Dates to avoid when going France (shops might be shut).

January 1st,
Easter Monday (in 2011: 25th April) (though not Good Friday except in Alsace),
May 1st - La fête du travail, labour day
May 8th - Armistice day, World War II
Ascension Thursday,
July 14th, French national holiday, Bastille day
August 15th, Summer holiday day
November 1st, Toussaint, All souls' day
November 11th, Remembrance Day, Armistice of World War I
December 25th, Christmas. (though not Boxing Day, December 26th)

France 10 biggest cities(ranked):

Rank	City	Star rating	Strengths and/or weaknesses
1	Paris	*****	Paris is in a category of its own. There is just so much to see and do; world class museums, monuments and other attractions. From the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre or Disneyland, Paris has it all, and it is by far the most accessible of French cities
2	Nice	****	Located between rugged hills and the azure waters of the Mediterranean, Nice has a great deal to offer the visitor, from its beaches to its old town, its several art galleries and its old port. The area round Nice is breathtaking, and Its airport is well served by international carriers.
3	Strasbourg	***	Today seat of the European parliament, Strasbourg is one of the great historic cities of Europe. The old city, with its magnificent gothic cathedral, narrow streets and canals, is one of the finest old city centres in France. Strasbourg is accessible by TGV from Paris, and easily accessible from Germany and Benelux. Click here for our hand-picked selection of hotels in the centre of Strasbourg.
4	Bordeaux	***	This great old port city, on the banks of Gironde estuary in southwest France, has a large old centre, much of it dating from the 17th to 19th centuries with some fine monuments. and a good art gallery. The 18th century theatre is the finest theatre of its period in France. The area round Bordeaux is famous for its vineyards
5	Lyon	***	Lyon has an historic centre, between the rivers Saône and Rhône. The Place Bellecour is a fine urban piazza. To the west of the Rhone the old quarter of Fourvière rises steeply up from the quais of the Saône. The urban ensemble, which is a UNESCO world heritage site, is attractive and historic but not breathtaking.
6	Marseille	***	This ancient Mediterranean port has a vibrant city centre, with its main thoroughfare La Canebière. Worth seeing are the city's cathedrals and the mediaeval St. Laurent church. The old port area is very attractive, and boat trips can be taken to the historic fortress on the Ile d'If, lying in the middle of the bay.
7	Toulouse	**	The "pink city" has an attractive and quite distinctive old centre with a distinct Mediterranean flavour. Worth visiting are the St Sernin church, the Jacobins church and cloisters, and the Place du Capitole, a fine city square. Beside the city centre is the Canal du Midi, the oldest canal in Europe.
8	Lille	**	The old city centre of Lille is famous for its Flemish squares and belfries. See also the 17th century Citadel, and the Lille art gallery, reputed to be the second best in France after the Louvre. There is also a good modern art gallery. The Lille zoo is a popular attraction.
9	Nantes	*	The old city centre has narrow pedestrian streets, with an almost Parisian feel. The city's two main monuments are the St. Pierre cathedral and the Chateau of the Dukes of Brittany. Boat trips can be taken up the Erdre river, flanked by a succession of old mansion houses.
10	Toulon	*	A naval port city with an industrial heritage, Toulon has an attractive old quarter near the old port; but it is the city's beautiful Provençal hinterland and the fine coast to the east and the west that are generally more visited than the city itself.

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Musée du Louvre

The Musée du Louvre is one of the world's largest museum and also the most visited art museum in the world with a historic monument. Its a central landmark of Paris and is located on the right of the Seine in the 1st distric. It'd be an awesome place for art enthusiat.

You can read more on the over here.

Travel etiquette (body language)

Italy:

The people expect to see lots of kisses on the cheeks. Teddy bear hugs between men who are good friends and lingering handshakes. Italian men may walk arm-in-arm, as may women. Pushing and shoving in busy places is not considered rude, so don’t be offended by it. Try to stand your ground and not topple over. The Italian body language vocabulary is is quite extensive, but the pictures may be useful for you when you travel over to Italy:

Monaco:
Moroccan greetings can last as long as 10 minutes. Shake with your right hand then touch your heart, to indicate that its coming from your heart; you mean it. Good friends may tack on up to four air kisses, accompanied by a stream of well wishes: ‘How are you doing? Everything’s good with you? I hope your parents are well? Baraka (blessings) upon them!

Click here to learn/read more!

Airfares February 2011

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News in France!

France suspends arms sales to Egypt

Paris (CNN) -- France suspended the sale of arms and tear gas to Egypt, a spokeswoman for French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said Sunday.

It's not clear how much effect the move will have on Egypt, which has been wracked by anti-government demonstrations for nearly two weeks...

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News in Switzerland!

Swiss authorities: Social worker admits to 114 sexual assaults

(CNN) -- A social worker in Switzerland has confessed to sexually assaulting more than 100 disabled children and adults, authorities said Tuesday.

The 54-year-old man, who was not identified, said the assaults took place over a 28-year span in nine institutions where he worked as a therapist. He is from Argovie district in northern Switzerland, according to a statement from the regional public prosecutor of Bern-Mittelland and Bern cantonal police...

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News in Germany!

Germany scales back some security measures

(CNN) -- Germany is scaling back increased security measures put in place last November, but the interior minister said Tuesday the move doesn't mean the terrorist threat has completely subsided.

The measures, including a stronger visible police presence across the country, were announced on November 17 in response to what interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere then called concrete evidence of a possible planned terrorist attack in Germany...

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