Isle of Wight News & Travel

Up And Coming French City Destinations

Annecy
Situated in a magnificent location, on Annecy Lake, with the stunning Aravis Mountains located in the background, this location is home to the International Festival of Animated Films that is held annually in June. During the Festival, all of the theatres in the town show films that are involved in the competition. The town is located to the east of Lyon.

The location is known as the “Venice of Savoie”, as it has a very medieval town centre, which is constructed around The Château d’Annecy, which is a castle that dominates the town. The castle has been tastefully transformed into Musée Château d”Annecy, a terrific museum that displays and gives historical background on Savoyard artwork and craftworks. Other historical monuments include the Palais De l’Isle, a prison in the town from the 12th century.

Cahors
Cahors is located to the north of Toulouse, is in the Pyrenees area and is the capital of the Quercy Region. It is positioned in a place inside a bend of the River Lot. It is a historic town with plenty of antique buildings, quaint shopping streets and a very impressive cathedral. Cahors is a perfect place to explore the Quercy Region. The Region has plenty of medieval villages, vineyards, castles and the imposing cliffs carved out of limestone that provide a backdrop to the Lot and Cele rivers.

Cahors itself has plenty to see and do – make sure to check out the medieval bridge from the 14th century period. This bridge, which is called Pont Valentrè, covers the River Lot and has towers and arches and it is most impressive. The bridge was completed in 1378. Also check out the Cathedral of St Etienne and the Arc de Dianne. Also worth a visit in Cahors is the Henri Martin Museum. For some great views from a height, take a train ride from Cahors through the valley to Saint Cirq-Lapopie. Outside Cahors itself, you could take a trip to the renowned world heritage cave paintings at Pech Merle to the east of the town and Font de Gaume to the west.

Food and Drink are popular industries in the town – check out the dark Cahors Wine, which has been in production here since Roman times. The markets that take place on both Wednesday and Saturdays give a great insight into the laid back atmosphere in the town, and you can enjoy sampling the wonderful local cuisine.

Lille
The northern French city of Lille is well connected by rail and road – so no excuse for not taking a visit there! The city has an architectural style of his own, and this is somewhere in the medium between Flemish and baroque. The city has been recognised as a city of Art and History since 2004. There are a large number of conserved buildings and historic monuments, which bear testimony to the strong heritage of the city. Some of the most popular monuments to visit include the wonderful example of 17th century military buildings, the Citadelle Park and Fortress, which was styled by Vauban.

La Vieille Bourse is a reminder of the Spanish stranglehold on the region, together with an amalgamation of French and Flemish cultures. La Grand Place symbolises the French resistance against the Austrians in the 18th century. Don’t forget to take a trip to the Rue de la Monnaie, where coins were minted over previous centuries. And finally, another landmark in Lille certainly worth exploring is the Opera House in the Place du Theatre. After a fire devastated the building in the early 1900’s it was rebuilt in the style of Louis XVI by Louis Cordonnier. The building is wonderfully decorated, with sculptures of icons from the Greek era.

If you are interested in shopping, then Lille is definitely a place to check out. There are plenty of markets to be enjoyed in the town, particularly at Christmas time with the market at the Place Rihour. You can sample plenty of the stunning cuisine local to Lille at these markets. The cuisine is in typical Flemish tradition and offers wonderful meat and fish dishes.  There are plenty of shops in the city, and the wide variety of shops suit all budgets and tastes.

For some fine sights as you shop, check out the Old Lille town with its narrow cobblestone streets and lined with typical Flemish buildings. If antiques and art galleries are your thing, check out La Grand Place or La Place du Concert.

Saint Etienne
The city is located in the Massif Central in the centre east of France. Located in wonderful countryside, with snow covered mountains, and green valleys, and cascading lakes and rivers. The city of Saint Etienne is home to some astounding half timber houses that date from the 16th century, and you will come across plenty of these during your visit, especially if you venture in the direction of the old quarter of Saint Jacques.

Saint Etienne is home to the Musée d’Art Moderne which has a great collection of modern art. Another museum worth visiting is the Musée de la Mine, which is located on the site of the largest mining workplace of the 20th century. Take a trip down the shaft of the mine and find out what life was like for workers here. As you retrace the steps of the miners you will take a trip in a cage down to the pit, and then onto the lampstore. From the exhibitions you can learn all about mining.
One of the main architectural delights is the wonderful Notre Dame church, which dates from the 18th century.

Tours
Located in the Loire Region, it is said that the purest form of the French language is spoken in Tours! The city has a rich and cosmopolitan feel to it, with wide-open boulevards and lush public parks and garden areas. It is no wonder that Tours is called “Le Jardin de la France” (The Garden of France). Tours is positioned between two rivers, the Cher to the south, and the Loire to the North.

One of the many factors in choosing Tours as a holiday destination has to be the chance to sample the wonderful wine of the region, from white Vouvrays to Montlouis. There are also some fine castles to be seen in the region including Langeais and Chenonceau. Check out Le Vieux Tours, which is the old town with its half-timber buildings, the courtyards and La Place Plumereau. This is a square with museums, art galleries, street cafes and restaurants, and well worth exploring. The weekly markets at Boulevard Beranger are also well worth checking out.

Close to the cathedral, in the garden of the Musée des Beaux-Arts lies a huge cedar tree, which is said to have been planted by Napoleon.

Have we tempted you to check out some of these emerging French locations? The best way to get around is to rent a car. For the very best options available visit our Car Hire France page.

Car, MPV (People Carrier) Minibus, Van & Cycle Hire for the Isle of Wight. Branches located in Cowes and Sandown. Ideal for the tourist or Islander alike. From Small to Estate Cars MPV’s with upto 8 Seats 15 Seater Minibus Small to Luton Vans Adults to Kiddies Mountain Bikes and other cycling accessories The Island has 13 great cycle routes, see everythingisleofwight.blogspot.com for more info.

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A visitor’s guide to Lymington, New Forest

Lymington provides an ideal setting to explore the coast along the Solent and to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the New Forest. A former home to famous smugglers such as Tom Johnstone (smuggler, privateer & naval officer), the town has some intriguing history as well as many exciting places to explore.

Located at the southern end of the New Forest National Park on the shore of the Solent, Lymington is a pleasant seaside resort with a harbour and three marinas. The high street is the modern part of town and brimful of retailers associated with big-city affluence. The more interesting ‘old town’ is characterised by narrow cobbled streets that lead down to the harbour. These streets are riddled with ‘smuggler tunnels’ dug many years before, but which are unfortunately no longer open to the public.

The town is well-connected and easy to get to with a shuttle train running back-and-forth to Brockenhurst (c.15mins), which in turn is on the main train line between London Waterloo (1hr 30mins) and Poole. On the eastern side of the Lymington River a car-ferry connects the town to the Isle of Wight.

An Iron Age fort at Buckland (Buckland Rings) is the earliest known settlement in the Lymington area. The remains are accessible to the public, but there is very little to see. Historians believe that Lymington is an Anglo-Saxon settlement dating back to the 6th Century. The town is recorded in the Doomsday Book (1086) as ‘Lentune’.

Lymington has a spirited history having been razed three times by the French over the years as well as harbouring smugglers and fugitives such as Tom Johnstone, perhaps the most famous along this stretch of coastline. It is said that he could pilot a boat by the age of 12 and that he worked for both English and French governments during his lifetime, spending time in jail on both continents.

Lymington’s stature grew in importance with the making and refining of salt (part of the town is still remembered for this – the Salterns). In time it became known for its shipbuilding industry, now disappeared.  Today it is a popular destination for tourists keen to experience the natural beauty of the New Forest and as a natural port of call for sailing boats making their way along the south coast.

There are some excellent Lymington hotels including the Stanwell House Hotel, a boutique hideaway that is sure to make the perfect intimate escape. The Passford House Hotel has the most rooms and is equipped with both indoor and outdoor pools. Lymington also boasts many private guest houses providing bed and breakfast accommodation and plenty of cottages are also available to hire.

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The History And Development Of Leeds Bradford Airport

Leeds Bradford Airport lies between the two West Yorkshire cities of Leeds and Bradford and is a vital link in the UK’s airport network. It was originally opened as the ‘Leeds and Bradford Municipal Aerodrome’ or to locals Yeadon Aerodrome in the thirties. In the mid thirties the airport began scheduled flights to a number of different UK destinations; these were London’s Heston, Newcastle, Edinburgh and the Isle of Man.

These services flew on a thrice weekly basis at the beginning of the airport’s operation. At this stage the car hire desks, shops and restaurants that fill the terminal today were not present, even though the terminal had begun its construction.

Like most of the airports in the UK the Second World War saw the airfield being requisitioned by the RAF. While it was not used for flyer sorties like many airports on the coast but it played an important part in the development of new aircraft for the war effort. Near to Yeadon was where the Avro factory was based. This factory was connected to Leeds Bradford Airport by a taxiway that allowed the first Avro bombers to be tested. Of the planes produced at the Yeadon plant, the Lancaster, Bristol Blenheim, Anson, York and Lincoln are the most famous. Of these varieties manufactured, the most numerous were the Anson, of which four and a half thousand were produced during the war.

After the war had ended the Yeadon site was returned to civilian use. It was not for another decade however that a number of routes were established to other parts of the UK and Europe, the destinations available at this stage were Jersey, Ostend, Southend, Dusseldorf and the Isle of Wight. Further destinations were added throughout the sixties including destinations such as London and Dublin.

As with many of the airports in the UK, Leeds Bradford benefited from the growth of the package holiday; during the seventies the first package holiday route was opened to the Iberian Peninsula. The eighties saw the airport experience a large amount of growth including an expansion of the runway and a significant development of the terminal building that included improving the facilities such as shops, cafes, bars and car hire provisions. Thanks to the improvements Leeds Bradford was able to open a transatlantic service to Toronto and Concorde even visited the site, although a regular service using the supersonic jet was never set up.

The terminal has been continually expanded since this period, resulting in a huge increase in the numbers of passengers passing through the airport. Last year it is estimated that around three million passengers passed through the airport. This increase has been almost exponential, doubling since 2002. The reasons behind this are largely regarded to be down to the commencement of budget airline operations to a variety of European destinations. In addition to a growth in passenger numbers the site ahs also become the base of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Flights further afield than Europe are also in operation from Leeds Bradford presently; two of these long haul operations fly to Islamabad, probably because of the region’s large Pakistani population.

Leeds Bradford is set to continue its expansion in the coming years with further development of the terminal buildings, parking space for car hire services and passengers, hotels and improved road links. From its rather humble beginnings as a public aerodrome the airport has become one of the major airports in the north of England providing a valuable link to Europe and beyond.

After paying for my international drivers license, I was finally given the chance…by returning our rental car. My wife, the “local”, is heard giving directions in the background

The Ample Possibilities of The Isle of Wight

You would be absolutely wrong thinking that by only spending money you can provide yourself and your family with a super holiday. For example, camping on the Isle of Wight is a way to spend your vacation enabling you to do whatever your heart’s content wants to do and thus maximise all you positive emotions. There is no doubt that the sunniest and warmest place in the UK can give you a holiday you will remember forever. If you need more creature comforts, it is thus best left to the more expensive hotels and first-class restaurants for the less adventurous people to seek their wishes, all of which are abound her on the Island. You can easily afford it People visit the Isle of Wight from every corner of England. They can come in their own cars or by coach or train. The friendly and amicable island welcomes everybody, so any tourist is well-liked here. The Isle offers ample opportunities for its guests including a varied range of accommodation facilities and food. It can sound inconceivable however that any visitor with even a little money can have a wonderful time here on the Isle of Wight. It is possible because as you don`t have to live in costly hotels as alternative accommodation and food can be had. Bembridge and Seaview, Cowes, Freshwater, Newport, Shanklin, Ventnor all these places and many others of the Isle of Wight can offer you super caravans and campsites sites – a favourite recreational activity for many families, as well as the getting back to nature experience. These camping grounds and caravans propose a way out for the hustle and bustle of Hotels. The island is famous and proud of its campsites. They are mostly located in the most stunning natural spaces where the nature is all around. However it doesn`t mean that the campers will be deprived of the badly needed facilities. Every camp has a list of facilities it provides, electric, water, shower and so on. If you made up your mind to take you pet Rover with you it is better to learn beforehand if dogs are permitted, please check out the list of facilities as they do vary from site to site. The same thing should be done if you are going to travel with your baby or a person who is disabled. You should choose the most appropriate campsite in order to spend your holiday in a relatively carefree way. If you are rather fastidious it is also advisable to know when the toilets and showers were refurbished. As you can see campsites can differ considerably in the conveniences they aspire to give. Thus, it is sensible to examine the facilities offered by each camp ground; this will help you to make your choice easier and better. In addition horse riding, cycle hire, water sports, sailing, golf, tennis, football and cricket, climbing, flight and other activities are available on the Isle of Wight and will satisfy the most active tourist. Whatever you are expecting from your camping holiday, the island is sure to deliver. Local people are very hospitable and look to meet all that is expected from them. The island can also be proud of the locally produced products. So the visitors who are fond of shopping can make themselves happy purchasing attractively unusual or old-fashioned items crafted by the local. In fact you will be able to find everything you will need so that you can thoroughly enjoy your Isle of Wight holiday.

Accommodation for visitors in Portsmouth

With its various modern and heritage tourist attractions, proximity to family seaside holiday destinations and the trade passing through it to and from the ferry ports, finding somewhere to stay in Portsmouth presents few, if any, problems. Mainly concentrated in the Southsea and old Portsmouth districts there are a huge number of small guest houses, hotels and bed & breakfast establishments as well as larger private and the more centrally located national chains of hotels. Nearby there are also caravan and camping sites which are all convenient for visiting or passing through Portsmouth.

One of the newest hotels in Portsmouth is the Express Holiday Inn at the Gun Wharf Quays. Being an ‘Express’ Inn it has 3 stars and is in essence here to serve the trade passing through the ferry ports. It has 130 rooms with a double room typically costing £80 a night. The hotel is conveniently located for both the ferry terminals and tourist attractions and has free parking. In the centre of the city on Pembroke Road is the 4 star Holiday Inn. This has 165 rooms and the price for a double room is variable, ranging from £95 a night to over £150. It has all the facilities expected of a 4 star hotel from fitness and sauna facilities to an indoor swimming pool. The Portsmouth Marriott Hotel on Southampton Road is another 4 star hotel in the city centre. Its 174 rooms are all air conditioned and there’s plenty of on-site car parking. Again prices vary a lot according to when you’re booking, whilst they do have some bargain offers, prices can rise to over £200 a night at peak demand times.

There would seem to be scope to develop luxury hotels in Portsmouth, as it currently has no 5 star rated hotels. However, there are some independent hotels providing luxury accommodation in Portsmouth, such as Florence House. On Malvern Road in Southsea, it is a large Edwardian house furnished and decorated to the very highest standards giving it’s guests the option of contemporary or a Victorian ambience to the room they stay in. Rooms are very reasonably priced between £90 and £110 a night. Probably the most imposing hotel in Portsmouth is the Queens Hotel on Clarence Parade, Southsea. The fact that this immense building has just 72 guest rooms means that everywhere you go inside the building you not only have a of feeling of space, but wealth and opulence as well. Most of the 72 rooms have super king size beds, views over the Solent and feel more like suites, compared to many of the rooms of many national chain hotels. Best of all, if you book early enough you can get a double room for as little as £50 a night. However, prices are more typically £70 to £100 a night.

In Old Portsmouth and overlooking the quayside is Fortitude Cottage. This small, 4 bed-roomed, Bed & Breakfast establishment was established over 40 years ago and has an excellent reputation. The standard of accommodation and location of Fortitude Cottage are reflected in the rates they can charge for a room. A twin room can be £60 a night and prices rise to £85 a night for a double room with superb views over the harbour. Fortitude Cottage, located in Broad Street – Old Portsmouth, holds the 4 Rose award from the English Tourist Board. The Sailmakers Loft, located enticingly on Bath Square which is on Spice Island, is another small bed & breakfast establishment offering sea views over the Spithead. Accommodation prices will suit a range of visitors with room prices varying from £28 for a single bed room to £60 a night for a double room. As an indication of how near the sea you are here, the Isle of Wight ferries are barely 250m away from this guest house. On the High Street in Old Portsmouth is the Sally Inn and, if you prefer something with a historic feel to it, this is ideal for your accommodation whilst in Portsmouth. The Inn is opposite the Cathedral and according to some visitors this 16th century Inn is old and musty, whereas to others its sloping floors ooze history and tales to be told. A double room at the Sally Inn will cost up to £75 a night and single rooms are available from £40 a night. However, be aware that not all rooms have ‘en-suite’ facilities.

The nearest YHA hostel in Portsmouth is the Wymering Manor in Cosham. There are local buses to get you into Portsmouth or alternatively you can take the train from the nearby Cosham railway station. Dormitory beds are £11 per night. The Southsea Backpackers Lodge, in Florence Road, also provides cheap and friendly accommodation. For an establishment with some 50 beds in it, the hostel also has a re-assuring homely touch. A bed in a dormitory is typically £12 a night or you can hire a double room, with en-suite, for £25 a night. The hostel is well equipped and has excellent kitchen facilities. The town centre is about forty minutes away by foot or a 15 minute bus ride. The Southsea Leisure Park in Eastney offers touring caravan and camping accommodation. Prices vary according to the season and size of caravan or pitch required, the park also has some static caravans for hire.

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Bournemouth Airport Car Hire – Hire Quick, Hire Cheap

Who has not heard of Bournemouth, the coastal resort town in the heart of Dorset, England? Passengers and tourist on a UK trip who have had the pleasure of visiting Dorset vouch by the coastal bliss of Bournemouth. Between Southampton and Plymouth, Bournemouth is the biggest town along with Poole and it has lots to reveal to a tourist.

So if you are a part of the brigade of tourists and stuck at the Bournemouth Airport, let us assure you that getting a car hired is not difficult at all, there are just plenty of options to help you along the way. For any car you may need, Scotia car hire can find you the best rate, it trails every car rental supplier for you at the airport; this list includes famous names like Hertz, National, Enterprise and the unassuming Avis. Because Scotia regularly deals with a host of supplier, they can safely negotiate the best and the most discounted deals.

The independent suppliers run though fierce competition with the international car rental suppliers. This peer-pressure forces them to provide the best deals on offer to be considered. Is that not true for any duopoly market?

The online car hire Global search engine is extremely user-friendly and can be found on the right hand side of the webpage. All you need to do is select the country you are from, the pick up and destination details, age of the driver you are looking for, dates of travel and the car group (luxury cars or SUV?s); on filling out these details, the search engine which is specified to respond, immediately connects to all the top car rental suppliers and seeks availability.

After doing this it verily returns to you along with the best price the car group has to offer. Just as you press the ?Book? tag, you receive a confirmation number. This is all which is required as a proof. When you actually turn up at the airport, this confirmation number is enough evidence of booking. Just show it to the people concerned and start on your tip of Bournemouth and suburbs, the Jurassic coast and the Isle of Wight wait for you.

Another thing which must be kept in mind is the rental condition. The car rental comparison engine traces as many as 450 different car rental suppliers over the world; for each different badge the stipulations differ. Moreover it is important to debate over any rental condition that you feel outright rejection-worthy. The service runs on accountability and any claims after use is largely unwarranted.

Hertz asks for 141 pounds a day, the rates for Alamo and Value are 143 pounds and 147 pounds respectively. There are cars available for as little as 20 pounds. But ultimately, as a traveler, you have to choose something that is suitable for your own needs. No doubt, price is an important factor to consider, but it’s not everything. If there are certain special needs (e.g. hiring a driver because you expect to be tired after a long flight), then perhaps it’s worth paying a few extra dollars.

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