Looking forward to hearing the recap of how this journey unfolded. Sounds fantastic.
* Road deaths per 100,000:The roads in the US are generally a lot less safe* than in France or most of the European Union but each country does have its own peculiarities and rules of the road.
Just use your mirrors more often than you're used to and be aware of your surroundings. The French can be "assertive" drivers but generally courteous and in control. Just don't be surprised if they will overtake you on a blind corner going uphill or pull out in front of you. If they think you're too slow, they will overtake you.
The Provence in the South is a beautiful area and the middle of the country will have several beautiful old industrial areas. Think cast iron boat viaducts designed by Gustave Eiffel and the like.
Fontainebleau is a beautiful natural parc South of Paris as well and a very popular bouldering (climbing) spot.
Go eat as many pastries as you can, walk everywhere using public transport and wine and dine wherever.
Past couple of years I took the train twice from the Netherlands and rode my bike from Marseille to Barcelona and from Paris to Santiago de Compostella.
* Road deaths per 100,000:
- USA: 12.9
- France: 5.0
- EU average: 4.6
Born in Austria (raised in USA & Austria (in Austria for extended periods 9 times while growing up).* Road deaths per 100,000:
USA: 12.9
France: 5.0
EU average: 4.6
Ah... Stats...
Would mean much more if it were death per km/mile per 100,000. An average american drives a LOT more than the average european, so I'd say it's pretty even. I digressed sorry.
In general I am a carnivore. (Alergic to seafood, so that is out & I'm very sceptical of fish unless I or my wife cooks it due to what other seafood items may have been cooked on the same cooking surface)We're planning a trip to France in September to last about three weeks. We're starting in Paris for about 10 days and have most of that fairly well decided upon. Guided tour of the Louvre for two days, Musee d'Orsay, Notre Dame, Ste Chapelle, Versailles, and Giverny. Possibly more I can't remember at the moment. Then the train to Reims and renting a car there. We're particularly interested in a tour of some Champagne caves after seeing them in an episode of Murders In. Does anyone have a recommendation for the best of the caves to tour? We're also going to Annecy, Lyon, Arles, Avignon, and I want to go out with a guide birding in the Camargue area. At this point the caves recommendation is an interest as I can't really seem to figure it out online. Any other advice will of course be appreciated.
A couple afterthoughts…
In general, it seems to me to be more common in Europe that when you want to visit a vineyard, you arrange an appointment for a private tour and tasting in advance.
If you book a private tour and tasting, you are not supposed to purchase ‘a bottle or two’ at the end of your visit. You don’t really think the château can pay the fee for the host or hostess from the proceeds of two bottles, do you?Also, there is a host or hostess at the winery who does the work of setting up, conducting, and cleaning up after the tasting. That person seemed to very much appreciate it when we purchased a bottle or two from them to take with us on the plane.
I've always found it curious why French food hasn't found much of a following here in the US ?I am just back from Paris (gave a lecture at the College de France on the archeaology of Roman slavery) and of course I ate well
Herm, in my experience italians tend to practice a lot lane overlaping on autostradas, quite annoying. On small roads they're fine indeed.Born in Austria (raised in USA & Austria (in Austria for extended periods 9 times while growing up).
In my experience, the Italian drivers were the most assertive.
Unless you happen to get to drive in Kuwait. Then, all bets are off as to what may happen.
My mother is going on 91. Her driving doesn't scare anyone I know (me included).I remember getting a friendly casual wave from Ray-Ban wearing Italian police whilst obviously exceeding the speed limit going round a high speed bend on my R1 (motorcycle) a few years back. It was not far from the Ducati factory and and they were lurking in a layby mid corner. Reckon, they could tell I was safely in control, even if speeding. So I waved back.
On the other hand, previously in a sluggish rental car, I would get stressed about the Italian fondness for severe tailgating, prior to the overtake. (Slipstreaming at 50mph. Really?)
Remember someone telling me that in Italy, simply don't look in the rearview...
Each country has its foibles. I prefer a bit of gung ho exuberance to the inherent hazards of age related medicated oblivion.
(Shout out to the UK... No retest, ever is f***ing nuts. WTF.) My 2c.
IME I've gotten really great fair treatment from Police Officers all over the US. I've no experience with riding in foreign country's.I remember getting a friendly casual wave from Ray-Ban wearing Italian police whilst obviously exceeding the speed limit going round a high speed bend on my R1 (motorcycle) a few years back. It was not far from the Ducati factory and and they were lurking in a layby mid corner. Reckon, they could tell I was safely in control, even if speeding. So I waved back.
On the other hand, previously in a sluggish rental car, I would get stressed about the Italian fondness for severe tailgating, prior to the overtake. (Slipstreaming at 50mph. Really?)
I was pulled over in Washington State on my Suzuki. I had leathers on and a full face helmet but my visor was up and so no eye protection. They complimented me on my candy apple colored ride and let me go with a order to keep my visor down or get some eye glasses. Nice folks...IME I've gotten really great fair treatment from Police Officers all over the US. I've no experience with riding in foreign country's.
I've been pulled over for riding at some ridiculous over the limit margins and always when using very polite, no BS excuse talking, either been let go or had the speeding number reduced to lower the fine and severity of the ticket. IE; had a 45 or 50mph over the limit number reduced to 19mph over. That changed the charge from a reckless driving (with a huge fine and license revocation) to a minor normal speeder. I had the feeling that either the trooper might have been a rider himself, or was of the opinion that "this stupid fuc-er going to kill himself soon enough anyway" LOL. I've only actually been written up 2 or 3 times after 60 years of riding and being pulled over countless times...never been charged with anything heavy.
Maybe it's my stellar Church attendance record that has had influence??? NOT. LOL
Well, yes. That’s how much of an idiot I am.If you book a private tour and tasting, you are not supposed to purchase ‘a bottle or two’ at the end of your visit. You don’t really think the château can pay the fee for the host or hostess from the proceeds of two bottles, do you?
You should only book a private tour if you plan to leave with at least a few dozen bottles.
It's sort of like tipping is in the USA.Well, yes. That’s how much of an idiot I am.
I've always found it curious why French food hasn't found much of a following here in the US ?
Many years ago there was a small franchise in Chicago called "The Magic Pan" that specialized in French crepe based dinners and other such.
It was one of my favorite places to go though a bit expensive. After they folded that was the end of that .![]()
In Charleston, SC (I live "around here") the French Huguenots achieved disproportionate importance among the newcomers, even though few in number, because of their comparatively high level of culture and wealth. Essentially urban dwellers, they were attracted to the more thickly settled areas. Almost every colonial city had its Huguenot contingent, but the real stronghold of the Huguenots was Charleston, S.C. By the middle of the 18th-century, French influence had stamped itself upon the dress, manners, and architecture of Charleston.My feeling is that it is probably down to there being less immigration from France than most other European countries back in the day. French food is probably my favourite. My waistline will attest to that.
Note to self: Must curtail the dairy. Ahem.
Ah, the classic counterargument. Ever tried looking up the answer you are asking for?* Road deaths per 100,000:
USA: 12.9
France: 5.0
EU average: 4.6
Ah... Stats...
Would mean much more if it were death per km/mile per 100,000. An average american drives a LOT more than the average european, so I'd say it's pretty even. I digressed sorry.
If you’re local, you may be able to put a case in the back of your vehicle and transport your purchase yourself. Coming from USA, it has to be shipped. We visited the Burgundy region once and went on a tasting. I bought a case and requested shipping. It was late June, and the host told me they don’t ship in summer because they don’t want the wine to spoil in the heat, so they would ship in the Autumn. I accepted the terms and paid, but never got my case. Months had passed, and I lost track of my receipt, so I couldn’t contact the winery. That put me off, and I don’t ever plan to buy a case that way again. Maybe the winery visit is just not for me.It's sort of like tipping is in the USA.
Even locals who do the private tour (& I'm not a wine drinker, but I go with friends, sometimes), looking at what they do, it ends up being about a dozen per person on the tour.
So, 2 people who ARE wine drinkers + myself (I do taste, don't care for most wines though) typically would be around the equivalent of 3 dozen bottles.
Based on my experiences.
Now, I have not ask my friends: is that why you do this?
Maybe next time I visit my born home I'll ask.
But it has been the norm when I have been a participant.
When I'm there, I am local, (despite being concieved in Chas, SC [where I am also local and have a home], I was born in Salzburg, Austria and I have lots of family that own farmland around Salzburg and I own a condo there).If you’re local, you may be able to put a case in the back of your vehicle and transport your purchase yourself. Coming from USA, it has to be shipped. We visited the Burgundy region once and went on a tasting. I bought a case and requested shipping. It was late June, and the host told me they don’t ship in summer because they don’t want the wine to spoil in the heat, so they would ship in the Autumn. I accepted the terms and paid, but never got my case. Months had passed, and I lost track of my receipt, so I couldn’t contact the winery. That put me off, and I don’t ever plan to buy a case that way again. Maybe the winery visit is just not for me.