February 2009

Located on the grounds of Versailles, about 25 kilometers southwest of Paris, the Petit Trianon — the small château commissioned by Louis XV for his mistress and used by Marie Antoinette — has officially reopened to the public after more than a year’s restoration.

The Petit Trianon is open daily, noon to 5:30, Nov. 1- March 31 (low season), and 12-7 p.m., April 1-Oct. 31 (high season), except holidays. 

“Italian Invasion” is the theme of the “Classic Fighters Air Show,” April 10-12, 2009, at the Omaka Aviation Heritage Center (79 Aerodrome Rd., Blenheim, Marlborough, New Zealand; phone +64 3 579 1305, fax +1306; www.omaka.org.nz). 

Aircraft of WWI, the Golden Age of Flight (1920s-1930s) and WWII will be on display plus armaments and Italian sports cars. Dogfights, formation flying, pyrotechnics and displays are among events.

Thames River Adventures (32 Whitmore Close, London N11 1PB, U.K.; phone 020 8361 3009 or mobile 07773 720 860, www.thamesriveradventures.co.uk) offers kayak and canoe trips along the Thames, April through October. 2009 prices run £50 (near $136) to £99 ($175), depending on duration (two to 4½ hours).

The company also runs 3-day guided kayak or canoe tours from Oxford to London in September and October.

With the “+Paris Offer,” Air France (800/237-2747, www.airfrance.us) now offers a free stopover in Paris on any flight between the US and almost any other Air France destination in Europe, the Middle East, India or Africa. 

In either or both directions, the stopover is included at no additional cost, whether flying in first, business or economy class and no matter what fare is paid.

2009 is the 200th anniversary of the death of composer Joseph Haydn, and his home province of Burgenland, Austria, is holding dozens of concerts in Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt plus special programs, many free.

“Storm and Stress” concerts, June 18-21, focus on pieces written 1768-1772; day tickets, €15-€59 (near $19-$74). Variations of the piece “The Seven Last Worlds of Our Savior on the Cross” will be performed Aug. 13-14 (€15-€26). “Haydn Days” features music composed in London and Paris, Sept. 9-27 (€15-€59).

Every four years in Landshut, Germany, a historical pageant is held with about 5,000 participants dressed in period attire reenacting the celebrated 1475 wedding of Hedwig, a Polish princess, and Georg, a son of Landshut’s powerful Wittelsbach family. It is to be held June 27-July 19, 2009. Admission is €10 ($13); certain events such as jousting cost extra. Tickets online at www.landshuter-hochzeit.de.

One of the things that charms me about traveling through Europe is its ethnic variety. Hop on a train and two hours later you step into a different culture, different language and different heritage.