France Travel News 08/18/2011

French baker Jean-Louis Hecht created a baguette vending machine to provide 24 hour fresh-baked bread to Parisians (see a video of the machine). Installed in the beginning of the year, the machine dispensed 4,500 baguettes in July alone.

So, these two dudes built an observation hutch type thing on a sloping WWII bunker on the coast of Normandy. It's pretty amazing, as is the interview with them. You should read this.

Getting a table for one in a popular restaurant or a good single seat at a movie theatre may be no sweat, but try booking a cruise or tour without seeing the words “based on double occupancy” or finding a one-person hotel room that’s significantly cheaper than a double and you’ll start to see where the problems lie. Single supplements are the bane of the solo traveler’s existence – but they can be avoided. Here are some ways you can travel solo without paying what amounts to a penalty fee for doing so.

To many, Agnès Troublé is the woman behind French label Agnès B., responsible for outfitting chic Parisians in snap-up cardigans and other understated classics. But to followers of contemporary art, Agnès is patron first, designer second. In addition to maintaining an extraordinary personal collection (which began with a Basquiat self-portrait), Agnès aided the photographer Ryan McGinley in the early stages of his career, financed the production of French subtitles for Harmony Korine’s films, and has for several years operated Galerie du Jour, in Paris, showing off the likes of Nan Goldin and those who have followed in her wake: McGinley, Korine, Dan Colen, Ryan McGinness, and Dash Snow, among others. In April, Agnès opened a new Agnès B. store and gallery, in Soho, which is currently featuring the work of seven up-and-coming French photographers.

Hotels are fine if you’re in Paris for a night or two. In fact, they can be a godsend when you’re traveling through and just need a hot shower and a decent night’s sleep. But the beauty of France is such that when people visit, they want to stay for a while. Whether it’s in Paris, Provence or the Pyrénées, plenty of people want to get past the anonymity of a hotel and really feel like they live here, even if it’s for a week or two. And that’s when French villas and apartments come in mighty handy.

This new 7-day adventure introduces walkers to French foods and wines as they explore the best of Alsace, from its feudal castles and historic villages to its famous farms and lush vineyards. Starting in Strasbourg, the journey begins with a welcome dinner of Alsatian cuisine. The walk then makes its way to Alsace’s Wine Trail and stops at local vineyards where guests taste renowned Grands Crus including Pinot Gris, Tokay, Gewürztraminer and Riesling. Walkers become further skilled in the art of wine tasting in Bernardville and sample world-famous Munster cheese. A 12th-century church, castle ruins, and Riquewihr – a village famous for its medieval courtyards and historic houses – are among the historical highlights of this comprehensive cultural vacation.

MORE than three million people in France have joined the internet for the first time this year, bringing the total number of web users to 39.5 million or 73% of the population.

We have airfares to almost every single international European Airport as you can see from this extensive list of countries and European Cities below. So please browse through the list below or just head straight to our Airfare Search Engine and get started in typical search engine fashion. Cheers!

…but it is the funniest thing you'll ever read. It revolves around a child mishearing the quote "Knowledge is Power" by Francis Bacon. Trust me, you're going to want to read this.

Car aficionados, you might want to avert your eyes. The wealthy French Riviera city state of Monaco was the scene of a pileup involving five luxury cars with an estimated value of more than $1.1 million. The collision, involving a Bentley Azure (worth an estimated $400,000), a Mercedes S Class ($120,000), a Ferrari F430 ($230,000), an Aston Martin Rapide ($230,000) and a Porsche 911 ($130,000), occurred in front of Monaco's Place du Casino, according to Sky News.