Month: October 2020

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Ergonomic Travel Things to do in [...]

10 Things to do in 3 days in Tokyo

Introduction

We were preparing to go on a trip to Tokyo the other day.
We realized we only had 3 days to spend there.
We wondered ‘What could I do in 3 days in Tokyo?’.
Here’s what we plan to do.

But 1st, an outline of the article:
  • Shopping districts
    • Ginza
    • Akihabara
  • Landmarks & Culture
    • Tokyo Tower
    • The Imperial Palace
    • Senso-Ji
    • Tokyo’s National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation
  • Parks & Leisure
    • Yoyogi Park
    • Nikko National Park
  • Restaurants, Cafes & Snack-bar
    • Butagumi
    • Kazami, Ginza

Shopping districts

How do you start the day?

Ginza

  • One of the greatest districts of the capital.
  • And arguably one of the most expansive too.
  • If you are looking for the largest designer area, the biggest brands & the latest trends, they are in Ginza.
  • If you go shopping on the weekend be ready to walk, as the center of the district is closed to traffic.
  • Start at the Chuo-dori, Ginza’s main shopping area.
  • If you are looking for luxury items get to Ginza Wako.
  • The building is recognizable by its cylindrical structure & the clock tower sitting on its rooftop.
  • Most of the stores & malls have an impressive architecture and are a good go even if it’s only for sightseeing.
  • Look around for some of the largest installation of brands such as Bulgari or Uniqlo.

Akihabara

  • A neighborhood of Ginza, also situated in central Tokyo.
  • To find a myriad of Manga & Anime head to the Tokyo Anime Center.
  • You can also try manga shops like AsoBit City and the Mandarake complex.
  • Go for one of the many manga/anime-themed cafe & restaurant.
  • Try one of the multiple Arcades, where you’ll find some of the latest video games in an arcade version.
  • Akihabara’s nickname is ‘electronic town’, courtesy of the amount of electronics shops you’ll find.
  • Yamada Denki LABI Akiba, is great starter.
  • Some of these shops propose you the tax-free purchase option, after presentation of your passport. 
  • Trader is a great address for video games.

Landmarks & Culture

What will you remember the most?

Tokyo Tower

Want to go to Paris?
  • The symbol of Tokyo.
  • Topping at 333 meters, the Tokyo Tower, was built in 1958.
  • Climb up the outdoor staircase of the tower’s main deck
  • See the capital from upper while you stand on the glass floor sections.
  • You can also take an elevator to the main deck, 150 m above the ground.
  • On sunny days you can see Mt.Fuji.
  • The 2nd deck is situated 250 m ground.
  • Get there at night to enjoy the many light installations inside & outside the tower.
  • When you are ready to rest have a snack.
  • You can also get to the nearby Zojoji Temple and Shiba Park.
  • Many events are organized along the year around the tower.
  • Timetable
    • 9:00-23:00 every day.
  • Fare
    • General admission: 1200 yen
    • Extra fee for each additional activity

The Imperial Palace

  • The home of Their Majesties the Emperor & Empress.
  • The palace and its grounds are a great area to spend your afternoon away from the hustle of the city.
  • You can reach it after after a little walk from Tokyo Station.
  • You can also get there from Marunouchi financial district.
  • The palace is generally inaccessible.
  • Visit of the palace are, rarely, organized.
  • For example, the grounds of the Palace are open to the public during New Year celebration, on January 2nd.
  • There, the Imperial family makes public appearance.
  • The gardens are fully open, except certain specific areas, recently restricted.
  • Visit the Palace and learn how Edo castle became the Imperial Palace.
  • From the end of the Tokugawa shogunate to the origins of the palace itself, and why Tokyo became the new capital.
  • Tuesday to Saturday.
  • You can make a reservation by contacting the Imperial Household Agency.
  • The morning tour starts at 10:00, and the afternoon tour at 13:30 (1:30 pm).
  • It is 75-minute long.
  • Although its called Palace visit, it won’t take you inside the palace.
  • For this, see the aforementioned special events.
  • The guides will bring you to the Mt. Fuji-view Keep, the Lotus Moat and the Nijyu Bridge.

Kōkyo Higashi Gyoen Garden

  • The Groves are situated on the east end of the Imperial palace.
  • Open daily except Mondays, Fridays and on certain holidays.
  • End your tour of the gardens with a visit of the Museum of the Imperial Collections.
  • Free to the public.

Sensō-ji

  • This is the oldest temple in Japan, and is a very holy and important sight for the country.
  • Also Tokyo’s most visited temple, with approximately 1 million visitors each year.
  • It is essentially popular for being one of the prayer sites used by Tokugawa Shogun Ieyasa.
  • 3 of the most important sites of the temples are:
    • Niten-Mon, the oldest gate at Sensō-ji , located on the right of the main temple building.
    • Kaminari-Mon, bearing the red lantern inscribed with 雷門(Kaminari & mon),the symbol of Asakusa.
    • Rokkaku-do, oldest building of Sensō-ji, built in 1618 alongside Niten-Mon.
  • The Promenade is situated at the East Gate.
  • Timetable & Fare
    • Kaminari-Mon & Asakusa Shrine – Always open
    • Sensoji Temple – from 06 to 17(6 am to 5pm)
    • Free entry
  • Location
    • 2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
  • Closest station
    • Asakusa Station (main metro station) –
    • From there it is a small walk from exit 1 to Kaminari-mon

Official Website

Miraikan –
National Museum of Emerging Science & Innovation

  • Attractions
  • The museum presents 2 main types of activities:
    • Geology, Biology & Astronomy/Cosmology on 1 side.
    • Robotics, Information Technology & Computer Engineering on the other.
  • The museum proposes 2 types of Tours.
  • The 2-hour tour is composed of 9 activities:
    • 1/Geo-Cosmos, observe the Earth’s surface evolution displayed on a spherical display transcribing satellites images.
    • 2/Digitally Natural – naturally Digital, experience the future of reality digitization.
    • 3/Geo-Prism, Observe Earth from all angles with your fingertips.
    • 4/ASIMO demonstration, Advance robots & their future alongside us
    • 5/Android, Meet the human droids
    • 6/Visionaries Lab, Shifting your perspective on innovation.
    • 7/ISS, experience the astronaut’s way of life.
    • 8/Stories of One, Everyone, and You, Discover specificities of Human beings.
    • 9/Mission Survival: 10 Billion, Learn about the solutions to implement to deal with our future.
  • The half-day tour adds another 8 activities:
    • 4.5(Between ASIMO & Android)/Backward from the future, Imagine the Earth in 50 years.
      How would you achieve this vision?
    • 6.5/Songs of ANAGURA: experience information science in a world set a 1000 years in the future.
    • 7.5/Miraikan Kitchen, A break?
    • 8.5/Dome Theater: Space, all over you.
    • 9.5/Laboratory to Explore the Frontiers, an introduction to astronomy & the quest for beyond.
    • 10/Miraikan Cafe, Another break?
    • 11/CELLS in Progress, introduction to Cellular biology & iPS cells research.
    • 12/Mirikan Shop, Experiment kits, Books, themed stationary, etc.
  • More data & incentive on the Museum or 1 of the topic studied there?
  • Try the Miraikan Shop (open from 10 to 18/6pm).
  • Timetable
    • The museum is open from 10 to 17 (10am to 5pm).
    • Closed every Tuesday, except if it is a national holiday.
    • Closed on Near Year holidays (December 28 – January 1).
  • Fee:
  • Location & Directions
    • 5-minute walk from “Tokyo International Cruise Terminal Station”
    • 15-minute walk from “Tokyo Teleport Station”

Parks & Leisure

Yoyogi Park

  • An area to relax and soak up in the Park’s atmosphere.
  • The central Plaza is a verdant area from which most of the Park is accessible.
  • On weekends, groups of fashion enthusiast gather near the central pond, by the clock tower & other hot-spots.
  • You can also come across rock bands & Martial artists clubs.
  • The Park is a crossroads celebrated by the devise “A gathering place for people from all walks of life.”
  • Sit in the flower garden for a picnic, to stretch, to breathe…
  • Admire the wide variety of specimens.
  • Walk around the Plaza, in the rose garden, the tree groves.
  • If you came in spring the cherry blossom will be open.
  • In fall, gingko flowers bloom.
  • For all sport enthusiasts know that the Park is equipped with a soccer field & a hockey field.
  • A cycling course is also installed within the grounds.
  • It is situated in the northern part of the Park.
  • There you can rent a bike & go for a ride on the dedicated circuit.
  • Facing the Park is the Yoyogi National Stadium.
  • The visit of the Yoyogi Park depicts you the translation of Japan from the post WWII period to its boom in the 70s/80s.
  • You can visit the nearby Meiji Jingu shrine.
  • Omotesando-dori, an area of fashionable shops, is also by the Park.
  • Timetable & fare
    • Admission is free
  • Location & Access
    • Yoyogikamizono-cho/2 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku,
    • Yoyogi-koen Station, Chiyoda Line, it takes 3 min on foot

Nikko National Park

  • A large, multifaceted park located outside of the capital.
  • Hiking opportunities in a diversity of areas(mountains, lakes, waterfalls) are numerous.
  • This may be the only park you need since it could take you a couple of days to explore it fully.
  • Visit the Toshogu Shrine:
    • Learn about the mythology of the carvings exposed around the temple.
    • Discover the origins of the Tokugawa shogunate.
  • Situated at the entrance of the Nikko mountains Shinkyo Bridge vermilion .
    • Discover the Legend of Shodo, the first head priest of Nikko.
    • The bridge sits next to the Nikko Futarasan-jinja Shrine & belongs to it.
  • Sit by Lake Chuzenji, and enjoy the blooming vegetation of the highest lake in Japan.
  • Overflowing from Lake Chuzenji at almost 100 meters up, the Kegon Falls is surrounded by luxuriant greenery.
    • The waterfall freezes solid in winter.
  • Try the Hot springs.
  • If you wish to stay in a Ryokan, traditional Japanese inn, it is highly recommended to reserve in advance.
  • Timetable
    • Always open
  • Fare
  • There are 2 types of Nikko Passes (from Asakusa Station)
    • Nikko World Heritage Area Pass 2,040 yen
    • Nikko All Area Pass 4,600 yen 4,230 yen
  • Location
    • You can get there by train via Shinjuku, Asakusa & Tokyo station (2 hours).
    • Or by bus via Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, & Yokohama (3 hours).

Official website

Restaurants, cafes & snack bars…

Butagumi

  • Want a slice of fried pork?
  • Butagumi will serve you these wonderful cutlets of breaded deep-fired pork, Tonkatsu.
  • Tonkatsu is accompanied of fresh, finely sliced cabbage, rice & miso soup.
  • The large variety of regional specialties available on the menu come with the home-brew Butagumi sauce, not unlike the Worcestershire but slightly denser.
  • Have a seat in this traditional house & enjoy a technique perfected over 6 decades.
  • Enjoy the juiciness of a meat fried in pure sesame oil.
  • Always better to reserve beforehand, regarding the popularity of the restaurant.
  • Timetable & Fare
    • Open from Tuesday to Sunday
    • From 11.30am to 3pm
    • And from 6pm to 10.30pm
    • You can have a nice meal for approximately 5000 Yen (2 people).
  • Location
  • If you haven’t reserved, try to get there for 10.30 or 11am.
  • Around the Roppongi area you can go for a little walk before lunch just to guaranty yourself a good place in the queue.
  • You can get there by:
    • Nogizaka Station (Chiyoda line), exit 5; or
    • Roppongi Station (Hibiya, Oedo lines), exit 2

Kazami, Ginza

  • What about a hearty & gorgeous ramen?
  • If it’s your 1st time in a ramen shop, place your order on the ticket vendor, take your ticket & present it to the personnel.
  • Generally these machines accept only bills & coins.
  • Try their unique bowl, the “soba”.
  • It looks like soba, and feels like soba, but it’s actually ramen.
  • You can also ask for the sake-kasu soba option, with sake.
  • Ramen & soba are generally presented as opposite kind of noodles, it’s sort of a pun.
  • The broth for the shio and shoyu ramen is made with kombu (seaweed) & dried fish.
  • Plenty of vegetables & roast/grilled/fried meat slices on top of fresh noodles.
  • Also, your hard-boiled egg.
  • You will probably come back for their top notch ramen.
  • The assortment of condiment can be confusing:
    • Yuzusco(yuzu + tabasco) sauce, ground & sansho pepper, yuzukosho (fermented chili peppers, yuzu peel and salt).
    • Vinegar, dried red pepper, and ginger.
    • If you are wondering, Yuzu is a citrus comparable to a mandarin orange or a pomelo.
  • Ask for advice if you need to.
  • They have a sushi restaurant on the 2nd floor.
  • Timetable & Fare
    • Open 11:30-15:30, 17:30-22:30
    • Meal for 2: 2000 to 3000 yen.

Conclusion

Where will you go 1st?

Where would your friends go 1st?

If you’d like any more information on the attractions presented here send us your questions.

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Living in France: Sample Monthly Budget

  • How much does it cost to live in France?
  • Here’s a sample Monthly Budget.
  • The cost of life will comprise 6 areas: Housing, Communications, Transportation, Services, Groceries, and Entertainment.
  • The Cost will be detailed in 2 scenario: Single/Couple & a Family of 4/5.
  • The costs in this article will be indicated in Euros, for immediate projection purpose.
  • You can consider that 1$ = 1€.
  • It will make values more understandable.
  • It will even out in most cases.
  • If you wish to know more about currency pair velocity you can search about the Eurodollar evolution & Currency Pair: EUR/USD on sites like Investopedia or other financial websites.

Housing

  • Good to know : About the minimum wage.
  • In France the minimum monthly wage, for a 35-hour week, is €1,219 after deduction of social security taxes & income tax (as of 01/01/2020).
  • Rent
    • As a Single person/Couple rent could cost you as little as 575 euros Charges Comprises for a 3 rooms 2 bedrooms 70m² apartment on southern Paris.
    • The rent itself would be 450 euros + 50-125 euros of Charges (water, waste, & in this case heat).
    • This cases are not the norm, but they do exist if you contact the owner directly.
    • A realtor may make you pay up to 900-1000 euros for a 2 bedroom appartment.
  • A Family of 4/5 could find a 6 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 121 m² apartment for as little as 850 euros Charges Comprises in Provence, Laragne-Monteglin.
    • Again, try to contact the owner directly via a website like lefigaro immobilier (immobilier = real estate).
    • A realtor may add up to 650 euros fee on a similar product raising the rent to 1500
  • Les Charges Comprises (Utilities) are a fraction of the housing included in the rent.
    • They include Water, Wastes & Garbage.
    • They could include Electricity (general & Heating/Cooling).
    • They could include Telephone & Internet.
  • La Quotion.
    • The owner will often ask you an upfront payment on the 1st month equal to a month of rent.
    • It is asked by the owner to secure the rent & to cover the reparation costs.
    • On the Single/Couple example it would be 575 * 2 = 1150€ on the 1st month.
    • On the Family example it would be 850 * 2 = 1700€ on the 1st month.
    • La Quotion is only due on the 1st month, and is returned to you at the end of the rent period if the property hasn’t been degraded.
  • The last thing will be ‘l’assurance habitation’ (house insurance), more on this in the Bank section.

Communications

  • France as many other countries, offers package deals (Internet + Phone)
  • 3 of the most popular package deals are the SOSH(Orange) package 15€/m, the Free package 20€/m & the B&You (Bouygues) package 20€/m.
  • Both of these packages include International phone calls.
  • They are ‘Sans engagement’ meaning the contract can be interrupted at any moment (you still have to pay the actual month).
  • If you are form the US or the UK some of your favorite shows may not be available in France due to region restriction.
  • So we recommend you use a VPN.
  • VPNs can be found for as little as 5€/m.

Transportation

  • Good to know : As you arrive at the Airport, it’s a good idea to have 50 euros in cash to pay for transportation.
  • ATMs are available in every airport.
  • A One-way Ticket for the Local Transport will cost from 1.7 to 2€.
  • The ‘Carte d’abonnement’ (subscription card) are value season ticket.
  • They allow you to subscribe to a transportation service for a week, a month or a whole year.
  • Les ‘Carte d’abonnement’ will generally cost you around 70€ (Navigo) as an adult, and 35€ as a child/student on Paris.
  • On Marseilles the Regular Price of a Monthly Pass is 48€.
  • They also serve as transportation titles, be sure to have it with you at all times.
  • Know that the transportation expenses can be exonerated from your taxes if you are subscribing via a ‘Carte d’abonnement’.
  • ‘Carte d’abonnement’ become particularly advantageous when it comes to Trains.
  • La SNCF(main train company), offers la ‘Carte Liberté’ a yearly pass that cut the cost of all your train travels by 45%(1st class) to 60%(2nd class).
  • It also allows you to exchange or refund your tickets without additional cost.
  • It’s 399/y for an adult.
  • Up to 3 accompanying children (age 4-11), get another 50% off based on the fare paid by the cardholder.
  • It is valid for all types of travels, in France & in Europe.

Financial & Health Services

  • Health & Social
    • The National Social Security (l’Assurance Maladie) covers almost every Health/Social-related expanses.
    • Doctor’s visit is around 25€, fully refunded.
    • Almost every merchandise bought in Pharmacy is refunded.
    • Additionally, you can pay for a ‘Mutuelle santé’ which will cover certain specific treatments & expenses (essentially paramedical expenses).
  • Insurance
    • Insuring your Car & Home is mandatory.
    • Most Home insurances cover an apartment.
    • They can highly variate, between 96 & 352€ per year, so we will detail how to choose your insurance depending on where you live in another article.
    • 2 of the most cost effective options are the Inter Assurances comfort plan (112€/y) & the Carrefour formule essentielle (157€/y).
  • Banks
    • For extra convenience, most banks propose an housing insurance plan.
    • As for Insurance companies, Banks annual fees can hugely oscillate, between 23€ & 242€ per year.
    • 3 of the most cost effective options are the Boursorama banque (23€/y), the Fortuneo banque (28€/y) & the Orange bank (40€/y).
    • Note that the bank account opening will cost you 80€ for the 3 aforementioned banks.

Self-Catering & Groceries

  • Super-Markets
    • As a Single person /couple monthly groceries cost around 200€
    • As a Family you could go up to 500€.
    • The main supermarket/hypermarkets chains are Carrefour, Auchan & Super/Hyper U.
  • Convenient stores are the less cost effective option.
  • Markets/Marches Locaux offer a diversity of fresh products, at extremely competitive prices.
    • Every City/Town/Village has a weekly market.
    • The biggest Cities & Regional Capitals have daily markets.
  • More on markets with our Marches Locaux & Regional Specialties tops.

Entertainment

  • Cinema
    • The ticket costs around 10€.
    • Some cinemas like UGC & Pathe/Gaumont offer a monthly pass for unlimited access at 20€/m.
  • Restaurants
    • The price on the bill includes service, you don’t need to leave a tip.
    • A 3-course meal for 1 person: 20-30€.
    • A Lunch for 1 person: 10-15€.
  • Snack-Bars, Cafes & Boulangeries
    • Cafe: 2-4€, it’s more expensive if you drink it on the terrasse.
    • Pastries/Viennoiseries: 2-3€
    • Sandwiches/Pizza/Tartes: 5-7€ (with Fries? Add another 2€)
    • Salads: 7-10€
    • Baguette/Bread: 0.9€
  • Food Delivery
    • Web services such as Deliveroo & Glovo are available in France.
    • You may already know about them, so…
  • Hairdressers & Barbershops
    • Around 30€ for women (80€ for a color), 20€ for men, 10€ for children.
    • Salon products may cost around 20-40€.
  • Gym club
    • 30-50€ on Paris, around 40€ on Lyon & Nice, around 30€ for the rest of the country.
  • Landmarks, Museums & Art Galleries
    • The access to many Museums in France is around 10€.
    • Some Museums, like Musee d’Orsay or Centre Georges Pompidou offer 2 types of tickets.
      • Le ‘Billet coupe-file’, that will allow you to have preferential access to the art pieces (14 to 16€).
      • La ‘Visite guidée’, which entitles you to a tour of the Museum (49€ for Orsay, 94€ for Pompidou).
  • The access to Museums & Landmarks is free on holidays & festivals such as Journées du patrimoine or 14 Juillet.
  • Certain Museums & Landmarks will also allow you to enter for free on Sundays.

ExpensesEuros €/m
Housing
Studio/1 room
2 rooms
3 rooms
4 rooms		500
600
800
1200
Rent
Charges/Utilities		430 – 1000
80 – 200
Communication
Phone + Internet (wifi/mobile)
VPN		20
5
Transportation (monthly pass)
One-way Ticket
Bus + Metro + others
Train (Yearly Discount pass)		1.7 – 2
50-70
399(+ ticket)
Financial services
Bank
Insurance (Health + Home + Life)		23-40
112-157
Groceries
For 2
For 4/5		200
500
Entertainment (1 seance/1 dinner)
Cinema
Dinner
Museum/Landmark		up to 10
20-25
up to 10

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What is a smart destination and why it maters for you?

Deliver the best Service.

A smart destination is a destination enhanced by the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence & the will to deliver great customer service.

To make your journey smoother & more in-depth smart destinations have developed policies such as:

  • Save resources to welcome more & more people
  • Synergize the artificial & natural environment
  • Create a consistant web where people & information circulate easily
  • Upgrade & promote traditional & local landmarks

Make your journey smoother & more in-depth

  • Smart technologies helps tourists to become more aware of their environment & provide suitable alternatives.
  • In this regard Augmented Reality is one of the most important, if not the most important, functionality.
  • Allowing you to access real-time data on the place you are visiting or on the location you wish to reach by displaying them through CG imagery is quite possibly the 1 thing that will make your journey become futuristic.
  • Gamification of travel becomes real.
  • The AI assistants provides location & general information about essential city services.
  • Find in a instant the closest police stations, healthcare centers, train stations, and other administrative offices.
  • The same goes for restaurants, museums & other places of entertainment.

Save resources to welcome more & more people

  • Resources preservation is a common financial & environmental topic, but in the case of smart destinations another aspect is added: aesthetic & attractiveness.
  • All information you need are available via visually optimized apps, for more ergonomy & less information on paper.
  • Energy saving is also achieved by using evolutive lighting that can adapt through Computer Vision & AI.
  • Oslo is one of the leading cities in terms of lighting efficiency.
  • Barcelona is making use of Internet of Thing technology & cloud computing to optimize its energy consumption.
  • Carbon neutrality is a major concern of smart destination.
  • It is achieved by growing a more efficient, more secure & more attractive Public transportation system.
  • Prohibiting cars in the City centers & other parts of the capital to make traffic smoother is another major solution.
  • Multiple parts of Tokyo, such as Ginza, have already implemented this policy.
  • Cycling is popularized & solar-powered cycling spreads.
  • Tokyo is a city where the use of electric vehicle gradually becomes the norm.

Synergize the artificial & natural environment

  • By developing synergistic Architecture smart destinations display a new sense of aesthetic where nature & civilization benefit each other visually.
  • This functionally leads to synergistic Urbanisme.
  • Cities are build by taking more into account the geography & topography allowing to benefit from the specificities of each location.
  • Oslo is working on a full restructuration of its urban structure, and particularly its transportation network.
  • By investing in sustainable hotels & other accommodations smart destinations enhance service quality.
  • The most important sustainability policies are presented through City tours where you’ll have the opportunity to try them yourself.
    • It is the occasion to discover the most essential parts of the city or parts you’ve never heard of.

Create a consistant web where people & information circulate easily

  • Easily reach your destination, that’s important.
  • Smart destination understood it.
  • Reaching your destination easily, safely & conveniently, that’s even better.
  • The crowd management system developed through the use of Computer Vision & Machine Learning recognition allows all of this.
  • When they are, of course, combined with a diversify public transportation system.
  • Less crowded vehicles may also mean more secure circulation.
  • That is why many smart destinations offer you multiple transportation means.
  • Barcelona is making use of Internet of Thing technology & cloud computing to increase its transportation network safety.
  • Through city apps you are sent itinerary suggestions in order to reduce traffic congestion.
  • This is achieved by providing evolutive data on parking slots availability, zones to & local traffic.
  • Making the country more accessible to tourists is every country’s concern.
  • Making the country more accessible to tourists who don’t speak the language is a growing concern.
  • Real time translation apps are essential for countries where English isn’t widely spread.
  • Making destinations more accessible to the elderly & people with disabilities is also a major concern.
  • Touristic agencies & destination management organization have began to address it by providing tours adapted to the specific needs.

Upgrade & promote traditional & local landmarks

  • Cities tend to promote local businesses, principally local restauration & local craftsmanship.
  • They also wish to display lesser known districts.
  • This is achieved through the creation of public open space, mainly cultural spaces such as museums & libraries, where tourists are invited to discover the history of a particular district or landmark.
  • Promoting low season visits & lowering prices is another increasingly successful strategy.
  • A sustainable touristic taxation system is also developed to normalize fees differences between the cities & states.
  • This last point is critical for the hostellerie industry intrinsically dependent of real estate and subsequently impacted by an efficient taxation system.

Conclusion

  • Smart tourist destination are developed to make your journey more convenient.
  • Wherever it’s safer & smoother thanks to computer vision.
  • Or easier to navigate through the emerging Augmented reality technology.
  • Finally, it makes that new country more accessible thanks to real-time translation, powered by Natural Language Processing.
  • A smart destination is 1st & foremost tourist oriented.
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13 Specialties of Bourgogne-Franche-Compte you need to try

  • La Sauce.
  • Sauce au beurre, wine sauce, jus de viande, you’ll find that everywhere in French gastronomy, but that is in Bourgogne that’ll find it the most.
  • Just in case you forgot where you were, they put Bourguignon in the name of every dish served.
  • Same goes for Comtoise.
  • Stewed dishes & Simmered dishes?
  • You’ll find both of these in Bourgogne-Franche-Compte.

The Dishes:

  • Bœuf Bourguignon 
  • Cancoillotte
  • L’escalope de veau comtoise
  • Escargots de Bourgogne
  • Fondue Bourguignonne
  • Galette comtoise
  • Gougères
  • Griottine
  • Mont-d’or
  • Pochouse
  • Potee Comtoise
  • Poulet de Bresse aux Morilles
  • Saucisse de Morteau

Bœuf Bourguignon 

  • The pride of Burgundy.
  • Bœuf Bourguignon is a stew (‘estouffade de bœuf’) cooked in red Bourgogne wine.
  • The core of the dish is nicely diced Bœuf à braiser & Bacon.
  • Add to this raw vegetables: bright carrots, big onions & intense Garlic.
  • A variant consist of adding mushrooms cooked in butter.

Cancoillotte

  • Cold or hot, on tartines or dressed over potatoes the Cancoillotte will not leave you indifferent.
  • Generally sold in small 250g pots, this little creamy cheese is perfect for those who look for a low-carb cheese loaded with proteins.
  • Made out of Metton(another cheese), butter, milk & salt the Cancoillotte is one of the most convenient cheese.
  • Enjoyed by people who don’t especially like cheese since it has a neutral taste.

L’escalope de veau comtoise

  • L’escalope de veau is a wonderful piece of veal & Franche-Comté.
  • 1st, it is delicately pan-fried with lots of butter.
  • It is then covered with smoked cured ham (‘jambon cru’) and grated Comté cheese.
  • Both the cheese & ham enhance the strength of the meat.
  • Finally, the escalope is topped with a cream & mushroom sauce.
  • Many different types of mushrooms are used.
  • The most popular are morels, chanterelles & champignons de Paris.

Escargots de Bourgogne

  • Les Escargots de Bourgogne are the most popular variety of snails preparation.
  • Prepared with the Helix pomatia, or Bourgogne sauvage, & a sauce called Beurre d’escargot.
  • Le Beurre d’escargot is a mix of melted butter, to which is added minced persil, scallions, garlic & pepper.
  • Generally consumed on Christmas & other celebrations.
  • The recipe is will be customized.
  • Don’t hesitate to ask the Chef for their personal version, they’ll surely have one.

Fondue Bourguignonne

  • Fondue Bourguignonne is 1 of the simplest dishes of this list, and somehow 1 of the tastiest.
  • Put dices of strong red meat in boiling oil & voila.
  • Ask for a fondue sauce, if they don’t serve one.
  • The most common accompaniment for Fondue is Mayonnaise & its 2 variations: Tartare sauce (with capers, persil & pickles) & Aïoli (with garlic).
  • Fondue can be also be accompanied with Sauce au céleri (celery, nuts & lemon) or Sauce tomate aux anchois (anchovies, tomato paste & olive oil).
  • There is even a sauce made of tomato paste & whisky.
  • Generally served with rice or french fries.

Galette comtoise

  • La Galette comtoise looks a lot like a pie.
  • It is 1 of the few French ‘tartes’ that is closed, meaning its garniture is hidden under its crust much like British & German pies.
  • It can also be found under the name ‘galette bisontine‘ or ‘La galette de Goumeau’.
  • Made of milk, sugar, butter & flour, as usual, its peculiarity resides in the Fleur d’Oranger.
  • La Fleur d’Oranger is an arôme used in many French pastries (e.g. Madeleines) used to give the cake a specific taste.
  • In this case it reinforce the Brioche-like taste of the Galette’s crust.
  • Many recipes add ‘creme pâtissière’ (a cream similar to custard) to the mix.

Gougères

  • The Gougères are choux salé.
  • Much like the cream puffs you know, but filled with cheese.
  • The cheese traditionally used is Gruyère (Swiss cheese) sprinkled with Muscade.
  • Although these fantastic little puffs can accommodate Comte, Reblochon, Emmental, Mimollette & many others.
  • Newer versions will also embed Charcuteries & various types of herbs (e.g Herbes de Provence).
  • The recipe is highly customizable.
  • Again, try then in multiple restaurants & bistrots to have a bit of the many variations.

Griottes & Griottine

  • Griottine is a beautiful cake.
  • This is type of cake you’d like to marry.
  • And you probably will, because you’re drunk.
  • Griottine is the name of the cake but also the Liqueur used to make it.
  • Obtained by macerating Griottes in kirsch, local cherries, the Griottine serves as the core of the recipe.
  • The cake is made of soft & intense dark chocolate.
  • Griottes can also be consumed as is.

Mont-d’or

  • Bearing the colloquial name of the Jura’s mountain, the Mont-d’or is a royal cheese.
  • Cooked in the oven as is, in tartiflette, or even consumed raw with a slice of bread, the Mont d’or a versatile cheese.
  • Le Mont d’Or also known as ‘Vacherin du Haut-Doubsone’ is 1 of the most sought-after cheeses of France since it is only produced during a limited period.
  • It is made from August 15 to march 15.
  • It is then commercialized September 10 to May 10.

Pôchouse Bourguignonne

  • Pôchouse Bourguignonne, Burgundian Fish Stew, is an ‘estouffade de poisson’.
  • Slowly cooked in white wine with vegetables, bacon & thyme/bay leaves, la Pôchouse should satisfy every fish enthusiast.
  • Many local river fishes are used in its confection such as eel, pike, sea bass, or tench.
  • Generally served a sauce made of flour & butter, very similar to a Béchamel sauce.

Potée Comtoise

  • Onions, carrots, potatoes, leeks, turnips & cabbage.
  • Nothing particular?
  • Thyme, Pepper, Laurel, Olive oil, Chicken stock.
  • The seasoning is pretty basic too.
  • What makes this stew memorable is the Sausages used in its confection.
  • La Saucisse de Morteau & la Saucisse de Montbéliard will be the unique flavor of this dish.
  • Sometimes ham (‘jambon sec fumé du Haut-Doubs’) will be added to the mix.

Poulet de Bresse aux Morilles

  • Poulet de Bresse is the glory of Bresse.
  • One of the plumpest chicken, fat & with thin bones it will give you the most meat for money.
  • The morels (‘Morilles’) are only here to sublime it.
  • The sauce is a mixture of butter & fresh cream.
  • Also, the chickens are red, white & blue.
  • That’s funny.

Saucisse de Morteau & de Montbéliard

  • It began thousands of years before modern gastronomy.
  • During the last millennia emerged a Sausage.
  • A Sausage that would soon become the symbol of a people, of a country.
  • That’s the official version.
  • Smoked with softwood, seasoned with cumin, The Montbéliard is generally eaten after having been poached.
  • If you prepare it yourself, but if it isn’t be sure to cook it before eating.
  • Same for the Morteau.
  • In the oven, in the skillet or on the BBQ it’s always a success.

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8 Specialties of Rhones-Alpes-Savoie you need to try

Disclaimer: Most of the dishes you will experience here are Potatoes, Charcuterie & Cheese.
Heavy, creamy, ample cheese.
If you want to live a long & healthy life do not read the rest of this article.

What are the formidable specialties to come?

  • Beaufort
  • Gratin Dauphinois
  • Fondue savoyarde
  • Noix de Grenoble
  • Raclette
  • Tartiflette
  • Reblochon
  • Tomme de Savoie 

Beaufort

  • Many part of France are made of cheese.
  • But Alpes-Savoie must be one of the cheesiest parts of the country.
  • The greatest variety of Gruyère, or Swiss cheese as it is also known.
  • The Beaufort has won the name of “Prince des Gruyères”.
  • Many Alpines cheeses will be describe as Fruity or Nutty.
    • The Beaufort is both, and therefore is goes well with fruits, especially grapes, & nuts.
  • Because of its slight sweetness is can be baked in Tartes, Souffle, Fondue(more of that to come) & even in waffles.

Gratin dauphinois

  • What a dish.
  • Finely sliced blanched Potatoes & Heavy Cream.
  • Embellished with a thin coat of grated cheese.
  • That’s quite the contrast.
  • The Gratin dauphinois is the potato at its finest.
  • Many other dishes in this list will drown the potato’s taste under cream, cheese & charcuterie.
  • This one does not.
  • Here, the potatoes are the cream.
  • If you want to enjoy potatoes with only a little bit of garnish & spices this is the dish.
  • Subsequently, the potatoes should be cooked with more care.

Fondue savoyarde

  • When you place a large variety of cheeses in a hot pot & it turns into the savoriest lava.
  • Usually multiple cheeses are used.
  • If you’ve never tried a Fondue Savoyarde before we recommend something neutral such as Comte, Beaufort & Emmental,
    • These 3 are fruity enough, and not too strong to begin with.
  • Put your little cube of bread on your fork & dive into the pool of cheese.
  • Fondue can contain white wine, ask for an alcohol-less version if necessary.

Noix de Grenoble

  • Is it a dish?
  • It may as well be, you can eat it just like that & it will be satisfying.
  • Cultivated on the borders of the Isère since the XIth century, it was already a delicacy.
  • Used in the confection of Confitures, Crèmes de noix, Crèmes aromatiques, and other confectioneries such as Nougat.
  • The oil will add an original taste to your salads, tartines & pastas.
  • It is even used in the fabrication of Mustard.
  • The Noix de Grenoble pairs perfectly with regional cheeses.
  • It goes also well with honey & chocolate.

Raclette

  • La Raclette is the Dish.
  • Melted cheese on potatoes.
  • And as you roll these potatoes in, you make the raclette flow.
  • Raclette is the festival food, because raclette is a festival.
  • Aromatic, salty, sweet, pungent, raclette is the cheese of the Alpes.
  • The texture of the raclette cheese is smooth, soft, creamy and firm, hard and slightly crumbly.
  • It comes with lots of charcuterie : ham and saucisson, and rosette, and salami & so on.
  • Sometimes they will be served with herbs, garlic & pickles(cornichons).
  • You could also go for more unusual garnishes such as truffles or tomatoes.

Tartiflette

  • Savoyard gratin composed of soft potatoes, roasted bacon, minced golden onions & heavy cream.
  • The tartiflette can be freshen with a selection of aromatic herbs: persil, coriandre, cerfeuil.
    • Ask for these if you want a greener version.
  • Covered with Reblochon this gratin is one of the most memorable dishes of the region.

Reblochon

  • Quite the fatty cheese.
  • Produced with a milk coming from second milking, or fattier, giving it its creaminess.
  • ‘Reblocher’ means in French to pinch the cow’s udder a second time.
  • Supple, soft & unctuous with a nutty after-taste the Reblochon is piece of choice on your plateau de fromage.

Tomme de Savoie 

  • A Cheese that tastes like Butter.
  • Originally, la Tomme de Savoie was made with the skimmed milk remaining from butter’s fabrication.
  • Therefore, it is quite lean compared to many other French cheeses.
  • This peculiarity made its popularity even at an European scale.
  • As with many other French cheeses the milk used in its fabrication comes from its region.

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10 Specialties of Alsace you need to try

  • Cheese, potatoes & meat.
  • Little cakes, tasty ginger bread & massive brioches.
  • Alsace gastronomy is savory, diverse, the portions are consequent & the dishes will make you ask for more.
  • As it is 1 of the nicest regions you’ll want to stay there, sit at a table, just eating.

What are the formidable dishes to come?
What are the Alsatian specialties?

  • Flammekueche
  • Baeckeoffe
  • Kouglof
  • Pain d’épices
  • Spaetzle
  • Bredele
  • Beerawecka
  • Mannala
  • Munster
  • Choucroute garnie

Flammekueche

  • ‘The Flammekueche is very much like a pizza’, are tired to hear many Alsaciens.
  • It is a way to compare the 2 dishes but only if you like pizza with no tomatoes.
  • For the Flammekueche is a fine tart, embellished with cream, onions & smoked bacon.
  • Sometimes will be added a thin veil of local cheese.
  • It is truly a fine piece of french cuisine, and one of the most delicate dishes of Alsace.

Baeckeoffe

  • ‘It looks like a stew.’ and you’d be right to think that.
  • Although the Baeckeoffe is longer to come, much longer.
  • It generally requires many, many hours of preliminary preparations.
  • Tender lamb meat cut right off the shoulder, a bed of lofty potatoes and baby carrots & onions.
  • Olive oil, drizzled on their bodies.
  • And all that bath in white wine with the best hostesses, Tarragon & Rosemary.
  • To enjoy hot with a fresh, crispy salad.
  • The fruity white wine is core to many Alsatian dishes, but you can opt for an alcohol-less version.

Kouglof

  • Kouglof (or Gugelhupf) is largely regarded as the Alsatian Brioche.
  • And in a country were brioches & cakes are half of the dishes that means it is extraordinary.
  • For a Brioche.
  • In the shape of a small castle it is one of the best looking traditional pastries you’ll find.
  • Much like a Panettone it can be garnished with Nuts, Candied fruit & Chocolate.
  • Generally you’ll find it vanilla, all fluffy & moist.
  • If you can find one that was prepared in an enameled clay mold (‘moule en terre émaillé’), that’s even better.

Pain d’épices

  • Ginger bread? But this one is different.
  • You may have had some ginger bread, you know about cinnamon, the molasse, maybe there was some syrup in it.
  • This one is not crunchy, it’s moist.
  • And it is drenched with honey.
  • Rye flour, honey & spices: cardamom, anise, nutmeg, cloves, you name it.
  • That’s the traditional recipe.
  • But the cinnamon pinch comes from the Alsatian version.

Spaetzle

  • ‘They’re shaped like a sparrow’ or they should be.
  • A Spaetzle is a little Spatz, or a ‘little sparrow’.
  • Generally served with sausages & swabian-style lentils, these little pastas will make everything right.
  • And by that I mean that they’ll remind you of your childhood noodles.
  • You can also find them in salad for a lighter version.
  • Go for traditionally made Spaetzle as they are thicker & rounder.
  • The commercial version will be disappointing, and are definitely not shaped like sparrows.

Bredele

  • Cookies or petit fours.
  • They may seem unremarkable, but they are cookies.
  • You can eat cookies elsewhere, but wouldn’t it be great to try cookies everywhere you go?
  • There’s a plethora of them: anis, confiture, citron, spirals, chocolate Spritz…
  • Everything that brings back Christmas everyday.
  • 1 of the most remarkable are the Noisettins, Bredele with an hazelnut embedded in the middle, the crunchiest & nuttiest one.

Beerawecka

  • Now that’s a loaded cake.
  • Schnaps, quetsche & liqueur de mirabelle.
  • If you’re going out for a drink you may want to eat this instead.
  • The Beerawecka is a small cake filled with candied & dried fruits drenched in alcohol.
  • Much like an energy bar that would make/get you drunk.

Mannala

  • Mannala or ‘little people’ in Alsatian are milk breads.
  • These little ‘pain au lait’ people are embedded with chocolate chips & coated with sugar.
  • The ultimate small brioche, since it’s human-shaped.
  • If you like Brioches & you like Humans, do for them.
  • There’s much more to say, but I prefer to eat them.

Munster

  • The Alsatian Cheese from the Munster valley.
  • This powerful soft cheese (fromage a pâte molle) is often eaten raw or accompanied with a strong red wine.
  • You could also opt for a slice of bread.

Choucroute garnie

  • Laaaa Choooucrouuute gaaarnie!
  • If you’ve ever been to France you know that Alsace is Choucroute.
  • That’s kind of a cliche actually, I don’t know if Alsaciens like it so much.
  • The Choucroute or Sauerkraut, as you may know it, is fermented cabbage.
  • As you may not know, the Alsatian version may be cooked in beer or white wine.
  • And, that’s it!
  • Choucroute + Sausages + Charcuterie + Potatoes = Happiness.