Can I wear my Crocs shoes in Paris?

Q. I'm traveling to Paris and can't imagine leaving my comfortable Crocs shoes at home. But I don't want to brand myself as an American tourist. Do the French wear Crocs?
A. We checked with our sources at the French Government Tourist Office in New York, who said that Crocs - colorful, casual footwear that resembles Dutch clogs - are definitely not a fashion statement among Parisians. However, they've been spotted on feet (and in stores) along the Riviera, so if you're headed that way, you'll be fine. Other clothing to avoid if you don't want to be labeled an American in Paris (or most of Europe): shorts, white sneakers, fanny packs and baseball caps with your hometown team's logo.

French issues of the day seem to deal with food and wine.

The great French snail - once so common that early-19th-century train companies hired women and children to clean the tracks of them so the trains could get a grip -- has gone the way of the great American buffalo. I hate to burst any bubbles, but if you're slurping top quality "free-range snails" in a little Paris bistro, they most likely last slithered free in Poland. Wine is another topic that arouses the French. Walking through the finest vineyards in France, the fabled Cote d'Or (or "Golden Hillside") of Burgundy, the proud vintner guiding me became evangelical:

Delta's daily nonstop to Europe will be SLC to Paris

A business alliance with Air France was the key reason why Delta Air Lines chose Paris to be the first transatlantic route ever offered by an airline from Salt Lake City, Delta President Ed Bastian said Thursday. "Paris is the best shot that this community has for direct service because of all the connections and support that Air France can provide," Bastian said in an interview with The Salt Lake Tribune. He explained that other cities Delta flies to in Europe, such as London and Frankfurt, don't provide the number of connections to other destinations that Paris does.

Salt Lake City lands nonstop flights to Paris

Delta Air Lines is about to embark on a new mission -- delivering passengers nonstop from Salt Lake City to Paris starting next summer. On Thursday, Delta and government officials say this first-ever trans-Atlantic service from Utah could potentially contribute $150 million per year to the state's economy, while positioning Utah to be an international travel destination.Starting June 2, Atlanta-based Delta will offer Flight 170, a 10-hour nonstop flight from Salt Lake City arriving at Charles de Gaulle International in Paris the next morning. Flight 171 will also run daily from Paris to Salt Lake City. Introductory fares start at $499 for a one-way trip.

Leisure Travel Group

Nouvelles Frontières, France’s leading provider of tours and packaged travel, has deployed the CONTOUR® travel management platform from Fourth Dimension Software (FDS) as a desktop booking and reservations management system at more than 200 travel agencies across France. Nouvelles Frontières, part of Europe’s leading tourism group TUI AG, offers an expansive array of flights, hotels, package tours, flexi-packages and independent holidays to travel agencies and consumers throughout France. TUI France is a premium package travel brand that offers flexible vacation packages to major leisure destinations worldwide.

Normandy's coastal retreats

When you think of French beaches, the sparkling Cote d’Azur first springs to mind. Move your gaze up the map slightly, and let them rest on France’s northern coast, whose villages and ports were once the leisure spots of Paris’s high society. Puff Daddy and his ilk may holiday in its southern sister, but Napoleon III and his entourage preferred the north. Dotting the coast, just two hours from Paris are several beautiful harbour towns, the showpieces of which are Deauville, and only slightly further along, the literarily mythic Cabourg. Don’t be put off by the fact that these resort towns are situated on our humble English Channel rather than a more exotic body of water – this side belongs to La France, and, bien sur, everything is steeped in elegance.

Tour operators rate Paris airport one of world's worst

PARIS - France may be the world's top tourist destination, but the 23 million passengers arriving in Paris this summer have one hurdle to cross before they can get to all that wonderful food and wine: the airport. The International Air Transport Association says the service offered by Aeroports de Paris, which runs Charles de Gaulle and other airports around Paris, is one of the worst in the world.

Guide to getting around in France

France boasts modern, efficient and affordable transport services across the country. Here are the basics on how they work including some handy contact information. National and inter-regional transport is covered by the state-run railway network, the SNCF, as well as by inter-city flights operated by the Air France group and budget carriers who have struggled to establish new routes in Air France territory.

Four Seasons Resort Provence at Terre Blanche

Provence, France, probably isn't the first place you'd think of for a family vacation, but the Four Seasons Resort Provence at Terre Blanche caters successfully to both kids and adults. Its roomy villas (the smallest is 675 square feet) give families plenty of space to spread out. While a hotel counselor engages your children in these activities or a hotel baby sitter watches them, you can enjoy more adult forms of whoopee in the nearby towns of Cannes, St. Tropez and Monaco.

Burgundy - discover a gourmet region's finest

We based ourselves in a small, economical hotel in the canal-side village of Chagny and spent a couple of long days wandering along thin ribbons of hilly roadway from one hamlet to the next, pulling into minuscule townships bearing names like Pommard, Volnay, Mersault, Puligny-Montrachet and discovering that our itinerary read like a wine list. We roamed at leisure, stopped to sip wine, poked around shops in ancient buildings, peered into petite bakeries and aromatic cheese shops, looked around beautiful churchyards and cemeteries, and stuck our heads into pretty little inns that have been open for at least 200 years.

Students take in more than scenes in France

Tour highlights for Miss Fortino included visiting the house and gardens of Impressionist painter Claude Monet in the town of Giverny, and traveling to the Loire Valley to see the castle of Blois and Chartres Cathedral. Another priceless experience was riding the crowded metro at rush hour, and observing the students figuring out directions for their parents, she said. The highlight for Steel Valley trip coordinator Toni Besh was "watching the students engage in using their French." Mrs. Besh is World Language Department chairwoman and a high school French teacher.

Rugby World Cup 2007 in France

Over the six weeks the World Cup matches will also be taking place in the French cities of Bordeaux, Lens (close to Lille), Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes, Saint Etienne and Toulouse. With so many places on the itinerary and the tournament running across seven weekends, rugby fans have a huge range of French holiday options they can combine with drama of the Rugby World Cup.

Taking 12-year-old granddaughter to Paris

All the "must see" places on your list can be easily accomplished. Start in the heart of Paris at the Champs-Elysees. In one direction is the Arc de Triomphe; in the other the Place de la Concorde. Stroll through the Tuileries, a beautiful park on the right bank of the River Seine. This abuts the Louvre, and for your visit there you should allow at least a half day, perhaps longer. A few blocks beyond the museum is Notre Dame. The Eiffel Tower is a cab ride a couple of miles to the west. The concierge at your hotel can advise you on city tours.

A Travel Guide To Paris

Paris is France?s capital city and is located in the north of the country on the River Seine. The city is known for its romantic charm and atmosphere with gorgeous outdoor caf?s, the scent of freshly baked croissants filling the area and stunning residents that are clothed in the most stylish fashions. Paris has a great history that is felt when within the city. The city also possesses amazing architecture, style and atmosphere that make being there a pleasurable experience. Travelling There Paris has a couple of airports that make flying there an easy option. It is also linked with excellent road and rail services.

South of France Travelling Tips

Blue and red parasols, sailing ships, a light breeze and a cloudless blue sky - the Cote d'Azure, or Azure Coast as it is literally translated, lives up to its name. It is a good idea to plan your trip to the South of France for early September to avoid the madness of the Cannes film festival in May, and the sweltering heat and the crowded coastal highways that besiege vacationers in July and August. As the high season ends, the hoards clear out and you can truly appreciate the charm of these classy seaside resorts.

Delta Air Lines and Air France are involved in talks regarding a joint venture

A report in the French financial daily newspaper Les Echos has alluded to the joint venture, saying that "the agreement being negotiated should be signed in the autumn".
It stated that the deal would "allow both carriers to go well beyond their current partnership and include a 50-50 split of profits on their main trans-Atlantic routes".
In response to the Les Echos claims, a Spokeswoman for Air France told the AFP news agency that the airline was "still in negotiations with Delta, but nothing has been finalized".