This French Life

Ryanair's new Barcelona base opens more French links

RYANAIR has announced the opening of a base at Barcelona El Prat Airport, providing a number of new routes to those heading to south western France.

The airline will base eight aircraft at the airport, which is approximately two hours drive from Perpignan, with flights from Leeds, Edinburgh, Dublin and Paris Beauvais available.

It is the first time low cost flights have been available from Barcelona El Prat Airport, which is the second busiest airport in Spain, and at the same time Ryanair also claimed that it had overtaken Spanish flag carrier Iberia as the largest airline in Spain in terms of the number of passengers carried.

Ryanair currently operates services from Girona and Reus airports, which are found to the north and south of Barcelona respectively.

LD Lines suspend Portsmouth to Le Havre fast ferry

FOLLOWING an incident with the Norman Arrow on arrival into Le Havre on Sunday, August 29, when it hit a buoy, LD Lines’ fast ferry sailings have been cancelled until further notice, whilst investigations continue.

LD Lines will continue to divert passengers primarily to its conventional ferry sailings between Portsmouth and Le Havre where possible or via Brittany Ferries’ services.

Just over a week ago LD Lines said it was to end its Dover to Boulogne passenger service from early September.

Rosyth to Zeebrugge service dropped by Norfolkline

THE Norfolkline service between Rosyth and Zeebrugge, which saved those living in Scotland from a long drive south to get to France, will come to an end later this year.

The ferry firm, which was recently taken over by DFDS Seaways, has said that the route between the Scottish port near Edinburgh and Belgium will end on December 15, 2010.

Norfolkline said it will continue to operate a freight service but that passenger numbers were very low and that they couldn't see any improvement in the long term.

Unaccompanied children on Air France flights seated separately

UNACCOMPANIED children travelling on Air France flights are to be seated separately to adults to avoid any risk of sexual molestation.

Le Figaro reports on the decision, taken in accordance with the French air authority La Direction générale de l’Aviation civile (DGAC), although union representatives asked how children will be helped with oxygen masks should decompression of the cabin take place.

The seating arrangement will not be implemented on fully booked flights, although the section on the Air France website offering travel advice for unaccompanied children does not currently feature any information on these changes.

Port closure sees Brittany Ferries change Caen crossing

BRITTANY Ferries is warning passengers that strike action at the port of Caen will mean it services will use Le Harve.

The port will be closed on Monday, August 30 2010 and this means crossings between Portsmouth and Caen will be affected, with departure times changed to ensure adequate sailing time.

Brittany Ferries has said it will contact passengers affected by the changes, or people can contact the company's reservations team on 0871 244 0744 or (00 33) 2 33 88 44 33.

Airbus A380 set to land at Manchester Airport

IF you are near Manchester Airport on Wednesday, September 1 you might want to keep your eyes on the skies as an Airbus A380 comes in to land.

An Emirates liveried super-jumbo is due to land at Manchester Airport at 12.25pm, starting a daily scheduled service for the airline in what will be a world first for a regional airport.

The Runway Visitor Park at Manchester Airport will open at 8.00am on the day in order to accommodate the expected crowds.

Manchester to Brive service from Jet2.com

A NEW route between Manchester and Brive Airport- Vallée de la Dordogne is to start next summer operated by Jet2.com.

The flights to Brive will operate twice a week from May 21 to September 24, 2011 and are the first to be announced outside of the existing connection to London City Airport.

Jet2.com flights from Edinburgh and Newcastle to Alps

ONE for those with chalets in the Alps looking to appeal to fans of winter sports.

Jet2.com, has expanded its ski offering from Edinburgh and Newcastle with the launch of new services to Geneva for the 2010/11 winter season.

Newcastle flights will operate from December 26 to January 9, 2011 and then from February 20 to March 27, 2011. The new Edinburgh service will operate from February 20 to March 27.

Flights are on sale now from £29.99 one way including taxes.

LD Lines ends Dover to Boulogne service

LD Lines is to end its Dover to Boulogne passenger service from early September

In a statement the ferry firm said its ships, the Norman Bridge and Norman Trader, will remain operating on the Dover to Boulogne service until 5 September, 2010.

All passengers booked up to this date will be unaffected, LD Lines will call and send emails to any customers whose travel plans will be altered after the closure of the Dover to Boulogne passenger service, and propose alternative sailings via LD Lines three other routes.

A busy weekend on the roads in France

THE traffic information service, Bison Futé, is warning that drivers should expect delays on the roads of France this weekend.

From Friday until Monday many people will be heading back home from resorts and the countryside after holidays and breaks away with Bison Futé classifying Saturday as 'rouge'.

Sunday is being described as 'orange', while Monday should see a return to normal across France although roads around Paris are expected to be busy and will remain 'orange'.

British Airways offer London City to Chambery flight for winter

BRITISH Airways is extending its route network from London City Airport this winter with a new route to Chambery, offering ski fans a link to the French Alps.

The service, by BACityFlyer, will operate four times a week from December 18, 2010 until the end of March 2011, using the airline’s fleet of Embraer 190 aircraft.

Strike threat lifted at UK airports

THE threat of a staff walkout at six UK airports later this month has been lifted after talks between unions and management proved successful.

The Unite union, which represents security staff, engineers, fire-fighters and support workers at BAA airports said it would recommend to its members the offer on the table.

Last week staff had voted to stage strike action which would have seen the closure of Heathrow, Stansted, Southampton, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh airports.

LD Lines to remove ship from Dover to Boulogne

FERRY firm, LD Lines, will cut one of its two ships that operate between Dover and Boulogne.

The Norman Bridge will be moved to a new service operating between Saint Nazaire (Nantes) in north west France to Gijon in northern Spain, providing three weekly return sailings from September 2, 2010.

Six UK airports could be hit by strike action

STAFF at six airports in the UK have voted for strike action with walkouts set to take place later this month.

Workers at BAA have voted for industrial action by more than three to one, and it could mean the closure of Heathrow, Stansted, Southampton, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh airports.

The Unite union represents the staff and it has said the current pay offer from BAA is 'simply confrontational' and so security staff, engineers, fire-fighters and support staff could walk out at the end of August causing late summer travel problems for thousands

LD Lines weigh up options on Dover - Boulogne route

FERRY operators are facing difficult times on crossings from Dover to northern France with increased competition and the current economic climate affecting their business.

LD Lines has issued a statement to say they are looking into the options open to them, as a deadline approaches on whether they will continue their charter of the Norman Bridge and Norman Trader, which operate between Dover and Boulogne.

Steep rise in road deaths during July

DESPITE a hard-hitting video campaign warning about the dangers of drink driving, the number of people killed on French roads in July increased by 13 per cent.

The latest figures from the government's road safety department, la Sécurité routière, show that 448 people lost their lives last month, this compares to 396 deaths in July 2009.

Overall, statistics for the period January to July 2010 show that the number of deaths on the roads of France have fallen by 6.6 per cent for the same period last year.

Rhônexpress rail service between Lyon and Saint Exupéry Airport

A NEW rail service between Lyon city centre and l'Aéroport Lyon - Saint Exupéry has been opened, with a journey time of around 25 minutes.

The Rhônexpress will provide a fifteen minute service between the airport and the railway station at Lyon Part-Dieu.

Trains will operate from 5am until midnight with one-way adult tickets costing €13, a return costs €23, prices for young people aged between 12 and 25 are €11 single and €19 return and children under 12 travel free with an adult.

Bmibaby offering up to 40% off flights

IF you are looking for a last minute flight to France then you might want to check out the prices on the from Bmibay website.

They have launched a sale offering up to 40 per cent off flights to destinations across Europe from UK airports, with many deals available on flights to France.

I did a quick check of prices this afternoon and was able to find a return flight between Manchester and Bordeaux, heading out on September 3 and returning on September 18, for £77.98.

Not a bad price for the time of year, especially when everyone says that visiting France in early autumn is one of the best ways to discover the country.

Record month at Bergerac Airport, but yearly figures fall

BOTH good and bad news from Bergerac Airport after it reported its busiest ever month in July with 47,966 passengers passing through its facilities.

The Sud Ouest newspaper reports on the figures from the airport, saying the month's passenger numbers were ten per cent up on the same period last year.

However, the overall figures for the year show a ten per cent fall in the number of passengers using Bergerac Airport.

Record seat sales for Ryanair

PEOPLE may moan and complain about Ryanair's supposed 'service' but it didn't stop the airline selling 7.61 million seats in July.

This figure beat Ryanair's previous record of 6.8 million seats sold in August 2009, and overall the airline carried over 70m passengers in the 12 months ending July 2010.

Such figures make you wonder what some regions of France would look like without a low-cost airline's link to the UK, as well as the Netherlands, and just how dependent a local economy is on flights from Stansted, Luton and elsewhere.

Norfolkline 24-hour Dover to Dunkirk ticket deal

FERRY company Norfolkline is offering a special 24-hour ticket deal on its service between Dover and Dunkirk.

The offer is available for travel between August 3 and October 21, 2010 with tickets priced at £22 return for a car and four passengers.

Tickets have to be booked before October 20, and are available for crossings between Monday and Wednesday, exiting Dover with return by the end of the next day.

EuroCity Express launches London to Paris bus service

A NEW low-cost coach service has been launched operating between London's Victoria Coach Station and the Gare du Nord in Paris.

EuroCity Express opened its doors on July 29 and operates every Thursday to Sunday, crossing the Channel by either the tunnel or ferry depending on the travel time.

Tickets start from £15 one-way, although there is a booking fee of £2.50 on all transactions, with a departure time from London of 11.30am and from Paris of 10pm, with the journey taking approximately seven hours.

Traffic delays expected around Brussels South Charleroi Airport

IF you use Brussels South Charleroi Airport to get to places in northern France then be aware of extensive roadworks taking place on the access road.

The airport is warning that the road leading to the terminal, the N568A, will be closed for the duration of the works set to start on August 4 and continue until September 20, 2010.

All airline passengers are being advised to allow for more time to reach the airport as drivers arriving via the A54/N4 and the N29 will face a 20 minute detour.

DFDS Norfolkline cancels some crossings this Tuesday

A NUMBER of cancellations have been made by DFDS Norfolkline to its crossings between Dover and Dunkirk on Tuesday, August 3 2010.

The company has said that due to operational reasons the following services will be cancelled: Exit Port of Dover at 04:00, 10:00, 16:00. Exit Port of Dunkirk at 02:01, 08:01, 14:01.

Customers previously booked to travel on these departures will be reserved on the next sailing two hours later. Should this arrangement not be acceptable please call the Norfolkline customer service team on 0871 2300440 (UK) or 0044 208 1278303 (Continental).

New road sign for frequent speed checks

ROAD users should keep an eye out for new signs highlighting the frequent use of fixed and mobile speed cameras.

The new signs will be placed between 1 to 2km before the cameras, and are designed to stop people slowly down upon seeing the cameras and then speeding up afterwards.

The first sites for the cameras are:

• Lamonzie St. Martin in the Dordogne (24) R & D 936 in the direction Bergerac to Bordeaux, from August 3
• Sausheim in the Haut-Rhin (68) on the A36 in both directions, August 4
• Rouffach dans le Haut-Rhin (68) sur la RD 83 dans les 2 sens le 4 août. Rouffach in the Haut-Rhin (68) on the RD 83 in both directions, August 4

The French government claims average speeds have dropped since the introduction of cameras, reducing the number of deaths on the roads.

France has 1,689 speed cameras, including 234 devices at traffic lights and law enforcement officers are equipped with 933 mobile cameras.

CityJet to extend Brive to London service

Update: It has been confirmed by CityJet that the Brive to London service will be extended until October 31, 2010.

THE CityJet service between Aéroport de Brive and London City Airport has proven so popular that it may be extended into early Autumn.

La Depeche reports that the airline's commercial director, Patrick Edmond, said that the route may operate into October, beyond the initial plan to end the seasonal service on September 12, 2010.

The link between Brive and London has seen around 70 per cent of seats filled in August, a figure that pleases CityJet.

Eurotunnel aim for speedier crossings

THE Channel Tunnel operator, Eurotunnel, has said it hopes to make travel through its facilities smoother.

The company has come to an agreement with the UK Border Agency (UKBA) that will see the border controls in Coquelles moved to a position before the passenger terminal facilities, as is the case in airports.

This should make access to the shuttles easier and quicker for those returning from the continent at the end of their stay.

Jo Willacy, Eurotunnel commercial director, said: "This service level agreement has meant that our customers now have a smoother passage through the UK Border Agency controls, which adds to the speed and ease of our Shuttle service."

Advice if you breakdown on a French autoroute

THERE is a handy English-language guide to staying safe on the autoroutes of France you can read on the autoroutes.fr website.

If you are forced to pull over on an autoroute it can be a frightening place, so the guide looks to ensure you can contact help, but also stay safe whilst waiting for assistance.

The graphical guide advises on ensuring you and any passengers are behind the safety barriers, and says the operators who take your emergency call will be able to locate you quickly.

Eurostar offers extra seats in August at £69 return

THE volcanic ash cloud which grounded flights across Europe in May, saw Eurostar passenger numbers rise by 6 per cent to 4.6 million and revenues increase by 18 per cent to £404 million during the first half of 2010.

The rail company also claimed that more people were using its, and other high-speed train services, as an alternative to short haul air travel in Europe.

It said more people were looking to travel to the south of France and elsewhere, while international sales revenues were up 24 per cent in comparison to the same period last year.

Eurostar today announced that during August it will put on 20 extra trains, four each weekend, to and from Paris with every seat available at a special price of £69 return.

Ryanair and easyJet make more than €600m in fees and charges

BOTH Ryanair and easyJet are the only European companies in a top ten listing of the amount airlines make in ancillary revenues.

Ryanair is placed fifth, and easyJet sixth, in a study by travel technology firm Amadeus and its partner Ideaworks.

Ancillary revenues cover things such as baggage fees and food sold onboard aircraft, commissions from the sale of hotel accommodations, car rentals and travel insurance at airline websites.

French air traffic control strikes go ahead

FRENCH air traffic control staff have gone on strike today, Wednesday, resulting in delays and cancellations for flights into and out of France.

Aviation authority, la Direction générale de l’Aviation civile (DGAC) has said around 50 per cent of flights at Paris Orly have been affected, with around 20 per cent at Paris C-de-G and other airports have seen cancellations.

Ryanair has a stand-alone page featuring the flights affected, and easyJet flights can be accessed via its departures checker page, while Flybe, Jet2.com and Air France are also keeping passengers up to date.

Eurotunnel sees traffic growth

THE Channel Tunnel operator, Eurotunnel, has reported a growth in both car and truck traffic using its shuttle service over the past six months.

The company said truck traffic was 41 per cent higher and there were 17 per cent more cars using it, too.

The Eurostar passenger train, which runs through the tunnel, saw a 6 per cent increase in traffic on the same period in 2009.

Eurotunnel revenues rose by 22 per cent, but it reported a loss of 45m euros (£54m), partly because of an insurance dispute over a fire in the tunnel in September 2008.

French air traffic control strikes planned

SIX unions representing air traffic control staff have said they will take strike action on Wednesday, July 21, threatening flights in France.

The French civil aviation authority, la Direction générale de l’Aviation civile (DGAC) has said it will provide updates on Monday about the possible impact on passengers.

Air traffic staff are unhappy at proposed plans at a European level which would change the way national aviation authorities work.

Agreement signed between Flybe and Air France

A CODE-SHARING agreement has been signed between Flybe and Air France, opening up new routes between the UK and France for passengers of each airline.

In an announcement Flybe said passengers will now have access to five additional routes between the UK and France as well as seven new domestic French routes and 11 international routes.

A further benefit is that all Flybe services into Paris Charles de Gaulle airport will now connect to the Air France hub allowing access to all of Air France’s extensive international services.

Eurostar ski train bookings open

I KNOW the sun is scorching outside, but for those planning ahead Eurostar has opened ticket sales on its train service for the winter ski season.

Eurostar offers two direct ski trains a week, stopping at Moutiers, Aime-la-Plagne and Bourg-St-Maurice, with the first beginning on December 19.

Travellers can opt for the overnight service, which departs on Friday night, arriving early Saturday morning and giving an extra two days on the slopes.

Extended run for Norman Arrow on Portsmouth - Le Havre

THE LD Lines' fast ferry service between Portsmouth and Le Havre served by the Norman Arrow will be extended until the end of October.

The Norman Arrow summer service, introduced in March, was originally planned to operate until September 30, but due to demand this has now been extended to the end of October 2010.

Crossing time via fast ferry is three hours 15 minutes compared to the conventional (year-round) ferry service of eight hours on the night sailing from Portsmouth and five hours 30 minutes for the day sailing from Le Havre.

The Norman Arrow operates one return sailing daily departing Portsmouth at 8.30am, arriving at Le Havre at 12.45pm, before heading out of Le Havre at 6.30pm, arriving back in Portsmouth at 8.45pm.

Baggage trolley charge at Luton Airport now £2

THE company that oversees the baggage trolley service at Luton Airport, bagport, has announced it will increase the fee per trolley rented from £1 to £2 (€2).

Unlike supermarket trolleys where you get your money back, the bagport system is a flat fee and the company has said the increase is due to rising costs and is comparable to those in the US.

The Luton fee brings the airport into line with Bristol Airport which is also overseen by bagport, but the cost of hiring a bagport trolley at Leeds Bradford is £1, although if you pay in euros it costs €2.

Newcastle to Toulouse from Jet2.com for summer 2011

LOW cost airline Jet2.com has announced it will operate a flight between Newcastle and Toulouse for summer 2011.

The route will operate every Sunday from May 16, 2011 with the flights set to continue until September 4.

One-way tickets start from £29.99, including taxes, with a departure time of 7.10am from Newcastle, arriving in Toulouse at 10.25am. Return flights depart Toulouse at 10.55am, and get back into the North East at 12.15pm.

How have you got around Ryanair's baggage rules?

A COUPLE of days ago I was seeing off family at Bergerac Airport and must have spotted three or four people struggling to repack their bags after falling foul of Ryanair's baggage rules.

So it was interesting to see a Daily Mail journalist invest in a multi-pocket jacket to carry his baggage with him, including spare underpants, toothbrush and laptop.

Before heading off to Bergerac this week I got the bathroom scales out to check the weight of the suitcase, but I wonder what other tips and tricks people use?

Feel free to leave a comment below.

New routes to Lyon and EuroAirport from easyJet

WITH an eye on the winter ski season, easyJet has announced the launch of two routes from the UK enabling people to reach the Alps.

The first from Edinburgh to EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg starts on December 3, 2010 and will offer a four-times-weekly service running Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

And the airline will offer a link between Liverpool and Lyon, with the first flight scheduled to fly on Saturday, December 18.

Ticket sales are already open and one-way flights start from £25.99.

Ferry passengers in EU set to get new rights

THE European Parliament has voted in favour of regulations that would provide ferry passengers with compensation should their crossing be delayed or cancelled.

Similar in style to the scheme currently in place for air passengers flying from European airports, the proposed plans would cover travel on a waterway in the EU.

Under the new rules, when a regular passenger boat or ferry service is cancelled or over 90 minutes late in departing, the passengers will have the right to be rerouted (in order to reach the destination earlier) or to receive back the ticket cost and not to travel (or else to return to the initial port of departure at the company's cost).

Ryanair winter link between Leeds Bradford - Carcassonne

RYANAIR has said it will continue its service between Leeds Bradford and Carcassonne during the winter season.

In an announcement outlining increased capacity from Leeds Bradford Airport, Ryanair said flights would continue to Carcassonne, found in the Aude department.

One of the new routes Ryanair announced is to Barcelona, although this link has been put in place at the expense of flights to Gerona, a popular arrival point for those heading to the eastern Pyrénées.

Stay safe when booking holidays online

AS one of the busiest booking periods for last-minute summer getaways begins, experts at GetSafeOnline.org and ABTA, the travel association, warn that UK web users are ignoring basic online fraud-prevention measures in their quest for the ultimate holiday bargain.

In the worst cases, holiday makers could be handing over their hard-earned cash for ‘dream holidays’ that do not exist.

View from the cockpit of flying into Brive Airport

1er atterrissage sur l'aéroport Brive Vallée de la Dordogne envoyé par OL-S

IF you want to get an idea of what it is like landing at the new Aéroport de Brive - Vallée de la Dordogne, check out the short video above.

It is the view from the cockpit of the first flight from Paris that landed at Brive Airport on June 15, 2010.

And if you live close to the airport and want to see the facilities close up then drop in on the open day which takes place on Saturday, July 10 and includes jets from the French air force.

Related article: Taking a tour around Brive Airport

Ryanair cuts number of UK flights over winter

RYANAIR has said it will cut UK winter capacity by 16 per cent from November with the loss of over two million passengers at UK airports this winter, in comparison to last year.

In a statement, the airline has blamed the UK government's £11 tourist tax, which it claims is damaging British air traffic, tourism and jobs.

London Stansted will see a 17 per cent cut in capacity while Ryanair will also cut winter flights at most of its other UK bases, except Edinburgh and Leeds Bradford.

Brittany Ferries offer £99 early summer ticket deal

BRITTANY Ferries is offering a low fare of £99 per person return for mid-week travel to Caen, Cherbourg and Roscoff if booked between now and July 22 for a stay of up to 7 days.

The fare is available on departures Monday to Thursday for the services between Portsmouth-Caen, Portsmouth-Cherbourg, Poole-Cherbourg and Plymouth-Roscoff, and tickets can be booked for both cruise-ferry and high-speed crossings.

Fares can be booked online at Brittany Ferries or by calling reservations on 0871 244 1400.

Rising cost of travel insurance for over-65s

CONSUMER watchdog, Which? Money, has criticised travel insurance policies which rise in price for those aged over 65.

Its research found a huge range in the price of travel insurance products, with a steep increase when passing through different age brackets.

For example, a 74-year-old would pay £383 for an annual worldwide policy with Rias. Yet a year later, aged 75, this would cost £707, a price hike of £324.

Ryanair offers larger baggage allowance option

RYANAIR has announced that passengers can now choose a larger (20kg) checked-in bag allowance for €/£25 as an alternative to its standard (15kg) checked-in bag allowance.

Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said: "Ryanair continues to encourage passengers to travel light and save even more by leaving the checked-in bags at home and taking advantage of our 10kg free carry on allowance.

"However, passengers who do require checked-in luggage can now purchase a larger 20kg bag allowance for €/£25 or our standard 15kg bag from €/£15.

LD Lines launch self check-in kiosks

FERRY travellers on the LD Lines service between Portsmouth and Le Havre should keep an eye out for the new check-in kiosks.

Foot passengers will be the first to be able to use the kiosks in the ports of Le Havre and Portsmouth, and bookings and ticket sales will also soon be made available via this same facility.

LD Lines then plans to introduce vehicle and passengers self check-in facilities in these same two locations, in advance of the start of the peak summer season.

Christophe Santoni, managing director of LD Lines, said: "As well as enjoying the on board experience, it is very important that all our customers are provided with an efficient, hassle-free service at our ports.

Statement from SeaFrance on job losses and future plans

FERRY company, SeaFrance, has confirmed that 725 jobs will be lost and that it will look to offer a service that reflects passenger demand.

The SeaFrance statement reads: "A complete re-evaluation of the company position has been undertaken and a new reorganisation plan has been produced.

"The new plan involves adjustments to the schedule to closely fit capacity to anticipated demand, it revises the onboard facilities and the customer offer and will result in the return to long term profitability of the company in due course.