Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
United:
Tel. 08 10 72 72 72 (Mon-Fri 8:00-20:00, Sat-Sun 9:30-18:00)
US Airways:
Tel. 08 10 63 22 22
Hotel Chains
Accor Hotels
(hugechain, including Ibis,Mercure, andNovotel): Tel.0825880000,US
tel. 800-221-4542,
www.accorhotels.com
Ibis Hotels:
Tel. 08 92 68 66 86, US tel. 800-221-4542,
www.ibishotel.com
Mercure Hotels:
Tel. 08 25 88 33 33, US tel. 800-221-4542,
www.mercure.com
Kyriad Hotels:
Tel. 08 92 23 05 91,
www.kyriad.com
,
Best Western Hotels:
US tel. 800-780-7234,
www.bestwestern.com
Country Home Rental:
www.gites-de-france.com
or
www.gite.com
Youth Hostels
Hostelling International, US Office:
www.hiusa.org
Hostelling International, Canada Office:
www.hihostels.ca
It'susefultogetonlineperiodicallyasyoutravel—toconfirmtripplans,checktrainorbus
schedules, get weather forecasts, catch up on email, blog or post photos from your trip, or
call folks back home (explained earlier, under “Calling over the Internet”).
Your Mobile Device:
The majority of accommodations in France offer free Wi-Fi
(pronounced “wee-fee” in French), as do some cafés, making it easy for you to get on-
line with your laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Some cafés, many TIs, many autoroute stops
and all Starbucks and McDonalds offer free Wi-Fi (handy for drivers as McD's are omni-
present on town outskirts).
SomehotelroomsandInternetcaféshavehigh-speedInternetjacksthatyoucanplug
into with an Ethernet cable.
Public Internet Terminals:
Many accommodations offer a guest computer in the
lobby with Internet access. If you ask politely, smaller places may let you sit at their desk
for a few minutes just to check your email. If your hotelier doesn't have access, ask to
be directed to the nearest place to get online. Little hole-in-the-wall Internet-access shops,
while common in the rest of Europe, are not prevalent in France.
Security:
Whether you're accessing the Internet with your own device or at a public
terminal, using a shared network or computer comes with the potential for increased se-
curity risks. Be careful about storing personal information online, such as passport and
