Tag: france

The baguette – a mix of wheat flour, water, yeast, salt and a pinch of savoir-faire and as much a symbol of France as the Eiffel Tower – may soon join UNESCO’s listing of cultural treasures. Bakers say the traditional craft loaf, whose purchase from the local bakery has for decades been a ritual in French daily life, is being pushed off shop shelves, even in France, by frozen bread sticks made on giant assembly lines. “There’s not one single secret to making a good traditional baguette,” said Mickael Reydellet, owner of eight bakeries. “It requires time, a savoir-faire, the ... Read more

When the clocks strike midnight on New Year’s Eve, France will be under curfew and its citizens plan to celebrate with gourmet food rather than large groups of friends. At an open-air food market in Paris, fishmonger Rachid Bellahreche said orders were coming in smaller than usual, though his patrons were making up for having to downsize with lobster and scallops. “The seafood baskets are a bit smaller. But since they’ll be fewer around the table, people are buying better quality products,” Bellahreche said. France has the highest COVID-19 cases count in Western Europe and the fifth-largest in the world. ... Read more

France has announced its plan to reopen its borders to passengers from England, ending a blockade intended to stop the spread of a new coronavirus variant, but which has held up thousands of trucks before Christmas. Most of the countries have shut their borders to Britain after a significantly more dangerous mutated coronavirus variant was discovered spreading across southern England at a rapid pace. With long queues of trucks in England and some supermarket shelves getting stripped, only a few days ahead of Christmas, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson managed to get French President Emmanuel Macron to lift a ban ... Read more

More than a million French cyclists have used a 50 euro ($60) subsidy to get their old bikes repaired as part of measures to fight the coronavirus and now the government wants more people to start riding them. Following France’s first lockdown in the spring, the government offered subsidies to get old bikes fixed. That programme will now be extended until the end of March following the relaxation of a second lockdown last weekend. “After this second lockdown, the government wants to encourage French people to use bicycles to move around,” Environment Minister Barbara Pompili said during a visit to ... Read more

A charter flight will take off on Saturday from Cochin International Airport with French tourists, who were stranded in Kerala due to the pandemic. The flight will take off at 8 am tomorrow. All the district coordinators are requested to make arrangements to transfer them to the Novotel Kochi at Info Park, Kakkanad, and from there they will proceed to the airport. These tourists were staying in various properties in Kerala. Payment in this regard will be made by the Consulate of France in Pondicherry. The French Government has also introduced a web site to help french citizens in difficulty ... Read more

France is always an exciting destination but the year ahead promises a buffet of intriguing events beyond the capitol. Read on for the top reasons to pack your bags and book a flight: NORMANDY – 75th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings June 5 and 6, 2019 will mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Landings and the launch of the crucial Battle of Normandy, which paved the way for Europe’s liberation and the end of WWII. The anniversary will also include military parades, fireworks, giant picnics, concerts, airdrops, and of course, a great international ceremony attended by the Allied heads ... Read more

National Geographic Traveler magazine reveals its 28 must-see destinations and travel experiences for 2019. Together, Traveler editors and National Geographic Explorers have selected their top places to travel across four categories: Cities, Nature, Culture, and Adventure. The year’s Best Trips list is relevant, surprising and inspiring, highlighting a globe-spanning mix of destinations from the Peruvian Amazon to Kansas City, Missouri. “Our Best Trips issue features 28 destinations and experiences that can inspire us, change our perspectives and connect us with cultures, places and ideas that matter in the world,” says George Stone, National Geographic Traveler editor in chief. “The issue ... Read more

Courtyard by Marriott Paris Gare de Lyon Courtyard by Marriott has welcomed a new property in the heart of Paris, ideally situated opposite the Gare de Lyon train station, which serves as both a domestic and international travel hub for millions of passengers each year. This dynamic area of the city is also home to numerous co-working spaces and start-up incubators, making the hotel the perfect choice for business travellers. Housed in a 19-story tower, Courtyard by Marriott Paris Gare de Lyon offers exceptional views over the city and its emblematic sights. The design in the 249 bedrooms was led ... Read more

Polin Waterparks has opened the world’s first Storm Racer Waterslide at Aqualand Frejus in France. Storm Racer incorporates a variety of key features that set it apart from every previously designed waterslide in the industry: unique geometry, high capacity, a pioneering ride configuration and an exclusive, interactive “Watersplash” feature that ensures intense competition and blasts of adrenaline. “The addition of a Storm Racer to Aqualand Frejus is important in ensuring the park maintains its guests’ expectations of always delivering the best entertainment. We know how quickly people’s interests can change, and we want to make sure we are always top ... Read more

Travellers with Indian passports will no longer require an Airport Transit Visa while transiting through the international zone of any airport in France. “I’m pleased to announce that, with effect from July 23, 2018, holders of Indian passports will no longer require an Airport Transit Visa (ATV) while transiting through the international zone of any airport in France,” tweeted Alexandre Ziegler, Ambassador of France to India. An airport transit visa is applicable for those who are just transiting the Schengen territory and who will not leave the transit area of the airport. However, hotel accommodations are only available outside the ... Read more

Hainan, a small southern island province of China, plans to offer visa-free on arrival for over 59 countries. According to media reports, the policy might come into force from 1st May in which the travellers are permitted to stay for over 30 days. As part of the new policy, individual tourist and groups from countries namely Britain, France, Germany, and the United States, can visit Hainan visa-free and stay there for up to 30 days on conditions. However, since 2000 Haina has offered a 15-day visa-free stay for over 21 countries, which was extended to more countries back in 2010. The ... Read more

ഏപ്രില്‍ 2018ലെ ഐ എം എഫിന്റെ വേള്‍ഡ് എക്കണോമിക്ക് ഔട്ട് ലുക്കിന്റെ കണക്കനുസരിച്ച് ഇന്ത്യ ലോകത്തെ ആറാമത്തെ സാമ്പത്തിക ശക്തിയായി മാറി. ജി ഡി പി 2.6 ട്രില്ല്യന്‍ ഡോളറില്‍ എത്തിയെന്നുള്ള വിവരം ഐ എം എഫാണ് പുറത്ത് വിട്ടത്. ഫ്രാന്‍സിനെ പിന്തള്ളിയാണ് ഇന്ത്യ ആറാം സ്ഥാനത്ത് എത്തിയത്. എന്നാല്‍ യു എസ്, ചൈന, ജപ്പാന്‍, ജര്‍മ്മനി, യു കെ എന്നീ രാജ്യങ്ങളാണ് ജി ഡി പിയില്‍ ഇന്ത്യക്കു മുന്നില്‍ നില്‍ക്കുന്നത്. നോട്ട് നിരോധനവും ജി എസ് ടിയും വരുത്തിയ പ്രത്യാഘാതങ്ങളെ രാജ്യത്തിന് അതിജീവിക്കാന്‍ സാധിച്ചുവെന്ന് ലോക ബാങ്കിന്റെയും ഐ എം എഫിന്റെയും റിപ്പോര്‍ട്ടുകള്‍ വ്യക്തമാക്കുന്നുണ്ട്. എന്നാല്‍ സമ്പത്ത് വ്യവസ്ഥയുടെ കാര്യത്തില്‍ ഇവ രണ്ടും എത്രമാത്രം പരിക്കേല്‍പ്പിച്ചിരുന്നു എന്ന കാര്യം പരിഗണിക്കാതെയാണ് ഇത്. 2018ല്‍ 7.4ശതമാനം, 2019ല്‍ 7.8ശതമാനം എന്നിങ്ങനെയാണ് ഐ എം എഫ് ഇന്ത്യയുടെ വളര്‍ച്ചാ നിരക്ക് കണക്കാക്കിയിരിക്കുന്നത്. 2017 ല്‍ 6.7ശതമാനം വളര്‍ച്ചാ നിരക്കാണ് ഐ എം എഫ് ... Read more

It was a happy news for the tourism industry, as the foreign tourist arrival exceeds to over 13.4 per cent more than that of the previous year statistics. Foreign tourist arrival for the period of January-March 2018 was 31.27 lakh, while January-March 2017 recorded only 28.45 lakh arrivals. The statistics can be further dissected as more foreign arrivals of about 19.59 % were registered from Bangladesh followed by UK (11.56%), USA (10.79%), Russian Federation (3.89%), Sri Lanka (3.72%), Malaysia (3.36%), Canada (3.35%), Germany (3.19%), China (2.67%), Australia (2.62%), France (2.58%), Japan (2.11%), Thailand (2.00%), Singapore (1.64%) and Afghanistan (1.60%). Meanwhile, ... Read more

According to a survey by LinkedIn, famous social networking site dedicated to business and employment-related services, had revealed that Indian’s prefer being happy besides health and money. About 72 per cent Indians in the survey states that being happy is the ultimate achievement of success in their life. Survey also reveals that about 65 per cent of the respondent’s marks having good health, and a healthy work-life balance as the key symbol of success. The survey had conducted online during the month of October and November, with over 18,191 adults from across 16 countries – Australia, China, France, Germany, Hong ... Read more

Photo Courtesy: AFP France will be hit by by severe travel disruption as hundreds of trains and planes are set to be cancelled in France and scores of schools closed as unions go on strike. Public service workers, air traffic controllers and rail staff in France are on a major strike. Public service workers in France have long been angry over pay – which is currently frozen – that has not kept up with inflation and are upset at changes to their sick pay. Unions accuse President Emmanuel Macron of wanting to take a sledgehammer to the public sector. Hundreds ... Read more