Let The Train Take The Strain This Winter...

This winter, why not forgo the airport chaos, busy roads and general lack of decorum that accompanies travel by air and sea and let the train take the strain off your journey to the Alps. Here at Lagrange, we not only like to travel in style but we also like to try and keep our messy carbon footprint to a minimum, so what better way to combine the two than winding your way through France to the mountains? A chance to appreciate the French countryside after breezing through a 30 minute check-in on the Eurostar versus being elbow to elbow with strangers in what can only be described as an airborne bus? Erm, we think we'll take the former please.

And, if the idea of travelling in style wasn't enough to tempt you to swap your boarding pass for your railcard then you may be very interested to hear that Lagrange are now offering fixed rate train tickets between London and Bourg-St-Maurice, Mountiers and Chamonix throughout the season. With civilised departure and arrival times, as well the chance to stretch your legs between the Eurostar and the TGV in Paris, travelling to the Alps by train may take a little longer than flying but is far more relaxing.

Ticket prices start from just £120 for a child return and £150 for an adult return between London and Bourg-St-Maurice, which is frankly scandalous. However, if you feel like you need a teeny bit more convincing, don't just take our word for it. Instead, why not check out this article by Neil English, as he recounts his recent journey to the Alps by train. Oh, and he also stayed in some of our fabulous apartments in Plagne 1800. But, like we said, don't just take our word for it...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1335906/Skiing-holidays-train-The-Snow-Express-rails.html

For more information on train packages and accommodation, why not call 020 7371 6111 and see if we can't sweet talk you out of the Ryan Air check-in queue and into the Eurostar buffet car?

Vive les holiday bargains!

So, the summer holidays are well and truly upon us. In the words of Bill and Ted, excellent! Sun, sea, and endless carefree evenings stretch out ahead of us for two glorious months, until September sneaks up on us and forces us to put down our buckets and spades and head back to the drudgery of real life.

However, with summer come dilemmas. Where to go? What to do? And, perhaps most importantly in these uncertain financial times, how much to spend? After all, a holiday should be relaxing, not a one way ticket to bankruptcy-ville. With this in mind, Lagrange is always on the look-out for a bargain and a saving, so imagine our surprise when a survey by Skyscanner showed France to be the most expensive holiday destination for British tourists. Sacré bleu and zut alors, indeed! But, fear not fellow Francophiles, because Lagrange has some handy hints to help you enjoy a séjour on the Continent without breaking the bank...

Food and drink...

Eating out is probably the ultimate 'holiday' indulgence, but it should be deliciously affordable, not repulsively expensive. It may sound simple, but a quick trip to the local supermarche (or indeed bakery, delicatessen and greengorcer - vivez les commerces locales after all) to stock up on picnic items for lunch will make indulging in the evening seem far more financially viable. Plus, Lagrange was always brought up to believe that a holiday just isn't a holiday until you have found a sunny spot, flopped onto the grass and tucked in to a generous hunk of brie.

Look out for set menu deals when dining in local restaurants, as these as always far cheaper than other options. Of course, the lack of choice does plunge those with only basic French skills into the culinary unknown, but how do you know you don't like it if you have never tried it? A word of warning, from experience, Lagrange has found that almost without fail, most items on a French set menu will involve a clandestine boiled egg at some point, usually tucked quietly under a lettuce leaf. Bon appetit!

As for alcohol...Lagrange just has one word and two syllables for you all: supermarket. If you have ever wanted a good quality bottle of vin rouge for under £2.00, then now is your chance to realise those dreams! Yes, head to any good French supermarket of any size and we promise you will not be disappointed by the range of choice available for those keeping one eye on the pennies as well as the good times. "A Euro!", we hear you cry in awe and disbelief! As Brucie himself would say, the price is indeed right. Heck, get two bottles. You are on holiday, after all...

(Lagrange would like to take this opportunity to say have good clean fun, and always drink responsibly).

Transport...

Flights, as we all know, are a financial drain and a stressful nightmare. Hidden charges? Airport delays? Baggage drama? No. Not this year, Stellios. This summer, experiment with a ferry crossing instead. With crossings from Dover to Calais only lasting an hour and a half, you can be in France quicker than you can say 'baggage allowance?!'. Think of the freedom that comes hand in hand with taking a car on holiday. No car hire charges and the chance to take your time and meander through France's impressive rural, mountainous and coastal landscape? Why not? Why not indeed. If a jaunty ride across the Channel doesn't float your boat (sorry), then why not let the train take the strain? Glide effortlessly from London or Ashford to Paris or Lille, then onwards to wherever your holiday may be, via Eurostar and TGV. It really is that simple. After all, who doesn't wouldn't rather have a leisurely stroll to the buffet car over being bumped on the elbows by the air stewardess's trolley...?

Location, location, location...

Anyone who has ever been caught out by the soaring prices in any tourist hotspot will know that popularity comes at a (ridiculously high) price. Unless you are happy to stay in accommodation of questionable quality, staying slap bang in the heart and centre of big name resorts does not come cheap. Luckily, France is the third largest country in Europe and has hundreds of hidden gems waiting to be discovered by all you lovely adventurous holidaymakers out there.

This summer, Lagrange strongly recommends beating the crowds and going somewhere a little bit different. If you think Nice might be nice (again, sorry, we just couldn't resist) but don't fancy the price hike, why not try Six-Fours-Les-Plages instead? This seaside resort offers the ideal South of France experience for anyone with champagne tastes on a lemonade budget, with several miles of sandy beaches and rocky coves waiting to be explored by anyone willing to venture off the beaten track. And why stop there? Venture slightly off the beaten track and away from the crowds, and we guarantee you won't be disappointed. While all the world rushes towards the Cote d' Azur, why not head inland and explore the Loire Valley, the Dordogne or Provence? Rural France offers that true Jean de Florette experience - crumbling chateaux, picturesque villages and the chance to test out your French on the locals sitting outside cafés and tabacs. Seriously, what more could a person want in a holiday?! Plus, during July and August, the weather in the Loire, Dordogne and Provence more than rivals that on the Riviera...

So there you have it, Lagrange's light-hearted guide to keeping an eye on your pocket money this summer whilst still being able to enjoy all the delights France has to offer. Perhaps we're just a tiny bit biased (only a tiny bit, though) but, for us, being on a shoestring budget should not mean giving the Euro zone a wide berth or missing out on the chance to have a glass or two of kir royale whilst watching some dignified French gentlemen play a game or several of pétanque...

• Transport: Lagrange offers self-drive packages, including Eurotunnel and ferry crossings between Dover and Calais, as well as longer crossings. We've said it before and we'll say it again - we are just too good to you! If self-drive doesn't appeal, we can also book train tickets, which means a swift Eurostar and TGV journey to your desired location. Marvellous.
• Location: Lagrange still has great availability on Prestige-standard accommodation in various resorts throughout the Loire Valley, the Dordogne and Provence, ideal for escaping the crowds on the coast without missing out on the warm weather. We've been tweaking our website recently and now you can read and download a copy of our France 2010 summer brochure in the comfort of your own home. Just don't forget to ring us to get that holiday booked, we get lonely otherwise...

Follow the virtual breadcrumbs for more images and ideas on-line...!

http://www.lagrange-holidays.co.uk/

Alison's Family Ski Holiday by Train

Seven hours on a train with a toddler may not seem like everyone’s idea of the perfect start to a holiday but tootling to the French Alps by train for a family ski holiday is actually great fun.

Armed with at least ten bags of varying sizes between us, from change bag and toddler day sack overflowing with toy aeroplanes, books and other distractions, to travel cot and our own clothes for a week’s ski holiday, stuffed inside a tiny suitcase, my husband and I set off to St Pancras like intrepid explorers.

A stop-over in Paris was the perfect opportunity to recharge our batteries after the first relatively short stage of our journey. We even walked from the Gare du Nord to our hotel in the Marais along the Canal Saint Martin, there may even have been whistling while we walked, at least for the first five minutes anyway. Paris’ potentially surly waiters were charmed by our one year old and we had service with a smile at a local brasserie.

At the Gare du Lyon the next morning, boarding our TGV, I prayed that our carriage would be full of friendly child-loving faces. In fact, the carriage wasn’t even full, allowing us to spread out. A table made the perfect runway for the toy aeroplanes and the ever changing scenery enchanted our little traveller. Nappy changes were manageable as the TGV had baby changing facilities, and the buffet car kept everyone quiet for a least 20 minutes. There was even the opportunity for some Anglo-French interaction between two distinctly non-verbal toddlers as a French family sat in the seats behind ours.

Arriving in Cluses and counting our myriad of bags (yes, we still had them all), we felt virtuous and green in a good way, rather than airsick and green in a bad way. And a week later, after enjoying the fresh mountain air in the village of Samoens; think chocolate box chalets, skiing, sunny café terraces, botanic gardens and walks along the river – yes, we were sad to leave our little chalet at Les Fermes de Samoens, but excited about riding the train home!
Would we do it again? Definitely, anyone for boules in Marseille?