Tag: France

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Disneyland Paris by Coach for Halloween

Ashley Rastrick, Leger’s Senior Web Designer has been designing Leger’s websites for the past 4 years and designed the recent Disneyland Paris website. In October this year, he felt like it was time to see what all the fuss was about at Disneyland Paris, taking his partner Fiona with him.

For a long time I have been wanting to go, especially with the amount of time I have spent staring at the pictures while designing the website. I felt like I knew it so well, but wanted to put it all into perspective and see it in person. The timing was never better really as it was Disney’s 20th anniversary celebrations so I decided to get out there and see what I was missing!

Which tour did you go on?

We went on the Disneyland Paris tour for 3 nights by coach, for the Halloween festival.

How did you get there and how long did it take?

To break up the journey, we travelled down to Ashford by car the day before and stayed at the Holiday Inn. The next morning, we got picked up by a feeder coach and taken to the Europort in Folkstone where we then met up with our tour coach for the rest of the journey. We then headed to the Euro tunnel to board our train, which was a quick 30 minute journey under the waters and out the other side at Frethun, France. We then continued our journey which was roughly 4 hours to the hotel, with numerous stop off points in between to stretch our legs. In total from being picked up from our coach in Ashford, it was about a 10 hour journey.

Where did you stay?

We stayed in the Explorer’s Hotel which is on the Disney site. The hotel featured a Disney Boutique (Gift Shop) and all day dining facilities which you’d expect. There was also a swimming pool with slides which is great for the kids and available till late. The hotel rooms were basic but had all the amenities needed for a good nights sleep. One bonus of staying at the Explorers is we noticed that the free shuttle bus is the first pick up and the first drop off point so you are guaranteed a seat on the way there!
Entrance to the Disneyland Park - 20th anniversary celebrations

Is it better to stay on or off site?

We would say staying on site is much better as you get more of the magical feel that Disneyland gives you. There is also a shuttle bus every 10 minutes to take you to the Disney park and back again all day long which is very convenient.

If you were to go back again, which hotel would you stay in and why?

If we went back again, I think we’d pay that little bit more and stay in the Disneyland hotel. The hotel is situated right inside the park so you’d be first in the park, plus – you get early entry!

What was the weather like? Did it affect your visit?

Going to Disneyland in October, we didn’t expect the weather to be great, but it was a lot colder than we had anticipated. With waiting around in queues, we really noticed just how cold it was. On the first day we spent a day in just a jumper, the second day we decided to wear 3 layers and even bought some gloves! The day we left Disneyland it was just 2 degrees. Our advice would be to wrap up warm.
Giant Mickey Mouse pumpkin by Sleeping Beauty's castle

How long did you get in the parks?

We got there for when it opened so we could beat the queues and left when it closed so we could make the most of our time there!

Was it enough time to see everything?

We managed to see most of the parks. The Disney Studios closed a few hours before the Disneyland Park so we tried to plan our day so we could see everything.

Did you get on all the rides you wanted to?

Most of them! Having two full days in the park, we thought we would manage to see everything, but we were a little disappointed as we missed a few. The Saturday was twice as busy as the Friday and we had left a few of the bigger rides till the second day which was a mistake as the queue times we doubled. One of the most popular rides was space mountain, which we queued over an hour for, which in the cold, was not very fun! The one ride we didn’t get on due to a 65 minute wait, was crushes coaster. When going to Disney, we’d advise planning your days out between the two parks as there is also meet and greets to fit in, and shows which are only at certain times! Fast passes are also great too, but we were disappointed that you could only have one at a time!
Moteurs... Action! Stunt Show Spectacular

Which was your favourite and why?

I think most people would probably say The Tower of Terror, but from the screams we heard over the Studios park, we decided to give that one a miss! We have a few favourites, one being the Buzz Lightyear Laser blast which was really great fun in Discoveryland, and we also really enjoyed the Stunt Show Spectacular which was amazing and had such a great atmosphere.

Which was your favourite park?

We preferred the Walt Disney Studios! There wasn’t as much to do as the Disneyland Park, but there was some great shows like Cinemagique, Armageddon, Tram Studios and Stunt Show Spectacular as mentioned above.

Do you need kids to fully enjoy the park?

Absolutely not! Everyone turns into a big kid as soon as they walk into the park and see Sleeping Beauty’s huge castle in the distance. Plus, some of the rides have height restrictions so going without them means you get to go on every ride you want to.

What handy hints would you give anyone planning a trip to DLP?

Before you get to the park, make sure you are wearing comfy shoes as its going be a long day and get there as early as you can so you can enjoy both parks and all the rides without feeling rushed or disappointed that you didn’t get on all the rides. When you get into the park, you will be given a map and a parades/meet and greet schedule. We’d advise planning your day(s) around these so you can get to see everything!
If you want to join the 20th anniversary celebrations at Disneyland Paris, you can let Leger Holidays take you there! View packages here

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Bloomin’ Marvellous Breaks

By Margo
I got into gardening just after I got married and I’ve been addicted to it ever since. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no Charlie Dimmock but I’m certainly not afraid of grabbing a trowel and some compost if there’s a bit of landscaping to be done.
I suppose I’d politely class myself as an experimentalist. I like to indulge in my hobby and follow the likes of Monty Don and Alan Titchmarsh before interpreting their ideas in my own garden. So far, this approach has seen me right. And, apart from a minor mishap with a 7ft Verbena, I have to say I’m pretty bloomin’ proud of my home-grown sanctuary (forgive the pun)!
For my next wave of inspiration, however, I’m planning a little trip overseas with a coach-load of my fellow flower enthusiasts. Having worked at Leger for so many years, it’s hard to believe I haven’t been on a horticultural-themed tour before now but it’s certainly always been on my list. Over the years, I’ve booked hundreds of our customers on a garden-based tour and the feedback they’ve given on their return has always been great. In fact, it’s enough to leave you green-eyed as well as green-fingered! If, like me, you’ve been considering a green getaway yourself, here are Leger’s top three reasons to persuade you to turn your gardening hobby into a hob-iday:
• The sights: There aren’t many places in Europe where you can immerse yourself in a sea of springtime flowers like those found in Holland, France and Brussels. In one easy trip, you’ll see tremendous trees, flowering shrubs, a huge variety of perennials, water gardens, fountains and lakes; it really is a gardener’s paradise.
• The scale: part of the joy of gardening is seeing all the colours, structures and shapes of plants working together. However, until you’ve experienced the acres of flora at Keukenhof Park (Holland) or the grand designs of Monet’s Garden (France) you can’t truly appreciate just how inspirational a garden can be. With so many carefully landscaped scenes in one place, you’ll be buzzing with ideas to take home with you.
• The shared experience: there’s nothing as enjoyable as sharing some of the most spectacular garden scenes in Europe with people that share your appreciation and passion for gardening. Of course, it’s up to you how much you talk about your experience on the coach home!
If you have any further questions about Leger Holidays’ horticultural tours please do get in touch through our Facebook page or call us at 01709 787 463.

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Destination: France

Mont-St-Michel

France is said to be the most visited country in the world, which is hardly surprising when you think of its incredible mountain scenery, delightful sandy beaches, stunning royal châteaux, amazing historic sights, plus romantic Paris as its capital.

Mont-St-Michel
See the impressive Mont St. Michel just off the coast of Normandy

Where better to go for a weekend break and recharge your batteries. Its landmarks are incredible and include the world famous Eiffel Tower, the most visited paid monument in the world, which stands 324 metres tall – around the same height as an 81-storey building. Other popular monuments in Paris include Notre Dame, a Gothic cathedral in the centre of Paris on the River Seine, and the Arc de Triomphe, which honours those who fought for France.

Art and Architecture

On the western outskirts of the city are the truly breathtaking Chateau and Gardens of Versailles. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city you can take a stroll through the gardens and see the opulence and grandeur of the Chateau, one of the finest achievements of French art in the seventeenth century.
On the subject of art, the Impressionist painter Claude Monet had a rural retreat in the small French village of Giverny, just 80 km to the west of Paris. The house and gardens, made famous by Monet’s ‘Water Lillies’ paintings, have been restored to their original designs. Planned out meticulously so that a different colour would dominate each month, the beautiful shades and shapes ensure the gardens are a delight at any time of year.

Going Green

If flora and fauna are your pleasure then the Loire Valley is the ideal destination for you – an enchanted land of vineyards, flowers and rolling green hills dotted with more than a thousand chateaux.
Admire France’s stunning scenery and wine-growing areas from the water on a cruise along the river Rhône in the South of France. It’s the ideal way to experience the colourful history of this area.
Along the river you can visit delightful Avignon, surrounded by ramparts and perched on a rock overlooking the river. Avignon is famous for being the city to which the Popes fled when leaving the corruption of Rome in the 14th century, and the palace they built, ‘Le Palais des Papes,’ or the palace of popes, is the world’s largest Gothic edifice. The ramparts themselves were erected to keep the plague and invaders out during the turbulent middle ages.

The Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world

Natural Wonders

Flowing into the river Rhône is the Ardèche river in south central France. Here you’ll see the Gorges de l’Ardeche, one of the most stunning scenic highlights of France. At the western end of the Gorges de l’Ardeche you’ll discover the Pont d’Arc, a natural stone arch over the Ardeche river which was carved out of the cliff by the river itself. There are small beaches either side of the arch which are very popular with visitors wanting to relax and cool down in an exceptionally picturesque location. The village of Pont d’Arc has developed around the arch and includes cafés for tourists to enjoy refreshments.

France’s Secret Heart

For those of you attracted to striking scenery and charming villages then the Auvergne in the heart of France is your ideal holiday destination and home to no less than eleven of the 150 villages ranked as ‘the most beautiful villages of France’ teeming with heritage, history and stunning architecture. Sparsely populated, The Auvergne boasts beautiful valleys, large expanses of coniferous forests, and spectacular hillscapes and is a region much appreciated by ramblers and nature lovers, as well as by people in search of a holiday away from the crowds.

A Land of Contrasts

An area of France which has certainly become very popular is Normandy in the west of the country, with its rolling hills, sandy beaches and quiet little harbour towns. More significantly, this is where you can visit the landing beaches, battlegrounds, military cemeteries and museums of D-Day. Only by seeing it all for yourself and having it explained by a Specialist Battlefield Guide can you ever really begin to understand the depths of the sacrifices made and the heroism involved. You can visit the British Sector at places such as Pegasus Bridge, Ranville Commonwealth Cemetery and Merville Gun Battery, plus there’s the American Sector with sights such as the cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach, Utah
Beach, plus the headland of Pointe du Hoc.
With a country offering so many diverse and wonderful sights and destinations, knowing where to start is perhaps the hardest choice! You can view Leger’s full selection of holidays in France on our website now.

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Peter Peel’s Confessions of a Secret Tourist

Sometimes what can seem like a rather enjoyable pastime can seem to some of my mates to be rather, well, rather odd.
Talking to them about my pastime makes me feel like I have a secret vice. And really it is nothing of the sort. Just a harmless bit of fun, as far as I am concerned. Something that until last week I was quite happy to admit gave me happiness, delight, fun, joy, bliss, contentment.
In fact, I thought this little pleasure of mine was quite run-of-the-mill. To think that it is a secret vice! When in reality we aren’t like that at all. Well, not much.
Anyway, to explain:
Last Thursday, I was partaking of our regular weekly bar meal at the Old Cow when my partner, let slip the truth.
To give you the full picture, there’s six of us that do the meal once a week, just before the quiz night starts. (We are The Avengers largely because of my surname and the fact that my partner’s name is Emma – if that means nothing don’t worry, it’s not important).
So, anyway, I have cottage pie, peas and chips, and a pud, and then on we go to the questions.
It was during the pudding (mine’s a cheesecake) that the problem began. We were talking holidays, and Emma started to tell the gang about our recent coach trip to Paris.
And there was silence. I could see at once that our friends were stunned. Shocked one might say.
Eventually Sandra from across the road said,  ‘With other people?’ And then for clarity added,’On a coach?’
Emma said yes, it was indeed a coach, and indeed there were others besides ourselves on the coach. There was more silence, until Sandra continued, ‘And was it – all right?’
So we confirmed that our fellow-travellers were indeed all right, and that the coach was really smooth, and with more leg room than your average plane. As I explained, we’d actually stayed in touch with one couple we’d got to know, and were following up on their recommendation for a trip to Austria.
‘By coach’ asked Sandra, her incredulity now reaching such proportions that she had actually put down her wine glass before it was empty. ‘With other people’
We agreed that this by and large summed up the situation. ‘And were they, all right?’
They were, we said once again, all right. We’d got chatting to them in a café by the Seine, after we’d had a trek round the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa.
‘Never had you down as a fan of fine art’ said Derek, Sandra’s man about the house.
‘Well’ I said, ‘you can’t be right outside and not go in and see the Mona Lisa can you? I just followed the guide to the painting, had a peek at the old girl and walked out again, picking up a leaflet just so I had some background – in case anyone asked’. ‘And did anyone ask?’ Sandra enquired.
I admitted no one had. ‘Anyway, after that we went to Disneyland Paris just for a bit of contrast.’
Just then the landlord rang an old ship’s bell that he has on the bar, which summoned us to the quiz. The Avengers rose as one (we’re good at that), and took our place at our regular quiz table. ‘Besides’ I said as we took our seats, ‘I rather like this sight-seeing lark. Being a tourist is good – it means you can talk to people and see the sights plus sit around doing nothing much when you feel like it.’ And then to make the point, just in case they hadn’t got it, I added, ‘Being a tourist is fun.’
‘Talk to people’ said Sandra, following her regular habit of taking one little phrase out of a sentence and repeating it as a question. Noticing at last that her glass was half empty, she quickly remedied the fact by making it completely empty.
‘People’ I confirmed.  ‘Fellow travellers. Others who like to go and see places and do things.’
‘So where are you going next?’ asked Doug, watching Sandra with some alarm as she refuelled, and topped up, all seemingly in one movement.
‘After Austria, we’re thinking of Bruges and the Flemish speaking part of Belgium’
‘Isn’t that where Poirot comes from’ said Sandra, uncertainly.
‘No’ I told her, ‘he was French speaking.’
‘But what’ persisted Sandra, refusing to be put off the scent, ‘if you don’t like all these other people?’
‘Liking them isn’t obligatory,’ said Suzanne. ‘Some people like to stick together as a couple, some like to make new friends. Up to you.’
‘Oooh that sounds fun’ said Sandra.
‘And the beer’s cheap’ I told her.
‘Yes’ she said, ‘there is that.’
The question master for the evening called us to order. ‘Question 1’ he announced. We readied ourselves as a hush fell on the room. ‘What year was the Mona Lisa painted? And I will accept five years either way from the normally given dates.’
All eyes on my table turned to me. ‘Somewhere between 1503 and 1506 – according to the gallery’ I said writing 1504 on the card.
One nil to me I think.
Peter Peel
There are details of Peter’s coach trip to France on our website and details of his next trip to Belgium are here. Peter’s next post is due later this month
Image courtesy of flickr user Peggy2012CREATIVELENZ

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Three places not to miss on your visit to France

Being the third largest country in the whole of Europe can make deciding where to visit in France a bit of a nightmare.
You probably have all the well known places, such as the Eiffel Tower, already on your list. But what about those lesser known places? Those areas that take your breath away, that are steeped in local history but are a little less popular than the regular tourist traps.
To give you a bit of an insight into where we would recommend you visit, we’ve created this handy list of three places we really think are not to be missed!

  1. Verdon Gorge
    Gorge du Verdon
    The Verdon Gorge is situated in the south of France and is well worth a visit

    The stunning Verdon Gorge (Gorges du Verdon in French) is situated in south-eastern France and is often considered the most beautiful river Canyon in all of Europe.
    Although it’s much smaller than Arizona’s Grand Canyon, the Verdon Gorge is deep, wild and beautiful. You can spend hours trekking around its paths but for some truly breathtaking views why not explore the area by car? Exploring the region by car allows you to see much more and gives you the freedom to stop for lunch in quaint local cafes and wander around the quieter areas of the Gorge.
    For the more adventurous travellers among us, we would recommend trekking along the Imbut Trail. The trail runs from the Hotel Grand Canyon to some of the quietest spots in the entire gorge. Be careful though, this route is only for experienced and confident walkers.
  2. The Somme
    The Somme
    Explore the Somme and discover more about this famous WW1 battlefield

    The Somme is perhaps not the first place you would think to visit when travelling to France. But with its rich history and natural surroundings it’s an area that everyone should visit if they get the chance.
    The area is best known for the Battle of the Somme which took place between the 1st of July and the 18th of November 1916 and was the largest battle in the whole of World War 1.
    Visiting the area can often be quite daunting, especially if you aren’t accompanied by a guide or someone ‘in the know’. If you are unsure where to start and what to do, we would recommend visiting the Musee Des Abris located in the heart of the Somme Battlefields. The museum is situated in a series of tunnels with thousands of items on display that give a fascinating insight into what life was like during the war.
    Although not everyone’s cup of tea, The Somme offers the whole family a fascinating day out and one that will live long in the memory.
  3. Sacre-Coeur, Paris
    Sacre-Coeur
    For the perfect photo of Paris head over to the Sacre-Coeur Basilica

    The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, more commonly known as Sacre-Coeur Basilica, is a Roman Catholic Church situated at the highest point of Paris and offers beautiful views across the entire city.
    Possibly not as well-known as other tourist destinations in Paris, the Basilica was constructed in 1919 and is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. At the very top of this imposing landmark is a photo opportunity not to be missed! The large dome at the top of the building is open to tourists and offers a spectacular, panoramic view of Paris.
    If you do make it to Sacre-Coeur, be sure to visit the peaceful meditation gardens. They offer the perfect haven away from the hustle and bustle of Paris and provide you with the perfect opportunity to sit back, relax and enjoy the peacefulness of this tranquil oasis.

If you would like to discover more of France why not join Leger Holidays on a tour of the country? We have everything from 3-day city breaks from only £109 to Grand Tours of the whole country. Find out more about our tours to France now.
Images courtesy of flickr users dnfisher, Sean MacEntee and amandabhslater.