We were on our way to Lyon when we almost ran over this guy and his two Siberian huskies pulling him on his bike. Instead of running into him, we rode next to him to hand him a donation.

He’s Randolph Westphal and he’s been biking all over the world with his dogs for more than 14 years (around the world 4 times!) on a mission to share his experience as a cancer survivor visiting hospitals, hospices and clinics. More than two decades ago, his doctor’s told him he had about a year left to live because of his cancer but he’s still here 20 years later!

He’s been hit by an 18-wheeler, which put him in a coma, broke his leg, got attacked by a bear and more…and YET he continues.

Here’s more info on him to read about his trials, tribulations and successes. Riding for Cancer, Randolph Westphal (in German)

If you see him, give him some love!

While we’re on the subject of feves, I thought I’d share a recent one I found in a tasty galette du roi from one of our favorite pastry chefs in our area, Jean-Marc Bernigaud, who was previously the pastry chef at Trois Gros, a three star Michelin restaurant in Roanne. Typically, the galettes are filled with frangipane but Jean-Marc told us he was bored and added a different flavor: a delicious apple and noisette filling, unusual but expectedly unique and refreshing, in any case. It had a non-traditional design on top, too.

While my feve isn’t as sexy as the Kamasutra feves, I thought it was cute, a teeny tiny Renault 4L, a super popular car in France from 1961 and beyond. It was Renault’s response to their competitor, the Citroen 2CV (what the French call the deux chevaux (two horses)), which is cuter and iconic of old France. (Read more about the 4L here.)

Back to the feve.

A couple of days after feasting on the galette, I saw the Renault 4L again but this time it was a real Renault 4L and the exact same color as the mini Renault 4L feve!

I thought some people might be interested to see what you can order to eat on the TGV, so I grabbed this brochure and did a quick scan. Click on the images below to see the summer TGV menu and prices in detail. I can’t comment on how the meals taste; I haven’t ordered food yet on the TGV but I think it looks edible, and the prices are fairly reasonable.

They even offer some organic items. Only a couple of things but that’s a good start. We were actually surprised.

There are muffins and wraps offered, which is particularly un-French but oh well.

Just a quick note about the Airbus 380. We flew it to New York during the summer and I have to say, it’s awesome. The photo doesn’t really convey how absolutely ENORMOUS this plane is (It’s the biggest plane in the world). The double-decker plane from Paris to New York accommodated 538 people but other airbuses like this to other destinations can hold up to 900 people! The ride is more spacious and extremely quiet, too, which helps to feel less tired upon arrival. I was surprised to feel good when we arrived. Normally, I feel pretty crappy. Other notables: you have your own screen and hard drive so you can watch films and other media at any given moment in time, and even put a movie on pause if you need to get up, then resume when you get back. No more waiting for the round of movies to end! The downside of this experience is when you have to retrieve your luggage, although they did a great job at JFK pulling the bags onto the baggage claim carousels. It can take a while, but it’s totally worth it. NOTE: Sadly, it doesn’t fly to the west coast. WHY??!

Grab a yummy pizza at the Pink Flamingo in Le Marais and if there’s no more seating inside, have a seat in the V Dub bus outside. You should see it near the restaurant!

Although the government is about to reduce the subvention amount for environmentally smart home energy, it began offering a different incentive for electric bikes. Receive 25% off (up to 400 euros) if you purchase an electric bike in Paris. For the moment this offer is restricted to Paris and Paris residents only, which means you’re supposed to have a Parisian address to qualify. We were lucky to receive this offer when we purchased our first vélo électrique, which is awesome. We bought this bike here.

I’m not sure if this offer will apply to other French cities.

For more information: see velo electrique (French)

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)

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).”

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.

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

Don’t try this at home.

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)

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

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.

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.”

Rental Bikes in Dijon

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

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.

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

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

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]

The Tour de France began yesterday! I haven’t been paying attention. Oops. Here’s the route (above) and to see street views from Google, go here. For more information, check out the official website.

Related: Tour de France Today in the Dreaded Le Creusot, Tour de France Route on Google Earth, Le Tour de France or AuTour de la France?, Tour de France 2006 – The Route

tags: france travel tour de france google street view

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

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

From 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

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.

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]

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….

continue reading

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

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

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.

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

Or would that be ugly in a cute sort of way? Or is it just plain ugly? I like it for a minute then I hate it. It’s cutely creepy. France’s train company (SNCF) made headlines last week with its ultra-fast train breaking its own previous record. I do think there are other trains that go faster. I could be mistaken, but I’m specifically thinking about the Shinkansen in Japan – but I shouldn’t take the limelight away from my hexagonal, host country home. I do think that fast train is pretty neat.

Back to the cute and ugly mascot in the form of an USB 512 MB key. This new mascot is one attempt on the part of the SNCF to change their image to be….cute? Fun, I guess. Trains are fun, I must admit – and keys do come in handy once in a while. (Of course, I’m not crazy about all that plastic.) I’m not sure where you can get these but you probably can find them at the….(drum roll)…train station!

I like that the French are not afraid of PINK. I think I even saw a French rugby team with bright pink jerseys. (maybe they were German or British) Anyway, I imagine an American rugby team (or any sports team for that matter) would flat out boycott pink. Too girly for them. Pffffff. Don’t they know that REAL men aren’t afraid of pink?

[via akihabara]

British tourists and expats must get Beyonce’s song out of their heads! (You know, “to the left, to the left…” Ok. anyway.)

There have been several accidents caused by English people driving on the left side of the street in France, so a small French town (Flers) in the north has launched a campaign reminding them to cut it out. There are posters up and they give drivers stickers to put inside their cars. This reminds me of when we were driving in England, we put post-its inside the car like this, “<–LEFT!” Silly, but that saved our lives, probably.

This also brings up the subject of why British people do not have to take a driver’s test when living in France. Their English driver’s licenses are automatically permitted in France, while other drivers, like say, from United States, have to take a test if they live in France more than a year. C’mon, the English freakin’ drive on the left!!! (Yes! I’m bitter.)

Back to the story. Here’s an excerpt:

“Police in a small town in northern France have launched a poster campaign to remind British expatriates and tourists to drive on the right side of the road — literally…”

Read the full article from Associated Press

In 1991, Guy Négre, a French ex-Formula One engineer, founded a company (Moteur Developpment International or MDI) that would continue the development of his invention, the Air Car. He would ultimately aim to put it on the global market and manufacture it. To date, it is not available to purchase. Why isn’t it – 16 YEARS LATER? Will the same fate kill the Air Car as it did the Electric Car?

What is the Air car?
The Air Car is a car that uses compressed air technology and is powered by an air engine. It does not use any gasoline whatsover. Compressed air is stored in carbon or glass fiber tanks at a pressure of 4,351 pounds per square inch (psi). This air is fed through an air injector to the engine and flows into a small chamber, which expands the air. The air pushing down on the pistons moves the crankshaft, which gives the vehicle power. It is inexpensive to manufacture, and most importantly, does not pollute.¹

Advantages Over the Hybrid
I may be one of the few to say this in public but I honestly don’t know why hybrids are getting all the buzz. Admittedly, they pollute the air less than standard cars, but they still do pollute AND they create a different pollution problem that is horrible. That itty-bitty detail seems to be getting overlooked. People should know that they have mongo sized batteries and no one can tell me exactly how long they last and where they will end up like other dead batteries. But we know where they’ll end up, don’t we? Yup, in a landfill. Batteries are one of the most hazardous elements to leach into soil from landfills, so while the beloved hybrid won’t pollute the air as much, they will cause harmful pollution in other ways. I personally find that biodiesels and Air Cars (with their zero pollution) are the true wave of the future but I can’t fight multinational lobbyists – so I think hybrids may be here to stay for a while.

In any case, I’m rooting for the Air Car even if isn’t the most attractive car (either is the hybrid!), and even if it will suffer a slow, torturous, unfair death. Or will it? One very big company in India, actually THE biggest automobile company in India (Tata Motors) has agreed to help further develop the air engine technology. Plus, the Air Car has been in news more and more lately so at least I know it is still alive and kicking. Go Air Car go!

The Air Car
Watch a video of The Air Car on YouTube
Zero Pollution and Low Cost
Tata Motors

¹ From How Stuff Works

My French sweetie and I had the weirdest conversation just the other day.

Him: “Waaah! Look at that truck, it’s oomungoose!”

Me: “Yeah. So?”

Him: “You know, here in L.A. nearly everyone drives an SUV.”

Me: “No, not nearly everyone. Everyone.”

Him: “And the bumpers are all different places even if they are about the same size SUV.”

Me: “I’m totally lost.”

Him: “Americans never take into consideration how a car will damage a person if they hit him.”

Me: “What? You mean hit them with their car?”

Him: “Yeah.”

Me: “Usually when people get him by a car here, they don’t survive.”

Him: “EXACTLY!”

Me: “I have no clue about what you are talking about.”

Him: “In Europe, when they design cars, they design them so that in the case where someone gets hit by this car, their bones will break in places that will be easy to heal. That is, if they survive. For example: it’s easier for a body to heal with a bone fracture on the thigh (the femur), rather than getting your hip broken. You know? Or, it’s better to get hit on the tibia (shin bone) and have the bone fracture there, than getting it cracked right on the knee. Etc.”

Me: “But people are all different sizes.”

Him: “True, so they base their calculations on averages.”

Me: “I get it. So a short person like me would have a bone broken in a bad place.”

Him: “Probably. If you survive.”

Me: “That’s lovely.”

Him: “See how thoughtless Americans are?”

Me: “I guess. Where did you learn about all this happy information?”

Him: “From a documentary on ARTE.”

Me: “I’ll make sure to watch more of ARTE when I need some cheering up.”

From Reuters:

“French motorists may be driving more recklessly than usual because they are counting on the traditional pardon by the incoming president after the election in May, the transport minister said.Statistics to be released by the transport ministry on Wednesday show a 13.9 percent rise in deaths on the roads in January, with 394 victims, the daily Le Parisien reported, after an 11.6 percent drop in fatalities in 2006.

France has a reputation of producing some of the most cavalier drivers in Europe but a concerted push by the government has seen a 43 percent drop in road deaths since 2002.

The surge in fatalities in January has raised concern that drivers are counting on having traffic offences wiped off when the new president takes office in May, Transport Minister Dominique Perben said.

“I hope that’s not…” Read the full article

Tags: france, french, reckless+drivers, pv, presidential, amnesty, violations, speeding+tickets, bad+drivers

From Busabout:
Who could fail to be seduced by France? There’s no other place like Paris on Earth with its majestic boulevards, fabulous shops and night-life. Out of the capital, Busabout takes you to a choice of towns including: Tours, Bordeaux, Avignon and Nice. Each town having its own particular brand of French attitude, fantastic food and wine, and a particular “je ne sais quoi!”

Busabout destinations in France

Avignon

In an idyllic location in the south of France, Avignon is nestled on the Rhone River and has spectacular views and stunning palaces.

Bordeaux

Vineyards, wide avenues, public squares, beautiful parks and architecture are just some of the amazing sights you’ll see in Bordeaux.

Nice

The gateway to the Riviera, a fantastic place to relax and explore the Cote d’Azur. Soak up the sun, sea and sand and see how the other half live!

Paris

Stroll across the romantic streets and bridges of Paris and discover its mystique and beauty. Enjoy a picnic of wine and brie on the grass by the Eiffel Tower and watch your troubles melt away…..

Tours

This Loire Valley gem is a stunning castle town, complete with turrets, moats, and drawbridges.

For more information: Busabout

Tags: travel, france, bus, budget+travel, visit+france, paris, tours, avignon, bordeaux

SNCF Travel in France has added a CO2 emissions comparison tool to their booking site. It takes several modes of transports and calculates (and compares) the impact on the environment. [via]

L’EcoComparateur

Tags: france, travel, sncf, trains, co2, emissions, pollution, co2+index, l'ecocomparateur, transportation, comparison

Though I’m not much into cars, these are an exception because they are so mini and cute! I’m not very excited about seeing them on the highways, however, because they usually don’t go very fast, which makes them dangerous road hazards. They are best seen at exhibitions, and due to the existence of many micro car fans, you can go see them whenever they exhibit. Here’s their site:

Microcar Fans France

On their website you’ll be able to find out about upcoming events all over France.

From August 21 to the end of this month, Peugeot has run a “special promotion.” They will apply up to 3,700 euros toward the purchase of your new Peugeot (specific conditions apply of course) plus the blue book value of your OLD car. I’ve seen the ads in spam mail in our mailbox as well as television spots of this particular promotion.

They really, really bug me. The TV ads shows this guy pushing his 20+ year old, crappy car off a cliff, then he remembers the “special” and uses his magic powers to bring it back up. Reverse tape and voila: old crappy car back on top of the cliff and ready to be redeemed at a Peugeot dealer. That sounds like a great deal!!

The print ad shows the same promotion with an ad babe sitting atop an old  Peugeot 104, which is a Peugeot model that began production in 1972 and lasted until 1988. But you’re not supposed to be paying too much attention to that because afterall, there’s a babe in the picture! I guess you’re supposed to be blinded somehow by the babe so you don’t read the fine print.

Peugeot’s fine print is like practically all fine print: very tiny at the bottom of the ad necessitating the use of a magnifying glass. In the TV ad, the fine print is scrolled really fast at the bottom of the screen. Try not to be distracted by the great deal or ad babe! Always read the fine print!!!!

The deception here is that Peugeot uses these examples of extremely old cars and they imply that you can exchange them for real value. The Peugeot 104 in the print ad, for example, is at best 18 years old, and could possibly be as old as 34 years old if it was one of the Peugeot 104s built in 1972.

The fine print will probably not surprise you. It didn’t surprise me either but nevertheless bugs me. Here’s what the fine print revealed: the promotion is only valid for cars less than eight years old.

If that isn’t a case of extreme and shameless deceptive marketing, I don’t know what is.

This parking game, “Parking Perfection” from Peugeot is slightly easier than the other parking game I’d written about not long ago. Each level has different challenges and as you progress, you’ll have obstacles like dogs to park around. Don’t hit them! And try to avoid bumping the cars around you. Be sure to read your mission for every level. Sometimes you’ll be required to park front first; other times you’ll have to back up into a space. Use the cursor (arrow) keys to steer and the spacebar to stop. You have a minute to park in your spot.

Strangely, the French car maker, Peugeot, has offered this game from their UK site and not from their French website.

Park your Peugeot Now!

More fun flash games from French developer Jean-Philippe Sarda at Pepere.org! Yup, this is the very same company that made Pépère, sa voiture et son créneau (Pepere, his car and parallel parking), the fun parking games.

This most recent game released by JP was inspired by the classic BMX series and the famous Nanaca crash game. The beauty of Jump Gear comes from the driver’s ability to jump (using the spacebar). You must adeptly control all of your jumps over the hills (left & right cursor arrows). Use the up and down arrows to accelerate and reverse. Cute, fun and challenging. Click on the picture above to play the game.

Imagine driving along the highway in France, and you can’t help yourself, you have to speed just a little, thinking every little bit helps to get to your destination quicker. Yes! you think, 30 seconds ahead of schedule? That strangely sounds like good thing while you’re driving. No, no, no – not speeding like a crazy maniac. Just putting some perk into the ride; nothing pedal-to-the-metal dangerous. There are hardly any other cars on the highway and traffic is moving divinely until…you see a highway marquee sign with a message.

You read it, and it says, “585971, you’re driving too fast. Slow down!” You think, “HaHA 585971 you got busted!” Then, you begin to wonder why that number sounds hauntingly familiar.

A few minutes later as you’re singing loudly with your car tunes, the realization finally hits you: that message was for you. That was your license plate number.  Yes it was for you and YOU alone. “Nah!” you think, “that wasn’t for me” In the distance you see another traffic message sign. As you approach it, you read it to verify that it wasn’t for you. It says:

“See! Just a generic message saying to drive gently, economize (on gas) and pollute less.”

Denial will get you nowhere. That was, indeed, your French Grand Frère warning you to slow down. Wasn’t he nice, though, that he didn’t give you a speeding ticket?

Tags: france, french, traffic, highways, driving, speeding+tickets, big+brother

Support France by posting a message on the traffic panels around Paris. Please. Don’t distract drivers too much. Short and simple messages work best. Avoid shameless plugs (oops).

To post your message to the traffic panels, go to the Paris website below. (submit your post before 4pm Sunday) Allez!

[via 3couleurs]

The Sécurité Routière, France’s Department of Road Safety has just released a spot for television that is so shocking and traumatizing, it’ll leave you in tears.

During the last several years, France has been trying to reduce their embarrassing statistics regarding the amount of fatal automobile road accidents due to drunk driving and negligent driving such as speeding. They’ve decided to take drastic measures and from the looks of this PSA, it far surpasses anything resembling “drastic.” In fact, the word drastic never seemed so tame in comparison.

It is so effective, you may never have the desire to ever step foot inside a car again.

To view the spot, go here: Sécurité Routière and click on the 90 sign, then click on the poster in the scene (like the one below) then click on “SPOT TELE.”

Tags: france, road+safety, autos, french, driving, scary, accidents, shocking, psa, cars, horrifying

Despite the news on television that purports that France is a literal copy of the landscape in Gangs of New York, this is the best time to plan a trip to France. I know Condi just issued a warning to Americans traveling to France, but if you come during the summer, no one will be on strike. Believe me. France takes a vacation during the summer no matter what. If disputes still remain between the government and the unions, the manifestations simply will have to wait then resume in the Fall. How convenient! Just like the Sunday family dinner in France (you know, le repas dominicale en famille?), Summers are sacrosanct.

Even if you’d like to come now, you can still see the cities though there may be some disruptions here and there. I certainly don’t believe it is as dangerous as they claim, however.

But, just to play it safe and to try something different, my recommendation would be to travel outside of the cities. It is a whole ‘nother kind of vacation. You have many choices but I’ll only focus on one for now (then revisit other options later possibly): Independent cruising along the French canals.

Warning: If you cannot handle a mellow trip, clean air, a calm atmosphere, breathtaking scenery and relaxing tranquility, this is NOT for you.

There are about 8 regions in France with cruisable canals: Alsace, Burgundy, Camargue, Franche-Comté, Maine-Anjou, Midi and Sancerrois.

Trips are extremely customizable so if you want to take a week long trip on the canals, stopping in different towns along the way, or if you just want to test it out for three days, taking a shorter trip, that is possible as well. One ways or round trips are also available, so you can pick an end destination town (for example, Montbard in Burgundy) where there might be a TGV (fast train) back to Paris to catch a flight back home. The fast train from Montbard to Paris takes only 45 minutes.

You do not need a license to drive many of the smaller boats (like in the photo). There are bike paths alongside many of the canals too if you want to bring along (or rent) a bike somewhere – to change pace and grab some exercise.

What you do need to know, however, is that from time to time you’ll come across an écluse which is a canal lock. It’s an enclosed section of a canal with gates at each end, used for raising and lowering boats from one level to another by admitting, or releasing, water. You’ll have to stop and have someone open the écluse so your boat can pass through.

[This is a late Lulu Lundi photo!]

Usually, there is a house at the écluse and someone will come out and help, but sometimes no one will be there and you’ll have to do it yourself. It’s not hard and will take only about 10 to 15 minutes. Last summer we were driving over a canal bridge and saw a boat approaching the écluse so we got out to help them.

Watch a slideshow here of the process of working with the ecluse. Click here: Canal in France – Ecluse (quicktime .mov file)

The other option with canals is to take a barge cruise with crew included so you don’t need to worry about anything including gourmet meals; everything is taken care of for you. [see la tortue, a Dutch barge company in France or check out Swan Cruises, Canals of France and self-catering Barging in France]

Information on DIY Canal Cruises (find price schemes on the websites)
France Afloat
Franceway
Locaboat

Travelogues
Barging Through Burgundy, France

Travel Guide Books on Canals in France
Cruising French Waterways
Insight Guide Waterways of Europe
Through the French Canals
Barging in Burgundy
Watersteps Through France: To the Camargue by Canal

and i do mean that literally. you see, these SUVs from china called, “landwinds” manufactured by Jiangling Motors, have not been able to pass any european crash tests. based on evaluations of the landwind at the frankfurt auto show last september, experts noted that the landwind was poorly assembled, used bottom-of-the-line plastics, had exposed cables – basically a low quality vehicle that is extremely dangerous to drive. the most important factor, however, should be the crash test results. the landwind failed european crash tests but miraculously passes chinese crash tests. (with flying colors of course) the landwind company, however, has declared that they are determined to remedy some of those faults by the time it premieres in france this october. i certainly hope so.

the models coming to france will be fully equipped: electronic air-conditioning, leather interior, car radio/CD, power-steering, electric sliding sunroof, backup sensor and alloy rims — priced at 15,500 to 20,600 euros ($18,752 to $24,922). Compared to other SUVs, that’s dirt cheap but considering the craftsmanship, cheap materials and labor, but most importantly the CRASH TEST RESULTS — remember: you get what you pay for – and you may end up paying with your life. i hope that consumers can put price tag aside to seriously consider how unsafe this car really is. Please think about the safety of your friends and family. from the words of Ad Vonk, the spokesperson for the Dutch Drivers’s Union (ANWB)… “I have never seen such a dangerous car!” the landwinds are already available for purchase in germany and the netherlands. [via le monde, autoactu and le blog auto]

Tags: france, cars, automobiles, landwind, chinese, Jiangling+Motors, SUVs

france has one of the worst road safety records in europe, and so, since 2000 has attempted to improve this abysmal rap by severely cracking down on drivers that speed. this includes not only french drivers but also foreigners that may be visiting france. if you get caught driving over the speed limit by 40 kilometers (25 miles) or more per hour, your driver’s license will be confiscated right on the spot! if no other driver is in your car, you have to somehow get to where you’re going on your own. in addition, you may be facing huge fines and police will escort you to a bank so you can extract sums of up to 1,315 euros. you may also face jail time. if your license is confiscated and you’re not from france, you can get it back only upon departing for your own country. this obviously also means that if you’re alone, you cannot drive your car back to your country, which can cost thousands of euros to get your car to your country’s border.

i wonder if people driving these too slowly also get their licenses confiscated…

[via article: RAC Foundation]

These have got to be the most dangerous (so-called) vehicles EVAR. It’s a microcar (aka voiturette) with these specs: lo-cylinder, sans permis (that’s right, you don’t need a permit to drive this itty-bitty tonka toy) – AND these quadracycles with a hardhat don’t go very fast either; I heard the speed maxes at around 30 mph (50 km/H). The drivers? Well, they’re usually sporting solid silver hair, riding low (you know, viewing THROUGH the steering wheel), no education in road safety, magnifying glasses AND squinting, slow reflexes, blahblah and on and on. NO I AM NOT LYING ABOUT THIS.

WEIRD SIDEBAR: the makers of these snailmobiles also make Formula 1 cars!

Back to the equation:

extremely SLOW vehicle + NO DRIVER’S LICENSE + OLD PEOPLE DRIVING + no driver’s ed = ?

The answer to the equation is the title of this post.

Adopt a smart attitude

If the Swiss watch manufacturer, Swatch, and the automobile manufacturer, DaimlerChrysler (makers of the Mercedes-Benz), fell in love, got together and produced offspring, what would the kids look like? Like these Smart Cars! These towers of Smart are all over France and you’ll see these most adorable cars zipping around cities across France. They are so cute!

Now, how does France come into the picture given that the companies involved are from Switzerland and Germany? Despite the joint-venture taking place between countries other than France, Smartville, the factory for Smart, is located in Hambach, France. The fortwo model (as in the photo) was launched in ’98 as a fuel efficient, urban use vehicle. It only weighs 740 kg (1,628 pounds), and is made of plastic body panels and a reinforced steel shell. The length of a Smart is 2.5m (8.2 feet) long, which means you can fit 2 Smart cars in one parking space!