Hi all who worked in Carnac 2005. I worked in The Tuns Pub and Camping Des Menhirs through the summer, and just wanted to say Hi to anyone on here who worked in Carnac, who I know. Hi to everyone who I met on holiday aswell! Feel free to post if you want any info, or if you know me in Carnac!
Mel
xxx
I love mel. Im going back to visit James and Tanya this year. Coming with?
Love Tom.
I am an 8th grade student who needs to create an itinerary for a %26quot;fake%26quot; trip to Paris for a French class project. I need to identify hotel rooms, transportation, tourist sites, and other things for 5 days. My budget is 1,500 USD per person (I have a travel partner).
My mom always gets great advise from Trip Advisor for all our trips. Do you have any suggestions on a charming, but cheap hotel for 2 girls? Also, any resturant suggestions? Remember, tasty, but cheap with a little ambience. Thanks so much!
Have a look for Travelnutty%26#39;s post. I will bump it up for you. It will give you a good start for your project.
Since you%26#39;re working with dollars in your project, and you%26#39;ll be working with Euro%26#39;s in Paris, use a good money conversion website...you can find one at www.xe.com. Translate American dollars into Euros so you%26#39;ll know how much you really have to spend.
Try doing a search on this forum for a %26#39;hostel%26#39; which is basically a really cheap room for mostly students.
Plan on some picnics for lunch. You can get all the ingredients at Monoprix (a Paris grocery store) for about 10 Euro for two of you.
For transportation, does this $1500 include your flight over? If so, you%26#39;re in big trouble! Flights are expensive! If not, make sure you consider your transportation to and from the airport. You can look at www.bluvan.fr for a price for a shuttle, which is less expensive than a taxi.
When looking at websites for tourist sites, make sure you look to see if there%26#39;s a student price, and what kind of ID you would need to get it.
Consider a metro pass which will take you to most everywhere you would want to go in Paris. It would give you unlimited trips on the Paris metro.
You may have a bit of a problem with things to do at night for an 8th grader. Consider going to Sacre Coeur Basilica for the view at night, and also the Eiffel Tower is open at night. The Louvre is open late one night, too.
Hope this helps a bit.
Thanks for all your help! I have found some great hotel options. Since, this is a fake trip to Paris we can travel any time of year we want. What is the cheapest time to travel to Paris (for flight purposes) Thanks!
Hmmmm, as someone who once taught 8th graders French, I think maybe you should do some research on your own. That%26#39;s probably what your teacher had in mind. If we just give you the hotels, restaurants,etc., then you aren%26#39;t really doing the research on your own.
But you%26#39;re in the right spot. Start doing searches on %26quot;cheap%26quot; or %26quot;inexpensive%26quot; hotels, in the search window. You can do the same for restaurants and such. IT will be fun for you.
Les
BCA - I would search the different airlines and travel companies and enter your dates for once each season...that will tell you when the prices are lowest. Consider Orbitz, Travelocity, and Expedia, and be sure to check the airline websites, too.
Assuming that your teacher is keenly interested in the substantive part of your Paris %26quot;trip,%26quot; that is, what you intend to see and learn in Paris, I would concentrate hardest on the logistics of why you are going to Paris and what you intend to see and do there. Do the administrative parts of your trip (taxis,plane, hotel) by choosing from options on this Website or another. Then, and more importantly, figure out an itinerary of sights. There is so much in Paris that you may want to focus on something specific: a period in art (Louvre, DÓrsay, etc.), sculpture (Rodin museum, monuments to kings, Voltaire, etc.), the French Revolution (guillotines, the Bastille, Conciergerie etc., World War II (Les Invalides, memorials etc.), and take it from there by googling this stuff and writing it up. As a veteran of watching our own 13yo daughter work her way through pounds of poster board, I would assume that your teacher is giving points for organization, clarity, and specificity. Good luck! Let us know how it turns out!
Hello,
My husband and I will be visitng Paris for 4.5 days in late March. I am afraid that we will run out of things to do! Most %26quot;sample%26quot; itineraries are for 3 days. We plan on covering all of the usually recommended places like the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, d%26#39;Orsay, Notre Dame etc. Any ideas for things we should check-out that are not listed on most itineraries found in books, on the web, etc.? My husband and I are in our late twenties and he is a history buff! I would also welcome any suggestions you may have for %26quot;night-time%26quot; activities...shows, clubs...we are on a %26quot;newly-married couple%26quot; budget. ;) Thanks a bunch!
Once in Paris, get one of the weekly what%26#39;s on (Pariscope, L%26#39;Officiel, Zurban) available at every newsstand. They all run from Wed-Tue and cost about 0.50€.
You%26#39;ll find everything in there, from museums, special exhibits, concerts, incl. hours.
Also, check the Paris Tourist Office site for special events:
www.parisinfo.fr (the click English version).
hi... if a visitor came to New York City, would they run out of things to do after 3 days? I think not!
I%26#39;m going to Paris for 11th time and still trying to see some places that I just don%26#39;t get to do before my trip has ended! Your list of %26#39;to do%26#39; things get interrupted with cafe stops, little shop stops, pretty park stops every day.
The first %26#39;real%26#39; time we stayed in Paris for 12 days. I haven%26#39;t even re-visited many of those places - since 1997.
So I don%26#39;t think you will run out of things to do. :)
There is no way anyone could do all this (or your substitutes) in 3-4 days:
--------------------------------------------------------
Musee du Louvre
Musee d%26#39;Orsay
Musee Rodin
Musee Cluny
Musee Carnavelet
Musee d%26#39;Armee (Invalides)
Musee des Arts et Metiers
(these are all very different museums)
Jardin de Luxembourg
Jardin de Tuileries
Champ de Mars (Eiffel)
Parc Monceau
Notre Dame
St Severin
Sacre Coeur
Montmartre / Abbesses
Arc de Triomphe
Tour Eiffel
Tour Montparnasse
Cimitiere Pere Lachaise
Seine Cruise
%26quot;VO%26quot; movies along Champs Elysee
(usually UGC Normandie location has some English-lang movies)
Caveau de la Huchette in the Latin Quarter
Bars/clubs along rue Oberkampf in the 11th
Watch the rollerbladers go by on Friday nights after 10pm
Glaring omissions:
---------------------
Saint Chapelle
Latin Quarter walks (meandering)
Marais walks (more meandering)
Le Musée de l%26#39;Armée at l%26#39;Hotel des Invalides is a typical hit for history buffs. You might want to find a nice café nearby to wait for him now because he might get stuck in there.
Actually, can you be more specific as to what kind of history buff? Paris is replete with history.
No way will you run out of things to do! As a matter of fact, you won%26#39;t want to leave! If you will email me, I%26#39;ll send you my Paris notes. There%26#39;s a lot of useful information and some ideas of things to do that you may not have thought of. We, too, like to do Paris on a budget, so I%26#39;ve got some tips in my notes for that as well. My email address is vickisfloyd@hotmail.com. Happy travels!
Hi...the last time my husband deigned to
accompany me to Paris we planned to stay a
week. Having been there a number of times
before, he kept asking, %26quot;What will we do in
Paris for a whole week?%26quot; There was not a problem! We walked, we ate, we sipped, we
listened, we watched, we took the Batobus a
lot and the trip on the St.Martin canal. You
hardly need to be %26quot;programmed%26quot; every minute to enjoy the wonders everywhere! There are
parks for picnics! The Batobus is filled with
people eating their sandwiches (purchased up
by the stop at the Eiffel Tower) while being
%26quot;taxied%26quot; from one spot to another! Jardin des
Plantes is a great place for a take-out lunch
and it affords many inexpensive glories! The
Canal trip is serene and relaxing. I recom-mend the Metro back. Paris may just be the #1
city where the Best Things in Life are Free!
You can spend hours watching people feed the
birds in front of Notre Dame. Will you be
there over a weekend? The %26quot;rarees%26quot; up on the
steps to Sacre Coeur don%26#39;t cost a cent! You
will find out you could stay another 4.5
days and STILL not have %26quot;seen%26quot; or heard it all. I%26#39;d not suggest you blow a lot of money
on a %26quot;Show.%26quot; Your history-buff husband and
you could do a day-trip to the D-Day Beaches
for less money than you%26#39;d have to spend for
a somewhat tacky stage show and less than
memorable dinner! Do you know where you%26#39;re
staying? Did you know that as long as you
have an Orangina, a coffee cup,or a glass of
anything on your table at any outdoor (or
indoor I should think)bar/restaurant that seat is yours for as long as you sit there, writing postcards, people watching, resting
tired feet,etc.! Have a great trip and
Relax...
people watching, whatever
I think you could stay all summer and not run out of things to do, but pick out as many of these as you need...a little history, geography, dining suggestions.
…compuserve.com/homepages/pariswalking/
Pjk
WOW! This is great. I should have posted sooner! I have been so concerned about our trip. Thanks for the great ideas and reassurance that there is plenty of fun to be had!!!
Just trust us when we say that a %26#39;newly married%26#39; couple with limited funds will NOT run out of things to do in Paris!!!!!
Walk your happy little feet off...take good shoes so you can do it again the next day...
Sit in the cafes with a demi-bouteille and gaze at the sights...gaze at each other...gaze at the other people gazing at the sites or each other...
Walk the quais by the Seine...preferably hand in hand...ditto the parks..Luxembourg, Tuileries, Champs du Mars...
Seriously do restaurant research so you can be sure to catch a romantic dinner in a bistro that doesn%26#39;t bust your budget...They abound..
Satisfy your history buff ( I and my late husband history buffs too) with any of the suggestions posted so far...I also suggest the Cluny for medieval history, the Pantheon to pay your respects to the grands hommes ( great men) of France..Voltaire is entombed here..ditto Rousseau..ditto the Curies..she the only woman and she had to ASK permission to be there...Versailles?!...bien sur...of course...LOTS of history there and you%26#39;ll understand why it was good to be king and then later not so good to be king...The Egyptian collection at the Louvre...These stops will probably be more than you can do in the time you are there..
They say Virginia is for lovers, but frankly, I think Paris has Virginia beat...It is probably the most romantic city in the world..and it doesn%26#39;t take any $ to enjoy that...
Hey, if your hubby is a history buff then HE should have a list of things an arm long he would want to see!
I will be staying at the Marriott and would like to know if anyone has taken the train to Burgundy and toured the wineries from the Marriott? What was the logistics that worked well for you? Has anyone gone to Champagne by train to do the same?
ken
I will also be staying at the Marriott in October. I have the same questions about touring the wineries.
I did go to Reims in 2001, but it was on a private bus tour. It%26#39;s well worth going to at least one Champagne winery and Reims is beautiful.
Good luck on your search. I%26#39;ll post more information when I have it.
I am debating between one week in Marseille or one week in Avignon. Which location is better for touring the Provence region by bus/train?
Hi
Definitely Avignon, it is more central. you would be wise to hire a car.
Rgds
Wilko
Hi,
I agree with wilko. Avignon area is more centrally located for touring Provence and yes a car is a must if you want to see Gordes, Rousillion and the hilltop villages of the Luberon.
Escargot
hello!!
just wondering if anyone has been to any
of the soap tours or visited the soap museum here? how far is salon-de-provence from
nice?
just wondering if we should stay in nice or
try to stay closer to this town? we%26#39;ll only have 1 day here, unfortunately.
thank you!
Hi
Salon de Provence is a good drive from Nice...maybe 2 hours on a good day! You are only 20 mins from Avignon - Salon by motorway.There are many nice places to stay not far from Avignon which would be easier to visit Salon but if you are only here for one day you have to weigh up the driving!
Good luck
Escargot
thanks escargot!
would it be easier to just do a day trip from paris then? i don%26#39;t mind cutting nice out of the itinerary, just really want to visit the soap factory!!
would it be best to take the train from paris to marseille? are there any buses that would then take us to salon-de-provence? if so, how long would that take?
just don%26#39;t wanna have to deal with driving :%26amp;gt;
TIA!
Hi All - I%26#39;ve been reading this forum everyday in preparation for our first trip to Paris next month. Hoping I could get clarification on a tipping-related topic. I read in a travel book that leaving any extra money (in addition to the service fee that is charged)on the table is considered rude - it should be handed to the server. Is this true in bistro/cafe type places, or just in restaurants?
Your bill includes your tip. So when you pay your bill your tip is part of what you are paying. (Service compris or Service Inclus will be written at the bottom of your bill).
That tip is 15%. If you have been pleased with the service and would like to leave more and make it closer to 20%, it is perfectly fine to leave it on the table.
Les
thanks,les. I thought it might be nice to give an extra Euro or 2 in the %26quot;holiday spirit%26quot; - but didn%26#39;t want to offend my server.
In France it is fine to leave change/tip on the table. Actually, I%26#39;ve read that the French don%26#39;t like to accept money or pass money directly to the hands - that%26#39;s why you see the little trays at the cashiers. Since there are French people on this forum, maybe they can confirm this.
It is in Germany where the custom is to hand the money directly to the server.
In most of Europe, it is considered rude to put the money in another person%26#39;s hand. There is almost always a small dish or a hollowed-out area in the counter--even in larger grocery stores. It%26#39;s one of the cultural things that%26#39;s very difficult to adjust to. Many times I%26#39;ve stood waiting for my change with my hand out, while the cashier just looked at me as if I%26#39;d sprouted a second head.
you should better leave tips on the table, generally around 10-15%. last time i had a guy coming to change my bell, i gave him 5 euros as a tip because he was nice and i think he felt offended by this, but in the contrary if you leave a tip to someone who is delivering for ex supermarket food at your house he will be pleased with a tip. ok it has nothing to do with your subject lol, but its better to leave on the table rather than on the hand, unless you go to play poker somewhere or a waiter in a night club is really nice (normally in night clubs its in hands) but not in a restaurant.
Wow! Excellent points, especially Truffaut and Alexth...hubby and I will do our best to remember that! I%26#39;m adding it to my list along with %26quot;Don%26#39;t smile at strangers%26quot;...which, with our both being Southern, will be a most difficult habit to break during our time in Paris!
Leaving an extra tip in the table is perfectly acceptable (though many times your check or credit card receipt will be presented on a small plate).
As for not smiling at strangers, I%26#39;m not entirely sure that this isn%26#39;t nonsense. If it is your natural inclination to smile; then do so. It%26#39;s been my observation that when peole attempt to do something that is UN-natural to them in the moment, it usually comes off at least akwardly..if not badly.
A 15%-20% tip is called an %26quot;American tip%26quot; by our favorite waiter (French).
A 5% tip at a restaurant is considered more than adequate if the service was above average. No tip at all for poor service. Rounding-up to the next Euro is typical.
Also, the %26quot;service%26quot; on your check isn%26#39;t the tip, it%26#39;s the amount charged for the use of a table and the service while you sit at it. That charge is left off if you stand at the bar.
Waitstaff are paid a living wage here. They aren%26#39;t depending on tips to pay the rent like in the states. Tipping is a tribute to good service.
If you leave a tip, You always leave it on the table, never in hands. You already had good advice above. The waiter will get the tip when he clears the table after you departed
The only exception to this might be at outdoor cafés, where the money might disappear before the waiter gets around to clearing the table. In these cases, just give the waiter the tip when you pay your bill.
How do I find more information (before we get to Nice) on travelling by the train for side trips from Nice? Have 3 days there after a river cruise. Want to make the most of our time there.
You can check schedules and fares at
http://www.sncf.com/indexe.htm
http://www.trainprovence.com
You need to be careful as the trains to Eze Bord de Mer station dont connect easily with the bus to Eze village - you may wait up to an hour . There is a direct bus from Nice to Eze which may be worth considering
You are probably refering to Eze-Village. Bus 82 or 112 will bring you from Nice Gare Routière to Eze-Village for 1,30 euro one-way. A one day pass is 4 euros.
Thanks for the information. Is there a web link about the bus? How far does it go? Is it confusing to use? Any travel books have train or bus info in them?
Thanks.
Thanks for the information. Is there a web link about the bus? How far does it go? Is it confusing to use? Any travel books have train or bus info in them?
Thanks.
www.lignedazur.com
There is an English version, click on the flag at the right-hand top corner.
Sometimes scheduling don%26#39;t work (like right now and I need it!)
Any suggestions of places to go for young single female who just got dumped. I%26#39;ll be staying in the Latin Quarter and will be there for a week.
%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;Any suggestions of places to go for young single female who just got dumped%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;
Any dam place YOU like...Any dam time YOU like...for as little or as long as YOU like.
Funny thing is that guys STILL think that museums are great places to meet single women...so if you%26#39;ve a mind to...indulge them...and help to keep the myth alive.
Two words: Retail therapy
You%26#39;re the one coming to Paris, not him. End of therapy.
Thanks, but I was thinking of more local key spots, perhaps somewhere quite where I can finish my dissertation, yet enjoy the scene. I figure the Latin Quarter with the University would be ideal. I would like to find a nice cafe where it isn%26#39;t touristy.
Lucky you!
You will have infinitely many more %26quot;opportunities%26quot; being single (and solo?) in Paris than you would had you brought (ex)boyfriend along.
Personally I would never want to bring a man with me to Paris, not when the Frenchmen are so ...well you%26#39;ll see.
Bon voyage!
Okay, so here%26#39;s a serious answer to your question.
For writing up a thesis, lots of places (not always the ones you%26#39;d assume, though) have wifi, but...
I would stroll on Boulevard Montparnasse and pop into some of the cafes there--mainly locals dropping by for a drink between activities or a bite to eat. You can set yourself up in a booth and write while people-watching, and they%26#39;re really cool about letting you take up a table while slooooowly enjoying a beverage. I hate the places that make you feel like you%26#39;re mainlining caffeine just to sit there.
I%26#39;m not too fond of the Latin Quarter, but many people are.
I don%26#39;t know about you, but personally I would be totally unable to finish a dissertation whilst %26quot;watching the scene%26quot;, the latter inevitably destroying my attempts at the former... If I were in your shoes, I would get away with the dissertation issue ASAP,to focus on the real things in life: hanging around in cafés, pretending not to see the guy who is looking at you, etc. This working session would include spending an afternoon or two at the Bibliothèque nationale de France in the 13th. You pay something like €3 for a day access (open to anyone) and can work in this, IMHO, stunning piece of architecture. More info on www.bnf.fr
There is much more to %26#39;writing a thesis%26#39; than %26#39;writing.%26#39; I%26#39;ve used this as an excuse (truly intending to write, of course) to hang out in cafes all day on many occasions. If you spend the time at a library and don%26#39;t get anything done, you may feel that you%26#39;ve %26#39;wasted%26#39; a day, whereas, if you spend the day at a cafe and don%26#39;t get anything done, well, at least you were entertained by people watching, enjoyed a tasty beverage or two, and can up and leave anytime you want a change of scenery.
I concur with foolishtraveller, I tend to do the same in the States regarding writing. Better to be unproductive at a cafe as opposed to being in a library. Looking forward to Paris next week, the culture, writing, and meeting great people. Thank you for all the tips! You guys ROCK!
Trust me...I%26#39;ve been %26#39;...unproductive...%26#39; in any number of places in Paris---café tables, one of Paris magnificent library reading rooms, stretched out up between two chair in the Luxembourg, on a bench along a Left Bank quai, on a hotel room balcony....the possibilities for %26#39;..un-productivity..%26#39; in Paris are endless...And best of all, when you tell them where you were %26#39;un-productive%26#39;; no one will blame you....they may even marvel that you even remembered that you had an assignment.
We are going to PAris last week of June for our first wedding aniversary...for the moment I checking prices for 4 nights in PAris and 3 in Disneyland..do you thing I would be able to see most of the things??
Also...is Paris really that expensive in compare to Spain?
about the lenguaje...will english or spanish do it in most of the places, or I better practice my patetic french?
What will you recomend for an expecial (especial not expensive) aniversary night, I have thing of teh dinner cruice...but not sure..
Also they have told me to go for 4 starts hotels and ahead because 3 stars an less are not very nice hotels, is that true?
Uff lots of question I%26#39;ll stop for a moment!
THANK YOU
I don%26#39;t think you need more than one day and night at Disneyland; add the time to your Paris stay, which I think you%26#39;ll find much more interesting and fun.
The dinner cruises are very expensive, and the food isn%26#39;t all that special. Instead, go for an evening cruise and have a good dinner afterwards at a nice restaurant (such as the Bistro de Breteuil, in the 7th).
You don%26#39;t need a 4-star hotel; 3-stars are just fine. Some are just like a 4-star except for not having a restaurant or 24-hour room service.
If you can use just a little French you%26#39;ll find that it smooths the way. If you go into a small shop (or bakery, etc.) be sure to say %26quot;Bonjour, Madame [or Monsieur]%26quot; and then say %26quot;Au revoir%26quot; on the way out. Omitting those phrases is considered rude by the French.
thank you underhill!
I can speak a little french, and I%26#39;m always say hello and good bye when I come into places, so that%26#39;s not big problem...
pity about the dinner cruise, We have one at our honeymoon in new york and it was fantastic...but i guess this one is not the same. I haven%26#39;t have things clear about the hotel...and about the 3 nights in disney...well the first night will be more that just arrive there and sleep, so we will have to full days to see the two parks..and most of the travel agency packets work like that so do it diferent it will cost me more money.
About the money...I already has ask it...but is really paris that expensive?? In compare let%26#39;s say to the states, or spain if you have been here...
Paris is about 15 % more expensive than Madrid or Barcelona.
But something that is outrageously overpriced is Disneyland Paris, where Uncle Scrooge, although the only major Disney character never to appear on parades, reigns supreme. So if %26quot;romantism%26quot; is your thing, you should avoid paying through the nose for two days in that tacky, utterly unromantic, place and invest the saved money in this dinner cruise. But to each his/her own...
yes, that is what everybody has told me that Disneyland is very, very expensive...oh well it%26#39;s once in life! at least till We have kids!!
thanks for aswering, we%26#39;ll fill our pockets on the breakfast buffets!! hahaha
I have hear in another post that parisien don%26#39;t like people in shorts...is that true? what should we wear in end of june?? The most confortable for us are jeans, is that ok, them? one last stupid question, is it true that people from paris laught at you if you doon%26#39;t speak a correct french? because if is so...they will laught a ot with me!!
merci!!
Desdemona, no te preocupes, Paris has been the number one tourist destination in the world for several straight years now, and, guess what, 90 % of the international tourists we get don%26#39;t speak French, so nothing to worry about. As other posters regularly say it on this board, just learn how to use the basics, which you probably already know: %26quot;Bonjour%26quot;, %26quot;merci%26quot;, %26quot;au revoir%26quot;, etc. But never address anyone directly in English, just say %26quot;parlez-vous espagnol/anglais?%26quot; and that%26#39;s it.
On shorts, many threads on this issue, including a recent one.
oh oui, I have read those...but they are not in my month!!! ok, so always ask first in frech...no problem about that, and no problem about greeting I always say hello and goodbye
One kick last question about clothes, will I need a jacket during day? here in spain I know in end of june I won%26#39;t..but will I in Paris? I%26#39;m not worrying about clothes,or looking like a tourist...but i don%26#39;t want to be cold!!My jeans are going to come with me, and my walking callaghan shoes also!
thank you very much bob!
We have found the Parisians to be quite nice about my French--often they reply in English, but sometimes not so I can practice my accent.
Shorts in Paris: no. It%26#39;s a big city, not a resort area or small town. Ladies can wear light summer dresses and men something like khaki pants. If the weather is really scorching, perhaps Bermuda shorts would work.
If the Seine dinner cruise really appeals to you, go for it! I just think it%26#39;s a waste of money when you can see the river just as well without the meal. In fact, you could do one day-time and one night-time cruise for the best of all worlds.
Leave your jeans at home, not because you shouldn%26#39;t wear them for fashion reasons but because they are HOT--and also heavy to tote around.
thank you underhill!!!
I will have you advise in mind...the most dificult will be the jeans...mmm, I%26#39;m not planing buying a lot...so I don%26#39;t mind carrying them on my suitcase...and about the hot..I even wear them in agoust in spain...
I don%26#39;t think i can find a lite summer dress on my wardrove, you see I%26#39;m 26 and I%26#39;m alway in jeans, tee shirts, and swetter...even at work...I have some nice clothes for especial occasions, of course, but I don%26#39;t like much skirts for walikin and walikin and walking...
Desdemona,
Wear your jeans if that%26#39;s what you are comfortable with. Shorten the Disneyland stay unless that%26#39;s what you really want to do. Paris is much more expensive than Spain.
thanks beebee!!!!
will I need a jacket during the day or night?
Hi! Can anyone tell me what%26#39;s the price of diesel in France right now?
Thanks!
Gazole about 1 euro per litre. Essence about 20 cents more. This is at our local Leclerc supermarket. Don%26#39;t forget it%26#39;s cheaper at supermarkets than at service stations.
Great! It%26#39;s cheaper than i thought.
Thanks for the info!
Hi,
I am a single American woman travelling alone and looking for a funky or hip or arty type hotel in Paris which is in a good location to shop and sightsee and not too expensive. (around 100 Euros a night would be great) Obviously since I%26#39;m travelling alone safety is also a concern. I%26#39;m only in town for a few days and taking the Eurostar from London. Any help appreciated! Thanks!
Hotel de Nesle
www.hoteldenesleparis.com
Hotel St Andre des Arts
france-hotel-guide.com/h75006saintandredesar…
Hotel Mayet
www.mayet.com
For the arty one:
Hotel Chopin** (66-74€).
http://www.hotelchopin.fr
All three of the above are great choices...though if you select the CHOPIN (a great little 2-star within the Passage Jouffroy) spring for the better rooms on the upper floors (4th %26amp; 5th) so you have something to look at out of your window besides the walls of the surrounding buildings. I can%26#39;t for the life of me remember the name of the place (it was diagonally across the Blvd Montmartre from the Passage Jouffroy) but I%26#39;ve had the BEST onion soup I%26#39;ve ever had in my life in this litle café...and it%26#39;s usually been July or August that I%26#39;ve had it...it was THAT good.
Of the three, the de Nesle and Saint André des Arts will have the better, more convenient location.
Just returned froma wonderful, marvellous , fabulous 5 day trip to the City of Lights and I am still floating !!! Thank you so much to all those who take the trouble to write on this forum as it definitely made such a diffrence to our experience !
We landed in CDG on a early Monday morning and took a taxi to Splendid Etoile (17e)The airport is well signaged and there was no problems finding the taxi line at exit 18. It took 40 odd Euro to get to the hotel. It was only 9.00a.m. but our room was ready and we could check in straight away.Many thanks again to the many people who recommended Splendid Etoile --we were in Paris for our silver wedding anniversary and we couldn%26#39;t have chosen a more romantic or beautiful spot. Our room had two balconies overlooking the Arch de Triumph and the Champs Elysee and when it was all lit up at night it just looked magical.The location was perfect for us as everything we wanted to see was close by.
The weather was cold with occasional snow showers but we walked evrywhere --wandered around St Germane de Pres and marvelled at the flowers on the market street of Rue Cler and had delicious white and dark chocolate icecream at Bethillions in Isle st. Louise and hot chocolate at Angelina%26#39;s in Rue de Rivoli!!
I had champagne every night and was charmed to find you could order a glass at any cafe at any time!! We didn%26#39;t have a single bad meal ! The more memorable ones were Jules Verne for lunch on our actual anniversary where we had a window table with Paris laid out at our feet(Though my husband didn%26#39;t think much of the pigeon in his pumpkin soup starter, specially since there were a few plump ones walking all over the Tower !!) and a couple of super meals at Chez Savy (Rue Bayard) and Il Sergeant Recruiter(Isle St. Louis)
We were so lucky to catch a great exhibition at Musee D%26#39;Orsay of Cezanne and Pissaro exhibited side by side and I loved Musee Rodin and the sculptures spread out in the gardens.
Everyone we met were so unbelievably kind and polite from taxi drivers to waiters to hotel staff and it all added to make our visit specially memorable. This was not the first time we were visiting Paris but defi nitely the best experience we have had there.
that%26#39;s great you have such a good time!
congratulations for you silver wedding!!!
we%26#39;re going on june for our first wedding aniversary, I hope we have also such a good time
We intend to spend about 7 days in Provence in early June. Can someone please help me with my itinerary? We have a family of 2 adults and 2 kids (5 %26amp; 8 yrs).
We were thinking of:
Day 1: Drive from Paris to Lyon
Day 2: Lyon to Avignon (overnight)
Day 3: Avignon to Les Baux to Aix-en-Provence(Overnight)
Day 4: Aix-en-Provence to St Tropez? (is this worth? I%26#39;m not keen on beaches) or Cannes? (too far a drive from Aix???)
Day 5: Cannes to Grasse to St-Paul-de-Remy to Tourettes-sur-loup (overnight)
Day 6%26quot; Tourrette-sur-loup to Nice? or straight to Monaco?
Day 7: How to get back to Paris?
Would it be more advisable to take a TGV from Paris to Avignon then rent a car? Am I being too ambitious and covering too many places in such a short time. We are not museum-lovers or art-lovers. We like things like visiting the perfume factories, craft/flea markets etc. I don%26#39;t think my kids can take too many museum visits!
Thanks in advance for your helpful comments. This is my first time on our own in France.
Hi
First I would suggest taking the TGV to Avignon as I%26#39;m sure kids would prefer it.
Do not miss Pont-du-Gard near Avignon (it%26#39;s a magnificent aquaduct).
Aix to St Tropez is about 1.5 to 2 hours drive. In June it will be lovely as there will not many people. You can wander around the tiny little back streets, watch the boats. Tuesday and Saturday mornings are market day.
Aix to Cannes is about the same amount of time as it is motorway all the way. It is of course a much larger town.
For the kids: About 12 km from Grasse is La Grotte de Baume Obscure. It is a set of huge caves. Take a sweater as it will be cold underground. There is an audio guide and lights come on as you walk around.
Near Nice in Cagnes-sur-mer you will find the showroom of Gault. They make hand crafted and painted miniature provencal and parisien houses. This show room is open to the public. Near here also you can visit Renoir%26#39;s studio and house. Even for those not that keen on museums and art it is quiet awesome to think this is where he painted.
Then finally in Nice you can visit the Parc des Miniatures which tells the history of the Cote d%26#39;Azur with the help of miniture buildings.
Just a few things to slot in inbetween the adult things.
To make the most of your time drop the car in Nice and take the train or fly back to Paris.
I hope this helps.
Thanks JBart for your suggestions. I%26#39;ll check out the places you%26#39;ve mentioned. Any ideas for cheap and comfy lodgings? What%26#39;s the rule like in France? Can both my kids share a room with us? They are small sized and they usually share a room with us whenever we go for a holiday. Do they allow such things in France?
Ask the hotel if they have any family rooms for four stating the ages of the kids. Otherwise they may have interconnecting rooms. It is common in France. How is your French? Try these web-sites for small local hotels www.logis-de-france.fr and www.silencehotel.com. If you would prefer something a little more American try the Novotel chain. There rooms allow two extra kids for free including breakfast - well they always did my are too big for that now.
Anything else just ask.
Me again. I know you said that you are not keen on beaches but another suggestion is as follows. From Aix take the motorway to Brignoles. Then drop down on the D43 to just outside Cuers then D14 and D12 to just outside Hyeres. Then follow the N98 until just outside Le Lavandou and then take the coast road D559. I think it says %26quot;St tropez par cote%26quot;. This is a delightful drive along the coast where the hills come down to the sea. You will pass through several little towns. It is a very popular holiday area. At Cavalaire, market Wednesday morning, there is a port with lots of little eating places which could be an idea for lunch. The beach at Cavalaire stretches for 3 kilometres and is sand. It might make a nice place for the kids to have a run around. It was on this beach in 1944 the allies landed to start the liberation of Southern France.
This is a little off the normal tourist track but very good for children. I should know after 19 summer holidays here. We have a house in the hills above Cavalaire. From Cavalaire it is an easy half hour or less to St Tropez.
Just thought you might like to hear of something a bit different but perhaps ideal for the kids if they are getting a bit stressed with the tourism.
Thanks JBart for your replies. The reason we%26#39;re not too keen on the beaches is cuz we live in the tropics so we get great sand and sun and beach almost every holiday or long weekend. But your suggestion sounds good and I%26#39;ll check it out. Esp the port and the food (yum yum). Our French is lousy. Gotta learn the simple phrases before we go.
Right now, due to budget constraints, we might consider just renting a place in Juans-les-Pins (E300/wk/4pple) instead of moving from place to place. Cuz that works out to about E100/room/night and even then, I%26#39;m not sure if that kind of room can fit all 4 of us. I%26#39;m still working on the itinerary so long as the accomodation is not too sky high. Will check out the website you suggested.
Really appreciate your help and suggestions.
I just discovered www.lastminute.com and found some remarkable deals on hotel prices. In some cases, it is a couple hundred price difference for a 6 night stay, as opposed to expedia and other sites. It almost seems too good to be true! Having not heard much about this site before, I%26#39;m wondering if anybody can tell me how legit this site is?? Anybody have any good/bad experiences with this site??
I would like to book immediately bc I%26#39;m loving the deals, but I wasnt to make sure everything runs smoothly with this site.
Any advice? Please help!!!
It is very well known in France now. I booked a very cheap flight to Marrakech a few years ago.
The only thing I regret is that they wait soooo long to tell you what flight you%26#39;ll get. I was supposed to get the flight schedule within 5 days before departure. I got it the day before! I had to go down to Lyon by car instead of by train because I didn%26#39;t have time to get a train ticket for the next morning (departure 8am). That was really stressing!
I hope they improved their policy...
As for hotel prices all I can say is I worked for a hotel that worked with them for summer holidays and customers had very good deals! So go for hotel bargains, no problem!
I use it for accomodation in Australia all the time - always reliable.
It%26#39;s one of the pionneers of travel related websites that originated in Britain and spread all around Europe and the Pacific. The owners sold it in their 30s to the Travelocity group and now have enough money to maintain 3 generations in luxurious living... Now it%26#39;s one of the world%26#39;s leading travel sites, but of course not being US based, the American public has never heard of it... I just bought a plane ticket off them, because they were € 7 cheaper than the exact same ticket on Expedia! For scheduled airlines, they work very well, normally with e tickets. The problem happyindijon had with her flight to Marrakech was due to the fact that it was a charter flight. Had she bought it in an established brick and mortar travel agency, she would also have had to wait until... the last minute to know about her plane%26#39;s scheduled departure time.
They are very well establised in the UK, and a very respectible business.
I%26#39;ve used them for hotel reservations and no problems at all, good rates as well.
We are staying the weekend of 3March in Montreuil for a birthday celebration. We originally wanted to stay at the Chateau Montreuil but it was fully booked and they cannot even offer us a restaurant booking. Could anyone please give us a suggestion of the next best place to eat on Montreuil?? It is a BIG birthday and we really wanted it to be special.
Merci
I would thoroughly recommend Le Darnetal in a little square called Place Darnetal (Tel: 0321 06 04 87) excellent value and an old favourite. Cosy interior but may be a little small if you have a large group. Essential to book. Other alternative right opposite Le Darnetal - Le Coquempot (Tel: 0321 81 05 61) again excellent food and value. Also essential to book.
However, if this is a special occasion and you really want to push the boat out you will do no better than %26#39;La Grenouillere%26#39; at La Madeleine-sous-Montreuil, just below Montreuil itself (Tel: 0321 86 36 36). I would rate this one of the best restaurants in the Pas de Calais with its Michelin starred Chef. Very friendly, wonderful atmosphere, a real treat. Again, you must book. Good Luck.
Dear Striker,
Many thanks for your most wonderful suggestion of %26#39;La Grenouillere%26#39; at La Madeleine-sous-Montreuil. We had a totally wonderful experience at this restaurant from the atmosphere, to the service, excellent but not stuffy, to the food which was truly memorable. We so appreciate the time you took to answer my request for a restaurant in Montreuil, our wonderful evening at LaGrenoiuillere truly made the weekend!
We also had a very nice meal the next night at Jeraboams a restuarant located at the Hermitage Hotel-good menu and competent cooking, but of course we were very spoiled after LeGranouillere.
Hi SWP,
Thanks for the reply. So glad you managed to get to the %26#39;Froggery%26#39; and had a great time. We love it there and always chose it as a special treat. Best wishes.
I will be spending a long weekend in Paris.
If this is too complicated, you can give me an average daily budget...if you need details...here they are...
Arriving Late Thurs afternoon eating near my hotel in Latin Quarter...Le Deux Magots?
Fri...breakfast pastries and coffee at a cafe
Lunch Food court under the Louvre
Dinner...maybe Le Chien Que Fume?
Sat...breakfast pastry
go to Montmarte...open to suggestions, bistro or brasseries lunch?
dinner...Blowout at Velfour (SP?)
Sun...breakfast pastries...lunch crepes..whatever is not closed...Viet Namese place? Will probably go to Flea market, Notre Dame, no idea what to eat.
Monday take Eurostar back to London to catch flight next day.
I have no idea what to budget for food? I want one or two famous places, but really, I like %26quot;street food%26quot; as well as fois gras.
We could also have lunch at Velfour or Maxim%26#39;s if it is cheaper than dinner, if it is near the places we want to see (Louvre, flea market, Notre dame, and MOntmarte). I would like good food, but don;t want to blow the budget and may have to eat anywhere local.
We are staying at Henri IV Rive Gauche,
Thank you!!!!
General Prices:
Pastry/Coffee Breakfast--5 euros
3-star Lunch--80 euros
3-star Dinner--200 euros
Street Lunch--5 euros
Nice Cafe/Bistro Lunch--25 euros
Nice Cafe/Bistro Dinner--40 euros
Thank you so much for the quick response! I am so happy you are here!
Is that 200 euros per person?That would cost a family of four about 1,250.00 dollars.US currency.
Yes, I%26#39;m afraid that would be about 200 euros per person! But keep in mind, that%26#39;s for a handful of restaurants at the very top of the heap.
Do any of you have an opinion about the Hotel Auteuil Tour Eiffel? I have been searching the internet for hotels and it is hard to tell by the picture. This one looks nice but thought I%26#39;d check with you!
I don%26#39;t think the location is very ideal. Have you read the reviews - there are some noteworthy comments there.
What%26#39;s the best bitmap graphic or pdf or whatever that I could print and fold up for my trip? All of the ones I%26#39;ve found are either lacking detail (like the lonelyplanet one linked here) or are the interactive type that only show a section at a time (http://www.plan-nice.org/ is great for that, but I want a printable one). Thanks
Go to www. nice tourism.com and you can order one on line(no charge). They arrive fairly quickly. I think I had mine in 7-10 days.
www.plan-nice.org
There´s a map of the centre
sprachurlaub.de/stadtplan/stadtplan-nizza.pdf (2,1 MByte)
I noticed one mistake (location of the Radisson-SAS hotel), maybe there´re some more. It´s obviously a map for Sprachurlaub.de customers.
The Ligne d´Azur network map isn´t very detailed at the Nice centre:
www.lignedazur.com/plan/index.asp?rub_code=5
The link should be
sprachurlaub.de/stadtplan/stadtplan-nizza.pdf
You get a very good and very detailed city map for free at the Tourist Office and at most hotels. The real thing. For the pinpointing of a specific address in advance, try www.plan-nice.org
Does anyone have experience of taking the ferry from nice to corsica? How long is the trip?Is it easy in a day?
There are two operators and several departures per day.
The journey requires a number of hours depending on the speed of the boat selected. Corsica cannot be labeled a convenient day-trip target out from Nice.
Does anyone know anything about this hotel? It%26#39;s in the Saint Germain Des Pres. Couldn%26#39;t find much about it on my TA search. Thanks!
Did you find the 14 reviews on TA? They are generally favourable - Nearly all reviewers say %26quot;Great location%26quot;; but not everyone is very happy with the rooms. Not really cheap either!
Location is really excellent being close to St. Germain church and the Blvd. St. Germain%26#39;s famous cafes, but I find their rates to be overpriced for the type of rooms they offer.
Thanks to both of you! I%26#39;m about ready to give up the search. It%26#39;s so frustrating trying to find the right place for my family--especially when there are so many reviews to read and hotels to choose from. If you have any suggestions, I%26#39;m all ears....
We would like to travel from Barcelona to Paris. What transportation is available? We will be returning from a cruise and would like to spend some time in Paris before returning to the US.
I%26#39;d have a look into Easyjet. They fly from Barcelona to Paris (Orly).
www.easyjet.com
Or vueling (www.vueling.com) another low cost, reliable option. That said, if you are flying return, the traditional carriers, AF and Iberia, will be almost as cheap as low cost ones with much more flights to choose from. By all means don%26#39;t use Ryanair, whose %26quot;Barcelona-Paris%26quot; flight is actually a %26quot;Gerona-Beauvais%26quot; one.
You could take the overnight train - with both countries being within the %26quot;Schengen%26quot; community you won%26#39;t get woken for passport check.
I haven%26#39;t done the whole route myself but did go as far as Rosas one year. Now I love overnight trains (many%26#39;s the time I%26#39;ve advocated this method for the Paris Venice route) you start and finish in the city - no costly transport to %26amp; from the airport, no time %26#39;wasted%26#39; hanging around the airport once you%26#39;re there; you can take as much luggage as you like with no risk of penalties and the price you see is the price you pay (no hidden taxes).
Believe me, kg, the night train (ex %26quot;Talgo%26quot;, now %26quot;Elipsos%26quot;) is not this romantic experience too many non-train-riding Americans fantasize about:
%26quot;You could take the overnight train - with both countries being within the %26quot;Schengen%26quot; community you won%26#39;t get woken for passport check%26quot;: It is irrelevant, you were not woken up before Schengen either, the conductor would just collect the passports at the beginning of the trip, deal with border police during your sleep, and give them to the passengers before arrival.
%26quot;no costly transport to %26amp; from the airport%26quot; : CDG is €8 by RER or bus from Paris, and Barcelona%26#39;s airport is close to the city and linked by a €3 or something frequent shuttle bus.
%26quot;no time %26#39;wasted%26#39; hanging around the airport once you%26#39;re there%26quot;: I%26#39;d rather %26#39;waste%26#39; one hour at the airport than twelve hours on this bloody train that stops all the time, all this amidst my 3 neighbors%26#39; snoring noise and sock odours (you can choose to only share with another person, but that%26#39;ll be € 195 each)
%26quot;you can take as much luggage as you like with no risk of penalties%26quot;: Vueling%26#39;s allowance is 20 kg (more than enough if you ask me), and each extra kg is invoiced €6. So if you fly with 25 kg checked luggage, you%26#39;ll pay € 30 extra, much less than the price difference between train and plane.
%26quot;and the price you see is the price you pay (no hidden taxes).%26quot;: it%26#39;d better be, since the train is so expensive: the cheapest one way fare (that%26#39;s a four sleeper compartment) is €132 off season and mid week. A June mid week one way ticket on Vueling is now €59, all taxes included. And it%26#39;s an 80 mn flight, not a 12 hour ride.
So there is really no comparison. All we regular Paris-Barcelona %26quot;pleasure commuters%26quot; had to put up with this awful train so much before the low cost airlines arrived that as soon as the word spread that Vueling and Easyjet were planning to open a Paris-Barcelona route, we kept lighting candles for these flights to materialise. So now there is no turning back to the train from hell.
Hi,
I%26#39;m no expert but I thought I%26#39;d add my experience so far....
I%26#39;m travelling from paris to madrid in May 2006. When I looked up the one way fare on Iberia, it was something ridiculous like 800Euro. I was better off buying a return fare. But since I am then travelling on to London, when I put in my travel option of Paris to Madrid to London I got a really good deal of 150Euro. Easyjet would have been slightly cheaper but since I have no experience of discount airlines and if I travelled on Iberia I would get points, I ended up taking that option.
Hope that helps.
Cheers,
Ozgirl
Ease off Bob !!
kg810 asked what options (note the plural) are available - I added a second travel option (rather than choice of operator) %26amp; tried to make my reply relevant to THEM, (I was not replying to you).
Passports - I was not aware of the pre-Schengen agreement but I have experienced night-trains when you are woken for customs and passport checks so I thought I would reassure kg810 that this would not be an issue. If they have not travelled by train within the European Union before this information IS relevant IMHO.
Transport too and from the airport - you may have noticed that several people who post here prefer to avoid public transport on arrival in a new city when they are tired after a journey. In both cities new arrivals may be the target of pick-pockets.
OK, it costs you €8 by RER, congratulations. For a couple this doubles automatically. You are familiar with and relaxed about using the metro %26amp; RER, you speak the language and may already have your ticket when you land - it can be confusing, there are often long queues for tickets and it is not ideal if you have to make a change and have heavy bags and/or have any mobility problems.
Time wasted - personal preference, I don%26#39;t much like hanging around airports, especially if there are delays (took a cheap flight to Italy this year, going by train again this year). I don%26#39;t think I%26#39;ve ever had real problems with other passengers%26#39; snores or socks. There were some chatty young American college girls one time, but you know that%26#39;s life - you could end up next to Mr. Smelly Socks man on the plane with his head lolling on you as he snores and drools the flight away. On the other hand I%26#39;ve had some pretty cool exchanges with people (of both sexes, a variety of ages / nationalities) on overnight trains.
luggage - 20kg may be %26quot;more than enough%26quot; for you but then, from what you say, you are a frequent visitor from Paris and obviously not returning from a cruise, during which you may have bought some souvenirs/presents and may well have started off with more than 20kg of stuff anyway. Also some airlines are starting to charge for ANY luggage put in the hold on short haul flights.
When you enquire about price that is what you pay - there is no %26quot;Yeah this is really cheap, oh it doubles once I see the airport tax!%26quot; moment, no need to factor in the price of any airport transfers etc. (Just an example and not relevant here I agree, but Ryaniar transfers are notoriously expensive and can up to about 30 euros to a journey for two people). True train travel is not the cheapest option but then it does include a night%26#39;s accommodation ;-)
TRain for hell - as night trains go I found this one to be no better but etainly no worse than others I%26#39;ve taken.
So there we are kg810 - I love travelling by train, Bob, clearly, does not. You know yourselves; you know your budget, your likes and dislikes. You have some information. Now you make your decision. Whatever you do I hope you enjoy yourselves.
CeeJay
PS This thread has some of my tips for overnight train travel
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187147-i14-k25169…
BTW, Bob %26amp; I have crossed swords on this issue before so don%26#39;t be alarmed!
I love travelling by train too, day train of course. Somewhere circa 2012, the 100 % TGV link will be completed between Paris and Barcelona, and it%26#39;ll only take 5 hours. Then I might consider the train again.
And BTW when I wrote that 20 kg is more than enough to me, I was meaning for an inter continental journey of course; 20 kg for a week-end: you must be out of your mind! Who are you? Divine? Liza Minelli?
Has anyone stayed recently at Hotel le Mouillage in St. Trpez? Or at any other there?
No but we just came back from staying at the Mas Bellevue. Horrible experience, the staff was continually rude and management did not care. We were offerred wine at the end of our meal instead of the beginning, then told we were disagreeable when we complained. I%26#39;ve never seen such belligerent staff.
On my last trip to St Tropez, I merely stayed over in a hotel in St Raphael [some place listed in Frommer%26#39;s] and did the bus/ferry travel for a day trip to St Tropez. The hotel was adequate, very plain and not fancy. The day trip was easy enough.
sivylla , try in Le Yac�� , is great ! is location in the old city %26amp;
the Hotel, the town, the port, the restaurant...all are really great!!
Saint Trop is to enyoy !!
It%26#39;s difficult to get a hotel in St. Tropez during the high season. I also stayed at Mas Bellevue and had a decent stay, but it was quite pricey for what it was, but had no choice since there wasn%26#39;t any where no other rooms avail, especially if you book 2 days in advance. If you are booking last minute, as we did, you might want to contact the Office of Tourism in St. Tropez which is what our concierge did for us while we were in Paris.
Hi. We are looking at staying at le mouillage. Did you end up staying there and what was it like? What type of room did you stay in? How was it? It seems very reasonable compared to other places there. Any catches?
I am travelling from the Uk to Geneva airport in June. Myself and my partner are then staying in Chamonix for 7 days. I have looked at all the transfer options:- bus, train, private transfer and hire car. The hire car looks the best option, but will it be any use while in Chamonix? We are planning to walk most days in Chamonix, but I wonder whether it would be useful to have the car to explore further. Anyone been there before and have any thoughts or tips for me?
I would hire a car. If the weather is wet, and can very well be, you might want to take a trip to Martigny, Courmayer or somewhere. A car is ideal for this.
Also a lot of the wlaks do not start from Chamonix or are not lift connected it is a lot more convinient to take your car to a start point.
For example if you want to go swimming there is a beautiful lake near Sallanches they charge a few pounds for the day. You would need a car to get to this.
Agree w previous. Having a car is good to reach various walking areas, e.g. upvalley around Argentiere or Vallorcine.
My wife and I will be in St remy de provence
for 4 nights April 18 to 22. We have a car and are wondering if we should self drive the area or retain a guide to cover the towns and attractions that give this area its character. The comments on this forum has been so helpful.
Thanks in advance
We have always driven to our own schedule. You will be in a good central location in St. Remy. Here are some ideas. First, go to Barnes and Noble or Borders and get a Michelin Tourist and Motoring Atlas for France and a Michelin Green Guide for Provence.The Atlas is bulky but we always take it with us because it shows every roadway major or minor. Or since you will only be in the Provence area around St. Remy, cut out those pages to help you navigate. I would suggest the following; West go to Pont du Gard (allow 2-4 hours here) and then to Nimes to see the arena and Temple. North go to Orange to see the amphitheatre and the arch de triumphe. back to Chateau Neuf du Pape to Avignon mid afternoor to see Palace and dinner and back to St. Remy. One day to Glanum just outside St. Remy and Le Baux. If time permits, go Northeast to Gourdes and Abbey de Senanque. South one day to Arles and Ste. Marie de la Mer on the Mediteranean, and over to Aigues- Mortes. There are a number of nice places to eat in St Remy so arriving back in late afternoon will make your day complete with a nice meal. It is a marvelous area to visit and experience. Enjoy.
Taco Tom
Hi,
my goodness with that schedule you will go back to the US having spent all your time in a car!Provence in 3-4 days is impossible but if you only have that time I would not do Orange if you are going to visit Arles.Avignon, Gordes and Rousillion are ok in a day.If you are in the area on a Sunday then you coud consider Isle sur la Sorgue for the market and Fontaine de Vaucluse at the same time (10 mins away by car) and then a drive through the hilltop villages of Bonieux, Menerbes, Opede back to St Remy.
Provence is a relaxing place and the pace here is much slower than in the US or the UK. Everything closes for 2 hours at lunch and you will become frustrated if you try to fit too much in. If you need any more help please feel free to email me
Escargot
Hi there,
While I am by no means an expert on Provence, I do have a bit of first-hand experience of being there. My husband and I spent 4 days in the Luberon last May and our longest day was on a Wednesday, when we spent the morning in St. Remy for the market and then moved on to the Pont du Gard after lunch. During the other 3 days we saw Mont Ventoux (only because my husband is a HUGE cycling fan!), Roussillon, Gordes, Oppede-le-Vieux, Bonnieux, Menerbes and Lourmarin.
That said, I couldn%26#39;t agree more with Escargot - Provence is very relaxing and time should be spent just %26quot;looking%26quot; and taking in the absolutely gorgeous landscape...but not through your car window! Be sure to allow time to enjoy a glass of wine (or whatever libation you prefer) each day just to take in the ambience of each place you%26#39;re in. It%26#39;s well worth it.
After our first day in the Luberon last May, we immediately decided to return. We leave on April 29 for 9 days...but this time, we%26#39;re staying in Gordes for the full time, just so we%26#39;ll really be able to soak in the atmosphere without feeling so rushed.
Have an amazing time - I%26#39;ve travelled extensively throughout Europe, and I can honestly say I%26#39;ve never been anywhere as beautiful. If I was never able to see anything new again, I would be happy to return there year after year.
Enjoy!
I%26#39;m traveling thru Paris Oct 2006 with a group of 35-40. We only have 3-4 hours on a Sunday in Paris. I would be grateful for any and all help.
1)Does anyone know of a tour company that would pick us up at CDG, take us to the Eiffel Tower, and a place to do some inexpensive shopping? From what I have read this mode of travel may take over an hour to get into Paris. Since we will be there on a Sunday and I don%26#39;t know if traffic is less busy then or not this may be the best option.
2)We have considered taking the RATP, but we are not sure that this is possible with a group. If it is where could we store our carry on baggage (the airport does not have lockers)? Also what routes should we take?
Thank you for any help or ideas.
When you say %26quot;..3-4 hours..%26quot; do you mean simply between inboaund flight arrival and outbound flight departure??...OR...you estimate that you will have %26#39;3-4 hour%26#39; after you figure that time it will take to clear formalities at CDG, transfer from CDG into Paris, then transfer back out to CDG re-check-in with your airline, clear through airport security and make it to your departure gate?.
If all you%26#39;ve got is %26#39;3-4 hours between inbound flight and outbound flight, you%26#39;re pretty much stuck at CDG, touring through the duty-free shops that may be open or having your backsides molded to the shape of airport waiting lounge seats.
We will have 3-4 hours of actual %26quot;free time%26quot;.
Thank you for responding to my questions.
I personally don%26#39;t know of any tour companies who do that. But I%26#39;m sure an internet search would produce something.
I think you are stretching yourself though. I think that going to the Eiffel Tower would be pretty much all you have time for. Taking 35-40 people shopping from the ET (and on Sunday many shops are closed, by the way) will add enormous amounts of time plus the fear that someone will wander off, get lost, be late, etc.
Taking the RER/metro would be equally difficult due to the size of your group.
Personally, as someone who has led student groups on trips, I would probably opt to stay at CDG. Not fun, but the safest option with a group that size. %26quot;If it can go wrong, it will%26quot;.
Les
I%26#39;d contact the Paris Tourist Office.
They may be able to arrange a sightseeing tour by bus into the city for your group and get you all back in time at CDG.
It won%26#39;t be free, but at least you could store your luggage on the bus and no one will get lost.
I believe that your best bet will be to contact Gray Line (aka Cityrama in Paris). You can charter a bus with them to do just about anything you want.
Gray Line France - Paris
CITYRAMA TERMINAL DEPARTURE,
2 RUE DES PYRAMIDES
75001 PARIS
FRANCE
Phone: 33 1-44-55-60-00
Email: GLPARIS@CITYRAMA.FR
www.etix.com/travel/servlet/onlineSale…
If you simply want transportation to/from a drop-off point in Paris, the bus itself shouldn%26#39;t be more than $250-300 per hour. If you wanted to organize multiple stops and have them furnish a guide for you, it will be more. Use their form to complete as much information as you can, and they will quickly get back to you with a price.
Note: The above notes are provided for informational purposes only, and are not meant as an endorsement of your wacky idea by the poster. Should you choose to use the information provided, and one or more of your party becomes lost, disoriented and/or otherwise doesn%26#39;t get on the bus and misses his/her flight; should construction on the peripherique cause you to arrive in Paris with just barely enough time to turn back around to make it to the airport; or, should an accident cause the bus to arrive late for your scheduled return to CDG, thereby causing all parties to miss their connection, the poster assumes no liability whatsoever! LOL
We are a group of 4 adults going to Paris in May for 2 nights. We are wanting to see the Eiffel Tower, Louvre and a river cruise.
We were thinking of staying at Hotel de Rouen or Hotel de la Vallée. Has anyone stayed at either of these hotels? Or can someone suggest a hotel or hostel for under 100 Euro a night?
Thanks.
Is the 100Euro for all 4 in one room, or is it for a double/twin?
here are some comments re: Hotel de la Vallee: (which is on a %26#39;red light%26#39; street, St Denis, you know?)
travel-library.com/hotels/europe/france/pari…
Hotel de Nesle in the 5th has doubles (one bed, no twins) for under 60€,
Hotel du Commerce, very basic, but in the Latin Quarter has budget rooms.
My family and I just visited Paris a few weeks ago and stayed at a small boutique hotel called hotel Champ de Mars its in walking distance to the Eiffel tower and a few blocks from the Metro. Its about 80 Euro a night on a quiet street near tons of shops and restaurants. The rooms are small but roomy, clean with French country decor and has bath w/shower- very comfy. The staff is friendly and eat the typical continental breakfast at the hotel its only 7 Euro. We will definatly stay there again, its clean and affordable and lets face it you%26#39;ll only be in your room at night-there is just too much to see in Paris. Have fun,we did. Just use a search engine and you should find the web site.
thank you both for your advice.
travelnutty, no, i did not know it was on a %26#39;red light%26#39; street so THANK YOU!!!! thats exactly the advice I was hoping to acheive from my post.
I just stayed at the Hotel Amelie, which is round the corner from the Eiffel Tower and was €90 a night (single). It was very small and the walls were a bit thin, but it was clean and very friendly.
I am arriving in Paris on Mar 31(fri) 8am and want to go directly to Loire region and return to Paris Sunday midday or evening. I am thinking of taking TGV to Tours and not renting a car til the next day. Suggestions on where to stay(not pricey), car rental price(no i don%26#39;t trust what I see on websites), and if I should just drive back to Paris or take the TGV back. Where should I base myself given time contraints and where to stay, also great restaurants would be appreciated( I do mean exceptional)? Also, can I go to the necessary chateaux w/o a car, or is that just being stupid?
THANK YOU SO MUCH IF YOU help me narrow this down finally.
Check with SNCF to see if you can go directly to Tours from CDG via TGV or if you should go into Paris and out of Montparnasse station...I%26#39;d train back via TGV..only an hour or so from Tours after using rental car to get to chateaux...getting to chateaux without car would necessitate busses, local trains, taxis, etc., and can be done for some of them but you might find a car convenient...good to know that Tours is a city and has traffic...you might want to stay outside the city in a b%26amp;b or gite...There are some good ones that escape me near Amboise which is closer to Paris..I can%26#39;t be much help with fancy restaurants but the food in general we found to be wonderful..I%26#39;m afraid I wasn%26#39;t much of a convert to rillettes but I definitely liked the region%26#39;s wine!...Enjoy...
Hi,
%26lt;%26lt;also great restaurants would be appreciated( I do mean exceptional%26gt;%26gt;
It has to be the cuisine of Jean Bardet at the Chateaux Belmont, Tours. This truly is exceptional!
www.jeanbardet.com/gb/index.html
Best wishes
Thx for the info so far. I didn%26#39;t mean to sound like a snob about the food, I just didn%26#39;t want to hear about every place in the region. Also, I am not talking about price or haute cuisin, as long as it is great. Thx again.
Hi,
You have a couple of options.
Arriving at Tours via TGV you have several good hotels close to the station, and you will be able to take advantage of coach tours to the surrounding chateaux. You will also be able to visit %26quot;Le Vieux Tours%26quot;, old Tours which is very atmospheric, and has many good/great restaurants and cafes.
If renting a car, you could perhaps take a taxi to the commercial centre at Chambray les Tours and stay in one of the chain hotels, Formula 1, Mister Bed, etc, hire a car and then take a couple of circular day trips to the east ( Amboise, Chenonceaux ) and the west, (Chinon, Villandry, and Azay de Rideau -a great little town and chateaux), perhaps taking in the Chinon wine route.
We stay south of Tours at St Catherine de Fierbois each summer, and know the area quite well. If you take the latter option I would be happy to draw up a couple of circular drives for you.
In the meantime I have included some internet sites for you to browse, the last one being the Tours tourist web site.
http://www.chinon.com/wine/index.html
http://www.lvo.com/GB/INDEX.HTML
http://www.ligeris.com/index_us.html
Best wishes
If you are arriving from the US at 8 a.m., you might be overly tired to drive several hours to Tours, particularly if you have not driven through Paris before. I should agree a train trip and a card rental the next day makes a great deal of sense (you will require a car and make sure your train ticket is issued all the way to Tours, the TGV stops at St. Pierre des Corps). The best two places to find rentals are:
www.europecar.com
www.avis.com
If you indeed do not trust what you see on websites, try calling but in the last 10 years or so, I have not found anything consistently cheaper than Europecar.
For many reasons (restaurants, shopping, museums, and hotels), I suggest staying in Tours, (you’ll have plenty to do there the afternoon/evening of your arrival). With limited time, (little more than a day) the main chateaux to visit are east/northeast. Chenonceau, Chambord, Blois, and Le Clos Lucé (Amboise) are the primary locations of historical and architectural significance.
For modest, comfortable accommodations, I recommend Hotel du Manoir (02 47 05 37 37). Upscale is Jean Bardet (02 47 41 41 11)
I probably shall not be sufficient help in choosing restaurants, more specific criteria are required to properly direct you. As a general rule however, many restaurants are found on rue Colbert (maybe try Petit Patrimoine or Cap Sud) or Place Plumereau (great nightlife and many restaurants). For fine dinning, try Charles Barrier (02 47 54 20 39).
For a great deal of information about the area, try the Tours tourist office:
http://www.ligeris.com/index_fr.html
The tourist office may be able to help you find bus excursions to the primary chateaux, precluding the need to rent a car.
Good Luck
Hey all, thx for the info. Alright, sorry to be such a pain in the a$#@$ but here goes. I am wondering if I should base myself in Tours, Amboise or Blois now. Would like an easy/reasonably priced commute from CDG to hotelyes, the tgb and all trains are vastly overrated given that it is usually a pain to get to the station or from it). A nice, safe place, as I will not take kindly to any thieves or degenerates(tours post, theft articles, etc). Wondering if it is worth staying in an out of town chateau or just something in the town center. Also, why is care rental so much? Basically seems almost $200 for a garbage car for 2 days(europcar, avis). THX again, sorry for my rantings but usually I am a great planner but in this case i cannot make up my mind based on some type of consensus or what i feel is good for my own situation. If there is someone who is a conneisseur to tell me LOOK! DO THE FOLLOWING, DON%26quot;T WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THIS,that would be great.
Hi,
Tours Station is fine, not a haunt of delinquents, thieves and vagabonds!
From what you are asking and the apparant exorbitant cost of car hire use the Tours Tourist office web site,
http://www.ligeris.com/index_us.html
Let them book you a hotel, central Tours and take a couple of day tours by coach. You will see the main sites of interest, and not have the hastle of driving into and out of Tours. It is a big City!
Best wishes
There are 2 stations in Tours. There%26#39;s nothing around the TGV station. The other station is right downtown. Frequent train/bus service between the 2, but you might not care anyway.
Ok here goes...the facts from my point of view. We went to the Loire in Feb 2006. And I feel for you, I must have spent like 100 hours researching our trip. First of all don%26#39;t stress, we flew into CDG airport at 9am on a Thursday and couldn%26#39;t wait to get off that plane and get to our destination. We couldn%26#39;t get to the car rental counter quick enough! Anyway the reason the rates are so high is because of all the darn insurance you need. Your insurance at home does not cover you at all. It was great having your own car from the get go, it only took us about 2 1/2 hours to get to Amboise just in time for lunch. The Chateau we stayed at was Chateau de Perreux and the owner was more than helpfull about restaurant recommendations, price and food quality. The best dinner we had was right at the Chateau, everything was fresh and organic. We left on Sunday morning early and in the 3 nights 2 1/2 days we spend at the Loire valley we were able to see 6 Chateaus and walk around two cities, Amboise and Blois. Parking at the Chateau was private so very safe and all of the Castles we went to had parking lots. We weren%26#39;t a bit tired after we landed in Paris and after lunch on the first day we saw the Chateau Amboise. You can sleep and rest when you get home, there is way too many things to see and do in France. The second night we ate at Restaurant l%26#39;Epicerie in Amboise, if you don%26#39;t like sweet sauces stay away from the duck, for 4 of us we spent 120 Euro, the veal was devine. Make sure you have a good map, traffic was light and since we were there in the low season, no lines or crowds. The roads that go along the Loire river are great. Getting to your destination is a little different in France you have to know what city or attraction your headed for, the signs are not labeled by a road # or North South etc. Driving was a blast and you%26#39;ll soon apprieciate the round abouts. Have fun we did.
I%26#39;ve read on here that if you%26#39;re going to buy one special thing in Paris (as a woman), it might be a lipstick from Chanel, or a purse from Longchamps... Any other suggestions for something that would not break the bank, but would be special to bring back? I%26#39;m traveling in May, and want to budget for one %26quot;treat%26quot; :)
Thank you!
Just about everything French can be purchased in the States these days.
Annick Goutal perfumes however are not available everywhere. Or if you go to Marionnaud they will tell you about the new perfumes that are not yet distributed in the States.
Sophie Flore on rue Tronchet has only one boutique in the world so whatever you buy there would not be duplicated (great sweaters). Other small boutiques or designers are in Paris but do not have a name that can be recognized worldwide.
Just a few days ago there was an ENORMOUS thread on this. Just do a search. IT%26#39;s probably only 1-2 pages back.
Les
A nice piece of art doesn%26#39;t get used up,
wear, borrowed by someone and it is always
in fashion.
There is much art to love in Paris, try to
keep it small enough to pack in your
suitcase(s).
I don%26#39;t think one can really plan on what to buy in Paris or anywhere else.
Give yourself a budget and when you see something you like (a bag, a scarf, a book, etc.), then go for it, even more, when it%26#39;s something you won%26#39;t find in the US.
The museum shops have usually quite nice things that will remember your stay in Paris,
but you can as well stumble upon something you would not have expected and that you just must have. :o)
Thank you all so much for your information. I will do a search to find the thread of a few days ago...
On the same subject, is is safe to have things (i.e. art, large items) shipped back to the States by stores in Paris?
Thanks!
hi there,
me, my wife and our daughter (5months young) are spending our easter-holiday from 14-17.april in paris and booked the hotel elysee paris best western near the arc de triomphe, 1 rue brey is the adress.
the 3 reviews here are fine, did anyone stay there and like to share his experiences? would it be a space-problem to %26quot;install%26quot; our baby-travel-bed in the room?
and we are looking for any cheaper restaurants in that area for dinner (about 25-35 euro per person) which are in walking distance from our hotel. i know, it%26#39;s difficult but due to travelling with our baby we prefered a hotel nearby some attractions. and arc de triomphe and champs elysee is one for sure.
i browsed the whole forum and made some notices, but some more tipps and hints would be absolutely great :)
thanx in advance and best regards,
chris
sorry, i got one more question regarding the transportation from CDG to our hotel.
the easiest would be by taxi, bute this should be the most expensive. how much would it cost round about?
private airport-transfer would be aroound 17-20 euro per person.
and by bus? is there a bus-connection directly to that area?
regards, chris
we just stayed at the marriott on the champs, which is down the block from the arc. our taxi was 43 euros from the airport each way. if you are looking for a cheaper alturnative, i know that there is an air france shuttle that stops right in front of the arc and it is 12 euros per person.
as for resturants, a less expensive place on the champs is chez clement. it is a chain %26amp; they do have a website that you can check out.
we were just there last week %26amp; it was wonderful staying on the champs and being within walking distance to alot of things. if you are %26quot;foodies%26quot; definitely check out the food market near rue de mac mahon. i forget the exact location, but it is only a couple of blocks from the arc and it was really neat to check out.
thanks a lot, judt checked the chez clement website, looks really interesting. is it recommend to make a reservation for saturday-dinner? would it be a problem to dine there with a baby? dresscode?
regards, chris
I don%26#39;t think you%26#39;ll have any problems if you don%26#39;t make a reservation. there is actually another Chez Clement in the area. As for dress code, I would play it safe and stick to pants ( or jeans and nice shoes).
There is also another chain resturant in the area (that has several locations right there) called hippopotamus. They also have the prix fix menu for about 20 euros. They cater specfically to families/ kids.
Also, for a quick bite ( sandwiches/ pizza/ bread), PAUL on the Champs is pretty good. There are also two Quick%26#39;s and one Mc Donald%26#39;s. Below the Virgin Megastore is a Monoprix food store.
can I get excellent wine for a good price in the duty free shop in cd airport. I am connecting to stockholm to go on a cruise or should i just bring it all the away from california? do you know if stockholm has any great wines?
Its ok in CDG mostly top end stuff , whatever you do buy it before Sweden, its one of the most expensive places on earth to buy alcohol.
They have everything from inexpensive Beaujolais wines to really good stuff. Not being a wine snob I bought the Beaujolais because the bottles were cute. It tasted good to me. They also sell all of the other alcholic everages you need at the duty free store. There is a limit (I think 3 bottles per person)so you each buy three. If you need more find a friend.
The choice and quality of wine at the different CDG shop are good, even if, at the end of the day, you%26#39;ll pay say 10 % more than in town. But even this will be 100 % less than in Sweden! Scandinavian countries levy high taxes on alcohol, and especially imported one such as wines. So, yes, do stock up at CDG, because after you%26#39;ll feel like you are in Kabul!
So what kind of stores sell bottles of wine at CDG?
Are these stores in Terminal 2?
Is there a decent selection or just a couple of %26#39;brands%26#39;?
Well, last time I used them was last year en route to Brazil, where the poor friend of mine was missing his rosé in Rio (things are harsh for expats sometimes! ). On the left hand side in the duty free zone in 2C, there is a sizeable %26quot;liquor store%26quot; with a selection akin to a small Nicolas, so nothing ridiculous, as you can see. But in general half of duty free stores are alcohol focused, and a good proportion of the alcohol section in CDG is, understandably, devoted to wines.
Alright then... might while away a few minutes looking into this on our departure in May. Would have to leave some room in the ole carryon. Thanks.
On my last visit to Stockholm, I found that not only were prices very high, but the state-run liquor stores in Sweden are open rather limited hours. I found myself wishing that I had purchased at Duty-free at the airport...
