by: Stephen Hay
Run Out Of Holiday Ideas?
Have a basic understanding of French?
Then plan a get-away to destinations you'd not normally consider and...
Go Where The French Go!
You'll 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 d'Azur. 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... (you'll 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 Europe's leading airlines: Aer Lingus, Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa and by GDS and travel technology provider, Amadeus. So they're 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 Sejours (packages). And they're 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.
Why's 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, it's 18 minutes and New York, 12.
So, if you're stuck for ideas for affordable holidays...
Go Where The French Go!
And the French holiday "en famille" so all their destinations are family friendly...