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