A long weekend in Lake Annecy: part two

Catherine Henderson enjoys high thrills and haute cuisine in Lake Annecy – arguably one of France’s most beautiful areas

Spotlight on San Francisco

Ahead of the Golden Gate Bridge’s 75th birthday on May 27, San Francisco has never looked more golden writes Kaye Holland. Read her guide to the city with its head in the clouds, here

Consumer Council (Northern Ireland)

From the website:

“The Consumer Council represents consumers and gives them a voice. We ensure that the policy makers in Northern Ireland hear that voice and take it into account when they are making decisions that affect us all.”

Sabah and Rutland

The two may not have much in common you might think but not this weekend. Rutland Water is hosting an event known the world over, the British Birdwatching Fair which attracts both visitors and exhibitors from around the world. It’s easy to think of bird watching as a minority interest but its big business. And this is why Sabah has come all the way from Malaysia to publicise its destination.

Its Official. Fewer of Us Went Abroad

Did we really need the official figures from the Office of National Statistics to tell us that fewer of us holidayed abroad this summer? Up until the end of September we took 14% fewer holidays abroad than 2008. It may not seem a lot but that equates to 9.8 million fewer visits. (A visit can be a day trip to Dublin or Calais as well as a holiday or a short break). But if you look at the figures for the main three months between July and September overseas visits dropped by just 1% and that, I think, is the key result. In the main holiday period, the number of us going abroad hardly altered.

Normand Boivin on flying next Wednesday

Like Private Frazer in Dad’s Army, “We’re all doomed, doomed I tell ye,” if you believe some of the media reports concerning air and sea travel during the public sector unions strike next Wednesday, November 30th.

Letter from London: the capital’s new state of the art spas are a real Olympic legacy

Just in time for the Olympics, a new breed of hotel spa has raised the bar in London. Jane Egginton takes a very enjoyable closer look and asks: are they worth it?