Have a look at our new Paris Hotels page and our Specials page, as two of our favourite hotels in Paris, the chic Bel-Ami in the St Germain area, and the more traditional Chateau Frontenac just off the Champs Elysees, are offering “pay & stay” specials over Summer 2009.

On our Specials page you will also find details of our excellent Earlybird specials – if you book and pay in full for your 2009 tour by 15th November, you will receive a discount of 5% off the tour cost – on many of our tours that is $700 - $800 per person off. Rather nice in the current climate, to know that you can still travel and save! Have a look at our Barging Specials too. If you are not sure which tour to pick next year, please contact us for a chat and advice!

In the past many of you will know that we have been able to offer all your travel services, from airfares, car hire and train travel, to our tours and barge cruises. As of October this year, we have changed our arrangements with our associated agency, Pan Australian Travel.

At TF we are now concentrating totally on our tours, Barge Cruises, and your pre- and post tour accommodation in Paris & throughout France, plus local sightseeing and transfers. Pan Australian Travel will now be offering our guests excellent airfares, travel insurance, car hire etc. including other tours you may wish to do in other countries. If you would like further information when planning a trip with us, please contact Pan Australian on 03 9889 1885 (and see our new “About Us” Page for further information about their excellent consultants)

Our “Interesting Facts about France” this month relates to the tendency of the English to call the French “Frogs”. How did this come about? There are many theories, and here are just some of them….

1. The English nickname for the French has nothing to do with their fondness for frogs’ legs. Oddly enough the term was coined by the French nobility as a disparaging monicker for the inhabitants of Paris. The land surrounding Paris was notoriously swampy and the 18th century kings and courtiers of Versailles habitually referred to the Parisians as LES GRENOUILLES (the frogs). Foreign diplomats picked it up and gradually the term became used to describe the French in general.

2. It comes from Queen Elizabeth I of England who adored frogs and was accustomed to affectionately calling her close friends by that name. Thus, her young and handsome ambassador of France, with whom she had fallen passionately in love when she was young, she referred to as her "Dearest Frog". This is even said in the English history books of England.

3. In World War I, as the French soldiers were fighting alongside the English, the English were shocked by the French dish of frogs’ legs. Hence the English soldiers started calling them French Frogs.

There are many other supposed explanations! Who knows!!

But did you know that the French, in return, also have a “culinary” term for the English? “Les Rosbifs” is how the French, in slang, refer to their neighbours across the Channel. True!