arrange a custom itinerary off the beaten track. But sometimes, this can lead to travel agents promoting partners that provide hefty commissions rather than the most unique experience.

The 60th edition of the art extravaganza that’s the Venice Biennale runs until 24 November at the two main venues Giardini and Arsenale. as well as countless offsite locations, official and unofficial. There are 88 National participations this year, with four countries participating for the first time: Republic of Benin, Ethiopia, United Republic of Tanzania, and Democratic Republic of Timor Leste. Here are eleven of the must see country pavilions.

Fragrance is superb at creating a sense of place - and they are powerful sensory weapons for luxury hotels. Whether it’s a flickering, highly fragranced reminder of a perfect holiday, a signal of a forthcoming trip or an opportunity to dip into a beautifully curated world, these candles will help your mother dream of her next vacation.

There’s a fairly high chance that you’ve never heard of Volotea. But it’s one of the quirkiest budget airlines anywhere on the planet. It’s also (usually) pretty profitable.

The turn off is small and miss-able, shielded by trees and shrubbery even at the start of the year. As we start up the winding, rutted driveway, I anxiously reach for the Tarte Tropézienne my partner Laila and I picked up in Cannes and placed—carelessly, in hindsight—in the backseat of our rented Renault. The layered dessert is both for research and pleasure: I’m here to write my cookbook, le SUD: Recipes from Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, and La Tropézienne is one of the recipes I’m aiming to perfect.

With 88 days to go until the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris, the scaffolding is going up for seating at the events across the capital and the Olympic Rings are being hoisted. For anyone planning a last-minute trip, who doesn't yet have accommodation, you may just be in luck. Supply has outstripped demand and homeowners, particularly of fancy apartments, are slashing prices by anywhere from 30% to 60%.

It's official: Scandinavian Airlines will become a full-fledged SkyTeam member Sept. 1.

My overriding memories of crossing countries by train, on a trip from London to Albania, are of half-empty carriages and countryside sweeping past windows bathed in the soft orange glow of sunset. I remember cypress trees, red-roofed villages with square churches, farmland in neat strips and row upon row of vineyards.

Trains and wine make natural partners, be it a glass of crisp white over a leisurely lunch in a restaurant car while cruising through the Alps or a rail itinerary that meanders through a region noted for its fine wines. Many of Europe’s most prized wine regions lend themselves naturally to exploration by rail.

How far would you go – and how long would you take – to avoid flying and thoroughly embrace the idea of slow travel? In my case, it was 3,167 miles over three weeks. For nearly a decade I had wanted to do a road trip to Croatia, and to get as much out of the journey as the destination itself. Rather than bomb down the motorway for marathon stretches, the idea was to slow down and see new things.

For sports fans, Paris will be the center of the universe this summer — and with 15 million Olympic and Paralympic visitors expected, it will feel like it, with crowds and high prices. But Paris isn’t the only Olympic site in France: Nine destinations outside the metro region are also hosting events, giving travelers a way to catch some action without getting caught up in the crush.

On International Dance Day, 29 April, world-leading dance organisation Sadler’s Wells in London has unveiled the shortlist of the inaugural Rose International Dance Prize, a biennial prize for new dance creations in any style, showcasing some of the most inventive and daring choreographers around the world at work today. The Rose International Dance Prize consists of the Rose category, for established choreographers presenting a full-length performance of 50 minutes or longer, and the Bloom category, for emerging choreographers with a maximum of ten years’ experience. A prize of £40,000 will be awarded to the Rose category winner and a prize for £15,000 will be awarded to the Bloom category winner.