Going to Paris, France...need travel advice
I am going over to Paris, France for a week, in a few months and would like some advice from either those who live there, have family there, or have been there.
The trip just came up unexpectedly, and the time frame is set is stone, so I have not been planning for the usual 6 months before hand. However, I am starting to work on the itenerary and travel plans today.
First, I apologize for this question but I have to ask. Being an American, will I run into any problems because of my nationality?
Any tourrist traps or areas of town to be weary of going? I would like not to get mugged or beaten down.
Can you reccomend any hotels that are nice, economical and offer internet service? I assume ethernet connections, standard cables, are the same over there as they are over here. How reliable is the internet in Europe?
This is my first trip to France and I hope to have a wonderful trip while I am there.
Any other advice you can give would be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Eric
The trip just came up unexpectedly, and the time frame is set is stone, so I have not been planning for the usual 6 months before hand. However, I am starting to work on the itenerary and travel plans today.
First, I apologize for this question but I have to ask. Being an American, will I run into any problems because of my nationality?
Any tourrist traps or areas of town to be weary of going? I would like not to get mugged or beaten down.
Can you reccomend any hotels that are nice, economical and offer internet service? I assume ethernet connections, standard cables, are the same over there as they are over here. How reliable is the internet in Europe?
This is my first trip to France and I hope to have a wonderful trip while I am there.
Any other advice you can give would be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Eric
Comments
1. Expect a Frenchman to speak as much english as an american would speak french. The French do speak some English, but will be reluctant to use it.
2. This is the same for any big city - learn the subways, get a subway pass, use the subways.
3. The center of Paris is pretty safe i think, even at night. Avoid walking along the Seine at night.
4. Le Louvre is BIG. Really big. Plan well what you want to see, you'll spend at least one full day there. (Some sundays the entrance is free).
5. Walk from the Louvre to the Arc the Triomphe. It's a bit of a walk, but you'll pass many important sites.
6. A good map does wonders.
7. When you are only there for a week, you won't be able to see everything. Forget Versaille, forget EuroDisney.
8. Climb the stairs of the Sacre Coeur by foot. Climb to the roof (the entrance is on the side)
9. walk left of the Sacre Coeur and discover one of the nicest places of Paris
10. Hotels around La Gare de L'Ouest are somewhat affordable. It's between the Sacre Coeur and the comercial center.
11. Visit some of the sites that are not in the center - Centre Pompidou, Arc de la Technologie, Le Sphere, ...
Disclaimer: it's been a while since i've been to Paris, so Excusez-moi any inacurracies in this post.
Oh, one last tip: read The Da Vinci Code, or even better, Foulcault's Pendulum before you go to Paris. And whatch The Fabulous Destiny of Amelie Poulain.
If you go before Easter, expect rain.
Enjoy your trip! Paris can be magic!
1) People in Texas generally believe that their state is the best thing that ever happened to the universe. No, they will not get over it. Just ignore them when they wax poetic about the greatness of their civilization and make fun of the weakness of American civilization.
2) You may also consider visiting Paris's web site, which indicates they have the second largest Eiffel Tower in the world. It apparently also has a cowboy hat.
3) Expect people in Texas to speak English about as much as you'd expect people in America to speak Texican. Learn their language; do not expect them to speak yours.
4) People in Texas are very particular about manners, and despite your explanation that you are not from there, they will not care. Offense is offense. They may beat you up. You should just roll with the punches.
5) People in Texas wear funny hats and pants that are too tight--even those who live in the cities and have no real reason to wear funny hats and tight pants. Avoid the impulse to laugh hysterically at them.
Originally posted by aplnub
I am going over to Paris, France for a week, in a few months and would like some advice from either those who live there, have family there, or have been there.
The trip just came up unexpectedly, and the time frame is set is stone, so I have not been planning for the usual 6 months before hand. However, I am starting to work on the itenerary and travel plans today.
First, I apologize for this question but I have to ask. Being an American, will I run into any problems because of my nationality?
Any tourrist traps or areas of town to be weary of going? I would like not to get mugged or beaten down.
Can you reccomend any hotels that are nice, economical and offer internet service? I assume ethernet connections, standard cables, are the same over there as they are over here. How reliable is the internet in Europe?
This is my first trip to France and I hope to have a wonderful trip while I am there.
Any other advice you can give would be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Eric
You shouldn't have any problem with your nationality. I least I expect so, because there is idiot everywhere, and France is no exception.
More and more french people speak a not so bad english, but you will have to forgive them their accents, and speak rather slowly. Just learn some basic words like Merci (thanks) Bonjour (Hello) and you will display enough intereste in the french culture
The Louvres is really big, (perhaps one of the two biggest museum of the world),so follow SpcMs advice : make a plan. Watching Mona Lisa is great, but remember that it will be full of tourists in the small room, and let's say it, the experience a little bit disapointing (this is a small painting).
Personally my favorite museum is Orsay. This is 19th century painting, with impressionists, like Renoir, Van Gogh, Millet and many others. I love this place.
I don't know if there is really dangerous place inside Paris. At the exception of Pick pockets, it's not a so dangereous place. Whenever there is tourists you will be safe ( I am not particulary anxious when I go to Paris).
The Subway is the best way to travel in Paris. Granted to the plans, you will travel easily (just remember that there is two directions for each line). That said, just take Subway for long travel, Paris is cute, but not it's subway. It's hot here and full of people : personally it's not my cup of tea.
Some nice place in Paris are : Quartier Saint-Germain, Montmartre, Saint Louis Island (Notre dame de Paris is there).
For the connection ethernet ones are the same : RJ 45. For phone you will certainly need an adaptator. The internet work fine in general. France have a good telecommunication network, but you must ask the hotels if they offer you this service.
Originally posted by dmz
Good thread, guys, a friend of mine will be honeymooing there in April. Any ROMANTIC places/venues of interest?
Well I didn't try it, but a diner at night on a boat (on the river) seems to be lovely.
Some Quartiers like Saint Germain and Montmartre (see the movie : an american in Paris) could do the trick.
The Subway is easy to figure out but has odd closing times. If I remember they time it so all the trains get to the end of their line at midnight. So unless you know the line really well you could get stuck. Maybe I have it wrong?
We tried to go to a ballet or dance but the week we were there was just before the season started.
Having a drink, standing up at a bar is cheaper than sitting down and being served. Eating out: The "prix-fixe" menu is normally great and good value!
Secret place for great views:HERE!
Good book for other "off the beaten tracks" ideas: "Pauper's Paris"
Bon Voyage.
Eric
Originally posted by aplnub
Do I have to reserve tickets for the rail or is it wise to do so? I am the kind that just shows up 30 minutes early but with a trip from Paris planned to Brittany American Cemetery, (to see a great Uncle's burial place from WW2) in St. James, France, I can't afford to miss a train because I showed up and didn't get a ticket.
Eric
I just checked, and apparently you have to take the high speed train from Paris to get there. Now i'm not 100% about France, but in Belgium it is wise to buy tickets for high speed trains ahead of time (it's numbered seats and there are different pricing formula's).
Also, traveling time is aparently 5 hours one way, so if you're with two or three you might consider renting a car for a day, although i don't wish 'Paris-ian' traffic upon my worst enemy
Btw, go to www.sncf.fr for more info on trains, large parts of that site are available in English also.
Originally posted by Powerdoc
Notre dame de Paris.
Don't miss the flying buttresses. Round the back. And the gargoyles, of course, but they're pretty hard to miss.
Flying buttresses are grouse.
Originally posted by crazychester
Don't miss the flying buttresses. Round the back. And the gargoyles, of course, but they're pretty hard to miss.
Flying buttresses are grouse.
Yes, I think that you can climb in Notre Dame. But my best souvenir was the extended visit of Mount Saint Michel especially when we climbed (we took the stairs naturally) the cathedral. That was great, especially for the panorama.
Originally posted by Powerdoc
Yes, I think that you can climb in Notre Dame. But my best souvenir was the extended visit of Mount Saint Michel especially when we climbed (we took the stairs naturally) the cathedral. That was great, especially for the panorama.
So I'm thinking to myself, Mont-Saint-Michel (I thought you were French), I think that's where my high school French teacher, Monsieur Cunningham, told us they have these really fast tides. Come in so first, a horse can't outrun them or something like that. M. Cunningham was more of a treasure than we ever realised with his tales from travels in France.
So off I go to check if this 30 year old memory is correct. The first site I go to, the main image of Mont-St-Michel doesn't resolve but some rotating ones on the left of the page do. Guess what they're of?
The Sydney Opera House, kangaroos and Uluru.
Yeah that's the place. Don't know if the horse thing is really true. But definitely some nasty tidal action happening there from the look of this. Wanna watch yourself paddling round Mont-St-Michel Powerdoc. So can you get out there when the tide is high? Is there a causeway or something?
Brittany. You're in the area aplnub. If that ain't worth a visit then you should be denied entry to France at the airport. Looks like easily a day job. 13 centuries of history just sitting there waiting for you to lap it up. Lucky bastard.
Can you imagine the arch-angel Saint Michel surrounded by a bitch ?
Originally posted by dmz
Good thread, guys, a friend of mine will be honeymooing there in April. Any ROMANTIC places/venues of interest?
We spent our honeymoon in France.
1. Paris is nice, but if you want to eat fancy food, don't do it there.
Eat crepes with banannas and nutella in Paris, DO NOT eat
Chineese food there.
2. We spent 4 days in Paris, which is about as much as you need.
After that we went to Bairritz and Pau - the best food that I have
ever eaten was $100 (for two) in Bairritz - it would have been $800
in Paris. I really had a good time in the Basque region (if you go there
don't cross the border into Spain, it is like a war zone). Lots of
castles and stuff there.
3. You will step in dogshit every day, prepare yourself.
4. You will get tobacco smoke blown at you, even if you are all by yourself
in the middle of the non-smoking area of a resturaunt, some bastard
will sit beside you and blow smoke your way.
5. Except for one woman and the smokers and the dog owners, everyone
I met in France was very nice. Of course I had my mouth shut and my
wife speaks French.
6. Continental breakfasts kick butt in France - not like here.
Originally posted by e1618978
We spent our honeymoon in France.
1. Paris is nice, but if you want to eat fancy food, don't do it there.
Eat crepes with banannas and nutella in Paris, DO NOT eat
Chineese food there.
2. We spent 4 days in Paris, which is about as much as you need.
After that we went to Bairritz and Pau - the best food that I have
ever eaten was $100 (for two) in Bairritz - it would have been $800
in Paris. I really had a good time in the Basque region (if you go there
don't cross the border into Spain, it is like a war zone). Lots of
castles and stuff there.
3. You will step in dogshit every day, prepare yourself.
4. You will get tobacco smoke blown at you, even if you are all by yourself
in the middle of the non-smoking area of a resturaunt, some bastard
will sit beside you and blow smoke your way.
5. Except for one woman and the smokers and the dog owners, everyone
I met in France was very nice. Of course I had my mouth shut and my
wife speaks French.
6. Continental breakfasts kick butt in France - not like here.
j
You can find some great food for a not so expansive price in PARIS but it's very difficult. Astier, in the Eleven quarter is a nice and not so expansive place, who provide very good food (sorry I am not a parisian, but I go here with my brother when I go to Paris)
Pays Basque is a fantastic place. Yes there is great food here. The best restaurant is the Auberge des freres ilbabourde. There is also tons of good restaurants if you like sea food. Me and my wife have great food souvenir there.
You will find also great food in Briton (bretagne) and Normandie. (in fact all the atlantic side).
Originally posted by e1618978
We spent our honeymoon in France.
We spent 4 days in Paris, which is about as much as you need.:
So, not very much into art or science or museums in general, are you? (not that this wasn't obvious from your posts in Political Outsider)
I really had a good time in the Basque region (if you go there don't cross the border into Spain, it is like a war zone).
Originally posted by SpcMs
So, not very much into art or science or museums in general, are you? (not that this wasn't obvious from your posts in Political Outsider)
I have a degree in Computer Science (not a real science, I know),
and I was a modern dancer for many years (not real art?).
Originally posted by SpcMs
So, not very much into art or science or museums in general, are you? (not that this wasn't obvious from your posts in Political Outsider)
The more I think about your post, the more disturbing it gets.
Dehumanising groups of people (to simplify your argument "people that don't agree with me politically are too brutish to enjoy the arts") has been the root of most of the serious evil in history. Your opinions of me are no different from racism, I am just part of a different group.
Originally posted by Powerdoc
The horse thing only happen during the great tides. Now the Mont Saint Michel has some huge problems of sand invasion. If things continue that way, the mount will be surrounded by a giant beach.
Can you imagine the arch-angel Saint Michel surrounded by a bitch ?
Well yes I can but she'd have to be a little on the large size and I'm not sure how the archangel would feel about it.
So you're not reading my posts now as well as my links. Righto. No, no don't trouble yourself. I'll spend 15 minutes Googling how one accesses Mont-St-Michel even though you could have just told me straight up. Maybe they give you a pair floaties and you just have to do your best.