Cheap Bike Rental Programs Going Global!

In both my books - Green Earth Guide Traveling Naturally in France and Green Earth Guide Traveling Naturally in Spain - as well as this blog, I have highlighted the cheap and wonderful city bike rental programs in Paris, Lyon, Montpellier, Nice, Nantes, Barcelona and Seville. Now I am happy to report that a successful launch of a similar program in Montreal, Canada called BIXI, is being launched in Boston, Massachusetts, Minneapolis, Minnesota and Melbourne, Australia in June. Later in the summer they hope to be operational in London, England.

BIXI operates very much like the other established city biking programs. You can pay for a day, a month or a one year subscription which entitles you to bicycle use for thirty minutes at a time for free or pay a nominal fee for additional time. For 24-hour passes you will need to pay a refundable $250 deposit. Due to the harsh winters in Montreal, BIXI bikes are available from May to November 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Web site gives details of bike station locations, safety and prices. Happy peddling!

More Green Eats, Drink and Sleep Around France

La Vie Saine is a full service natural foods store chain in France. The Montpellier store is a Green Earth Guide Favorite, and not to be missed if you find yourself in Montpellier. If you are traveling in the regions of Burgundy, Savoie, Bordeaux or Languedoc Roussillon, you will be happy to know that La Vie Saine has ten stores in these regions. See the La Vie Saine Web site for all of their store locations. Remember when you see Magasins Bio that it means Organic Stores, not magazines☺

Chez Teresa is a two-bedroom bed & breakfast almost due east of Nantes in picturesque Fontevraud in the Pays de la Loire region of France. They serve vegetarian meals by reservation only, and have a little shop selling some vegetarian items plus conventional foods from the UK. They also offer writing workshops. Room range from 49-55 euros/night. Fontevraud is about equal distance from the sea and the mountains. Chez Teresa, 6, Avenue Rochechouart, right by the ancient and impressive abbey of Fontevraud; http://www.chezteresa.fr

Thirteen kilometers from Fontevraud you will find the town of Saumur where, among other sites, there is a great Saturday market and the museum of mushrooms, Musee du Champignon.

About one hour west from Fontevraud is the organic and biodynamic vineyard Domaine de Juchepie, Les Quarts, 49380 Faye D’Anjou; Tel: 02 4154 3347; Email: contact@juchepie.com; Web: www.juchepie.com. See the Traveling Naturally Ecological Wine Guide for more information about this vineyard.