text:
Le Mans

Le Mans is a town in Pays de la Loire in France, best known for its annual 24-hour automobile race. Le Mans is twinned with Bolton, England.

Understand
The rich 17th-century history of Le Mans, former capital of the province of Maine, is too often eclipsed by the world-famous annual 24-hour race, held on the edge of the city.

There are, however, beautiful reminders of the past and a gloriously restored old city, which was used as a backdrop for several movies. Saint-Julien Cathedral, at its heart, is a wonder and should not be missed.

The city is very easily accessible from Paris, it has much to offer and deserves more than only a short trip to its circuit when the motors roar. The "Cité Plantagenêt" may be one of the best-kept secrets in France.

Those more concerned for the environment will be encouraged that the building of the A28 motorway to the south of the city (between Écommoy and Tours) was delayed for several years after a rare protected beetle (the Pique Prune) was found living in the intended route. Motorway development had to be delayed whilst the beetle was relocated.

The famous 24 Hours Le Mans race is run partly on race circuit, partly on (closed-off) public roads. In 1999 Pete Dumbreck suffered a serious dramatic accident when his Mercedes did a backwards somersault rotating 3 times in the air at 306 km/h (190 mph) reaching a height of nearly 15 m (50 ft) and landing clear of the track (road). He was knocked unconscious but then woke-up and got out of the car before being found by race marshals and Gendarmes. In accordance with French Law, he was then breathalysed because the accident took place on public roads. He was then transported to hospital for checks before being released.

Take your time to get up to date information at the in Square des Ursulines, which is a 10-minute walk from the Cathedral ("Comtes du Maine - Office du tourisme" station on line T2).

By plane
There is a very small airfield near the circuit, with no regular connections to other major cities. As there is a direct TGV access from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, there is absolutely no point in trying to get to Le Mans by plane, unless you have a private or chartered (small) plane. Ryanair operate flights from London and Porto to Aeroport Tours Val de Loire, just outside the city of Tours approximately 100 km from Le Mans.

By train
The hourly TGV from Paris Montparnasse stops in Le Mans, and the 210-km trip takes 55 minutes. There is also a direct TGV service from Charles de Gaulle Airport (bypassing Paris en route to Nantes or Bordeaux). This journey takes 90 minutes, and the train ticket to Le Mans can be combined with your incoming flight, as if it were a connecting domestic flight.

Le Mans is also easily accessible from Brittany, Bordeaux and Nantes. Some TGVs run to and from Lille for Eurostar connections to and from London. Regional trains give you access from the nearby cities of Angers, Caen, Tours and Laval.

By car
The A11 L'Oceane highway runs from Paris to Nantes via Le Mans, and the A81 from Le Mans heads west to Rennes. It takes roughly 2 hr from Paris to drive to Le Mans. The city of Chartres, halfway from Paris has a magnificent cathedral which deserves a stop. The A28 north-south motorway runs past the city from Rouen and Alençon in the north to Tours in the south.

Public transport
Public buses are available, and a tramway is in operation.

Line T1 runs from the university in the west of town, through the centre and then out east and south, to the "Antares" terminus which is at the Le Mans 24 hour circuit. Line T2 goes from "Bellevue - Hauts de Coulaines" in the north-east to the city centre, where it joins T1; from here, T2 goes to its terminus at "Les Sablons", close to the Abbaye de l'Épeau.

Getting around
For tourists, major "getting around" is between the railway station and the city centre, which involves either a 30-minute walk, a short taxi ride or a 5-minute tram ride (lines T1 and T2)

Getting to the circuit is a bit longer (20 minutes by taxi, or 30 minutes by tram, line T1). Walking to the circuit from town is not really convenient except when there are too many cars and traffic jams.

The modern city centre is the Place de la Republique (T1), whereas the old heart of the city is behind the Place des Jacobins (T2). Various shops (including the Jacobins shopping centre), bars and restaurants dot the 20-minute walk between the two areas.

See

 * The splendid, in the heart of the town, is a magnificent example of the lengths and efforts people expended to build up such buildings in the Middle Ages. With its reversed rounded arches, it is one of the most impressive religious monuments in the area, and one of the largest cathedrals in France. Its building started in the 11th century and took over 500 years. Techniques and styles evolved throughout its history. As a result, the cathedral is a mix between various architectural styles. The nave is pure Romanesque, but the choir is in flamboyant Gothic. The stained glass inside the cathedral should not be missed. One of the panes, dating back from the twelfth century, is the oldest stained glass still standing in the world. One of the chapels presents a painted celling, with angels playing various instruments.

 * The Old City (Cité Plantagenêt), just behind the cathedral, is a large and nice example, with many houses and buildings dating back from the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance (look for the Pilier Rouge or the Maison des Deux Amis). The paved streets and limited traffic make for a nice strolling in this very "middle age looking" old town. In the old town, you can stop at the little for some displays about the local history. The large  palace is now part of the city hall and can not be visited. Ruins of a, dating from the 3rd century AD, have been uncovered. They can be visited with a prior reservation (02 43 28 17 22).
 * The, around the old city, date back from the third century and are still in excellent condition.
 * The is the local museum of history. The historical collection covers prehistory to the end of the middle-ages, with an important focus on the Gallo-Roman period.
 * The, just outside of the old city, offers displays of various interest, with a reconstitution of an Egyptian tomb at the basement.
 * (Epau Abbey), on the Eastern side of the town, was founded by Queen Berengaria of Navarre, widow of Richard I of England (Richard Lionheart). Only ruins were remaining during the 1950s, but after 30 years of restoration, the Abbey, now a property of the prefecture, can be visited and is used for cultural events, notably the Festival de l'Epau.

 * The is located at the south end of the city. The famous Hunaudieres straight is actually part of the public road from Le Mans to Tours. You can visit some of the rest circuit, though it is of limited interest if there is no race. Seeing the 24-Hour, is of course a very different story. The town buzzes with many international visitors and the noise of the motors can be heard from the city center. Try to stay awake for the whole 24 hours, as the glow of the carbon brakes in the night with racing faster than Formula One is unforgettable. The tradition at the end of the race is for the public to invade the circuit. Although it is officially prohibited, a few thousand people each year take the chance of a lifetime to take a stroll on the bitumen. Close to the circuit is a large Automobile Museum, open even if there is no race.

Eat
Rillettes, a kind of boiled pork pate, is the culinary specialty of Le Mans. It actually tastes much better than its description. You can buy some rillettes in almost every meat shop in town, and it makes for the perfect sandwich pasted on some fresh baguette.

A very good variety of restaurants is found in the town centre and especially in or around the old city.

Budget
The area closer to Place de la Republique, popular with young people on weekends, offers cheaper eats, with several kebab shops that would fill you for €10 or less.

Drink
Le Mans is a rather quiet town (except for a few hours once a year) and the university campus is quite far from the centre, so on weekdays the streets are almost empty and the bars are calm, to say the least.

The majority of bars and pubs are located close to. The main arteries for an evening drink in Le Mans would be Rue du Port, going from Place de la Republique to Sarthe river, and Rue du Docteur Leroy, also starting from Place de la Republique.

On weekends, there are a few busy spots, you can check the Le Passeport du cochon vert, 25 Place d'Alger (its name would poetically translate as The Green Pig Passport), both are frequented by a young clientele.

In the old town, Le Saint-Pierre, 7 Place Saint-Pierre (facing the town hall), is completely packed during the week-ends. Going down from the old town towards the place de l'éperon, Le Chicago 5 rue de la vieille porte, is the place to be for cocktail amateurs, with a rum/Cuban-themed ground floor and a lounge/prohibition theme on the first floor.

One of the heritage houses of the old city, Le Pilier Rouge, 5 rue du Pilier Rouge, has been fully restored into a bar. It is above the huge tunnel crossing under the old city.

There are a few gay bars, notably La Limite, 7, Rue Saint-Honore in the old city, or L'Arc en ciel, 2 Rue Doree, also in the old city.

Sleep
The area around, and even inside, the loop of the circuit is full of campgrounds (the Houx and the Maison Blanche), which are very busy during the race. We are talking here about campgrounds located very close to a deafening source of noise, invaded by hordes of motor and beer fans, so the last thing you should expect to be doing there is sleeping. But if you are in Le Mans for the 24-Hour, you do not want to be sleeping (and prices skyrocket). For more information about camping around the circuit, take a look at the aptly named Le Mans Camping Survival Guide.

You can find some business hotels directly at the train station (south exit), or just across the street at the north exit. There are some average to luxury hotels in the centre (for instance Hotel Concorde, located on Avenue du General Leclerc, not very far from the station, or Mercure on Rue Chanzy). If you come for the race, book well ahead, but at other times, it should not be a problem to get a room.

There is actually one hotel located directly on the circuit, the hotel Arbor, located at km 6 on the Hunaudieres straight, just before Mulsanne. Book years ahead.

Go next

 * Alençon
 * Angers
 * Chartres
 * Château-du-Loir

title: Le Mans


text:
Le Mars

Le Mars is a city in Western Iowa.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Le Mars


text:
Lembar

Lembar is a transit point in West Lombok for catching the ferry to Bali. There are a few food stands and a small guesthouse, but no points of interest.

Understand
Visitors to Lembar are normally there because of the ferry to and from Bali. There's little reason to staying there.

By car
The port of Lembar is 22 km south of Mataram.

By bemo
You can take a bemo from Mataram to Lembar Harbour. The fare should be about Rp 5,000, more if you are carrying a lot of luggage as it fills up the passenger carrying area, this is normal practice as the bemos carry both people and goods including produce to the markets.

By boat
There are slow public ferries from Padang Bai (Bali) every hour. The trip normally takes four hours (but it can be considerably longer in poor weather) and costs Rp 46,000 (Aug 2017). This service runs 24 hr, 7 days per week. It should be understood that this ferry only provides a service of minimal comfort and on board facilities are limited. Safety standards may not be at a level that many visitors would normally anticipate on a large sea going vessel.

Arriving at Lembar Harbour do not let a porter take your bags unless you have negotiated absolutely what you will pay before he puts his hands on your bags. Best to avoid the service completely if possible as it can be fraught with complications over prices.

Getting from Lembar harbour
If you're arriving in Lembar and need transport, you'll find the Lembar bemo drivers hard bargainers.

 * Gili Islands. From Lembar Harbour you can take a shuttle bus service to Bangsal Harbour. Or take a bemo from opposite the market in Ampenan up the west coast to Pemenang, from where you can walk or ride a cidomo (horse cart) to Bangsal Harbour. If you have plenty of time on your hands and want to save a couple of dollars, the cheapest way is to take a public bemo to Mataram (Rp 5,000), another to Ampenan and then another one to Pemenang/Bangsal (Rp 10,000), and then a cidomo (or walk) to Bangsal Harbour. From Bangsal Harbour, take the public ferry (Rp 8,000, 9,000, 10,000 depending to which of the Gilis you are heading to). Plan your trip to take in daylight hours only as the bemos normally do not run after dusk and can be reluctant to go past Mangsit at the northern end of Senggigi, this may require a set down and wait for another bemo passing through Mangsit. It is best not too arrive in Bangsal too late as the last Koperasi Public boats leave in the early afternoon requiring the use of the slightly more expensive Shuttle boat in the late afternoon, or a Charter.
 * Mataram. You can take a bemo from Lembar Harbour to Mataram. The fare should be about Rp 5,000 to the Ampenan-Mataram-Cakranegara-Sweta area. A good option is to book ahead with Perama or another tourist shuttle company. Note that metered taxis might not be available (nor Grab/Uber), so you might be stuck having to haggle with the bemo drivers or the various other people pushing you to use their transport services. Typical fares are Rp 25,000 to Cakranegara, Rp 40,000–45,000 to Sengiggi.
 * Kuta. From Lembar Harbour the price to Kuta must be negotiated in advance, or you may insist the taxi driver uses a meter. Competition is fierce and porters will often place your luggage in a taxi prior to settling the price. Assertive behavior can insure you choose the taxi and the price that suits your needs.The taxi fare from Lembar to Kuta should be around Rp 250,000. Perama will run shuttle buses from Lembar to Mataram, Kuta and Tetebatu, if there are two or more passengers booked beforehand (Rp 125,000 per person).

If you are leaving from Lombok, chances are high that someone will approach you and offer the ticket to Bali for same or cheaper than going the current rate of Rp 36,000 (March 2011). They'll also try to move you past official ticket offices (at the entrance gates of the harbour). It may be cheaper, however, you won't get an official ticket, or get only second part of it (the first one normally goes to the security on the pier). So, you may end up without a valid ticket and, if some security check happens, may have to pay again and suffer a lot of confusion. Just buy the ticket at the official ticket booth.

See
Not a lot to see at Lembar other than the ferry docking area and the nearby sea port area. The surrounding countryside is quite attractive and the drive through to Mataram or the west coast is scenic and interesting with quite intensive agricultural pursuits lining the sides of the road.

Do
This is really just a transit point, just try to get in and out as quickly as possible.

Eat
There are a few local warungs that cater to the port workers and transport drivers waiting to load their vehicles. Food and snack vendors also board the ships and make the crossing hoping to sell to the passengers during the voyage. A well prepared traveller may prefer to visit a supermarket or a trusted warung selling "nasi bungkus" or take away food and some drinks including bottled water before departing by road for Lembar. The seas can become rough so choose carefully.

Drink
Warungs near the dock area will have drinks available for sale but you may prefer to prepare yourself with some refreshments prior to departing to the dock. The ships do not provide clean drinking water so you will either need to bring your own drinks or purchase from vendors on the ferry. Alcohol is not sold on the ferry and the consumption of alcohol in public places is not condoned either in Lombok or Bali and that includes the sea in between.

Sleep
There's little accommodation in Lembar and no advantage in staying around the port area.

Stay safe
The ferries used on the run between Lombok and Bali do not conform to many Internationally recognised safety and operational standards.

 * It is prudent to keep alert and be aware of your position and situation whilst on board and make yourself aware of the positioning of life preserving equipment.
 * If inside the main cabin or below decks try to ensure you orient yourself to the layout of the ships decks and emergency exits especially if travelling at night.
 * You should maintain a clear head and use caution at all times when embarking and disembarking as the decks and ramps can be slippery and the passengers can at times behave in a chaotic manner especially when disembarking.
 * Be aware that heavy vehicles, cars and motorbikes are moving onto and off the ships at the dock and will using the same loading ramp as the passengers.
 * Be careful to keep track of your bags and watch out for pick pockets if in a crowd waiting to board or disembark.

There is a small Police post just inside the main entrance gate to the port area and a larger Polda national police base nearby.

Connect
Mobile phone towers ensure you're never out of touch. Telekomsel's Simpati SIM card has a reasonably good signal in the Lembar area and for a short distance out to sea. XL Axiata SIM cards also provide coverage in the area. Coverage can be unreliable and inconsistent.

Go next
Lembar is essentially a point of transport and little else. Move on to Kuta, Senggigi or Gili Islands.

title: Lembar


text:
Lemnos

Lemnos (Greek: Λήμνος, Limnos) is an island in the Northern Aegean Islands of Greece.

With an area of approximately 480 km², Lemnos is the ninth largest island in Greece. While the other two North Aegean islands of Thasos and Samothrace, are mountainous and forested, Lemnos is hilly and barren. In summer, the predominant color of the landscape is brown. Lemnos is a destination for a relaxing holiday in close contact with nature. Sheltered bays, long sandy beaches and landscapes of volcanic rocks, interspersed with small hills and plains where durum wheat is grown and there are traditional villages of stone houses. Some of the beaches are excellent and uncrowded.

Understand
From mid-August usually strong winds can affect the bathing, but are welcome by the windsurfers who come to the island because of that winds. The island does not live completely by tourism, as many of the other known Greek islands, but mostly still on agriculture. Therefore, life is still original and not focused exclusively on tourism. The best time to visit Lemnos is from May to end of July and from 15 August till end of October. In the first two weeks of August, the island is full of Greeks from the mainland who return to their villages for holidays and family meetings. From mid-August, winds get stronger which is interesting for surfers.

The myths about Lemnos are closely linked to the god Hephaestus. According to the legend, the goddess Hera was quarreling with Zeus. When her son Hephaestus, tried to protect her, Zeus became angry and threw him from Mount Olympus. Hephaestus landed on Lemnos, where henceforth he lived in his smithy on the island and taught the first inhabitants of Lemnos, the Sinties, the art of processing copper.

The island experienced a bloom in the pre-Christian time. In its eventful history Lemnos was hit by many conquerors because of its important strategic location west of the Bosporus and the Dardanelles. Being conquered 512 BC by the Persians, Lemnos won its freedom back after the Persian Wars. Later the island was occupied by the Romans, the Venetians and the Turks, until the liberation in 1912 during the First Balkan War. During World War II, the strategically important island was occupied by German troops. As of 2022, there are active Greek military bases on the island.

Main town and villages

 * You should also visit the chapel of, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It lies in a cave on the Kakkavos hill, surrounded by steep rocks, 5 km from Myrina. The unique view and the tranquility of the landscape are worth the somewhat arduous marked climb from the (signposted) parking lot. The chapel was built in 1416 and also served as a refuge for monks during the frequent pirate attacks that the island was exposed to. The chapel is not visible from the sea. Photo fans should come in the late afternoon, as the sunlight shines into the opening of the cave and the chapel is well lit.
 * You should also visit the chapel of, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It lies in a cave on the Kakkavos hill, surrounded by steep rocks, 5 km from Myrina. The unique view and the tranquility of the landscape are worth the somewhat arduous marked climb from the (signposted) parking lot. The chapel was built in 1416 and also served as a refuge for monks during the frequent pirate attacks that the island was exposed to. The chapel is not visible from the sea. Photo fans should come in the late afternoon, as the sunlight shines into the opening of the cave and the chapel is well lit.

 * At Therma the ascent (1.3 km, 20 min) to the is worthwhile from which you have a wonderful view of the island. A gravel track goes off to the right in front of the thermal facility. Follow the dirt road for about 1.5 km to a junction. From here you follow the marked path. You should at least wear sports shoes because the last part of the climb goes over rocks.
 * At Therma the ascent (1.3 km, 20 min) to the is worthwhile from which you have a wonderful view of the island. A gravel track goes off to the right in front of the thermal facility. Follow the dirt road for about 1.5 km to a junction. From here you follow the marked path. You should at least wear sports shoes because the last part of the climb goes over rocks.

By boat
Ferries change their routes monthly, there are at least 4-5 ships a week, usually departing from the ports of Lavrio, Piraeus (both serving Athens), Thessaloniki and Kavala. It's important to inform yourself about the departure times at the day of travel because changes in arrival/departure times are common. Delays are frequent. Ferry routes often change within a year, reaching a peak during summer. Ferries need about 14 hours from the port of Piraeus to cover the distance and about 5 hours from Kavala.

There is limited anchorage available for private yachts, but services and supplies are very good. Arrivals should report to one of the port authority posts located at Myrina or Moudros. The port authorities are also good sources of information for weather forecasts (especially gale warnings), as well as about any military exercises in the wider region.

Get around
It's an easy 15-minute walk from the new port to the town centre.

Public transport is sparse.

Buses only run two times a day from Myrina to the villages. Usually you cannot return to your starting point on the same day as local buses run one-way routes to destinations. There are two one-way routes to the destinations, the first usually at 12:00 and the other at about 14:30, which is usually crowded by teens after school returning home at their villages. Check departures at the local bus station square in Myrina.

Taxis are also available, widely used to carry passengers between the airport and Myrina or the rest of the village. A May 2022 taxi trip from the new port to Laktara on Keros Bay cost €40.

Car rentals range from €25 to 20 per day.

Road conditions are good with sealed roads between villagers and then dirt roads to the last leg of many scenic spots. Be prepared to navigate through the tight roadways of the old villages and also on the lookout for wildlife and stock on the roads.

See

Sunsets are magnificent (especially under excellent visibility weather conditions), as those islands and Mt. Athos, are visible almost from every peak or elevated viewpoint on the island because there are no high mountains on Lemnos.

Obvious differences are observed between the style of stone cottages in the rural villages, and the style of the little mansions in the relatively urbanized Myrina. Romeikos Gialos and Androni's renovated 19th-century buildings depict the neo-classic architecture fashion of that period; while Kontias village at the southwest represents a picturesque village of the same time. However, it must be remarked that the building activity, increasing since the past decades, added a lot of modern houses expanding the areas of the villages and Myrina.

Nature

Do
Many festivals in accordance with the Greek calendar holidays take place each year. Of these following the church are the most popular, with shows of traditional dance and music, sometimes becoming folklore, such as the Dormition Feast. Check also the "sardine festival" and the Day of St. Sozon. Moreover, music events and parties are organized in the summertime. A small theatre is also available for performance art groups or feature film shows.

 * Cooking classes: Taste Lemnos advertise these, but as of May 2022, they are not running them regularly. You can call them to check availability on +30 2254071042. They don't seem to be checking their emails or responding to booking submissions made via their website.
 * Cooking classes: Taste Lemnos advertise these, but as of May 2022, they are not running them regularly. You can call them to check availability on +30 2254071042. They don't seem to be checking their emails or responding to booking submissions made via their website.
 * Cooking classes: Taste Lemnos advertise these, but as of May 2022, they are not running them regularly. You can call them to check availability on +30 2254071042. They don't seem to be checking their emails or responding to booking submissions made via their website.
 * Cooking classes: Taste Lemnos advertise these, but as of May 2022, they are not running them regularly. You can call them to check availability on +30 2254071042. They don't seem to be checking their emails or responding to booking submissions made via their website.
 * Cooking classes: Taste Lemnos advertise these, but as of May 2022, they are not running them regularly. You can call them to check availability on +30 2254071042. They don't seem to be checking their emails or responding to booking submissions made via their website.
 * Cooking classes: Taste Lemnos advertise these, but as of May 2022, they are not running them regularly. You can call them to check availability on +30 2254071042. They don't seem to be checking their emails or responding to booking submissions made via their website.
 * Cooking classes: Taste Lemnos advertise these, but as of May 2022, they are not running them regularly. You can call them to check availability on +30 2254071042. They don't seem to be checking their emails or responding to booking submissions made via their website.

Beaches
Lemnos has about a hundred beaches which are scattered all over the island.

The northern and eaastern beaches can sometimes be quite windy. This is because of the so-called Meltemi wind that blows regularly during the summer months (but also brings cooling).

The beaches on the east coast of Lemnos seem to have more rubbish wash up on them and also sometimes large amounts of seaweed. From mid-August on usually the winds pick up which make these beaches (such as Keros) popular with windsurfers.

The best beaches for swimming are on the south and west coast.

Near Mirina:

Near Moudros:

Eastside beaches:

North coast beaches:

Buy
The Market Street (Agora) of Myrina is worth walking where clothing and jewellery shops deserve some attention. Furthermore there are big supermarkets in Myrina and all kinds of specialist shops. In every bigger village are bakeries and little supermarkets to cover everyday shopping needs.

The local economy based on agriculture, and offers a variety of farming and dairy products, with a distinctively good quality of wine. Best known is the white wine made of the cultivar "Muscat of Alexandria". There is also a red wine of a local cultivar that is quite good. Another speciality are very tasty egg noodles, called "Flomaria". Also thyme honey is offered and was a speciality of Lemnos. Due to the dry character of the island the quantity produced is low but the demand is high. Therefore it's hard now to find real natural honey that is not just imported honey with some drops of essential oil of thyme.

Eat
Lemnos is a most appropriate place for a fulfilling meal. The taverns found in almost every village offer simple but plentiful seafood and meat dishes, variants with the goods from the island inspired from the overall Greek cuisine. Residents prefer a 20-minute drive to either the boat dock of Kotsinas for fish taverns by the sea, to Tsimandria for roast and wine, or ascend up to Sardes for traditional local recipes (try rooster with handmade pasta). In Myrina however, a couple of restaurants are more challenging, even specialising in Italian cuisine.

Drink
You can go for a drink in most cafés in Myrina, shifting to small bars at night, at the quay of Romeikos Gialos, at the quay facing the port, or uphill near the castle. Try also Moudros and Diapori in summer. You should not miss to drink an ouzo in one of the "Kafenios" in the villages to see real Greek village life.

Nightlife is seasonal, small beach bars and night clubs open from mid-June till early September. However restaurants, fish taverns and leisure cafés serve till late night all the year.

Sleep
Most accommodation services are provided by small apartments, pensions and traditional villas. There are high-rated (3- to 5-star) hotels at Platy, Androni and Myrina. Early booking with a fax or e-mail is suggested for late July and August. Most accommodations are listed and evaluated in the well known internet portals (Booking, Airbnb).

The west coast is by far the most popular and touristically most developed area on Lemnos. Here you can find accommodation in large numbers. Overall, the island has a variety of smaller hotels, hostels, apartments, rooms, but only a few large hotel complexes. These are:

Connect
The well-developed infrastructure provides Internet access for a visitor available in cafés, game spots and several public places in Myrina. Most tourist businesses all over the island provide a free limited wireless connection.

Cope
Limnos hosts a hospital in Myrina; apart from this, many of the villages also host drugstores, even private clinics. The airport hosts a Search-And-Rescue helicopter (which regularly does exercises near Myrina) and serves military aircraft, so it is forbidden to take pictures from the airport area.

Sailing
Lemnos, like all Aegean islands, is a popular destination for sailors. The island offers a lot of anchorages and almost always sufficient wind.

Ports

Go next

 * Agios Efstratios
 * Kavala
 * Lesbos
 * Imvros

title: Lemnos


text:
Lemoore

Lemoore is a city in Kings County in California's San Joaquin Valley.

By car
Lemoore is located at the junction of California State Routes 41 and 198. Lemoore can be reached via State Route 198 from Interstate 5 to the west and State Route 99 to the east.

title: Lemoore


text:
Lenawee County

Lenawee County is in Southeast Michigan.

Do
Blissfield, Michigan is the place to go for antique shopping. The village historic downtown shops house mostly antique and gift shops. It's real easy to spend most of the day walking though the creaky wood floored shops looking at just about anything you can think of from the past.

title: Lenawee County


text:
Lençóis

Lençóis is a small city in Bahia, Brazil. The city is very charming with cobblestone streets and many wonderful hole in the wall restaurants. Lençóis and the nearby Vale do Capão serve as a "base camp" of sorts for tourists from all over the world setting out to explore the Chapada Diamantina National Park, with or without a guide.

Understand
Lençóis was founded in 1844 when diamonds were found in the countryside.

By bus
There are buses coming from Salvador everyday. And there are often extra buses during the high season. Just check the current departure times on the apps from Clickbus or Buscaonibus. The trip takes about 6 hours.

From Brasilia there are buses, too. You can depart in the afternoon and arrive in the late morning in Seabra. It costs around R$170 (Feb 2021). There you may have to walk six minutes to another intercity bus station. Just ask where you arrive. The bus to Lençois is for R$15 (Feb 2021). The app from Buscaonibus shows all operating bus companies on this route with their departure times.

By car
From Salvador, take the BR-324 until Feira de Santana, then take the BR-116 until it meets with the BR-242 (Bahia-Brasília) highway; or take the BA-052 from Feira de Santana to Ipirá, and then the BA-488 to Itaberaba, then continue along the BR-242 heading west. Lençóis is just 12 km off the BR-242 Bahia-Brasília highway.

By foot
Since Lençóis is a small, you can walk anywhere around town. To get out of town to see the sights in the Chapada Diamantina, book a tour and they provide transportation and guide. There are some waterfalls, swimming holes and natural slides on the outskirts of Lencois all at a walking distance.

Other than that the main attraction of Lencois the town serves as a good base for trekking trips into Chapada Diamantina National Park. There are day trips as well as longer treks of up to 5 days. The trips can be organized with a tour agency which takes care of everything including transport, guide food etc., but you can also buy a map of the park and venture out on your own. The tour agencies charge upwards of R$120 per day.

By car
The roads outside Lençóis are full of pot holes. Be prepared for a bumpy ride when you leave the town to go on tours.

You can rent a car for R$100 for 12 hours (200km limit) or R$150 for 24 hours (no km limit). This is a cheaper alternative for seeing some of the nearby attractions without booking through a tour agency.

See
Most attractions that are in easy walking/hiking distance are to the west.

Do
On OsmAnd or Mapy.cz there are natural attractions and trails of the area shown.
 * Tours - There are tour agencies all over Lençóis. You can book tours at the tour agencies themselves or through your hotel/hostel.  They can take you by car to many of the locations listed in the "see" section.  Short hikes are involved in actually getting to the sites.
 * Rock Climbing - You can get a guide to take you rock climbing through the tour agencies. They provide all the equipment and a personal English speaking guide.
 * Hiking - There are many trails and places you can go on your own or you can go with a group tour. If you go on your own, ask at your hotel/hostel where you should go or check Wikiloc and download the traces to your GPS device.
 * Camping - Some hostels, like Pousada dos Duendes will arrange group camping trips. You can go on several day hikes and the guides will provide all the food and camping gear.  If you have the time, it could be a lot of fun.
 * Rappelling - Book through a tour agency. Make sure you check where they are going and how far the descent is.  Some days they have smaller places to rappel that aren't worth the price.

Buy

 * Dois Irmãos This shop near the main square sells nice camping and hiking gear.
 * There are many other shops that sell t-shirts, post cards etc.

There is a agency and a  in town.

Budget
In the Vale do Capao nearby there are also hostel, which are cooler in the daytime during summer in Lençois. And from there a variety of natural attractions in the national park are easier to reach. For dorms just look on booking.com and sort by price.

Go next

 * Chapada Diamantina National Park
 * Vale do Capão - a small town on the other side of the national park. A completely different vibe from Lençóis.
 * Salvador which has a direct connection by intercity buses
 * For Brasilia take the bus first to Seabra. There are overnight buses to Brasilia.

title: Lençóis


text:
Lençóis Maranhenses

Lençóis Maranhenses is a national park in the Maranhão state of Brazil.

Understand
Mostly about birdlife, shifting dunes and fresh water lakes, the latter in their best between May and September.

Motor vehicles are not allowed in the park, however, many agencies will offer 4X4 tours. Please think twice before booking one of these tours.

Landscape
The shifting dunes with the lakes in between are most spectacular at low sun, when a range of shadows come into play. Just after sunrise is probably thev very best because of lower temperatures.

Flora and fauna
Dry sands don't cater for much. Some tiny fish in the lakes, the occasional bird and some bushes along the rim of the dunes. Quite a few cattle and goats grazing along the lakes.

Climate
Best time to visit is May - September, after the rains, and before the lakes dry out. The almost constant breeze may fool you into thinking the sun is not getting at you. Think again!

Get in

 * from São Luís (easiest), take a bus to Barreirinhas (which has the best structure)
 * from Fortaleza, either go to Paulino Neves or to Barreirinhas
 * from Jericoacoara, two main options:
 * get a 4x4 directly to Barreirinhas which takes around 7 hours, costs R$1200 for up to 4 people. There are also several places that offer a tour of 3 days for the Lençois for R$1500 (only transport). Bargain the price, especially during low season!
 * take the bus from Camocim to Paulino Neves, and then a 4x4 onwards to Barreirinhas. You might have to stay overnight in Camocim.

Fees and permits
There are no fees or permits. You are free to enter.

Get around
No motor transport inside the park, but plenty around the perimeter. No real roads though, so you need a good 4x4. Horses and donkeys are alternatives.

Do
There are two major trekking routes. Both go roughly east-to-west, which is by far the most convenient direction due to dunes shaping (i.e. steep and fluffy on the lee/west side) and also sand blowing in your back rather than your face:
 * Atins - Santo Amaro. Possible stops at Canto do Atins, Baixa Grande and Queimada dos Britos. As a straight line, this is almost exactly downwind.
 * Barreirinhas - Santo Amaro. Take a daytrip from Barreirinhas to either Lagoa Bonita or Lagoa Azul. Jump off and start walking. Possible stops at Baixa Grande and Queimada dos Britos.

Eat
Visitors must bring their own food and water for treks within the park. There are no opportunities to purchase food and drinks other than at lodging offered by locals who live in the two major oasis within the park.

Lodging
Most people sleep in Barreirinhas and do daytrips. However, the dunes are far more accessible if you stay in Atins, or even better in Canto de Atins. Mandacaru and Caburé are less convenient alternatives. Paulino Neves offers proximity to similar sights (Pequenos Lençóis), although not inside the actual national park. There is also the little explored town of Santo Amaro on the park´s western rim. Guided treks are available. There are a number of trekking options with Lencois Maranhenses and guides are highly recommended. Lodging is available from locals who live in two oasis' within the park. Sleeping in hammocks and meals of rice, beans and chicken are the norm.

Camping
No restrictions so far, but there is some talking, due to garbage left behind. Do your part!

Backcountry
Making short distance day trips inside the park do not deliver the cultural experience or the solitude Lencois Maranhenses can provide. Surprisingly, the dunes are well-packed from seasonal rains and much easier to walk on than typical beach sand.

title: Lençóis Maranhenses


text:
Lenexa

Lenexa is a city in Eastern Kansas.

Get in
Kansas City International Airport

title: Lenexa


text:
Leningrad Oblast

Leningrad Oblast is a region of Northwestern Russia named for the old name of its principal city, Leningrad, now known as Saint Petersburg. It borders Pskov Oblast to the southwest, Estonia and the Gulf of Finland to the west, Finland to the northwest, Karelia and Lake Ladoga to the north, Vologda Oblast to the east, and Novgorod Oblast to the south.

Cities

 * — this small city is Leningrad Oblast's largest after Saint Petersburg and boasts a magnificent palace, which is part of Petersburg's UNESCO World Heritage Site network
 * — the Russian half of a city split in two at the fall of the USSR, across the river is Narva and two big medieval castles stare each other down from each city across the Narva River, the new border of Russia and Estonia
 * — home to a pretty cathedral and the Alexander Svirsky Monastery
 * — a popular dacha town with a big medieval Karelian castle
 * — a small town with an island fortress that is on the UNESCO World Heritage List
 * — an incredible gem of a sleepy village, this is the first capital of Russia, founded in the 8th century, which was for its first 200 years one of the most important ports in Eastern Europe; boasts some very old churches with twelfth century frescoes painted by Russian Master Andrei Rublev and Russia's first kremlin, built by the first Russian Tsar, the Rus Viking Rurik
 * — a town only miles away from Finnish border
 * — the Uspensky Monastery is this small city's main attraction
 * — a very attractive city with a big Swedish castle on the Karelian Isthmus near the border with Finland

Other destinations

 * (but it is not open to casual visitors without a permit)
 * - a rather big island in the middle of the Gulf of Finland, and visible far away as it has hills reaching up to 173 m ASL. It's the location of two points on the world heritage listed Struve Geodetic Arc - Gogland Z and Mäki-päälys. Gogland is nowadays a military area which means you have to get a permit to go there.

Understand
Leningrad Oblast is most often visited by travelers staying in Saint Petersburg, either on a day trip or overnight to places of interest. If you are interested in Russian history or Orthodox art, you should put Staraya Ladoga at the top of your destination list, but be aware that it is difficult to get to on your own so get a tour. If castles are more your thing, Vyborg, Shlisselburg, and Ivangorod are excellent destinations, but in the case of the latter, be sure to get all your paperwork in order because the Estonian side of the city is more interesting and accommodating. Finally, if Saint Petersburg and its suburbs have not tired you out of seeing palaces, Gatchina's palace is quite impressive.

Talk
As a general rule, the closer you are to either a major tourist site or to Saint Petersburg, the more likely you will find people who speak English or other European languages, like German, Finnish, or French. Still, some knowledge of Russian or a qualified guide will almost certainly elevate your experience here.

Get in
The main border crossings are at Narva/Ivangorod for Estonia and along the main Helsinki–Vyborg highway for Finland. For the Russians especially, triple check that your papers are in order, and check latest restrictions. In 2023, Finland closed all border crossings to the oblast for months.

Most visitors to the region arrive via Saint Petersburg's airport or rail terminals.

It is possible to visit Russia without a visa for 72 hours, provided you arrive and leave by ship. Probably the largest share of visitors to the country using this possibility visit this corner of Russia, arriving by cruise ship to St. Petersburg or through the Saimaa Canal from Lappeenranta in Finland to Vyborg. However, the cruises stopped in 2022 because of the war on Ukraine.

Starting October 1, 2019 tourists from a number of countries can visit St.Petersburg and Leningrad oblast by e-visa obtained free of charge. See Get In section of the main article on Russia for more information.

Get around
In general, the most efficient and cheapest mode of transport is to take the electric rail elektrichka (электричка, eh-lehk-TREECH-ka) services from Saint Petersburg's main rail terminals. Tickets are very cheap and the elektrichka will take you to all but the smallest destinations in the region (Staraya Ladoga).

Drink
Saint Petersburg beers luckily predominate in this region. Go for a light Baltika #7 or a dark Baltika #9.

Go next
The whole of Northwestern Russia and major cities across all Russia await from the rail stations and airports of Saint Petersburg. The region is also a convenient last stop in Russia for travelers heading on to the Baltic states, Finland, or Belarus. In the other direction, Moscow is just a couple of hours away by high-speed rail.

title: Leningrad Oblast


text:
Quinte-Northumberland

Quinte-Northumberland is a region in Eastern Ontario which extends from Cobourg eastward into the Bay of Quinte region. The bay is east of Trenton, where it separates Belleville and Napanee from Prince Edward County.

Cities and towns

 * — a rural area that includes Bon Echo Provincial Park, which is home to Indigenous pictographs
 * — the largest city in the region, it has some fine heritage buildings
 * — a lovely boardwalks connects the harbour and large sandy beach, and it has a historic downtown
 * — a centre of United Empire Loyalist settlement
 * — one of the best-preserved main streets in Ontario
 * — wineries, fruit farms, antique shops, and the dunes of Sandbanks Provincial Park
 * — home of the National Air Force Museum of Canada
 * — on the shores on beautiful Stoco Lake, it's popular with sport fishers

Other destinations

 * — features the massive 100 m (330 ft) high Mazinaw Rock, an escarpment rising out of the water, adorned with many Indigenous pictographs
 * — the world's largest fresh water sand bar and dune system

Understand
This region is United Empire Loyalist country, colonised by loyal British subjects who escaped the United States of America after it fell to revolutionary forces in 1783. Many towns and cities in the area were founded in 1784 and were part of the front line of the War of 1812.

The area is now a peaceful place and a welcome transition from the hectic pace of big-city life to the west in Oshawa-Toronto and their endless, sprawling suburbia.

Get in
The Quinte-Northumberland region falls within the busy Windsor-Quebec corridor, in the section between (but not including) Oshawa and Kingston. The area is largely rural with the occasional small city.

By car, the region is accessible from Toronto and Oshawa via Highway 401 (and the road it bypassed, Highway 2 / County Road 2) which both run (from west to east) Oshawa-Port Hope-Cobourg-Trenton-Belleville-Napanee-Kingston. The Loyalist Parkway (Ontario Highway 33, County Road 33) also joins Trenton to Kingston, but by a more southern route through Prince Edward County with a ferry crossing to Adolphustown; it then follows the Lake Ontario waterfront eastward through Bath, ending at old Highway 2 (Princess St.) in Kingston.

By bus, Megabus (Coach Canada) stops in Belleville on Kingston-Peterborough trips. Deseronto Transit runs a local bus from Belleville-Napanee and Belleville-Prince Edward County.

By train, Via Rail makes a few stops in Napanee, Belleville, Trenton, Cobourg and Port Hope on its Toronto-Kingston-Montréal or Toronto-Kingston-Ottawa "Corridor" service. Most runs are "express" and do not stop. Some of the smaller stations on this line (built in 1856 as the Grand Trunk Railway) are unattended shelters opened briefly before the train's expected arrival.

Cruising on small craft may be an option to reach various towns in the region from Lake Ontario but is inherently seasonal.

There is no major civilian airport in-region (despite Trenton hosting Canada's largest air force base); Megabus operates a bus from Toronto Pearson International Airport to various towns along the 401.

Get around
While there is local or city bus service within Belleville and Cobourg, for most of this largely-rural region a motorcar is a necessity. Many attractions (such as provincial parks or farms with pick-your-own strawberries and apples) are off the beaten path and beyond the reach of public transportation.

See
The National Air Force Museum of Canada in Trenton displayed restored military aircraft, including North America's only Halifax Bomber.

Prince Edward County offers several museums and a pioneer village.

Port Hope has over 200 buildings with a heritage designation, 50 of them on Walton Street in the downtown.

Pick apples and strawberries in season in Napanee or Prince Edward County.

Do
Fish for fMuskie, trout, pike, walleye, large-mouth and small-mouth bass on Stoco Lake in Tweed. There's ice fishing in winter, too.

The Cobourg Highland Games is an annual Scottish festival held in late June.

The "Land O Lakes" region, which includes Addington Highlands and Twwed has many opportunities for boating, fishing, and renting a cottage. Prince Edward County is a great place for a day out to enjoy small towns, visit a winery (see also Wine Regions of Ontario), browse for antiques, or check out art galleries. It is also a high-traffic bird migration point for many species and a popular destination for bird watching.

Bon Echo Provincial Park is popular for rock climbing, camping, hiking, boating and swimming.

Sandbanks Provincial Park draws thousands of people to urs beaches in summer. There is a dog-friendly section, and one for naturists.

Eat
Strawberries are in season in early summer, usually soon before Canada Day (July 1). Various farms offer pick-your-own produce in Picton and Adolphustown.

Apples ripen mid-summer and may be picked in various communities from Brighton to Picton to Adolphustown.

Pumpkins are in season in early fall, usually a month or so before Halloween.

Drink
There are many small wineries in Prince Edward County doing innovative things with Cabernet Franc, Riesling, Gamay, Pinot Gris, Baco Noir, Merlot. In 2020, there are 33 wineries and vineyards, and 3 cideries.

title: Quinte-Northumberland


text:
Lennox Head

Lennox Head is a town in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. The town is known for its surfing, windsurfing and kite sailing. It has a relaxed village atmosphere with great restaurants, sidewalk cafes and shops.

Understand

Lennox Head is 776 km north of Sydney, 211 km south of Brisbane, 11 km north of Ballina and 120 km south of Coolangatta. Lennox Head is a small coastal town between Byron Bay and Ballina, New South Wales. The village is popular with beach-goers, sea-changers, and holiday-makers. The town was home to about 7,700 people in 2016.

Pat Morton lookout (at Lennox Point) offers spectacular views of the village and of Seven Mile Beach extending up towards Broken Head and on to Byron. The stretch of coast from the south side of Flat Rock (4 km south), north to Lennox Point is now protected as the Lennox National Surfing Reserve.

Located on the northern edge of the village is Lake Ainsworth, a freshwater lake that has distinctive tannin-stained waters from the surrounding tea trees.

By car

 * 40 minutes from Lismore
 * 1.5 hours from the Gold Coast
 * 2.5 hours from Brisbane
 * 9.5 hours from Sydney
 * 22.5 hours from Melbourne

By plane
Nearest airport - Ballina Byron Gateway Airport is a 10-minute drive. The flight from Sydney takes around 1-1.5 hours. There is also a direct service from Melbourne. You can fly in to Ballina with Virgin, Jetstar or Rex from Sydney and from Melbourne with Jetstar several times a week. The shuttle buses that service the Ballina Byron Airport will also drop off in Lennox.

The drive from the Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta is less then 1 hour.

Bus services - Premier, NSW Trainlink, Blanches Bus Company, Byron easybus, Northern Rivers Buslines.

Get around
A taxi service is available in Lennox Head, however, there is no rank and you can not simply flag one down - you will have to book a cab in advance (Freecall number-1800 992066) if you want to go anywhere.

There are limited public bus services to Lismore, Ballina and Byron Bay. Ballina Byron Gateway Airport Services Route 640 connects Ballina Byron Gateway Airport with Ballina, Lennox Head, Byron Bay and Mullumbimby seven days a week. On public holidays the Route 640 Sunday timetable operates, except on Christmas Day (no service)

Do

 * Surf skis, catamarans and windsurfers are hirable from the eastern shore of Lake Ainsworth. The protected waters of the lake are an excellent spot for windsurfing beginners.
 * The reef off the southern end of Seven Mile Beach, just north of Lennox Headland, is known as the Moat or Boat Channel and is within the Cape Byron Marine Park. The reef is an excellent place for snorkelling and provides good seasonal opportunities to view tropical fish, crustaceans and shellfish.
 * Lennox Point is popular with surfers who come for the famous and long right hand break . Hang-gliders launch from its 65m cliff depending on wind strength direction. The point is also a great spot to watch the dolphins surfing and the annual whale migrations. Walk the new trail from the board-walk at the south end of the beach, east out to the point and up to the lookout.
 * Lennox Head, Seven Mile Beach - patrolled seasonally. Popular for body surfing, windsurfing and kite surfing. Be wary of rips. Dog walkers can exercise their hounds, leash free, from the access point at the northern end of the lake.
 * Lake Ainsworth, a freshwater dune lake with waters distinctively stained with tannin from the surrounding tea trees.
 * Lennox Head Bora Ring - Raised ring of sand 20-30 cm in height. The Bundjalung tribal site is on the western outskirts of the town. It is on cleared land, about 100m west of Gibbons Street surrounded by residential housing.
 * Lennox Head Heath - Behind Lake Ainsworth and to the north of the village, the specialised habitat of coastal heath provides good bird watching at any time, but in Spring a vast carpet of wildflowers attracts great numbers of birds. Birds seen include Brahminy Kite, Whistling Kite, Swamp Harrier, Rainbow Bee-eater, Superb Fairy-wren, Variegated Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Little Wattlebird, Brown Honeyeater, White-cheeked Honeyeater, Tawny Grassbird and Golden-headed Cisticola.
 * Lennox Head Heritage Walk

Buy
Regional Markets: The markets in and around Lennox Head have something for everyone - plenty of local arts and crafts, seasonal plants and produce, and a wide variety of food.

 * Lennox Head Markets 2nd & 5th Sunday of the month, Near Lake Ainsworth.
 * Byron Bay Community Markets 1st Sunday of the month, Buttler St Reserve.
 * Ballina Markets 3rd Sunday of the month, Circus Ground Canal Rd.
 * Bangalow Village Markets 4th Sunday of the month, Showground.
 * Summerland Credit Union rediATM 76 Ballina Street, Lennox Head.

Eat
Best to book in advance during school holidays.

 * Blackboard at the Beach 50 Pacific Parade, Lennox Head +61 2 6687 4333 BYO Modern Australian
 * The Bream Hole 71 Ballina Street, Lennox Head +61 2 6687 7034 . Seafood, take away.
 * Fishy Fishy 3/80-84 Ballina Street, Lennox Head +61 2 6687 5599 BYO, Seafood, sit down or take away.
 * iWok Restaurant & Bar 7 Park Lane Lennox Head +61 2 6687 7478 Licensed BYO Chinese, Asian.
 * Lennox Thai Garden 49 Ballina Street Lennox Head - Licensed and BYO, (corkage applies)+61 2 6687 7257 Modern Thai
 * O-Pes Restaurant & Bar 90 Ballina Street, Lennox Head (02) 6687 7388 Licensed, Modern Australian.
 * Pancho Villa Mexican Restaurant 1/62 Ballina Street, Lennox Head (02) 6687 6171 Licensed. Australian Tex Mex.

Stay safe
When at the beach always swim between the flags and follow Surf Lifesaver directions. Rips occur at times when the surf is rough.

Connect
Internet - available Wi-Fi at a number of cafes in the village. New internet facilities available. Buy your vouchers from the Seagrass grocery store at the south end of the shopping area.

Go next

 * Ballina – 10 minutes by road
 * Byron Bay
 * Lismore – 40 minutes by road
 * Gold Coast – 1 hr 30 min by road
 * Wollumbin National Park

title: Lennox Head


text:
Lenoir City

Lenoir City is a city in Tennessee.

title: Lenoir City


text:
Lenox

There is more than one place called Lenox:

United States of America

 * Lenox (Georgia) - A town in Georgia.
 * Lenox (Massachusetts) - A town in Massachusetts.
 * Lenox (New York) - A town in New York.

title: Lenox


text:
Lenox (Massachusetts)

Lenox is a town in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, about 3 hours from New York City and 2½ hours from Boston. Lenox is an arts-lover's dream, home to Tanglewood. There are also several stately mansions and prestigious boarding schools in the area.

Get in

 * From the west (3 hours from New York City): Take the Taconic State Parkway. Exit at "Hillsdale, Claverack, Route 23" and follow Route 23 East to Great Barrington. North on Route 7 through Stockbridge. Left onto Route 7A into Lenox.
 * From the east (2½ hours from Boston): Take the Massachusetts Turnpike to Exit 2, marked Lee. Follow Route 20 West about 4 miles beyond Lee then left on to Route 183 into Lenox.
 * From the south (75 minutes from Hartford): North on I-91 to the Massachusetts Turnpike West to exit 2; then as above.

Get around
The small downtown area is easily walkable, and Tanglewood is just a mile from the central crossroads. To go farther, you will probably need at least a bicycle if not a motor vehicle.

Go next
Jacob's Pillow dance festival is in Becket, about a half hour's drive from Lenox, depending on traffic.

title: Lenox (Massachusetts)


text:
Lens

Lens is a city in Hauts-de-France, France. A former industrial city, its wealth was founded on textiles and coal mining. In 2009, the Louvre opened a branch in Lens, called - naturally enough - Louvre-Lens.

Get in
The town is located in the north of France, in the plain of Artois, about 15 km north of Arras, 20 km west of Douai, 27 km south-west of Lille, 90 km south  south-east of Calais and 180 km north of Paris as the crow flies. Lens is served by the A21 motorway (called the “mining ring road”) which forms a semi-ring road to the north and east of the town and connects the city to Douai, Valenciennes and other motorways, the A1 motorway  (Paris-Lille) to the east, and the A26 (Calais-Reims) motorway to the west.

Its station is served by six TGV round trips by the LGV Nord (1 h 10 from Paris) but also by the TER Nord-Pas-de-Calais lines 6, 13, 21 and 23 going to Valenciennes, Arras, Dunkirk and Lille  (reduced to 30 minutes by Libercourt since December 9, 2007).

Public transport is provided by the Tadao company, under the authority of a mixed union which brings together the Communaupole de Lens-Liévin, the Hénin-Carvin agglomeration community, the Artois agglomeration community and the community  of communes of Nœux and surroundings. A tram project linking Liévin to Hénin-Beaumont via Lens is planned to replace the Tadao buLLe line. In addition, a new bus station was built in 2009.

The airport of Lens - Bénifontaine is the closest to the city, the closest airport being that of Lille-Lesquin.

Do

 * Watch football: RC Lens were promoted in 2020 so they play soccer in Ligue 1, the top tier of the game in France. Their home ground is (capacity 38,000), 1 km northwest of the railway station.
 * Escape Bollaert: An escape game in the heart of the Bollaert-Delelis stadium is the Blood and Gold adventure that Lens-Liévin Tourisme, in partnership with the Racing Club de Lens, offers you to experience: not only will you be happy to enter the  Bollaert stadium, but in addition you will be proud to have come out!  Will you be able to escape the players' locker room or track down the club president?
 * Escape Bollaert: An escape game in the heart of the Bollaert-Delelis stadium is the Blood and Gold adventure that Lens-Liévin Tourisme, in partnership with the Racing Club de Lens, offers you to experience: not only will you be happy to enter the  Bollaert stadium, but in addition you will be proud to have come out!  Will you be able to escape the players' locker room or track down the club president?

Connect
As of June 2022, Lens has 5G with all French carriers.

title: Lens


text:
Lenzerheide

Lenzerheide is a city in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland.

By car
Travelling from Basel, Zurich, or the south of Switzerland, take exit no. 17 (Chur South) on the A13 motorway. After about 20 minutes, you are in Lenzerheide.

By bus
Lenzerheide is served by the Post Bus. Buses depart roughly every hour from Chur (travel time: approx. 30 minutes).

By train
Lenzerheide cannot be reached by train; you have to take the bus. Change means of transport in Chur.

Get around
Lenzerheide is easily walkable. There are also taxis and buses.

Do

 * Biking - There are 305 km of signposted cycling tracks for different cycling styles, leading to the most beautiful places in Lenzerheide. Maps are available at the tourist office.
 * Hiking - In Lenzerheide, there are more than 170 km of marked hiking routes. There is also a Globi (a popular children's character) hiking route, which, however, is only open in summer. In winter, there are over 80 km of winter hiking trails, which are ideal for Nordic walking.
 * Golf - The golf course in Lenzerheide is one of the most beautiful golf courses in the Alps. It is open from May to October.
 * Water sports - The Heidsee lake is located in the middle of a beautiful landscape. It is at 1,500 m above sea level. There, you can relax, go fishing, or do different activities on the lake such as windsurfing, sailing, etc.. On the left bank, there are many sights to discover, and on the right, there is a nature reserve, where you can watch ducks. In summer, the water temperature reaches 17 to 22 degrees Celsius. There is a large beach volleyball court next to the Heidsee lake.
 * Skiing - 155 km of prepared slopes at 1230 to 2865 m above sea level with 35 modern ski lifts.
 * Cross-country skiing - 52 km of prepared cross-country ski runs - both classic and skating style - througt the forest or across the Heidsee lake.
 * Sledging - From Scharmoin to Canols. 3.8 km long. 406 m change in altitude.
 * Sledging - From Scharmoin to Canols. 3.8 km long. 406 m change in altitude.

Buy
There are many shops that sell specialities from Switzerland. Lenzerheide is also a good place to buy sporting goods. Most shops are open from Monday to Friday from 08:00-17:00. Euros and Swiss francs are accepted.

Splurge

 * Hotel Schweizerhof is a beautiful blend of old and new. Located just across from the main Post Bus stop, it contains an expensive spa and several restaurants.

Go next

 * Chur - Chur is 30 minutes away from Lenzerheide by bus. The old part of Chur is very nice to walk through and to go shopping. There are a lot of places to go out in the evening, from restaurants to bars. There is also the cable car Brambrüesch, which takes you up the mountain. From there, you can go hiking, biking or skiing.
 * Churwalden - This village lies halfway between Lenzerheide and Chur. Churwalden has the longest toboggan run of the world and the highest rope park of Switzerland. In winter, Churwalden has a practice lift for beginners as well as two chairlifts for more advanced skiers.
 * Malix - Malix is very special because it is built on a slope on one side of the valley. It is very nice for walking and if you plan a longer walk, you can go up the Brambrüesch, eat in the restaurant and then take the cable car down to Chur. Malix also has a small castle, which now is a renovated ruin.
 * Parpan - A quiet little village with walking trails through beautiful scenery. 7 minutes away from Lenzerheide by bus. In summer, there is the Sunday market where you can find antique accessories. You can also watch how cheese or the traditional dried meat is made. In winter, you can go skiing; there are 36 ski lifts which are connected throughout the whole valley. In the winter, the walking trails turn into cross-country skiing tracks.
 * Valbella - The neighbour village is next to the Heidsee, so a short walk away from Lenzerheide itself. You can go swimming in the lake or just walk around it and have a picnic.

title: Lenzerheide


text:
Leoben

Leoben is a town of about 25,000 inhabitants (2018). It is the industrial and educational centre of Northern Styria in Austria.

Understand
The University of Leoben with about 3,000 students is right in the centre, Leoben also hosts the headquarters of international companies and the brewery Gösser.

By plane
The closest international airport is in Graz (about 70 km). It has its own railway station Flughafen Graz-Feldkirchen 500 m away.

By train
Leoben is connected directly to several places in Austria and Central Europe, for example to Graz, Vienna, Villach, Klagenfurt, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Zurich, Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart, Warsaw, Rome, Milan or Florence. Tickets can be bought in all stations and online, see Austria.

The is located around 800m north-west of the city center.

By car

 * From Vienna, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland or Hungary take the A2 to Seebenstein then S6 to Leoben.
 * From Salzburg or Linz and Germany via A1 or A8 to Voralpenkreuz then on A9 to St Michael, then S6 to Leoben.
 * From Graz and the Balkans take A9 to St Michael then S6 to Leoben.

The motorway A9 is partly a toll road, coming from north (Linz, Salzburg, Germany) the tunnel Bosruck costs €4.50; coming from south (Graz, Balkans) the tunnel Gleinalm costs €8.00 (as of August 2013). The toll can be paid directly at a gate or online in advance.

Get around
The centre is easily covered by foot. There are buses that run in Leoben and connect it with the towns around.

See

 * . The renowned university of Leoben is a technical university and Austria's only university for mining and metallurgy. It is concidered one of the most difficult universities in Austria to pass.
 * . The renowned university of Leoben is a technical university and Austria's only university for mining and metallurgy. It is concidered one of the most difficult universities in Austria to pass.
 * . The renowned university of Leoben is a technical university and Austria's only university for mining and metallurgy. It is concidered one of the most difficult universities in Austria to pass.

Do

 * Grab a coffee or a beer (Gösser, of course) at one of the many cafés on the Main Square and enjoy the scenery.
 * Go hiking on one of the various mountains around Leoben, for example the, a pleasant hike of about 3.5 hours.
 * is a motor-racing circuit that hosts Formula One and other big events. It's in Spielberg 25 km southwest. The next F1 race is 28 June - 30 June 2024.

Buy
There are many shops at and around the main square, including the -mall with about 80 shops.

. Located approx. 1 kilometer south of the city center a few shops as well as the local CINEPELXX cinema have settled. Being one of the largest cinemas in Styria especcially in the evening the area is well visited.

Go next

 * Graz is just 45 minutes away.
 * Eisenerz with the old iron mine in and on the Erzberg, a beautiful old town and the lake Leopoldsteinersee make a good day trip.
 * Schladming is a small - former - mining town in the Enns valley, that is now a very popular large winter sports resort. It has a great view on the Dachstein mountains.
 * Semmering the alpine pass between Graz and Vienna encompasses two ski areas and the railway UNESCO heritage.

title: Leoben


text:
Leominster

There is more than one place called Leominster:

England

 * Leominster (England) — A town in England.

United States of America

 * Leominster (Massachusetts) — A town in Massachusetts.

title: Leominster


text:
Leominster (Massachusetts)

Leominster is a town in Massachusetts.

Understand
Leominster is a former industrial town with a number of National Register of Historic Places-listed buildings that used to be factories — such as for shirts, baby carriages or piano cases — in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and also some from its earlier period as a farming community. Leominster now is a major retail center and houses some people who commute to Worcester and Boston.

By car
From Boston, take State Route 2 West.

From Worcester, take I-290 East and I-190 North.

On foot
Easy enough for downtown attractions. Leominster covers a surprisingly large area though so you may discover that your destination is quite a long walk away.

By car
This is you best bet and you will likely need a car to get here any way. Parking is easy to find and either free or very cheap.

Drink
Leominster is not a major nightlife destination. Most pub style restaurants will have a bar if you really need a drink. Rye & Thyme in addition to being one of the city's better known restaurants also has a well known bar. There's even a basement room. Leominster also has locations of major coffee chains Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks.

Go next

 * Worcester is about 25-30 minutes' drive to the south.
 * Boston is an hour to the east by car without traffic, but expect to hit traffic and allow at least an extra half hour.
 * The state of New Hampshire is very close by to the north, and Vermont, to the northwest, is not that much further.

title: Leominster (Massachusetts)


text:
Leon

There's more than one place called Leon:

France

 * Leon (France) (Léon) - a city in Landes (Les Landes)

Mexico

 * León (Mexico) - a city in Guanajuato (state)

Nicaragua

 * León (Nicaragua) (León) - a city
 * Leon (department) - a department

Spain

 * Leon (Spain) (León) - a city in Spain
 * Castile and Leon (Castilla y León) - an autonomous region

title: Leon


text:
Léon (France)

Léon  is a small town in the region of Landes in France.

It is located near a lake and during the summer months it is a tourist destination.

See
The village offers several nice wood-frame buildings.

Do

 * Bathing, wind surfing and boating on the nearby lake
 * Hiking in the forests surrounding the lake
 * Bicycle riding

Sleep
There are a number of campgrounds

title: Léon (France)


text:
Leonard

There is more than one place called Leonard:

United States of America

 * Leonard (Michigan) - A town in the state of Michigan.
 * Leonard (Minnesota) - A town in the state of Minnesota.
 * Leonard (Missouri) - A town in the state of Missouri.
 * Leonard (North Dakota) - A town in the state of North Dakota.
 * Leonard (Texas) - A town in the state of Texas.

title: Leonard


text:
Leonardtown

Leonardtown is a city in Southern Maryland.

By car
Leonardtown is on Route 5 about 1.5 hours from Annapolis and 1 hour from Washington D.C. The Southern Maryland express can take visitors between the area and major airports nearby.

See
Leonardtown has a vibrant arts and entertainment district, home to a music school, art galleries, a chocolatier, a painting studio, and shops for antiques and flowers.

Buy
The local Amish communities have auctions where they sell crafts like quilts.

title: Leonardtown


text:
Leon County

There is more than one place called Leon County:

United States of America

 * Leon County (Florida)
 * Leon County (Texas)

title: Leon County


text:
Leonora

Leonora is a town in the Goldfields–Esperance region of Western Australia.

Understand
Leonora is largest town in the Northern Goldfields. Its long history follows the usual gold-rush boom and bust of many other historical Goldfields mining towns, but it has managed to hang on as service centre. Of most interest is the Gwalia ghost town 3km out of town.

History
Explorer John Forrest surveyed the area and identified the mining potential 1869. He and his party camped at the foot of Mount Leonora, naming it in honour of his wife. Legend has it that they build a 12 foot high tower of stones on the peak to aid in navigation by subsequent parties, though there is no evidence remaining.

By car
Leonora is 235km north of Kalgoorlie on the Goldfields Hwy.

Phone
Mobile phone coverage is limited to the Telstra 3G network, and only within town. The signal becomes variable to non-existent the further away you get. Coverage maps show it's possible to get a signal with an external antenna further out of town, but you should not rely on it. Other networks aren't available.

A satellite phone would be useful to have in an emergency if you intend to spend an extended amount of time off the beaten track.

Internet
Mobile internet on the Telstra 3G network has the same coverage as the phones do.

Go next

 * Menzies – A tiny gold rush town at the turn off to Lake Ballard.

title: Leonora


text:
Leptis Magna

Leptis Magna, also spelled Lepcis Magna, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa in the Tripolitania region of Libya.

Understand
Supposedly the largest Roman ruins in Libya, it is also called Lubda in Arabic. In 1994, a new excavation of part of the site was started by a team of professional archaeologists from a variety of academic and research institutes around the United Kingdom. Led by Dr. Hafed Walda of King's College London, and sponsored by the Society for Libyan Studies (established as a British Institute Abroad in 1969 and based at the Institute of Archaeology in London), this team has been conducting excavations of a building by the theatre for two seasons.

Do
Get a guide. The information at the site is limited.

Drink
Drinks only available at the entrance and not in the extensive site so stock up on the way in.

title: Leptis Magna


text:
Lerwick

Lerwick (Norwegian: Leirvik, "clay bay") is the largest town and capital of the Shetland Islands, with a population of 6880 in 2016. It's the obvious base for touring them.

Understand
The town dates back at least 3000 years, initially centred a little to the west by the freshwater Clickimin Loch. A wooden town grew up but was burned down by the inhabitants of Scalloway in the 17th century, ostensibly because they objected to the drunken immorality of the Lerwick sailors. Their real motive was fear that Lerwick would supplant Scalloway as capital of Shetland, as indeed it did in 1708. Stone buildings came to predominate in the 18th and 19th centuries and Lerwick became a busy fishing and shipping port. It still is.

Visitor information

 * Lerwick visitor information webpage
 * The tourist information centre is the VisitScotland iCentre on Market Cross, south end of the harbour. It's open Apr-Sep: M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 10AM-4PM; and Oct-Mar: M-Sa 10AM-4PM.

By plane
[[Sumburgh] Airport ] is Shetlands' main airport, 25 miles (40 km) south of Lerwick. This airport has flights by Loganair from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness, Kirkwall and Bergen. One flight a day is local, to Lerwick-Tingwall. Bus 6 runs between Sumburgh and Lerwick (every hour or two; 60 min), and there is car hire at the airport.

Flights between the Shetland Islands fly from  4 miles north of Lerwick. These serve Fair Isle, Foula and Sumburgh; the flight to Papa Stour was axed. Day-trips either way are often possible. Flights are operated by Airtask on behalf of Shetland Islands Council, using a couple of BNF Islanders, so they're small and not infrequently grounded by the weather. Bus 21 / 23 (Lerwick to Brae, Hillswick or Toft) and Bus 9 (Lerwick to Walls) pass near the airport, but better take a taxi. By car follow A970 north, turn left onto A971; parking here is free.

By boat
Northlink Ferries sail overnight from Aberdeen. These carry vehicles and sail every afternoon: on 4 days direct, the other 3 days via Kirkwall in Orkney. See Shetland page for practical info. Ferries no longer sail to Scandinavia, Faeroes or Iceland.

is the ferry pier, on A970 main road about 2 miles north of Lerwick centre, opposite the Shetland Hotel. Bus 4 (Lerwick to Scalloway) runs past the terminal every hour or so and there are taxis. Cruise ships often visit Shetland in summer and may dock here, or anchor up and bring passengers into Kirkwall by tender.

By car
Most visitors either fly into Sumburgh and hire from the airport, or bring their own car on the ferry: for a family the extra fare is more than offset by the convenience and saving of self-driving to Aberdeen. This means that Lerwick has only a small hire fleet, which is also serving the airport, so you need to book. As of 2021 the car hire firms in Lerwick are Europcar, Grantfield Garage, and Bolts who are agents for Avis. They're all open M-Sa 9AM-5PM and closed on Sunday.

By bus
You're unlikely to use the bus within town, but for Holmsgarth Terminal use Bus 4 hourly towards Scalloway. Bus 1 circles town hourly and runs north near the terminal and south by Broch of Clickimin. Bus 6 hourly to Sumburgh also passes the Broch. For timetables see Zetrans

is north end of the centre, just beyond Fort Charlotte.

By boat
The only inter-island ferry from Lerwick is the hourly ten-minute crossing to Bressay. It's a little roll-on, roll-off ferry sailing from the harbour in town centre, not Holmsgarth.

The other inter-island ferries ply from different points around Mainland, but their sailing status is shown on a big display board at the harbour, worth checking if the day looks doubtful. Those ferry piers are sometimes altered in rough weather, and Lerwick is a "port of refuge" for the Out Skerries ferry — don't go visiting in such conditions.

By taxi
Taxi firms in Lerwick include Sinclair's +44 1595 696060, Allied Taxis +44 1595 690069, and Ace +44 1595 693030.

There's a taxi rank by Victoria Pier in town centre, and taxis await the ferry from Aberdeen.

See
Lerwick is mostly a modern industrial town, with quays and marine industries sprawling along the shoreline. Scenically the best of it is one block back from the quay, along pedestrianised Commercial Street. Follow this past various Victorian buildings south out of town, onto Twageos Road, then out to the breezy headland of The Knab.

Do

 * Up Helly Aa events are held around New Year in several locations in Shetland, but by far the biggest and most spectacular is in Lerwick. The name means "end of holidays" but it's slipped back in the calendar to attract more visitors, and is nowadays on the last Tuesday in January. The programme starts with a morning procession at 9AM, followed by a civic reception before the "guizers" embark on a series of visits to schools, care homes and the hospital. The evening torchlight costume procession starts at 7:30PM (by which hour it's black night in Shetland), culminating in burning the Viking longship. The guizers are then entertained at a series of "Halls": private receptions to thank volunteers for their work over the year.
 * Screenplay Film Festival is held at Mareel, late Aug to early Sep.
 * And see Shetland Islands for multi-venue events.
 * Garrison Theatre is on Market St behind Fort Charlotte.
 * Golf: Shetland GC is 3 miles west on A970. It's 5562 yards, par 68, visitor £32 per day.
 * Golf: Shetland GC is 3 miles west on A970. It's 5562 yards, par 68, visitor £32 per day.

Buy
Lerwick has the best shopping in Shetland... since it's the only shopping. There's Tesco near the south end of town, plus a variety of shops in town centre.

 * at 26 North Rd has some two dozen shops within. Open 9AM-5:30PM, a good refuge if the weather turns bad.
 * at 26 North Rd has some two dozen shops within. Open 9AM-5:30PM, a good refuge if the weather turns bad.
 * at 26 North Rd has some two dozen shops within. Open 9AM-5:30PM, a good refuge if the weather turns bad.
 * at 26 North Rd has some two dozen shops within. Open 9AM-5:30PM, a good refuge if the weather turns bad.
 * at 26 North Rd has some two dozen shops within. Open 9AM-5:30PM, a good refuge if the weather turns bad.
 * at 26 North Rd has some two dozen shops within. Open 9AM-5:30PM, a good refuge if the weather turns bad.
 * at 26 North Rd has some two dozen shops within. Open 9AM-5:30PM, a good refuge if the weather turns bad.

Splurge

 * At the bus station are Great Wall (Chinese) and Raba (Indian / Nepalese), both open daily.

Drink

 * Grand Hotel, Queens Hotel and Shetland Hotel have bars, see Eat and Sleep.
 * Lerwick Brewery is 2 miles east of town on Ladies Drive and has tours.
 * Grand Hotel, Queens Hotel and Shetland Hotel have bars, see Eat and Sleep.
 * Lerwick Brewery is 2 miles east of town on Ladies Drive and has tours.
 * Grand Hotel, Queens Hotel and Shetland Hotel have bars, see Eat and Sleep.
 * Lerwick Brewery is 2 miles east of town on Ladies Drive and has tours.
 * Lerwick Brewery is 2 miles east of town on Ladies Drive and has tours.

Connect
As of Nov 2021, there is 4G in Lerwick with all UK carriers, but the signal is patchy. 5G has not reached the Shetlands.

Go next
Most of Shetland can be visited on a day-trip from Lerwick. Highlights include:
 * Jarlshof, the prehistoric settlement at Sumburgh, next to the main airport 30 miles south.
 * Scalloway, Shetland's second largest town and home to Scalloway castle, is a 6-mile drive.
 * Trondra, Burra and East Burra are three small isles on the west coast, connected to Scalloway by road.
 * Noss is a small island nature reserve with spectacular sea-cliffs, reached via the island of Bressay, a short ferry-ride from Lerwick.
 * Yell and Unst are the two islands north of Mainland, linked by short ferry crossings; here you reach the north tip of the British Isles and UK.

Further out, Foula and Fair Isle vie with each other for the title of "Britain's most remote habitation". So they need a longer stay; nevertheless by air a day-trip may be possible.

Otherwise, return south (perhaps via the Orkney Islands) to the Scottish mainland. You have to return there to reach other island groups such as the Hebrides.

title: Lerwick


text:
Les Andelys

Les Andelys is a town on the river Seine in the Upper Normandy region of northern France, some 30 km northeast of Évreux. As the name might suggest, Les Andelys is divided into its two original components: Grand-Andely and Petit-Andely.

By car
From Paris:

Option 1: Take the A86, then the A15, towards Cergy. Continue on the N14 towards Rouen. Exit after Les Thilliers-en-Vexin towards Les Andelys.

Option 2: Take the A13 towards Rouen. Exit at Gaillon and go towards Les Andelys.

From Rouen:

Option 1: Take the N14 towards Paris. Exit after Grainville Option 1: Les Andelys.

Option 2: Take the A13 towards Paris. Exit at Gaillon and follow towards Les Andelys.

By train
The nearest SNCF train stations are Vernon and Gaillon Aubevoye, both on the Paris-Rouen line. For information call +33 (0)8 36 67 68 69.

See

Hotel

 * 4-star and 3-star hotels in the surroundings
 * 4-star and 3-star hotels in the surroundings
 * 4-star and 3-star hotels in the surroundings

Self-catering

title: Les Andelys


text:
Les Arcs

Les Arcs is a ski resort in Savoie, France.

Get in
The resort can be reached by a funicular train from Bourg-Saint-Maurice SNCF station, taking approximately 7 minutes. The funicular station and ticket office are at the far end of the platforms, away from the main station building and bus station. However on major transfer days there is a free shuttle bus from the station entrance to the funicular.

Alternatively there are local buses from Bourg St Maurice and the major transport hubs in the area (Geneva, Grenoble and Chambery).

Get around
Throughout the day during the main winter and summer seasons the major villages (notably Arc 2000, Arc 1950, Arc 1600 and Arc 1800) are linked by free shuttle buses.

The funicular from Bourg St Maurice arrives into Arc 1600.

title: Les Arcs


text:
Les Baux-de-Provence

Les Baux de Provence is a beautiful medieval town in Provence, whose hillsides are brushed with lavender.

Understand
Les Baux is now given over entirely to the tourist trade, relying on a reputation as one of the most picturesque villages in France. Its population of 22 in the old village is a fraction of its peak population of over 4,000, and many of its buildings (in particular the castle) are picturesque ruins.

Connect
As of July 2023, Les Baux and its approach roads have 4G from Bouygues, Orange and SFR, and 5G from Free.

title: Les Baux-de-Provence


text:
Les Cayes

Les Cayes (Kréyòl: Okay; English: "The Cays") is a town and seaport in Southern Haiti near the river Ravine du Sud, on the Caribbean coast. It is the capital of the Sud Département. Formerly known as "Aux Cayes".

Les Cayes is at about 196 km southwest of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. It is also the chief town of an arrondissement (a part of a department) with the same name. The arrondissement has six communes (a commune is like a municipality): Les Cayes, Camp-Perrin, Chantal, Île à Vache, Maniche and Torbeck.

History
In 1504, Diego Velázquez founded the town of Salvatierra de la Sabana (or Salvatierra de la Zabana) where is now Les Cayes. From here, he left for Cuba to take control of that island on 7 November 1511.

But people left completely the town in 1540 and the French Monsieur de la Lance founded the modern town of Les Cayes in 1726. The town was destroyed by two hurricanes in 1781 and 1788.

On 24 December 1818, Simón Bolívar came to Les Cayes looking for help to fight against the Spanish government in South America. Bolívar left Haiti on 10 April 1816 for Venezuela, but came back in September of that year to this Haitian town when he lost some battles in South America. He went back to South America in December of the same year.

Get in
Antoine Simon Airport, with the name of a president of Haiti that was born in Les Cayes has flights from the capital. You can also go by bus, tap-tap or in your private car. Some people do also ride their bike, which is not too safe.

By plane, it’s only 20-30 minutes; by public transportation it can take up to 4 hours; and in a private car, it takes around 2 1/2-3 hours.

title: Les Cayes


text:
Les Cheneaux Islands

Les Cheneaux Islands] are thirty-six islands in Lake Huron along the southern coast of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Understand
Includes the town of and the communities of Cedarville and Hessel

This archipelago was carved by glaciers and now provides sheltered channels and bays within the Straits of Mackinac - a historic harbor area for boaters and explorers. Towering forests with trails and pathways offer unparalleled year-round opportunities for vacations, day-trips, reunions and quiet breaks from city living. The villages of Cedarville and Hessel on the mainland are historic Upper Peninsula port towns with marinas. They have unusual gift and antique shops, galleries, an outfitter and guide service, and places to eat within walking distance from docks. The Les Cheneaux area lies east of the Mackinac Bridge along the northern shore of Lake Huron, and offers a terrific base for your Eastern Upper Peninsula adventure. Sault Ste. Marie, DeTour, Drummond Island, Pickford and St. Ignace are all within an easy driving distance of 40 minutes or less. Tahquamenon Falls, Paradise and Pictured Rocks are within two hours.

Get in

 * From the south: I-75 over Mackinac Bridge, continue on I-75 to M-134 exit and take M-134 east to Hessel and Cedarville. From the north, take M-129 south into Cedarville. From the west, take US-2 to I-75 and head north to M-134 exit, or M-28 east to M-129, and travel south down M-129.

Do
Kayak around the various islands that create calm, shallow waters.

title: Les Cheneaux Islands


text:
Val d'Illiez

Val d'Illiez is a valley near Monthey in the Swiss region of Valais. Other than the town of Val-d'Illiez (distinguished from the valley by the hyphen in the name), Champéry is the most important town in the valley, being one of the pioneers of early tourism in Switzerland. Furthermore Les Crosets and Champoussin are two smaller ski resorts. Those three stations are part of the Portes du Soleil ski area.

Get in
The Val d'Illiez has its own train line, the Aigle–Ollon–Monthey–Champéry (AOMC). When coming from Geneva, Lausanne or Sion, most trains will stop in Aigle. From there change to the AOMC which has hourly trains to Val-d'Illiez (45 minutes) and Champéry (1 hour). To get to Les Crosets or Champoussin, change to a bus from Val-d'Illiez. Note however, that there is only a handful of connections every day. Alternatively you can take a taxi which is approximatively Fr. 50 from Val-d'Illiez.

If you are driving, take the exit 18 St-Triphon and follow the signs in direction of Portes du Soleil.

Get around
Taxi, bus.

title: Val d'Illiez


text:
Les Deux Alpes

Les Deux Alpes  is a ski resort town in Isère.

Get in
The nearest major airport is the Alpes–Isère Airport in Grenoble, located about 1 hr 30 min away by car and serviced by a number of no-frills and charter carriers. The larger Lyon–Saint-Exupéry Airport of Lyon is 2 hr away. There are regular shuttle buses from the latter.

The French high-speed train, the TGV, runs to Lyon and Grenoble.

Get around
The only official transport is the ski buses which travel all around the resort regularly, and are completely free. There is also a connecting bus to Alpe d'Huez.

Do
Ski! Les Deux Alpes is a great ski area with a variety of pistes suitable for all levels of skier. There is also the snow park with boxes, rails, jumps, half pipe and chill out zone which has something for the beginner to the expert rider. There are several ski schools.

Fortunately, considering our warming climate, Les Deux Alpes has a glacier which means that even in summer, there is skiing available. This also means that towards the end of the winter season, when many resorts are suffering the dreaded slushy pistes, there is still world class skiing to be had in LDA.

As well as skiing, there is hiking, swimming, ice skating available during the winter months as well as mountain biking, VTT tracks, hiking, walking during the summer.

title: Les Deux Alpes


text:
Les Diablerets

Les Diablerets is a ski resort in Vaud in Switzerland. It has high-altitude skiing on the glacier and some challenging runs. It's connected by ski-lifts to nearby Villars-sur-Ollon, which is at lower altitude and better suited to young children and beginners.

By train
The Aigle-Sépey-Diablerets train lines connects Les Diablerets with Aigle (50 min) roughly every hour. From Aigle there are connections to Saint-Maurice and Montreux.

By car
Les Diablerets can be accessed either from Gstaad in the east or Aigle in the west. There is also a pass road coming from Villars-sur-Ollon and it is possible to drive in from Château-d'Œx via Ormont-Dessous.

By bus
There are around 10 postal bus courses a day from Gstaad (45 min). During the summer months there is also a bus from Villars-sur-Ollon (35 min), but there are only three courses a day.

Get around
Postbus, navette shuttle during the ski season, Isenau lift with Free Access pass in summer, ASD train

See
Les Diablerets Glacier, wonderful views of Western Switzerland from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn and the Eiger, some 17th-century chalets, exhibitions at La Hotte

Do
Walk, play tennis, mountain biking, swim in the pool or at Lac Retaud golf at the Golf Club de Villars, crazy golf at Les Sources, rock climbing, Via Ferrata, parascending.

There are two ski areas accessible from les Diablerets. There is a combined ski pass available.

Buy
L'Etivaz cheese

Drink
Diablerets Bitters, Yvorne wine

Go next

 * Visit the nearby Château de Chillon or the Château d'Aigle
 * Saint-Maurice and the baths at Lavey
 * Go on to Martigny to visit Fondation de Giannadda and the ruins of the Roman city

title: Les Diablerets


text:
Les Gets

Les Gets is a ski resort town in the French part of the Portes du Soleil.

By plane
Geneva International Airport is the nearest well served airport to Les Gets, located approximately 1 hour away by car or bus. During the winter ski season, numerous package holiday operators provide transfers to the resort. In the summer months, many hotels and chalets in Les Gets provide guests with a personal transfer service from the airport for a small fee.

By car
Les Gets is most easily accessed from the E25 highway. The well signposted road to the resort passes through Cluses, a large town, and Taninges, a small village located further up the valley. In winter it is worth using snow tyres or taking chains, as the road can become dangerous very quickly in bad weather.

Get around
The town is quite compact so walking is the easiest way to get around. In the peak summer season, bicycles become the preferred form of transport, as the town becomes a haven for mountain bikers.

See

 * Mountain Scenery. The scenery around Les Gets is quite spectacular in both winter and summer. Take a trip up the Mont Chery gondola and the next chairlift to the very top for the best view. Mont Blanc can be seen from here.
 * Les Gets Church. Small church located at the north end of town.
 * Cows (summer only). Not a typical tourist attraction, but look and listen out for the many cows with bells around their neck. They make a good alpine photo!

Do

 * Skiing, see separate section
 * Mountain Biking, see separate section
 * Tennis (summer only), there are a number of hard tennis courts in Les Gets. The best place to play is on one of the 4 public courts at the north end of town off the D902. Buy a 'multipass' from the tourist office for per day and you can use the courts at will. However, it is advisable to reserve a court by marking your name, and the time you want to play, on the sheet on the small clubhouse at the courts.
 * Swimming (summer only), there is an artificial lake located just up the hillside on the Chavanne side of the town. Ideal spot for families wanting a relaxing day.
 * Mechanical Music Museum, located at the north end of town. Les Gets has a history of producing mechanical music. The museum is fairly small, but interesting to visit.

Mountain Biking
During the summer months (end of June to early September) the ski lifts in Les Gets open to walkers and mountain bikers. Les Gets and Morzine are the two main hubs for mountain biking in the Portes du Soleil region, and are where the majority of visiting bikers stay. The two towns have established themselves as the premier spot for mountain biking in Europe. There are numerous cross country, downhill and freeride trails providing options for all skill levels. However, be wary of the local trail maps that indicate green downhill trails as very easy, as they are not always suitable for beginners.

Main downhill trails

 * The Chavanne, intermediate, accessed from the top of the Chavanne Express Chairlift. By far the most popular trail in Les Gets due to it being fast and flowing with some small jumps and drops. The track has no serious difficult sections that cannot be bypassed. Watch out for maniac riders travelling at high speed, who are often on the verge of losing control.
 * Mont Chery, very difficult, accessed from the Mont Chery Gondola. A full on downhill course suitable only for skilled riders. Jumps, berms, drops, rooted sections and extremely steep in parts. Much quieter than the Chavanne side of the town.
 * Pleney, very difficult, accessed across the ridge top from the Chavanne Express Chairlift (bit of pedalling required!), or from the Pleney Gondola in Morzine. Excellent downhill course that ends in Morzine. Can get very busy. Watch out for overly confident beginners on the track. Most major jumps and drops can be bypassed, although a high level of skill and suitable equipment is still required.

Buy
There are a few shops in the town centre, mainly aimed at the skiing market in winter and the mountain biking market in summer. Prices are typically high, as with most ski resorts. There are also a few grocery stores and places to pick up souvenirs.

Connect
Most hotels have wi-fi internet access for a small fee. The mobile phone signal is generally strong in the village, but can be sporadic in the surrounding mountains.

Go next

 * Portes du Soleil, lifts link Les Gets to the Portes du Soleil area in winter and summer. Well worth skiing or mountain biking to some of the other resorts. It is possible to cross over into Switzerland on the lift network. Look out for the interesting customs building in the mountains! (it is rarely, if ever used)
 * Geneva, only around an hour away by bus or car. Worth a visit if you have a spare day.
 * Samoens, small town nestled in some spectacular scenery, with good restaurants, bars and shops. About an hours drive away from Les Gets. In winter the roads may be extremely icy, or even closed for a time, so be wary.

title: Les Gets