Travel

Looking for a beach front hotel in Belize on a beautiful Caye, then look no further than Mata Chica on Ambergris Caye. Mata Chica has been described with good reason as the Caribbean’s last and best secret. This is an escape from all that is ordinary, to one of the very best hotels in Belize, sitting alongsider a long stretch of shimmering white sand, arguable the best beach in Belize, and beautiful tropical lush green rainforest and multicoloured flowers and bushes on the other.   Matachica is literally a stones throw off one of the most abundant coral reefs in the world, some five miles north of the town of San Pedro.   When you arrive at this hotel whether or not you have selected Matachica for your romantic honeymoon package in Belize, or you were here because you were told it was the best and most romantic beach front hotel on Ambergris Caye, you will be very impressed by the resort’s majestic lobby. It has been elegantly designed and created under a thatched roof, and is the centre of Mata Chica  Here you can relax in a comfortable sofa, and either read a book from the resort’s library or just socialise.   On arrival, after a cold drink, and the normal formalities, you will be shown to your spectacular and elegant accommodation. There are twelve casitas and two luxury villas which are two bedroomed and two bathroomed. The casitas are beachfront and the villas are located at the highest point of the resort with spectacular views of the Caribbean. The villas not only have a huge sun deck a reading room and a kitchenette but also a personal maid if you so choose. The bathrooms and the furnishings in all the accommodations are first class, and you will especially enjoy the quality of the bed linen   Food is important on any holiday, it is vitally important on a honeymoon and the Mambo Restaurant at Mata Chica will not disappoint even the most sophisticated of palates. The chef is Italian but the dishes are international, although the home made breads and pastas are out of this world. The gardens of the Mata Chica supplies the herbs spices and vegetables. Many guests who plan to eat around change their minds after sampling the food, which just about says it all.   Just for a moment use your imagination, and think of yourself lying in your hammock outside your suite high on the hill at Mata Chica. You are totally relaxed in the middle of your Belize Vacation package. There is a warm breeze gently tugging your hair as your hammock gently rocks to and from as you reach out for another mouthful of cold beer. The beautiful white sand beach of this beach front hotel can be seen and the tropical reef beyond.   What are you to do with the rest of your day on Ambergris Caye. The couple you met who are on a romantic honeymoon package have suggested you take a sea kayak out to the reef and go snorkelling. They were so excited to have been swimming alongside the teeming multicoloured tropical fish, and they saw a manta ray and several turtles.   There is the evening ahead with cocktails in the beachfront lounge, then dinner and you have been recommended to the chocolate soufflé. The wine list has also impressed you, and you know there is a great classic film on this evening at the Cinema-Martini Lounge on the huge plasma television. There is just time for a swim in the turquoise Caribbean because you had forgotten your booking in the Jade Spa for a relaxing yet invigorating massage.   At Mata Chica you have learnt to accept and to expect the Exceptional. A perfect spot for a Caribbean Honeymoon, a Romantic Escape or a top class beach front Belize Vacation Package.

Have you heard about the Superhighway? It is this super highway that is being built between Texas and Canada. It is also known as the ‘NAFA Superhighway’, the Trans-Texas Corridor, the SPP highway. It has many names, and will be four football fields wide. It is a means of getting goods and services expeditiously through the United States.Also, Wal-Mart has a contract to exclusively serve this superhighway, and will be the only merchant allowed on the superhighway. The purpose of this is to bypass America! Guess who is behind it? No surprise, the great and evil George Bush and all his corporate cronies. If you know me, you know I have nothing but contempt for this criminal administration.I have heard various theories as to how completed it is. Some say it is in progress, others say it is completely done. How come no one is sure? “The fed won’t let anyone get near it. It is a well-guarded secret.”This is big and sinister stuff, folks. Small problem, though… it doesn’t seem to exist. Not yet, anyway. What the stories seem to imply is that this SH won’t have American stops or off-ramps. The whole thing will be just a jamming, haul ass highway between Mexico and Canada. Worse, "they" claim that this will all be owned by other nations and other nation's corporations. "They" also say that because it isn't being funded by us (but by these other countries) that Congress has no say. I don't know if this is true, but it's worth thinking about.Oh, and this highway will eliminate security, oversight, labor unions, and it will all be paved with the skulls of golden retriever puppies. According to Humanevents.com:Once complete, the new road will allow containers from the Far East to enter the United States through the Mexican port of Lazaro Cardenas, bypassing the Longshoreman’s Union in the process. The Mexican trucks, without the involvement of the Teamsters Union, will drive on what will be the nation’s most modern highway straight into the heart of America. The Mexican trucks will cross border in FAST lanes, checked only electronically by the new “SENTRI” system. The first customs stop will be a Mexican customs office in Kansas City, their new Smart Port complex, a facility being built for Mexico at a cost of $3 million to the U.S. taxpayers in Kansas City. So, does the superhighway exist? No. Is it being built?  No. Is this whole story horseshit?  No. The idea is real, and it is being pushed. There is an official site set up for this purpose. That doesn't carry too much weight, though… this is a website you are reading right now. Well, let's take their own words and see:NASCO’s purpose is to boost economic development activity by supporting: Multi-modal (rail, truck, ships, air cargo) infrastructure improvements Technology and security innovations on existing infrastructure to improve security and efficiency Enhanced visibility, security, and accountability of supply chains critical to every day life Environmental projects to preserve quality of life and allow for future growth Strengthened security in cross-border trade flowsSo, it is something to be aware of, but don't freak out. The government isn't outthinking you, they aren't that good at anything. I see a lot in this idea. Depending on how it's executed, it could be either the best or worst idea ever done. I thank god that George W. Bush will be out of office before it begins. I mean, think about it. It's practical, it will happen. Let's make sure we all participate in the dialogue, though.Other great freeway myths? One is that Hitler invented the concept of the freeway with the Autobahn to move German war supplies better. That is what I heard. According to these dudes, that is a myth. Mussolini actually gets the credit for that gem. Hmmm. Hitler, Mussolini, and Bush. That's right, I just said that.Presidential candidate Ron Paul went on record through Congress and explained that it is real, and we are being bushwacked. You may remember Paul, he was the only one of the GOP candidates to acknowledge the "truth" behind the 9/11 attacks. The more I dig around about this story, the less I understand. Let's open this up to our readership. Tell me what you have heard, and please use citations when you can.I think this might be like the Moller Skycar, personally. Yes, a real and functional flying car does exist. It is rather like we were promised ages ago. Flying cars, and you can have one. That doesn't make it a bad idea, just not practical. That poor Moller guy has been trying to sell his prototype for 20 years.What do you think? True or false? Good idea, or bad (the Superhighway, not the skycar)? Speak up! 

Deals this week could make 2007 the biggest year in history for planemakers as soaring crude oil prices drive orders for new, more fuel efficient airliners such as the A380 superjumbo and Boeing’s mid-sized 787 Dreamliner. The Gulf’s biggest airline bought 70 A350s and took options on 50 more while extending its lead as the biggest buyer of the Airbus A380 superjumbo by adding another 11. Emirates’ orders included 12 long-range 777-300ERs from Boeing Co worth $3.2 billion. The industry is in the third year of a record level of demand spurred by new aircraft as well as the spread of budget airlines. Boeing’s biggest deal came from Qatar Airways, which ordered 30 787s and options to buy 30 more. It also bought 27 777s and took five options. Boeing entered the air show leading Airbus in their annual race for orders but the gap narrowed on Sunday. While the 787 is already the fastest-selling new Boeing in history, the Emirates order for the A350 XWB (Xtra Wide Body) is a major boost for the new Airbus plane, which has been the subject of fitful design changes over the last two years. The battle between the 787 and A350 for sales to industry heavyweight Emirates was being closely watched by industry analysts. “The 787-9 is a smaller aircraft with fewer seats,” said Tim Clark, Emirates airline president, explaining the decision to go with the Airbus. “The 10 is just not being offered,” he said, referring to a stretched version of the 787 which some airlines have urged Boeing to launch. Separately Rolls-Royce said it would supply engines for the A350s in a deal that could be worth $8.4 billon if Emirates firms all options. Meanwhile Brazilian planemaker Embraer announced an order for 10 aircraft from Virgin Nigeria and for 19 business jets from Globalia of Spain and Falcon Aviation. And United Technologies Corp unit Sikorsky signed a deal for 40 helicopters from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior. The air show runs until Thursday. Industry sources said Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), Saudi Arabian Airlines and Air Arabia are among those expected to announce orders this week.

The new open skies agreement between the U.S. and the European Union has generated a lot of attention in both trade and consumer media. Much, however, has focused on benefits to and challenges for airlines and airports rather than on benefits for the flying public. As a listener recently asked me on a call-in show: “How will the new European agreement benefit me as a consumer?” The short answers: Starting next March, you will see new nonstop routes to Europe, most notably from a few key inland hub cities to London’s popular Heathrow Airport, as well as additional competitive nonstop flights on the very busiest transatlantic routes and more small-plane business-only flights. You probably won’t see reduced economy fares or improved economy service.For those of you who want more detail, here’s my extended take on the overall situation.Less than it seemsThe basic idea is that the agreement will almost totally deregulate air service between Europe and the U.S. Any airline based in the U.S. will be able to fly to any city in any E.U. country, with no government rules or restrictions on routes, fares, or schedules, and vice versa. Overall, however, the new agreement is less revolutionary than some of the hype would make you think. We already have extremely liberal aviation agreements with many key European countries, so the new pact merely widens abilities that we’ve already enjoyed to a significant degree. And there’s still some question about the future evolution of the agreement. European governments want the U.S. to get rid of laws that limit foreign ownership and control of U.S. airlines. The Europeans also would like their airlines to be able to fly routes entirely within the U.S., or “cabotage,” as it’s called. Congress seems to be adamantly opposed to both of those provisions—and the opposition seems to be equally strong in both parties, so a possible shift in Congress in the next election isn’t likely to have a big impact.Heathrow is the prize…The big prize in the negotiation is liberalized access to London’s Heathrow airport. Even though the U.S. already had a pretty liberal agreement with the U.K., the Brits held firmly to one key provision of a longstanding bilateral treaty: Only four airlines—two based in the U.K., two in the U.S.—were allowed to fly to Heathrow, and only to/from specified cities. Originally the two U.S. lines were PanAm and TWA, but their authorities transferred, currently to American and United. (The incumbent U.K. lines are British Airways and Virgin Atlantic). Those original four plus other airlines have been able to fly to/from the other London airports—Gatwick, Stansted, and Luton—but Heathrow has been a closed door….and business class is the keyWhy is Heathrow so desirable? The answer is in the nature of the transatlantic marketplace.On flights between the U.S. and Europe, airlines live or die, financially, on their business-class travelers. Although a business-class seat occupies about three to four times as much space as an economy seat in an airline cabin, business class fares range from 10 to more than 20 times the average economy fares. And business-class travel is steady, year-round, in contrast to highly seasonal vacation travel. London is by far the most important European origin and destination city for transatlantic business travel. And business travelers strongly prefer Heathrow. It’s the only one of the four big London airports that is close enough to central London to allow business travelers to use cabs or private cars to connect directly between office, home, or hotel with the airport. Gatwick, Luton, and Stansted are so far out of town that travelers to/from central London must use rail connections.  

Quinn’s Almost by the Sea: located across the street from the King Kamahamaha hotel. We liked the casual dining. We ate on the patio: it had a fan and a nice fountain. The waitress was fast and efficient. The food wasn’t fancy but it was very good. We could have had steak sandwiches, Teriyaki burger, salad plates, and fresh fish of the day. (which is what we had for our fish and chips… ) They have t-shirts if you wish to shop while you dine…. We liked this place…. It was fun and it appeared the locals use it (which we think means it is a good value….) Casual inexpensive good food fountain Part of the Mahala Hawaii travel blog Quinn’s sign…. cool place Eating on Quinn’s patio dining a… Fish and Chips …. Fried Calamari: David said it wa… Shrimp Fish basket: This was Syl…

BOSTON, Massachusetts (AP) — The elegant iron-railing balconies were once catwalks where guards stood watch over the inmates to make sure they didn’t try to break out. If you look closely, you can still see the outline of the holes from the iron bars on the windows. At the newly opened Liberty Hotel, it’s hard to escape what this building once was: a decrepit jail where Boston locked up its most notorious prisoners. But that’s just the point. After a five-year, $150 million renovation, the old Charles Street jail is now a luxury hotel for guests who can afford to pay anywhere from $319 a night for the lowest-priced room to $5,500 for the presidential suite. The hotel, at the foot of Boston’s stately Beacon Hill neighborhood, opened in September. Architects took pains to preserve many features of the 156-year-old stone building and its history. The old sally port, where guards once brought prisoners from paddy wagons to their cells, is being converted into the entrance to a new restaurant, Scampo, which is Italian for "escape." In another restaurant, named Clink, diners can look through original bars from cell doors and windows as they order smoked lobster bisque or citrus poached prawns from waiters and waitresses wearing shirts with prison numbers. The hotel bar, Alibi, is built in the jail’s former drunk tank. Instead of con men, counterfeiters and cat burglars, the guests now include Mick Jagger, Annette Bening, Meg Ryan and Eva Mendes. The old clientele included Boston Mayor James Michael Curley, who served time for fraud in 1904 after he took a civil service exam for a friend; Frank Abagnale Jr., a 1960s con artist played by Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie "Catch Me If You Can;" a group of thieves who pulled off the Great Brinks Robbery in Boston in 1950; and a German U-boat captain who was captured in 1945 and killed himself with shards from his sunglasses. Boston also has a luxury hotel called Jurys in the former Boston police headquarters building in fashionable Back Bay. The hotel bar is called Cuffs. The transformation of the Charles Street Jail is stunning to some of those who spent time in the notorious lockup. "It’s a magnificent place," said Bill Baird, an activist locked up for 37 days in 1967 for breaking a Massachusetts law prohibiting the distribution of contraceptives to unmarried people. His arrest led to a landmark 1972 Supreme Court decision legalizing birth control for unmarried people. "How you could take something that was so horrible and turn it into something of tremendous beauty, I don’t know," said Baird, who visited the new hotel in October, on the 40th anniversary of his conviction. When the jail opened in 1851, it was hailed as an international model for prison architecture. Built in the shape of a cross, the granite jail had a 90-foot-high central rotunda and four wings of cells. Large arched windows provided lots of natural light and good ventilation. Each of the 220 cells housed just one inmate. But over the years, the jail fell into disrepair and became filthy, overcrowded and prone to riots. Joseph Salvati, who spent 10 months in the jail in 1967 and 1968 after he was charged in a gangland slaying, said everything was covered with pigeon droppings. "They had a crew every morning that would come down with hot water hoses and brushes to scrape it off the floor and seats," he said. "You had to rush down for breakfast to get a seat that was clean." Salvati, who was exonerated after spending 30 years in various prisons, said he gets a kick out of seeing the jail turned into a luxury hotel. It is now "very classy-looking," he said. In the 1970s, the inmates sued over the squalid conditions. After spending a night at the jail to see things for himself, a federal judge in 1973 ordered the place closed. But it took until 1990 for a new jail to be built and the last inmates to be moved. The property was bought by Massachusetts General Hospital, next door, which invited proposals for preserving the building’s historical character. Cambridge developer Richard Friedman said the architects tried to retain some original elements while not reminding people too much of its dark past. "How do you transform that into a joyous place where people have fun and a good time?" Friedman said. "We tried to use a sense of humor." Charlene Swauger of Albuquerque, New Mexico, who stayed at the hotel for a long weekend in October, said the designers preserved elements of the old jail without crossing the line into bad taste. "I thought it was very clever. I didn’t discover any ghosts or anything," she said. Eighteen of the hotel’s 298 rooms are built in the original jail. Those rooms feature the original brick walls of the jail but also have high-definition TVs. The remaining rooms are in a new 16-story tower. Max Stern, the chief lawyer for the inmates whose lawsuit led to the jail’s closing, said some aspects of the project — such as calling the restaurant Clink — are too lighthearted. "I thought they could have been a little more objective about what it really was like," he said.Source: rss.cnn.com

Global airline alliances rule. Whether they rock or not remains a matter of debate. In spite of their importance to the world’s largest airlines, the trend toward global hook-ups is not widely appreciated or understood by American travelers, who tend to travel within the boundaries of their own country. Alliances are networks of airlines which have agreed to cooperate in such areas as schedule coordination, mileage program integration, joint fares, codesharing, shared airport terminals and lounges, and so on. The goal of any alliance is to be able to fly a customer anywhere in the world on a combination of networked carriers faster and more conveniently than would be possible outside the network. It’s been estimated that joining one of the three alliances—oneworld (American, British Airways, etc.), SkyTeam (Delta, Continental, Northwest, etc.), or the Star Alliance (United, US Airways, Lufthansa, etc.)—can generate hundreds of millions of additional dollars in annual revenues. And there are cost savings to be had as well. So the benefits to the participating airlines’ top and bottom lines are clear. They’ve been called virtual mergers. That’s a bit of an overstatement, but certainly the alliances do blur the line between competitors and collaborators. From a consumer standpoint, such cooperation among airlines can make for faster and easier connections (schedule coordination and shared airport terminals) and richer frequent flyer programs (enhanced levels of program integration). But there’s also the concern that alliances contribute to the consolidation of market power in the hands of a few large airlines, reducing choice and allowing prices to rise free of competitive constraints. Whatever the final verdict, global alliances are here to stay, and continue adding carriers to their partner lineups, each group striving to create the most comprehensive worldwide network and garner the associated bragging rights. The latest development is the addition of China’s largest carrier, China Southern, to the SkyTeam alliance, effective November 15. In the frequent flyer sphere, China Southern’s inclusion in the alliance means that members of its Sky Pearl Club can earn miles and take awards on any SkyTeam carrier; and members of the programs of all SkyTeam carriers can earn miles and take awards on China Southern flights. In addition, elite members of any SkyTeam airline program enjoy special benefits when flying on all SkyTeam carriers. With the latest addition, SkyTeam now comprises the following airlines: Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Air France, Alitalia, China Southern, Continental, Czech Airlines, Delta, KLM, Korean, and Northwest, plus three Associate airlines: Air Europa (Spain), Copa Airlines (Panama) and Kenya Airways. According to the SkyTeam website, the partner airlines carry 428 million passengers a year on 16,400 daily flights covering 841 destinations in 162 countries. Those are big numbers, no doubt. Whether bigger is better is a topic we’ll leave for another time.

Are you a globetrotting wine drinker? American cities sizzle with hot spots where you can sip Portuguese vinho one night, and pop open a Spanish Cava sparkler on another. So go ahead, play the international field. Flirt with exotic hotties from faraway lands. Just take a moment to appreciate our own wine heritage and where it all began: California’s Napa Valley. Before 1960, few Americans drank wine. Of those who did, “Old World” regions of France and Italy were the order of the day. Robert Mondavi and his Napa Valley brethren popularized the concept of drinking wine from the Napa Valley and put the region on the cultural map. Today, Napa is a destination unto itself. Just a few scenic hours from San Francisco, Napa offers some of the best restaurants in the world, incredible resorts, and the rare opportunity to taste wine standing in the vineyard where it was grown and made. “This is what I love about the Napa Valley,” says Sean Kagy, chef owner of One Restaurant & Lounge in Mason, Ohio. “You can take a tour of the vineyards and winery, actually touch the grapes, meet the winemaker, and then taste the finished wine in the tasting room.” Even better, you can relive the experience over and over again in Cincinnati’s Napa-friendly restaurants. Burke Morton, sommelier at Pigall, says the restaurant frequently entertains customers who have just returned from the Napa Valley and would like to recall their trip with a bottle of Napa Valley wine. One of his favorite Napa wines on the list is Karen Work’s boutique Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, a wine that has the kind of high acidity and fresh floral aromas that marries well with Chef/Owner Jean-Robert’s Fingerling potatoes and sea beans. Sometimes, chefs have a pairing in mind when they create a dish. For example, Chef Sean Kagy of One Restaurant likes Napa wines because they are fruit-forward, and for that reason pair quite nicely with dishes on his “redefined modern American cuisine” which offer many fruit components. “Beyond that,” Kagy says, “they are a good value. I have some excellent Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc wines from Cakebread and Silvarado, along with some top Cabernet Sauvignon Napa wines from the 1990’s, a decade that had one of the best growing seasons ever.” Daveed Cook, owner and executive chef at Daveed’s in Mount Adams, Ohio, also offers several outstanding and affordable Napa Valley wines on the menu. “Many people enjoy white wine, so I have offer many Napa Chardonnays and a few Sauvignon Blancs,” says Cook, suggesting that guests try a 2002 Silverado Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc with a dish such as his Peekytoe crab salad or tempura oysters with Meyer lemon. The light, aromatic, citrus notes in that wine works well with these dishes, providing refreshing acidity. For his delicious, buttery-textured Scottish salmon (the fish is slow-braised in a chardonnay stock) Cook recommends the oaky, fuller-bodied 2003 Chardonnay from Stags Leap Winery. Chris Meutsch of Wine Cellar Innovations, a firm helping wine aficionados nationwide build their cellars, says many of his customers stock up with cases of wine from the Napa Valley. “Often they’ll fly out to meet with the wine makers and taste from the barrels, returning home with thousands of dollars in wine.” Happily, you don’t have to be a famous jet-setter to meet the wine makers and tour the wineries in Napa. Just make a reservation. You will find one-stop shopping at Napa Valley Vintners, where you can find wineries arranged by category and by city along with clear-cut, helpful information such as the kind of tours that are available, the fee (if any), and how to register. If your goal is just to picnic on the grounds, find out whether your dog is allowed, and whether food is available for purchase. The site will give you this information as well. Of course, if you want that insider experience, consider attending the charity-centric, four-day Napa Valley Wine Auction held June 5-8, 2008. In addition to having a paddle to wave at the Auction, your donation includes scores of hospitality events including intimate lunches or dinners with winery owners in their estates, barrel tasting of young wine, open house events where you can visit dozens of Napa wineries and be welcomed with delicious wine and cuisine, and the popular Taste of Napa extravaganza featuring cuisine from the best restaurants in the valley. Alternatively, you can play armchair traveler by visiting Napa Valley winery websites (accessible via links from Napa Valley Vintners). Many sites now feature audio interviews with the winemakers as well as short films that give you a sense of the winemaker’s philosophy and even show you some of the steps involved in wine making. Then, go to Pigall or One Restaurant or Daveed’s and ask the sommelier or your server to suggest the perfect Napa Valley wine to complement the entrée of your choice. Reflect on what you’ve seen and experienced in your virtual or real Napa Valley travels, and as you take that first sip, raise your glass in salute to America’s premiere wine region.

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ll have noticed that I regularly circle back to two topics: the airlines’ ongoing devaluation of mileage programs, and the rumors that one or more major airlines will spin off their mileage programs as freestanding businesses. The topics are inextricably linked, although there’s room for argument as to how the one would affect the other. My best guess is that while selling off their loyalty programs would be good for the airlines’ balance sheets, and for the airlines’ stockholders, it would make a bad situation even worse for consumers participating in the programs. After all, if the airlines can’t meet their customers’ expectations when the programs are under their direct control, the chances of any improvement under a profit-driven regime seem remote at best. According to an article in TheStreet.com, there are two groups pushing especially hard for loyalty program spinoffs. The first, as I’ve always suggested, is investor groups who anticipate a stock price spike in the event the airlines sell their non-core businesses. The other group apparently lobbying for such transactions is slightly less obvious: the investment bankers who would broker the sale of the programs, generating enormous fees in the process. It probably goes without saying that no traveler-advocacy groups have weighed in on the side of independent loyalty programs. In the end, it will be up to airline managers to balance the interests of stockholders against the needs of the traveling public and decide whether to champion program spinoffs. Of course, the calculation isn’t quite as objective or transparent as that cursory description might suggest. Top executives at many large corporations stand to reap substantial performance bonuses if their companies’ stock price meets certain benchmarks. Which could give them a compelling financial reason to favor asset sales. There’s no such incentive to do right by their own customers. The deck, in other words, is stacked in favor of spinning off mileage programs. Program members, take note.

A reader recently asked if the well-known “French lease” buyback program is still available for travelers to Europe, and I can assure him that it is. It’s best for long-term rentals, senior drivers facing a maximum age cap on regular rentals, or young drivers ages 18 to 24, but it can also be a good deal for drivers of any age.How it worksOn paper, you buy a factory-new car, drive it for up to six months, and sell it back to the leasing company at a guaranteed resale price. Conventional wisdom says that a new car loses maybe 25 percent of its value the day you drive it off the showroom floor, but this counterintuitive program works because the car manufacturer treats the sale as an export, thus avoiding VAT, and the barely-used return cars can be a much better deal for French residents than a new car. In practice, you don’t have to put up the purchase price at all. All you pay is a regular lease prepayment, which you can put on your charge card just like a rental. The leasing company carries the deal.What you getYou drive a factory-new Peugeot, Renault, or Citroen (or one of a few Nissan models). As far as I can tell, the leasing options are confined largely to the lower and middle ends of the regular line: economy, compact, and midsize, plus wagons and vans. You can arrange your choice of gasoline or diesel—a majority of the options seem to be diesels these days, reflecting the popularity of diesels in the used market. You can select automatic or manual shift, with automatic becoming less expensive over the years. Air conditioning is optional on some lower-end models, bundled into the mid-range options. You’re allowed to drive in all of Western Europe, plus quite a few Eastern countries.RatesThe minimum 17-day lease for an economy-class Renault Clio is $1,074; the rate for a Peugeot 1007 is $993. Those figures work out to about $60 a day. On a 30-day lease—$1,275 for a Clio or $1,269 for the Peugeot—the average daily rate drops to a bit more than $40 a day. The most upscale lease I could find was for a Peugeot Executive 2.7 V6 diesel, starting at around $150 a day for 17 days and dropping to $96 a day at 30 days. The lease rate is all-inclusive: base lease, full no-deductible liability and collision insurance, and roadside assistance. You don’t pay VAT on a lease, but some airport and other location-based surcharges are extra. There’s no maximum age limit or senior surcharge and no surcharge for drivers in the 18- to 25-year-old group—a group that is either banned from or heavily surcharged on conventional rentals. Pickup and return is available at airports, rail stations, and city offices throughout France at no extra charge. For Renault, either pickup or return adds another $125 at nearby locations such as Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, or Frankfurt, to $275 for more distant locations such as London and Rome. The fees for Peugeot and Citroen are similar.Is it a good deal?The lease works best for longer periods, trips that begin and end in France, and very young or old drivers who face age-based limits or surcharges. Auto Europe, for example, offers 17-day all-inclusive conventional rentals on comparable vehicles for less than its own lease rates, so the lease is clearly not a good deal for short trips. But for trips of 30 days or longer, the lease gains the advantage. The lease advantage decreases for trips that start or end outside France. And expect an extra $300 to $600 for round-trip ferry costs to and from England.Where to get itYou can arrange Renault leases through Renault Eurodrive or Auto Europe; Peugeot leases through Auto France or Auto Europe affiliate Kemwel. The only sources I could find for Citroen leases are in Australia, including Europe Travel Centre.