Discover France Selected Best Trip for 2009

Our Provence Multisport has been awarded by National Geographic Adventure as one of the Best Trips for 2009 ! See link on NGA site Not only is this a very important reward and great honor, it says something about the state of travelers currently:

Self Guided is Gaining in Popularity!
Value Matters!

We launched this tour in 2008 but really did not promote it much as we worked to perfect it. We have made a few changes to get the cost down and we have what we think is an even better trip. Included in this 2009 version are:

road biking - hybrid cycling routes in the provence countryside
canoing on the Gardon river at the Pont du Gard
Hiking around the Alpilles and Baux de Provence
Adventure Park activities including zip-lines in the Luberon
Mountain biking in the Luberon area of Provence

In option: an afternoon of Via Ferrata. Not sure what is via Ferrata? Check out the tour description for details: Provence Multisport

To clarify, this isn't a trip for hardcore athletes, nor is it a trip for beginners or persons who aren't getting at least 4-6 hours of exercise per week. It takes a little bit of skill in several areas. But, the mountain biking isn't technical, and the canoing is mostly on flat water, so these are manageable by fit and active people - something we have a lot of in our customer base!

This recognition by NGA will appear again in upcoming press releases and company promotions throughout the coming year. The magazine is on the news stands this week. It is only 1 of 25 trips, so if you are curious - go pickup a copy and check out all the great adventures out there!!

Full trip details: http://www.discoverfrance.com/regions/provence_cycling_tour_sgp2.html

NGA website: http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/25-best-new-adventure-travel-trips-text



L

Free Book From Lonely Planet

Hey, its low season for travel to Europe - aka - the planning season! SO, to help you with pretty pictures and great inside info, check out this offer from Lonely Planet guide books. Buy 3, Pay for 2.
http://shop.lonelyplanet.com/content.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673252186&bmUID=1224018954107

Whether you are a 'budget' traveler or not, the info about sites, visits and such is useful.

New Romania Hiking Tours in 2009!

Yes, Romania! The demand is low, but for real adventure seekers, Romania is a great destination! Not because its dangerous or something like that - Dracula isn't real - but because the nature is really phenominal and well preserved!

We can offer a 11 day hiking trip through the Faragas Mountains in Transylvania that would also include incredible cultural cities such as Sibiu and Sighisoara, Brasov, Predeal, Sinaia and more. The hiking is on trails between trees and above tree line. Beautiful mountain lakes, green pastures, and charming rural life accent the experience. Lodging on this trip goes from 4 star hotels in the cultural cities to mountain huts and even tents.

This is a real hiking trip, actually a Treking Tour. It is guided by local Romanian guides who are perfectly bilingual and the nicest and most welcoming hosts. For full itinerary and details, send an email to info@pure-adventures.com

Prices start from 700 euros when the group is full at 10 persons, and goes up slightly as the number of participants goes down, but the trip can go with as few as 2 persons! Therefore NO chance of CANCELLATION ! Dates are from June through October 2009!

Cycling Tuscany in Winter?

Uhh, yes, you can do it. It is a rather unusual request but several have come up in the last few days requesting cycling in December and January. It is cold, wet, and sometimes snowing in Tuscany. I've been in November and the fog was as thick as soup. But, the afternoons get warm when the sun shines and it can be nice cycling if it is sunny.

So, if you have a wild urge, give us a shout. There is also Catalonia, but in Catalonia where we use a lot of B&B's, availability can be harder as they often close around the holidays and into January.

L

Planning your next Europe Adventure - Airline Fee Chart

Here is a great site that will give you some insight into fees the various airlines charge. This could help you decide about what airline to travel with and what to bring along. It isn't too early to start planning for 2009 and air travel. Though it may be far off, for those who know they will go in 2009, now is the time to book. The old method of waiting for last minute deals doesn't work anymore with most airlines and classes of service.

http://www.kayak.com/airline-fees

Using the Trains with Your Bike

To follow up to the article about taking your bike on the plane, here is one for the trains. First, here is a link to a site that seems to have studied this through and through:

http://www.frenchentree.com/travelling-around-france/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=19003

Now, I have traveled extensively on the TGV and on trains throughout France. There are some things I know:

1. there are often exceptions to rules if conditions permit
2. there are rules for everything
3. sometimes people don't know the rules who should know the rules

The linked article is very good, but its mostly about how to take your built up bike on a train. Meaning, you don't use a bike box. That might be important for Europeans going out their front door to the train station, or maybe even for a traveler who wants to use a local TER train to get a little bit beyond the local ride scene. But that pretty much never applies to long distance travelers bringing their $5000 bikes to Europe for a trip.

My advice, keep it simple: if you can get a good rental with your tour - do it! TGV and high speed trains in general have very little to no space for built up bikes and same even for boxed bikes. Most high speed trains are crowded. Go first class, its quieter and a better chance of less luggage in the small racks.

None of this applies if your bike fits in a suitcase size box. Couplers and folding bikes can meet this, and its worth it if you plan to travel alot. We have a client in Chicago who had his bike frame cut and fitted with couplers. Anyone looking to do that can contact us for a reference to his shop.

Happy travels,

L

Taking a Bike To Europe

Lots of talk lately about bicycles on airplanes and excess baggage charges, etc. Its real, and it really adds up! Our cycling team recently got tagged with about $600 in round trip charges just for 3 guys to fly a short 2 hour domestic flight! Well, what are the airlines doing exactly?

Here is Delta's policy on bicycles from their website:
"Non-motorized touring or racing bicycles with single seats are accepted as checked baggage, with certain limits. Any bicycle in a box with overall dimensions not exceeding 62" or 157.5cm (length + height + width) and checked in lieu of one bag is accepted. Bicycles exceeding 62" are subject to standard oversize baggage charges. Your bike must be packaged in a cardboard or canvas container in one of the following ways: Handlebars fixed sideways and pedals removed Handlebars and pedals encased in plastic, Styrofoam, or other similar material Some connection carriers and aircraft may not accept bicycles as checked baggage, and may have different limits. "

What is not mentioned here is a weight limit. Delta also says that you can check 2 bags FREE for travel outside the USA; but then they say that each bag has a weight limit of 50 lbs/22.5 kg. There are some higher limits for Business and First Class ticket holders.

Excess fees: Delta says it will charge a fee EACH time an allowance is exceeded. Possible fees therefore include:

If your bike box is a 3rd piece of checked luggage for international: $150 Overweight limit of 50 lbs/22.5 kg up to 70 lbs: $80 Over 70 lbs up to 100 lbs: $150 Over size fee: $150
Avoiding any fees seems pretty hard, but being assessed multiple fees seems very possible. Don't think you can pack extra gear in your bike box either - see weight limits!

Does this apply only to Americans? No. For example, Air France's Australia website had more or less the same restrictions as Delta above with very similar fees and limits. Nobody is immune, even if foreign carriers are more solvent than the American companies, the chance to make money on this is too tempting. Expect to pay.

What else should you expect in traveling with your bike box?

Train troubles: in France and most of Western Europe, high speed trains have very limited luggage space. Most trains only offer space at the end of the car or overhead racks. Bike boxes don't really fit, and you could be subject to the whims of the conductor of the moment. Smaller regional trains usually do take bikes even in built up condition. Travel in July and August when trains are packed is very likely to be difficult. Regardless, you schlep your box on and off the train by yourself, among the people who will not make room for you.

Lost luggage? Every year when we have groups that go to watch the Tour de France, at least 1 in 10 persons will have their bike box mishandled enroute. On these kinds of tours where the lodging is remote and the traffic is difficult, getting a bike redelivered and caught up is a problem!

Storage? Where will you store your bike box when you visit Paris or some other big city? Will it fit in the hotel elevator? How much will the taxi add on for an oversize bag - if the taxi will even take it!

Build that bike up - you better know how to do it and bring the tools to get it done! On our trips we do help with that of course, but if you are winging it on your own; be totally self contained wiht tools and parts and a mechanical inclination!

What's a vacation worth? A lot - advice - don't muck it up with unnecessary troubles. PLAN AHEAD!!