Culture Capital.As tourists venture forth into ever more remote areas in search of new experiences, TravelNews Asia's team takes a look at a selection of cultural and religious holidays. First up, Andrea Ripper takes a flight to the City of Light.
Clambering into a taxi in the pre-dawn darkness at Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport provides an unexpected introduction to French culture, and a cautionary tale - always look before taking the seat next to the driver.
If you don't, you may find yourself in the grip of a none-too-pleased pampered pooch.
In our case, a dozing dachshund wrapped snugly in a knitted blanket occupied pride of place in the front seat next to the driver.
On the dashboard was a framed photograph - not of the family back home, but of the beloved dog.
Parisians' penchant for their canine companions is renowned, but this is not to say that Paris has gone to the pack. France is the world's number one tourist destination, with 62.4 million tourist arrivals in 1996 and ample allure to ensure the visitors keep coming. And while a stroll along a French street can reinforce the stereotype of men in berets bearing baguettes, chicly-dressed women sauntering by, and accordian players adding to the ambience, it takes a lot more than cliches to make a country number one.
The universal appeal of all things French is evidenced in the choice of regional wines offered on Air France flights, the elegant boulevards and sandstone buildings of the City of Light, and the abundance of fine cuisine and relaxing coffee shops. These include the Art Nouveau Le Grand Cafe Capucines, with its Tiffany-style stained glass ceiling and wall panels, and the equally historic brasserie Flo, where the waiters have turned insouciance into a performance art.
Annual passenger traffic through Charles de Gaulle Airport is expected to reach 39 million in five years' time, up from 32 million in 1996. Two new runways, the first to be completed by early 1999, and the second by the end of 2000, will allow the airport to handle up to 55 million passengers annually, using four runways.
AF operates 15 routes from Asia to Paris, including non-stop services from ten cities including Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing; and Osaka and Nagoya in cooperation with Japan Air Lines.
While Paris is an ideal city to explore on foot with the help of a comprehensive guide book, the Paris Tourist Office on the Champs-Elysees offers information on professional guides working in languages including Japanese and Chinese. Fax: (33-1) 49525310, Website: http://www.paris-promotion.fr/.