In the ten years of travel in our family, there were certain traditions of joint rest. In 80 percent of cases, we try to move to a rented car. As for the geography of our routes, there is also a set of worked out, never fails scenarios. One such scenario was a trip every even year in France. Terms of repeated trips to the day, and her obligatory two paragraphs are a parade on the Champs-Elysees - 14 July, Bastille Day and the last Sunday of July, during the final stage cycling race Tour de France, on the way back. Paris in those days quite unlike the one that offer programs in traditional tours. For example, July 14 Downtown is completely pedestrian, here thundering fireworks, concerts, perform military bands, exhibitions. Street cafes turn into places gatherings cadets, officers and privates. Two weeks later, Paris dresses up in yellow - the color yellow jersey and the winner of the Tour, but instead of war filled the streets of cyclists - racing fans and participants, as well as the fans of cycling, and again orchestras.

In a certain direction

Borders travel remain unchanged. And here is the story of two weeks between the frames each time radically changes its geography. Map of France like a heptagon. His angles and determine the direction of each new trip. We have already mastered the Cote d'Azur, Alpes, Franche-Comte and Alsace, unforgettable impressions were from Brittany and Normandy. Direction this year, we have chosen the Basque Country. But it is precisely the direction and the journey was the culmination of Cape Roca in Portugal, the westernmost point on the map of Europe. When given a direction, choose the old route. Its detailed design begins in February. Another six years ago, the French routes routed me through the service Michelin (viamichelin), which still has not lost its relevance, especially if your itinerary is limited only by France. But if you bet to visit several countries, I would recommend to use in the preparation of cartographic services of Google. Particularly amusing is that with their help, even at the planning stage, focusing on reviews and photos, you can decide what is worth seeing, and what you can and missed. You can also gather information needed to travel in the format of the guide himself. " There is another important point in planning a family trip. It is important to include in the trip point of interest to all members of the crew to keep the interest of each in the continuation of history.

Live on the increase

; Hotels also can choose for yourself. Once I discovered the whole empire of small, independent private hotels, united into an association Logis de France (logisdefrance). Since then, planning to travel to France, I was mostly guided by the recommendations of this particular site. The only exception - Paris, where, for example, this year we stayed at his family once in five days. Comparing the conditions and prices of hotels, we decided to use the services of the agency and rented a furnished apartment - it has much more convenient and economical. Choosing a hotel on the route at this time we will not give preference notorious only large chain hotel or just a little private. In each case, the choice depended on the circumstances. Both options have their advantages. Private hotels always give you the opportunity to feel a real personalized hospitality at a reasonable price. A large hotel can afford to make a special offer, such as on weekends, and you get four stars for the price of two. There is, perhaps, only one universal secret: we ctaraemsya choose hotels' bottom-up "to experience each new place of residence were not weaker than the previous one.

Impact rally

The first day we drove about 900 miles from Paris to Bayonne, the administrative center of the French part of the Basque Country. Unlike their Spanish neighbors, the French Basques have advocated the preservation of national culture, language and identity in a peaceful mode, recalling that the Bretons: no appeal to self-determination up to secession on the street you will not notice. The route passed through the second day of Bilbao. We ventured to resist the traditional model of urban tourism marketing as a tourist attraction of power bought from a famous architect kunshtyuk provocative, and did not regret about it. This lure became the Guggenheim Museum designed by Frank Gehry. The pace of our movement is not intended to detailed acquaintance with the collection of contemporary art, but dinner on the terrace of the museum was a memorable one. In Portugal, we have planned two long stops - in Porto and Lisbon. On the road to Porto, we stopped in Braga, where the accident were the guests at a local wedding, however, finally deciding to which side - bride or groom. Porto remember the fantastic in the light of lanterns waterfront Douro port with warehouses and the Eiffel bridge, no less impressive than his famous Parisian sister. Noteworthy and the Old Town, living their lives and are very different from other areas - Finished the backdrop for a remake of "Brilliant hands". Lisbon, with its funicular tram, museums pioneers and decorated with tiles, traditional tiled mansions, is not only interesting in itself, but it and nearby attractions. The old residence of the Portuguese monarchs - Sintra, ocean beaches of Cascais, a center of pilgrimage to Fatima, in the Estoril race track ... quickly examining the entire set of tourist sites, we continued our way to the west and soon reached the climax of our trip - Cape Roca. Western Europe does not happen - hence our road lay just to the east. Next Capital of the route - Madrid. We arrived with a six-hour delay in three nights, but the friendliness at the reception of this have not diminished. The city itself seemed to us quite eclectic. The main street of Gran Via if implanted in New York of the thirties. The Royal Palace and Plaza Mayor transferred the traveler in the past, and finished in 1993 (after more than a hundred years after laying the foundation!) De La Almudena Cathedral with its remarkable avant-garde paintings and stained-glass windows - in the future. Further along the route - Andorra and Municipal Stadium, which became legendary for all Russian fans. That it made the first steps of the Russian soccer team to a bronze medal European Championship-2008. And here we are again in Paris, making the final, now traditional tour de Triomphe. All route completed. Unfortunately, the list of notable cities that we got through at high speed are impressive. Cathedrals Zaragoza and Toulouse, we have seen with the district lines, Limoges porcelain fired in a couple of kilometers from the motorway, and driving Cognac and Bordeaux, we had to really open up that window of our Peugeot and breathe deeply, hoping to catch the cognac share angel. These are the costs of rapid movement in Europe. But we now know where to go next time!

Rent-a-car

along a route the most important parameter is the appetite of your car. In Europe, an obvious priority will have a diesel engine. But regardless of what fuel you want your car, should be closely monitored so that you fill up the tank. In different countries, more than that - at gas stations on different networks in one country, one and the same type of top-Lebanon may differ indicated. And not always diesel fuel - that is what is called Diesel. With regard to economical diesel Peugeot 407 deserves the highest praise, lying down steadily at 7 liters per 100 kilometers when fully loaded. Perhaps there is another indicator of the car, which is often overlooked when planning travel to European cities have preserved their densely built-up medieval historical center or located in areas with a significant height difference. A geometric cross-machine. Unfortunately, when Congress to balk at the ramp to his bumper, as was the case with our Peugeot 407, to remember it later. Well, it happened in the hotel parking lot, and fifteen minutes later, no one is interfering with, we still have left. It appear we are in such a situation on a steep narrow street, Lisbon, obviously, would have heard a lot of entertaining WSS address. Traveling by car is remarkable in that virtually the only constraint on the volume of baggage is the amount of trunk of your car (admittedly, Peugeot 407 we were pleasantly struck by its capacity). Organization of storage space in the car and one of the key parameters of the choice of candidate transporters. With regard to rental companies, I personally prefer big network agency. Firstly, because the machine itself can be taken and return the clock (due to traffic jams at the entrance to Paris is never one hundred percent accurate calculation of arrival time). Secondly, the representation of networks is the whole of Europe, and you will be able to provide the necessary support throughout the route.

author: Sergey Chumin