Val d'Isere you will be back

Advantages: the terrian is enormous and beautiful
Disadvantages: the town is awful to lok at but lively and welcoming

...A bleak blast of alpine air winds its way through the gap left in the sky by two pink sentinel peaks. It cracks the sweaty, but now frozen, faces of our ski party as we wend our way back to val d'Isere. The sun starts to set on another day in paradise. Below us rise the stepped shapes of buildings cast in Legoland that abut rudely with the craggy walls of the valley. Dark foreboding masses of steps that house hundreds of like-minded individuals, who, at this time of day all have one thing on their minds. The night. This is the view and sentiments of most who ski down into Val d'Isere along the long green run that leads into La daille the northern most village that makes up the val d'Isere resort. Val is France's premiere resort, yet the architecture at this end of town is like something out of Space 1999. A veritable moonbase alpha...

cabletow 20.01.2002 · Read review
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Review of Grenoble & the Alps (France)

Deux Alpes - once is enough

Advantages: Good for beginners, good nightlife, sunny, access to La Grave, free swimming/skating
Disadvantages: Limited skiing, not ideal resort layout, frustrating slope and lift layout at hometime

...Located in the southern French Alps, and close to Alpe D'Huez and Serre Chevalier, Les Deux Alpes might not be the first ski resort that springs to mind when you think of European skiing. It's a little unfair as, on an individual basis, the resort compares extremely well to just about any in France. It is the second oldest in resort in the country, after the world famous Chamonix and can boast more than 200km of runs to itself. However, while 2 Alpes may individually have a large ski-area, it lacks the collective might of areas such as the Trois Vallees or Espace Killy when it comes to a linked network of slopes. Essentially, with 2 Alpes what you see is what you get. For most this won't be a problem - almost 100 different pisted slopes plus good opportunities to drop into off-piste powder fields should keep all but the most...

tomstainer 28.06.2006 · Read review
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Review of Les Deux Alpes

  "Lille De France" - Geddit?

Advantages: Near London by train, cosmopolitan feel, excellent transport connections, eating out, plenty to see
Disadvantages: Dog poo

...I?ve now been to Lille three times in the past year or so, each previous time, merely for the day. Only over the last weekend did we stay overnight. Why Lille? Well, rather like the reason dogs lick their naughty bits, it?s because we can. Lille is the first main stop in France on the Eurostar/TGV route from the Channel Tunnel ? yes, I know you could get a train that stops at Calais (Fréthun), but that?s like getting out at Bristol Parkway and expecting to be in Bristol! Gare Lille-Europe arrives outside your train window 1 hour and 40 minutes after London Waterloo International disappears. Stage 1 of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), means that we now get to hurtle through Kent at 186 M.P.H. before slowing to a mere 100 M.P.H. to shrug off the 32 miles of tunnel in a mere 20 minutes. Doing 'a ton' MORE than even the over...

BNibbles 07.12.2004 (09.12.2004) · Read review
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Review of Lille (France)

Hossegor, France

Advantages: Beats any British beach holiday hands down
Disadvantages: Strong currents on some days

...My family and I started going to Hossegor, (which is situated in the Bay Of Biscay, SW France), when I was about 5, way back in the mid 80's. Well, up he coast a tiny bit from there actually). We always stay at the same place when we're there. Its a 4star campsite called Le Vieux Port. The campsite has everything that you'd need. Even as young children we always had something to do. The entance consists of a long kind of driveway, along which runs a football pitch, crazy golf and a mini go-kart thing for the kiddies. It all looks very classy, with flags from different countries running down both sides. Then you approach the reception and main bar areas of the site. The campsite has one very very nice bar which is never too crowded, but always is full of atmosphere. There are often live bands playing here (most...

BJEEE 20.12.2000 (21.12.2000) · Read review
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Review of Lille (France)

Lyon- France's alternative city break.

Advantages: Wonderful city
Disadvantages: Pollution

...Introduction As some of you may or may not know, as part of my degree, I study an element of French language in preparation for the third year I will spend in France next year. My likely destination is Lyon and as such I decided it would be worth taking a trip to Lyon to explore what the city had to offer and get my bearings a little before I actually attended the university next year. Lyon is situated in the Rhone- Alpes region of France, which lies in the east close to the Swiss border. It is surrounded, unsurprisingly, by the Alps and is not very far away in fact from Europe's biggest mountain, Mont Blanc. It is in fact France's second biggest city residing close to St. Etienne and Geneva (in Switzerland). So I and my fiancée (who will also join me in Lyon next year) took a visit to the place. How to get there...

ashtonluke 06.07.2005 · Read review
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Review of Lyon (France)

Alpe D huez

Advantages: Everything
Disadvantages: soggy afternoons

...I went with my dearly beloved to Alpe D?Huez for a week in March 2000. We stayed in a First Choice ?Fine dining? Chalet (Chalet Telemark). We were glad we didn?t go for their ordinary fare as it was only a bit better than average (I?m a bit of a ?foodie? though). The Chalet itself was nice enough, en suite rooms and a good view from the balcony. There are plenty of shops and bars nearby, and it was also located quite close to a lift. It wasn't quite "ski-to-door", but not far off it. The people we shared the Chalet with were a good laugh, and for those travelling as a couple that enjoy socialising, Chalets are a good option. The Underground was our local bar. Nice and noisy, it was full of mad Scandinavians and served a good range of drinks. The skiing area is great, a lot of variety and not much motorway stuff. As we were...

jambo6 16.07.2000 (20.12.2000) · Read review
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Review of Alpe d´Huez

Nine Black Alps - Everything Is

Advantages: An excellent debut album
Disadvantages: Are there any?

...The revival of grunge?? All sorts of bits and pieces bands have attempted this ever since the day Kurt Cobain took his own life, and in the Nine Black Alps, it would appear we have another pretender to the throne...but there would appear to be some substance behind this title. 'Everything Is' their debut release on Island records - a label associated with heavy, hard listening rock bands, and it is an excellent showcase of what could potentially be. 'Get Your Guns' kicks things off - snarling guitar licks and snare drums produce a rhythm that wouldn't instantly signal 'grunge', although you can certainly hear why through vocalist Sam Forrest's crackling voice. 'Cosmopolitan' is a fairly radio-friendly track - I've heard it on Zane Lowe's Radio 1 show a few times - again, it's tempo is slightly pacier compared to 'Grunge', but...

CarlMcQ 21.06.2005 · Read review
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Review of Everything Is [PA] - Nine Black Alps

AGAY Experience in France

Advantages: An unspoilt backwater in a sea of development
Disadvantages: Could be too quiet for some

...Calm down, there's no need to panic girls - it's not what you think. I haven't forsaken the lovely Mrs P. for the adventures of pastures new. Although there have been times whe..... You just weren't reading the title properly, were you? Have another look. AGAY - A small beach resort in the South of France between St. Raphael and Cannes. Phew! That's a relief! Let's start with a little bit of advice: If you would like to search on the web for some pictures of this picturesque little town, be prepared for some explicit images of a non-family nature. How can I put it? If you're not interested in seeing large, hairy, naked men in various poses, don't do it! If, on the other hand, you are - then feel free. Anyway.... After our hectic culture overload in Arles, it was off to the beach for a couple of days R&R (that's rest...

proxam 24.08.2003 (30.03.2004) · Read review
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Review of Agay (France)

Pricey Val d'Isere

Advantages: Large ski area, good snow record, challenging skiing
Disadvantages: Expensive, not an attractive resort

...modern but, as is the way in France, rather cramped. There are too many bars to mention in Val and the accents you hear in them are a constant reminder that the resort is popular with skiers from the four corners of the globe. The restaurants also reflect the cosmopolitan clientele, serving Mexican, Scandinavian, French, Japanese, American and many other dishes. Some of them are ridiculously expensive so check the menu thoroughly before you commit yourself to a table. If you still have the energy left, there are a couple of nightclubs ready to soak up any spare cash....

sfinchuk 21.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of Grenoble & the Alps (France)

Easiest way to get to France - Seafrance Ferries

Advantages: Cheap, the ferry was really nice inside, beautiful scenery
Disadvantages: Expensive food and gift shop

...I've been on Sea France ferries a few times now, and, lucky for me, its service is always consistent. Last weekend, me and my partner decided to go on an impulsive day trip to France, so late Saturday night, we booked returned ferry tickets to Calais from Dover. Booking the tickets was, in itself, a little bit of a nightmare if you take into account how many different companies are trying to sell you tickets for the same ferry, some more expensive than others, and often you have to fill out a form and then it'll tell you how much, so it can be time consuming if you're wanting to shop around. After looking at a few different sites, we found one (I can't remember what it was) that had foot passenger tickets as £6 each, which was cheaper even than the Sea France website. The next morning, we had a two hour drive from our town to Dover...

Stephoohla 19.08.2009 · Read review
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Review of SeaFrance Ferries