Itinerary Help

Hi

I am in Paris for 2 full days and 1 part day in July, and was wondering if I could get some feedback from you experts on the itinerary I have planned:

Sat -

Arrive CDG 2pm

Musee de l%26#39;Orangerie (closes 7pm)

Eiffel Tower

Sun -

Mussee D%26#39;Orsay (this is museum free-day, but it%26#39;s the only way I can realistically fit it in, I will just have to line up early and make a dash for the secret escalator at the back)

Notre Dame

Mon -

Louvre

Rue Cler market (have heard one bad review but it%26#39;s only about 200 metres from my hotel so I may as well)

Arc De Triomphe

Does anyone know of any good cheap eateries in the 7e or close by? I%26#39;ll eat street vendor food during the day, but at night I may like to eat a little fancier...although I%26#39;ll be by myself so I don%26#39;t know how I%26#39;ll be with the %26#39;eating alone in a restaurant%26#39; thing yet, I%26#39;ve never done it before...

Do you think I%26#39;ll need a travel pass? I%26#39;m pretty fit, so I%26#39;m planning on walking to most of the places, I might need to resort to the metro just for the Notre Dame and Arc De Triomphe?

Thanks for your feedback in advance

Shelley :)

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Hi Shelley, your itinerary looks good, very workable and not too much at all in the time you have allocated. IMHO I do not think that you would need a travel pass. If you do get tired and want to take the metro back at the end of the day, just buy a single ticket. In the time you are there, you probably would not utilise a whole %26#39;carnet%26#39;.

The best way to see Paris is on foot.

As for eateries, we all seem to worry about where, when and how but mostly we just fall upon them in our travels and are certainly not disappointed, especially in Paris.

Personally I do not have any experience of restaurants in the 7th, so would prefer not to offer any solutions. There are many other posters with excellent experience in this area.

A personal favourite, in the 6th not far from the banks of the Seine and certainly walkable from the 7th is as follows:

http://www.zekitchengalerie.fr/

Happy travels.

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Thanks Blossom, you%26#39;re right about the restaurant thing, I%26#39;ve only ever ended up at one or two bad places - I was hoping (dreaming) that just around the corner from my hotel there might be a perfect little restaurant with amazing set menus for 10 Euros or something!

Dreaming on.....

Shelley :)

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Hi Shelley! I agree, the itinerary doesn%26#39;t try to stuff too much into too short a period of time.

Also, agree that a %26quot;carnet%26quot; of 10 Metro tickets is more than enough to get you anywhere you want for at least 2, maybe 3 days considering all the walking you%26#39;ll do (if for nothing else, than to drink in the view that surrounds you!).

%26quot;Rue Cler%26quot; gets a bad name because of it%26#39;s association with the Rick Steve%26#39;s guidebooks and the Americans that follow in his wake. If you got a good deal on your hotel, great! The Rue Cler/7th district is very central to anywhere in Paris via the Ecole Militaire Metro stop. There are a LOT of specialty shops on Rue Cler that do actually serve a local clientele, the quality is high, and in this way is perfectly Parisian!

Best budget eaterie - Cafe du Marche - not exactly $10E per dinner, but good, staple French fare w/out too much %26quot;embellishment%26quot;. Good crowd thoughout the evening (although Rue Cler gets criticized for being quiet). I%26#39;m told they also own/operate the next-door Tribeca, which has rec%26#39;d good reviews on this board. Dinner for $10E might be a little lite in this neighborhood.

As for eating alone, do you speak any French? Either way, look for a crowded place, try to find a seat, and I%26#39;ve found that if you eat alone, at least one of the tables around you will attempt to solicit some sort of coversation - ask them what they%26#39;ve ordered? Do they come here often? What do they recommend (short of organs)? You typically do fine if you understand a little French, even if not, any pidgen French will usuall prompt nods/smiles from most French

You WILL see a lot of Americans in Rue Cler, but they are the supposedly %26quot;good%26quot; Americans, yes, there%26#39;s plenty of French too, but the rest of the city is easily accessible to at least midnight via the Ecole Militaire stop. And like most of Paris, the neighborhood is particularly safe for solo women travelers.

Have a safe and lovely trip!

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You guys are awesome, thanks for the great advice! :)

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Removed on: 8:20 am, August 30, 2009

13 th arrondissmont? Type of area/.

Well , heres a sticky spot I %26#39;m in,, I mentioned to a friend at work that I hoped to go to Paris this August,, she begged to come with me.. Shes never been, and really had no one to go with as she is a single lady over 50, never married, who lives with and supports her mom( her mom doesn%26#39;t speak english) .

Anyways, my friends dream is to go to Paris,, but, she wants to do it very very cheap( she promised to take her mom %26quot; home%26quot; to Hong Kong to see a grandchild next year, so she must save her money)

Point is, she says she has a %26quot; friend%26quot; who lives in the 13th( she gave me that address to look up, which I did, Rue Glaciere, 75013) and she want to write to this friend to see if we can stay free with her!!!!!!!!!

I don%26#39;t want to sleep on someones couch, I can afford a hotel. I actually have relatives I could sponge off if I wanted to, but, I LIKE having a hotel!

I also don%26#39;t think I like the area this apartment is in, I may be wrong, but it seems less then desirable as a tourist accomadation area? Am I wrong?

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Hi Joan

It may depend where on rue de la Glaciere her friend lives as it is quite a long street. Early numbers are near the Val de Grace hospital which is the area where Raphy lives and she has said it is a nice area.

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Oh thanks Faux, she does live near that area I believe( the hospital) as I used Mappy to show me on the map where the address was, and the hospital was nearby. She is in the %26quot; 40%26#39;s.

If Raphy lives in that area I am sure it is fine,, but still, does not solve my socail dilema. Travelling on my own is best for me I think , I am quite selfish of my time in Paris!

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Well,goodness if she can pay to fly with you, she can make it on her own as well. Espec. knowing she already has someone there. I suppose the friend might not be able to escort her around Paris every day... she can take organized tours and walks in that case.

If you are not the gregarious type and aren%26#39;t accustomed to traveling with others, espec. someone you don%26#39;t know well, then do not do it. It isn%26#39;t being selfish, it%26#39;s being wise.

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I agree with most of what you say travelnutty, but, I am very gregarious,, it is a big part of my job. I can pretty well chat with anyone,, I just really am selfish,, I want to do , what I want to do!! LOL I hate shopping, I love museams,, etc, I have a busy life, job, three kids, etc, so I really treasure %26quot;alone time%26quot; , but, I guess , it is nice to have someone you know join you for dinner and discuss the day.

I am going to chat more with her tomorrow to see if she is fully aware of the money involved in such a trip.

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Hi Joan

If your friend does stay with her friend and you decide to stay nearby in a hotel, one possible hotel where you could easily meet up with your friend is the Residence des Gobelins. It is close to the southern end of rues Mouffetard and Monge and only 600m walk from No 40 rue de la Glaciere according to via michelin. Rue des Gobelins is a pretty little street and the rest of the walk is along Bd Arago to rue de la Glaciere so it should %26quot;feel%26quot; safe for either one of you walking home when you part at night if she does stay with her friend.

http://www.hotelgobelins.com/frame.html

Another possibility but 900 m away is the Vert Galant. It is opposite an entry to a lovely park called Square Rene le Galle and via michelin suggests walking south to Bd Auguste Blanqui and then to the north along rue de la Glaciere (using No 40 as the destination). I walked past this hotel too and the internal garden could be seen from the entrance and looked as nice as on the website. I personally prefer the location of the other one and it is also near another entrance to Sq Rene le Galle

http://www.vertgalant.com/index_uk.html

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joan1 - there are SO many lovely things to see in the 13th !!!

First of all the village

** Butte aux Cailles

which is like a doll%26#39;s size Montmartre only without the souvenirshops and without the tourists.

Then a little to the west Rue Daviel with the

** Petite Alsace

and on the other side of the road

**Villa Daviel

Due south to paradise forgotten, just behind Place de Rungis/Rue Savarin

**Cité Florale

And since you have come this far south - pop over to Parc de Montsouris in the 14th, follow its western edge along Rue Emile Deutsch and visit yet another forgotten paradise

**Square de Montsouris

Then retrace your steps through the park into the 13th again, head north-east to Place de l%26#39;Abbé Henocque and another forgotten paradise with small houses with the strangest roofs

**Rue Dieulafoy

Walk north up Rue des Peupliers and visit

**Square des Peupliers

Trust me, you will phone your bankadvisor instantly begging her to lend you 5 mill. $ so you can buy a house in any of these seceret places.

You are in for a walk through Alladin%26#39;s cave, trust me !!

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Wow, Gitte, I am going to have print your post out, I have never heard of any of these spots,, see, I know you travel alone also, so you have learned many secret spots that if one was with a group ,, one might miss! Thanks.

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Faux,. thank you for the hotel recommendations, I will look these up, it may be an option for my friend to spend time with her friends( and save money) and yet still be able to have me near by , to meet for evenings or meals and an occasional day trip( I would take her to Versailles for instance)

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joan1 - your%26#39;e welcome. I am sending you a private message.

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Joan you will love Commerical Place d%26#39; italie and all the cinamas and the restos that are so great! I love 13 e! Great Chinese food!

Have fun and do stay by yourself so you can do exactly what you want to do! I do that and I love my time to do what ever I please when ever I please!

When I ever talked about going I always have a few people want to go with me but then they don%26#39;t realize the expense and they are not into museums or art. I usually just say I enjoy to travel alone but if they want to share a room or apt. fine but we would be going our own ways during the day time unless we planned particular things to do together.

Call it selfish but it is you time and your money.. spend it the way you want it!

CoN ArTiStS in Paris!!

This may be well known, however i thought it would be informative to highlight this!

There are many male conmen in Paris using the same method-

They will give a member of your party an item, you will feel amazed at their generousity, HOWEVER- they then approach a different member of the party and expect them to pay and refuse to accept the item back!!!

EGs- i was approached by two coloured nigerian males in the dodgy area of Montematre. they were charming and made me and my boyfriend lucky braided bracelets, they then distracted me, while asking my worried boyfriend for $70!! (about £50!).

I was approached by a young male who gave me a rose under the eiffel tower, he then secretly asked my boyfriend for the $7 (only about £5) BUT STILL SCAMS. I overheard, and so refused the rose (which he wouldn%26#39;t accept back, as he had made a %26#39;sale%26#39;) so i gave it him and walked off.

BE CAREFUL!

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No stranger will every give you something for nothing. When you are approached, it is not your lucky day and you are not getting something for free. It%26#39;s not a scam, it%26#39;s just very pushy tactics. Just walk away. If you look open to them, they will definitely approach. If you accept their wares, they will definitely want money.

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%26quot; They will give a member of your party an item, you will feel amazed at their generousity, %26quot;

I think this may be the problem...as much as we%26#39;d all like to believe in our fellow man...is anyone really going to come up to you and give you free things on the street? Anywhere?

Rather than being amazed at their generosity, I would definitely have my radar up if anyone approached me in a foreign city with any kind of %26quot;gift%26quot;.

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Yeh don%26#39;t get me wrong, it was VERY naive of me!! however, i wouldn%26#39;t of minded paying for the bracelet at all, it was really nice. But they scared us by how much they were asking for!! We felt very threatened! :( we dreaded the consquences if we didn%26#39;t hand over the money... x

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Just keep in mind, they are there illegally....mention %26quot;la police%26quot; and they will go find someone else to sell to.

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There%26#39;s a very similar scam I%26#39;ve had tried on my on several different trips. A young woman will approach (always speaking English, so clear targeting tourists) claiming that she %26quot;found%26quot; a %26quot;gold%26quot; ring and can%26#39;t keep it because of her religion. She obviously wants money for it, although I%26#39;ve never listened to the whole scam. She approached me twice in as many days, so the second day I expressed (loudly) my amazement that she was so lucky as to find a SECOND ring so soon -- she took off, of course.

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Okay...the first time one of these scam artists approaches a stranger on the street and lays hands on an unsuspecting %26#39;..mark..%26#39; or %26#39;..forces..%26#39; someting onto them that may be being %26#39;..conned..%26#39; or %26#39;..scammed..%26#39; But the second time it happens to the same person......well, the %26#39;..conned..%26#39; begins to take on a decided shade of %26#39;..stupid..%26#39;. One of the invariable and most oft repeated bits of parental advice, common the world over, is %26#39;..don%26#39;t take treats from strangers..%26#39;.

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This type of thing happens all over the place. Similar people have approached me in Avignon, Ste. Marie de la Mer, Nice, etc.

If anyone you do not know approaches you, move on. Any genuine greeting / question will be obvious. These people stand out, literally.

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Removed on: 7:18 am, September 01, 2009

Room for 4?

My husband and two girls will be visiting Paris in two weeks. I noted that the tour operators offer rooms for two, and in some cases, for three persons. Does you know any hotel have sufficient room spaces and large bed to accomodate 4?

In the other hands, which is the dress code for the Eifell Restaurant and Sena Cruise dinner, and Lido Show?

Your help will be very appretiate.

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Try to get two communicating rooms or a suite.

Rooms for 4 are very rare and very tight. One of the few good ones is at Hotel des Bains on rue Delambre and always booked.

Dress nicely for the places you have in mind. Nothing fancy but nice.

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Removed on: 10:19 am, August 31, 2009

Arles-Lake como -will this work? Opinions please.

Okay this is what I%26#39;m thinking. Please tell me if any aspects of this plan won%26#39;t work/ are not practical, especially whether we will be able to pick up and drop off the hire car in the places I%26#39;ve mentioned.

1. After spending 6 days in Paris, catch the train down to Arles. Stay overnight and hire car.

2. Spend all of next day exploring the area from Arles to Nice, then spend next two nights in Eze. Use these 2 days to explore area around Nice and Monaco.

3. Drive to Milan and drop car off. Catch train to Lake Como for our next two nights accommodation. OR drive all the way to Lake Como and drop car off there. We%26#39;re not really worried about going to Milan but seems to be on the route to Lake Como.

After Lake Como we will be travelling by train on to Venice(2 nights), then train to Florence (4 days and where we may also hire a car for a couple of days to explore surrounding areas), then train to Sorrento for 5 days and train back to Rome for the final 5 days.

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Hi Perthmum

Sounds like a busy, but very interesting tour you%26#39;ve got planned! It seems like it should be possible to me.

To help you find the best value car hire for your trip, may i recommend you copy and paste the following link into your browser:

https:/…

Also, add it to your favourites, as wherever and whenever you are travelling, it searches all the usual car hire companies available at the location, and gives you a better rate!

T

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Perthmum

Please check the drop-off charges for picking a car up in France and leaving it in Italy. They can be very expensive as at some point the car needs to get back to France. You might want to look at dropping the car in Nice.

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Removed on: 9:15 pm, August 31, 2009

Cocktails?!

Salut!

Do anyone of you know some cool, not too pricy, store where you can buy diffrent equipment for cocktails like shakers, bar spoons etc?

Thanx in advance!

Emma

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Resonances is a good place to start.

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Hi Emma

Have you looked at ebay, loads of good value cocktail stuff...

;-)

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Thanx Phread!

When it comes to e-bay it seest to exist some month ago in sweden, we have anoter thing Tradera, that works some how with e-bay but I looked and they only had bad platic stuff (and in total only 8 shakers), small market here. And from other countries it gets expensive to ship for a private person, but i did actually think of Amazone cause they ship rather cheap from the US. But now also I would like to buy it in Paris for other reasons, thats why I wrote cool, id like to buy something diffrent so not any of the big brandnames that I can aswell by in sweden, so maybe something a bt designed or so=)

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Hmmmm..... design but not too price is something of an oxymoron. You could try Habitat, but they may have that in Sweden. Actually for cheap stuff that has high design, IKEA is THE place to go, even in Paris. Sorry about that.

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I agree on IKEA, except when it comes to kitcen stuff, its all big with really bad design, went to IKEA 2 days ago and looked at shakers, it was then and there I decided to buy in paris instead=)

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Removed on: 1:27 am, September 01, 2009

Parking in Paris, is 24 euros a day good?

Hello, hubby and his friend( who lives in UK) will be visiting Paris this June. They plan on driving over to Calais,, then onto Paris. After a few days in Paris , hubbys friend is travelling on to visit friends in Belguim .

Question is,, the hotel where I have them booked said there is parking near by ( Hotel Des Mines on Boulevard St Michel just past Luxembourg gardens) for 24 euros a day. Since they have no intention of using car in Paris, I was wondering, is there somewhere else they could park ,, nearer the perimeter ,, for less money, and just take the metro into city?

Thanks

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€ 24 per 24 hours is not uncommon. Go to www.vincipark.com - there you can find all the parkings of this company, the prices vary. Their parking %26quot;Pasteur-Montparnasse%26quot; in the 15th arrondissement is cheaper (€ 17). In the 13 th, they have a parking %26quot;Vincent Auriol%26quot; that has a three-day offer for € 28, and %26quot;Porte d%26#39;Italie%26quot; for € 10 per 24 hrs.

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That is a pretty good price for 24 hours. We found a hotel (Bestwestern) in the 13 e that charged us 16 euros per day last year. It may have gone up but you had to stay there.

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Parking Le Chateau at St Germain en Laye -EUR 10 per day through vincipark.com. RER line A (right next door to parking ) direct to central Paris less than EUR4 per person. We used this in December and it worked like a dream.

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Hello Joan,

I´m an expert about finding a hotel with moderately priced parking because we will drive from Prague in September for 7 nights and didn´t want to pay 24 E or more/day! So I searched and searched and ... searched for a nice hotel within walking distance from that kind of underground garage and I finally decided to book a hotel in 12e with parking 96 Boulevard de Picpus 37 euros per 3

days +12 euros per extra day.

Hope that helps.

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Removed on: 3:18 pm, August 31, 2009

Travel to Pamplona??

Hello

I need to find a way to travel from Biarritz to Pamplona on the 5th of July.

Can anyone advise as to the easiest way to do this and where to travel from and to.

Thanks

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Check the privious posts for the bus information. If not the bus, then there is always the taxi.

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You can take the train, you will need to change at Irun just over the Spanish border

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Removed on: 5:16 am, September 01, 2009

Loire cycle trips

Looking for a self-guided cycle trip in the Loire Valley this Sept. 2007. Any suggestions for cycling companies, areas to cycle, and any other advice would be appreciated.

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Check the tour options on www.eurobike.com

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Further thoughts ---- Check http://users.ids.net/~tandem/loire.htm for a fairly comprehensive (though slightly dated) website dealing with self-touring on bikes in the Loire.

If this works out for you , you might want to come back and give a %26quot;Loire bicycle itinerary%26quot; in the %26quot;On-line Guidebook%26quot; here on TA.

P.S. don%26#39;t miss Chateau Chambord.

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www.valdeloire.org/front.aspx…

http://www.loire-a-velo.fr/

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Removed on: 5:10 pm, May 03, 2007


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%26#39;Just returned from a little bike tour in the Loire Valley, out of Tours. Our biking time was sadly limited to three days, but here are some links I just sent a friend, which may prove useful for you:

http://www.ids.net/~tandem/loire.htm - an American who will help you with the route, planning, and what to pack

bikingbis.com/blog/…2855668.html - more do-it-yourself info about biking in France

mayq.com/Best_european_trips/Loire/Loire.htm - lots of information and links about seeing the chateaux in the Loire Valley via bike

http://www.loire-a-velo.fr/ - information about an almost-completed bike path (800 km) across the Loire Valley. Click the British flag (upper right) for information in English.

visaloire.com/images/LAVCR_GB1110468929_8CR_…

Adobe file of the 2006 %26quot;Loire by Bike%26quot; handbook (with maps), described above. Not the newest version, but I couldn%26#39;t find the 2007 edition online, and this looks much the same as the 2007 pamplet I just picked up in France.

www.locationdevelos.com/en/randonnees.php - bicycle shop in Tours where we rented our (Trek hybrid) bikes and arranged the tour. I suggested a possible route, with the mileage we wanted to pedal each day. They provided bikes, lock, helmets, panniers, directions and maps to the most beautiful untravelled off-the-beaten-path roads you can imagine. Also reserved hotel, recommended restaurants, and arranged luggage transfer. I thought this bike tour was a little expensive, but after completing their route, we decided the maps and directions marking these picturesque backroads were priceless! Nathalie speaks excellent English, but was slow to reply to my first emails. Everything was nicely arranged, even though one of the chateaux we biked to turned out to be closed for rennovation. In America, you would expect them to check on things like that. Our luggage was transferred back to the shop after our return instead of to the hotel in Tours, but that worked out fine. We enjoyed the friendly hotel they recommended in Amboise. Occasionally the directions were hard to figure out, but we managed. Much of the first day was on a bumpy bike path along the Cher River. The route was all paved the next two days, we missed our road bikes and pedals! GREAT trip, fabulous countryside!

http://www.anjou-bike-center.com/menu.htm - Very nice couple who arrange bike tours out of Anjou. I emailed Claude several times about our options, then ended up leaving from Tours instead and using the shop above because it was more direct with our timing and the trains (we were coming from Bordeaux, and would have had to travel to Tours, then take a train back to Anjou. This would cut into our already limited biking time, and there are good chateaux from Tours, so we switched). Claude seemed very nice and good to work with, but may be more expensive.

Good luck with your route and plans!

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I would suggest inntravel.co.uk, they are a little expensive but they cart your luggage from hotel to hotel. I have heard several good reports about them

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Removed on: 1:17 pm, August 31, 2009

Paris to Barcelona-Overnight stop by train somewhere?

We spend one week in Paris then to Barcelona for a week. TGV overnight straight through, or we thought we%26#39;d go 1/2 way or 2/3 of the way and stop off at a castle overnight and do a day trip.

Suggestions?

Thank you!

Joan

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Stopping in or around Montpellier would make a good stop. You can catch a number of daytime trains to Barcelona from there.

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Removed on: 12:26 am, September 01, 2009

Reims to Nice, help please!

Is there a train from Reims to Nice?

Thanks!

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You%26#39;d kind of have to go through Paris.

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If you are travelling after June 10 the TGV from Reims to Paris will take ~45 minutes. Prior to the inaugauration of the TGV Est on that date it will take you 1.5 hours plus. Then you need to get from Gare de l%26#39;Est to Gare de Lyon for the 5.5-6 hour TGV ride to Nice.

Train timetables at voyages-sncf.com

Read this %26quot;how to%26quot; by MorganB *before* booking your tickets: http://tinyurl.com/qpdef

Another option would be to fly from Paris to Nice with EasyJet: www.easyjet.com

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I%26#39;ve only read this message today, so this may be too late. There is one direct train from Reims to Nice, a little-known overnight one. It is train number NZ4287, dep. Reims 20:19, arr Nice-Ville 08:20 next morning. It has seat, sleeper and couchette accommodation (or at least, it had when I last saw it). However, outside the peak July - August season it does not run every night. I find the German railways website the best source of such information: far better than anything in France: just ask Google for %26quot;Bahn%26quot; and, once in, select the English language option if you%26#39;re not comfortable in German.

Bon voyage. Bert B.

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Removed on: 6:22 am, September 01, 2009

airport travel - calvi

Hi,

A couple of questions before my trip in June:

1. I%26#39;ll be arriving at Calvi airport at 20:00 with two children - are there taxis easily available at this hour? Do they have car child seats or do children go in Taxis without a safety seat?

2. The flight out to Marseilles is at 07:00 - what hour is it recommended I be at the airport? If I pre-order a taxi - would it be likely to be on time?

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I usually pick up a hire car at the airport, so this is unfamiliar territory for me. However, if I were relying on a taxi I think I%26#39;d pre book it. Catalina is a tiny airport (I%26#39;m not sure how it keeps going to be honest) and you may find it pretty deserted at 8pm. However the good news is it%26#39;s really near to the town (about 6 km), so the taxi shouldn%26#39;t be too expensive.

Marseilles-Calvi is a domestic flight, so you will be OK getting there an hour before your flight. DTR

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Removed on: 6:23 am, September 01, 2009

Young family and Cote D'azur

Hi,

We%26#39;re staying at Douce Quietude with Keycamp for 10 days in mid May and, looking at the weather forecast, it seems like it might be quite showery on certain days.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to keep a 2-year old amused in the area when the weather for outdoors isn%26#39;t quite the best?

Any day trip suggestions greatly appreciated and any other advice on the region as a young family too.

Thanks in advance

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Hello

There%26#39;s lots of things to do around the area:

Locally, there%26#39;s Frejus Zoo, which is very large and has lots of animals to see...and you drive around it so no need for wet weather gear. There%26#39;s also Aqualand, which you%26#39;ll be wet at anyway :-) There%26#39;s an indoor swimming pool at the %26#39;Base Nature%26#39; in Frejus, where you can also skateboard at the skatepark, hire bikes etc.

There is a LaserQuest on Zone Palaud in Frejus, as well as a 10 pin bowling centre

Further afield, you could drive over to Monaco and do a lap of the grand prix circuit (1 hours drive away), drive to Cannes, St Tropez, perhaps the Gorges du Verdon (The Grand Canyon of Europe!!) which is approx 1.5 hours away...stunning!

Drive up to Grasse to the perfume factories, where they do a tour of how perfume is made and smell the different perfumes. Fragonard and Gallimard are the two big boys

Hope this helps!

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Many thanks for your information - we%26#39;ll definitely be taking up your advice on a couple of those. Hopefully, the weather isn%26#39;t looking too bad but you never know !!

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Removed on: 6:24 am, September 01, 2009

Arriving this evening..IS IT RAINING???

I%26#39;m packing for our 5 day holiday leaving this afternoon.

I%26#39;ve been checking out various sites for a 5 day forecast %26amp; no two are the same.

Can someone please let me know what the weather is like today %26amp; what is was like the past few days.

Thank you.

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Have you checked this one:

meteo.france2.fr/villes/ville.php?id=75100

I don%26#39;t live in Paris. I live in the Southeast of France, but the france 2 weather forecast (website above) is normally right on the money. Here, today, it is raining and we are having a bit of lightening and brief power outages. Our 3 day forecast calls for a considerable drop in temperatures and more rain.

I%26#39;m sure someone from Paris will be along soon to give you their report.

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... or you could just google %26quot;webcam Paris%26quot; - there are dozens of webcams everywhere in Paris, that deliver real-time images.

From what I can see, there is some sunshine, but the sky is cloudy; it isn%26#39;t raining at this moment, but it could start any minute.

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JanToo

Thank you for the webcam suggestion I wouldn%26#39;t have thought of doing that. I%26#39;ve just been on to have a look %26amp; even though it%26#39;s grey %26amp; cloudy it%26#39;s so exciting to think I%26#39;ll be there in a few hours.

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Rain or shine is fabulous, have a great time, I%26#39;m so green!

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Removed on: 7:17 am, September 01, 2009

Nice to Cannes by train

About how long does this journey take? Trying to decide between driving (and not wanting to park) because we will be headed west towards Provence at that point, vesus taking the train and then having to come back to Nice to get the car before heading to Aix. Is it worth it because the train is less hassle? Thanks!

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There are local electric trains between Nice and Cannes taking between 25 and 40 minutes for the journey, depending on the number of stops. Trains run once or twice every hour including weekends.

You get a very nice view as the line runs right along the coast; might be worth it just to give the car a rest and be able to enjoy a short journey without having to concentrate (and worry) about driving and parking.

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Removed on: 7:21 am, September 01, 2009

What book gets you excited for Paris?

Looking for something to read on the plane over...not a travel guide, but what books have you read that really get you in the mood for Paris? (Histories, first person accounts of being transformed by the city, etc.)

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This is actually for any readers on the forum. I just finished a nice little book called %26quot;April in Paris%26quot;. It is fairly new. It%26#39;s translated from the German original. The author is Michael Wallner. It is one of those impossible love stories set in Paris in WWII. It%26#39;s a good, unsentimental, read. And not even one mention of the Eiffel Tower...

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A while back I read the Tale of Two Cities. If you have not read it, it is not for just reading on the way over. The first half takes some work to get through. But after that it is a fascinating story.

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Removed on: 8:16 am, September 01, 2009

Is this still true ?

From The Daily Telegraph in 2004

%26quot;Why go?

With its notorious crime rate and rough edges, Marseille may not be the obvious tourist draw, but the city - the second largest in France - is vibrant. You%26#39;re almost guaranteed sunshine: the city gets more than 3,000 hours a year. There are the terrace cafes and restaurants at the Old Port; there%26#39;s bouillabaisse soup; and visitors next month can enjoy a feast of world music.%26quot;

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Which part of that statement are you asking about? The %26quot;why go%26quot; part? Or the reasons for going?

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Sorry, the %26quot;why go%26quot; was the article%26#39;s title.

I meant the notirious crime

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Yes, it is still true. Marseille does have its problems. I don%26#39;t think it has changed much since 2004. But to say %26quot;why go%26quot; .. .. well there are many reasons to go, some of which are listed in the statement. I really like Marseille. It is beautiful.

Like so many cities, there are areas to avoid and precautions to be taken. I think, overall, Marseille gets a pretty bad rap, but that is just my opinion.

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Hello Toutou

Travelling from NZ to Provence for 3 weeks in Sept. If you still have that tip sheet available I would be grateful. email: jenny_box18

@hotmail.com

Cheers

Jenny

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Ferit - I sent them to you.

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We all know that automatic weapons are used most weekends by the yardies in Hackney and that Stonebridge Park isn%26#39;t particularly salubrious after dark...but you wouldn%26#39;t normally describe the whole of London as crime-ridden as a result. Marseille%26#39;s a fully paid-up, historic Mediterranean port city, up there with Barcelona and Naples (neither of which is crime-free either). Follow sensible big-city rules and you%26#39;ll have a great time. Lunch or dinner on the terrace at Perron overlooking the Chateau d%26#39;If is five-star cool. Just be thankful the %26quot;bad reputation%26quot; has kept the stag-night chavs away.

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Removed on: 8:17 am, September 01, 2009

Cheapish Hotel Paris?

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone has reccommendations for a nice centralish cheapish hotel in Paris? My boyfriend and i plan to go the end of April. We are looking at the hotel apollon montparnasse at the moment, if anyone has stayed can they let me know what they thought?

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hi

we have booked the Hotel Victoria Chatelet for a few nights next september . the location seems perfect , right in the centre , 1st arrondisement , and it is around 90€ per night , excluding breakfast.

i am not expecting 5 star , but any reviews are good , the location being the big winner .

hovich.com .

hope this helps ,

croomhorse .

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Great, thanks a million for your help, looks perfect and they have a room for the nights we are going! Will let you know what we think via this post when we get back early april.

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Stayed in Hotel Victoria Chatelet for 4 nights and thought it was great value for money. VIt was very central,the staff were very friendly and i would definately return. Although, one thing to note is that, it didn%26#39;t have any air conditioning, so it might not be the most suitable for summer months.

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Removed on: 8:17 am, September 01, 2009

things to do on a long stopover

Hello I will be stuck at the CDG airport for a stopover of 7 hours. Any ideas of where I can go that is not to far away/hard to get to in order to pass the time?

Thanks

Phyllis

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There%26#39;s not a lot out there around CDG. There is.... a huge IKEA and a few other %26quot;big box%26quot; stores one RER stop away.... Sorry. That%26#39;s the best I could do.

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Removed on: 8:17 am, September 01, 2009

First time

I am traveling to Paris the first week of December with my very active 67 yr old mother. I have never been to Europe and the thought of going to Paris for 10 days in December is very exciting. I have read and read and read TA to the point that I think I am almost getting confused with all the information. I would love some help to sort it out ... pretty please.

First, we have decided to book at Hotel de College du France in the Latin Quarter. We are going to book here because of the location, cleanliness of the rooms, price and the overall reviews posted on TA. Is it really as great as all the posts?

Second, we would love to be able to attend some type of Christmas concerts. Any ideas?? Christmas is my favorite time of year and I am very much looking forward to the magic of the season in Paris. I know it will be cool in Paris but we are Canadian - it will feel like spring to us.

Lastly, we would love to spend one night outside of Paris. Somewhere off the tourist track . Perhaps a small town with quaint shops, markets etc and get a taste of day to day life in France. Any ideas? We are very open to splurging on a hotel for one night as needless to say we will be saving quite a bit staying at the Hotel de College du France.

Thank you in advance for any input.

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Depending on the timing of your visit, there will be special Christmas concert performances in the upper chapel of Sainte-Chapelle. There will also be special concerts and performances at Motre Dame, Église Saint Julian le Pauvre, Église Saint Sèverin and many other churches and venues throughout Paris. It%26#39;s much too early for most Christmas concert performance schedules to be posted...but continue to check and research--

http://www.archetspf.asso.fr/

http://www.ampconcerts.com/

http://www.cathedraledeparis.com/

http://www.saint-severin.com/

And when you arrive in Paris, pick up a copy of PARISCOPE magazine at just about any nesstand for whats on offer, where during your visit.

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I have not been to the otel itself, but I cannot remember anybody complaining seriously about it. You can trust the reviews - even if some hotel owners would try to %26quot;fake%26quot; a review or two, 99% of them are from real guests.

Area is great, your will love that.

As for towns outside Paris, how about the medieval town Provins

http://www.provins.net/

You can go there by train from Paris.

Or if you want something really special you should go out to Mont Saint Michel by the coast - I have been there once in 1995 and I was stunned. We didn%26#39;t stay for the night, but I have wanted to ever since. There is no place in the world like that, it is truly %26quot;the wonder of the west%26quot;.

http://www.ot-montsaintmichel.com/accueil.htm

I am sure there are tourcompanies that arrange tours including one night.

Then there is always Chartres, also a medieval town with the famous cathedral, considered to by the finest gothic church still existing (together with Basilique St. Denis, north of Paris). Chartres is also within a 2 hours reach with train from Paris.

www.chartres-tourisme.com/pages/fr/index.php

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Wow, thanks a lot. Those are great ideas and what a bonus with the websites. I am about to check them out.

Would still love to hear from anyone who has stayed in the Hotel (I%26#39;m not sure why but I guess just cause I%26#39;m so new to all of this).

Thanks!

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Thank you Gittek for the ideas. Although they look like great places we are looking for something more alongs the lines of a small, quaint town to putter around in. Somewhere without guided tours and streets lined with tourists.

Any other ideas anyone?

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Removed on: 8:18 am, September 01, 2009

Places to visit in Franche-Comte

Any suggestion for small towns to visit in Franche-Comte. We will be based in Montbeliard and want to do day and/or overnight trips. Thanks.

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The valley of the Loue river is beautiful. Ornans is a very attractive town on the river - Courbet, the painter, lived there and Ornans has a museum of his work. Very good restaurant and hotel (Logis de France) there as well.

Drive up the valley to the source - spectacular.

Or visit Baume-les-Messieurs, a little village surrounded by Jurassic cliffs. In 906, six monks set off to found Cluny from here.

The vineyards around there produce the famous vin jaune among other Jura wines.

The ideal city of Arc-en-Senans, built just before the revolution to house a salt extraction factory and houses for the workers - an architectural wonder.

Lots to see in this beautiful area! Have fun.

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Thank-you Dickie-Bird for your response - I had been reading about Ornans and will definitely go there, as well as Baume-les Messieurs and the other one you mentioned, which I had not read about yet - I will print your response and take it with me. I agree it is a beautiful area of France and quite different to other areas in terms of landscape, vegetation etc. Only a little over 2 weeks to go and can%26#39;t wait. Merci bien

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The Loue valley is lovely, but the source of the river has a hydro-electric plant and is rather industrial in character. We much prefer the source of the Lison, near Salins, which is an entirely rural location. At this time of year, with plenty of water still coming out of the hills, try to get down to the Cascades du Herrison.

From Montbeliard the Doubs valley into Switzerland is a pleasant trip. St Ursanne is a very attractive riverside town. You also have easy access to the picture postcard wine towns of Alsace to the north. Riquewhir (if I have the spelling correct) is like a film set - but attracts the crowds I%26#39;m afraid.

Besancon is also worth a visit, and the citadel overlooking the town offers wonderful views.

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Removed on: 8:18 am, September 01, 2009

dog fouling

just come back from nice after a fabulous weekend .their was 10 of us altogether and we all commented that it is a lovely place.we also found the amount of dog mess on pavements quite off putting,the residents blatantly allow their dogs to foul and make no attempt to clean it up which in a place as classy as nice seems unacceptable.being a responsible dog owner myself im sure it would only increase peoples love of the place if it was kept a bit cleaner.

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It%26#39;s funny that you should think it bad.....you should have been here a few years ago! it%26#39;s incredibly good now in comparison. Here in Antibes we used to have the pooper scooper guy go round the streets daily and also they were hosed down daily, but now since all the dog owners are so responsible I%26#39;ve hardly noticed any cleaning up !

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I find this a big problem in Paris also, it does appear that more owners are clearing up after themselves than previously. It is still a common site to see dog faeces smeared all over the pavement.. Im not a dog owner and I find it disgusting

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We thought the same,just back from Nice also - found we were having to watch our step and dodge all the do do! i guess they are not fined there - unlike here in the UK.

Apart from that i found Nice to be very clean,flowers everywhere and litter free,really lovely.

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I thought the French invented the motorized pooper scoopers?

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Removed on: 8:19 am, September 01, 2009

Saturday Lunch near Arc D'T

Hi, love the Paris Forums! arrive in a couple weeks. Intend to get to musee d%26#39;orsay early on Sat. morning. (for 9:30am opening). Then over to Place D%26#39;Concorde and up Champs Elysees to Arc....can someone suggest a good restaurant along this route. Have noted many restaurants not open for lunch on Saturdays.

Merci,

Kim

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Since you are planning to Place de la Concorde, maybe you could have lunch earlier and stop by Angelina%26#39;s? It%26#39;s on rue de Rivoli, between Tuileries %26amp; Concorde metro stops. There are lots of cafes and restaurants around Arc. You could just pop into any as you walk along Champs Elysees.

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There are no restaurants on Place de la Concorde but you could go Chez Flottes on rue Cambon or visit one of the many restaurants around Madeleine which is one block from Concorde.

Cross with Pedestrian bridge and walk through Tuileries to do this.

Angelina will be packed on a Saturday at lunch time and it has to be one of the slowest service in town.

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If it is a nice day I%26#39;m sure everything in that area will be rather crowded. But Maison de Alsace is hugh and has cafe items as well as full meals and seafood platters.

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2 Restaurants near L%26#39;Arc D%26#39;T which particularly enjoyed on a recent trip were:

Le Maree 258 Faubourg St Honoree, 75008 (corner of Rue Daru)

http://www.lamaree.fr

quite expensive but absolutely fabulous , delicious food.

Not a touristy restaurant – frequented by well-heeled locals. 20 mins brisk walk or E10 in a taxi

Citrus Etoile, 6 Rue Arsene Houssaye 75008 ---

www.citrusetoile.fr

Had a lovely lunch there for E39 for the menu. The wife of the French chef proprieter is an ex model – (American) she works front of house and spent every second re-touching her hair and makeup in the mirror behind the reception desk. That was entertaining. Miaowww.

Not sure if they are open Sat Lunch, but I would definitely make the effort to go to La Maree again - it was just sublime.

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Good recommendations. Rue Arsene Houssaye has many restaurants and so do upper parts or rue Fbg St Honore and Place des Ternes.

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I%26#39;m probably going to get razzed, but I would suggest one of the many chain sandwich shops near the Arc / Elysees for lunch, such as Doree. Sandwich, drink, dessert for 6-8 euros.

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Thanks so much everyone! time has just slipped away from me - not going in a couple weeks, it%26#39;s a couple days!! could not be more excited.

Really appreciate the suggestions.

Kim

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Test out Laduree on your way up to the Arc D%26#39;T, even if its just for their take away pastries.............Y U M M Y !

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Removed on: 9:20 am, September 01, 2009

bakeries

What time do they open in the mornings?

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Our two favorite boulangeries open at 7:30AM, one 6 days a week (closed Wednesdays) and the other 5 days a week (closed Sat/Sun).

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Is that probably the earliest they all open? Thank you!

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That%26#39;s the earliest I%26#39;ve seen them open their doors but the bakers are in there working before long before sunrise. It%26#39;s hard to pass one when the ovens are full. Bread baking is one of the best aromas on the planet and you smell it all over Paris around sunrise.

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Many bakeries open earlier than 7.30 . If you are willing to walk a little bit, you can be sure to find one opened at 6.30 or even 6 .

Anne

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Metromole:

Which bakeries do you visit?

If I recall correctly, you liive in the neighborhood I will be staying at in August (Rue Aubriot).

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In our neighborhood;

%26quot;Le Gay Choc%26quot; - 45 rue St. Croix de la Bretonnerie in the 4th and %26quot;Du Pain et des Idées%26quot; - 24 rue Saint Martin. also in the 4th.

Le Gay choc bakes an outstanding loaf of bread, %26quot;le Grand Meuniere%26quot; (we buy one EVERY day) and has the best traditional pain au chocolat we%26#39;ve found. If you like almond croissants, this place is outstanding. They%26#39;re usually too sweet for my tastes but I love the way they do them at le Gay Choc.

Du Pain et des Idées is an organic bakery that specializes in traditional breads and pasteries baked in traditional manner. Excellent baguettes and their sweet pastries are wonderful.

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Thank you! Hopefully they will be open during the end of August so I can visit them both!

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Removed on: 9:22 am, September 01, 2009

Dinner and Drinks in Montmarte...

Post your favorite places please!

Thanks...

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The restaurant at the Diapason at the Terrass hotel. Great view and good food.

hotel-paris-terrass.com/hotel-terrass-englis…

Les

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I liked...

Le Moulin de la Galette

83 rue Lepic

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Les-- that place looks great, especially the 7th floor terrace-- but according to the web site-- the terrace is only open from June tp Sept-- we%26#39;ll be there on Friday-- a week early!

I will check out the other place...

Thanks, keep %26#39;em coming...

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Le Poulbot, 39 rue Lamarck. All of the seating is inside and there is no view, but the food is very good and priced reasonably. We had dinner for two, two appitizers, platters, desert and a bottle of wine for 54.00 e. I found this...

%26quot;Engravings of Old Montmartre and discreet lighting create a relaxed, comfortable conviviality at this tiny neighborhood restaurant named after the chef and owner%26#39;s favorite painter, Francisque Poulbot. Working in a mostly traditional register, Jean-Paul Langevin whips up dishes such as escargots on artichoke hearts and roast duckling with turnips. There%26#39;s a well-chosen wine list and good-buy prix-fixe menus for EUR18 and EUR33. Métro: Lamarck Caulaincourt. %26quot;

We will go back here.

Pjk

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Removed on: 9:22 am, September 01, 2009

TGV - Reservations Required?

I%26#39;ll be travelling from Aix-en-Provence to Paris on a Tuesday afternoon this summer. Would anyone recommend that I purchase tickets in advance on the internet and bring them with me?

The problem is that I am not absolutely certain which train we%26#39;ll be taking. Also, they charge $18 to deliver them to me.

Do these trains sell out? Am I asking for trouble by planning to buy them at the station when I%26#39;m ready to leave?

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Yes, and yes. The good news is, you can go through the sncf web site (there%26#39;s a link for English, go to voyages-sncf.com) and do it on line, and then pick up the tickets at one of those yellow machines in the station (but it warns that you need the same credit card you used to buy the ticket). I%26#39;m told that often you will get a much less expensive quote (be sure to check %26quot;delivery in France%26quot;). You also can print tickets (a friend did this last year) but they are very particular about the paper -- among other things, it has to be that European size they use for letters (smaller than 8 x 11) so you would have to get paper at a stationer before printing.

I will admit I%26#39;m trying that for the first time on this next trip, but don%26#39;t see why it wouldn%26#39;t work (I%26#39;m printing and taking the confirmation in case there is a problem and I have to try to get help from a real live person).

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Wow, good call, Berkeley, looks like I can get this ticket for Euro 118 through the sncf site, rather than $198 with raileurope. A $40 savings!

Now to decide if I%26#39;m going to get A4 paper, print from the machine, or have the tickets mailed to my hotel in Aix (this seems riskiest).

-Dan

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Here%26#39;s a good guide to purchasing tickets online

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g187147-c3019/Paris:F…

This individual thinks nothing of using standard 8.5x11 paper instead of A4. He laughs in the face of authority, this one.

I%26#39;ll probably skip the trip to Staples and use regular paper as well. How unreasonable can French train agents be???

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Well, now -- we ARE talking about the people who basically invented redundant levels of bureaucracy with little to do except say %26quot;non%26quot; and I wouldn%26#39;t want to be trying to argue while my train pulls out . . . .

I%26#39;m going with the machines, rather than bother with printing.

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Now have checked out the thread above - important as to using machines, since it says that you can%26#39;t use them except with a FRENCH credit card, but still can collect at the station counter (presumably, still needing the same credit card). So, having already made my decision I will take a printout of the confirmation with me!

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I don%26#39;t think the voyages-sncf.com site is intended for use by U.S. residents--check out their %26quot;general conditions of sale and use%26quot;; you%26#39;ll see that the U.S. is not listed among the countries in the three %26quot;appendices.%26quot; I suspect that there%26#39;s a deal that authorizes only RailEurope to sell these tickets in the U.S. Maybe it would work via the sncf website, but I%26#39;m not sure I%26#39;d want to chance it.

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A friend who accompanied me on a trip last year printed her own tickets inthis way -- she paid a fraction of what I did by going through Rail Europe. SNCF doesn%26#39;t care whether you are in the US when you purchase, they just restrict where the tickets are delivered (check out the thread above about how it all works).

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I understand how to use the sncf website, I just wanted to point out that according to the legal fine print, %26quot;Voyages-Sncf.com%26#39;s services and Terms and Conditions of Use exclusively apply to clients who are residents of the countries listed in appendices 1, 2 and 3%26quot;--which do not include North America. (The thread above implies that you could have the tickets mailed to the U.S. but shouldn%26#39;t risk it, when in fact that%26#39;s not an option at all.)

As you say, it%26#39;s probably no problem to pick up and use these tickets, and I%26#39;m sure many have done it, but it%26#39;s good to be aware of the stated geographical jurisdiction for the sncf website.

In response to the initial question about whether reservations are needed--I haven%26#39;t traveled in France in 7 years, but I used to go about every other year for 20 years, mostly in the summer, and I never had problems getting reservations on trains while there (and yes, you are required to reserve for the TGV). I would make my reservation a day or two in advance, once I%26#39;d decided where I wanted to go next. Unless things have changed dramatically, this would probably still work fine, except during the major travel periods at the beginning and end of August (and to a lesser extent the beginning and end of July). The only thing is that the tickets themselves (which are separate from the reservation) are much cheaper when bought well in advance.

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%26gt;%26gt; The only thing is that the tickets themselves (which are separate from the reservation) %26lt;%26lt;

Reservations separated from tickets have been phased out some 10 years ago !

On some very rare cases you can/have to buy a separate reservation for 1.5€ :

- if you are travelling over a railwayman%26#39;s free warrant,

- if you bought a ticket without a reservation for a non-TGV, non-Teoz Corail train and want a reservation afterwards.

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Do a search for MorganB%26#39;s SCNF Booking Guide - invaluable!

Learn when to shop for %26quot;prem%26quot; fares.

With her guide, I was able to purchase tickets from Paris to Lyon at a significant savings.

(Thanks again MorganB!)

They printed just fine with my inkjet on 8-1/2 x 11 paper.

Breakfast in Paris!

Where are your favourite places to have breakfast in Paris? I am staying around the Madeline area. But I would be interested in any places you know are really good in any area.

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I love the cafe next door to Pain Poilane on the Rue du Cherche Midi in the 6th. THey serve enormous quantities of Pain Poilane toasted with butter and jam, croissants, juice, and a huge bowl of coffee, tea or hot chocolate.

Les

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Removed on: 9:24 am, September 01, 2009

Paris to Calais - Dover to Essex

My family and I are travelling from Paris to Essex to pick up a motorhome for the England leg of our trip.

We intend to take the ferry from Calais to Dover and would like some advise on bus/coach travel from Paris to Calais and Dover to Essex.

We are unable to hire a car because the day we are travelling is Sunday and all places are closed.

Your advise would be greatly appreciated.

There are 5 of us travelling (Dad, Mum and three kids over 14)

Kind regards

Helen Milne

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Where in Essex are you trying to get to? It will help people to advise you.

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I think it%26#39;s going to be a bit of a mess but SNCF French railways to Calais, dependant on your time you%26#39;ll either go via Lille and arrive in Calais Centre or there are trains direct but these come into to Calais/Fréthun.

If Calais centre there are busses to the port, if Fréthun you%26#39;re going to have to take a taxi

Then once in Dover it%26#39;s a bus to Dover Priory and then onto Essex probably via London.

Why don%26#39;t you just rent the car in Paris a day early i.e. the Saturday?

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Or as pointed out in another post on this forum look at Eurolines as they run coaches from Paris to London cost is going to be about 34€ per person

http://www.eurolines.com/index.php?id=30

Probably your best option

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Removed on: 9:24 am, September 01, 2009

Transportation to Chamonix

We are taking a trip to France in September. We have most of the transportaion. We are taking the train from Paris to Annecy. From Annecy to chamonix is the question. The train would take approximately 3 hours with a train change. Is there any shuttles or buses that run to Chamonix on a regular basis? Any help would be appreciated.

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I%26#39;am afraid there are no regular buses from Annecy to Chamonix. There are taxis or mini buses services from Annecy, but it will be more expensive than the train (depending how many people you are on your group ?); have a look on this website :

www.annecyclic.com/affichage_rubrique.php…

For example this taxi company propose the transfer for 160 € :

www.adequat-transports.com/F/tarifs.php

Taking the train is long as you have a train change at Saint-Gervais, but the ride is very nice, with beautiful landscapes...

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Thanks Only-Lyon that helps immensely. I guess we%26#39;ll stick with the train.

Thanks once again.

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You%26#39;re welcome. I am sure you will enjoy your trip. Annecy and the Annecy Lake are very beautiful !

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Are you planning a day trip to Chamonix? Are you planning to return to Annecy from there or go on to some other destination? You use the word %26quot;we%26quot; so I assume that you are at least two people.

You might rent a car in Annecy. There are quite a few car rental agencies down by the train station. The drive to Chamonix is in the neighborhood of an hour. You could do the round trip in less time than one way by train. If you%26#39;re doing a day trip then you might be better of on price, too.

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Removed on: 10:16 am, September 01, 2009

Seine dinner cruise?

How good is the food on the Seine dinner cruises? Would we be better off having dinner at a restaurant and take a narrated cruise instead? The dinner cruise prices seem very steep for what could possibly be terrible food and wine. Any suggestions for restaurants close to the cruise? I was concidering Brasserie Zimmer. Can you start the cruise close to Notre Dame or do they all start at the Eiffle Tower? We will be there in June, how cool will it be at night?

Thanks for the advice.

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There are several Seine dinner cruises; wherever you purchase the tickets, ask questions, choose wisely. You don%26#39;t need to purchase prior to your arrival in France. Tickets for the boat trips are sold at many locations and easy to obtain. I don%26#39;t remember the name of the cruise, but we purchased our tickets at a location on the Champs Elysee, close to the Arch of Triomphe. The one we went on was excellent. The boat was beautiful and the dinner %26amp; wine excellent. There was a live band and dancing. A photographer was also on board for the purchase of photos if you like. They have the casual boat rides (that was fine too if you just want to see the sights) and the elegant ones. We were there last May. Mornings were very cool (50 degrees at most / turtleneck), afternoons warm (70-75 degrees / turtleneck was way too hot), evenings comfortable anywhere from 60-70). What was great was that it was light well into the late evenings (10 pm). Hope that helps.

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Thanks CQ that helps alot, I just had not read any reviews on the actual dinner, wine and service. Nice to know about the music and dancing as well, could be very romantic (it is our 15th wedding anniversary trip). Anyone know the name of the company perhaps?

Cheers

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Maybe

bateauxparisiens.com/OLD-SITE/…

Am looking for dinner cruises myself, missed this post in my search.

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There is one very close to Brasserie Zimmer, the Vedettes du pont neuf (vedettesdupontneuf.com). You could easily walk there from the Zimmer. It%26#39;s at the tip of the Ile de la Cite.

There is one really good dinner cruise, the Yachts de Paris, but it is very very expensive.

Les

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Thanks Les.

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No one in their right mind takes one of these dinner cruises expecting %26#39;..great food..%26#39;. There are two schools of thought on Seine Dinner Cruises:

The first is the %26#39;..smart money...%26#39;---that you have dinner at a better or less expensive restaurant ashore and then take a regular 1 hour Seine sightsseing cruise later.

The second is the %26#39;..go for the experience..%26#39;---that even indifferent champagnes and wines and okay-to-good food tastes infinitely better when the view over the rim of your flute is the illuminated facade of Notre Dame, Palais du Louvre or a %26#39;twinkling%26#39; Eiffel Tower slipping past your line-of-sight.

We%26#39;ve fall into the latter category on a couple of occasions (and probably will again on some future trip). The %26#39;..experiences..%26#39; have been fun. %26#39;..Touristy..%26#39;?? Certainly....but then so is going to the top of the Eiffel Tower, visiting Notre Damem Sainte-Chapelle, viewing the %26#39;Big Three%26#39; at the Louvre or the Impressionists at the d%26#39;Orsay.

Perhaps the best (relatively speaking) food served by any of the Seine dinner cruise operators is that aboard the YACHTS de PARIS boats...which will also be the most expensive of all of the various dinner cruises. Beyond this, the food on any of the rest will most likely be equally %26#39;..good..%26#39; from operator to operator.

www.bateaux-mouches.fr/English_index.htm

http://www.bateauxparisiens.com/english/main.htm\

http://www.vedettesdeparis.com/

www.yachtsdeparis.com/cruise,on,the,seine.php

http://www.marinadeparis.com/va/index.htm

http://www.parisseine.com/index.html

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Is Brasserie Zimmer good? We were also considering the dinner cruise, but with only two nights in Paris, I am skeptical about the food and don%26#39;t want to be disappointed. I was hoping to find a nice restaurant near to where we would get the boat - have dinner first and then do a later cruise.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks,

Donna

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Removed on: 7:20 pm, August 31, 2009

Early morning flight out of CDG

I have a very early morning flight out of CDG (i.e. have to leave my apartment in the 15th around 4 or 4:30am before the metro/RER start running). I am staying in an apartment not hotel so I cannot have them help me. What is the best way to get to CDG at that early hour? ARe there shuttles? If so, how reliable? Should I call a cab? If so, what cab companies are best? Thank you!

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What about the Air France bus at Charles De Gaulle-Etoilles (top of the Champs Elysees), they might run early in the morning.

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Roissybus begins service at 0600, the earliest AirFrance bus leaves l%26#39;Arc de Triomphe at 0545.

You could try Greyshuttle at:

http://www.greyshuttle.com/index.html

But I really believe a cab is your only real choice.

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I don%26#39;t know about Shuttle.

Something I know that works 100%: make a reservation for a taxi at Taxi G7 company the day before : telephone number for english language operator : 0141276699.

When the cab will arrive, there might be about 10 euro at taxi meter so the total cost to go to CDG might be about 60 euro, not more.

May be other Cab companies are as much efficent as Taxi G7, I don%26#39;t want to offence them !! But I never had problem with this one, so I continue to choose them.

Also web site where you can make a reservation on line : taxisg7.com, but unfortunatly it is only in french language.

Watch out : Most of taxis need to be paid cash, no credit card.

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Roger: thanks for this tip, it%26#39;s always good to know who is reliable.

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I second the %26quot;thank you%26quot; for a reliable cab company. We, too, have an early flight out of CDG, but I don%26#39;t think we need to leave our apt, in the 3rd, until probably 6 a.m. on a Sunday. Our apartment owner has made our taxi arrangements FROM the airport to the apartment, but I think we can make our own back, especially, if there is a way to speak to someone in English...my French is very limited.

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Removed on: 6:20 am, September 01, 2009

help needed please

we are travelling with a 4 year old so easiest route from CG airport is needed.

When we land what are the options to getting to Disney Land?

Is there a train/bus and if so how easy is this to find?

Also we would like a nice hotel near to the parks any info on hotels would also be great.

How do you buy the passes and how much is the cost ?

how many parks are there?

When people write that that ate in the village ,do they mean the parks.

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You can find details on the transport options bus/train/taxi here tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g226865-i2224-k118…

The busses are very easy to find - see their official website here http://www.vea.fr/uk/infos-horaires.asp

You buy the park passes either as part of a hotel deal with disney or separate. The prices depend on the number of days and time of year you are intending to go so if you could post that information that would be helpful.

There are two parks, the Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios. You can find a lot of information on them here http://www.disneylandparis.com/

And no - when people say that they ate in the Village they mean the Disney Village - you will find info on that in the link above - its outside the parks and consists of shops/restaurants/cinema/shows.

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Removed on: 8:20 am, September 01, 2009

Beaches & Nightlife

Hi All,

I have read many post and am slightly conderned.

I am looking for an area after we have completed the GR20 route for a bit of R%26amp;R.

We are 16 from the British Army and we will be looking for an area that has excellent beaches, and nightlife to match.

Some people seem to be saying Porto Vecchio is good, some saying its poor? could anyone advise?

The hotel we were going to book is now all full, so time is running short for us. we will be taking R%26amp;R from 14-16 June.

Also if anyone is in the same area at the same time, come and join us for a drink.

scott

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If you are doing the whole GR20 (and good luck to you, I wish I was up to it), it would make sense to spend your R%26amp;R time around Porto Vecchio where the beaches are wonderful. The problem is that Porto Vecchio is a lively town with restaurants and bars, but not within walking distance of any of the beaches that are so renowned - Palombaggio, Santa Guilia, San Cyprien, Pinarellu. There are plenty of hotels in that area so I suggest you look around there somewhere near one of those beaches and then travel in and out to Porto Vecchio at night.

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Yep, PV is your best bet. It kind of depends what you are looking for in terms of nightlife. You%26#39;ll find restaurants, bars and the odd sports bar in PV. What you won%26#39;t find are lots of late night clubs, dancing etc. But that sort of place is pretty thin on the ground on the whole island.

But my roving friend is right, you have to accept that the beach and the nightlife in town are about 5Km apart. Have a look at

http://www.multimap.com/maps/#t=l%26amp;map=41.59073,9.27949|13|4%26amp;loc=FR:41.59099:9.27949:14|porto%20vecchio|Porto-Vecchio,%20Corse-du-Sud

The beaches start on the headland just below the town, and they are pretty damned good. So stay up there and commute/taxi into town in the evening. Or vice versa.

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Porto Vecchio actually has THE nightclub of the island, i.e. the one all the young ones go to at least a couple of times during the season even if it means travelling some distance to get there:

http://www.vianotte.com/

It%26#39;s just off the Bonifacio road, south of Porto Vecchio.

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Scott, Porto Vecchio seems to be a god place IF you do the GR20 from North to South. However the trail can be walk in the opposite direction too. In that case you%26#39;ll end up in Calenzena/Calvi and there are many local experts for this area in this forum.

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Many thanks everyone for the responses.

we are doing the whole GR20, from North to South, being Army, should be easy enough and fun !! (Not).......

As much as i am trying to get a good hotel for the 2 nights R%26amp;R, everywhere is booking up fast or are full, but i shall be persistent in getting to Porto Vecchio.

How much would a taxi be to Via Notte from Porto Vecchio? we will travel to the beaches by day %26amp; stay in PV during the evening.

Thanks

Scott.

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Removed on: 1:16 pm, August 31, 2009