July 23, 2003 -- During the summer months, the always-popular Paris is especially crowded with the mobs of tourist that flood the city.When the hot weather has passed and some of the visitors have departed, the cooling ease of autumn begins to make itself felt.Beat the rush and book your next trip to Paris before August 8 (when it sizzles), for travel during September and October 2003 (when it does not). Prices start from as low as $499 out of New York or Boston and $599 from a slew of other cities through France Vacations.
The packages include roundtrip airfare (you might fly on Air France, Continental Airlines, US Airways or United Air Lines), five nights at a two-star hotel, daily breakfast, a 10% discount voucher for the Galleries Lafayette, and city tax. The cost is per person based on double occupancy and midweek departures. You can travel on the weekend for an additional price, and remember that some restrictions apply.
The bad news:As you might imagine at these prices, airport departure taxes, security fees and similar costs are not included. The good news: you can book additional nights, get hotel upgrades, arrange fly/drive privileges and opt for sightseeing tours, all at an extra charge.
Hotel upgrades are available at literally dozens of price levels above the modest $499 (which lets you stay at the Roma Sacre Coeur Hotel), with the Royal Montparnasse, for instance, costing $816 for the whole package, or you can go as high as the glitzy Champs Elysees Plaza for $2,013!
Those other gateways at $599 include Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, Austin, El Paso, San Antonio, New Orleans or Oklahoma City.
For reservations and to get more information, contact France Vacations at 800/332-5332 or check out their website, www.francevacations.net.