Bus Tour in Paris
You’ve seen the bright, double-decker, in-your-face Paris tour bus navigating the windy streets and massive roundabouts of Paris scooting around wide-eyed tourists desperate to take in every single one of the most famous Paris landmarks, all in the shortest amount of time. They’re hard to miss. While some tourists would rather set their hair on fire than get on one of these, there are others who swear by their virtues. It’s not really something I’d ever thought I’d be taking a ride on, but when we had a visitor from Japan, she could only stay in Paris for 2 days. What to do? If she didn’t HAVE to see all of the landmarks, we surely wouldn’t have done it but she did, and so we thought this was the most likely way to pull it off.
I have to admit that it’s kind of excellent for those specific situations and we had the best time riding it (ride on the upper deck!) and being able to get out at any number of stops (then get back on) There are many buses so you’ll only need to wait about 10 minutes at each stop during the summer to catch another bus, 20 minutes during the winter. The entire tour, if you stay on the bus the whole time, takes approximately two hours and 15 minutes. That’s quick, particularly if you think that during that time you could’ve been waiting in line just to get on the Eiffel Tower. I exaggerate but you get what I mean.
You have the possibility of stopping at nine different places: 1. Trocadéro, 2. Champ de Mars, 3. Louvre, 4. Notre-Dame, 5. Orsay, 6. Opéra, 7. Champs Elysées-Etoile, 8. Grand Palais and 9. Eiffel Tower. The earliest buses start between 9:30am and 10:30am with the last buses stopping between 6:25pm and 10:16pm. See the hours and stops here. Note: Weekend and week day hours differ slightly, so do check the hours carefully.
Audio guides are available in several languages and you can download the tour’s mp3 from the website here in advance if you want to hear the guide from your own mp3 player.
You can spread your trip over two days (it’s an unlimited 2 day pass), so for the price of 24 € (Adult fare) and 12 € (kids 4 to 12 fare), you might just be able to see a lot of stuff in a little amount of time. Buy your tickets online to receive an additional 10% off.
Paris Bus Tour (Les cars rouges)
Sixt Pokes Fun at Sarkozy in a German Ad
Who can blame the car rental company, Sixt, for poking fun at Sarkozy’s height? In this German ad, it says, “Do like Ms. Bruni. Get a small French (one).”
New French Air Freshener Scent : Smelly Feet 
This is a guest post from Why Travel to France contributor, Patricia. (Thanks, P!)
I thought readers would appreciate this funny, French item I found in a supermarket the other day. It made us laugh out loud but somehow I’m not sure any French person would notice it. It’s an ironic twist on air fresheners: a foot! Just guessing, but I have a feeling who ever came up with this item, was another marketing exec who had no idea that some consumers (like me) might see it as “funvertising.” I mean, using a foot to freshen a car … is brilliant, isn’t it? I love it. Frenchies, you are priceless, and you made my day when I found this Smelly Foot Air Freshener.
Maybe the tagline should be: Rafraichissez l’intérieur de votre voiture avec un pied qui pue...
Wait a minute. Do French people LIKE the smell of feet? I didn’t think of that.
Vélo électrique / Electric Bike Rentals in Paris Velib bikes are fine and all but ever since trying out a bunch of different kinds of vélo électrique (electric bikes) at an expo a couple of years ago, I can’t go back to regular bikes. It’s not that I’m lazy (ok, maybe I’m lazy at times), it just seems like an obvious choice to have options in life: to pedal or not to pedal, that is the question. The ideal situation for me is to be able to both pedal when I want, then to switch to electric power when I need! Those latter situations being up a hill, on a long, straight stretch of road or when I’m tired. Or perhaps when dire consequences call for it, like being chased by a rabid French poodle. You never know.
This bike folds up all nice and neat so you can just bring your bike “package” with you instead of leaving it outside.
There’s a shop in the 13th arrondissement of Paris that is worth a looksee. Buzibi offers the quintessential vélo électrique for people who might share the same sentiments as I do about riding bikes in general. Purchase one or better yet, rent one at reasonable prices: 5 euros an hour or 49 euros for the weekend. (See the rates for exact pricing and long term rental information.) Or! Go to the vélo électrique store yourself to see all the models and to test drive one and see what you think. I can say with confidence that you will not ever want to go back to the old fashion versions. Vive le vélo électrique!
Buzibi
67 rue, Croulebarbe
75013 Paris France
e-mail: buzibi@buzibi.fr
Telephone: +33 (0)1 47 07 16 75
Metro: Corvisart (13th arrondissement)
Map
Paris Bus Tour
You’ve seen the bright, double-decker, in-your-face Paris tour bus navigating the windy streets and massive roundabouts of Paris scooting around wide-eyed tourists desperate to take in every single one of the most famous Paris landmarks, all in the shortest amount of time. They’re hard to miss. While some tourists would rather set their hair on fire than get on one of these, there are others who swear by their virtues. It’s not really something I’d ever thought I’d be taking a ride on, but when we had a visitor from Japan, she could only stay in Paris for 2 days. What to do? If she didn’t HAVE to see all of the landmarks, we surely wouldn’t have done it but she did, and so we thought this was the most likely way to pull it off.
I have to admit that it’s kind of excellent for those specific situations and we had the best time riding it (ride on the upper deck!) and being able to get out at any number of stops (then get back on) There are many buses so you’ll only need to wait about 10 minutes at each stop during the summer to catch another bus, 20 minutes during the winter. The entire tour, if you stay on the bus the whole time, takes approximately two hours and 15 minutes. That’s quick, particularly if you think that during that time you could’ve been waiting in line just to get on the Eiffel Tower. I exaggerate but you get what I mean.
You have the possibility of stopping at nine different places: 1. Trocadéro, 2. Champ de Mars, 3. Louvre, 4. Notre-Dame, 5. Orsay, 6. Opéra, 7. Champs Elysées-Etoile, 8. Grand Palais and 9. Eiffel Tower. The earliest buses start between 9:30am and 10:30am with the last buses stopping between 6:25pm and 10:16pm. See the hours and stops here. Note: Weekend and week day hours differ slightly, so do check the hours carefully.
Audio guides are available in several languages and you can download the tour’s mp3 from the website here in advance if you want to hear the guide from your own mp3 player.
You can spread your trip over two days (it’s an unlimited 2 day pass), so for the price of 24 € (Adult fare) and 12 € (kids 4 to 12 fare), you might just be able to see a lot of stuff in a little amount of time. Buy your tickets online to receive an additional 10% off.
Paris Bus Tour (Les cars rouges)
Solar Blimp From NYC to Paris (Rests on Land or Water) 
From cleantechnica:
“A Spanish company called Turtle Airships is working on plans to build a luxurious solar-powered blimp which can take passengers from New York to Paris.
Perhaps the only thing cooler than being powered by lightweight photovoltaic cells, this airship is also designed to rest on land or water.
The first blimp prototype will be propelled in two nontraditional ways. The outside of the ship will be covered with Cadmium-Indium-Germanium (CIG) photovoltaic cells, picked for their their light weight. The cells should generate enough power to move the blimp at around 40 mph in average conditions, or at around 70 horsepower. Meanwhile, a diesel drivetrain will generate the rest of the power, and ideally the designers will look to an adapted hybrid electric model for that. And because blimps fly at low altitudes, they don’t have to deal with problems that plague diesel engines at elevations over 30,000 ft.
The only thing currently keeping this visionary project from flying is…”
Continue reading
What to Do if You Damage Your Rental Car in France 
From jaunted:
“All this week Jaunted contributor Eric Rosen has been filling us in on his recent field trip, drinking his way through France. Today, however, he has a major buzzkill to report. Here’s how he learned to deal with denting a rental car in a foreign country.
Renting a car in a foreign land can be a pretty daunting prospect. You don’t know how compact a “compact” will be until you try squeezing in your luggage, your mother, and a few presents for friends back home into a tiny Citroën hatchback. You also pray that you remember how to drive a stick-shift well enough to avoid any accidents. Accidents do happen, though, and you should be prepared, especially when renting internationally.
Insurance
The first and most important thing you should find out is whether your credit card offers insurance when you rent a car. Call your company, learn all you can about the program and its terms, and decide whether you should go with their program or with the rental agency’s. Usually the credit card’s insurance is a better choice since they are looking out for their cardholders’ interests (for once!), and you’ll have someone on your side in case you get into a scrape—no pun intended.
Many credit cards also offer life insurance and medical care as part of their package, which is not always the case with foreign rental companies. Just be sure you decline the agency’s third-party liability insurance when you sign the rental agreement, otherwise your credit card insurance is void.
Photo Op
Take pictures of the car before you drive it. The last thing you want is for the rental company to charge you for dings and dents that were already on the car when you picked it up. If you get into an accident, take pictures of everything as well, so you have visual proof of what happened, and what exactly your insurance should be paying for.
Call This Number
Every rental agreement has a number to call in case of accident or breakdown. Call it. Immediately. When someone picks up, insist they speak English so that you know exactly what is going on and what they are instructing you to do. It is also a good to look up a list of common car and accident words in the language you will be operating in before your trip. That way, you can explain small problems to a mechanic if something goes wrong along the way.
Then call your insurance company—have their number with you at all times—and explain the situation so that they can start a file on the claim.
If it’s only a dent or scrape, and the car is still driveable, you will only have to fill out a form when you return the car. Get a copy of that form to send to your insurance company so they can start the claims process.
If your accident is more serious than that, or if there are injuries, fill out a police report, seek medical care, and keep a record of all the files and bills involved to submit to your insurance.
When You Get Home
Make sure your insurance company has all the necessary documents, forms and information it needs…then wait. It usually takes about 45 days to process a claim. If the rental agency tries to charge you preemptively for the damages, have your credit card put the charges on hold until the situation is resolved.”
New Rules for Scooters 
Some time during the 90s, Europe passed legislation that alllowed driver’s license holders, experienced with at least 2 years of driving, to also legally drive scooters up to 125 cc. If the scooter was less than 80 cc, you didn’t need a license or training at all (So it was very common to see 14-year-olds driving these scooters on the road…). This is about to change because of the non-negligible percentage of traffic death due to scooters (scooters and motorcycles account for 10.1% of all traffic accidents and 18% of all traffic deaths.) I believe the number of scooter drivers increased particularly in the last few years because of the sudden inflation, rising gas costs and exorbitant price of getting a car driver’s license.
Strangely, a new law was passed during the wee hours of the night on Christmas eve 2008, and just a few days later, the law became in effect January 1, 2009. That’s probably one of the quickest passed laws in France, ever.
So, here’s the result: The Ministry of the Interior has enforced that car drivers (with Type B permit and 2 years of driving experience and driving a scooter 51 cc to 125cc) either get a motorbike license (Type A) or follow a specific, 3-hour scooter training, involving emergency breaking and balancing alone and with a passenger – which costs between €110 to €180 depending on the moto école.
The 14-year olds+ driving scooters less than 50 cc are obligated to follow a different training called Le Brevet de Sécurité Routière (BSR).
If you are caught without a permit you risk a fine of €135 and a retraction of 3 points from your driver’s license.
Will the Ministry of the Interior follow with imposing a mandatory training for bicyclists? We wonder…
tags: france, french, scooters
The French Air Car from MDI is Now Officially “Flow Air” 
I like Air Car better!
From engadget:
“MDI’s compressed air vehicle has been unofficially known as the AirCar for years now, but it looks like the company is now finally putting a stop to that, and officially bestowing the decidedly less catchy “FlowAIR” name on the car. What’s more, it’s also gotten official with no less than four different vehicles based on the technology, including the One FlowAIR open-top model, the Mini FlowAIR three-seater (pictured above), the City FlowAIR truck-type vehicle, and the Multi FlowAIR urban public transportation concept, all of which have been making the rounds under various guises for some time now. From the looks of it, the One FlowAIR will be the first out of the gate in 2009 (in France, at least), with the rest to follow over the next few years.”
Related: Air Cars hit the streets, French Air Cars Coming to the U.S.
Want to Be on French TV? Have you changed your driving habits in France to be more environmentally friendly? Do you drive a hybrid or electric car, or have you given up your car permanently? Do you use biofuel? Did you join a carpool? Do you have any other tips related to reducing gasoline consumption? France 5 Television wants to have a word with you. Please call 01 56 26 16 76 if you’re interested in participating in a television show featuring people in France trying to change their lives to live more green.
tags: france, hybrids, peak oil, carpooling, green living in france france 5, television
Air Cars Hit the Streets 
From autobloggreen and ecolotrader:
“We heard that MDI, the creators of the AirCar – excuse us, the “Compressed Air Vehicle” – broke off all commercial relations with Miguel Celades, who had been carrying its commercial operations for a while. We tried multiple times to contact Mr. Celades for further explanations, but couldn’t. So, we turned to MDI’s new webpage and other sources for the information.
The good news is that MDI is still working on their vehicle and has taken some steps to get it on the road. The French environmental website Ecolo-Trader has unveiled a picture of the first MiniCAT model with regular car plates, which should mean it’s road-worthy and has received all the legal requirements from the French Ministry of Industry. MDI’s MiniCAT has an range of 80 km while running exclusively with compressed air and, thanks to a system which heats compressed air (using fuel), the range can be extended even further. According to the website, which refers to the Southern France newspaper, MDI is planning a second factory to increase output of the MiniCAT. The model will be on display for the Paris Motor Show and on sale in France at the beginning of 2009.”
Note: The license plates look like they’re from the Var region in the south of France around the cities of Toulon and Draguignon.
[via]
tags: france, air car, mdi, minicat, guy negre
The French Air Cars Coming to the U.S.? 
Ever since writing about the zero pollution, zero emissions French Air Car, I’ve gotten some comments and gobs of emails from people asking if they might be available in the U.S.
I don’t live in the U.S., people! I live in France. YOU tell ME. Rant over.
Soooooooooo… that being said, I stumbled upon some information that reports that the Air Car might be available in the U.S. by late 2009 starting at $15,000. That’s just around the corner, and if it’s true, this little ugly (in a cute sense) car could possibly impact life as you know it – in a positive way, that is.
A New York based startup, ZPM (Zero Pollution Motors), just like India’s Tata Motors, has licensed the technology from the French company MDI. They plan to release a hybrid version that will be a clean, efficient way to power your ride. For example, one tank of air is approximately equivalent to eight gallons of gas, an 848 mile range. The car’s air tank can be refilled in about three minutes from a service station, but it can be plugged in at home and refilled in about 4 hours, an electricity cost of about two bucks.
Availability of the MDI Air Car in France is still pending approval.
tags: france air cars zero pollution motors mdi
[via]
Karl Lagerfeld and the Ugly Yellow Vest 
In sync with the new road safety laws in France regarding a vest and triangle to be kept in cars at all times, this amusing ad campaign was launched and features famous designer fashionista, Karl Lagerfeld. Via LA Frog (merci!)
C’est jaune, c’est moche, et ça ne va avec rien, mais ça peut vous sauvez la vie.
Translation:
It’s yellow, it’s ugly, it doesn’t go with anything (else), but it can save your life.
tags: france karl lagerfeld road safety ads
July 1 – Mandatory Yellow Vest and Triangle in Cars 
Beginning today, cars in France must carry a gilet de sécurité / bright, yellow vest with 2 reflective stripes and a triangle de pré-signalisation / a reflective red warning triangle. These are to be used if you have an accident or must pull off the road for break downs and other emergencies. Note: The vest must be in the cab portion of the car, that is, where the drivers and passengers are, and not in the trunk.
The police will be performing random checks to verify that you have these obligatory items. If you’re caught without them after October, 1, you risk a fine of 90 to 135 euros.
You can sometimes get free kits with vests and triangle at a gas station if you have your oil changed or have your tires checked. Otherwise, they are available to purchase at gas stations for about 15 – 20 euros.
tags: france travel gilet de sécurité triangle de pré-signalisation road+laws+france mandatory+vest+triangle
Parisians Wouldn’t Bike to Radiohead For FREE Frontrow Seats! Monday June 23rd 2008, 1:28 pm
Filed under:
art/culture/design,
cars/bikes/etc,
celebs,
cultural differences,
environment,
events,
funny,
music,
news,
paris,
people,
weirdFrom aol:
Where is the love, Parisians?
“… Radiohead were left with a row of empty seats at a recent French concert after a ticket giveaway backfired. The eco-friendly group announced 50 passes were available for their show at Paris’ Bercy Arena but fans could only get by cycling to their record label’s offices in the French city.
However, Parisians were not prepared to get on their bikes so 35 tickets went unclaimed. A source said: “Radiohead are using their current world tour to highlight their commitment to green issues. They advise all concertgoers to use public transport and are doing all they can to make their carbon footprint as small as possible. Unfortunately the French didn’t appear to share their noble intentions and roundly ignored the free ticket tactic.”
tags: france radiohead velib lazy environment unfriendly parisians
Warning / Reminder if You’re Tired While Driving 
Strategically placed at the toll booth where you have to stop, you can’t miss this warning. Here’s what the sign says reminding people driving on the road to pull over and rest if they show any signs of fatigue. Or else!
Tired?
DEAD Tired?
After the first signs (of fatigue), Don’t go any farther.
Rail Europe is Getting into the Holiday Spirit 
On a lighter note, here’s a goofy, silly fun online holiday greeting card from Rail Europe. This is what our turkey friend here looks like if you go to France. You can choose your destination and your turkey will dress accordingly.
Check out that turkey now.
[via]
$7,300 Bonus for Electric Cars From greencarcongress:
France’s Ministry of Ecology (Ministère de l’écologie, du développement et de l’aménagement durables) announced a new feebate system based on CO2 emissions for new vehicle purchases.
Under the scheme, a bonus will be paid to purchasers of new passenger cars emitting less than 130 g CO2/km, which now represents about 30% of sales. The bonus will be supplemented by an extra payment when the acquisition of the vehicle is accompanied by the scrapping of a vehicle that is more than 15 years old. Conversely, buyers of new vehicles that emit more than 160 g CO2/km will pay a penalty. This will affect approximately 25% of new vehicles sold. Buyers of vehicles emitting between 130-160g CO2 will not receive a bonus nor will they pay a tax. This “neutral zone” will apply to about 45% of vehicle purchases.
The payments and the penalties are based on a sliding scale—the less (or more) carbon dioxide emitted, the greater the payment or penalty, respectively. The threshold points for payments or penalties will advance 5 g CO2/km every two years to encourage ongoing development efforts.
To encourage the development of extremely low emission vehicles—especially electric vehicles, the government has a special bonus of €5,000 (US$7,300) for the purchase of vehicles emitting less than 60 g CO2/km….
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The “Just” Road Safety Campaign 
The Sécurité Routière, France’s Department of Road Safety has released this year’s television spots that will again send shivers down your spine just like last year’s. The TV spots focus on the concept of “just,” i.e., “You’re driving just a little too close” or “You just forgot to signal that you were turning” or “You just ran a red light” or “You just killed someone.” The French Sécurité Routière doesn’t mess around! But these spots effectively show the catastrophic consequences of a driver’s small actions.
Watch these ads here and here.
france road safety accidents in france driving in france
Magico Bus Harry Potter 
In conjunction with the French October 26 release of Harry Potter et les Reliques de la Mort (Deathly Hallows), the publisher, Gallimard, is organizing la Tournée du MagicoBus Harry Potter, a Magic bus tour that will stop by major cities in France to meet young Harry Potter fans. From October 17th through the 26th, fans will be able to take part in magical activities and games inside the bus. All participants will receive a poster. Three big winners per city will receive a diploma from Gallimard jeunesse and a collection of novels including the 7th Harry Potter tome. You must have a ticket to enter the Magicobus (Available at participating bookstores). Here’s the bus schedule:
Oct 17 – Lille – place Rihour
Oct 18 – Nancy – porte Desilles
Oct 19 – Lyon – place Louis-Pradel
Oct 20 – Aix-en-Provence – place Batard (Cité du Livre)
Oct 21 – Montpellier – esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle
Oct 22 – Toulouse – rue de Metz /rue des Arts
Oct 23 – Bordeaux – place dal Victoire
Oct 24 – Nantes – place de Bretagne
Oct 25 – Paris – rue Sébastien-Bottin
Oct 26 – Paris – parvis Montparnasse 9am / place du Châtelet 3pm
[via Univers HP]
Links: Gallimard, Official Press Release
Franco-American Conversations: How am I Driving? 
Him: You know what they need in France?
Me: What?
Him: Those awesome signs in the U.S. on trucks that say, ‘How am I driving?’ with a number to call and report dangerous truck drivers.
Me: That could be interesting if they had that in France.
Him: I’d be the FIRST to call.
Electric Cars for La Poste 
From Treehugger:
“When the French do something, they do it in style and make an impact. Some things like the Concorde suck a bit too much gas and don’t quite work out as planned, but when they decide that they don’t want to suck gas, they go out and buy ten thousand electric vehicles to deliver the mail. “There has never been such a big order [for the vehicles] in the world,” said French Industry Minister Francois Loos…”
Read the full article
