Night Trains

Night Trains
Author: Andrew Martin
Publisher: Profile Books
Total Pages: 275
Release: 2017-02-09
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 1782832122

Night trains have long fascinated us with the possibilities of their private sleeping compartments, gilded dining cars, champagne bars and wealthy travellers. Authors from Agatha Christie to Graham Greene have used night trains to tell tales of romance, intrigue and decadence against a rolling background of dramatic landscapes. The reality could often be as thrilling: early British travellers on the Orient Express were advised to carry a revolver (as well as a teapot). In Night Trains, Andrew Martin attempts to relive the golden age of the great European sleeper trains by using their modern-day equivalents. This is no simple matter. The night trains have fallen on hard times, and the services are disappearing one by one. But if the Orient Express experience can only be recreated by taking three separate sleepers, the intriguing characters and exotic atmospheres have survived. Whether the backdrop is 3am at a Turkish customs post, the sun rising over the Riviera, or the constant twilight of a Norwegian summer night, Martin rediscovers the pleasures of a continent connected by rail. By tracing the history of the sleeper trains, he reveals much of the recent history of Europe itself. The original sleepers helped break down national barriers and unify the continent. Martin uncovers modern instances of European unity - and otherwise - as he traverses the continent during 'interesting times', with Brexit looming. Against this tumultuous backdrop, he experiences his own smaller dramas, as he fails to find crucial connecting stations, ponders the mystery of the compartment dog, and becomes embroiled in his very own night train whodunit.

Rick Steves France 2018

Rick Steves France 2018
Author: Rick Steves
Publisher: Rick Steves
Total Pages: 1245
Release: 2018-01-16
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 1631216880

Wander the lavender fields of Provence, climb the Eiffel Tower, and bite into a perfect croissant: with Rick Steves on your side, France can be yours! Inside Rick Steves France 2018 you'll find: Comprehensive coverage for planning a multi-week trip to France Rick's strategic advice on how to get the most out of your time and money, with rankings of his must-see favorites Top sights and hidden gems, from Louvre and the Palace of Versailles to neighborhood restaurants and delicate macarons How to connect with local culture: Stroll through open-air markets in Paris, or bike between rustic villages and local vineyards Beat the crowds, skip the lines, and avoid tourist traps with Rick's candid, humorous insight The best places to eat, sleep, and relax over a vin rouge Self-guided walking tours of lively neighborhoods and museums Vital trip-planning tools, like how to link destinations, build your itinerary, and get from place to place Detailed maps, including a fold-out map for exploring on the go Useful resources including a packing list, French phrase book, a historical overview, and recommended reading Over 1,000 bible-thin pages include everything worth seeing without weighing you down Annually updated information on Paris, Chartres, Normandy, Mont St-Michel, Brittany, The Loire, Dordogne, Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence, The French Riviera, Nice, Monaco, The French Alps, Burgundy, Lyon, Alsace, Reims, Verdun, and much more Make the most of every day and every dollar with Rick Steves France 2018. Planning a one- to two-week trip? Check out Rick Steves Best of France.