(MONEY Magazine) – French adventure

Spend a week and a half this autumn visiting Paris and the medieval hilltop villages, Roman ruins and seaside attractions of Provence. Country Cottages' (www.villacentral.com) packages include travel on British Airways from 18 U.S. cities, car rental and Saturday-to-Saturday villa accommodations and cost between $999 and $1,299 per person, depending on departure city. Schedule your Paris stay for the start or end of your trip. The deal lasts from Oct. 1 to Nov. 27. Children and grandparents get discounts of $50 in parties of six or more.

Pump and jump

Toting pump and pin to inflate a basketball is beyond most wannabe Kobes. Spalding's NBA Infusion comes with a stealthy, built-in air pump. When the ball starts to slag, unlock the patented Micro Pump, pull the slender knob and push back and forth until satisfied. Spalding took 20 months to create a structure that won't compromise performance and meets nba specifications. The ball costs $40 at www.oshmans.com.

Off-peak peaks

Destinations Canada offers inexpensive Whistler Mountain and Vancouver trips from Oct. 5 to Nov. 30, when the temperatures are cool but warm enough for canoeing, horseback riding and golf. Packages cost $595 per person from New York City, $605 from Chicago, $640 from Boston and $495 from Los Angeles or the Bay Area and include air fare, an overnight stay in Vancouver, six nights in Whistler at one of a trio of three-star hotels and a rental car. Call 888-475-4226 or visit www.destinationscanada.com for more details.

Bright smiles

Munchkin's $3.29 Bolt Max toothbrush, which lights up when the handle is squeezed, just might get your kids to brush. A small battery inside lasts three months (the time dentists recommend using a brush). The toothbrush has a suction-cup bottom that allows for better drying. And with the threat of an energy crisis lingering, it never hurts to have a few things around that glow in the dark. Available at Wal-Mart, Target and Eckerd Drugs or by calling 800-344-2229.

Frightenin' words

Conjure old ghosts, ghouls and goblins with new Halloween books. For preschoolers, there's Denise Fleming's Pumpkin Eye ($16), a lavishly illustrated book of verse with just the right amount of spookiness. Teens explore the eeriness of a witch hunt in Celia Rees' Witch Child ($16), a fictional diary set in 17th-century Salem, Mass. The book, a bestseller in the U.K., was recently released here. The doyenne of good things fills Halloween: The Best of Martha Stewart Living ($22) with tips for costumes and cookery. Though not new, Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stories ($12) remains one of the best anthologies of tales from the netherworld.

PRICE ALERT

Campmor, the mail-order and online sporting goods outlet, has slashed prices on its camping goods and summer gear. Everything from sunglasses to watches to tents is discounted up to 70%. Pick up a pair of men's or women's Teva sandals for $30 (regularly priced at $50), a Century propane lantern with case for $24 (marked down from $45), or a Coleman Hollofil sleeping bag for $50 (regularly $90). Grab a pair of Bolle sunglasses for $40 (regularly $70) or a water-resistant Timex i-Control watch with Indiglo nightlight for $20 (marked down from $45). Snag a Hawaiian-print Timex kids' watch for your young ones for $6 (regularly $20). Supplies are limited. Call 888-226-7667 or visit www.campmor.com.

Reported by Andrea Bennett, Erica Garcia, Katherine Z. Josephs, Stephanie D. Smith and Cybele Weisser