Planning a trip to Paris!

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Herbert

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 6:34 am

Guest

Hi everybody, recently I have planned a trip to Paris and I would like
to gather as much information about there so that I can have a good
trip that will have no problems! I have planned my schedule and the
mode but I need to be more updated on that place to stay, food and the
rest things about the city.
Please do help me with your suggestions on them….Thanks!

--
Herbert

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:16 am

Guest

On 3 mar, 02:34, Herbert <Herbert.3f27...@travelbanter.com> wrote:
< Hi everybody, recently I have planned a trip to Paris and I would
like
< to gather as much information about there so that I can have a good
< trip that will have no problems! I have planned my schedule and the
< mode but I need to be more updated on that place to stay, food and
the
< rest things about the city.
< Please do help me with your suggestions on them….Thanks!

Most important imho: August is the best time for
a vacation in Paris. No major problems driving around
by car, no problems getting a cab. "Low season"
prices for many hotels. Sure not all restaurants and
and attractions open, but nevertheless best time of
the year for tourists.

In addition: check the websites, get a decent
(and recent, updated) tourist guide, define your
own priorities (sites YOU plan to visit or things YOU
want to do), leave some flexibility for weather
conditions (best view from places such as Eiffel
tower just after rainfalls; museums for rainy days)

Assuming its your first and a relatively short trip
(no info on your posting) - then concentrate on the
major tourist highlights. You will be busy enough
with.

As for more personal recommendations:
- get a museum pass or some pass that allows you
to avoid queues
- try to stay near enough to the center, ideally at
walking distance to "bateaubus" and get a pass for
- during main tourist season forget side-tours such
as chateau de Versailles (crowds!)

Have fun

Rajeev Aloysius

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:37 am

Guest

On Mar 3, 6:34 am, Herbert <Herbert.3f27...@travelbanter.com> wrote:

Quote:

--
Herbert

Place to stay - Ibis hotels throughout the city offer a budget, but
very basic place to stay in the centre of the city, whether you want
to be close to a metro or not.

food - they have everything there, from Turkish kebabs, french
pancakes with sweet, fish or meat filling (great value!), fast food
(McD, KFC, Pizza Hut), Bistros (typical french eateries) and the
highest concentration of Michelin 3-star restaurants in the world.

the rest things about the city -

travel - Buy 10-journey Carnets, rather than the Paris Visite, which
is a little expensive. http://www.visitparis.com/tr/TransMetro.html.
Taxis are expensive but plentiful

see: the Louvre, the Seine cruise with its bridges and sights on the
banks, Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, the Saint-Chappelle, The Louvre,
the Eiffel Tower, the La Defense arch, the Champs-Elysee sights, the
Arch di Triomphe and the Place de La Concorde and ; sorry this is
getting long so: http://wikitravel.org/en/Paris

R

Guest

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 6:56 pm

On Tue, 3 Mar 2009 00:16:38 -0800 (PST), je <justforpostings@iprolink.ch> wrote:

Quote:

Most important imho: August is the best time for
a vacation in Paris...

I couldn't disagree more. August can be swelteringly hot, and air conditioning
is not prevalent in hotel rooms in the lower price ranges.

I'd take late September, October, and April, in that order.

Quote:

...No major problems driving around by car, no problems getting a cab.

Why would you need to do either in Paris?

Quote:

In addition: check the websites, get a decent
(and recent, updated) tourist guide, define your
own priorities (sites YOU plan to visit or things YOU
want to do), leave some flexibility for weather
conditions (best view from places such as Eiffel
tower just after rainfalls; museums for rainy days)

Assuming its your first and a relatively short trip
(no info on your posting) - then concentrate on the
major tourist highlights. You will be busy enough...

Good advice.

-- Larry

tuckermor

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 7:01 pm

Guest

Thank you, Rajeev, for the link to wikitravel -very helpful!

--
Visit www.insectgraphics.com for all your insect gift needs
"Rajeev Aloysius" <rajeev.aloysius@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:a6afd1d4-a2e0-402b-bdb3-1bcc92c76ca2@p36g2000prp.googlegroups.com...
On Mar 3, 6:34 am, Herbert <Herbert.3f27...@travelbanter.com> wrote:

Quote:

--
Herbert

logandude

Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 7:01 pm

Guest

Herbert;955466 Wrote:

Quote:

Hello, since you have planned the schedule and the way of reaching
there, you have done the most arrangements and you are half way through
the trip. I would advice that you can check out the 'rental apartments'
(http://parisluxurystays.com/) that are available there for a
comfortable stay so that you can have the right accommodation. My
friend had been there recently and he was quiet pleased with the stay
there.
I hope that you would too enjoy the stay there.

--
logandude

Mark Brader

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 12:57 am

Guest

"Herbert":

Quote:

I suggest you should do what interests you. Since you haven't told us
what that is, and haven't mentioned the plans you have already made,
how do you expect anyone to provide meaningful help?
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | Thus, "plain english" is the same as
msb@vex.net | "near-field spin". --Carl Ginnow

S Viemeister

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:14 am

Guest

Mark Brader wrote:

Quote:

"Herbert":
Hi everybody, recently I have planned a trip to Paris and I would like
to gather as much information about there so that I can have a good
trip that will have no problems! I have planned my schedule and the
mode but I need to be more updated on that place to stay, food and the
rest things about the city.
Please do help me with your suggestions ...

I suggest you should do what interests you. Since you haven't told us
what that is, and haven't mentioned the plans you have already made,
how do you expect anyone to provide meaningful help?

The question was sent through 'travelbanter'....

Dave Smith

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:34 am

Guest

Herbert wrote:

Quote:

That depends on what sort of things you like to do and see. If you like
art galleries there is the Louvre, the Musee d'Orsay and many others.
You don't need to worry about transportation because the city s well
serviced by the Metro. If you want to go to Versailles it is just a
short train ride. I would not recommend getting a car because it is
cheaper and easier to travel by public transit and you won't have to pay
for parking... if you can find it. Cemetere Pere LaChaisse is a
wonderful place to spend a few hours. The military museum at Les
Invalides is pretty good.

Finding good restaurants is not a problem. I would suggest avoiding the
main tourist areas because they can be quite expensive and not all that
good. I found that it was easy enough to walk just a few blocks from the
main tourist areas. There is no shortage of great little places with
outdoor seating. You can look at the posted menu and check out the sort
of food on people's plates and then select one that looks to be to your
liking.

I found Mercure hotels in France to be quite acceptable, and their
cheaper Ibis hotels offer more basic accommodation.

Try to get up to Montmarte and the Sacre Coeur on a nice warm summer
evening.

Jack Campin - bogus addre

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:42 am

Guest

Herbert <Herbert.3f274ab@travelbanter.com> wrote:

Quote:

http://www.maitresse-francoise.com/ , perhaps.

==== j a c k at c a m p i n . m e . u k === <http://www.campin.me.uk> ====
Jack Campin, 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland == mob 07800 739 557
CD-ROMs and free stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, and Mac logic fonts

Martin

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:47 am

Guest

On Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:14:58 -0500, S Viemeister <firstname@lastname.oc.ku>
wrote:

Quote:

Mark Brader wrote:
"Herbert":
Hi everybody, recently I have planned a trip to Paris and I would like
to gather as much information about there so that I can have a good
trip that will have no problems! I have planned my schedule and the
mode but I need to be more updated on that place to stay, food and the
rest things about the city.
Please do help me with your suggestions ...

I suggest you should do what interests you. Since you haven't told us
what that is, and haven't mentioned the plans you have already made,
how do you expect anyone to provide meaningful help?

The question was sent through 'travelbanter'....

At least it had nothing to do with US politics.
--

Martin

Runge14

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 11:27 am

Guest

So what martin are you always on topic !!!
The nerve...

"Martin" <me@address.invalid> a écrit dans le message de
news:da9rq4d9ad6e14uvitamk6kh6nmok73uic@4ax.com...

Quote:

On Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:14:58 -0500, S Viemeister
firstname@lastname.oc.ku
wrote:

Mark Brader wrote:
"Herbert":
Hi everybody, recently I have planned a trip to Paris and I would like
to gather as much information about there so that I can have a good
trip that will have no problems! I have planned my schedule and the
mode but I need to be more updated on that place to stay, food and the
rest things about the city.
Please do help me with your suggestions ...

I suggest you should do what interests you. Since you haven't told us
what that is, and haven't mentioned the plans you have already made,
how do you expect anyone to provide meaningful help?

The question was sent through 'travelbanter'....

At least it had nothing to do with US politics.
--

Martin

hackamore

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 7:01 pm

Guest

Herbert wrote:

Quote:

as I'm about to take my new wife to Paris for her first visit I've got
LOTS of Paris stuff on my travel blog!

--

Hackamore
http://www.hackamore.com
http://hackamoretravel.blogspot.com

-hh

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 12:17 pm

Guest

S Viemeister <firstn...@lastname.oc.ku> wrote:

Quote:

But doesn't appear to be malicious.

For OP Herbert, I'd recommend getting a copy of the Rick Steve's
guidebook for Paris. Not only does it have 'instructions' on how to
see some of the most famous sights efficiently, but he also has a
couple of different 'neighborhood' areas with hotel & food
recommendations. Of the 5-6 times that I've been to Paris, I've
stayed in the Rue Cler neighborhood twice and would go there again.

FWIW, Philippe's very small "La Varangue" restaurant is near Rue Cler
and is visitor-friendly, English speaking, inexpensive, good and of
note for Americans, "opens early" (by 6pm) for dinner. It can be
found here on Google Maps:

http://tinyurl.com/la-varangue

Another very general tip for Paris has been mentioned: their Metro
system and buying the 10-pack tickets (carats). Also, the last I
checked, the 'Carte Orange' (week pass) was still available, but hard
to find info on. Its best if you're arriving in the first half of the
week and not straddling a weekend. For navigating the Metro, make
sure to get a map and what really makes easy day's journey out
painless is to take 5 minutes in the morning and write down your Metro
path plan:

Go to the desired Metro stop:
Step 1: Get on at Station [A] for the [Red] Line

Get on going the correct direction:
Step 2: Since you want to go [North], the terminus going that
direction is [Station Name A]
Step 2a: Remember that [Station Name B] is the WRONG direction!

Go the required number of stops, transfer lines:
Step 3: the map says it should be [3] stops, then get off at [Station
Name C]
Step 3a: Watch the locals; don't accidentally go out an exit
Step 3b: Follow the signs and find the [Green] Line
Step 3c: Since you want to go [East] on this Line, the terminus going
that direction is [Station Name D]
Step 3d: Remember that [Station Name E] is the WRONG direction!

Proceeding on the second line:
Step 4: the map says it should be [5] stops, to our destination of
[Station Name F]
Step 4a: Watch the locals; now use an exit
Step 4b: Notice that there's often more than one exit, which can be
useful

Getting back home:
Step 5: Go back to [Station Name F]
Step 5a: When coming here, we recalled that [Station Name E] was the
'WRONG' direction? Now its the desired direction.
Step 5b: How many stops was it to get here? Oh yeah, it was [5],
from [Station Name C].
Step 5c: Back at [Station Name C], where we transfer back onto the
[Red] line
Step 5d: When we started out on the Red line, the WRONG direction was
[Station Name B], so its now the way we want to go.
Step 5e: And our home of [Station Name A] is only [3] stops away.

As you can see, a crib sheet goes a long ways.

-hh

Rog

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 6:16 pm

Guest

"-hh" <recscuba_google@huntzinger.com> wrote:
For OP Herbert, I'd recommend getting a copy of Rick Steve's
guidebook for Paris. Not only does it have 'instructions' on how
to see some of the most famous sights efficiently, but he also has
a couple of different 'neighborhood' areas with hotel & food
recommendations.

Some of RS ideas are a bit off-beat and sometime simply silly.
That said, for the stuff that interests you, I've found his practical
"how to" advice, maps + diagrams to be more useful than other
guidebooks which merely pack in a ton of details.

Mark Brader

Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2009 2:35 pm

Guest

H.H.:

Quote:

For navigating the Metro, make sure to get a map and what really makes
easy day's journey out painless is to take 5 minutes in the morning and
write down your Metro path plan:

My goodness. Well, if it works for you, I won't argue.

Quote:

Go to the desired Metro stop:
Step 1: Get on at Station [A] for the [Red] Line

Get on going the correct direction:
Step 2: Since you want to go [North], the terminus going that
direction is [Station Name A]
Step 2a: Remember that [Station Name B] is the WRONG direction!

Step 2b: When the train stops, don't expect the doors to open
automatically as they do on most subways. On most lines, near
the center of each pair of sliding doors is either a mechanical
lever that you lift to release the doors, or on newer trains,
a pushbutton.

Quote:

Go the required number of stops, transfer lines:
Step 3: the map says it should be [3] stops, then get off at [Station
Name C]
Step 3a: Watch the locals; don't accidentally go out an exit

How can you tell which locals are going out an exit and which ones
are changing lines? By looking at the signs for the exit (SORTIE)
and for connecting trains (CORRESPONDANCE).

Quote:

Step 3b: Follow the signs and find the [Green] Line
Step 3c: Since you want to go [East] on this Line, the terminus going
that direction is [Station Name D]
Step 3d: Remember that [Station Name E] is the WRONG direction!

In some places the passages are signposted only by terminus (DIRECTION)
and not by line number, so you have to skip step 3b.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | "...and if sooner or later your revels must be ended,
msb@vex.net | well, at least you reveled." --Roger Ebert

My text in this article is in the public domain.

-hh

Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2009 4:19 pm

Guest

Mark Brader wrote:

Quote:

H.H.:

For navigating the Metro, make sure to get a map and what really makes
easy day's journey out painless is to take 5 minutes in the morning and
write down your Metro path plan:

My goodness. Well, if it works for you, I won't argue.

I came up with it when trying to educate my parents on a trip to Paris
a few years ago. I've also found it useful when trying herd a group
in an unfamiliar city from point A (Hotel) to B (restaurant) and
having stragglers get lost, etc.

Quote:

Good point.

Quote:

Step 3a: Watch the locals; don't accidentally go out an exit

How can you tell which locals are going out an exit and which ones
are changing lines? By looking at the signs for the exit (SORTIE)
and for connecting trains (CORRESPONDANCE).

For the 'follow the locals', I was mostly referring to the more
immediate aspect when one steps out the door .. if everyone else steps
off and turns left, that's probably a good idea to mimic no matter
where you're going.

-hh

JuanElorza

Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2009 2:19 am

Guest

On Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:34:54 +0000, Herbert wroteÂ :

Quote:

Hi everybody, recently I have planned a trip to Paris and I would like
to gather as much information about there so that I can have a good trip
that will have no problems! I have planned my schedule and the mode but
I need to be more updated on that place to stay, food and the rest
things about the city.
Please do help me with your suggestions on themÂ….Thanks!

Have a look at the tourists' office web site
http://www.parisinfo.com/

Get maps and public transport informations here
http://www.ratp.fr/

Information on Paris Airport here
http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/en-gb/passagers/home/

Some not so usual place to see : go to the rue Mouffetard street market
(in the morning), and stroll in the narrow steets nearby (Contrescarpe,
rue Descartes, Sorbonne, Pantheon, Saint-Severin), if open visit the St
Medard church

Local maps
http://www.mappy.fr/

Martin

Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2009 6:00 pm

Guest

On Sun, 15 Mar 2009 10:47:12 -0400, Cathy L <lederer2000@yahoo.com> wrote:

Quote:

I would have to agree with no going in the summer. I have found that
Europe is way behind the States with the use of air conditioning.

but a thousand years ahead in culture and history.
--

Martin

Nathalie Chiva

Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2009 6:00 pm

Guest

On Sun, 15 Mar 2009 10:47:12 -0400, Cathy L <lederer2000@yahoo.com>
wrote:

Quote:

I would have to agree with no going in the summer. I have found that
Europe is way behind the States with the use of air conditioning.

Cathy L

Which may why we use about half the energy the average American
uses...

Nathalie in Switzerland

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