access in paris

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Hotels/cottages to stay in Normany

Want to go to Normandy with my husband and two sons (aged 9 and 10) at the end of August, early September. Have not been to Normandy before and wonder if anyone has any suggestions as to where to say - not a touristy area please!

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I assume you are talking about Lower Normandy. My favorite is La Ducrie. You can find reviews and links to it on this web site.

Another option is to search Logis de France for the towns you are visiting. Logis de France provides a booking servce for various local accomdations and restaurants.

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Normandie is pretty wide, where would you intend to go basically?

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We just got back from Normandy. We stayed at La Ferme du Pressoir with our 2 boys (10 and 8) They loved it. Great Location. Check out the reviews on this site.

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I stayed at a really beautiful country manor, Le Manoir de Juganville only 10 minutes from Utah beach, they have 3 large rooms, friendly family run establishment (B%26amp;B). The rooms, and in fact, the whole house is beautifully furnished with a large garden. Really the nicest place that I have have ever stayed in. try their website www.juganville.com

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nice in october

Hello,does anybody know about the nices weather in october? Is it possible to sweem.I meen the first part of october.

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October is one of many very fine months in Nice.

You see people on the beach and also in the water. No problem.

Put simple, the swimming comes to a practical end only shortly before X-mas. Then it picks up again sometime in May although there are of course always a few diehards trying the water also inbetween. Theres no particular reason to pick the first half of October.

Staying in Nice, visiting Aqua Splash, Antibes

Hi guys, we are staying quite near Nice railway station and would like to visit Aqua Splash in Antibes. Can anyone please advise on train travel tips / length of journey and if we can pay just to visit Aqua Splash and not the rest of Marineland. Also, approx train travel costs (2 adults and 1 child) and entrance fee. many thanks in advance

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For train schedules, go on the SNCF website (French page) and select the Mandelieu-Vintimille line to get your schedule. Return fare for the family should be somewhere around 25-30 euro.

http://www.ter-sncf.com/paca/Default.htm and select «Telechargement des fiches horaire» then the line you need.

As for Marineland info, I suggest you go on their site to get the info.

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I am pasting a reply I posted in another forum covering the same topic:

Info about tarifs etc is here:

http://www.marineland.fr/index.aspx

It%26#39;s 19 euros for adults and 16 for children just for the aquasplash although you can get combined tickets for other parts too. A couple of years ago I went to the Marineland bit with the sharks etc, quite enjoyed it.

Aquasplash opens at 10am, we took the 200 bus from Nice arrived 10:15 and nearly didn%26#39;t get a sunbed. try and get there before 10, run in and get a sun lounger in the shade, you won%26#39;t regret it.

The cafes on site are a bit over-priced and under quality (McDonalds type food mostly, but far worse) didn%26#39;t open until 11:45, I was desperate for a caffeine hit so had to go to cafe just outside (they stamp your hand) which was nice, recommmend you take a picnic or eat outside. Couldn%26#39;t take coffee into water area but had to drink in the picnic area just inside park. To be honest it was my idea of hell. My 10 year old daughter loved it but even though it was July, mid-week and not all French and Brits were on holiday, we queued 15-20 minutes each time for a 10 second slide or whatever. The wave machine was a bit lame and it was very hot, a concrete jungle. the only way I would go again is if the daughter took a friend to go on the rides and I could hide from the sun on a lounger with a book. If you want to do all the rides, then grab a %26#39;bouee%26#39; a blue inflatable ring and just keep going on the rides. When you have finished you must put the bouee back in the communal pen and then the next time you want one, they have all gone and you end up jostling with everyone else at the bottom of all the slides, hoping someone will have just finished with their inflatable. You are not allowed to hang onto your bouee, you will get told off if you take it to your sunlounger for a break so once you have one, keep going on the rides until you have had enough. There are a couple of rides that don%26#39;t need bouees plus the swimming pool. there is also toddlers pools and a really fast slide for older people, seemed like teenage lads mostly, where they shot out about 15 m from the bottom of this steep slide- you have to wear a helmet for this one, I just wonder how their swimwear stayed on!

Sorry if I sound negative, if it%26#39;s your thing, I am sure you will love it but I hope my tips will help you plan and enjoy the day a bit more. best wishes

In addition, as you are so close tot he station, then the train is your quickest and easiest option, it%26#39;s about 25 minutes and you get off at Biot train station, it%26#39;s a 5 minutes walk or less from there (just follow the families carrying bags with towels poking out) If you take the 200 bus, it stops outside the Biot train station.

If your child is toddler age, the gentle pools and suitable slides are in the far left top corner as you enter the pool area, so head off quickly in that direction if you want any hope of getting a lounger.

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hi there, thanks for your informative responses. I know what you mean re nightmare day but need to accommodate daughter ie alternative to a pebbly beach!!!

Can anyone recommend a restaurant near the Port/Mont Boron?

We are going to Nice on our holidays in Septmeber. We will be celebrating our first wedding anniversary over there.

Can anyone recommend a classy, upmarket restaurant?

Thanks.

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Palais Maeterlinck has a real nice one on its roof.

…azur.fr/page_en_1.html

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The best restaurant we found on our recent trip (last week in fact) was one called La Voglia at the western end of the Cours Saleya (where the flower market is during the day). It is only a few doors away from the Opera House.

It is primarily Italian but with a broad, upmarket, Med feel. I don%26#39;t think you can book there and there were queues every night so either get there early or expect to wait. It is very new (opened May this year I think) and there is a great bar next door also (Ma Nolan%26#39;s Irish bar) where you can get great cocktails for 3 euros 50 before 2100 hrs (2 euros more after 2100) There is seating on an attractive outdoor decking area at both places.

Prices at La Voglia are in the range of 5-8 euros for starters and 12-22 euros for mains. All desserts were 7 euros 50 if I remember rightly. The portions are good - I went for the Fried Mixed Fish (20 euros) and thought it was great. A great mixture of calamari, octopus, king prawns, sardines etc in a beautiful light batter.

You MUST try the profiteroles - 3 huge great ones they were filled with ice-cream and lots of choc sauce and cream presented on a large square, dinner sized, plate. MMmmmmm!!

My fiancee was raving about La Voglia when she returned from Nice in June so I had to try it for myself. Let%26#39;s say I was equally impressed!!

If you want an even better pizza though go to Massena Taverna on Rue Massena - for 9 or 10 euros you can get proper wood fired oven pizzas which are simply divine. Try and get a seat on the top balcony and watch everything going on below you. You can%26#39;t miss the place - it has a green frontage and the afore mentioned wood fire burning away just inside the entrance.

Have a good trip!!

Darren

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The Palais Maetterlinck will not be cheap!!

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They asked for a classy upmarket. That does not sound cheap to me.

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The Chantecler Restaurant in the Negresco hotel is wonderful and we never go to Nice without having a meal there. Their set menu is excellent and they offer a vegetarian set menu too. The service is magnificent and worth the price of the meal alone. People watching during your meal may reap rewards. You can wander the public rooms at will and the bar is a great place for a digestif.

transfer from cdg airport to bw lorette opera hotel. help!!!

I am travelling to Paris in December 2005 and have a few questions that if someone could help me will i would appreciate it very much.

i am unsure exactly how to get to my hotel from the airport. i obviouly use the RER from the airport but were do i transfer to use the metro system.

also is the metro in paris only in france or are instructions in english as well.

thanks

Gary Moore

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RER to Gare du Nord

Change to Metro Line 4, direction Porte de Clignancourt, get off at Barbes Rochechouart

Change to Metro Line 12, direction Marie d%26#39;Issy, get off at St Georges

- or -

RER to Gare du Nord

Taxi to hotel

(I recommend this method over the first since you are unfamiliar with the system)

- or -

You can avoid the train altogether and take Roissybus into Paris (lets off by the Opera), then take a taxi

You buy the 8Euro ticket on the bus from the driver (no need to find the RER station or stand in line to buy ticket)

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There are virtually no instructions to anything in France in English.

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i am going to try and use the metro to get to places like the eiffel tower and the louvre as this is the cheapest form of transport. with my very limited french is it possible.

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It may be finished by now but the last time I went through St. Georges, the station was closed for renovation.

I also recommend a taxi from Gare du Nord. With your luggage and all the stairs you will need to climb to change between lines, a 5 Euro taxi ride is worth the money.

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Millions of non-French-speaking visitors navigate the metro just fine, and so can you.

Read this %26quot;how to use the metro%26quot; document:

http://www.zpinaddict.com/parishtm/metro.htm

Paris Photo Tours?

Anyone used them or familiar with them?

They seem to have some nice tours, but I%26#39;ve heard about some of these tour companies that are cons.

If anyone has used them, please any info and costs would help?

Thanks

Ani

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I have not used Paris Photo Tours.

I am a professional photographer

and have talked to several people

who have taken their tours and

they were very pleased.

Put %26quot;Paris Photo Tours%26quot; in

the search box and you

should get some posts on

their tours.

If you go to the web

you should be able to

get info and costs

from their web site.

Need some help here?!

Ok..

I%26#39;ve done some research and some reading and so far this is what I%26#39;ve got...please feel free to tell me if it%26#39;s a good way to go about it being a first time Paris visitor on honeymoon...

I have 4 days in Paris...

One day we will do a day trip, maybe to Versailles,Provins or Crecy-la-Chapelle

Another day or two take the L%26#39;open tour and hop off and hop on for some sights (no museums)

Then another day, purchase the 3 day museum pass and explore some of them.

Sounds good?

Thanks!

Ani

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A three day museum pass might be a bit pricey if you are going to do either the Louvre or Orsay. A half day for each still wouldn%26#39;t give you great coverage.

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Why get a three day pass when you will ( according to your plan) only have two days to use it( since you have a day trip planned outside city and then anouther day with %26quot; no museums%26quot; ?

Your plan sounds fine, but since you don%26#39;t sound like you are determined to do alot of museums, just buy a regular admission and save money!

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Nice to see that you haven%26#39;t overplanned your

time. It is doable, try to sequence things

so you don%26#39;t end up backtracking.

Hop on, hop off bus is good; you might

decide ahead of time a few things you

want to see. As always, check the days

and times things are open.

And I hope you will find a favorite

cafe to just sit together and enjoy

the world go by.

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Thanks...

I think I need to do that next, sequence what we want to do and when...for that reason..no backtracking...

I get there on a Monday and I know some places are closed, some museums..so I thought maybe Monday do the hop off n on tour and Tuesday(while taking time to people watch at a sweet cafe) and Wed. maybe do the day trip out of the city and Thursday enjoy some of the museum...

Airport shuttle or a cab?

After reading a multitude of reviewes for both options, I need to take a survey, please:

Cab to the hotel for CDG - how much (Latin Quarter)? Easy to catch at the airport?

Shuttle service - what is the flight is delayed? How do you know where to catch one? Do they have a board with your name?

Please give pros or cons for either. Running out of time!

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Taxi to Latin Quarter will cost 40-55Euro, depending on time of day, day of week, traffic, etc.

Shuttles - I believe you give them your flight information when you book, and they are not waiting for you anyway - you call them before you collect your bags so they will have time to head to the terminal while you%26#39;re getting your bags.

No one comes inside to greet you - you go out a certain door (%26quot;porte%26quot;) that they give you to find the van.

These comments are based on my prior experience, mostly with Parishuttle.com

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travelforever,

As I indicated in a recent post, it%26#39;s a cab for me for

a variety of reasons.

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We took a taxi to and from the airport and liked the ease and convienience. To give you an idea, we arrived on Wednesday around 11:30 a.m. and there was no que at all at the taxi line.

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cab was easy.Just follow the signs and get in line- it%26#39;s very organised. Be prepared though- the taxis area is not right outside baggage claim- you will walk through the airport a bit.

For the trip home, we called the G7 taxi service the evening before- their dispatchers speak English- their guy was on time at 8:30 AM the next morning with the appropriate sized vehicle for the four of us and luggage. Easy as pie.

We were in Paris for over 3 weeks- used mostly buses- sometimes metro or taxis from taxi ranks- but occasionally needed door-to-door service since my Dad had a broken foot- G7 was a great number to have in my pocket. They always showed up very quickly. 01-41-27-66-99

Travelling across the Riviera

Hi,

Flying into Nice for 4 days during September. I want to travel across as much of the Riviera as possible in this short time. I have been to Nice/Cannes/Monaco before so this time I intend on going to St. Tropez, Antibes, Juan le Pins etc. Just wondering what the best way to travel will be bearing in mind my length of stay.

I could hire a car and drive the riviera but my concerns are parking etc. Also I have never driven in France before. The other alternative is to get a %26#39;Carte Isabelle%26#39; and use the trains. The only issue there is that the train wont go as far as St. Tropez. There are 2 of us so all train fares will be doubled hence me considering the hire car.

What do you folks reckon? Also, any places that you recommend I visit bearing in mind I have 4 days.

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I would think the train could get you everywhere you want to go except St. Tropez. I think you can take a bus there. The trains seemed to be really cheap, and if you get a ticket to the farthest place you want to go that day, you can stop at the other towns along the way, on that same ticket. This is my favorite train schedule site:

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/e

I really enjoyed Villefrance sur Mer, which is 7 min. by train from Nice, heading toward Monaco. It%26#39;s a tiny town with a picturesque harbor and a nice (almost) sand beach - tiny, pea-sized pebbles. It%26#39;s so pretty, it%26#39;s almost like a painting. You can check out my pics here. Click on slideshow and whiz through Paris to Nice and Villefranche. You can tell I liked it, because I took lots of pictures.

community.webshots.com/user/lizandalana

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If your hotel is not in St. Tropez, you should consider renting a car at least for your visit to St. Tropez. The beaches, especially Pompolene beach, is not within walking distance from the port/harbor. A taxis ride to the beach cost from 20-25Euro, each way. The bus service (Sodetrav) stops running by midnight, even earlier on Sunday. I don%26#39;t know about September, but I was there in July and the Sodetrav bus is ALWAYS VERY late. If you don%26#39;t want to go out party til late, then you%26#39;ll be fine just taking the train and bus. Take the train to St. Raphael, then take the Sodetrav all the way to St. Tropez. Or, take the Sodetrav to St. Maxime, then cross the bay over to St. Tropez using the Green Boat. It%26#39;s a nice ride across the bay. If you don%26#39;t have a car and want to party in St. Tropez, then try staying out til 6:30ish AM to catch the first bus back to the train station. We did that, and we weren%26#39;t the only ones. The party scene there don%26#39;t start until 1am.

dress cuture in nice

what is the current dress cuture in nice?

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anthing you like.

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anything you like.

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Just got back from Nice. I was there as a kid with relatives (in the early 1960s), and remember them dressing up all the time, so asked on this forum about dress codes, and was assured that it was all a lot more informal now.

And it is, in general; as responders to my post said, you can go to restaurants, etc wearing teeshirt/singlet/shorts/swimming shorts. On one occasion, tho, my wife and I walked up from the beach at Villefranche to go and get a drink at a cafe after a swim. Neither of us were quite dry, but I%26#39;d put on a teeshirt anyway to keep the sun off my shoulders. She was just wearing a bikini. She was going to dry off a minute or two more then put on some more clothes. Some middle-aged guy came over to us and had a go at her about being dressed properly; he wasn%26#39;t yelling, but he was annoyed about it all the same, and she explained that she was about to get dressed, etc etc. We wondered for a second if he was the patron of the place, but no, he just walked off out of there.

We sort of took his point, but this place wasn%26#39;t the Ritz, just a cafe/bar. It wasn%26#39;t very crowded, and other people there didn%26#39;t seem offended. He was just some local bully who gets annoyed at all the tourists, maybe, and felt like venting a bit...

Apart from that, as people say, it%26#39;s informal. And apart from him, everybody was really courteous... (Even this guy was courteous, tho, so wrong word, maybe) People were welcoming and friendly and fun, as they usually are in France.

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Yes, anything goes in Nice as far as dress. The one thing I did notice was that women wore skirts/sun dresses down to the beach. No baggy tee-shirts like we might do here in the USA. Take beach shoes along to wear on the beach rocks AND in the Sea...those rocks are hard on the feet. Enjoy.

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No self-respecting French woman would be seen dead in baggy T-shirts OR ill-fitting jeans.

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People do dress up more in France but it%26#39;s up to you whether you join in with this or not. I see someone posted their story of going into a cafe wearing bikini and other beach wear. this would be considered extremely strange behaviour in France! On the other hand it%26#39;s normal to wear very little indeed on the beach. Topless is quite normal.

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People do dress up a lot more in France, and in Italy too, and that%26#39;s something we should admire, I think - it%26#39;s good to make an effort, and shows good manners to guests and tourists and one another.

Maybe we%26#39;re too used to going to the Greek islands, Balearics, etc, where they seem to allow anybody to wear anything at any time as long as they%26#39;re spending money... Maybe it%26#39;s an illustration of local economics.

But we were wrong to go into a cafe so unthinkingly - after all, it%26#39;s not like my wife needed to put on that much, just some shorts and a triathlon top-type-thing - forgetting that even tho we%26#39;d just come off the beach, Villefranche is still a town where people live and go about their day-to-day business.

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is it wear to wear jean in the evening?

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all depends where you are going in the evening. There is no formal wear in Nice unless you go to super classy restaurants. But nonetheless even if it is not formal, a minimum of touch is advisable.

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Same as in, e.g, Brighton.

Help! Lost in Paris...

If anyone could help me with these two questions would be greatly appreciated (it%26#39;s our first time in France):

1. Our group of 4 will need to get from Charles De Gaulle Airport to the Beauvais Airport in the afternoon. Is there a reliable shuttle service? Frequency, also approximate cost, etc?

2. Inexpensive, decent accomodation in the centre of Paris; any suggestions?

Thank you!

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As for the Beauvais airport, i guess it is because you get the low-cost flight there, in that case from the Porte Maillot (line one) outside on Boulevard Pershing coach parking lot you can get a shuttle bus that go to Beauvais airport, i guess it leaves three hours before the flight. Allow yourself extra time as the Porte Maillot is big and some people take time before finding the bus.

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try the Hotel Pratic, a nice 2 stars hotel located in the miidle of the Marais area, http://www.paris-hotel-pratic.com/ , prices are ideal for a small budget. The hotel is clean and nicely decorated. There is a Metro station nearby the hotel. It is a great hotel with nice staff.

Enjoy Paris

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There is no regular shuttle service from CDG to Beauvais. If you were to try to do it using established shuttles, you would take the Air France bus from CDG to Porte Maillot. You would need to arrive at Porte Maillot with enough time to find the shuttle which connects with your flight from Beauvais. That shuttle will leave 3.25 hours BEFORE your flight time. Given that the Air France bus runs every 15 minutes and takes 30-45 minutes to reach Porte Maillot, depending on traffic, you would need to be clear of any formalities at CDG some 4.5 to 5 hours before your flight time from Beauvais.

The cost doing it this way would be €25 each, €12 for the Air France bus, and €13 for the Beauvais shuttle.

A far better option, I think, would be to book a shuttle to take you direct from CDG to BVA. I think the trip shoud probably take about 1.25 hours, and you would need to allow enough time for check-in at BVA. Even in this time of increased security and so on, 90 minutes should be ample, so in effect you have cut the transfer time from 4.5+ hours to about 3 hours.

Do you have enough time between flights?

At a wild guess I would think the cost might be around €125, but I don%26#39;t really know.

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I am looking to go the opposite way. I have a round trip air from Paris to Rome and back through Beauvais. I need guidance from Beauvais to Charles de Gaulle. Plane arrives from Rome at 8:45 am. Flight from CDG to USA leaves at 1:40 pm.

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Yes sorry i misread your post and thought you were starting from Paris. I would also recommend a shuttle bus unless you have a lot of time between your flights.

Various Questions

Hi everyone,

Hoping you guys will be able to help me out with a few questions. My boyfriend and I are planning a few days in Paris followed by a few days in Barcelona in September - ages away I know, but wanting to gather as much info as possible. So, any help would be much appreciated!

We are staying at the Prince Albert Louvre Hotel in the 1st. Can anyone recommend some restaurants / bistros neaby? We are on a budget so nothing expensive I%26#39;m afraid!

We are planning to go to Disneyland as my boyfriend has never been to any of the parks ever! Can you tell me the best way to get there?

Our flight to Barcelona is from Orly Airport so any tips about how to get there would be great.

Finally, we will be there from Friday lunchtime until Tuesday morning. Are any of the main attractions closed on specific days?

Thanks in advance!!

Lolly

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The simplest, least expensive and most convenient way to get from Paris to and from Disnetland Paris is via the RER A-4 ligne (in the dirrection of Marne-la-Vallee/Chessy) from any of its stops across Paris--Etoile, Auber, Chatelet-Les Halles, Gare de Lyon. Trains begin running at approx. 05:30 AM through approx 1:00 AM every 10 minutes or so. The travel time between Paris and DP is approx 40-45 mins. The round trip RER fare is 12,20 Euro per person and you can also purchase DP admission tickets at the same RER ticket booth that you buy your train ticket for 40 Euro. The main gate of DP is approx. 100 metres from the Marne-la-Valee train station. BUT....with only 3 1/2 days for ALL of PARIS open and available to you....unless you are an absolute die-hard Disney-fan, skip DP and leave it for another trip.

There are several ways to get from ORLY to central Paris. One is the ORLYVAL bus from outside of your arrival terminal to the RER B train station at ANTHONY and then the RER B into CHATELET-Les Halles. From there, you could either make your way to the #1 Metro ligne (in the direction of La Defense) to the TUILERIES Metro station, then a two block walk from the exit on rue de Rivoli, up rue du 29 Julliet to your hotel...OR...take a TAXI PARISIEN from the taxi stand at the exit of the Chatelet-Les Halles RER station, the short ride to your hotel at rue Saint-Hyacinthe. A TAXI PARISIEN from outside of your ORLY arrival terminal, directly to your hotel would probably run 30-35 Euro.

ORLY/PARIS AIRPORT TRANSFERS--

http://www.adp.fr/webadp/a_cont01_an.nsf/$$Affich@ReadForm%26amp;cle=X400410411.html

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Thanks so much for the detailed info! Hopefully we won%26#39;t get lost!

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I just returned this morning from Paris, and stayed at the Prince Albert Louvre for 5 nights!

There%26#39;s plenty of bars, bistros etc all nearby. I don%26#39;t know if you are having breakfast at the hotel but there%26#39;s a place around the corner called %26#39;215%26#39; which sells loads of nice baguettes, pastries and very good coffee at fairly reasonable prices.

If you turn left out of the hotel, then right, then right again you%26#39;ll be in a square called %26#39;place du Marche Saint-Honore%26#39; where there a few good places, L%26#39;Absinthe bar was good for drinks. We ate at a place called %26#39;Rouge Tomate%26#39; also on the square, prices were average (our mains were 13.50 Euro each but I think they did a set menu deal which was better value) but the food was very, very good!

About 10/15 mins walk away near the Opera there are a couple of streets lined with eateries (Blvd Italiens, Haussman and Montmatre) and we usually ate around there where the prices were reasonable - %26#39;Bistro Romain%26#39; was nice, I think there are several around Paris - good value and good food.

Hope you have a nice trip - I didn%26#39;t want to leave!

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A %26#39;simple but hearty%26#39; eating place is the %26#39;Abre Sec%26#39; on the corner of rue de l%26#39;arbre sec and rue Faubourg st Honor��.

Either the louvre or the Mus��e d%26#39;orsay is closed Mondays, the other is closed Tuesdays - a quick visit to theri websites should tell you which is which.

(Sorry my capitals aren%26#39;t more consistent)

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Of the more popular Parismuseums, the Musee d%26#39;Orsay, Musee Rodin, Musee Marmottan and Chateau de Versailles will be closed on Mondays.

For sorta%26#39; one-stop-shopping for museum Open/Closed days, use this forum%26#39;s SEARCH feature to Search for a previus post entitled, %26quot;..PARIS MUSEUM LINKS..%26#39; for a listing of OPEN/CLOSED days for many museums and direct internet links to individual museums for more detailed descriptions and information.

It is also worth noting that on your FRIDAY, day of arrival, the Musee du LOUVRE is OPEN LATE--until 9:45 PM...which may allow you to extend your day and visit the Louvre with fewer people and clearer sightlines.

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Thanks so much everyone for your hints and tips!

Only 7 weeks to go now and getting excited!

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KDK! where have you been? your absence has been noticed... hope everything was ok.

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well crap. old post. I was so surprised I didn%26#39;t check the date. nevermind. bah.

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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;KDK! where have you been? your absence has been noticed... hope everything was ok%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;

Couldn%26#39;t be better...after lying on a beach on Bermuda for 11 days and then another 9 days of museums, theater, dining, shopping (that wasn%26#39;t my idea) in NYC and a few days at a nephew%26#39;s home on an upstate lake-island. Now I%26#39;m paying the %26#39;..price..%26#39; by trying to catch up with %26#39;real life%26#39;. Are you aware that they still send bills when you%26#39;re on vacation? How rude !!!

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KDKSAIL -

Yep, you are back alright !

Thanks for the tip, I%26#39;ll tell them to hold

my bills while I am in Paris in September.

Getting to Versailles

During our 8 day trip to Paris, we%26#39;re thinking of adding Versailles to our trip. Our neighbors are just raving about it! They are from London. Anyway, if we decide to go, would you suggest going on the train, or renting a car and driving.

If we drive, is there anything interesting along the way that we might also want to include in the day trip. AND is it an entire day trip?

Information on restaurants in that area are also appreciated. I guess, if you%26#39;ve read any of my other posts, you realize by now that we%26#39;re foodies!

Can%26#39;t help it!

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Versailles is practically a suburb of Paris - it is all %26#39;city%26#39; between the two. Just take the train. (RER-C to Versailles-Rive Gauche; train names are... VICK and ??; Zone 4)

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Don%26#39;t bother renting a car, take the RER train (do a search and you will see this question has been asked thousands of times), and of course you can make it a whole day trip there, if you do you can enjoy the back of the park with the trianons, and hameau de la reine which is my favorite. Don%26#39;t miss the fountains turned on , on the week-ends. A nice restaurant is La Flotille, right between the gardens and the grand trianon, overlokking the canal, but better to book there.

Where to stay in Paris?

Hi all,

My boyfriend and I will be in Paris in the last week of August for the first time. I would like to ask you where (what neighborhood/district) would you recommend to stay in Paris? We are in our 20ies and looking for a fun neighborhood to stay, where we can find things to see during daytime as well as at the evening and which is also close to some of the most famous sights and attractions. We have been looking at Louvre/Theater District, Champ Elysees or Eiffel Tower/Orsay Museum. What would you recommend? Are these neiborhoods too croweded?

Thank You all very much.

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Ideally, the Four Seasons George V or the Ritz would be my pick. However, it is a little expensive so I%26#39;m staying at Dehly%26#39;s Hotel with the communal showers but it is close to many of the attractions.

If you can afford about 90 euros a night, I recommend the Hotel Michelet Odeon. It%26#39;s in the 6th arrondsisement and close to the Louvre and the most popular attractions.

www.hotelmicheletodeon.com

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Have you received any more advice - I am trying to find the same type of place to stay at the end of August...

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I think the Latin Quarter or around Republique/Oberkampf would be more fun for 20%26#39;s-year-olds...

The Eiffel tower area is apartments and government buildings, not much for evenings.

The Champs Elysee area is somewhat highend and business-oriented, and not very %26#39;charming%26#39;.

The area right around the Louvre/Bourse - also more business-oriented, and probably noisy if room overlooks rue du Rivoli...

The Latin Quarter has a dense concentration of inexpensive hotels, cafes, restaurants (good and bad!) and shops, and more young people due to the Sorbonne.

The Marais/Republique area have developed into a more trendy, nightlife atmosphere, also plenty of restaurants, shops etc.

When you%26#39;re looking at hotels, those would be the 5th, 3rd, 4th and 11th arrondissements.

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Hello KO;We stayed at the Henry IV, small hotel at the Latin quarter;walking distance to the Seine,Notredame,Saint Michel,the Louvre,a big shopping mall and other places of interest.The hotel is in a quiet neighborhood,next to a park.The apartments have a small kitchenette,a living room and a nice bathroom.Good luck.

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I would second travelnutty%26#39;s recommendation

of the Latin Quarter (I%26#39;ve stayed there the

past 4 visits) or the Marais.

Use the search box above to get some

excellent recommendations.

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The Marais area is a good area to stay for fun and for your age range...It is very animated at nights, there are a lot of clubs, bars, etc where you can out by night...It is also interesting to be during daytime....

I stayed in an hotel called Hotel du Marais, mid-range price hotel, very clean and in the 3rd disctrict, so in Le marais. It is very close to a metro stop.

You can see it on http://www.paris-hotel-marais.com

Have a nice trip!

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Check out cosy *** hotel Tilsitt, summer rates are very attractive and just steps away from ChampsElysee makes it ideal location. I heard the breakfast is great too. tilsitt.com

I am going to paris 19-26 august, solo for the first time, trying to get over a breakup.

If anyone is up for coffee, email me at rachel63j at hotmail dot com.

Apartment Hotels/Suites Hotels?

Has anyone stayed in a self-catering/suites hotel in Paris? The sort with a small kitchen and two bedrooms. We are meeting up (from Canada) with our relatives from Los Angeles in Paris for 4 days in early October. We will be 4 adults, no kids. Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

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There are maybe 20 locations for the Citadines apart-hotels...

This is an example, but if you put %26quot;Citadines%26quot; into the Search box at the TOP LEFT, then you%26#39;ll see all the locations...

tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187147-d208096…

The Champagne Region - Day Trip

What train would we catch to go to the Champagne Region?

Is the Champagne Region anywhere near Giverny?

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The train from Paris to Reims goes from Gare de l%26#39;est. You%26#39;ll find any info about this on www.sncf.com (sncf is the French railways company).

Champagne is plain east, while Giverny is north west.

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I went to Reims 40, yes 40, years ago when I was in high school. I lived at and attended school at the university for 6 weeks and we toured around Europe. Reims is fabulous. We went to several champaigne caves for tours. It is really a beautiful place.

first time solo traveller

Hi everyone,

I am going to paris from 19 to 26 aug. to try and get over a breakup ( i know not the best choice of destination) but I want to feel stronger after this.

Have a plan but still worried about being lonely.

Anyone interested in a tour, walk or coffee, drop me a line on rachel63j at hotmail dot com.

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Sorry about your breakup. Although I won%26#39;t be in Paris in August, I would have been interested in having a walk and some coffee and wine with you. Good luck anyway!

Two young women visiting the French/Italian Riviera

We are two 26-year olds and neither of us has been to the Riviera before. We are flying into Nice and planning to travel through the following places: Antibes, Cannes, Villefrance, possibly St. Tropez (is it worth it?), Beaulieu-sur-mer, Monaco, and up into Italy (toward Cinque Terre). We are there for a total of 10 days, and aside from hitting the beaches and visiting some of the museums during the day, we are looking for fun things to do at night. Any suggestions?

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Don%26#39;t miss St.Tropez. It%26#39;s a really neat place. The night clubs don%26#39;t fill up until 1-2am. Papagayo stays open til 5am. It%26#39;s close to the Port/Harbor. My sister and I are around your age and we were just there 2 weeks ago. It was lots of fun. I recommend that you find a hotel in St. Tropez if you%26#39;re planning on partying pass 11:30pm. Taxis there are VERY expensive. Or, you can find a hotel in St. Maxime and rent a moped to get back and forth late at night. We had to resort to hitch-hiking one night cuz the bus system there is crappy!

Air France plane on fire

An Air France flight from Paris to Toronto has gone off the runway and is on fire. CNN says the pilot and copilot are alive, but no other news.

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Unconfirmed reports have 291 on board, 60 have excaped so far. Quite a huge fire, may have been hit by lightning.

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I%26#39;m in Toronto and there will be a press conference anytime. I%26#39;ll try and keep you posted as best as I can. They are working extremely hard on controlling the fire. The pilot and copilot are being debriefed. There is a report that an ambubus has taken some people off the plane. I can%26#39;t confirm this as of yet. It was an Air France airbus A340 flight AF358. We are still awaiting confirmation on this. It was landing in a major thunderstorm.

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An eyewitness claimed that the plane landed far closer to the end of the runway than usual and then there was a big explosion with lots of debris flying everywhere. This was followed later by another explosion. The cause is still undetermined but the newscasters are saying it might have been caused by a vertical downdraft resulting from the storm.

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I know we have a lot of Toronto TA members so I hope everyone is ok.

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News just reporting a stewardess thinks they got all the passengers off, here%26#39;s hoping.

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Local TV just interviewed someone who%26#39;s friend was on the flight and confirmed that many people even though injured got off the plane and taken to local hospitals. There have been no causualties reported as of yet.

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Unconfirmed report on now says all passengers got off. There is to be a press conference soon.

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News confernce now underway. It appears that all have survived the crash but won%26#39;t confirm 100%.

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The press conference reported no known casualties and 14 unconfirmed minor injuries.

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It looks from the preliminary reports that the aircraft was hit by lightning and that it skidded off the runway. However, all passengers got off the aircraft before it caught fire and all are safe and sound (other than a few minor injuries).

Eiffel tower

Are there long queues at the Eiffel Tower? Any suggestions as to time of day to go? Do I buy a ticket there or is there a better place to get them?

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For the Eiffel tower get there early like 8h45 to be among the first people to get there, and they don%26#39;t sell the tickets in advance so you just have to put up with the waiting unfortunately!

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Just make sure you are in the proper line to use the elevator. We %26quot;cleverly%26quot; got into the shortest line.....15 minutes later we realized it was the line to walk up the stairs!!

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We got there about 9:30 in the morning and waited about 1/2 hour to get on the elevator - not too bad at all. It was well worth it.

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We got there about 9:15 and had no queues for the stairs and it looked like about a 15 minute queue to use the lift. We purchased tickets to the top from the 2nd stage with no queues for either the tickets or the lifts. By the time we left (11ish) the queues were all extremely long.

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MidMisty-- do I understand you walked the first flight of stairs then bought a ticket to the top without a waiting line?

We%26#39;ll be there in September-- love the weather comments!

thanks for your help.

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I am not a traitor.

I went up the Eiffel Tower a few years

back and it was ok but nothing super special.

There are better views of Paris elsewhere.

I reveled in viewing the tower from the four corners

of the base and really enjoyed it from the Trocadero.

For many I suspect that they go up because it%26#39;s

the thing to do, they are supposed to and can

then say they did so.

The Eiffel Tower is beautiful and a world renown

beacon of Paris.

My point: If you can%26#39;t get there early enough so there%26#39;s not a 2-3 hour wait, is there not something else you could do with

that time ?

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Just curious how long of a walk is it to the 2 stage ? Thanx Jimmy

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My husband and I were there last week at noon and waited about 25 minutes to walk the stairs. The lines for the lifts were really long...I would estimate that it was at least an hour wait. It took us about 5-10 minutes to get to the first level by stairs. I would say that it took us another 5-10 minutes to get to the second level...bring your walking shoes as this is a workout! We did save some money by doing it this way as tickets to the top were only 7 Euros each. Once on the second level we waited in line for about 20 minutes to take the elevator to the top. It was a good experience, but I think that the Arc de Triomphe has better views of the city since the Eiffel Tower is in the view! Even still, we couldn%26#39;t go to Paris and not do the Eiffel Tower, so enjoy! I also recommend the roof at the Galaries Lafayette for a nice, free view of the city...we were pleasantly suprised!

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Better still, book at the altitude 95 and and have a meal, you go straight to the front of the queue, still have to pay to go up though which I thought was a rip-off, so get there early,but the meal was lovely and we had great views,Janick

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I was there last week. In the afternoon the queue for the stairs was 45 minutes long and the 3rd floor was closed due to too many people. I didn%26#39;t go since I%26#39;ve already been. The really best time to go is in the morning, before the tour buses. Have fun in wonderfull Paris!!!