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Essentials
Make it Happen: France
WAYS TO DO FRANCEstay
e atsee/
doSozo hotel is utterly quirky
a design hotel in what used
to be a cloistered nunnery
and offers things like rooms
with wasabi chocolates
stained-glass windows
(and possibly an otherworldly
presence) just a minuteâs walk
to the botanical gardens.
Mad and fun and unique
(00-33-2-5182-4000;
http://www.sozohotel.fr; 16 Rue
Frédéric Cailliaud; from
` 10500 with breakfast).
La Cigale is gloriously
decorated and nicely set
in the centre of nantes.
another piece of nantesâs
past its richly-tiled interior
has been inviting celebrities
in since 1895 and serving up
big platters of northern
french food (00 -33-2-5184-
9494; http://www.lacigale.com;
4 Place Graslin [face à lâOpéra];
7.30am â 12.30am; mains
from ` 1160).Les Machines de lâIle is a
deliciously creepy theme park
worth spending an afternoon
at. the elephant ride is 45
minutes long but just watching
it is wonderful and the Marine
World carousel is spectacular
(0 0 -33-8 -1012-1225; http://www.
lesmachines-nantes.fr/en; Parc
des Chantiers Boulevard Léon
Bureau; from 10am closing
times vary [Aug closes at 7pm]
Grand Elephant Ride: ` 635
see website for other prices).the Lâ hermitage Barriere
is elegant and beautifully
located on the la baule
waterfront and offers great
soothing views of the lovely
bay plus a huge breakfast
spread (00-33-2-4011-4646;
http://www.hotelsbarriere.com/en/
la-baule/l-hermitage.html;
5 Esplanade Lucien Barrière;
from ` 13150).the Eden Beach restaurant
on the seafront offers
delicately-flavoured seafood
and a great view right over the
beach. a sweet place at which
to spend an evening (00 -33-2-
4011-4646; http://www.hotels
barriere.com/fr/la-baule/
castel-marie-louise/
restaurants-et-bars/l-eden-
beach.html; Castel Marie
Louise 24 Espl Lucien Barrière;
12.30pm â 2.30pm 7.30pm â
10pm; mains from ` 1945).
the huge Thalgo Spa offers
treatments based around
thalassotherapy; the highlight
is the aquaminceur âobstacle
courseâ a very different fun
way of getting a massage
(00-33-2-4011-9999;
http://www.hotelsbarriere.com/en/
la-baule/l-hermitage/
activities/thalasso-spa-diane-
barriere-by-thalgo.html Ave
Marie-Louise; 8.30am â 7pm
Mon â Sat 9am â 1pm Sun;
scrubs from ` 5085/ 25 min).the Château Mont Royal
Tiara is classically beautiful
and very luxurious with a great
setting in the chantilly forest.
Pretend to be a 17th-century
aristocrat and enjoy the huge
pool and health club and the
cosy bar and sitouts (00 -33-
3-4454-5050; http://www.mont
royal-chantilly.tiara- hotels.
com/en; Route de Plailly
La Chapelle en Serval; from
` 20175).Le Retroviseur in the st leu
Quarter which may have
gone a bit overboard with the
hollywood memorabilia décor- but in a charming way â does
excellent food; think lamb
roasted for seven hours falling
off the bone onto creamy
potatoes (00 -33-3-2291-9270;
http://www.leretroviseur.fr; 16 Rue
des Bondes Place du Don
Amiens; from 4pm closing
times vary; mains from ` 1040).
the Somme 1916 Museum
shows you life in the trenches
of the first World War and is
by turns fascinating horrifying
and instructive. a must-see
for anyone who appreciates
history â and wants their kids
to know something beyond
facebook (00-33-3-2275-1617;
http://www.musee-somme-1916.eu;
Musée Somme 1916 Rue Anicet
Godin; 9am â 6pm; ` 485 adult
` 300 child).tucked away in a quiet street
in the 10th district near canal
saint-Martin Staycity
Aparthotels offers
comfortable rooms perfect for
families travelling together
(00-33-1-4489-6670; http://www.
staycity.com paris.info@
staycity.com; 5-7 Passage
Dubail; ` 10800 for a room
that sleeps four).La Ciel de Paris offers a decent
set-menu meal but its location
is what makes it special â high
up on the tour Montparnasse
it offers direct views of the
eiffel tower and everything
stops when the tower is lit up
for a few glittering minutes
every hour (0 0 -33-1-4064-
7 764; http://www.cieldeparis.com/en;
Tour Maine Montparnasse
56ème étage 33 Avenue du
Maine; 7.30am â 11pm; mains
from ` 2300).
the Lido show is one of
Parisâs grand cabarets full
of plumes and kicked-up legs
and spectacle. definitely not
for children but a couple of
hours of solid entertainment
(00-33-1-4076-5610; http://www.
lido.fr; 116 bis Avenue des
Champs-Ãlysées; 3pm 9pm
and 11pm; dinner champagne
and show from ` 1270 0).NANTES LA BAULE ChANTILLY PARISLa BauleGuérandeNantesParisChantillyAlbert
Amiensclick on the
links to Find
out more!click to
view on
google
mapsBEST TIME TO VISIT
France goes on holiday
between July and August
so time your trip to go in the
shoulder-season periods of
Aprilâmid June or september
for pleasant weather with just
a little rain and generally
better prices and availability.
GETTING ThERE
Air France flies non-stop
to parisâs charles de gaulle
from mumbai and new delhi
(return fares from ` 54500).
Jet Airways flies directly
from mumbai and Air India
from new delhi (return fares
from ` 47000).
GETTING AROUND
nantes is best accessed by
a one-hour flight from paris
which is very convenient
if you have children in tow
(Air France from ` 12000
return); otherwise rail europe
and sncF have convenient
connections (https://uk.
voyages-sncf.com/en; ` 6000
return). l a baule is a short drive
or train ride away and you
donât need a car to get around
in either place; nantes in
particular has a good tram
system (www.tan.fr; ` 385/
24 - hour ticket). chantilly and
Amiens are just short train
rides away from paris but here
it might help to hire a car as
individual sites are often far
from railway stations and itâs
a lovely place to drive around.
within paris public transport
is the best way to get around
(Paris Visite Pass: en.parisinfo.
com; from ` 920/ day).
VISA^
Apply for a short-stay
schengen visa through VFs.
It takes around 48 to 72 hours
to process and costs ` 4545
+ ` 1511 service charges
(www.vfs-france.co.in).
EMBASSY ALERT^
Embassy of India Paris:
http://www.ambinde.fr
CURRENCY
⬠1 = ` 76
FUTURE READING
lonely planetâs France guide
and the official tourism board
website (http://uk.france.fr).
FANCY A CURRY?
La Porte des Indes is a great
French take on Indian food.
go for excellent lamb broth
samosas and views (0 0 -33-1-
4282-3840; Rooftop Galeries
Lafayette 40 Boulevard
Haussmann; 11am â 7pm;
mains from ` 1500).