**__Location in the World-__**
Located in western Europe, France is geographically positioned in the northern hemisphere.
France is bordered by the countries of Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy, Monaco, Spain and Switzerland, and by the English Channel, Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
Leave
Tue, May 22
Total time: 9hr 40min
Depart
9:20 PM
Baltimore, MD , United States
Baltimore Airport (BWI)
Stop 1
9:35 AM
London , United Kingdom
Heathrow airport (LHR) Terminal 5
Change of planes. Time between flights: 1hr 15min
British Airways 228
Business
Boeing 767
3,636 mi
7hr 15min
Meal: Complimentary food and drinks
Depart
10:50 AM
London , United Kingdom
Heathrow airport (LHR) Terminal 5
Arrive
1:00 PM
Paris , France
Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) Terminal 2A
Set in a prestigious location at the very center of the Opera Quarter. Fully renovated in 2010, spacious rooms, free WiFi, central and well connected to all districts and airports.
Selected room ($736.96 per night) Staying for 14 nights
Orbitz net rate business class room Actual nightly rates
Average cost for 1 meal in American Dollars- $102.25
For 3 people- $306.75
Carré des Feuillants Review
When chef Alain Dutournier turned this 17th-century convent between the place Vendôme and the Tuileries into a restaurant, it was an overnight success. The interior is artfully simple and has a vaguely Asian feel, with a series of small, monochromatic dining rooms that are mostly outfitted in tones of off-white and black overlooking a flowering courtyard and a glass-enclosed kitchen. You'll find a sophisticated reinterpretation of cuisine from France's southwest, using seasonal ingredients and lots of know-how. Some of the best dishes include roasted rack of milk-fed Pyrenees lamb cooked in a clay pot, or slices of John Dory with potatoes and tender cabbage lasagna. Milk-fed veal with flap mushrooms and purple artichokes is yet another specialty. For dessert try the mango and passion fruit ravioli.
Average cost for 1 meal in American Dollars-$7.76
For 3 people- $24
Eric Kayser Review
If you're in the 7th arrondissement for breakfast or lunch, a good refueling stop is this bakery, bar, and café. Kayser's forte is bread making -- he is known for the long fermentation of his dough. He's always coming up with new ideas for his breads, including one made with apricots and pistachios and another with chorizo. This Alsatian baker offers many luxe breads and pastries, and breakfast is a delight here. At lunch you have a choice of 20 different combinations of tartines (open-faced sandwiches), and teatime features gourmet snacks such as a sweet tartine with meringue and chestnuts.
Admission to 2nd landing 8€, 3rd landing 13€. Stairs to 2nd floor 4.50€
Review of Tour Eiffel
This is without doubt one of the most recognizable structures in the world. Weighing 7,000 tons, but exerting about the same pressure on the ground as an average-size person sitting in a chair, the wrought-iron tower wasn't meant to be permanent. Gustave-Alexandre Eiffel, the French engineer whose fame rested mainly on his iron bridges, built it for the 1889 Universal Exhibition. (Eiffel also designed the framework for the Statue of Liberty.) Praised by some and denounced by others (some called it a "giraffe," the "world's greatest lamppost," or the "iron monster"), the tower created as much controversy in the 1880s as I. M. Pei's glass pyramid at the Louvre did in the 1980s. What saved it from demolition was the advent of radio -- as the tallest structure in Europe, it made a perfect spot to place a radio antenna.
The tower, including its antenna, is 317m (1,040 ft.) high. On a clear day you can see it from 65km (40 miles) away. An open-framework construction, the tower unlocked the almost unlimited possibilities of steel construction, paving the way for skyscrapers. Skeptics said it couldn't be built, and Eiffel actually wanted to make it soar higher. For years it remained the tallest man-made structure on earth, until skyscrapers like the Empire State Building surpassed it.
We could fill an entire page with tower statistics. (Its plans spanned 5,400 sq. m/58,000 sq. ft. of paper, and it contains 2.5 million rivets.) But forget the numbers. Just stand beneath the tower, and look straight up. It's like a rocket of steel lacework shooting into the sky.
From December to February, it is possible to ice-skate inside the Eiffel Tower. Skating takes place on an observation deck 57m (188 ft.) above ground. The rectangular rink is a bit larger than an average tennis court, holding 80 skaters at once. Rink admission and skate rental are free, after you pay the initial entry fee below.
To get to Le Jules Verne (tel. 01-45-55-61-44), the second-platform restaurant, take the private south foundation elevator. You can enjoy an aperitif in the piano bar and then take a seat at one of the dining room's tables, all of which provide an inspiring view. The menu changes seasonally, offering fish and meat dishes that range from filet of turbot with seaweed and buttered sea urchins to veal chops with truffled vegetables. Reservations are recommended. Tour Eiffel Bargain -- The least expensive way to see the Tour Eiffel (www.tour-eiffel.fr) is to walk up the first two floors at a cost of 4.50€ adults, or 3.50€ ages 25 and younger. That way, you also avoid the long lines waiting for the elevator -- although the views are less spectacular from this platform. If you dine at the tower's own 58 Tour Eiffel (tel. 01-45-55-20-04), an Eiffel restaurant on the first floor, management allows patrons to cut to the head of the line. Time Out at the Tower -- To see the Eiffel Tower best, don't sprint -- approach it gradually. We suggest taking the Métro to the Trocadéro stop and walking from the Palais de Chaillot to the Seine to get the full effect of the tower and its surroundings; then cross the Pont d'Iéna and head for the base, where you'll find elevators in two of the pillars -- expect long lines. (When the tower is open, you can see the 1889 lift machinery in the east and west pillars.) You visit the tower in three stages: The first landing provides a view over the rooftops, as well as a cinema museum showing films, restaurants, and a bar. The second landing offers a panoramic look at the city. The third landing gives the most spectacular view; Eiffel's office has been re-created on this level, with wax figures depicting the engineer receiving Thomas Edison.
This modern 21st-century park, designed by architect Bernard Tschumi, cleverly combines nature and architecture. Twice the size of the Jardin des Tuileries, it is Paris's largest park. The Canal de l'Ourcq runs through the park, feeding into various waterfalls, fountains, and ponds. Two walkways crisscross the park: the first runs from the Porte de Pantin to the Porte de la Villette, and the second is elevated and runs along the southern bank of the canal. The park is famous for its 26 red "follies," a contemporary version of the 18th-century gazebo, which are both ornamental and functional. In the center of the park are large grassy areas known as the circle and the triangle, where people can relax; during the summer, the triangle hosts a popular outdoor cinema program.
Admission 6€ adults, 4.50€ students, free for ages 18 and younger
Review of Palais de Tokyo
This art center, which opened in 2002, is one of the most original and avant-garde in Europe. Dedicated to "emerging" art and artists, the Palais de Tokyo emphasizes edgy, contemporary art and ideas. Its monumental raw concrete architecture immediately sets it apart from a classic museum, and its opening hours (noon to midnight) are radical too. The installations and vast open spaces invariably appeal to kids. The exhibits change frequently, so check to see what's showing -- perhaps a video or sculpture exhibition, fashion events, or performance art. The space also includes a bookshop, a cafeteria, and a first-rate restaurant and bar. The museum is currently undergoing a renovation and expansion, which will double the museum's exhibition space.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**__Location in the World-__**
Located in western Europe, France is geographically positioned in the northern hemisphere.
France is bordered by the countries of Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy, Monaco, Spain and Switzerland, and by the English Channel, Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
__**Airfare-**__
Flight
Leave
Tue, May 22
Total time: 9hr 40min
Depart
9:20 PM
Baltimore, MD , United States
Baltimore Airport (BWI)
Stop 1
9:35 AM
London , United Kingdom
Heathrow airport (LHR) Terminal 5
Change of planes. Time between flights: 1hr 15min
British Airways 228
- Business
- Boeing 767
- 3,636 mi
- 7hr 15min
- Meal: Complimentary food and drinks
Depart10:50 AM
London , United Kingdom
Heathrow airport (LHR) Terminal 5
Arrive
1:00 PM
Paris , France
Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) Terminal 2A
British Airways 308
- Business
- Airbus A320
- 217 mi
- 1hr 10min
- Meal: Snack
This is an overnight flight.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
__**Hotel Information**__
Set in a prestigious location at the very center of the Opera Quarter. Fully renovated in 2010, spacious rooms, free WiFi, central and well connected to all districts and airports.
Selected room
($736.96 per night) Staying for 14 nights
Orbitz net rate business class room
Actual nightly rates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
__**Food**__-Carré des Feuillants
For 3 people- $306.75
Carré des Feuillants Review
When chef Alain Dutournier turned this 17th-century convent between the place Vendôme and the Tuileries into a restaurant, it was an overnight success. The interior is artfully simple and has a vaguely Asian feel, with a series of small, monochromatic dining rooms that are mostly outfitted in tones of off-white and black overlooking a flowering courtyard and a glass-enclosed kitchen. You'll find a sophisticated reinterpretation of cuisine from France's southwest, using seasonal ingredients and lots of know-how. Some of the best dishes include roasted rack of milk-fed Pyrenees lamb cooked in a clay pot, or slices of John Dory with potatoes and tender cabbage lasagna. Milk-fed veal with flap mushrooms and purple artichokes is yet another specialty. For dessert try the mango and passion fruit ravioli.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eric KayserAverage cost for 1 meal in American Dollars-$7.76
For 3 people- $24
Eric Kayser Review
If you're in the 7th arrondissement for breakfast or lunch, a good refueling stop is this bakery, bar, and café. Kayser's forte is bread making -- he is known for the long fermentation of his dough. He's always coming up with new ideas for his breads, including one made with apricots and pistachios and another with chorizo. This Alsatian baker offers many luxe breads and pastries, and breakfast is a delight here. At lunch you have a choice of 20 different combinations of tartines (open-faced sandwiches), and teatime features gourmet snacks such as a sweet tartine with meringue and chestnuts.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
__**Entertainment/Activities**__
Tour Eiffel
Review of Tour Eiffel
This is without doubt one of the most recognizable structures in the world. Weighing 7,000 tons, but exerting about the same pressure on the ground as an average-size person sitting in a chair, the wrought-iron tower wasn't meant to be permanent. Gustave-Alexandre Eiffel, the French engineer whose fame rested mainly on his iron bridges, built it for the 1889 Universal Exhibition. (Eiffel also designed the framework for the Statue of Liberty.) Praised by some and denounced by others (some called it a "giraffe," the "world's greatest lamppost," or the "iron monster"), the tower created as much controversy in the 1880s as I. M. Pei's glass pyramid at the Louvre did in the 1980s. What saved it from demolition was the advent of radio -- as the tallest structure in Europe, it made a perfect spot to place a radio antenna.
The tower, including its antenna, is 317m (1,040 ft.) high. On a clear day you can see it from 65km (40 miles) away. An open-framework construction, the tower unlocked the almost unlimited possibilities of steel construction, paving the way for skyscrapers. Skeptics said it couldn't be built, and Eiffel actually wanted to make it soar higher. For years it remained the tallest man-made structure on earth, until skyscrapers like the Empire State Building surpassed it.
We could fill an entire page with tower statistics. (Its plans spanned 5,400 sq. m/58,000 sq. ft. of paper, and it contains 2.5 million rivets.) But forget the numbers. Just stand beneath the tower, and look straight up. It's like a rocket of steel lacework shooting into the sky.
From December to February, it is possible to ice-skate inside the Eiffel Tower. Skating takes place on an observation deck 57m (188 ft.) above ground. The rectangular rink is a bit larger than an average tennis court, holding 80 skaters at once. Rink admission and skate rental are free, after you pay the initial entry fee below.
To get to Le Jules Verne (tel. 01-45-55-61-44), the second-platform restaurant, take the private south foundation elevator. You can enjoy an aperitif in the piano bar and then take a seat at one of the dining room's tables, all of which provide an inspiring view. The menu changes seasonally, offering fish and meat dishes that range from filet of turbot with seaweed and buttered sea urchins to veal chops with truffled vegetables. Reservations are recommended.
Tour Eiffel Bargain -- The least expensive way to see the Tour Eiffel (www.tour-eiffel.fr) is to walk up the first two floors at a cost of 4.50€ adults, or 3.50€ ages 25 and younger. That way, you also avoid the long lines waiting for the elevator -- although the views are less spectacular from this platform. If you dine at the tower's own 58 Tour Eiffel (tel. 01-45-55-20-04), an Eiffel restaurant on the first floor, management allows patrons to cut to the head of the line.
Time Out at the Tower -- To see the Eiffel Tower best, don't sprint -- approach it gradually. We suggest taking the Métro to the Trocadéro stop and walking from the Palais de Chaillot to the Seine to get the full effect of the tower and its surroundings; then cross the Pont d'Iéna and head for the base, where you'll find elevators in two of the pillars -- expect long lines. (When the tower is open, you can see the 1889 lift machinery in the east and west pillars.) You visit the tower in three stages: The first landing provides a view over the rooftops, as well as a cinema museum showing films, restaurants, and a bar. The second landing offers a panoramic look at the city. The third landing gives the most spectacular view; Eiffel's office has been re-created on this level, with wax figures depicting the engineer receiving Thomas Edison.
Cost: $32.40
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parc de la Villette
====
Review of Parc de la Villette
This modern 21st-century park, designed by architect Bernard Tschumi, cleverly combines nature and architecture. Twice the size of the Jardin des Tuileries, it is Paris's largest park. The Canal de l'Ourcq runs through the park, feeding into various waterfalls, fountains, and ponds. Two walkways crisscross the park: the first runs from the Porte de Pantin to the Porte de la Villette, and the second is elevated and runs along the southern bank of the canal. The park is famous for its 26 red "follies," a contemporary version of the 18th-century gazebo, which are both ornamental and functional. In the center of the park are large grassy areas known as the circle and the triangle, where people can relax; during the summer, the triangle hosts a popular outdoor cinema program.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Review of Palais de Tokyo
This art center, which opened in 2002, is one of the most original and avant-garde in Europe. Dedicated to "emerging" art and artists, the Palais de Tokyo emphasizes edgy, contemporary art and ideas. Its monumental raw concrete architecture immediately sets it apart from a classic museum, and its opening hours (noon to midnight) are radical too. The installations and vast open spaces invariably appeal to kids. The exhibits change frequently, so check to see what's showing -- perhaps a video or sculpture exhibition, fashion events, or performance art. The space also includes a bookshop, a cafeteria, and a first-rate restaurant and bar. The museum is currently undergoing a renovation and expansion, which will double the museum's exhibition space.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CurrencyThe euro is the currency in France. Currently, one euro is worth about $1.30 in American dollars.
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**Climate**Average climate in France
(record lowest, highest)
precipitation
humidity
wind direction
(1°, 59°)
(-17°, 15°)
(10°, 68°)
(-12°, 20°)
(21°, 75°)
(-6°, 24°)
(26°, 79°)
(-3°, 26°)
(32°, 87°)
(0°, 31°)
(39°, 95°)
(4°, 35°)
(41°, 95°)
(5°, 35°)
(43°, 104°)
(6°, 40°)
(41°, 90°)
(5°, 32°)
(28°, 85°)
(-2°, 29°)
(21°, 79°)
(-6°, 26°)
(14°, 63°)
(-10°, 17°)
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Total Amount Spent-
The total cost for the trip will be about $32725 dollars in American money or 25763.65 euros.
If you have any questions email me at Bensentz@yahoo.com