Pour on Bordeaux, Cognac
Taking the sting out of a highcost holiday in and around the City of Light, fledgling airline Frenchbee recently debuted flights from LAX to Paris-Orly Airport, a pleasant international alternative to crowded Roissy-Charles de Gaulle.
With base fares starting at $321, Frenchbee is so “ooh L.A. L.A.” for penny-wise Southern Californians longing to visit one of the most romantic, yet expensive, destinations in the world. Structuring its prices using an a la carte model, the cost-conscious carrier lets you decide how low you want to go. The cheapest tickets are had by traveling offseason with no check-in luggage, bringing your own food and drink, not accessing the plane’s Wi-Fi and sitting in the rear sections, where density and din could be factors, depending on one’s tolerance.
Flying frill-free is how 60% of Frenchbee passengers do it, according to Marc Rochet, president and CEO of the 5-year-old airline, which went by the name French Blue until JetBlue saw red. The bee-lined rebrand first stretched its wings in May 2018 with onestop flights from Orly to Tahiti’s Faa’a International. San Francisco International served as a glorified layover, allowing passengers to travel solely to and from SFO in addition to transiting between Paris and Papeete.
Seizing on the positive buzz generated by the French connection between the European capital, the Bay Area and the gateway to Bora Bora, the airline expanded with a Newark, New Jersey-Paris route after a pandemic-prompted pause. It operates with a fleet of five Airbus A350s that seat between 411 and 480 passengers and also flies to the French-governed Indian Ocean island of Reunion and, since April 30, Southern California. MiamiParis and a sixth plane are in the wings, along with increasing the LAX-Paris route from three times a week to six in July.
For this discerning travel writer, it was love at first sound on the airline’s inaugural flight out of LAX. Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune,” my favorite classical piece, was playing through the speakers as I boarded a craft so fresh in appearance and scent that I thought it also was celebrating a maiden flight from L.A. When I was informed the A350-900 was nearly 3 years old, the French-accented flight attendant said the craft’s pristine condition was par usual and not just for the news-making flight. This was confirmed on the less-historic inbound trip back to LAX aboard a plane of the same model that also passed my white glove test. Heck, even the toilets were kept immaculate, in large part due to a Frenchbee policy that has facilities cleaned every 30 minutes.
The airline’s seating options are Basic, Smart and Premium, which is akin to a good/better/best marketing structure. Truth be told, even the low-rent district on the plane was quite livable for the 10plus hours between continents. This passenger tested all sections during the round trip, and while all locations were fine, the best, no surprise, was in front-of-plane Premium, Frenchbee’s equivalent of first class.
Between all the options around fares, seat location, legroom, baggage, lounge access and other amenities, the act of tailoring a flight on FrenchBee.com can be trying. Paying about $400 more for Premium does make life less thrifty but easier and more pleasurable. Opening up the wallet wider secures one of the 35 most comfortable seats and the lowest density on the craft in addition to provision for two pieces of checked luggage and two substantial meals with unlimited beverage service, alcohol included, on flights to and from California.
Except for tap water, anything consumable costs extra in all but Premium. In-seat purchases of snacks and drinks are always available, but full hot meals must be ordered when booking. The grub is quite good, and not just “airline food good.” Tasty and satisfying were dinner entrees of hake (fish) in korma sauce and creamy ginger puree, beef stew with mac and cheese, and, an L.A. flight exclusive, California rolls. Meals come with a gourmet cold salad or two, a roll and dessert at dinnertime, and a choices that include eggs, French toast and yogurt at brunch. Menus change monthly.
Stretching the Euro
Targeting vacation travelers more than the business crowd, Frenchbee figures that a family of four can save the equivalent of an extra day in Paris by flying its blue-and-white planes. If opting to spend those savings, cue the notnecessarily-must-sees of Paris that are new and/or improved since COVID-19 began. Near the top of the list should be the flagship store of Galeries Lafayette, the largest department store chain in Europe, which recently added a macaronmaking class and dining options.
Within walking distance of this shopaholic heaven is the monthsold, 149-unit Kimpton St. Honore (kimptonsthonoreparis.com/en), the California-based brand’s first in Paris. And a unique property it is, with a lobby adorned with two historically registered elevators and Golden State influence running throughout the hotel. Sequoia is a well-vibed rooftop bar with Instagram-worthy views of Palais Garnier, perhaps the most famous opera house in the world, and other landmarks. Observant SoCal guests will feel at home seeing the servers all wearing Vans.
Taking in Disneyland Paris might also be nice with that bonus day, courtesy of Frenchbee’s low fares, and there’s proof that doing so might actually be more affordable than a vacation to Disneyland in Anaheim despite being half a world away. Or here’s an idea: Stretch your time and money with a day or two away from the big city and bright lights of La Ville Lumière.
About two hours south of Paris by train is the Bordeaux region. Don’t be surprised if a side trip to this cultural and viticultural gem leads to a longer, dedicated visit in the near future. Frenchbee makes that easy, too, with rail service connecting Paris’ Massy TGV and the Bordeaux-Saint Jean stations with bus transfers to and from Orly, all of which can be added at the time of booking flights.
Making base at the Le Grand Hotel de Bordeaux is a good call. The exquisite, 233-year-old InterContinental property is conveniently located in central Bordeaux, steps from the longest shopping street in Europe. The hotel is also an epicurean delight with restaurants that include the Michelinstarred Le Pressoir d’Argent Gordon Ramsay.
Le Grand Hotel makes a great starting point for a wine-tasting adventure of a lifetime. Recognized as the international wine capital, the Bordeaux region is home to 65 appellations and hundreds of wine-producing properties, or chateaux. Begin the day at La Cité du Vin (laciteduvin.com/ en), an iconic, high-rise building opened in 2016 that features exhibitions dedicated to winemaking throughout history and around the world. Even Napa Valley gets love from the stereotypically snobby French. Every admission ticket includes a tasting on the 115-foot-tall observation deck. More pleasures for the palate await at Le 7, La Cite du Vin’s signature restaurant, on the panoramic seventh floor.
Make time for Les Bassins de Lumières, a one-of-a-kind digital art experience inside a former World War II German submarine base. Walls come alive with illuminations set to music of many styles. Current exhibitions include a beguiling visual tour of Venice, one of Italy’s artistic and architectural treasures.
A gorgeous 90-minute drive north takes you to Cognac, birthplace of the smooth and sophisticated spirit that bears its name. Dating back over 250 years and responsible for roughly half of the region’s output, Hennessy is the highest-yielding cognac producer, making a tour and tasting there a must-do. So is Martell, which, founded in 1715, is the granddaddy of the grand maisons de Cognac. The distillery modernized its tour (martell.com/en-us/visit-us) during the pandemic, but untouched was a 1959 grand Champagne cognac valued in the six digits. It’s viewable on the tour by request.
Just outside of town is Chateau des Plassons (toulouze-et-rastignac.com), which makes about a quarter of Remy Martin’s cognac along with an excellent pineau, a French liquor wine of cognac and grape juice. If you’re timecrunched, go where more than 220 cognacs from 40-plus producers are under one roof — that of The 1838 jazz bar inside stunning Hotel Chais Monnet et Spa (chaismonnethotel.com/en). Opened just months before COVID-19 hit, Cognac’s only five-star hotel offers 92 contemporary units and the Michelin-starred Les Foudres.
A side trip within the side trip must include the quaint village of Saint Emilion. Within 2,000-year-old medieval fortifications are steep, narrow streets and a catacomb-furnished monolithic church, which, like this entire angel-kissed region, are ripe for exploring.