Celebrating The New Year Eve In France

The French really know how to celebrate New Year's, whether it's clubbing in Paris or the sublime midnight grape-picking event in the Midi Pyrenees or an upscale, medieval celebration in a Loire castle.

Here are my four recommendations on basis of my personal experience. By the way life is getting busy so you might be finding less of my posts.

• Have a fun night out in Paris' party district
• Take a Seine River cruise, which is an ideal choice for couples spending New Year's Eve in Paris.
• Avignon makes a great choice. This is a city that is vibrant yet smaller than Paris. Since it's in the South of France, it will provide a warmer spot to ring in the New Year
• Although Monte Carlo technically isn't part of France, the principality is nestled inside France and is much like France. This luxurious city features a New Year's Eve gala at the opulent Monte Carlo Grand Hotel

How You Can Learn French In Less Than 8 Weeks With Rocket French

I got my assignment letter for French posting just 10 weeks before I had to leave. So there was no time to muck around. I had to get everything in order as well as cross the biggest hurdle, mastering the romance language - French. Like you I initially thought I could learn it for free on Internet.

I wasted two weeks trying to learn French for free on websites. But not very surprisingly there was nothing really great out there. So I started searching around. After researching all professional courses I was left with three choices, Rocket French, Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur French. The choice was fairly easy to make - Rocket French costs only 1/5th of Rosetta Stone and 1/10th of Pimsleur French. I am not against those package but paying 10 times the price for something that has only audio tapes makes no sense. There was no point doing things backward. For those prices I could have hired a personal French teacher.

Moreover Rocket French had something besides audio tracks that attracted me. It provided -  Written Grammar Lessons, Vocabulary Software, Audio Software, Software For Verbs and FULL PERSONAL SUPPORT. As if that was not enough they backed it up with a 100% money back guarantee for eight weeks. This was too lucrative a offer to give up. The intelligent decision was to try it. Either, I Learn French In Eight Weeks Or I Get My Money Back. There is nothing to lose!

I think I hit a sweet spot with it. Prior to this my biggest two issues with learning French were how to master a new Vocabulary and native accent. Bingo! the software were designed specifically for these. They (you get three software) provided with proper native speaker audio clips, verbal recognition signs and I could just learn it as a game. I wished I had something similar while I was learning German. I can tell you that learning Vocabulary is a big pain.

The grammar lessons were provided in the same manner as a teacher would do. They have designed it as newsletter, so you get one topic delivered to your inbox. I used to pick them one a day, give it one hour for practice, then do some vocabulary practice with the same grammar rules. Fun and easy to learn!

If you ask me the reason I recommend it so strongly - I will say its the support they provide. You get access to email and forums that have both experts and students like you. It gives a class like ambience where you can raise your questions and doubts. You get the same kind of feedback and advice that you would otherwise get for a $50 per hour trainer.

Its over a few months since I am staying in France. I have had a good time testing my skills  and evaluating the Rocket French stuff with the native colleagues. I showed it to my immediate French boss out here and he was amazed -Right now he is looking for a similar software to learn English ;).

I have had a few of my colleagues moving in the same time. They asked me the easiest way to learn French, so I thought putting up this post instead of repeating the same words to everybody. Frankly speaking Rocket French is the way to fly.

There are right now offering a discounted downloadable package for limited time (I don't understand how they are in business at such low prices). Use the link below to get the discounted version.

Click Here For Rocket French Official Site

Btw, they also offer a free six day course - Join it. Its better than most of the free stuff you get online.

Click Here For Free Six Day Course

Good Luck With Your French Learning Adventure!

International Airports In France

Air France is the leading airline to and from France. Its hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle connects with many airports around the world. Air France has around 400 aircrafts in operation, services around 1,800 daily flights to around 185 destinations in 83countries. It is also a founder member airline of the SkyTeam Alliance.

Paris has two international airports which are Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport, and Orly airport.

Both airports are accessible from Paris shuttle bus, taxi or metro (RER B for Charles-de-Gaulle airport; Orlyval for Orly airport). A car is a convenient and pleasant way to travel throughout France.

ALPE D'HUEZ

If a bicycle can make it, then your car can certainly handle the sheer switchbacks en route to Alpe d’Huez, which are, after all, part of the Tour de France.

ALPE D'HUEZ is a great vacation ski spot for families,. The place has a compact lift system and myriad runs feed into the village. Although its a perfect spot for beginners & intermediates, the resort’s famous runs are black.

The main village of Alpe d’Huez is a varied assortment of hotels, shops and restaurants, a heated pool and skating rink.

Enjoying France - World's Best Pastry Shop

One of the most striking thing in Paris is its confectionary. Right from the airport (hmm, I think right in the plane itself), you are made addicted to it. I won't be too different if I can call that France has the world's best pastry shops. The best pastries in the world are made in France, where layers of cake, as light as feathers, are molded together with airy, sweet buttercream and topped with curls of fine chocolate. Pastries in France are too beautiful (and too fattening) to eat but too delicious not to.

Within France, the most tempting Patisseries, or pastry shops, are in Paris where they adorn every corner. There are 2,300 of them! One of the best known and most honored Patisseries is Dalloyau, which specializes in morrons glaces (candied chestnuts), mogador (layers of chocolate cake, chocolate mousse and raspberry confiture) and sherbet cakes. Dallayau shops can be found at 99 rue Faubourg St. Honore and three other locations. The king of pastry is Gaston Lenotre, who runs Lenotre shops throughout Paris. His 350 pastry chefs and cooks use at least 12 tons of butter and 300,000 fresh eggs each month. Lenotre also has the best chocolates in Paris. His shops are at 44 rue du Bac and three other locations.

The best ice cream in Paris - My favorite ice cream in Paris is sold at Berthillon, 31 rue St. Louis-en-l'Ile. The list of rich, homemade flavors is long; so are the lines. I think they should start home delivery like Dominoz.

Travel Around France

One of the prettiest wine towns in France St. Emilion is one of the most picturesque villages in France. The medieval town is perched on a plateau looking over the valley of the Dordogne. In the 12th century, pilgrims stopped here on their way to the shrine of St. James of Compostela in Spain. While you are in St. Emilion, visit the seventh-century hermitage, which was hollowed out of rock. Nearby is the entrance to a chapel with a strange underground shrine. It, too, was carved out of rock 900 years ago. A subterranean passage leads to catacombs containing skeletons in ancient tombs. (You must have a guide to visit the shrine.) At the Syndicat d'Initiative, place des Crenaux, you can get a list of wine chateaux nearby. The Château Ausone produces the St. Emilion's vintage, among others.

Alternative Stay In Paris

Rather than staying at expensive hotels, you can rent furnished apartments for their holiday lodgings. Short term Paris apartment rentals offer you more space for your Paris vacations. They are also very convenient if you travel with small children, considering that most of Paris hotel rooms are of a tiny size, costly and often with toilets in the corridors.

You can book up a fully furnished vacation apartment for rental. You are free to bring take-away food in or to cook your favourite meals. Most of the hotels don't allow you to do this which can significantly push up your bill.

Most of the city's main historical monuments and interesting spots on the Left Bank area as well. Most of the main and interesting events and festivities in Paris occur on the Left Bank side of the Seine river. You can find quite a lot of good quality aparments for rental basis there.

This will be relatively easier on your wallet as well as a good experience.