BE on the look out when booking flights to France as a number of airlines have been found to automatically add travel insurance, a breach of EU rules.
Consumer watchdog Which? Holiday found four airlines were ignoring an EU ruling which states that they cannot automatically add extras such as insurance at the time of booking.
FLIGHTS between Bergerac and Brussels Charleroi are to be launched by Ryanair, with the service starting on Friday, July 3.
The summer service will operate until August 31 and offers two flights a week, on Monday and Friday.
Ryanair recently announced that it would charge passengers a fee to check-in online as it looked to get rid of all its check-in desks and only offer a baggage drop off facility at airports.
THE route of a new high-speed rail link between Marseille, Toulon and Nice has been agreed, although the first trains are not expected to run until around 2022.
The line will run along the Mediterranean coast, although many had feared another route to the north would be chosen threatening vineyards and landscapes made famous by Cezanne.
THE saga of whether Euroferries will actually operate a service between Ramsgate and Boulogne could be easily turned into a sea shanty the way things are going.
The Euroferries website still features the minimum of information, despite it once talking of launching the route in March, and now photographs of a catamaran bearing the logo and colours of the company have emerged.
Pictures of a catamaran, currently berthed in Gran Canaria, showing the words Euroferries Express down the side have been posted online, whilst Kent based website The Big Blog is wondering if the route will ever materialise.
I will just keep on dropping in on the Euroferries website to see if you can ever buy a ticket.
FERRY firm LD Lines has withdrawn its service between Dover and Dieppe, just a few months since it was launched in February.
In a short message on its website, the company has said the route will stop on Monday, June 29 and if passengers require further information or wish to make alternative bookings, they should email lehavretourisme@ldlines.fr.
LD Lines recently launched a new fast ferry service between Dover and Boulogne, offering a journey time of an hour on its Norman Arrow catamaran.
A NEW single fare ticket has been launched by Eurostar with prices starting from £35 on the London to Paris and Brussels routes.
Eurostar has also said that it will simplify its fare structure and remove 'stay away' conditions such as having to stay a Saturday night.
More on: One way tickets offered by Eurostar
THE FrogBus service based out of Perpignan has announced it will offer a bus link between the town and Barcelona Airport over the summer months.
The daily service will operate between July 11 and August 30, 2009, and depart from Perpignan train station, stop at Le Boulou and arrive at Barcelona Airport, with a journey time of approximately three hours.
IF you are looking to hire a car this summer when travelling around France, check out a handy guide from Auto Europe.
The free to download Car Rental Roadmap is in .pdf format and covers things such as how car hire contracts work, the different levels of cover available and the tips are not just focussed on Auto Europe, many will be helpful if you hire a car through another company.
Whether you are renting for the first time, or just want to understand more about a particular aspect of car hire, the guide may prove helpful to read in advance.
Related article: Guide to driving in France
THE new fast ferry service operated by LD Lines begins sailing between Dover and Boulogne on Saturday (June 6).
With a crossing time of an hour the ferry, called the Norman Arrow, will travel at speeds of 40 knots, with capacity for 1,200 passengers, 417 cars, or combination of 195 cars and up to 30 freight vehicles.
RYANAIR is reminding passengers that flights to Paris Beauvais Airport have been postponed until June 10, 2009, whilst work is carried out on the runway.
The airline makes up 85 per cent of traffic and has said it would contact all affected Ryanair passengers via email to offer them alternative flights or a full refund.
Last month Ryanair announced that it would charge passengers a fee to check-in online as it looked to get rid of all its check-in desks and only offer a baggage drop off facility at airports.
AN agreement has been signed between Air France-KLM and Delta Air Lines which the two companies say will improve flight options between North America and Europe.
The joint venture represents around 25 per cent of total trans-Atlantic capacity and will see the airlines share revenues and costs to offer more choice in frequency of flights, and to make cost savings.
In a statement the airlines said passengers would benefit from access to a network offering over 200 flights and approximately 50,000 seats a day.
More on: Air France KLM and Delta Air Lines sign trans-Atlantic agreement
RAIL passengers are being warned they face travel problems on Tuesday (May 26) as workers take industrial action.
The leading rail unions expect their members to stage protests on the day, although a minimum service is expected to be in place, with worries about the future direction of SNCF at the heart of the protests.
The French railway Infolignes service will offer advice on disruption including routes cancelled and an idea of the number of trains operating.
ANOTHER job has been ticked off my list of things to do before heading to France, and that was double-checking the cover on my car insurance.
The Money Supermarket website highlights the importance of making sure you know what level of cover you have if you are holidaying in France.
Some fully comprehensive policies revert to third party only once you have crossed the Channel, so you might want to look over your policy details before travelling.
A COUPLE of quick travel related stories, the first of which is Luton Airport's decision to drop its planned £1 charge to drop someone off at the terminal before it has been implemented.
The charge was set to be introduced at the end of April, but the Telegraph reports that the plan has been shelved.
And the Belfast Telegraph reports that Aer Lingus will drop its link between Belfast International Airport and Paris later this year for a four-month period.
Although Aer Lingus has insisted that routes are often dropped over the winter period and it remains committed to Belfast.
RYANAIR has announced that tickets booked from May 20, 2009, will require passengers to check-in online and they will face a charge of £5 to do so.
The fee will be compulsory as the airline will scrap all its check-in desks and only offer a baggage drop off facility at airports.
Passengers will face a charge of £5/€5 per person, per flight, on new bookings, although promotional fares of 'Free', '€1' and '€5' will include web check in on a free of charge basis.
SPECIAL family friendly TGV trains are to be offered by SNCF over the summer period offering reduced prices and a goody bag for children.
Le Figaro reports that the TGV Family service will operate from Paris Gare de Lyon to Marseilles, as well as Montpellier via Nîmes.
A total of 4,400 seats will be available on the Saturday service operating between July 4 and August 1, 2009 at 9.20am and 2.16pm.
TO mark the launch of the new LD Lines' service between Dover and Boulogne the company is offering 2,000 tickets from £27.50 each way for a car and four passengers.
The offer is based on a five day return, and subject to availability, but must be booked by May 28, 2009 and is valid for travel to the end of September 2009.
SMALL regional airline Skybus is to begin flights between Newquay and St Brieuc in Brittany, starting Friday, May 8, 2009.
Flights will operate Monday and Friday, departing Newquay at 12.40pm and arrive in St Brieuc at 3pm. The return flights sets off from Brittany at 3.30pm, arriving back in the UK at 3.50pm.
Adult tickets are priced £79 one-way, are fully flexible and inclusive of airport charges.
A REPRESENTATIVE of P&O Ferries has written a personal letter to French prime minister, François Fillon, calling for action to be taken against fishermen if they block ports in protest once again.
Kent Online reports that Alain Vedel, the port manager for P&O Ferries at Calais, said that the company played an important role in the region as it provided employment.
BUDGET airline Flybe has rolled out part of its winter 2009/10 timetable of flights to the Alps.
Routes for ski fans include flights to Chambery from Exeter, Southampton and Birmingham, while the Swiss airport of Geneva will be accessible from Exeter, Southampton, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Norwich.
One-way tickets start from £39.99 including taxes and airport charges.
More on: Winter timetable from Flybe launched
FERRY company Irish Ferries will soon start its three-day mini-cruise service from Rosslare to Cherbourg and Roscoff.
The first crossing begins on Friday, May 15 2009 and offers passengers the chance to go shopping and spend up to six hours ashore in France.
Return tickets are priced €99 per person including ensuite cabin berth both ways. When two or more passengers travel together they can bring their car for €89 return.
More on: Irish Ferries start mini-cruise to Cherbourg and Roscoff
A CAMPAIGN has zipped around Twitter highlighting a petition calling for the UK government to reduce the price of passport applications made from France.
The petition says it is unfair that it costs £72 to renew a passport through the UK's own Identity and Passport Service, yet going through the same process at the British Embassy in Paris costs €145 (£129).
Renewing a passport in other EU countries cost the same as France, and it is a similar price for Britons living in New Zealand but is around £134 for those living in Australia.
MORE pricing details have been made available by Norfolkline for the launch of its service between Rosyth to Zeebrugge.
The route starts on May 19 and prices for foot passengers start from £70 one-way, which includes use of a reclining seat, and £165 for a one-way ticket for a car driver that provides use of a reclining seat.
Additional prices are available for those travelling with motorbikes and bicycles.
More on: Foot passenger details for Norfolkline's Zeebrugge route
THE Port of Dover is bullish about the coming year despite seeing a slight downturn in passenger numbers in 2008.
In its annual report the port said 2.8 million cars travelled through its facilities, although overall passenger numbers fell as coach traffic declined, blaming high fuel costs and a weaker pound.
And it is hopeful of seeing an increase in traffic over the coming years as new freight and passenger capacity becomes available with the launch of LD Lines’ services between Dover and both Dieppe and Boulogne.
More on: Port of Dover confident of future
A NEW route between Luton Airport and Montpellier, served by easyJet, is to start on July 7, 2009.
Flights will operate on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, with one way tickets starting at £26.99.
At the same time easyJet is to increase the frequency of flights on its routes to France from Gatwick Aiport; an additional flight to Montpellier and five new flights a week to Toulouse will begin from July 17.
FERRY firm LD Lines has announced it will operate the largest ever fast ferry service between Dover and Boulogne.
The 11,000 tonnes catamaran will come into operation on May 29, 2009 and can reach a speed of around 40 knots providing capacity for up to 417 cars, or a mixture of trucks and cars, with space for 1,200 passengers.
IT doesn't look as though French fishermen are going to stop their protests any time soon, this morning they launched an opération escargot in the Channel.
At the same time Kent County Council said it is preparing to put together a case for compensation from the French government as anger grows over the impact of the protests.
The Dover coastguard has issued a warning saying 31 fishing vessels are moving up the north east lane of the Dover Strait at one knot, thereby slowing all traffic behind them.
View P&O threaten move to Ostende in a larger map
AS the backlog of ferry passengers wanting to cross the Channel is cleared following blockades at French ports by fishermen, one ferry firm is considering alternative routes.
The Times reports that P&O Ferries has sent a ship to Ostende to look at the possibility of sailing from Dover to the Belgian port.
NEW rules on car number plates come into force today which will see the popular departément codes replaced with an administrative number.
However, following angry protests drivers will be able to display a small badge and the departément number of their choice on the right hand edge of plates.
The changes mean cars have a registration number that applies to it throughout its life, and brings an end to the process of getting new plates if your car was from a different département.
Website: French number plate regulations
FERRY services from Dover to France have resumed as striking fishermen stood down from their protests and took part in discussions with the French government.
Fishermen had blockaded the ports of Calais, Dunkerque and Boulogne causing ferry firms to postpone services.
The protests have been lifted at Calais and Dunkerque, although a blockade of Boulogne is still in place.
Kent police has lifted Operation Stack and traffic is beginning to move once again along the M20.
However, it is likely that the ferry companies will need some time to process the backlog of passengers and it is recommended that travellers contact their operator.
Ferry firm websites:
P&O Ferries
LD Lines
SeaFrance
Norfolk Line
The Port of Dover website is updating on ferry operations, while alternative travel options are Eurotunnel and Eurostar, although it is likely that available places will be quickly snapped up.
More on: French fishermen block Channel ports
CAMERAS are to be installed at a number of road junctions in French cities to catch drivers who jump red lights.
The equipment is expected to be installed at junctions in Paris, but also Lyon and Bordeaux, with those caught facing a fine of €135 and the loss of four penalty points on their licence.
The cameras are expected to be fitted before the summer and around 150 will be installed by early next year; a list of speed cameras in France is available on the Sécurité Routière site.
THE giant Norwegian Epic cruise liner is being built in the shipyards at Saint-Nazaire and recently passed a milestone in its construction when the ship's bow was lowered into place.
The bow weighed 445 tons and measured 85 feet long, 108 feet wide and is almost 30 feet high, with the process of putting it into place taking 100 workers about two hours.
More on: Norwegian Epic takes shape at Saint-Nazaire shipyards
I KNOW we've not had summer yet, but this one is for those who have holiday homes that revolve around the white stuff.
Jet2.com has launched its winter ski timetable for 2009/10 with one-way tickets starting from £19.99 inclusive of taxes.
Philip Meeson, boss of Jet2.com, said: "We have launched our winter schedule earlier than ever this year to ensure that the UK’s ski and snowboard fans can book their seat early, giving them plenty of time to budget and prepare for their winter break."
More on: Jet2.com launch ski flights schedule
AN agreement has been signed that will see the golden arches of McDonald's feature at a number of French l'autoroute service stations.
Italian restaurant firm, Autogrill, will work with the fast food restaurant over the coming months with the first outlet expected to open in the autumn.
And if the link between the two companies proves successful then more service stations, as well as airports, railway stations and other sites managed by Autogrill could begin offering up burgers and fries.
IF friends or family drop you off at Luton Airport before you take a flight to France, make sure they have a £1 coin to hand.
The airport has said it will introduce a charge from April 29 at its new drop-off zone located outside the terminal, which will be enforced by payment barriers as drivers leave.
An alternative free drop-off zone will still be available a short distance away, but passengers will need to use a transfer bus.
RYANAIR has announced that it will be diverting its flights from Pau to the airport at Lourdes for two weeks during the summer.
Work on the runway at Pau means flights will be rerouted between July 27 and August 9, with passengers having to use Lourdes Airport, which is approximately 50km away.
Ryanair say a free coach transfer will operate between the two airports during the airport closure period, and affected passengers have been sent a notification detailing all the options available to them.
Related article: Paris Beauvais Airport closed in June
THE cost of flights to French destinations such as Nice and Cannes have dropped by 75 per cent in the past 12 months.
Figures from Cheapflights, the online flight price search service, show that return tickets to the Riviera hot spots cost on average £28, inclusive of taxes.
This was a steep fall on prices from last year, although Cheapflights also highlighted an increase of 20 per cent on flight prices to Paris year-on-year.
SAVINGS of up to 20 per cent on easyJet flights to France are currently available.
Tickets have to be booked before midnight on Tuesday, April 7 and travel taken between April 15 and July 15, 2009 including Easter and half-term holidays.
EasyJet flights operate out of several UK airports to destinations across France including Lyon, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Nice.
AN agreement has been signed between Eurotunnel and the UK Border Agency to improve security at the Channel Tunnel and speed up passenger travel.
In a statement Eurotunnel say that 'real time traffic management information and the latest control technologies' will be used together to ensure border security and improve traffic flow.
Eurotunnel go on to say that 'Euroscan, the Passive Millimetric Wave Scanner, CO2 detectors and heartbeat monitors are all part of the wide range of specialist tools available for border control and security on the Eurotunnel terminals'.
AS a result of strong bookings on the recently launched summer route between Manchester and Toulouse, bmibaby has said it will continue to operate the service during winter 2009/10.
Flights will operate on Wednesday and Saturday during the winter period and prices start from £29.99 one way including taxes and charges.
In addition the airline will introduce a new route to Grenoble from all four of its UK bases, flights will operate twice a week from East Midlands, Birmingham International and Cardiff Airport, plus once a week from Manchester.
Prices start from £34.99 one way including taxes and charges.
A NEW service between London City Airport and Nantes is to start on April 27, 2009 operated by VLM Airlines.
Flights from London City depart at 8.25am arriving at 11.10am on weekdays and Saturday, and 5.45pm arriving 8.30pm on weekday and Sunday.
Return flights from Nantes depart at 7.45am arriving at 8.30m on weekdays and Saturday, and 5.30pm arriving at 6.15pm on weekdays and Sunday.
BRITTANY Ferries is to fire up the engines of the Normandie Express from April 1 as the company commences its daily Portsmouth to Cherbourg route.
The high speed Normandie Express departs Portsmouth each morning from Monday to Thursday at 8.00 am, arriving in France after a three hour journey, with the return from Cherbourg setting off at 5.30pm.
IF you are set to be heading to France via Dover over the Easter holiday period be prepared for a busy time.
The Port of Dover is expecting a 'burst' of travellers looking to take holiday breaks across the Channel as ferry operators report bookings being made later than usual.
Traffic through the port is expected to peak on April 3 and 4 as outbound travellers head away, and again on April 18 and 19 as people come home.
A CARD offering cheaper rail travel for poorer families and single parents has been officially launched.
The carte enfant-famille offers savings of at least 25 per cent and up to 50 per cent in some cases on trains where reservations are required, the TGV, Téoz, Lunéa and Corail de nuit.
Families will be able to apply for a card, which costs €15 a year, if their income level is below €22,321 for a family with one child, and €27,472 for a family with two children.
Applications have to be made through the Caisses d'Allocations Familiales, whose website provides details of the process and the form that has to be completed.
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IT seems that Brive Souillac Airport will be open for business towards the middle of next year.
The Guide2Limousin website highlights an article in the regional newspaper, La Montagne, which says that it is hoped the runway will be in operation by June 2010.
The Brive Souillac Airport website features more information on the planned facilities which will be found close to junction 53 of the A20 autoroute.
At the moment there are no details of airlines that might offer flights, although it is hoped daily services to both Paris and London may be offered.
BRITTANY Ferries has said that it would be interested in acquiring SeaFrance, enabling it to operate between Dover and Calais.
In a statement the Brittany Ferries managing director, David Longdeng, said: "After 37 years of experience on the longer routes to France and Spain, this is an exciting opportunity to introduce Brittany Ferries’ award winning standards on Dover-Calais crossings, and to provide an even greater choice for our passengers and freight customers."
The move comes after merger talks between SeaFrance and LD Lines broke down, and an announcement in February by SeaFrance that it was shedding around 650 jobs and will look to focus on its car ferry business.
A NEW service from easyJet operating between Manchester and Bastia, which was set to start in August, has been brought forward.
Weekly flights will now begin on May 24, operating every Sunday, with a Manchester departure time of 7.25am and arriving in Corsica at 10.55am.
Flights leave Bastia at 11.40am, arriving back in Manchester at 1.15pm.
Related article: Flights to France from easyJet
RYANAIR flights to Paris Beauvais Airport will be postponed whilst work is carried out on the runway between June 3 and 10.
Although WizzAir also operate to the airport, Ryanair make up 85 per cent of traffic and have said they will contact all affected passengers via email to offer them alternative flights or a full refund.
Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said: "We wish to apologise to passengers for any inconvenience suffered as a result of this one week closure of Paris Beauvais between the 3rd and 10th June.
"These essential upgrade works will benefit all passengers in the long-term and will help to ensure that Ryanair passengers suffer fewer adverse weather related disruptions on flights to/from Paris Beauvais." (via france_normandy)
BLAMING increased costs levied by the Irish government, Ryanair has announced it will be reducing the frequency of flights from Dublin Airport.
The airline has said that from July 2009 it will cut back on the number of flights it operates to Biarritz and Carcassonne, and end completely its link to the Swiss airport of Basel which serves the east of France.
RYANAIR has confirmed that from October 1, 2009, all passengers will have to check-in through the airline's website.
In a statement the airline says it will mean a reduction in queues, and for those people travelling without baggage for the hold they can proceed direct to security.
Passengers who have hold luggage will be asked to leave their items at a drop-off point.
More on: Online check-in confirmed by Ryanair
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