INTRODUCTION - France 2014 - page 18

16 All day for Villefranche-sur-Mer and Monaco. Sleep in Nice.
17 *Morning train to Annecy (7 hours). Afternoon and night in Annecy.
18 Morning in Annecy, midday train to Chamonix (2 hours), afternoon and evening in Chamonix.
Sleep in Chamonix.
19 If the weather is clear, take the mountain lifts up to Aiguille du Midi and beyond. Sleep in
Chamonix.
20 *Linger in Chamonix or take an early train to Paris (7 hours) or, closer, Lyon (4 hours). Last
afternoon and night in Paris or Lyon. (Or make it a 22-day tour with a night in Burgundy—stay
in Beaune, a 6.5-hour train ride from Chamonix—or a 23-day tour with a scenic 6.5-hour train
through Switzerland to Colmar, spend two nights there, then take the TGV back to Paris.)
21 Fly home.
* Indicates TGV option—book well in advance.
Time Zones: France, like most of continental Europe, is generally six/nine hours
ahead of the East/West Coasts of the US. The exceptions are the beginning and end of
Daylight Saving Time: Europe “springs forward” the last Sunday in March (two weeks
after most of North America), and “falls back” the last Sunday in October (one week be-
foreNorthAmerica).Forahandyonlinetimeconverter,see www.timeanddate.com/world-
clock .
Business Hours: You'll find much of rural France closed weekdays from noon to
14:00 (lunch is sacred). On Sunday, most businesses are closed (family is sacred), though
some small shops, boulangeries (bakeries), and street markets are open until noon, special
events and weekly markets pop up, and museums are open all day (but public transporta-
tion options are scant). On Mondays, many businesses are closed until 14:00 and possibly
allday.Smaller townsareoftenquietanddownrightboringonSundaysandMondays,un-
less it's market day. Saturdays are virtually weekdays (without the rush hour).
Watt's Up? Europe's electrical system is 220 volts, instead of North America's 110
volts. Most newer electronics (such as laptops, battery chargers, and hair dryers) convert
automatically, so you won't need a converter plug, but you will need an adapter plug
with two round prongs, sold inexpensively at travel stores in the US. Avoid bringing older
appliances that don't automatically convert voltage; instead, buy a cheap replacement in
Europe. You can buy low-cost hair dryers and other small appliances at Darty and Mono-
prix stores, which you'll find in major cities (ask your hotelier for the closest branch).
Discounts: Discounts aren't always listed in this topic. However, many sights offer
discounts for youths (up to age 18), students (with proper identification cards,
www.isic.org ) , families, and groups of 10 or more. Always ask, and have passports avail-