THE MORE THINGS CHANGE ...
Travel planning for two of Europe’s most appealing destinations — France and Switzerland
France and Switzerland are two of Europe’s most appealing destinations. But they’re constantly changing, so I’ve gathered these new items for your 2018 travel planning.
In Paris, prices at the Eiffel Tower are up nearly 50 per cent to help fund a 15-year renovation, including a bulletproof, eight-foot glass wall around the tower’s base. It now costs about US$30 to ride the elevator to the top, $19 for just the two lower levels, or $12 to climb the stairs to the first or second level.
At two other major Paris sights — Notre-Dame and Sacre-Coeur — a modest dress code is now being enforced; visitors with shorts or uncovered shoulders may be turned away. Renovations continue at the Carnavalet, a museum dedicated to the history of Paris, keeping it closed through 2019.
After facing legal challenges, Uber in Paris is no longer much cheaper than taxis, and may cost more than taxis at peak times. And when considering Uber, note that private cars (including Uber’s), don’t enjoy the privileged access that taxis do in the town centre.
Last summer, Paris’s regional transit authority announced plans to drop the term “RER” and instead use “train” for commuter rail lines A through K. And the French railway is changing the name of its nationwide network of high-speed trains from “TGV” to “InOui.”
Thanks to deregulation, inter-city and international bus service from Paris is improving. Ouibus and Flixbus are cutting costs drastically and amping up onboard comfort with Wi-Fi and more spacious seats. For example, Flixbus runs direct and cheap bus service from Paris to the island abbey of Mont StMichel.
It’s now also easier to travel from Paris to the Dordogne River Valley, an area known for its prehistoric cave art. A new high-speed train between Paris and Bordeaux has reduced travel time to two hours. Your best bet to see prehistoric caves there is to reserve ahead for a tour of the new, high-tech Lascaux IV, a replica reproducing all of the original Lascaux cave art. (The original replica, Lascaux II, representing fewer paintings, remains open for smaller, more in-depth group tours).
Sound-and-light shows employing new laser technology are trendy these days, and a highlight at several French chateaux. In Auvers-sur- Oise, Chateau d’Auvers’ new show incorporates sound, light, and video to teach visitors about the Impressionist painters (such as Van Gogh and Cezanne), who left their mark on this area. In the Loire Valley, renovation is complete at the island chateau in Azay-le-Rideau, and its sound-and-light show is back on. At the Chateau Royal d’Amboise, the dramatic soundand-light show — complete with lavish costumes, battle scenes, and fireworks — now comes with an English audioguide so overseas visitors can follow the narration.
To the south in Provence, several new sights have popped up. Arles’ LUMA Foundation
— a 55 metre-tall Frank Gehry– designed aluminum tower — houses a resource and exhibition centre for artists. In Nimes, the Roman World Museum is slated to open this summer in a futuristic building across from the Roman arena. It will feature an archaeological collection from the seventh century B.C. to the Middle Ages, and a rooftop garden with city views.
Next door, in the French Riviera, a new tramway line will soon link Nice with its airport (running parallel to the Promenade des Anglais a few blocks inland); service should start by the end of 2018. And Nice’s Russian Cathedral is still looking after a two-year, $23 million renovation (completed in 2016), which included finishing frescoes untouched since the First World War.
To the east, Switzerland offers its own set of new scenic treats. The Diablerets summit, at the eastern edge of the Frenchspeaking Alps, now features the “Peak Walk” suspension bridge, which stretches 106 metres, from the top of the lift to the mountain’s highest point.
In my favourite corner of Switzerland — the Berner Oberland’s Lauterbrunnen Valley — those ascending the Schilthorn peak can stop at the midpoint cablecar station of Birg and try out the Thrill Walk, a 183-metre-long see-through catwalk bolted to the cliff side. Adventurous types can also tightrope across a cable bridge (don’t worry; there’s a net), cross a section of glass flooring, or crawl through a chain-link tube — all with views to the valley below. Also, those travelling with a Swiss Travel Pass can now use their rail pass to cover the whole trip up to the Schilthorn summit.
Part of the joy of Swiss travel is its wonderful train system, which is continually being improved. One of the heavily marketed scenic rail journeys, the William Tell Express, is now called the Gotthard Panorama Express. (It’s still the same trip, half by boat and half by train, from Luzern to the Italian-speaking region of Ticino.) And passenger trains have started using the new Gotthard Base Tunnel, the longest railway tunnel in the world. At 56 kilometres long, it cuts about 30 minutes off the travel time between Zurich and Milan.
In travels to France, Switzerland, and beyond, plan ahead and travel with up-to-date information to make the most of your trip.
Prices at the Eiffel Tower are up nearly 50 per cent to help fund a 15-year renovation .... It now costs about US$30 to ride the elevator to the top, $19 for just the two lower levels, or $12 to climb the stairs to the first or second level Rick Steves.