Travel File

Electric travel in France

You can now rent an environmentally sound car in France. Voiturelec' in Strasbourg rents out electric cars for a flat fee of F100 (pounds 12.50) for half a day, including insurance. You choose between a Microcar (resembling a sawn-off Renault 5) and a Volta (like the front half of an Espace). One drawback is the maximum range: about 30 miles. The Voiturelec' office is just outside Strasbourg railway station, and opens daily except Sundays.

Harvest time

To coincide with le vendage in France, Hampton House Travel (071-223 0601) is organising a series of wine and gastronomic tours based in Bordeaux. The pounds 616 price includes flights from Heathrow, three nights accommodation, most meals and a series of wine tastings in private chateaux.

On yer bike

From 4 September, Cycling for Softies (061-248 8282) has a programme based in Chinon in the Loire. The price is pounds 599 per person, and includes flights from Gatwick or Heathrow, nine nights half-board accommodation.

Cheaper Caribbean

The cut-price Caribbean charters to Antigua, Barbados and Grenada mentioned a fortnight ago are now even cheaper. Travel Warehouse (071-414 8808) has cut the price to pounds 250, and extended the deal to include Tobago.

November news

The best autumn long-haul offer so far is a week in Sri Lanka for pounds 399 through Somak Holidays (081-423 3000). Departures are on 7 and 14 November, and price includes flights from Gatwick and bed and breakfast at a beachside hotel. Best buys

Flight Bookers (071-757 2000): until 31 October, weekend in Amsterdam including two nights B&B plus scheduled flights from Gatwick, pounds 149; Heathrow supplement pounds 10.

Sunworld (0532 393020): 22 August, Gatwick-Turkey (Mediterranean), seven nights B&B, pounds 269; 24 August, Gatwick-Cuba (Santa Lucia), 14 nights B&B, pounds 499.

Explore Worldwide (0252 319448): 28 August, three-week tour of Peru, including Lake Titicaca and Machu Picchu, pounds 1,535.

Kuoni (0306 742222): 1 to 18 September, Gatwick-St Lucia, seven nights room-only, pounds 679.