Travel

Europe’s First “Letter Café” Opens in Paris, Offering a Touch of Slow Communication

Published

1 year ago

June 29, 2025

In an age of instant messaging and lightning-fast communication, a new café in the heart of Paris is inviting visitors to slow down — with pen, paper, and postage. Café Pli, which opened its doors in July 2024, is Europe’s first “letter café,” inspired by a similar space in Seoul, South Korea.

Located at 38 rue du Faubourg du Temple in the city’s 11th arrondissement, Café Pli is more than a coffee shop. It is a nostalgic sanctuary dedicated to the lost art of handwritten correspondence. Visitors are encouraged to sit with a coffee or tea, select from a curated assortment of stationery — from postcards and wax seals to pens, envelopes, and inspirational cards — and write letters to friends, family, or even to their future selves.

The café’s most unique feature is its wall of dated niches — one for every day of the year. Once sealed, letters are slotted into the wall according to a chosen date, and Café Pli commits to mailing them out on that exact day. For €15, guests can send a message across time and geography, trusting that their words will one day reach their intended reader — perhaps a loved one, or perhaps themselves.

Founder Geneviève Landsmann says the concept is rooted in delayed gratification and emotional permanence. “Café Pli doesn’t just send mail,” she explains. “It creates an experience — a moment of reflection, of anticipation, and of rediscovering a tangible connection in a digital world.”

On a recent afternoon, the café’s small interior buzzed with quiet focus. Customers bent over paper at bistro tables, writing intently beneath shelves stacked with art supplies and stationery. Along one wall, hundreds of brown-paper envelopes awaited their mailing dates — addressed to destinations as far as Brazil, South Africa, and Canada.

Café Pli has also established itself as a creative space, offering workshops in calligraphy, creative writing, watercolour, and linocutting — drawing artists, poets, and introspective travellers alike.

Though the cost may exceed that of a standard French postal stamp (€2.99), the café is not selling efficiency, but rather a meditative, meaningful experience. As one recent visitor noted while sealing a note to their future self: “It’s not about how fast the message travels — it’s about the thought you put into it, and what it means when it finally arrives.”

For now, Café Pli remains one of just two known letter cafés in the world — and the only one in Europe. As visitors tuck handwritten messages into envelopes bound for future days, they join a quiet revival of a centuries-old tradition: writing not just to be heard, but to be remembered.

Travel

Europe Records Busiest-Ever Summer for Air Travel Despite Middle East War

Published

1 week ago

September 14, 2026

Web Reporter

European skies recorded their busiest summer on record in 2026, with airlines operating more flights during the peak July and August holiday period despite disruption linked to the Middle East war.

Data from Eurocontrol, Europe’s aviation safety and air traffic management organisation, showed that the continent handled an average of 35,959 flights per day during the two-month period. That was 2.4% higher than the same period in 2025.

The busiest day came on Friday, July 10, when 37,640 flights were recorded across Europe, marking a new daily traffic record.

Despite the increase in air traffic and disruption caused by the conflict, punctuality also improved. Eurocontrol said 72.6% of flights arrived on time, an increase of 1.2 percentage points compared with 2025.

France continued to account for the largest share of delays linked to air traffic control management problems, representing 32% of all such delays across Europe.

Eurocontrol said the US-Iran war had influenced travel patterns during the 2026 tourist season. The conflict also encouraged some Europeans to choose holiday destinations within the continent, as travellers looked for locations perceived to be closer and safer amid wider regional uncertainty.

Southern and southeastern European countries benefited from the change in travel patterns. Eurocontrol reported lower traffic in Bulgaria, Hungary and Türkiye, while Albania, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia recorded significant increases.

The report also pointed to continued growth in southwestern Europe, highlighting a shift in demand toward destinations that remained accessible despite geopolitical tensions.

Greece experienced particularly strong demand, with record passenger numbers at its airports placing considerable pressure on the country’s air traffic control system during the busiest part of the summer season.

Fourteen countries recorded their highest-ever daily traffic for arrivals and departures during the summer. They included Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Moldova, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain and Türkiye.

Airlines also experienced exceptionally high levels of activity. Several carriers and airline groups reported record traffic during the period, including Aegean, Air Serbia, easyJet, Jet2.com, Pegasus, Royal Air Maroc, Ryanair, Sky Express, SunExpress, Turkish Airlines and Wizz Air.

The figures indicate that Europe’s aviation sector remained resilient despite geopolitical disruption and changing tourist preferences. While the conflict affected traffic patterns in parts of eastern and southeastern Europe, demand for flights to other European destinations helped push overall summer traffic to unprecedented levels.

Travel

Wizz Air Named Europe’s Cheapest Airline as British Airways Tops Cost Ranking

Published

1 month ago

August 20, 2026

Web Reporter

Wizz Air has been ranked the least expensive airline in Europe, while British Airways was identified as the costliest major national carrier, according to research comparing passenger revenue generated across 23 European airlines.

The analysis by flight and baggage compensation company AirAdvisor used revenue per available seat kilometre, or RASK, to compare how much airlines earn from passengers for each kilometre flown per available seat.

RASK provides an indication of how much travellers pay relative to distance and available capacity. The measure also reflects additional passenger charges, including fees for baggage and seat selection, rather than relying only on advertised ticket prices.

AirAdvisor said smaller airlines often have higher costs because they operate fewer routes, smaller fleets and services to remote or lower-demand destinations. With fewer seats available and less competition on some routes, fares can be higher.

However, the company said the pattern does not apply universally and travellers should compare prices for individual routes before booking.

The research also found that airline costs generally fell between 2024 and 2025. Among the 14 carriers for which AirAdvisor had year-on-year RASK figures, only five recorded increases, while nine saw their RASK decline.

Norway’s Widerøe topped the overall cost ranking with a RASK of €0.32. The regional airline operates many routes connecting smaller Norwegian airports with larger centres and also serves destinations including Aberdeen, Hamburg and London Southend.

Among major airlines, British Airways ranked as Europe’s most expensive national carrier, with a 2025 RASK of €0.0888. Its figure increased by €0.0038 from the previous year.

Air France and Austrian Airlines shared the next position among the most expensive major carriers, both recording a RASK of €0.0850.

At the other end of the ranking, Hungary-based Wizz Air had the lowest RASK at €0.0433, making it the least expensive airline in AirAdvisor’s comparison.

The company estimated that choosing Wizz Air instead of Air France could save travellers up to €50 on an average European flight distance, although actual savings depend on the route and additional fees.

easyJet ranked second among the least expensive airlines, with its RASK falling from €0.0770 in 2024 to €0.0521 in 2025.

Ryanair took third place, with RASK declining from €0.0843 to €0.0556 over the same period.

Among the 11 major national airlines included in the study, Finnair was ranked the least expensive.

The findings suggest that airline pricing can vary significantly even among national carriers, while the cost differences between airlines become more noticeable when viewed across typical travel distances.

AirAdvisor advised passengers to use such comparisons as a guide rather than a guarantee of the final fare, as route-specific pricing, luggage charges, seat fees and other extras can significantly affect the total cost of a journey.

Travel

Mont Blanc Hiking Route Faces Calls for Visitor Limits as Crowds Grow

Published

1 month ago

August 15, 2026

Web Reporter

One of Europe’s most popular long-distance hiking routes is facing new pressure to restrict visitor numbers as growing crowds create problems for local communities, mountain guides and the environment.

The Tour du Mont-Blanc is a 170-kilometre circuit passing through France, Italy and Switzerland. Around 80,000 people complete the route each year, with some sections becoming increasingly crowded during the peak hiking season.

On busy parts of the trail, groups can find themselves walking almost continuously behind one another, leaving little space between hikers. Local residents have also raised concerns about visitors failing to respect the natural environment.

Jean-Marc Peillex, mayor of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains in the French Alps, said the situation had become difficult to manage.

“Today we’re moving along in single file. People can only see the backsides of those in front of them. That’s hardly ideal,” he told Swiss public broadcaster SRF.

Peillex wants access to the French section of the route restricted from next spring, with checks and penalties used to enforce the system.

Under the proposed arrangements, hikers planning to complete the Tour du Mont-Blanc would need to reserve accommodation in a mountain hut or an authorised bivouac area. These designated outdoor camping zones generally offer limited facilities compared with huts.

Peillex said hikers unable to secure a place should consider delaying their trip until the following year.

Although only a small section of the route passes through Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, other French municipalities along the trail are working together on the proposed regulations. Their goal is to introduce the new system next spring.

Switzerland has not announced similar restrictions, although officials there also acknowledge growing pressure from tourism.

Joachim Rausis, mayor of Orsières in Switzerland’s Valais canton, said there were warning signs and that better coordination was needed between France, Italy and Switzerland.

The rising number of visitors is also creating difficulties for mountain guides. Hotels and mountain huts often need to be booked a year ahead, making planning difficult for self-employed guides whose clients may not arrange trips so far in advance.

The debate reflects a wider challenge facing Alpine tourism: finding a balance between protecting fragile mountain environments, supporting local communities and maintaining public access to the mountains.

Reservation systems are already used on some routes leading toward the Mont Blanc summit. Overnight stays at the Nid d’Aigle, Tête Rousse and Goûter huts require advance bookings, with hikers’ names recorded and booking confirmations subject to checks.

The Goûter and Tête Rousse huts had been operating during the 2026 season but were temporarily closed on August 11 because of rockfall risks.

Officials now face the task of deciding whether similar controls should be extended to the wider Tour du Mont-Blanc as visitor numbers continue to rise.