My first trip to Europe, need advice

I%26#39;m going to Paris in May and I am concerned because I%26#39;ve never been out of the country before--I%26#39;m not really counting canada...no offence Canadians.

Can you get by visiting Paris if you don%26#39;t speak French? I am studying now but I%26#39;m not that great at languages and don%26#39;t hold out much hope that I will be fluent in 4 months! How easy is it to travel using public transportation if you don%26#39;t understand the language?

I wish I had chosen french in highschool instead of spanish--a hundred years ago!

Thanks!

Tara

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Tara,

You%26#39;ll be fine, Paris is a very safe city. If you learn a few words of French and bring a small phrase book with you, that will be helpful as well. The Metro system is very easy to use as long as you can read a map.

Have fun!

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Just learn to say %26#39;Hello, please, thank you and goodbye%26#39; and use them at every encounter and you%26#39;ll be fine.

My husband is Chinese, totally fluent in english with a smattering of spanish but no french except for - %26#39;bonjour, au revoir and merci%26#39; - and he sometimes gets these confused! However, he tries and it is manners more than language that get you by in Paris. Actually, he always does pretty well and enjoys our months in Paris as much as I.

Always say hello and goodbye when entering /leaving a shop. Always say please and thank you and you%26#39;ll be ahead of most of the pack.

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When we travel, we also add sorry into our vocabulary.

We found that if you try to speak French you have more of a chance in getting help or what you want, then speaking English. Most people speak English, but they just decide if they want to speak to you or not.

I also tried to learn set phrases, as in how to ask for a cup of tea or coffee and %26quot;Do you speak English?%26quot;

A phrase book is a must. Particularly to decifer menus.

Have the fun is overcoming the language barrier.

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I must respectfully disagree with previous poster about one point. Instead of asking if someone in Paris speaks English, you might learn to say, %26quot;I%26#39;m sorry, I don%26#39;t speak French%26quot; or %26quot;I only speak a little French%26quot; whatever the case is. Small point, but it seems that the French are justifiably proud of their language and it seems a bit presumptuous to ask if they speak English, the assumption being that they should if they don%26#39;t.

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Hi

It is not a big problem if you can%26#39;t speak French. Sure, there might be a few misunderstandings but you will be OK. The metro (subway) in Paris is a great way to get around. My wife and I went to Paris in April last year and I have a trip report that I can share with you if you are interested. Send me a mail on gardkarlsen@hotmail.com and I%26#39;ll get back to you. Have a great trip...it is a beautiful city :-)

Regards

Gard

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French thing you will be fine... Just know the basics. Almost everyone working in the service industry can speak English. I have been learning it for 2 years and I%26#39;m not fluent. So you will def not be able to say much.

Regarding the transportation you will be fine...just learn about how to use a Subway - it is the same as here in the USA (DC or NYC).

Don%26#39;t forget that they do not use the same electric outlets...so for hairdryers, curling irons and phone chargers etc...you will need to do a little research on this site...

$$ is a big issue. do a search on exchange rates/fees for conversions...fyi if you use your credit card - they sometimes charge a 3% fee per transaction for exchanging the money.

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Hello. When are you going in May? My wife and I are going from the 10th -22nd for our second trip.

As others above have said, learn a few phrases, be very polite, and don%26#39;t yell, and you will be fine.

You can search lots of things on this forum. I have been digging back through old posts using the search function for places to eat, out of the way places and such.

I agree totally with the poster who said to learn, %26quot;I am sorry I do not speak french very well%26quot;. We found that as soon as I stumbled over a few french words the Parisans would switch to English. It was like. %26quot;thanks for trying, now lets to your language.%26quot;

Paris is wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! You may see my wife twirling in the streets again this time.

Rob

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I had the same fears as you as I had never been to Europe. I am pleased to let you know it was very easy and the french were lovely.

I only spoke a few words and I never approached anyone for directions etc If it was obvious they were in a hurry. You can read my trip report I posted last year.

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Removed on: 12:24 am, August 22, 2009

Hiring a car in France

We are looking to hire a car while in France in May and we are finding that the company we were hopping to use will not allow pick ups and drop offs on Sundays. Can any one recommend a reliable company that may be able to help us?

We want to pick up a car in Cahors for 5 days and drop it off in Beziers.

Thanks

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Check with Autoeurope. They are a broker working with various companies.

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Removed on: 9:20 am, August 23, 2009

Best way to purchase train tickets from Paris to Bordeaux??

We are a group of 9 people that are staying in Paris for 4 nights, and have rented a house in Castlenaud and plan to take the train to Bordeaux and drive to Castlenaud via St. Emillion. How do I buy the train tickets? Any help would be apprecitated!

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Easiest way is Rail Europe but more expensive than buying directly online on the SNCF website. Search for Morgan B%26#39;s thread if you want to buy through the SNCF.

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You can easily buy the tickets on the SNCF website :

www.voyages-sncf.com

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Tickets can be ordered up to 90 days in advance. On SNCF check for prem fares.

Or you can order them over the phone and have them mailed to you.

33-8-92-35-35-39

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Hi nevaway

Here is the MorganB thread that yymca6 mentioned

tripadvisor.com/…3511456

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Removed on: 3:16 am, August 23, 2009

Apartment on Rue Saint Gilles in 3e - good area?

Hello, I am thinking of renting an apartment on Rue Saint Gilles near rue de Tournelles. I am not familiar with the Marais...is this a good area to be in? I would like to be in very close proximity to shops, restaurants, cafes, etc., and just basically in a lively neighborhood. (Not a party atmosphere, just an area that%26#39;s inviting to stroll in.) Would this part of the Marais fit the bill?

In case this info is useful to know, I%26#39;m in my early 3os, travelling with my boyfriend, and intend to do a LOT of eating and even more shopping! We do want to eat in neighborhood bistros, as well as going to Mariage Freres, having macarons and chocolate chaud, and seeing some open-air markets. Any advice on whether this is a good base is appreciated.

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Hi s323, that is a great location in the Marais just about 150m north of Place des Vosges and close to the Musee Carnavalet and Musee Picasso. You are also quite close to the Bastille and the Oberkampf areas for nightlife. Plenty of good places to eat in the area too. There is a good food market in the Place d%26#39;Aligre near the Bastille with cheese shops, butchers, seafood shops, charcuteries etc in a covered market and lots of fruit and vegetable stalls in the street outside. There is also a covered food market in rue de Bretagne to the north.

Check out your address on this site to get an idea of what your street looks like

http://photos.pagesjaunes.fr/

This site will give you an idea of what you will find in the northern (3rd) area of the Marais

www.parismarais.com/historical-marais.htm

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Removed on: 10:15 am, August 23, 2009

Seine dinner cruise

I have just booked a Valentines day dinner cruise on the Seine for my wife and I. Has anyone ever done it? Will we enjoy it?

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Hello Chris and welcome to the forum. If you do a search of %26quot;Seine/ River Cruises%26quot; you%26#39;ll see many responses...however.....

General feedback seems to be that it%26#39;s pretty pricey for the meal quality - however it is good for a memorable occasion - which it appears to be as you%26#39;ve got it booked for Valentine%26#39;s day - your wife is a lucky gal!

enjoy!!

Sandra

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Yes, I did it last year. It was nice enough but the food was just ok and quite expensive. If I were you I would go to a nice restaurant such as the many recommended on this board then take a cruise afterward. I%26#39;m pretty sure there are some you can take without dinner that are very nice.

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Removed on: 9:15 pm, August 22, 2009

eaterys in antibes-juan-les-pins

I will be spending a couple days at the Mexicana hotel and looking for suggestions on budget minded places to eat.I%26#39;ll be there early Oct....tanks for any suggestions Loretta

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Cafe de Chineurs, Antibes, does excellent food at very reasonable cost in good location.

Only thing to watch is the occasional outbreak of %26quot;French Waiter%26quot; Syndrome. The food is really good and eaten there many times, but last trip we were forced to walk out , after twenty minutes of no-one willing to take our order, waiters just scuttling backward and forward avoiding eye contact. We gave up.

But its good enough to go back.

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Greetings Loretta,

Had some great shellfish at L%26#39;Oursin in Antibes last year. It was located on rue Republique, and there were some other retaurants in the same area. Pimm%26#39;s for an atmospheric coffee, was a local hangout. Also had great mussels at Le Ruban Bleu on the Promenade du Soleil in Juan-les- Pins. Enjoy!

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many thanks for the suggestions.I%26#39;m not teribly fond of seafood so I may be in trouble.Any other places that may lean more heavily on veggies ?? Loretta

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Removed on: 9:20 pm, August 22, 2009

Laundry

I%26#39;m planning to go to paris this summer for 2 weeks.I know this should be the last thing to think of when planning a visit to this beautiful city, but I was wondering where can I find laundry facilities around my hotel area?

I booked two hotels : first 7 nights at hotel opera folkestone in opera/ Madeline area and then 7 nights in hotel d%26#39;albe st michel area. does any one have an idea what%26#39;s the most practical way that doesn%26#39;t cost a fortune to do a laundry ?

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We%26#39;ve had similar questions before - for a variety of answers do a search. THere are launderettes in Paris; average €3.50 for a wash and weird pricing for dryers - could be 40 centimes for 8 minutes, 50 for ten minutes etc. etc.

Get a map of Paris, go t pagesjaunes.fr, type in %26quot;Laverie en libre service%26quot; as your search item and the location %26quot;Paris 8%26quot; or whatever to work out your nearest.

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Thanx alot for the info. btw the link in your post is in french but in the top right is the UK flag for the english language version .

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Yeah sorry, forgot they have English too. Happy hunting :-)

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i will be using self-launderettes as well but am wondering,

do i need to bring some detergent? does it matter liquid or powder. I could use some tips as last year I turned our load of laundry grey! (this was washer in apartment) :)

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I have been in the same predicament as you. When I was in Rome last year, I simply brought my laundry to a Chinese laundry in the morning and picked it up in the afternoon. It was about $15. It was nicely washed, dried and folded and I didn%26#39;t ned to wait around for hours.

When I was in Mexico last week, I had an apartment with a washer/dryer but I had to go out and buy laundry detergent, which was enough detergent for about a month%26#39;s use.

So, my suggestion is to find a laundry where they will do it for you. If you plan to do it on your own, bring some powdered laundry detergent with you (remember, limited liquids on the plane), or bring some of those small personal-size packs of detergent. Knowing Paris, laundry detergent will be costly there.

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b --

Don%26#39;t ask for directions at your hotel, they prefer to do your laundry at their high prices - and the fact of the matter is that underwear and tee shirts are cheaper to replace than the price for most hotel laundry services - and that%26#39;s everywhere in the world I%26#39;ve ever been, except small inns in Tanzania.

Ask at your corner brasserie - often the at least some of the staff there drop their laundry off in the morning and pick it up on the way home, so someone there will have your answer. It%26#39;s always worked for me.

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This post is very helpful. We are staying in an apartment for two weeks this March and it does have a washer but after reading all the horrow stories re: drying time, I will try BC1Traveler%26#39;s suggestion of asking at the corner brasserie. Thanks!

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Most places have detergent dispensers - but they%26#39;re not cheap. I can%26#39;t see any reason not to use liquid but I%26#39;ve only ever seen powder or tablets being used.

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I was able to buy a small bottle of Tide for $1.79. I found it in the travel section at Target. It was enough for 4 loads and was small enough that it took up very little space in my luggage. they also had travel size packets of Woolite. I%26#39;ve seen laundrymats all over Paris. Just never when you seem to need one. As far as washing in the apartment if its just small stuff like underwear. Wash it and hang it up to dry. For towels we washed them in the apartment while we were out and took them down the street to the laundrymat to dry while we shopped for dinner supplies. We happened to be staying just off Rue Cler that time so it was really convenient.

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Suzanne,

With the liquid container restrictions when traveling from the US, it makes it nearly impossible to bring liquid detergent with you purchased from a place like Target.

50th wedding anniversary dinner

My parents will be celebrating their 50th in paris. I am looking for a nice but not over the top restaurant that we can take them to. In addition to 4 adults, my children 6 and 9 will be with us. So, I need a nice upscale restaurant that won%26#39;t mind two well behaved children (who have very good manners and used to eating in fine establishments) who love gourmet food. 50 years is a great reason to celebrate!

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Jules Verne on the Eiffel Tower?? That%26#39;s pretty special....

Les

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I agree with Jules Verne suggestion. Here%26#39;s a link:

tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/…index.html

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We celebrated our 50th last June and had very good dinner at Goumard on the actual night. But with children, I would suggest Les Bouquinistes where we ate on an other night. It is a bit less formal, located by the Seine, great service and wonderful food.

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I am sorry, but Jules Verne is pretty much over the top. It would also take about three hours for dinner, which is a challenge for your average 6 and 9 year olds.

For something more affordable, a bit more relaxed, but also breathtaking you could look at :

Georges on the roof of the Centre Pompidou - great view, very modern environment, fusion food.

Le Train Bleu in the Gare de Lyon - this is a Beaux Arts historical monument. The decor alone makes you feel very special and the food is good.

One of the Flo Brasseries - this chain has purchase many of hte most beautiful and historic brasseries in the city. Go to their website and check out the ones that tempt you the most.

I love the food at Bouquinists, but frankly, you could be fine dining just about any where in the world. For this event I would want something that screams Paris.

The is a N. African restaurant on top of the Institute du Monde Arab that has good food and spectacular view.

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This restaruant is one block away from Notre Dame Cathedrale (direction of the right bank) not far away from the 5e Latin Quarter...

This cute little restaruant called %26quot;Au Vieux Paris d%26quot;Arcole%26quot;.

www.auvieuxparis.fr

The building is ivy covered, and very romantic and cozy looking inside ( rue Chanoinesse).

The menu looks great. You can make reservations on line and get a free wine. The Orange Duck is very good.

They do have rooms to accommodate small groups. And it is in a reasonable price range. Children there should be no problem at all.

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I only mentioned jules verne because of special occasion, gourmet food...

Sorry...I wasn%26#39;t thinking of the timing issue. My bad I guess. Just a suggestion though!

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My mom had actually mention Jules Verne as a thought. I guess my kids aren%26#39;t average since I don%26#39;t think a 3 hour meal would be an issue. I%26#39;ve gotten the evil eye just for stepping foot in certain restaurants with my kids. Would this be an issue?

Thanks for all the other suggestions too. I%26#39;m going to check them out in case M%26amp;D don%26#39;t want to go to Jules Verne -or we can%26#39;t get in on June 28th!(and for other nights out) We have an apartment, but mom aready says she doensn%26#39;t want to eat dinner in!

My dad will have just finished radiation for a reoccurance of cancer, and we want to celebrate!!! I%26#39;ve already gain 5 pounds just thinking of all the wonderful food.

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If you don%26#39;t think your kids would mind the lengthy meal, I think the Jules Verne is probably a great place to celebrate such a wonderful occasion. It would be unforgettable. And I am sure that if your kids are well behaved, they will be treated like a little Mademoiselle and Monsieur...(boy and girl?)

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Les - you were not wrong, I was merely trying to respect OP%26#39;s request for %26quot;not over the top%26quot;.

Muffya - If you agree that Parisian kids in general are well behaved at the dinner table and love gourmet food, perhaps you would like to draw from the wisdom of their parents : children and Haute Cuisine dot not mix, with the possible exception of Sunday lunch.

If you want the Jules Verne, I HIGHLY recommend that you go for lunch instead of dinner. It is easier for the kids at this hour and the meals only last 2 to 2.5 hours. Actually, I find it easier for adults at this time of day and infinitely more enjoyable, which is essential when spending $200 per person. Oh, and you will get considerably less evil eyes (none, actually) in the afternoon.

If you really must do dinner, I would recommend trying a three hour sit down meal at home with the kids to see how it goes. At a restaurant like this, books and activities would be inappropriate and getting up regularly is out of the question.

check out their menu at

bestrestaurantsparis.com/restaurant-paris/de…

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%26lt;My dad will have just finished radiation for a reoccurance of cancer, and we want to celebrate!!! I%26#39;ve already gain 5 pounds just thinking of all the wonderful food.%26gt;

All the more reason to celebrate at a memorable restaurant. Best wishes to you and your family!

Train travel

We are going to France in July and are trying to decide whether to hire a car for all of the time or whether train travel would be an easier option. As a family(children 17, 15, 13 %26amp; 13) are there any good deals available for tickets/family railcards etc?

Fly into Paris

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It%26#39;s hard to give you any kind of worthwhile answer without some idea of your itinerary. Some places you really need a car, other places a car is the last thing you want.

There are significant advance purchase discounts (non-refundable) for longer trips and also some discounts that will apply automatically if you are booking for a party of six.

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Thanks IrishRvr

Our problem is that we haven%26#39;t decided where we are going other than that we are flying into Beauvais, Paris and are going to the Genesis concert at Parc Des Princes. We still have to decide whether we are going to travel a bit %26amp; come back to Paris to fly home or travel south as far as Marseille to fly home or Grenoble if Ryanair eventually put on flights back from there!! We have been advised not to hire a car in Paris!!

As I%26#39;ve asked in a previous forum any suggestions would be welcome!

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First off you definitely do NOT want a car in Paris. Probably the chepaest way for you to get from BVA to your hotel would be to take the airport coach to Porte Maillot on the western edge of Paris (13€ pax) and then, assuming you are travelling reasonably light, the métro from there to your hotel.

Obviously in July the south of France will be very busy, especially along the coast. What I would be tempted to do would be take the TGV (high speed train) from Paris to Avignon and then pick up a (large!) vehicle and head AWAY from the coast and the most touristy parts of Provence, either NW up into the Cévennes or NE up into the Lubéron and the foothills of the Alps. If the Grenoble flight is an option you could end up there and fly home. Otherwise even if you head away from the coast it would be fairly easy to get back to Marseille.

The six of you could travel one way from Paris to Avignon by train for as little as 150€ with advance purchase tickets. It would probably cost you more than that in fuel and tolls to drive from Paris, tplus the cost of the vehicle. And it would take 7-8 hours to drive whereas the train would take you 2.5-3 hours.

I hope this helps your thinking. Ask away if you have any more questions.

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Removed on: 3:17 am, August 23, 2009

Avignonet Lauragais Accommodation

I am organising a cycling trip along theCanal du Midi for 11 friends in May.

I would like to stay at, or near to Avignonet Lauragais, not Villefranche de Lauragais. I have found the addresses of several places on the internet but none of them have websites, email, etc, and so I have no idea what they are like, and whether they will be suitable for us

They are Hotel La Couchee

L%26#39;Obilisque

Hotel Pilori

Does anyone know these places and what they are like. Are there places nearby where we will be able to get an evening meal. Any assistance would be much appreciated

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Hi David

I live in Belesta Lauragais, close to Avignonet. The Obilisque never looks open, so I would double check with them. There isn%26#39;t a huge amount of commerce in Avignonet so you might struggle, especially on a Sunday or Monday night when there is very little open in this area.

You could look at starting a little further either side of Avignonet, such Revel, cycle the Rigole, which leads to the Canal du Midi, or perhaps Castelnaudary. in terms of things to do in the evening, both of these places have slightly more to offer than Avignonet.

If I can help anymore you can contact me via our website - www.lemoulinpastelier.com

Regards

Donna

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Removed on: 7:17 am, August 25, 2009

French Canals

Hi , I hope someone can help we are planning to do a canal barge/boat in the Midi region in the south of France. I have heard its lovely but am wondering if anyone can tell me what its really like.

Is this area as nice as other areas?Also any hints on what to take or do, we will probably hire bikes and have them with us on the boat.

We will be doing this hopefully in the beggining of June...

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Huckell,

A quick forum search using key words: canal, barge, boating, etc. should yield informative and immediate results.

Here are a few threads of possible interest:

http://tinyurl.com/yhy4tx

http://tinyurl.com/yf36dz

http://tinyurl.com/yk3bsl

http://tinyurl.com/yncodf

http://tinyurl.com/2nthsd

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It is very beautiful in this region, a good mix of the ancient with places like Carcassonne and a modern vibrant town like Toulouse. The canal is very pretty, lots of shade from the huge Plane trees as June can be very hot. The Canal runs through lots of interesting places, with a bike you should be able to see some great sights.

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Removed on: 5:34 am, August 19, 2009

info re: neighborhood around censier daubenton

I%26#39;m heading to Paris with a group of high school students. We will be staying in the 5th, near metro Censier Daubenton. I know we%26#39;ll be near the rue Mouffetard, but can someone give me a better sense of what the neighborhood is like, especially at night. My impression from past visits is that it%26#39;s very residential...am I right? Un grand merci!

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It is residential in some places. The Rue Mouffatard is always busy with pedestrians. there are some Bars and cheap eating places which might appeal to the students. There is a youth hostel and you are near the Sorbonne. We saw alot of you young people out and about on Rue Mouffatard. The Place De Itali is also very active with a young crowd. Blvd St. Michel is very lively too. The smaller streets are quiet at night.

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Hi Parishoes,

Paris regular Gitte K stayed near there last July and gave a description of the area you are talking about in her hotel review

tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g187147-d194…

I very much like the area to walk around in the daytime and it is so popular that I am sure there will be lots of people around in the evening too, as Suzanne noted.

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You will love it - as it is very much %26quot;Paris-as-I-expected-it%26quot;. Lively, pretty, lots of cafés and small shops (food, icecream, pastry, fruit, clothes, gifts, souvenirs etc) - and safe as a kindergarten playground. So you will have nothing to worry about - except that you will run out of money too soon.........

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On my first trip to Paris, my daughter and I stayed in a 2 atar hotel near the metro Censier D%26#39;aubenton. It was a fairly quiet area, there%26#39;s a really nice restaurant - La Comedie or similar - great italian food - and there%26#39;s some fantastic boulangeries. It%26#39;s a little out of the hussle of the centre, residential - but close to rue Mouffetard which has great restaruants, cafes etc....a 20 min walk or less will have you at the Seine...

Very safe at night...

Sandra

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Just a few restaurant suggestions:

1.

A Greek restaurant between Père Médard church and Censier Daubenton metro. I don%26#39;t know its name, but according to my map, it must have been in Rue de Candolle. Very tasty tzaziki and lamb skewer.Nice wine from Crete (brought back memories of summer holidays in my far away youth .....)

2.

Cave la Bourgogne on the square with the fountain in the middle, at the end of Rue Mouffetard (nr. 144). The terrace will be totally filled with people around lunch and dinner time, so try and book a table. Had absolutely wonderful confit de canard (salted duck%26#39;s leg roasted in its own fat twice...... yum-yum). Their %26quot;Salades composées%26quot; seemed to be very big indeed - I never tried them though.

3.

On the opposite side of the square, you can%26#39;t miss it. %26quot;Au Pére Médard-something%26quot;.... I can%26#39;t remember its correct name. Good salades composées, nice waitresses.

4.

%26quot;Le Petit Marguery%26quot;, 9 Blvd. Port Royal. Just leave the hotel, turn left and follow Rue Pascal down to the bridge, climb the stairs - and you are in Blvd Port Royal. This bistrot is very famous for its VERY good food, e.g. lobster for lunch - - - or so I have been told. I am so ashamed to admit that I never went there, even though I stayed so close to it. It is run by two brothers and is renowned for being one of the last original bistrots in Paris. Is a MUST-DO and is on my list for next summer (maybe a late loooong lunch after an afternoon visit to la Manufacture des Gobelins, which I have wanted so see for a long time)

Bonne dégustation.........

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Thanks to everyone! you%26#39;ve confirmed my thoughts based on my limited experience in that area. (I usually stay around Montparnasse/St Germain when I travel there myself). I think the kids will like it alot, and I, as their leader, can feel comfortable with their wanderings.

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Removed on: 12:18 pm, August 23, 2009

AnneParis - Greece reviews for you

I hope this helps you! I haven%26#39;t been frequenting the Greek boards lately, for obvious reasons, though I found their local experts to be very helpful.

REVIEWS/IMPRESSIONS:

In general, July was not a good time to go to Greece (we were hemmed in by my husband%26#39;s conference). Prices were at their peak, tourist crowds were thick, and there was very little opportunity to soak up true Greek culture (as in meeting locals). However, the heat did not bother us, as there is almost always a breeze, and the beauty of the islands, particularly Santorini, is incredible. By the way, Greece is no longer the great deal it used to be, at least when %26amp; where we went!

ATHENS:

- Plaka Hotel. Loved our room with a view (6th floor) and the rooftop bar. Fantastic view was worth the stay. Rooms were simple but clean, and I found the staff perfectly friendly. Elevator was tiny. Breakfast was fine and in a pleasant room overlooking the street. Location was great. Good value.

CRETE:

We went to Rethimno, because that%26#39;s where my husband%26#39;s conference was. Hania was interesting and charming but much bigger than Rethimno. Knossos was disappointing, as it is almost entirely reconstructed (i.e. guesses as to what it looked like). The museum in town is worth going to though.

Rethimno

- Theartemis Palace. We stayed there, because my husband%26#39;s conference was there. Run down and dated. Not great value, though our room was nice (303 - had an ocean view, but we probably got an upgrade because of the baby). We were in the main building, so I can%26#39;t comment on the annex (rooms may be newer but it%26#39;s not as convenient). The pool was lovely, and breakfast was included and pretty good (really friendly staff here in the restaurant). Front desk staff just ok. Weird, loud live music on weekend nights until midnight. Close to the town beaches (though those are overpriced and sort of dirty), but about a mile/mile and a half to old town - which was a nice walk along the beach sidewalk, but old town would be far better to stay in.

- Mythos Suites, where my sister stayed, was more central (great location), had a lovely garden, nice rooms, and a good breakfast with fresh-squeezed orange juice. Eleni is wonderful - the night staff (man) is not.

Rethimno restaurants

- Soukaki: simple but very good food, nice family-run service and very pleasant atmosphere. Recommended!

- Avli: great atmosphere, ok service, food inconsistent (great pork with prune sauce).

To Pigadi: lovely atmosphere, great appetizers (vine leaves and fried eggplant) but mediocre main dishes, bad service.

Alana: the best of the bunch, GREAT service (Alexis was the waiter), lovely atmosphere, good wine, great appetizers (mixed cooked greens and vine leaves), good main dishes (though not amazing).

Hari%26#39;s: great coffee, friendly staff, yummy food (crepes), nice location (soccer jerseys and Greek products nearby).

Rethimno activities: old town nice, rent car to go to beaches near Georgeopoulos (10km away). Nice beaches, not crowded, clean, affordable to rent umbrellas and chairs (3 of us for 7.15 euros).

SANTORINI:

Definitely stay in Oia!

- Volcano%26#39;s Villas. A bit of a walk to the main part of town, but we enjoyed the exercise, and of course, the walk was gorgeous (looking over the caldera). Very reasonable compared to the %26quot;in town%26quot; places, and the guests were incredibly friendly. Large, comfortable rooms, each with their own terrace and mini-kitchen. Incredible views. The small village across the street, Finikia, is very charming to wander through and is %26quot;original%26quot; (that is, not destroyed during the earthquake). Very family friendly - many of the guests were returning families from England, Canada, Denmark, etc. - and honeymooners were also there.

- If you want to stay more centrally in Oia, I recommend Esperas, which looked gorgeous and prices seemed reasonable, compared to some of the other, similar establishments. We talked to a very happy honeymooning couple who was staying there.

- We splurged on a dinner at Selene in Fira, known as one of the best restaurants in Greece. It was indeed lovely and good food, but I%26#39;m not sure it was worth it - good food and amazing views are in many places on the island.

- A must-do is to do the long walk down at the end of Oia to Amoudi, where there are several great seafood restaurants at the water%26#39;s edge.

- Our favorite restaurant on the whole island was the Restaurant Finikia, part of the Hotel Finikia, just before the town of Oia. You%26#39;d never guess it, but the food was out of this world and beautifully presented, with a view to the other side of the island (not the caldera but beautiful nonetheless). We went back a couple of times and still dream about that place.

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Islatch,

Wow thanks for your post ! But you know, I have been there last summer (and I really loved it, specially Santorini). I stayed in a great hotel in Imerovigli, the Imerovigli Palace. We have also been to Selene, and I totally agree with you : good food but not worth the price !

I really appreciate your post though ! That%26#39;s very kind of you.

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Ah, ok... well, it was good for me to get my notes into shape anyway ; ) ... talk about procrastination!

If you return, eating at the Restaurant Finikia (on the right hand side of the road about 2 kms? before Oia is really a treat and FAR, FAR cheaper than Selene. I don%26#39;t know why the cook is there and not %26quot;discovered%26quot; - I almost felt like his gorgeous presentation was wasted on our casual lunch! (not really, but you know what I mean).

Anyway, have a great trip!

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Removed on: 10:16 pm, August 22, 2009

air fares in june/july

I keep reading all these older posts about fare sales with 300-400 round trip tickets from the US to France, but we%26#39;re travelling in late June/early July for our honeymoon (so the dates aren%26#39;t very flexible) and fares are through the roof! The cheapest I can find comes to be over $1000 each. I know it%26#39;s a popular time to travel and fares are just going to be higher, but will there be any fare sales likely or should I just suck it up?

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When specifically are your dates? We are going for our honeymoon, as well, but in early June. We bought at $900 with Air France with a layover in Boston, but I saw $800 with Continental after we bought them. These were only short-term sales (weekends). Ours were purchased in September, and the other sale was in November. Just keep checking fares every day through www.mobissimo.com or www.kayak.com and jump on a good deal. Anyways, good luck and congratulations on getting married and going to Paris!

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June and July are high season so it may be hard to find low rates. This will be even truer with little flexibility. There is a new airline, all Business class with similar rates but it only goes between Newark, N.J and Orly ( far more preferable than CDG. It is L%26#39;Avion at lavion.com

Do you have any frequent flier miles with any airlines? If so some may partner with Air France or others that fly to Paris like Continental, etc. At least that way you might get an upgrade. We Fares are also cheaper than oher types of fares.

Congratulations on the marriage.

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Hey, I%26#39;m taking my honeymoon in early June. No, you%26#39;re not going to find much under $1000. I was able to score tickets on icelandair for $850/person. Might want to check them out on www.travelocity.com. It%26#39;s cheaper on there than the icelandair website.

Just checking today, the same tickets are up to $910. You probably want to get them soon.

I even tried flying into london or other airports on the cheap carriers and taking the train into Paris, but it only saved like $50 overall...not worth the hassle of having to take the train after a 9 hour flight.

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Removed on: 12:21 pm, August 23, 2009

hotel fertel etoile

hi does any one have an email for hotel fertel etoile in paris, also need to know if they have a triple room

thank you

fine208

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This site is a direct booking page and indicates that they have a three bedded room:

www.fertelhotels.com/hotel-standalone.php…

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thank you for this

fine

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Removed on: 1:21 am, August 23, 2009

6er: need help deciding on hotels!

We will be in Paris for 4 nights in April with our sons ages 10 %26amp; 13. This will be our 5th visit; stayed in the 7er and at Hotel de Fleurie(they are booked). I would appreciate any advice on the following:

Hotel Saint Germain des Pres on r. Bonaparte(all of us share suite 16)

Hotel le Regent (two rooms)

Hotel Relais Saint Germain (share jr suite)

apartment: Chez Vous Gigi apt on rue Jacob

Charm is great... (Hotel de Fleurie not so charming or warm But comfortable).

thank you!

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How large is the suite at the Hotel Saint Germain des Pres? I would think four people would not be totally comfortable even in their suite as their rooms are not very large as is typical.

The Le Regent would be a good choice just pricey even for the standard rooms since you%26#39;ll need to book two rooms. Location is on a fairly busy street; rooms face the street but I%26#39;ve never read about anyone complaining about noise.

The Relais Saint Germain I understand has larger than normal rooms for Paris so a jr. suite would be a good choice.

The apartment is certainly on a very nice street, rue Jacob. But it has only one bedroom that looks very tiny. Your sons would be sleeping in the living room on the sofa bed and day bed I guess.

Therefore, I would choose the Relais Saint Germain or look for an apartment in a different district that gives more bedroom space. Chez Vous seems to charge high rates IMHO.

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Removed on: 1:18 pm, August 23, 2009

please recommend cheap hotels in city center of Paris

i am planning to travel 3 day and 2 nights in Paris with my parent (4 persons), but not booking hotel yet. Could all you guys recommend cheap hotels that located in city center or nearby metro and tourist destinations. Thank you so much in advance!!

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In all sincerity, you cannot expect anyone in this forum to do the basic search-work for you. So this is what you should do:

Buy a good guidebook, preferably the DK Eyewitness Travelguide PARIS, new edition 2006.

It contains many beatiful colour photos, some history, a logical way of presenting the areas, and many practical things about food, restaurants, shopping, means of transport etc.

Can be bought at

www.amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/002-4413554-3988838?url=search-alias%3Daps%26amp;field-keywords=DK+Eyewitness+travel+guide+paris

Come back after you have read the book from a-z - and then it will be much easier to answer all your questions, which are bound to be a lot more specific and precise than the present.

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I%26#39;m not sure how much your budget is but, you will need to expect to pay more for four people in one room if the hotel even has quad rooms available.

You can try:

Hotel Michelet Odeon

hotelmicheletodeon.com/English--prices.phtml

Hotel de France Invalides

www.hoteldefrance.com/hotel-standalone.php…

Also check the Eurocheapo site for more ideas:

http://www.eurocheapo.com/paris/

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Removed on: 10:19 am, August 23, 2009

Anyone visit Musee des Annees Trente?

This sounds like an interesting museum but it%26#39;s in the 92100 area -Boulogne-Billancourt and takes a bit of metro travel to get there from the 6th. Is it worth the trip out there? What is the area around it like? Anyone know?

This is where I%26#39;ll really miss those ex-pat experts!

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Oooh, I%26#39;ve never heard of that one. What is it a museum of?

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Well, its at 28 Ave Andre-Morizet and is a museum of the 1930%26#39;s. It opened in 1998 and offers fine art as well as decorative and industrial objects by artists and artisans active when Art Deco was in.

The collections are organized by theme over 4 floors. The ground floor is sculpture-monumental and romantic in spirit, the 2nd floor are works from the School of Paris. The third floor has sacred and colonial art and some abstract art. Decrotive arts, architectural models, furniture and industry are on the 4th floor.

It just sounds like an interesting, off the beaten path museum to visit.

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Thank You!

I am going to add it to my list. I googled it and it sounds great!

I don%26#39;t mind going a little outside Paris to see sites as I stay for a long period of time while I am visiting!

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Discover, Thanks for your comment. We are staying 2 weeks so we%26#39;ll give it a go. I%26#39;ll comment on it in my trip report. When are you going next? We will be there the last 2 weeks of March and are now counting days....

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I am excited for you ! I am not going in March this year. I have gone before for the whole month and I had a wonderful time in Paris as always. It would have been nice to meet you.

I don%26#39;t know if you would be interested in this site but this last July I went and it was so great I had not been to this Museum since 2000. It had improved so much in the display of the items.

I love the Porcelain Factory and the National Museum de Sevres! It changes every three months. It is so beautiful! The factory tours are only on weekdays.

It is a metro ride and then a short walk across the bridge. If you have time or interest it is very nice museum!

Let me see if I can google the web site.

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www.amisdesevres.com/pub-en/presentation.php

On the bottom there is the web address but I thought you might want to read this information and see the photos.

I can%26#39;t wait to read your report!

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Discover, Thanks for that extra effort. It also sounds interesting. I%26#39;m scheduling our days now so this is a possibility. Have you ever tried to visit the Moet %26amp; Chandon museum @ 22 Ave Montaigne? It is open to the public but one does have to make an appt first.

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Removed on: 6:16 am, August 23, 2009

Hotel Mercure Paris Suffen Tour Eiffel from eurostar

We%26#39;ve booked the Hotel Paris Suffen Tour Eiffel (anyone know anything about it?) and will need to geet there from the eurostar station. Any suggestions? We are two senior citizens traveling with 12 year old granddaughter and we%26#39;ll each have small amout of luggage to deal with. Is there a bus or metro link?

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With three of you, consider a taxi. It will be about 15 Euros. The metro or bus will require changing lines, and you%26#39;ll likely be standing for most of the trip.

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Removed on: 11:18 am, August 23, 2009

Good place for dinner near Royal Magda Hotel ?

We are a good of 9 looking for a couple of nice places to eat dinner near the Arc de Triomphe with great food that won%26#39;t bankrupt us.

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Head down to the bistros on the Champs Elysees. They will have space for your group, especially if you reserve or arrive early. Leon, Pizza Pino, or Hippopotamus don%26#39;t have Michelin stars, but they%26#39;re not bad and and they won%26#39;t bankrupt you.

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Removed on: 3:16 am, August 23, 2009

good hotel in arles not over 100.00 u.s

Would appreciate any suggestions on a centrally located hotel in Arles .Someone who has stayed in one of them,is preferred...also is it recommended to book in advance. I will be there the first week in Oct. What is the time approx. travelling by train from Nice ??? Many thanks for any answers.It%26#39;s my first time in France and need any suggestions...Loretta

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Train travel from Nice to Arles will take between 4 and 4.5 hours depending on the train. There are very few direct trains. Probably the best routing will be through Marseille where you will have to change trains for Arles. Other trains will take you via Avignon. Check timetables and book tickets (up to 90 days ahead for the lowest fares) at www.voyages-sncf.com. This page by MorganB will help explaing the somewhat cumbersome booking process: http://tinyurl.com/qpdef

I can%26#39;t help with the hotel Q, never having stayed in a hotel in Arles, but yes, I think booking ahead would be advisable.

Are you planning to rent a car to get around the area? If so (and I would definitely recommend that you do, at least for part of your time) you might want to drive from Nice to Arles.

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Check out the Calendal (www.lecalendal.com) first to see what they can offer as it%26#39;s consistently been the best value we%26#39;ve found in Arles over the last few years. The Calendal is right in the heart of town, about 50 yards south of the arena, and all the good stuff is within a ten minute walk. Along with nice clean rooms and a very helpful english-speaking staff they have by far the best breakfast deal in town.

Given the changing euro-dollar exchange rate you may need to pay a bit more but quality-wise it%26#39;ll be worth it. We returned from there a few weeks ago and were able to get a very nice 3-bed room overlooking the courtyard for 75 euros instead of the 90 regular rate as we stayed for 3 nights. You%26#39;re going to be there at a nice time of the year so I%26#39;d definitely book in advance as the place has a deservedly good reputation.

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Many thanks for the info.Will check it out..Have you ever stayed at the hotel duforum? Loretta

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Haven%26#39;t stayed in the Hotel du Forum yet but the Tripadvisor reviews sure look good so maybe next trip.... I envy you going at that time of the year - in late November we found a lot of places closed for the winter. If you tire of the traditional cuisine we found a really, really good woodfire oven pizza place in Arles on this last trip. It%26#39;s called called %26quot;Pizzeria L%26#39;Ecrin%26quot; and is located across the stree from the northeast corner of the arena. Best we%26#39;ve ever had.

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T;hanks Roger,also for the name of the pizzaria...do enjoy pizza !!

I decided to book a room at the L%26#39;Amptheter.Any suggestions on good breakfasts and not just bread and coffee...merci Loretta

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Removed on: 11:19 pm, August 24, 2009

brittany

am visiting brittany for a week in july would like some tips on what to do..ages range from 13 to 60 and i need to keep them entertained!!

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Can you be more specific about area so that I can make some suggestions.

The main activity is just to be on the beautiful beaches!

Jane

x

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What are your interests? There%26#39;s plenty of interesting things to see in Brittany depending on who likes what.

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we are going to be based in the carantec area which is in the north of brittany..

interests are swimming, museums, pubs, flea markets and places to eat

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We are going to a campsite in Carantec in July, so are interested to know how your holiday went. we are a family (mum, dad, 2 girls 13 and 17) so anything about the area, weather, food, beaches etc. any nice places to drive to and things to do would be really helpful. With the kids being teenagers, as long as theres some wine involved for me it should be fine lol.

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as there is many people from Uk interested in wine you would easily find some Cash and Carry in Roscoff especialy made for British!

not so many cultural things to see, the most interesting things are the %26quot;enclos paroissiaux%26#39; in St Thegonnec, Guimiliau and Lampaul Guimiliau

for rainy days why not to go to Oceanopolis in Brest

do not miss %26quot;la cote de Granit Rose %26quot; from Trebeurden to Perros Guirrec (wonderfull walks in Ploumanach on the seaside among %26quot;Pink%26quot; rocks)

you can also go for a day trip in la Presqu%26#39;ile de Crozon visiting the huge cliffs in la Pointe de Penhir (some Standind Stones on the road from camaret to the pointe (go to Le Faou -some old houses- then lanveoc, le fret-lovely village and vue on the nuclear submarine base!), pointe des espagnols, camaret pointe de penhinr and end in the lovely beach of Morat to take some rest

another day trip (it really worth it but you need to wake up early) is to take the boat from the Conquet to Ouessant Island and rent bicycle to visit the Island..

let me know in you need some more specific information

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Removed on: 7:17 pm, August 14, 2009

Museum Pass Changes

This may have already been posted but I was checking to see exactly which it covered to see if it would be advantageous (cost wise) for me.

They now have 2, 4 and 6 day passes.

www.parismuseumpass.fr/flash/hp_en.html

It does still show the Orangerie as closed for renovation.

I have posted a separate question regarding it.

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You are correct. The pass now comes in 2,4, or 6 day options. Remember, those are 2,4, or 6 consecutive days.

I posted the official website for the pass in your other post but in case you don%26#39;t see it: www.intermusee.fr.

The website is in English.

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Removed on: 4:19 pm, August 23, 2009

travel with luggage

Is it advisable to take the RER B from CDG to Paris if I have 1 large suitcase and a couple of carry on bags? Would I be better with a cab or shuttle?

Thank you in advance,

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Yoda, we personally don%26#39;t like to do the trains with our luggage after having traveled all night. I%26#39;d take a cab or shuttle directly to your hotel and then use the metro or train after that.

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I%26#39;m with Vicki.

After 15-20 hours of traveling I%26#39;m not up to lugging my suitcase up and down flights of stairs or dragging it across cobblestones for several hundred yards once I get there.

Can it be done - oh yes. Would I recommend it? Having done it once, the answer is a resounding no - never again.

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It depends on your budget, the time you%26#39;re travelling and whether you can have a shower as soon as you arrive at your destination!! Oh and you need to be reasonably fit too. In other words which is more important to you - comfort or more money in your wallet?

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Are you traveling alone? If so the shuttle( Bluvan.fr ) I took last summer cost me 25 Euros including luggage .

The taxi runs about 40 -65 euros depending on the traffic. The luggage has a euro per bag charge.

You can take the RER B to the Latin Quarter but the suitcase and all those carryons make it much harder.

I would for a first time visitor recommend you take a shuttle and then after all your luggage is at your hotel use the Metro for getting around.

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Thank you all for your insight. I think I will try the shuttle. I am sure I can find recommended shuttles somewhere on this site.

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Removed on: 6:16 am, August 23, 2009

Funky Parisian Museums

I think its time for a new topic.

With all the difficulty we all seem to be having finding out museum information I began wondering about all dozens and dozens of museums I have never heard of or understand what they have. I though we could share our favorite small museum and tell what we liked about it or explain a little about the collection. The museums in every guide book DON%26#39;T count, so no Louvre, d%26#39;Orsay, Marmartton, Notre Dame, St. Chappell, etc. They do not have to be places you want to spend half a day, just an interesting 30 minutes. I%26#39;m especially interested in museums on the pass.

I did find a good link that has museums/hours/prices listed

http://www.metropoleparis.com/musees1.html

http://www.metropoleparis.com/musees2.html

I%26#39;ll start. I%26#39;ve been to the Musee du Monnies. Pass = FREE This is the French Mint. It has a high quality collection of historical coinage. I found it very interesting for 1-2 hours. Hubby could have spent 2 days. Definately worth a 30 minute stop just to look around it you have a pass. Its located along the Sienne just over the Pont Neuf. Gift shop is disappointing as it has more gifts sets than coin sets for collectors (ie none).

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For %26#39;..funky..%26#39; it%26#39;s difficult to beat the PALAIS de TOKOYO--under 18 free--Open: TUESDAY-to-SUNDAY--from Noon-to-Midnight--- http://www.palaisdetokyo.com/ --for the contemporary art on display as well as some of the patrons who visit later in the evenings.

Though not %26#39;funky%26#39;, the MUSEE des ARTS FORAINS-COLLECTION JEAN-PAUL FAVARD--Open: SAT %26amp; SUN��� 2:00-7:00 PM Only-- http://www.pavillons-de-bercy.com/ --is a great place, now located out at the far eastern edge of the city at Bercy...but this museum doesn%26#39;t seem to encourage or want visitors. They%26#39;ve always been tucked away in odd corners of the city and have always had odd/limited days and hours of operation. But if you can find it and make it there when it%26#39;s open, it is a wonderful, whimsical collection of antique carousels, fairground/carnival booths and exhibits and mechanical musical instruments. If the museum has a %26#39;flaw%26#39; it%26#39;s that they simply won%26#39;t allow you to duck under the ropes and climb up and ride or play with their great toys.

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KDKSail,

MUSEE des ARTS FORAINS sounds absolutely delightful, and most definately %26quot;Funky%26quot;.

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I agree KDk with Palais de Tokyo ... and my secret place is the Fondation Albert Kahn, with his japanese garden (14, rue du Port - 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, metro Boulogne Pont de Saint-Cloud, http://194.254.135.72/parcs/parcs/akahn/ (In french)

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Clicko,

I looked at the website. It looks wonderful. Thank you for sharing your secret place. Is this a garden you can take a picnic into? I do see that there is admission, but my French isn%26#39;t good enough to figure that out.

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Well, it would be tough to top le Musee de l%26#39;Erotisme on blvd. de Clichy. Actually, it sounds very sleazy but it is an authentic collection of erotic art from around the world, some funky, some graceful, quite interesting and open late.

http://www.musee-erotisme.com/

(no, it isn%26#39;t on the Carte Musee :)

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I think the Musee des Arts et Metiers is great. Some of the tour books don%26#39;t even mention it. They have the neatest machines in this building including the first microcomputer, TV sets from 1931, a Cray Supercomputer, Foucalt%26#39;s Pendulum, some of Edison%26#39;s original recording devices and much, much, much more. It is absolutely fascinating.

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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt; le Musee de l%26#39;Erotisme%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;

Be very careful when keyboarding the web site in...miss the hyphen and you get %26quot;..eroticism..%26#39; of a type that you hadn%26#39;t expected...and simply may not %26#39;..release..%26#39; your computer when you try to get out of some of the linked sites.

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I%26#39;m not sure it qualifies as %26quot;funky%26quot; but I find the Gustave Moreau museum in the 9th arrondissement on the rue de La Rochefoucauld fascinating anyway.

Gustave Moreau%26#39;s paintings are strange and often disturbing, and there is something odd and intriguing to me about a painter who spent the last few years of his life designing his own museum.

It%26#39;s a national museum, so I assume it is on the Pass.

http://www.musee-moreau.fr/index_u1l2.htm

Also the Musee de la Contrefacon (Forgeries Museum) in the 16th on the rue de la Faisanderie. You want to know for sure if that Rolex watch you bought from that guy in the bar who swore it was genuine and the only reason he was selling it for $100 was because he had lost his job and needed to buy his five-year old daughter a birthday present is really genuine? This is the place to find out.

And I agree (once again) with pixfield about the Arts et Metiers. It%26#39;s a real delight for kids of all ages...

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One I already spoke about but that is really not known by the usual guides : musee de la prefecture de Police de Paris

4, rue de la Montagne Sainte-Genevieve

Police Department for the 5th Arrondissement, 2nd floor.

Tel. : 01 44 41 52 50

I know, Police and Funky is not usually mixed in the same sentence. But I recommend it as it is unusual (eveything about crime in Paris), and it is located in the central touristy area of Saint Michel.

Not on the pass but free, so it doesn%26#39;t make any difference.

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Oh and to add to the funky style, there is the Franco American relationships museum, not in Paris but near Amiens. It is on the Carte Musee.

http://www.museefrancoamericain.fr/

You are entitled to grunt against the absence of english version of this site!!!

Food on eurostar

We have standard tickets on the eurostar from London to Paris at 9:00 AM. Is there any sort of beverage service? Can you buy meals on board? if not, can you bring food on board?

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There is a buffet car selling refreshments. Equally you can bring your own food on board. At Waterloo there is an Marks and Spencer food outlet as well as other food stalls.

Have a good trip.

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Thanks so much!

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Thanks so much!

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JBart: We have business-premier class tix on Eurostar. Is there food service for that class, and if so, what? Thanks so much.

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the ood on the tgv is really bad, better off bringing your own.

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Hi Mimi,

I went to Paris by premier class Eurostar in February 2005 and we had a meal provided that was similar to the meals I have received on long haul economy flights with Qantas or BA. I recall it was a small heated tray meal with a sort of chicken breast and vegetables meal with some sort of sauce. You also got coffee and a little screw top bottle of red or white wine.

The food was as edible as airline food (economy class) but not as nice as a fresh bread roll with ham or cheese from a shop in Paris would have been. The seats were not that much better than standard class and it is only about 2 1/2 hours for the trip, so I went standard class in October and would always do that in future unless I premier class was the only seating left on the day I had to travel.

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With you there Faux all the way. I always travel economy on Eurostar so that I can take my own food. Leaving England I make something at home and take a good bottle of wine but when I leave France I can visit the nearest traiteur and buy the most fantastic meal to eat. For me that is heaven.

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Faux %26amp; Bart: I would have never gotten the business-premier class, but for some reason, when I went to book our trip, it popped up CHEAPER THAN ECONOMY!!, so bargain-hunter that I am, I snatched them up. I could hardly believe my eyes. We paid $118.00 USD for 2 seniors, one-way to Paris, which is exactly what we wanted, as we are continuing on and flying home from Italy. I think it was some kind of fluke, but it happened early on a Sunday morning exactly 90 days before our trip. Anyway, thanks for the food into. We will definitely buy our own sandwich or snack, but I certainly will appreciate the screw-top bottle of wine. Cheers!!

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Hi Mimi, In those circumstances I would grab the premier class seat too!

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Advice needed--2 nights in Paris, food & shopping

Hello! I%26#39;ll be in Paris for two nights in mid-March. I%26#39;ve already booked my hotel (Hotel du College de France). I will be in town on Saturday from mid-day to Monday noon. I%26#39;ve been to Paris twice before, but never alone, which I will be this time. I speak fairly good French and in fact lived in St. Jean de Luz for two years so France almost feels like home! I%26#39;m looking forward to wandering around, probably visiting a museum or two, but have a couple of questions...

~FOOD~I don%26#39;t mind going out to a restaurant alone (many previous postings ensure it%26#39;s perfectly fine) but it looks like most places are closed on Sunday. Is it best to avoid restaurants alone on a Saturday night? Or, any recommendations for a small, non-touristic place that serves great food, price range @ 20-35 euros for a menu where I%26#39;d feel comfortable dining alone? (I know, I haven%26#39;t narrowed down the catagory too much!) For example, something along the lines of ChanterAille? Aside from a falafel in the marais (which would be great, don%26#39;t get me wrong!) any other suggestions for Sunday meals?

~SHOPPING~ Any interesting shopping streets, not designer stuff but small antiques (prints, painted pottery) and accessories?

~Jim Haynes Sunday Dinner~ Anyone have experience with these? Are they fun?

Thank for any suggestiions you can send my way!

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I%26#39;ve travelled extensively around the world and dinner at Jim Haynes%26#39; house was one of my top travel experiences! I really enjoyed meeting so many different, interesting people. It%26#39;s really a unique experience and I highly recommend it!

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That%26#39;s helpful Chicago, thank you for replying! I%26#39;m thinking I may give it a try...

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Rainsoaked: do a search here of the term %26quot;shopping%26quot; and read up. The Marais has a lot of really cool places to shop as well and they are open on Sundays, if you go there for Falafel.

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There was a trip report posted today about their experiences at Jim Haynes Sunday Dinner.

%26quot; We went to the Jim Haynes dinner that night and were all disappointed. It was way overcrowded and some of the attendees were, um, creepy.%26quot;

Some one else posted their NYE experience just a few weeks ago.

It is 20 Euros pp.

Look at his web site for more information.

It is just not my cup of tea because I do not go to Paris to meet other tourists (mainly from the USA).

I travel to Paris by myself much of the time. I have only had one problem eating by myself. I had reserved and then when I showed up they would not seat just one person so they would not honor my reservation! It was a Thursday evening. (Most are not like that.)

I loved St. Jean de Luz! Your mention brought back great memories! We stayed there twice and loved the area too!

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As Mascara said, the Marais is a great place for shopping and my favourite street for that is rue du Pont Louis Philippe running from the Pont Louis Philippe on Ile St Louis to rue de Rivoli (opposite where rue Vieille du Temple meets rue de Rivoli) and also rue Francois Miron off rue duPLP near rue de Rivoli in the direction of Bastille

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Thanks all for responding!

Discover~When were you in St Jean? I loved it. I miss it all the time...sigh. Thanks for the encouragemant on eating alone. I%26#39;ve been looking into places near my hotel, Le petit Prince, Le Coup Chou, Le Fourmi Aile but I really don%26#39;t know. Any thoughts?

And thanks Mascara and Faux, the street names help a lot! Sunday is my only full day in Paris.

Would you recommend that huge flea market to the north of town (can%26#39;t remember the name!) for a Sunday morning?

As for Jim Haynes dinners, well, I searched back on this forum and found a mixed bag of results, although more positive than negative. It%26#39;s probably a matter of luck. If I go, I%26#39;ll report back :-)

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Hi rainsoaked

Rather than going to the huge Clignancourt markets on the Sunday, my preference would be to go to the smaller bric a brac style flea markets near Porte de Vanves (metro of that name is on line 13 direction Chatillon Montrouge). It is low key and fun but get there by mid-morning as a lot of the vendors pack up at about lunchtime.

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Faux, that sounds perfect, thank you.

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We were there in St. Jean last August and befor that we had gone there three years ago! We loved it so much we had stayed in Barratiz both times too! The beaches and the fish market is so neat!

It was alot more crowded last year and the roads were jam packed but we had a great time!

Hubby loved the Chateau we went to down there. The head tour guide was so nice she told us since you have paid so much for the tour and you do not understand the depth of French for the tour ... she told us to go ahead and take photos!

I will ask my hubby the name of the place it had a view of the water... It was so cool! We bought all the post cards too and gave her a huge tip! She spoke some English and she was so helpful to us! We love it there and the church with the hanging ships and all the gold statues and the lights that light up the whole alter are so beautiful!

I have eaten at a few of the places you asked about but I think if I have not eaten there in the last year .... I have no current information to post about them. I would rather not recommend it unless my information is totally current. I would hate for someone to come back and say it was awful!

I really liked the Le Pre Grille in the 5e .... I think one other poster ( %26quot;AC?%26quot;) also said they liked it too! If you go there the Bailey%26#39;s Irish Cream is just wonderful for after dinner dessert drink!

I have eaten at the Sushi restaruant there in the 6 th I can not think of the name ....but it is very popular.

KDK do you remember the name?

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Let me say if you are only there for two dinners do not go to Le Pre Grille ... go to some place more expensive. or go there just for lunch.

BTW, I love Lake Oswego! You are not far from Seattle area ....we always drive down that way to visit friends!

Dress Code for the Jules Verne?

Hello,

My friend and I have lunch reservations at the Jules Verne in April. I was wondering if there is a dress code? Are athletic walking shoes allowed? Are jeans a no, no? We are both female. Are pants appropriate?

Thank you so much.

Kathy

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We enjoyed our lunch at JV in November, and I saw the dress %26#39;code%26#39; as %26#39;dress up%26#39;. Stylish well constructed pants for women and good jackets/sweaters. Some women wore dresses, I wore basic black pants and jackets with interesting earrings! Athletic walking shoes and jean would be out of place.

My husband wore a blazer and shirt/tie. Have fun.

also, we noted that the a la carte menu as less expensive, and written only in French. Your server will help you to understand the menu. The formula %26quot;fixed price%26quot; menu is written in English, but more expensive.

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I second that comment. It%26#39;s dressy, but feel free to wear a pantsuit. I wouldn%26#39;t wear walking shoes, unless they are on the dressy side, made of leather.

Bon appetit! I hope you enjoy yourself.

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Packing/Security Questions?

Last year my family of 7 went to Italy for 10 days and we all had carryon luggage and a backpack. Loved not having to check anything. Have flown since the new restrictions and checked the bags, but really want to just do carryon this spring for our trip. We are flying into paris and out of brussels.

We are thinking of taking only things we can not leave without in the %26quot;ziplock baggies%26quot;, then shopping for shampoo, etc after we get settled in our apartment.

Are we just asking for a headache with having our luggage with us in the security lines? Anyone flown internationally lately that can help?

thanks!

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CDG seems to be just as strict as any other international airport. You can expect to have your luggage examined. On the whole the larger the carryon (e.g. rollaboard vs. backpack) the longer it will take to check it through security. Also there could be a second security check just before you board your plane. When we went through CDG flying with Air France last October there was a secondary random security check just before we boarded the shuttle bus to get to the aircraft.

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Flew out of CDG 2 weeks ago.

Actually, we found CDG to be much more strict and security minded than either SFO or Dulles. They %26#39;confiscated%26#39; the sealed %26#39;Nyquil%26#39; and Tylenol %26#39;Gelcaps%26#39; that the US had allowed in. I also %26#39;lost%26#39; a half used tub of %26#39;Body Butter%26#39; that I had forgotten to pack and just thrown in the carry-on at the last minute (that was expected).

That second security check is really a nightmare. As you approach your gate through narrow corridors (and in our case down a flight of stairs) you are brought to a halt by a seathing mass of people that have no idea what is going on and are confused as to why they cannot move forward. More people were arriving all the time and pushing forward but there was nowhere for us to go - it got quite claustraphobic. Slowly, the crowd inched forward down the stairs, and we could then see the second security check area and beyond that a small penned in area. It was into this %26#39;pen%26#39; that passengers were slowly trickling.

An attendant then came down the line and told a few people in front that if you had a %26#39;white%26#39; boarding pass you went to one side and if you had a blue/gray pass you went to the other - this sort of filtered down the line in several languages and we split in two. The blue/gray line went through faster - don%26#39;t ask me why. We eventually went through a complete second security check and into the %26#39;holding pen%26#39;. No facilities at all in there - just seats.

I don%26#39;t think travelling with just carry-on luggage will make it any worse - it%26#39;s pretty miserable as it is.

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The CDG situation is really inconsistent. I%26#39;ve flown some airlines where the personnel at CDG are rude and disorganized, and others that were great.

In November I flew American Airlines and was very impressed with the efficiency of their staff at CDG. When I went there to check in, there was an English speaking agent right at the entrance to the line. He checked my documents and even volunteered to move me to a row of seats that was empty so I could sleep on the flight home, since the plane was not full. There was another agent that helped with the liquid items and even took my liquid items out of the plastic ziploc I had them in and placed them into another bag. I noticed the ziplocs they are using at CDG are much smaller than the %26quot;regulation%26quot; bags in the USA. (I don%26#39;t know what%26#39;s up with that?) I also experienced the chaos at the second checkpoint... and was waved out of line for a search by an agent who spoke barely intelligible English and French that was not much better... It is hard when they do this because you cannot understand the directions you are being given and don%26#39;t want to appear uncooperative. Very frustrating.

If I were you, I%26#39;d just check your bags and be done with it. On my last trip in November, I carried on my small laptop and a few bare minimum toiletries and that was it, just because I wanted to avoid my luggage being gate checked (and potentially LOST) and also the security hassles. As for CDG, you have to be ready for ANYTHING there... it isnt predictable and one person could have an awful experience there one day, another may not the next.

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I had no problems with our US issue %26#39;Glad%26#39; quart size ziplocks.

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See what I mean, Jane? It is very inconsistent at CDG. I had the standard issue Glad ziplocs too, but they removed everything from them and replaced the bag with theirs. They did this with EVERYONE.

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Oh my - flying out of CDG (in November), I felt like the security guy owed me dinner. I have never been patted down so thoroughly in my life!!! And he went through EVERYTHING. Even opened my tube of lipstick and examined my feminine supplies.

If you dont mind the scrutiny, go for it ..... it wasnt the most horrible experience of my life, but it was a good 3 hours to get checked in!!

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