We have been camping in france before, mobile home in Italy. Any suggestions?

Better still when you search on ebay keep an eye on items listed incorrectly spelt “le crueset”. Lots of people spell it incorrectly and you can grab yourself some incredible bargains. Because le creuset pots are incredibly heavy it is a good idea to consider where the item being sold is located as postage and shipping can add up. Copper pots also last and are worth looking for on ebay as well.

There is much more to French cookware than ramekins, gratin dishes and copper pots. Good quality French cookware not only enhances your cooking it is also an incredible joy to use. What makes French cookware so irresistible is that it is made for a lifetime. It is not about disposable products. It is about buying products you can use for a lifetime and then pass on to your children who can then pass it on to their children. Chuck Williams, founder of Williams-Sonoma loves French cookware.

If you are lucky enough to make it to France, the most famous cookware store Dehillerin pronounced “Day-le-ran” is the top restaurant supply store for all Parisian chefs. It is located in the area called Les Halles. Its proper address is 18-20 Rue Coquilliere, First Arrondissement, Paris 75001.

When you vacation in France next, pack lightly and with an additional suitcase inside your main one. Allow yourself a few hours to shop and buy some famous French cookware that you will be able to enjoy and that your children will get to enjoy when you are long gone pushing up daisies.

American visitors often remark that you can get better kitchen utensils than you can get at Williams Sonoma or Sur La Table at half the price. And remember you can claim your VAT refund. If you can not get there you can order online at e-dehillerin.fr.

Visiting the cookware stores is a memorable experience. They can be poorly lit, cramped, wonderful and typically quintessentially Paris. All the help in the world is there if you are willing to speak a little French, or your best Franglais. People that are aware think no trip to Paris is complete without a visit to a french cookware shop. You will find kitchen utensils items you see in cook books and that you have only dreamed about.

Here you will see heavy-duty pots, great quality knives, and sturdy baking pans that really really work. Wooden shelves are piled high with every conceivable kind of tart pan, square, round, oval big and small. There are white porcelain baking dishes and Le Creuset pots in every size and colour. The range is unbelievable.

Easter and Summer holidays are just around the corner. This is the time of year for family holidays. Going on holiday with children can be a bit daunting and test your patience.

Here are some handy tips to help make your family vacation full of wonderful memories for you to cherish for a lifetime and an absolute pleasure.

Protect Your Family’s Health

Very importantly take out Health Insurance and bring all of the paper work. Remember sunblock in summer and insect repellent. Pack all medicines that you and your family are on, all of them in their original containers. Take some child friendly low level pain killers like paracetemol, nurofen, or aspirin.

Arrive Early at the Airport

Today airport security takes forever and is a complete disaster. Arrive at the airport early at allow you and your family plenty of time to check in, and hopefully get a seat allocation together. Once you are through security let your kids run around a bit and let off some steam before they are couped up on the plane.

Select Seating Carefully

If you have a child under two, when booking ask for the bulkhead seats, being the first row in the economy class as you get a lot of leg room. In long haul the bulk head seats have flip down cots. If you have a young baby and you book online call up the airline immediately and ask for this particular seat allocation. Let you kids walk around the airplane as much as possible.

Keep Them Busy

If you are flying check with the airline if there are kiddies welcome packs and any inflight entertainment suitable for your children. If there is you can lighten your carry-on load for each of the children a little. A book each and a pack of cards is very useful. Your kid’s favourite toy and some new toys help pass the time. Electronic games are an absolutely godsend when travelling with a family. Just remember to have replacement batteries, and the right cables for recharging for the duration of your vacation and for your return trip. Remember You may need an adaptor and even a transformer.

If you are driving, and you are not fortunate enough to have a Play Station Console (which also plays DVDs) in one of your head rests and multiple sets of ear phones, consider investing in a portable DVD player and bring along some of the kids favourite films and one or two new ones just for the journey. If you are driving from England make sure that you stretch your legs on the eurotunnel or ferry crossing.

Pack Properly

Children should help pack or pack some of their own things, depending upon how old they are of course. Make sure you check what your kids have packed if they have packed their own things. I have personally learnt this the hard way. I ignorantly thought I would empower my 9 year old by having her pack her own luggage for an Easter trip to Barcelona years ago. Things got a little hectic before we left and I did not check her little carry-on suitcase.

I asked her if she had packed warm clothes and she replied that she had. She had packed one t-shirt and a suitcase full of stuffed toys. No shoes, no trousers, no knickers, no skirts, no pyjamas. Only one t-shirt and a toothbrush. So much for having your kids appreciate cause and effect. Much to my chagrin and to her delight, we had no choice but to spend a day shopping for clothes for her.

So you need to be incredibly specificic about what type of clothes and how many you should tell your children to pack. Check the internet for expected weather conditions. Pack appropriate clothing for where you are going.

I pack a plastic bag for each person for separating dirty clothes to bring home for laundering. Tissues, a book, colouring-in pencils and a notepad,, sweeties for chewing when cabin pressure changes, at least one electronic toy with spare batteries and a surprise are worth packing in each child’s carry on bag. If you have a baby if you use dummies do not forget to pack one and some spares of course

You can drive from the channel ports to the South of France, it will only take you around 9 hours and you can very easily turn that part of the journey into a sightseeing adventure and an enjoyable part of your holiday, especially if you maybe do a stopover for one or two nights.

There are plenty of motels or Logis de France hotels on route that would be more than happy to put you up for a night or two at very affordable prices some starting as low as €32 for a twin room, or you could elect to do a bit of camping on route, even nicer if you know when you get to your destination that you have organised somewhere really comfortable to stay.

Once in the South of France you will find many options for very affordable accommodation, there are Chambre d’hote’s, self catering gites, an abundance of hotels or camping as an option and all this for the most part in a Mediterranean climate. Certainly that is true for Languedoc Roussillon, Provence and the Cote d’Azure even if it is not strictly true of the Limousin which is a little further north, but its still a very pleasant climate in this region as well at the right time of year.

Driving to the South of France is a wonderful way to see the country and experience some of the fantastic scenery on offer and of course you can elect to stay in or near to some of the beautiful cities both on route or at your destination.

Also you can of course decide how far down you want to drive, if 9 hours of driving (remembering you can split this up) is not to your liking then you don’t need to go so far South you could perhaps stay north of Paris, or a little south of Paris especially if you are not a dedicated sun worshiper and you are not necessarily seeking the heat of a Mediterranean sun. The benefit of staying close to Paris is that you can usually get readily available train links into the French capital and go visit without running the gauntlet of the Arc de Triomphe, OK I admit it not everywhere is good for self drive and a 6 lane roundabout is not for the faint hearted.

Some lovely locations to visit traveling North to South:

Senlis
Paris
Orleons
Limoges
Cahors
Toulouse
Monticoux
Bruniquel
Castelnau-de-Montmiral

Once you are this far south then there are loads of further options, Carcassonne is pretty special as are Montpellier, Nimes, Narbonne, Beziers, Perpignan and many more. All fabulous in their own right.

So don’t waste your day on an airplane, turn the time into an adventure and make your traveling time an enjoyable experience.

The Federal republic of Germany is the most influential country of Europe. It has witnessed the most controversial facts of history like Nazism, Holy Roman Empire and the building and demolition of the Berlin wall. With many magnificent castles it has wealth of art and culture. German is the widely spoken language in German, but outsiders can find many English speaking locals especially in the common tourist destinations.

Weather

The weather here is very unpredictable as there is a possibility of rain almost all months, so carry clothes accordingly. April and May are the months of spring which brings in full bloom of fruits and flowers. Months from May to September have very fine weather with sunny skies and offers the best time for traveling and site-seeing. People who have a passion for sports like swimming, hiking, and cycling can have the best time here during these months. Winter sports can be enjoyed at the resorts in the months from November to early March. The temperatures are below freezing and the days are too short (comprise of only six to eight months) in winter.

Local Customs

Locals greet each other by handshaking and saying Guten Tag. To say goodbye, people use Auf Wiedersehen. Guests are expected to bring uncovered and odd number of flowers, especially roses, when visiting someone’s home. The guests are welcomed with either food or refreshments. At the table, hosts say ‘Guten Appetit’ to which the guests should reply with ‘Ebenfalls’. Smoking should be better avoided in public areas. Locals dress informally but certain occasions like opera, theatre, certain restaurants and social functions call for formal wear.

Electricity

220 V, 50 Hz

Moving Around

The best way to get around is to buy the Welcome cards or the city passes which allows the customer to access unlimited bus facility in many cities of Germany. It also gives special offer on certain tourist attractions. For flexibility one can rent-a-car or go for chauffer driven cars. Along with the rent, VAT of 16% is payable. Car insurance should be available before hand in case of any accident. The speed limit within the cities is mostly 50kph and 100kph on the highways. Nine stars

The nine stars of Southwest Germany comprise of Baden-Baden, Freiburg, Heidelberg, Karlsruhe, Heilbronn, Mannheim, Pforzheim Stuttgart, and Ulm. They are considered to be some of the beautiful cities of Europe. Each of the cities play a vital role in the culture of Germany. Baden-Baden has few of the finest resorts and also has Europe’s second largest opera and concert hall. Freiburg is known as the historic city center and is famous for cobblestone mosiacs, open streams and ancient alleys. Heidelberg has world famous castles and Germany’s oldest university. Karlsruhe has the famous museum Center for Art and Media. Look out for various amusements along the Nectar river of Heilbronn. Pforzheim is the capital for watches and jewelry. Stuttgart is famous for theatres and opera. Ulm is the birth place of Albert Einstein and is also house to the world’s tallest hurch spire.

Travel

The national airline that serves Germany is Lufthansa. Bwelin-Tegel airport is situated at 8 km away from the city and it takes about 20 minutes to reach there. There is a provision of duty free shops, banks, post office, eateries, conference hall, and car hire and tourism information for the passengers.

Another busy airport is the Frankfurt airport which is located at 13km away from the city. Buses take about 20 minutes to get there. Taxis are available at any time. The Intercity railway network at the airport also provides international services to Hungary, Switzerland and Austria. The facilities provided here are duty free shops, left luggage, restaurants, banks, conference halls, post office, car hire and tourism information. No departure tax is levied on the passengers.

Those wishing to travel by sea can avail the ferry connections to Finland, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Latvia, and Norway.

Eurostar provides railway service to and from Belgium, France and the UK. Booking can be made by telephone. The Inter-Rail offers unlimited second class train travel within 29 European countries. The Eurailpass offers unlimited first class train travel within 17 European countries.

EuroCity and InterCity trains have a restaurant on board, providing food and drinks. InterCity Express target the business class and provides services such as fully equipped office, conference compartments, etc. Tourist over 17 years of age can carry alcohol and tobacco with them within permissible limits.

The summers are warm and the winters are moderate with some snow. May and June are the sunniest months. Weather changes quite frequently from cloudy to sunny and vice versa. If planning the visit during the summer, lightweight woolen or cotton clothes are recommended and jacket for spring and autumn. Always carry raincoat for that untimely showers. Incase of emergency call 999 or 112.

Culture

Most of the locals prefer speaking English here. Handshaking is customary. Irish are social people and are good at having a lively chat even with strangers. People live in great harmony and make great friends. Foreigners are welcomed with warmth and are made to feel at home. Guests are never sent back empty stomach as food is always served at any time of the day, to the guest. Most of the locals come from an agricultural background. Dinner is considered to be a meal of importance as it is the time when the whole family gets together and eat. One can dress casually when out on the streets except women are expected to dress formally at social gatherings and at fine restaurants. Smoking is banned in public places.  

Shopping

Many towns organize flee markets at least once a week, which is worth checking out for cheap goods. Belfast is the shopping capital of Ireland; most of the stores open up early and close early too. On Thursdays, shops remain open till 8 in the night. Value Added Tax of almost 17% is charged, which can be reclaimed later. So if the visitors buy anything from the stores remember to check if the store operates the Retail Export Scheme, which would require the passport and filling of the Tax Free Shopping Form by the sales person. If the restaurant bill doesn’t includes any tax, leave behind a 10% tip to appreciate their service. Giving a tip to the porters and hair dressers is customary here.

Electricity

The voltage in Northern Ireland is 240V, 50AC.

Getting There

The national airline that operates here is Aer Lingus, which provides service from most of the major cities of the world. Airlines like Delta Air Lines and many other have been introduced and to promote them, promotional air fares are being offered. Checking out such offers will prove to be money savers. There are many flights from UK to Ireland. The Dublin airport is located at 10 km away from the city. Services like taxis, air coach, buses transport passengers to their destination. Airport has duty free shops, bank, currency exchange, car hire, tourism information, and restaurants for a comfortable journey. Shannon Airport is situated to the north of Limerick City and is 24 km and 25 minutes away from it. Buses, coaches and taxis are available for transportation. Other services that are provided are duty free shops, currency exchange, bank, tourism information and restaurants. While planning to travel, check out other airports like Cork Airport and Knock Information Airport for more options. A departure tax of €10 is to be paid by people over 12 years of age at the Knock International Airport.

To take ferries check out the Baltimore, Galway, Dublin, Wexford and Kinsale ports. Most of the ferries offer high-speed services. Time to time special offers are being announced which can be availed to save money. Check out the websites as some of them offer online booking facility.

Duty Free Items

1. 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco

2. 1l of spirits and distilled beverages (more than 22 per cent) or 2l of other alcoholic beverages with an alcoholic strength not exceeding 22 per cent, including sparkling or fortified wine, plus 2l of table wine

3. 50g of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette

The carrier should be above 17 years of age. Sharp objects, explosives, firearms, food or agricultural items and hay or straw should be brought along as they are strictly prohibited.

Firstly, we need to make sure you understand the terminology. Adaptors are simple devices which allow you to connect one plug into a different shaped plug. You can get adaptors for American to European, English to European, Australian to European and vice versa – basically any combination for different shaped plugs. You can even purchase expensive adaptors to plug in anywhere in the world.

Adaptors are light in weight. These are not to be confused with transformers (also called converters) which modify the characteristics of the current which is input in your appliance. Transformers or converters are usually much heavier and bulkier than adaptors as they have a metal coil in them.

Transformers are not adaptors. The tricky part is that some transformers can also be adaptors at the same time if the terminal is adapted for a different shaped foreign socket.

Next before you jet off you need to consider plug differences. The electrodes (terminals) on an American plug are flat. The electrodes on all French plugs are cylindrical. All french wall outlets only accept these cylindrical plugs. Quite simply you won’t be able to plug your flat American plug into a regular French socket unless you use an adaptor. The United Kingdom also has flat plugs and British tourists also need adaptors. Adaptors are simple devices which allow you to connect your appliance into a plug with a different shape than the country where you purchased your appliance.

If you need to buy yourself a cheap adaptor you should be able to find inexpensive ones at your local hardware store. It might be prudent to telephone first before driving down to the hardware store. If you are lucky you will be able to pick up an adaptor at a market for around 1 pound. If you still can not find one anywhere, you can usually buy them at an inflated price at the airport or the ferry port or the eurotunnel terminal – but you will pay about three times more.

Adaptors come in all shapes and forms. The more sophisticated and consequently the more expensive also allow you to plug your devices anywhere in the world. I paid 9 euros for a European to Worldwide adaptor at the Eurotunnel terminal in Calais.

Next you need to consider the power voltage differences. England has 240 volt standard power like France. European power typically comes out of the electrical outlets at 230-240 volts. Europe has over twice the voltage of America where the standard volts is 110. If you plug a 110 volt American appliance into a French socket with an adaptor and no converter or transformer you will blow it up. You can get electric shavers and other appliances rated to operate at between 110 volts and 240 volts, which will not burn out when you plug it in a French socket.

If you want to take your portable CD player, laptop, digital camera, mobile phone, electric shaver, or any electrical appliance and their chargers you must first look at the voltage they supports.

If your appliance comes with a converter , a small device which converts a 110 volt current into a 9-12 volt current, you also need to check its input voltage. The label should clearly state which voltage it accepts. If it states ‘110 Volts’, that is not good enough. You will burn both appliance and converter when you plug them in a French or any European socket.

You should only pack appliances that work in the 110-240 volt power band, or at a low voltage of 9-12 volts with a transformer (or converter) that supports an input voltage of 240. You need a converter which accepts the 110-240 volt range.

Good news – Transformers for laptops are normally rated to work at 100-240 volts. But make sure you check it first. If your laptop only operates at 110 volts, go to your local computer store, and buy a suitable multi-voltage converter for your specific model. Similarly you will need to check the labels on the battery chargers for mobile phones and digital cameras and the labels on the transformers which come with them. Some battery chargers will accept the higher 240-volt current, some won’t.

Hairdryers usually suck in a large amount of power in order to produce the heat to dry your hair. If yours does not operate at between 110 and 240 volts, you will have to buy a transformer and these are normally quite bulky. You should call the hotel first to check whether they provide blow-dryers in the rooms. If they do travel light and leave yours behind.

Now you are thoroughly prepared you can sit back and enjoy your French holiday. Remember there is more to France than Paris. The Loire Valley 2 hours south of Paris is incredibly popular and defiitely worth an extended visit.