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Velomagg in Montepellier (34 Herault, Languedoc-Roussillon) is another of the growing number of city bike hire schemes which have blossomed throughout France - and which potentially offer a different way of visiting many of France’s cities. It has also given employment to those creative people who dream up catchy logos and names for such schemes!

It all started in Paris with the Velib’ Scheme - an amalgam of Velo (cycle) and Liberte (free), which has been a tremendous success.

Vélib’ is a Self Service “bike hire” system available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Multi pick up and drop off location allows you to pick up your bike from one service point and drop off to another.

You need to subscribe, but for visitors there are 1-day and 7-day subscriptions and after the first 30 minutes you pay by the half-hour - e.g. a 90-minute hire will cost just €3 and you can pick up and drop off your bike at any of the hundreds of self-service stations across the city.

The Velib’ scheme has been based on a similar scheme VeloV in Lyon (69 Rhone, Rhone-Alpes) France’s second city. The combination of these eco-friendly and fitness focussed schemes is now spreading throughout France:-
VeloCite in Mulhouse (68 Haut-Rhin, Alsace) and Besancon (25 Doubs, Franche-Comté)
Vhello in Aix-en-Provence (13 Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence)
Le Velo in Marseille (13 Bouches-du-Rhone, Provence)
Velo in Toulouse (34 Haut Garonne, Midi-Pyrenees)
Nantes (44 Loire-Atlantique, Val de Loire)
Rouen (76 Seine Maritime, Normandy)
Bordeaux (33 Gironde, Aquitaine)
Velostan in Nancy (54 Meurthe et Moselle, Lorraine)
Velo+ in Orleans (45 Loiret, Centre)
Velomagg in Montpellier (34 Herault, Languedoc-Roussillon)

This is clearly a popular scheme, mainly aimed at local residents but may also offer a different way of seeing some of France’s major cities from a different perspective. However, I would recommend choosing a city with good cycle lanes and paths - you do get the impression that traffic in many of France’s cities is not very forgiving with errant cyclists - so do not try cycling around the rond-point of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris!!

Inevitably there are some urban myths developing - such as the fact that there are always plenty of bikes at the bottom of the Butte de Montmartre, but none at the top - for obvious reasons. And you can get caught out in busy locations if you cannot find an empty slot in which to return your bike!

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Information on domestic flights in France is not easy to come by, one reason being that Air France has such a dominant position in France and already have flights on most internal routes.
Plus the French market is not as competitive. The French Railway system between major cities is both fast and competitive, especially if starting from Paris.
I have only been able to uncover a couple of airlines which offer domestic flights in France:-
www.easyjet.com - Toulouse to Lyon, Paris, Nice to Paris; Lyon to Biarritz, Bordeaux; Biarritz to Paris

Www.twinjet.net
Toulouse to Metz/Nancy, Mulhouse, Brest; Marseille to Metz/Nancy, Mulhouse; Paris - Perigueux, Cherbourg

www.airlinair.fr Brest, Bordeaux, Agen, Lyon, Poitiers, Brive, Beziers etc

You can try sites like www.expedia.fr but even a price comparison site like http://www.baisse-de-prix.com/voyages.php seems to offer little new – it looks like Air France have cornered the market with little opportunity for discounting.

The iconic Citroen 2CV (2 Chevaux or 2 horses or “deuch” or “umbrella on four wheels”) was launched in 1948 at the Paris Motor Show and went on to sell more than 4 million before production ceased in 1990.
The design criteria were for a lightweight vehicle that would enable two peasants to drive 100 kg (220 lb) of farm goods to market at 60 km/h, in clogs and across muddy unpaved roads if necessary.Fuel economy was limited 100km with 3 litres of fuel. Most famously, it would be able to drive across a ploughed field without breaking the eggs it was carrying. Later the roof was raised and made convertible so that you could drive while wearing a hat.and to accomodate bulky items.

It’s a bit of a “marmite” car - you either love it or hate it - but it was nevertheless a most successful car getting many French people on the road with something that was functional and economic. It remains popular and is so evocative of France - just add a Gauloise cigarette and a beret and you have the image of France in the second half of the 20th Century.

There is a charming video advertisement for the 2CV which is worth watching at
www.youtube.com

There is also a 2CV Museum in Alsace - “Created in 1998 by the Alsace Club 2CV, the museum aims to show visitors one of the greatest legends of the French car industry. The exhibition is dedicated to all people, children and adults, 2CV enthousiasts, 2CV friends or the curious. The museum wants to show the car that Citroën conceived and sold for 42 years but also wants to show the place that the car takes in people’s hearts and imaginations.- open every Saturday of the year. Entrance is free.

Musée de la 2CV, Route du Donon, Grandfontaine (67 Bas Rhin, Alsace)

Being on the border with Germany, Strasbourg (67 Bas-Rhin, Alsace) has a long tradition of Christmas markets running from 1570.

The atmosphere which reigns in Strasbourg is unique. It is especially in the late afternoon, just as night is falling, that the magic sets in, as if the city, suddenly conscious of scene. There are also many treats to feast ourselves on : sweets, mulled wine, doughnuts…

For good measure, a giant Christmas tree is planted in Place Kleber, there are concerts, giving you a chance to appreciate the beauty of the cathedral and the city’s churches, and a whole host of activities allowing you to discover the rich Alsatian traditions. As for the children, they will love the delightful boat ride through the city.

This year it runs from 24 November to 31 December 2007,
For more info see www.ot-strasbourg.com

Fougerolles (70 Saone, Rhone-Alpes) is situated at the north of the Haute-Saône, at the foot of the “balloon” of the Vosges southwest of Alsace, reserves for itself the title of Pays de la Cerise – mainly for the production of Kirsch, which is a clear pure brandy made from cherries – not to be confused with Cherry Brandy which is a sweetened, flavoured version of simple grape brandy.

Kirsch is made from pressing the fruit, adding the ground cherry stones and allowing it all to ferment. The stones add a characteristically bitter note to the spirit, and also contain minute quantities of cyanide! The liquid is then heated in a still to distill the alcoholic spirit and then aged for a short time in glass “bonbons” or steel or earthenware vats so that the spirit remains colourless.

Often used as to provide an additional punch to desserts, it can also be taken lightly chilled as a refreshing after-dinner tipple – but preferably in small quantities.

This is one of those lesser-known parts of France – not really on any of the main routes to anywhere, and the proximity of the Vosges mountains limits a speedy transit of the region. But it may well be worth visiting in early July for the annual Fete des Cerises which celebrates the beginning of the harvest – or in September there is an annual fair of Cherry Dougnuts (Foire aux Beignets de Cerises) and Kirsch tastings which sounds like fun. (held on 16 September in 2007)

For more info see http://www.otsi-fougerolles.net