September 27, 2004 -- Late autumn and winter are the right times to visit Europe, as you can best appreciate local culture and traditions when the locals are themselves home from summer travels abroad. Musical events and traditional festivities peak during this time as well.
United Vacations (888/328-6877; www.unitedvacations.com), affiliated with the airline of the same name, has reductions of up to $250 on getaways to Europe, including Paris. The offer is valid on any air and hotel vacation of four nights or more for travel from October 1, 2004 through March 31, 2005, excluding the Christmas season (December 18 to 31, 2004). Use the promotional code EURSAV at the time of booking in order to get the savings, which are from $50 to $250 on vacations priced from $750 up to $3500 or more, depending on your choice of packages.
Vacations to Paris, staying at the Royal Medoc, begin at $619 from Boston, $629 out of New York City, $659 from Washington DC, $694 from Chicago, $759 from Seattle/San Francisco/Denver; $764 out of Los Angeles and $799 from Portland OR. Prices include a small bottle of Champagne per room. Prices are per person, double occupancy, and in these examples above, reflect departures from November 1 through December 14, 2004.
Europe by Rail
Eurovacations.com, affiliated with the Rail Europe Group of travel companies, has some splendid customized vacations, one of which I want to pass on. It's a Paris-Avignon package for nine days (eight nights) costing $1006 per person, in early November, with four nights in each of the cities at four-star hotels, including daily breakfast, your roundtrip airfare from Boston to Paris, and first class rail between Paris and Avignon. For more deals like this, contact them at www.eurovacations.com or phone 877/471-3876.