How to Retire Without Money
BEST PLACES TO RETIRE: FRANCE (page 2)
TRANSPORTATION. There certainly can be no difficulty in getting to France. Probably half of the ships that cross the Atlantic carrying passengers, stop at French ports. Prices for ship passage between New York and Le Havre will range from $155 on such student ships as the Waterman, Groote Beer, Sibajak and the Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, to astronomical amounts for first class on such luxury liners as the Cunard Queens, the United States, the Liberte, the Mauretania and the Gripsholm.Most of us, particularly those on a budget, will settle for something between these two extremes. There are scores of liners and hundreds of passenger carrying freighters crossing the Atlantic nowadays. Tourist class passage on these starts at about $175. At that rate, accommodations can be on the grim side, and you'll find yourself packed into a dormitory type cabin with a flock of other people, some of whom snore, and some of whom love garlic. For better quarters your bill goes up to $200 or so.
Actually, with the new thrift class rates, it isn't more expensive to fly the Atlantic. The initial cost might be an extra twenty or twenty-five dollars, but you'll spend that without any difficulty at all on tips, drinks, deck chairs and such aboard the ship. But for that matter you can beat even this thrift rate by flying with Icelandic Airlines the only airline in the business that doesn't belong to the International Air Transport Association and consequently doesn't subscribe to their regulations which result in all other airlines charging the same prices for their services.
Transportation within France you'll find as good as anywhere in the world. Her roads are excellent and well supplied with service stations, garages and other motorist needs. Bus services are fine and France's trains are some of the best anywhere. In case you didn't know it, it's France that holds the speedrecord for trains- 205 miles per hour achieved with an electric locomotive pulling three cars. Compared to American prices, train rates are low, although not as low as other European ones. Berths however, are high and if you're watching your budget the best deal is to travel during the day and to stop at a hotel comes evening.
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. . . more about retirement in France
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