Preferences on when to buy airline tickets

I have always been a planner and buy my airline tickets 3-6 months in advance of my travel to Paris. But, I have a trip coming up in July to Paris and one in September and due to many factors I may only be able to purchase my tickets for both trips one month in advance.

I know it is luck of the draw with airline tickets, but I am just curious how many of you prefer to buy far in advance versus how many like to purchase last minute (inside 4-6 weeks of travel).

Which do you prefer and which way have you had more luck ??

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It depends on the season.

Last minute works great late January-March or very late September-November. By last minute, I do not mean inside 4-6 weeks travel. I mean within less than 14 days of travel, sometimes within 3 days.

July is peak season. The options are hideous. 4-6 Months in advance is best. With just one month in advance, prepare for the worst possible prices.

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I%26#39;ve bought really cheap tickets for September less than 3 weeks out, directly from nwa.com. In June, inside 30 days, I%26#39;d call a consolidator. I used to love Euram. Are they still around? Also, in the summer, since you%26#39;re in Atlanta, check the travel section of the AJC in the travel ads and see if there are any charters going to Paris with cheap $149 seats. The charter I used to work for had $99 each way fares from DTW-FRA and the booker used to put ads in the Detroit papers. They%26#39;re stand-by, but they%26#39;re usually there. Just expect a seat pitch of about 25%26quot; and really awful food. I definitely wouldn%26#39;t expect anything in June to suddenly pop up on any commercial carrier. Other possibilities are to check the early morning flights on BA out of NYC to Heathrow that arrive at 2000h. They%26#39;re usually pretty inexpensive (today is $920 midweek in June)....then you just have to get a cheap flight to NYC and the train to Paris. Sounds wacked....but sometimes its way cheaper.....(the cheapest fare on travelocity.com ATL-CDG same dates is $1311 on Continental and the average is $1544)....but when you get inside the 30-day mark, BA%26#39;s fare will still be the same. The other thing you can do inside the 30-day mark is find out what the lowest fare is (in Apollo it%26#39;s a $D or a $DD, but I don%26#39;t know what CRS you use), and then, regardless of whether the fare is available, use that number to bid on Priceline, as it seems to be the basis by which they approve or deny a bid. (That%26#39;s just a guess....I have no scientific data to support it other than I%26#39;ve had bids accepted twice using the theory). I have other ideas, but I won%26#39;t bore everyone with all of them....email me if you get stuck coming up with stuff.

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There is no rhyme or reason to airline ticket prices.

Buy when you think they are cheap - dont be surprised if they get cheaper.

This topic has been debated ad nauseum many times before in here - there is a serach fucntion so you can look for it before you post

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arrowcarpet, you offer some interesting suggestions regarding charters. I was not aware of the DTW charter, so I will look into it. Of course I have looked at consolidators but they are just as expensive as using mobissimo.com for searching airfare. I am amazed at summer rates. Of course I have not ever gone to Paris mid summer before, and so it is a rude awakening.

Wizard, I have been on this forum a while and I am aware and utilize the %26quot;search%26quot; feature constantly. However, it is not perfect when not searching a direct one or two word subject and I am not always the most patient. Beside, I know this is an objectional subject and I wanted opinions on summer vs. fall purchases. Sorry I annoy you.

What annoys me is airfare in general. I is impossible to understood it even after 15 years working in the business. It seems sometimes the more I understand, the less I understand.

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%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;Buy when you think they are cheap - dont be surprised if they get cheaper.%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;

True Wiz; but at the same time - just when you think prices have peaked, they get more expensive.

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Yeah, try 1300-1500 minimum for summer travel per ticket from ATL.....could it get much worse ??? (I know the answer) Ouch !!

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Removed on: 10:21 am, September 01, 2009

Travelling in Provence from June 18-23 and need help!!!!

My husband, our son, our nephew and myself are driving from Girona to Provence. I%26#39;ve found ttwo guest houses in Vezenobres that accomodate us easily and in our price range. Is this far from Avignon or Aix? We want to be flexible and jaunt around.

We are at that discouraged part of the planning.

ANy help woudl be appreciated.

Thanks, Kelly

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You can go to www.mappy.fr to check out driving directions and distances.

According to Mappy, your drive would take 1 hour 5 minutes to get to Avginon from Vezenobres.

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My husband and I are traveling with our 17 year old daughter throughout Provence. We%26#39;ve chosen to stay in three different guesthouses starting near Avignon and ending up in Vence outside Nice. I suggest you pick one or two questhouses or B%26amp;B%26#39;s that offer a %26quot;family room.%26quot; This is usually a suite of two rooms that share a bathroom and is more economical than two bedrooms with baths.

If you stay near Avignon, then you can get just about anywhere in Provence within an hour%26#39;s dirive. This would be easier than going different places each night. Try websearch for chambres d%26#39;hote or the site, www.fleursdusoleil.com which has many lovely, small and inexpensive B%26amp;Bs. Many of them offer the family suites I mentioned.

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Removed on: 1:18 pm, September 01, 2009

Restaurants near Hotel L'Oasis

We will arrive in Nice early evening on a Saturday, and don%26#39;t want to wander too far from Rue Gounod for a meal that night. Can anyone recommend any nearby restaurants, preferably French? Will we need to book a table? Thanks.

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We stayed in Rue Gounod a few weeks ago. The walk to the promenade is five minutes then about fifteen minutes walk along the promenade to the Old Town . There you will have a wide selection of restaurants. Walking back is safe. We did it at 11 at night the promenade was busy, families with prams strolling along etc.. Dont know about any nearby restaurants.

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Removed on: 12:19 pm, September 01, 2009

paris visite pass or museum pass + carnat? Please help!!

We are arriving on a Thursday morning and departing on the following Tuesday. We have too much luggage to use the RER from CDG so we will use the greyline shuttle for transfers to airports( unless someone can recommend a better option). Question - should we buy a couple of carnats and museum passes or should we purchase 2 - 5 day paris visite passes?

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The Paris Visite pass is soley a transportation pass with some discount priviledges, so there really is no comparing it with a Museum Pass/Carnet combination.

What you really want to compare is the difference between a single %26quot;T%26quot; Ticket (€1,40), a Carnet (10 %26quot;T%26quot; tickets for €10,90), a Paris Visite pass (http://www.parisvisite.com), or a daily Mobilis pass (€5,50 unlimited Zones 1-2) to determine which is the most cost effective for you. In terms of transportation alone, the Paris Visite pass is rarely cost effective, however, you%26#39;ll want to look at the %26quot;Benefits%26quot; to see if you can take advantage of any of the special offers to determine whether or not, as a whole, the pass may be beneficial to you.

The Paris Museum Pass is single pass that covers around 60 or so Paris Museums and popular Monuments for 2, 4 or 6 days, all completely separate from the %26quot;benefits%26quot; associated with the PV pass. http://www.parismuseumpass.com

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Thank you. I realize now that I was in error when I said%26quot; paris visit pass%26quot;. What I was looking at was the%26quot; Paris Pass%26quot;. Are you familiar with it?

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The Paris Pass, as best as most of us can tell without having actually purchased it, is a combination of the Paris Visite pass and the Museum Pass. They play up the the benefits available from the Paris Visite pass, and apparently may or may not add a few extras that aren%26#39;t included in either...like free tickets on l%26#39;Open Tour. The general consensus amongst regular visitors and posters to this board is that it is an enormous waste of money. If you do a search, you%26#39;ll find a post I did a few months ago comparing the costs of purchasing the Paris Pass from their website, vs. purchasing the two products separately once you arrive (both are super simple to buy), and you%26#39;ll see the cost difference. It%26#39;s huge.

I wouldn%26#39;t give it a second thought, and believe it%26#39;s a product simply for those who can be duped into buying it, although I%26#39;m certain the people who package and sell it do it with the best intentions and honestly believe they%26#39;re providing a service.

Search for my previous post and you%26#39;ll see the cost difference.

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Removed on: 5:17 pm, September 01, 2009

Where to stay?

Hello all,

We will be traveling from the ferry port at Calais in june,on route to Evian les Bains.

Need advice on where to have an overnight stop.

Need somewhere about 3/4 hrs drive from Calais----as not to have too long a drive the next day.

Cheers

Mary

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Whenever I travel in France I use the Logis de France network as these hotels tend to be family run guesthouses in the main. 3-4 hours out of Calais on the road to Evian will put you somewhere around Troyes if you sticking to motorway all the way through.

Bonne Route

http://www.logis-de-france.fr/uk/index.htm

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Whenever I travel in France I use the Logis de France network as these hotels tend to be family run guesthouses in the main. 3-4 hours out of Calais on the road to Evian will put you somewhere around Troyes if you sticking to motorway all the way through.

Bonne Route

http://www.logis-de-france.fr/uk/index.htm

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Hi,

thanks for your reply.

We are looking at Troyes or Chalon-en-Champagne,never having been to either place before--don%26#39;t know where to choose.

We are traveling on a sunday,so i guess it will be quiet most places.

Thanks,

Mary

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It%26#39;ll be quiter than July %26amp; August that%26#39;s for sure, if you looking at Châlons/Troyes you shouldn%26#39;t have any problems as this is really the French desert there isn%26#39;t much around between the 2 locations. I stayed in Arcis-sur-Aube on the way down to Provence one year, nice and quiet but don%26#39;t expect any nightlife

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Hi there,

We have stayed at the Royal in Troyes - cross the road and you are into the old town and Le Renard in Chalons en Champagne. Both are Logis de France. See reviews in Tripadvisor.

Cheers

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Hello all,

looking at staying at the De La Poste hotel in Chalons-Les -Champagne (sunday)reasonable rate with dinner.

Hoping a few shops will be open on the monday,but I%26#39;m sure I%26#39;ve

read somewhere that lots of shops shut on this day---hope not,as I want to purchase a few bottle%26#39;s of bubbly!

Mary

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Sorry about the spelling mistake above.

Don%26#39;t know my Les from my En%26#39;s!!

Mary

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Removed on: 1:16 pm, August 30, 2009

taxi to eze

How much would it cost for a taxi from villefranche to eze? We will be in villefranche for 1 day off our cruise.Any ideas what we could do

Thanks

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you can get the bus from villefranche to eze and it is about a ten min. hike. well worth seeing

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Susan,

If you can get from Eze Bord de Mer to Eze Village in ten minutes on foot you could make a fortune as a professional athlete. I am a former international cross country runner and, although old and weary, am still fairly fit but have never managed to get under 20 mins. (and I wasn%26#39;t hanging about!)

Benji,

Get the bus to Nice, check bus times to Eze and then have a stroll around Nice old town, which is just across the road from the bus station. From Eze you could consider going to Monaco (not my cup of tea but some people love it) and then train or bus to Villefranche. This would be a circular trip with absolutely spectacular views and not more than 5 miles between any of the places mentioned. The walk from Eze Bord de Mer to Eze Village is quite a bit longer and steeper than the climb from Belfast Castle to the top of the Cave Hill! Many years ago, I lived on the Antrim Road and often climbed up to McArts Fort on summer evenings.

Taxi direct to Eze Village would be around 30 euros but get a price from the driver before you set off.

On Tuesday I was approached by some very nervous Spaniards in Eze Bord de Mer whose cruise ship was leaving Villefranche at 7.00pm with or without them on it. I was confident they would make it easily but a missing bus and roadworks meant they arrived with about ten minutes to spare.

You will love the area. Just as spectacular as the Antrim coast but with better weather!

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LondonBob:

Last year I walked from Eze Bord de Mer to Eze Village. I%26#39;m no athlete, but I%26#39;m not a wimp either. A sign at the beginning of the rocky winding path up the hill stated an estimated walk of about one hour. I found that to be a reasonable estimate, though my walk was a bit shorter.

Question - is there another path (paved) that I missed? I found the climb more challenging on account of having to watch my step for fear of spraining an ankle.

Mike

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Hello Mike,

Curiously, having done the walk probably around 50 times, I spotted another path this week starting a few hundred yards further west but it was signposted Col D%26#39;Eze (I think) rather than Eze Village, so I just stuck to the normal route.

To answer your question, there is no alternative route, other than the road used by the bus which is probably three times longer. As I have said before on TA, I would be very interested to see what a young, fit athlete could do for this. I have seen one of the top Kenyan runners training in the area and I would be fairy sure that someone like that would get under ten minutes. Perhaps one of the local billionaires could offer a million or so for the first person to do so? I think that would stimulate quite a bit of interest.

I am gradually getting back to fitness after a couple of years of health problems caused by dishonest dentists. I am hoping by the autumn to be able to have a real go at getting up reasonably quickly!

Bob

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villefranche - eze village

by taxi = about 40 - 50 euros

By bus

First Bus n° 100 - Villefranche to Eze sur mer

second bus N°83 - Eze sur mer to Eze Village

About 15 - 20 min each bus

N° 100 is running every 20 min and n° 83 every hour

1,30 euro each bus

you can check timetable : www.lignedazur.com

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NFR, Are you sure a taxi would be that much? Airport to Villefranche is usually around 55 euros for 13 kms and V%26#39;franche to Eze is only 7 kms.

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the problem londonjob is the taxi in the french riviera and their cost !!

a lot of taxi doesn%26#39;t ask the right price

I%26#39;m sure a taxi from Eze village to Eze sur mer is 30 euros (less than 10 km !!)

a taxi from Eze village to Nice center is 45 / 50 euros

So may be a taxi villefranche to eze will be 35 / 45

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but the problem also it%26#39;s a people from cruise, if he doesn%26#39;t speak french...

it%26#39;s not a local people

cruise = $$$$ for local business

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Thanks for info.Im going to take your advise Londonbob and take the bus,we have around 9 hours so i think we ll have plenty of time even if we miss a bus.We leave in 3 weeks so not long to wait

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Interested to hear that LondonBob used to walk up to the top of the Cave Hill in Belfast. Many, many years ago our annual school cross country run used to follow part of that route. Even then I could just about make it.

My wife recently walked DOWN from Eze village to Eze Bord de Mer with a friend and advised me NEVER to try it in the other direction. She knows a coronary likely to happen when she sees one.

Do they sell disposable digital cameras?

I had bought one two years ago in the U.S. and it was great. Can you buy these in Paris?

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As far as i am aware, there is no such thing any more. The last data I can find on them is from 2004

Digital cameras are now so cheap that disposables just arent worth the effort

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I know they are very inexpensive now but I have a 12 year old son that I am sendng off for 2 weeks to a soccer camp so wanted to send something that wouldn%26#39;t bother me if he lost it.

Kids these days think that IPods and cell phones are easliy replaceable so I was trying to go cheap.

Thanks

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Yes, my daughter bought a few a tabacs and used those to take pictures and brought them home to be developed.

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Yes, disposable cameras are readily available. Any supermarket will carry them.

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Kelmani was refering to DIGITAL disposable camera%26#39;s - I%26#39;ve never seen them anywhere, but there appears to be one manufacturer of these (www.puredigitalinc.com). In view of the fact that all the retailers mentioned on their site are US-based (and also the fact that you have to send in the camera to obtain the prints) I doubt that you%26#39;ll find this camera outside of the US.

You can get a simple, new digital camera for less than €100 - the PureDigital camera doesn%26#39;t seem to offer many advantages. You%26#39;re basically renting a camera for 20$ - you have to return the camera once you%26#39;ve taken 25 pics, and need to pay for the prints separately...

Toys %26#39;r%26#39; us are mentioned on the PureDigital site and also have shops in France - you could ask them?

Plain (analog) digital camera%26#39;s are widely available in Europe, for as little as a few euro%26#39;s.

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Sorry, that last line should read:

Plain (analog) disposable camera%26#39;s are widely available in Europe, for as little as a few euro%26#39;s.

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I%26#39;m trying to think back to when I bought it in the U.S and now can%26#39;t remember if it was a Digital or just that when I had the photos devolped they could put them on a CD.

Is that possible? Having a disposable camera and having the photos put onto a cd when you have them printed?

I%26#39;ve been living in Saudi Arabia for the past 2 years so I feel like I%26#39;ve been in the dark ages, ha ha

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%26gt;Having a disposable camera and having the photos put onto a cd when you have them printed?

At least in Germany it is a standard procedure. Don%26#39;t know about US.

In any case, buying an used %26quot;normal%26quot; digital camera on Ebay for 20-30 Euro or equivalent in US$ is extremely easy and more useful than hunting for these disposable things.

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Removed on: 1:16 pm, September 01, 2009

Where to stay?

My husband and I and our 14-year-old son are planning a trip to Nice or thereabouts in June. Am wondering whether we should try to stay in Nice (and accommodations there are already scarce) or stay in a smaller city/town and rent a car? Looking for charm, good food, and interesting things to see. My son is a very good traveler and doesn%26#39;t mind museums and the like.

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Greetings dcsnoozy,

You might consider Antibes as an alternate to Nice. It%26#39;s quaint, but with much going on without the hordes of crowds in Nice. Some great restaurants, and the beaches are more user friendly, with sand, and not uncomfortable pebbles to struggle on. You also have Marineland for your son, who will find it great as well as yourselves. Two new shows opened last month, birds of prey,ie. eagles, falcons, vultures, and owls performing free flights over the audience. A new penguin exhibit opened as well, 40 born in Marineland. The dolphins remain one of the most enjoyable in the park. It%26#39;s a full days adventure, and the full day pass is 34 euros, but well worth it, with much that I haven%26#39;t mentioned. For Museums, you have the Picasso, and you always can scoot into Nice for the Modern, or the Chagall. Do some homework on some areas around Antibes, like the glass blowing town of Biot, or a free tour of a candy making factory at Le Pont du Loup, as well as two wonderful towns of Vence,and St Paul deVence. Just some ideas, but I%26#39;m sure that you%26#39;ll create your own adventures. Whatever or wherever, enjoy!

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I would second Antibbes - we only did a lunch stop buy really enjoyed the town. The market was interesting. The Picasso Museum was closed but should be reopened by now. It would be a convenient base for the area. We did stay in Nice and enjoyed being there also. It is larger but very has a %26quot;homey%26quot; feel. The market area is fun and there are lots of sites to see. The ocean views are beautiful and The Promenade and pedestrian areas were great for strolling . We stayed at the Villa Victroria and found a fine palce to stay - It%26#39;s about four blocks up from the ocean, with clean rooms and moderrn bathrooms. We found it reasonably priced for the area also.

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I should have mentioned that the candy making factory is Confiserie Florian, and tours are given in English

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I would always go for Nice, sea, flower market, museums and galleries and good bus service to nearby villages and towns, try Le Royal on Prom des Anglais, reasonably priced hotel, next to the action,.

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eze village or villefranche

between nice and monaco

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Hi, I%26#39;d always stay in Nice and then do the day trips. Its fantastic at the start of the season May / June when the locals are excited to see tourists and not fed up of them like they can be by Sept / Oct.

It has all the charm you need and public transport is so good you do not need a car.

I know good accommodation can be scarce but I think things have changed over the last couple of years. Have you thought of an apartment?

www.nicepebbles.com have some great ones and I have now stayed with them a few times, or you can look at www.holidayrentals.com where there are hundreds of good apartments to choose from. I used to always stay in hotels but discovered how good apartments can be about 4 years ago and have not looked back.

If you are more of a hotel sort, then the Suisse is good,on the edge of the Old Town or try www.villa-la-tour.fr in the Old Town.

I%26#39;m a real foodie and I don%26#39;t think Nice can be beaten for the food. See some of my old reviews for food recommendations, or try www.allaboutnice.com for some tips.

If you decide against Nice then Villefranche would be my second choice.

Have a fantastic time..

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Removed on: 11:20 am, September 01, 2009

review La Sambora Restaurant , rue Pastorelli, Nice

We enjoyed our stay at Nice Riviera Hotel from 24th to 28th April and chose to eat nearby. We ate three times at this little restaurant La Sambora, because it was nearby but also because I was very pleased that the chef took the time each time to tell me about the food and how he had prepared it. He realised that I was a very keen cook and he had enough English to explain his methods. There was a wood oven in this small rest aurant which gave a lovely flavour to the pizzas. His lasagne was delicious and a really good helping. His creme caramel was far superior to mine. We weren%26#39;t ripped off for drinks which was a bonus. I was impressed with all the restaurant menus and the diners in amny restaurants seemed to be eating substantial appetising food.

La Sambora is a small place and the clientele appeared to be locals by the way they were chatting to the management. this is always a good sign. There is a very small table by the window. We managed to have that each time, otherwise we would have been on top of other diners.

Now trying to follow chef%26#39;s instructions for his lasagne.

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Thanks for the tip. Could you please give the location of La Sambora? Thank you!

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This was our first visit to Nice and I have to say that the other places that we ate in were also very good. If you have the fixed price menu it is considerably cheaper. I made a point of looking at lots of menus and attempting to unobtrusively look at the meals being served. I thought the standard generally was very good. I did try crepe suzette but disappointed that I couldn%26#39;t taste the liqueur supposedly poured over.

We do not eat out much because generally we will argue when my husband makes a casual remark like %26quot;How much would it cost you to make this? ....or how long would it take you to cook this meal? or more usually %26quot;Very nice for you to have a meal made for you...but I don%26#39;t think it is anywhere near as good as your cooking%26quot;.....Husband thinks he is being very romantic when he says that....not giving me guilt feelings that the price of the meal would make twenty meals at home!!!!!!!!!!

I enjoyed my food in Nice.....so what?

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thank you Tightwads: La Sambora is a new one on me. We will give it a try late this summer. Sometimes restaraunts that the locals frequent are only so so but sometimes they turn out to be very good or even great like le tine bouchon.

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Tightwads,

Thanks so much for the tip - I love new restaurants to try.

Can you help me with the general region of the food, it sounds like cheap and cherful italian pizza, pasta sort of thing?

Or is the menu more varied and prices higher than I think?

I just want to decide whether to go for lunch or dinner and on what night of the week. I can then put it into my schedule in June.

Thanks so much.

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Removed on: 5:18 pm, September 01, 2009

CDG to Hilton Arc de Triomphe

This is my first time to Paris, and I am having trouble figuring out the best way to get from the airport to the Hilton Arc de Triomphe. It looks like the train is the best way, but other than that I do not know much more. If you have any info, or know of any helpful links, please post. Your assistance is very much appreciated!

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If you don%26#39;t wish to spring for a taxi, take the Air France Bus to Place Charles de Gaulle [Arc de Triomphe]. There is a taxi rank right across the street from the stop, or you can take the 22 or 52 city bus.

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Air France Shuttle Bus take about 40-45 minutes departing from terminals 1 and 2 (connect via shuttle train from terminal 3) and is cheap 13 euros each way or 20 euros for round trip. I am not sure where the Hilton is but Air France Shuttle will drop you right at the Arc de Triomphe( 2nd stop, I think there is only two stops), Metro (subway) can be accessed at same location if you need it. If you have an early departure when leaving Paris the Shuttle%26#39;s first bus leaves the Arc De Triomphe for CDG at 0545 am (if doing this get the round trip ticket to save money).

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Just returned from Paris. My hotel was two blocks from the Arc. I took the Air France public shutle bus. Very easy. The bus is outside exit gate 2A.

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I%26#39;m also staying at the Hilton. We arrive on 6/7. I%26#39;m planning on taking the metro to save money. After much research and contacting the hotel this is what I found out. RER B to La Chapelle Metro...switch to #2 La Chapelle to Courcelles. Hotel is a short walk from Courcelles station. I believe the cost is about 8 euros. If you look at a metro map it is pretty direct. Please let me know how the hotel is and how you get there, if traveling before me. Have Fun.

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Coming off the RER at Gare du Nord, you take Metro line 4 to Barbes-Rochechoart and transfer to line 6.

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If you have lots of luggage to tote using the Metro may not be pleasant especially if the walk is long or there is no working elevator.. We also used the Air France bus. They stowed our luggage under the bus and we didn%26#39;t have to deal with it again till we disembarked at the Arc. There is a taxi stand right at that spot if you have any distance to go. We thought it was so much better than struggling through the Metro while jet lagged.

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I stayed at the Hilton Arc de Triomphe last November and am staying there again this week. It is a lovely hotel - and i am very excited about the fact that I am lucky enough to have gotten a room again.

I do not like to hassle with my luggage - pulling it through the streets and metro%26#39;s etc so I use a shuttle service. In the past I have used (and am going to book again) with Manu (manu@parismyway.com) of Paris My Way

Tel : +33-(0)1-3969-1815

Fax : +33-(0)1-3969-3504

www.parismyway.com

Regards

Buck

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Thank you all so much for the info! I feel a lot more comfortable now. It sounds like the Air France shuttle bus is the best.

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Removed on: 5:18 pm, September 01, 2009

Concerts

Hello

How would I find out if there are any concerts happening 30th June - 2nd July? I%26#39;m into anything from classical (in the right setting) to rock...

Cheers

Shelley :)

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www.fnac.fr

on top line click on Spectacles or Concerts

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Thanks toutou! :)

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When you get into town, pick up a copy of L%26#39;Officiel des Spectacles (concert schedule) at any newstand. They used to be 0.35€ but prices have been going up on everything.

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Removed on: 6:16 pm, September 01, 2009

Hotels close to the Westin Trianon Palace?

Greetings all,

Already posted this in the Paris Forum but thought I%26#39;d give it a go here as well.

Could anybody advise me regarding decent accomodation as close as possible to the Westin Trianon Palace and Spa in Versailles? I need to be there on business but the Trianon is fully booked for the dates I need.

Appreciate any assistance,

CheeseburgerParadise

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The only thing close (well, the only thing, for that matter) that%26#39;s even remotely comparable is the Sofitel...and I stress the word %26quot;remotely%26quot;. But it will be comfortable, and it%26#39;s just a 10 (maybe a slow 15) minute walk from the TP. If you want something more quaint, but in a completely different class and 1/5 of the price of TP, you might contact Le Cheval Rouge. I%26#39;ve stayed at the CR once before, and will stay there again for 3 days in October.

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Many thanks for the advice.

Sofitel fully booked as well.

Found the last available room in a hotel that - at least as far as I can tell from their webpage - looks nice. Person I spoke to on the phone was very friendly.

Hotel “le Versailles”

7 rue sainte Anne

Will report back on it when I return.

|||

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Removed on: 2:19 pm, September 01, 2009

Restaurants near Hotel L'Oasis

We will arrive in Nice early evening on a Saturday, and don%26#39;t want to wander too far from Rue Gounod for a meal that night. Can anyone recommend any nearby restaurants, preferably French? Will we need to book a table? Thanks.

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Hi,

Finding great new restaurants in Nice is becoming my big indulgence. I%26#39;m but I am afraid I can%26#39;t think of a good restaurant around Rue Gounod that I have been to,

But can I suggest one that is on my list for my next trip which seems fairly nearby:

Stephane Viano, 26 Boulevard Victor Hugo.

Tel: 04.93.82.48.63.

I%26#39;ve got it noted because the chef got a great review in a food magazine I read recently.

If you go, please do report back.

I%26#39;m due to visit in late June and am planning a visit.

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There are two restaurants nearby that I can recommend for great value French/Niçoise cuisine - Chez Davia on rue Grimaldi (+334 93 87 91 39) and the Restaurant Voyageur Nissart on rue Alsace-Lorraine (+334 93 82 19 60).

They are both very popular so I suggest getting there early at opening time or booking a table in advance.

Bon Apetit!

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Removed on: 6:19 am, August 17, 2009

Daytrip Suggestions

Hello Everyone,

I am traveling alone the last week of August and staying in Paris for 7 nights. I am planning 2 daytrips to: 1) Lourdes 2) Avignon area. I have read up on the areas and checked out current train schedules to get an idea of trip lengths, etc. Lourdes looks like 5 hours there and back and I am thinking of spending just a couple of hours there or maybe take a night train back to Paris to give me more time, any ideas? Based on train schedules now, it looks like I would have approx. 9 - 10 hours for the Avignon area. I know this isn%26#39;t much, but I just want a taste, so I can go back and just spend time in Provence next time around. I will be taking TGVs. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Denise

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PersonallyI think you will be doing yourself a dis-service by merely staying a few hours in Lourdes, but if time really is of the essence, then I would definetely suggest you maximise your stay by taking the night train back to Paris. Apart from visiting the Grotto/baths etc., be sure to attend the blessing of the sick ceremony which commences each day. at 5pm when the Blessed Sacrament is processed along with hundreds of pilgrims ,from opposite the Grotto, then along the esplanade, culminating in Benedication inside the underground basilica of Pius X. Depending on your departure time, you should also endeavour to attend the nightly %26#39;Marial%26#39; candlelight procession which commences at 9pm. For further information check out the official Lourdes website www.lourdes-france.com/indexSanctuaries.php… and under Sanctuaries click on Timetable

|||

Thank you for the information. I will definitely keep that in mind. Sorry it took so long to respond.

|||

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Removed on: 1:25 am, September 01, 2009

Daytrip Suggestions

Hello Everyone,

I am traveling alone the last week of August and staying in Paris for 7 nights. I am planning 2 daytrips to: 1) Lourdes 2) Avignon area. I have read up on the areas and checked out current train schedules to get an idea of trip lengths, etc. Lourdes looks like 5 hours there and back and I am thinking of spending just a couple of hours there or maybe take a night train back to Paris to give me more time, any ideas? Based on train schedules now, it looks like I would have approx. 9 - 10 hours for the Avignon area. I know this isn%26#39;t much, but I just want a taste, so I can go back and just spend time in Provence next time around. I will be taking TGVs. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Denise

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Now that%26#39;s what I call speed tourism!

The areas you mention are not really for day trips and France is a vast country. Do not be fooled into thinking that because their high speed trains shorten journey times otherwise - both places are in the region of 700km from Paris.

There is enough to do in Paris for 7 days without taking large chunks out sitting on a train.

If you must get out of Paris spend two days in Avignon.

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We spent 8 nights in Paris and still didn%26#39;t get to see everything we wanted to see. I too would hate you to cut into your Paris time with day trips; but if you really want to experience some of the French countryside, I would suggest someplace much closer like the Champagne region or Loire Valley. I know someone who did a day trip to the Champagne region while they were staying in Paris so that is definitely do-able.

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I agree with what has been said.

I have taken the TGV from Avignon to Paris and back in one day for a business trip. I took the 6 am train out of Avginon and was in Paris at 8:40 am. Went to several meetings and returned on a 5:30 pm train. It will never allow you enough time to see anything but the center of Avignon. Plus, you will be very rushed. I don%26#39;t recommend it. Perhaps you can come back another time when you have more time.

You might consider places closer to Paris for a one day excursion outside of the city.

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Thank you all for the information! I have been to Paris before, so I am not as concerned about having enough time there. After everyone%26#39;s comments, however, I might revisit my plans and do a daytrip somewhere closer to Paris. Thanks again! If anyone has any ideas on places closer to Paris, it would be much appreciated!

Toutou - thanks for the tip sheet, as it turned out I won%26#39;t be able to use it this time around, but I am definitely SAVING it for next time!

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Removed on: 11:20 am, August 31, 2009

a new life

We have five kids aged 7yrs to 15 yrs, and dream of a new life away from britain, my husband is an elctrician and im an artist. How would we go about finding employment and accomodation schools ect if we decided on Corsica for our home?

Any information would be appreciated.

yours Rootlee

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Perhaps you could post the same question here:

www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/

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I don%26#39;t want to sound sniffy, but I couldn%26#39;t help noticing that the phrase %26quot;away from Britain%26quot; appears in your post before any mention of Corsica. The few Brits I know who have come to live here do so because they love the place, not because they hate the UK.

Your husband%26#39;s skill is probably transferrable - with some retraining. The French system of wiring is different from Britain%26#39;s as he will no doubt know. Corsica has a thriving art, music and ceramics scene in which you might thrive, but Corsica can be impenetrable to outsiders and my guess is that you%26#39;d find it a tough nut to crack.

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Removed on: 1:20 am, August 31, 2009

Just got back from Avignon...

Hi All,

My husband and I just got back from avignon, very nice. Also, for those who recommended renting a car...THANK YOU, a car is a must, otherwise you%26#39;ll miss all the beautiful country side. Driving is easy, we barely used our map.

As for Avignon, had we known we would have stayed around 2 days at most (yes, it is a good central point to see other places) but I would have love to stay in other B%26amp;B%26#39;s outside of Avignon.

Our trip was great, thanks all for your help.

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Glad you had a great time---Avignon is beautiful. Did you have a hard time finding a parking space? I had to drive around a long time before finding one last year, but that was in late June. The countryside is wonderful. Did you drive to Arles? The fields of lavender and sunflowers looked just like a postcard!

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We had no problems w/ finding a parking spot. We were right on the wall and we always found a spot.

We didn%26#39;t go to Arles, no sufficient time but we did go to Gordes/Les Baux/Isle Sur La Sorgue/Fountaine de Vaucluse and lastly we took off to Paris for a day and half (my husband insisted in going since we had never been), he was right though, we couldn%26#39;t leave france w/ out seeing Paris.

Great trip.

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Told you...you wouldn%26#39;t need your map much!!!! Next time look into Chateau Talaud....15 minutes from Avignon.

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Hello

My husband and I are going to be in Provence for 5 nights. I am overwhelmed with where to start, stay. We were thinking 2 nights 1 night 2 nights in different places.

Any help would be appreciated!!!

Gloria

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Hi Gloria,

Welcome to the TA community. I think you%26#39;ll find lots of help here - the level of experience is incredible.

Some suggestions to get you started: first, use the forum search feature as there is lots of good current info that%26#39;s already been discussed.

If that doesn%26#39;t cover your needs then you should initiate a separate post on the forum. You%26#39;ll get best results if you provide some specificity such as areas you%26#39;ll be visiting, date of travel, interests, etc.

The best place to start is, of course, your public library for two or three guidebooks to help refine your planning. There%26#39;s a lot of good stuff out there and my recommendations would be the Rick Steves%26#39; book, the DK series and the Fodors.

Good luck with your planning!

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Hi Gloria

if you base yourselves centrally in the Luberon you could see most of the area from one base. look at B%26amp;Bs in the luberon on this site.

Enjoy Provence

Wilko

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Hello GLoria,

I have just finished planning an eleven day trip to Provence and Cote d%26#39;Azur. After much research, I learned that the distance between towns in Provence is not far and I decided to stay in B%26amp;amp;Bs. We%26#39;ll have two nights in Ventabren and four nites in Isle d%26#39;Sorgue at B%26amp;amp;Bs that offer two room suites to accomodate myself and my husband and our teenage daughter.

We prefer this over staying in the busy towns, which we will visit during the day. We also want to visit the vineyards of Chateneuff du Pape, Rhone Valley and Luberon. Rather than moving around a lot, I suggest you decide on a home base in the middle or upper part of Provence, between Avignon and Apt.

I always rely upon Trip Advisor when selecting hotels but didn%26#39;t find much advice for B%26amp;amp;Bs so I reserched several sites. www.Fleursdusoleil.com is a very nice site, featuring smaller, but lovely guesthouses. Good luck.

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%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;www.Fleursdusoleil.com is a very nice site, featuring smaller, but lovely guesthouses%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;

You may want to check this source for B %26amp; Bs Par%26amp;George, it appears to be a business in California.

Gloria,

I do not like to spend time searching for hotels. If I had 5 nights to spend in Provence I should stay 3 nights in Avignon and 2 somewhere else (there is a large possibility of appropriate locations). I prefer a bigger town as we enjoy restaurants and Avignon has a good number.

A word of caution: never drive after having consumed more than one glass of wine (assuming you enjoy the local product). The French are very intolerant of driving and drinking. This is a main reason I always dine at a restaurants within walking distance and therefor prefer towns as a base.

If you are looking for B%26amp;Bs, and they are an excellent choice for travel accommodations, they are easier to find if you search for Chambres d%26#39;Hotes as they are called in France. Here is the best source:

gites-de-france.com/gites/fr/chambres_d_hotes

I prefer the hotels found here:

http://www.silencehotel.com/

http://www.logis-de-france.fr/

http://www.tables-auberges.com/

http://www.moulinetape.com/

Lastly, I have found the only consistently reliable reference for hotels and restaurants is the Michelin Red Guide, available through all of the normal bookstore sources.

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www.Fleursdusoleil.com is a very nice site, featuring smaller, but lovely guesthouses. Good luck.

I tried cutting and pasting this link to take a look. I got a flower design site. Could the address be different?

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www.Fleursdusoleil.com is a very nice site, featuring smaller, but lovely guesthouses. Good luck.

I tried cutting and pasting this link to take a look. I got a flower design site. Could the address be different?

Metro info needed from Moulin Rouge to Hotel Louvre Rivoli

My wife and I have reservations for the 11 pm show on June 14th at the Moulin Rouge (82 Boulevard de Clichy, Paris 75018). We are staying at the Hotel Louvre Rivoli (7 rue Jean Lantier, 75001).

By the time the show lets out, is the Metro still running? If so, what train would we take? If it isn%26#39;t running, what public transit would we take to get back to the hotel?

Thanks in advance.

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Hi;

The metro shuts down from 12:30 to 1am depending on the line.

If you want to take a bus it would probably be easiest to walk the two-three blocks to Place de Clichy and then take the N15 bus to Les Halles and you have a 6 minute walk from there.

Go to www.ratp.fr and you can check the schedules and options.

I%26#39;d really think of taking a cab.

Enjoy.

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Thanks for the info.

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Removed on: 9:20 pm, August 31, 2009

Need help: cannot workout the SNCF schedule for 05/26

Trying to get to Chantilly and back on May 26th 2007. Want to leave Paris (Gare du Nord) in the morning some time and return to paris from SNCF Chantilly-Gouvieux in the mid afternoon. Some articles say that the trains leave every hour; others say only a few a day - and then when I try to use SCNF all I get is confused!

Can any one tell me how many trains leave in the morning and come back in the afternnon ( and at what times?)? Also _ i read that you have to get to the station at least 30 minutes early to buy the ticket - is this what I should plan?

May 26th is Saturday.

Thanks for any and all help

Buck.

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I am trying to remember which train I took a couple of years ago. I believe it turned out that both RER trains and also %26quot;regular%26quot; trains ran the same route which is why it got confusing. You might want to specifically check the site that show RER schedules.

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Use this one for travel in the Paris area:

http://idf.sncf.fr/GB/default.htm

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Removed on: 5:19 pm, September 01, 2009

Calling all men...razors in carry-on bag????

Need some help here...

I have a very expensive razor..it is the only thing I can use. I can%26#39;t use disposable cheap ones, due to sensitive skin. I am trying to consolidate everything into a carry-on size bag. My question is, am I allowed to have a razor in a carry-on these days? I can%26#39;t have them confiscate this...it is a $30 razor!

My only other thought was bringing the razor w/o the blades and buying the blades in Paris, but I don%26#39;t know if they carry double edge stainless steel blades in Paris.

Any help/advise would be appreciated.

Thanks

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I think the answer to this is that you can have a disposable razor such as bic in carry on; not a proper one. Someone posted this same question of airtravel forum. Anyone else know about this?

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I typed; carry on restriction into Google and got this page. With legal questions it is probably best not to ask opinions but to go to the relevant government authority

tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permi…

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Wiz is correct of course, asking the TSA directly is the solution.

Curiously, razor blades are not difficult to carry on board an aircraft. They usually pass through security with no difficulity.

However; a can of shaving cream? Now that%26#39;s a different story.

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Got to be a definite %26#39;No%26#39;. It would come under %26#39;sharp objects%26#39; and when you check in you are asked if you have any sharp objects in your hand luggage. You could lie but I wouldn%26#39;t recommend it.

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Ok,

Thanks for the help! So, it%26#39;s a no...now, has anyone ever purchased double edge stainless steel blades in Paris???? Would that be a pharmacie item or a Monoprix item?

As far as the shaving cream...no problem there...I use solid soap! So I guess I solved one problem, but created another!

Thanks!

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Safety razors are a definite yes, according to the TSA site.

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%26gt;%26gt; Would that be a pharmacie item or a Monoprix item? %26lt;%26lt;

Monoprix%26#39;s your bet. Waht%26#39;s the brand of your razor ?

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It%26#39;s not necessary. He can carry them on. It%26#39;s my experience that blades are more expensive in France anyhow.

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Removed on: 5:20 pm, September 01, 2009

Walking into Central Paris from Bois de Vincennes?

I am staying again in Porte Doree, and I had heard last year that it was possible to walk from the park to central Paris. Would this be hard to do? I%26#39;d like to get some nice walking in, and discover some new (to me) neighborhoods.

Thanks!

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From the area of PORTE DOREE Metor, at the eastern edge of the city, to NOTRE DAME (Point Zero) is approx. five(5) kilometers (3 miles) and depending on normal walking pace, should take 1:00-1:30 hrs.......to the MUSÉE du LOUVRE in central Paris, will be approximately six(6) kilometers (3 3/4 miles). Depending on normal walking pace, it should take approx. 1:15-1:45 hrs to cover this distance on foot. So if you%26#39;re in average condition, you cam certainly do it on foot.

There is some interest to the eastern neighborhood along-and-around Ave.Daumesnil (your most probable route) as you approach Bastile and Republique.---Promenade de Plantées and Viaduc des Arts...and other enclaves along the way. Within this general area, there is also a %26#39;..concentration..%26#39; of small ateliers and shops--fine furniture makers, cabinetmakers, instrument makers, designers, etc.

Le PROMENADE de PLANTÉE--

http://www.promenade-plantee.org/

Le VIADUC des ARTS--

http://www.viaduc-des-arts.com/

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This is a great, protected bike path, BTW.

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Wow, that park looks really beautiful! I don%26#39;t have much sense of direction, so it sounds like I%26#39;ll just go up Daumnesil to the right from my hotel, (in the opposite direction of the Bois de Vincennes) and keep going?

Thank you! I am not sure where I%26#39;d heard that it was walking distance (on a nice route) into Paris, but I%26#39;m glad to know it%26#39;s such an easy walk.

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If you don%26#39;t already have a good street map of Paris...then get up, go out and GET ONE. It%26#39;s not as if you%26#39;re not going to need it once you arrive. Unfortunately, the STREETWISE PARIS compact folding map doesn%26#39;t provide coverage of the city all the way out to far eastern edge of Paris at Porte Doree...but it is excellent for most of the rest of Paris that you%26#39;ll be planning for and touring about.

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I have two maps of Paris, and neither of them have Porte Doree! But that actually may help get me the rest of the way (one is just very central Paris, the other one may actually be more useful). I%26#39;ll check those out, I hadn%26#39;t even thought of them.

Thank you very much! I really enjoyed Porte Doree (enough to stay there again), I thought this time I%26#39;d see the Chateau and do a full walk into Paris from there.

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nbodyhome: go to www.mappy.com and type in porte doree as your starting point in paris france, and the louvre as your ending point in paris france and select pedestrian as your method of transportation. (It will ask you to be more specific based on what you entered, and give you some choices...select the correct beginning and end) . You will be rewarded with detailed walking directions for the 5.98km trek. A general map will appear next to the the written directions, but you can click on detailed map to get a zoomed-in look.

This will give you a general idea as to the route, and you can print out the walking directions if you%26#39;d like. It will also show you where the nearest Metro stops are along your route (just in case).

And if you want to do something completely, insanely fun, download Google Earth onto your computer. After loading it, type in Porte Doree, Paris, France. You%26#39;ll zoom in on the spot. Click on the spot for Porte Doree, and then click on the link that says Directions, From Here. Then...use the hand to move over to the Louvre. Click on the Louvre, and then the link that say Directions, To Here. Kaboom!!!! Written directions and a satellite photo with the route. They haven%26#39;t gotten the pedestrian thing down yet, but it%26#39;s still amazing. You can view your entire path from the air, close enough to see people walking on the street.

Wicked fun!!!

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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;They haven%26#39;t gotten the pedestrian thing down yet, but it%26#39;s still amazing. You can view your entire path from the air, close enough to see people walking on the street.%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;

If you really want to %26#39;..tinker..%26#39; with mapping and routing....you can augment this routing service, down to %26#39;..street-front..%26#39; level, by using either the PHOTO or PHOTOS-de-VILLE feature of the Pages Jaunes web site...and take an electronic %26#39;..stroll..%26#39; along the route in street-front and streetscape photos--turn up this side street or down that--

http://www.pagesjaunes.fr/pj.cgi?lang=en

http://photos.pagesjaunes.fr/

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Those are great ideas, I will check them both out! I looked at my maps, and one does actually start at the end of Daumesnil (to give me a starting point from there on where to go). But these may be even better! I am very much looking forward to walking Paris, instead of just metroing. Especially at only a few miles into town. (It feels farther)

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I just wanted to thank everyone for their walk information! I was sick during my trip (I did see a doctor right away) but I made the walk from Daumnesil to the Bastille, and put photos of it (the Promenade Plantee%26#39;), it was a lovely walk!

www.mousesteps.com/index.php…

Market Day

Hello,

does anyone know what day the outdoor market is held in Annecy.

Hoping to buy lots of goodies to take back home with me.

Thanks

Mary

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Mary,

We were Annecy for a couple of days at the end of April. There was a wonderful market in the old city on Tuesday. There are probably other days. You might try to contact the tourism office.

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Tuesday, Friday and Saturday mornings in the vieille ville.

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Removed on: 8:15 am, September 01, 2009

Where to buy Loreal Ombrelle?

I am heading to Paris in a few weeks again - I know that Loreal now has this product here in the US as well, in another name. But I didn%26#39;t know if maybe it was cheaper in Paris? Do I just go into a drugstore? I am assuming it isn%26#39;t at the Monoprix.

Thanks!

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If this is a hair product, it will be very easy to find as I see Loreal products in just about every hair salon I pass. Monoprix might be a good bet if it is makeup.

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Hi!

It%26#39;s actually sunblock - with an ingredient that had been banned (as far as selling) in the US until recently (Mexoryl). But I thought maybe it%26#39;d be a little less expensive in Europe - though I might be wrong on that!

Thanks!

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Bio-Medic now sells this product in the U.S., I believe France sells it in the pharmacys. I think that its called Anthelios. (maybe wrong about the name, not the brand)

Susan055

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Thanks! I will check the pharmacy for it. I thought it was Ombrelle in Paris, Anthelios in the US?

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Mexoryl SX is an ingredient patented by L%26#39;Oreal, which protects against UVA rays, not to be confused with ingredients such as Oxybenzone, Titanium Dioxide or Parsol 1789 which block the UVB rays and allegedly are inferior to Mexoryl SX for blocking UVA rays.

Anyway, L%26#39;Oreal%26#39;s products containing Mexoryl SX are called Ombrelle. L%26#39;Oreal owns LaRoche-Posay and those products are called Anthelios.

You will find these products all over Paris in the pharmacies. Prices and products carried will vary considerably among the many pharmacies.

Two good pharmacies for prices and selection are City-Pharma (formerly Pharmacie Fouhy) at 26 rue de Four in the 6th and the pharmacy at 54 rue Chaussée d%26#39;Antin in the 9th (opposite the side entrance of Galleries Lafayette).

Before leaving home, though, check prices online. Prices are much lower at Canadian websites, even with the S%26amp;H. And, there%26#39;s a huge selection so you don%26#39;t have to run all over for the formulation/SPF/size you prefer.

In my experience, everything (especially beauty/skin care) is much more expensive in Paris.

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Ombrelle is for sale in Canada( has been for years) . My hubby can only tolerate it, other sun screens make him itch. He has had skin cancers removed, is very fair, and this is the only sunscreen his dermatoligist recommends.

The active ingredients in Ombrelle used to only available in Ombrelle, but recently I have seen no name or store name brands with the same formula as Ombrelle. With exchange rates I am pretty sure it would be cheaper to get it in Canada.

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Thanks! I will first check the Canadian pharmacies online (I wasn%26#39;t sure if I%26#39;d need a prescription to buy from them).

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No prescription needed, you can get this stuff at any drug or department store, even Safeway stores carrry it.

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Stock up: the Mexoryl products sold in the States will be more expensive than the Ombrelle you can purchase in Paris. It comes in SPF 15, 30 and 45; all contain Mexoryl. We have used this stuff for years, and it is by far the best sunscreen. Even better, it%26#39;s not smelly or cloying and it stays on for hours. It comes in lotion and cream. It has white packaging with an umbrella icon (ombrelle) on the front.

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Sure would like to know what it is and what it will do for me . I live in the desert and my skin is very dry. I swim every day, Its very hot here in palm springs sure could use something good. I will be in paris in 7 days . Need That cream. thanks

Trip Report

Hello - Let me just say. I LOVE Paris. I just returned from my first trip and I really want to return soon. The trip was entirely too short (only 3 days for such a beautiful city). I stayed at the Nouvel Orleans hotel in the 14th. It was right near a Metro station and incredibly convenient. In that short time I did have the opportunity to visit the Louvre, the Arc (saw the ceremony for their new President), went up to the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower, took a cruise down the Seine, Sacre Coeur, and walked through the Latin Quarter and Montmarte. The city is so beautiful %26amp; the food is too die for. Truth be told, I was thrilled just to walk down the Champs eating a yummy baguette sandwich. To all who are about to depart for Paris I am incredibly jealous. To all who assisted me with numerous questions in the past 2 months -- I am very grateful. As posted in other threads -- I would HIGHLY recommend taking a cruise down the Seine when they light up the Tower (right now the 9:00 cruise is perfect). It was breaktaking to be on the boat when it started sparkling. Also, the 2nd floor of the Eiffel gives you a great view %26amp; be sure to visit at night. Bon voyage!!

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So glad you had such a wonderful time! Please share with us where you ate some of that fabulous food!!!! :)

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Don%26#39;t waste your time being jealous ! Use it to plan your next trip !!!

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You really did alot in three days! You now have the Paris fever!

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Yes, isn%26#39;t Paris wonderful! You were lucky to see the ceremony for the new President! That is a rather historical event that most of us travelers will not witness! Yes, I too wonder where you ate ! Love hearing about your trip! Thanks!

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Oh... I%26#39;m so disappointed, but I really can%26#39;t remember the names of places... except of course, Berthillon%26#39;s ice cream. None of the restaurants were fancy. I think my biggest joy came from the fact that I was in Paris. One restaurant was in the Latin Quarter (rather touristy street, but good food) and the other was in Montparnasse - in both restaurants we sat by the window and watched the people (sadly it rained everyday so we couldn%26#39;t sit outside or picnic -- but next time!). At lunch we visted a creperie one day and got baguette sandwhiches the other (small cafe in Montmartre). Sorry I could not be of more assistance in remembering the names, I promise to do better next time. Also, in response to the person below -- yes, it was VERY exciting to see the ceremony for the new President. They closed down the Champs and had a parade to the Arc -- it was an amazing sight to see the Champs closed.

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did you take the evening dinner cruise on the seine. we will be there for 5 days in the beginning of june. will appreciate all of your advise.

thanks

steph

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Steph -- No, we didn%26#39;t take the dinner cruise. We took a regular cruise w/ Les Bateaux Parisiens -- you pick up the boat right near the Eiffel Tower (you can print off a map from their website that shows exactly where they are located). I believe the preferred river cruise operator for most of the Trip Advisor posters is Vedettes du Pont-Neuf (you can print a 2 Euro discount from their website). We would have used Vedettes; however, the night we were going on the cruise we were at the Eiffel Tower, so it was a matter of convenience for us. In any event, Les Bateaux Parisiens did a fine job. The best part for me was seeing the view from the Seine. Far and away I would say you just want to make sure you are on the boat when the Eiffel Tower is lit up and starts sparkling -- it is magical! We went on the cruise on May 15th %26amp; for that date the 9:00 cruise was perfect. Because we didn%26#39;t do a dinner cruise I cannot speak knowledably about the quality of food; however, a friend of mine did do the dinner part and said he would have preferred to have had dinner at one of the thousands of great restaurants in Paris and then went on a regular cruise.

As far as other advice regarding Paris -- I would suggest trying to stay in a hotel with easy access to the Metro. Even if you aren%26#39;t close to the major sites as long as you are on a Metro station it doesn%26#39;t matter. No matter what I%26#39;m sure you will have a great time!

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I agree that a night cruise is wonderful. I remember sitting on the boat when all of a sudden the Eiffel Tower started to sparkle..........this was truly magical!!! I had completely forgotten that this was supposed to happen (stupid me!), and when it did, I became ecstatic. I found the cruise to be both relaxing and exciting. I can%26#39;t wait to do it again.

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Removed on: 4:20 pm, August 31, 2009

Need long-term accommodations

Hello everyone -

I am in need of furnished long-term accommodations with internet capabilities starting in late-August or beginning of September (for a one-year duration). Would anyone know of something that would be appropriate, or where I should begin my search? I am hoping to spend between 500 - 1,000 euros a month or less if possible, and any district is OK (of course, as long as the area is fairly safe, which most are).

Thank you in advance for any advice / feedback I may receive!

Very best regards...

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www.PagesJaunes.com

Enter %26quot;Agences Immobilières%26quot; and %26quot;Paris 75%26quot;.

There are over 3000 addresses of rental agencies.

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There have been past threads discussing this question. Here are two:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187147-i14-k21983…

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187147-i14-k90282…

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Hi

There is a free English weekly magazine named FUSAC that has ads for short and long term rentals.

They have a website at www.fusac.fr

with a number of ads from local rental companies.

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Thank you all so very much. I will check out all the information you just gave me and see what i can find. I may have more questions after going through it all, but I am very appreciative of the help so far!

All the best to you all....Cindy

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Removed on: 7:19 pm, August 31, 2009

Advice for 17th district

I%26#39;ve been to Paris numerous times, but have never done the apartment experience! This time, to celebrate my daughter%26#39;s 21st, I decided to take my husband and her for a 9 day stay in Paris and rented an apartment in the 17th, near rue Poncelet. As we arrive on a Sunday afternoon, I had a couple of questions.

1. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced restaurant that would be open on a Sunday evening in the area?

2. I know that some markets are closed on some weekdays. I haven%26#39;t been too successful in trying to find out the operating days/ times of the rue Poncelet market. Does anyone happen to know?

Also, I read somewhere that the train to Chartres was around 30 euros round trip, but I haven%26#39;t had luck online finding roundtrip tickets under 100 (50 each way). Suggestions?

I%26#39;m looking forward to sharing with her the joys that I had while I lived in the city almost 30 years ago (with a family) at about her age. While the monuments are so familiar to me having taken student groups for so many years, to see her experience them for the first time is going to be my birthday present while we are there!

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Rue Poncelet is open every day but Saunday afternoon and Monday.

Many restaurants around there and also near Place des Ternes and on side streets. ippopotamus has good steak and frites,

You can buy your ticket for Chartres at Gare Montparnasse directly,

There is avalibility,

A good market is President Wilson on Saturday (metro Iena Marceau) and RIchard Lenoir at metro Bastille on Sunday.

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Thanks! I imagine that we will be in too late for the Sunday markets. Might there be another nearby that will be open on Monday?

I appreciate the information!

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It%26#39;s my understanding that all markets are closed on Monday. the grocery stores will be open though.

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Removed on: 2:17 pm, September 01, 2009

GitteK

Hi Gitte! I got your message...thank you for that. I have dearly missed everyone - things are just not the same around here. I tried to sign in but what%26#39;s the deal? I need a google acct?? Tre

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Removed on: 1:02 am, May 21, 2007

Palais de la mediterranee or Beau Rivage? Help!

Hello!

I am staying with my husband for three nights in Nice in July and we are torn between the Palais de la Mediterrannee and the Beau Rivage. Could you help us choose???

We are also looking to spend three more nights somewhere quiter. We quite like the Domaine Cocagne and the Villa St Maxime. The first is in Cagnes-sur-Mer and the second in St Paul de Vence. There are raving reviews for the Villa St Maxime but no comments at all for Domaine Cocagne. I would really appreciate any info you could give us.

Thank you all in adavnce!

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Beau Rivage is austerely modernist and a lot of people have not taken to the %26quot;design%26quot; - Palais de Med is traditionally art-deco French - I would choose it every time.

Cagnes sur mer is really neither one thing nor the other - a modern commercial town. St Paul is very pretty as long as you are prepared for the daily descent of locust tour coaches.

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Beau Rivage is austerely modernist and a lot of people have not taken to the %26quot;design%26quot; - Palais de Med is traditionally art-deco French - I would choose it every time.

Cagnes sur mer is really neither one thing nor the other - a modern commercial town. St Paul is very pretty as long as you are prepared for the daily descent of locust tour coaches.

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Thanks a lot!

I appreciate your help!

|||

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Removed on: 5:18 pm, September 01, 2009

Rugby World Cup

Hi, We are a family of 4 from New Zealand. Dad 42, Mum 37, son 8, daughter 6 looking to visit france september to october 2007. We would like to do a house swap or similar in france where we can travel to some of the Rugby world cup games as well as look around France, Spain, Germany, Italy and other surrounding countries. We would like to stay approximately 8-9 weeks. We thought about trying to find accomodation somewhere around Lyon. Would this be a central place to stay as far as transport local sites etc. or a better alternative? My wife and I have been to Paris before briefly and would like to expose our children to a bit more of the grass roots citizens. We know Lyon is a large city but thought it may be handy to surorunding countries and the south coast. Can anyone suggest or know of any websites catering for the influx of tourists for the Rugby world Cup and if any have been set up for house swaps etc?

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Hi there,

You%26#39;re right, Lyon could be the right place, Paris, Geneva Switzerland and Marseille on the Mediterranean coast within 2 hours by trains (whether TGV or %26quot;regular%26quot;), Italian border within 2 or 3 hrs drive, and the Alps very close too...

Have a look on :

http://www.echangedemaison.com/

they%26#39;ve got an English version too...

I guess there are other possibilites, maybe a French consulate near you or the Alliance Française in NZ could be helpful...

Good luck, and bye for now

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Hi Snorky - we are an ealy 50%26#39;s couple from north of auckland also going to France generally folowing the route of rugby games but mainly for the atmosphere and the french food and wine.

We are staying at a few places around Lyon - try http://www.gites-de-france.com

This has some good B%26amp;B%26#39;s

As thisis an old posting not sure if you have advanced a lot. Maybe we will see you in Lyon sometime - post a reply if you think we can swap more information

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We are found of home exchange vacations for the very reason you mention : to experience more of local life.

We do it through Intervac : www.intervac.com

But I am not sure that October will be a very easy period to find a French family prepared to do this as we don%26#39;t have any school holiday; you will more likely find a retired couple ?

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Removed on: 6:18 pm, August 24, 2009

Bourg-en-Bresse

Anyone able to help us in finding a good character, family run B%26amp;B in Bourg-en-Bresse area - we are early 50%26#39;s couple touring France in Sept 2007. We are in B-en-B for 3 days 2 nights - what are the things %26quot;must do%26quot;

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you can probably find a B%26amp;B on this site.. it is a very serious organization , controlled by the french gvt .

select %26#39;Rhone alpes%26#39; in the field %26#39;Region%26#39; , select %26#39;01%26#39; in the field %26#39;Departement%26#39; and type %26#39;Bourg%26#39; in the field %26#39;Town%26#39; .

enjoy your stay :)

www.gites-de-france.com/fr/gites_ruraux

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Have a look on this one :

…free.fr/Anglais/Welcome.htm

I think it could be very nice for you : you will be the only guests (as some B%26amp;B are very alike hotels, with lots of rooms), and as they have an english website, they may be speak some english ?

And browse this website, you will be able to see the locations of the B%26amp;B in the Bourg en Bresse area :

tourisme.fr/chambre-hote/chambre-hote-ain.htm

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Removed on: 12:16 pm, September 01, 2009