Paris & Germany in January 2008...help!

My husband and I are considering staying in Paris for about 3 days and then going to Germany (probably Munich) for about 3-4 days in January 2008. I really want to go to Paris and my husband really wants to go Germany so we combined our top choices.

Does anyone have an idea how long the flight from Paris to Munich would take? We were concerned about taking a flight in the middle of our trip because it would cut into our short vacation, but we were assured by travel agents that it is definitely possible. Originally, they recommended a package that included Paris and Prague, but we are trying to get them to change it to Paris and Munich.

Also, we would be traveling during the first or second week in January. We were in London last January and it was cold (not too cold), but very wet and rainy. Is the weather in January similar in Paris and Germany?

Any other tips/pointers? Thanks!

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The actual flight time would be about 1.5 hours but at a minimum it would take you about 5 hours from the center of one city to the center of the other taking airport transfers and check-in times into account.

I know this isn%26#39;t what you want to hear but a week really isn%26#39;t enough time for both Paris and Munich. Most people would say that a week is barely enough time for Paris alone, especially in January when the daylight hours are few. If you really can%26#39;t decide to see either France OR Germany on this trip and the other on the next trip, perhaps you could add a few days. In any case you really need to give more time to Paris than Munich. Munich does not have anything like the rich diversity of sights that Paris has. You could also consider taking the overnight train between the two cities so you would not waste most of a day travelling.

As for the weather Paris *should* be similar to London in January, possibly a degre or two colder. *Normal* high temps would be in the low 40s, lows around freezing, and it will certainly feel raw and damp unless you get an unusually warm sunny spell. At the samre time you could get an unusually cold spell. Munich will be a good bit colder with highs in the very low 30s and lows well below freezing and a good chance of snow. Again of course it could be unusually warm or unusually cold for the few days you are there.

The good thing about travelling at that time of year besides the low air fares is that you won%26#39;t be fighting thousands of other visitors everywhere you go.

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I was also going to suggest the night train. Definitely allow yourselves more time in Paris than Munich. But Irishrovr is right, one week would still really be pushing it, because even from Munich you would be taking day trips (I assume) to Dachau, Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, etc., which would be a lot in a short period of time.

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Thanks for the replies. We%26#39;re used to traveling in a short period of time (we did London, Bath, Stonehenge and Windsor all in one week) so rushing around doesn%26#39;t worry us.

Originally, we were going to fly via a military hop into Ramstein (close to Frankfurt) and stay there for a week, but take a day bus tour (overnight bus tour) to Paris. Taking a military hop is very unpredictable so we cancelled out that idea (since we only have a week to 10 days to travel). But, we could always just get a hotel in a central location between Paris and Munich and take a train for day tours.

I%26#39;m so confused now! We still have plenty of time to play around with different ideas so if you have any, feel free to post them. Thanks!

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Does it have to be Munich? By the time you travel, the new TGV Est from Paris will be in service, which takes about 3 hours to Stuttgart. Alternatively, Thalys takes about the same to Cologne - and you could call in on Brussels en route.

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Removed on: 8:17 am, August 20, 2009

shoe store in Paris

I will be in Paris at the end of the month. I tend to wear Clark %26#39;s of England (brand shoes) for daytime walking trips, but is there a recommendation for a Paris shop that speicalizes in comfortable, fashionable shoes? I am in my early 30%26#39;s and although at home wear a lot of heels and stylish shoes, I need to be comfortable for hours of walking the Paris streets. In U.S . it seems that we have to choose between fashion or comfort, difficult to find both. Thought maybe I%26#39;d have better luck when I get to Paris. Suggestions?

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I%26#39;m sorry I don%26#39;t know the answer, but I would not want to walk miles and miles in brand new shoes. Even %26#39;sensible%26#39; shoes need breaking in. Then again my feet are a lot older than yours.

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Last Spring I wore GEOX loafers a lot and they were quite comfortable without looking like orthopedic shoes.

In Paris, I always make a stop at the ARCHE store on Rue de Capucines in the 8th or the big department stores, Printemps and Galeries Lafayettes. ARCHE also has locations throughout Paris and carry comfortable, and a bit more fashionable shoes.

Also, Mephisto are cheaper in Paris than US.

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I too am in my early 30s and have found that Merrell shoes are FANTASTIC. If you search Merrell on shoes.com, you can see they have many stylish shoes that are very comfortable. I know this doesn%26#39;t answer your question, but I agree that you should buy shoes before you go and wear them a few times.

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Removed on: 6:19 am, August 30, 2009

musee d'orcey paris

I will be in Paris for 2 full days in May with my 85 year old mother in law, she would very much like to visit musee d%26#39;orcey, is it possible to pre book tickets, she would find it quite difficult to queue for a long time. Any suggestions on taking the open top bus, we are staying on bld. Haussmann. Thank you

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musée d%26#39;orsay

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I don%26#39;t know about pre-booking tickets, but if you are there on a Thursday try visiting the museum after 6 pm/18:00 as it is open late on Thursdays. We had absolutely no wait when we were there last week.

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If she is handicapped she can bring her ID and Doctor letter and they will let her by pass the line and the person accompanying her.

Actually they will also let her in free and if I remember correctly also the person accompanying her.

Also if one leaves a piece of ID such as a drivers licence or passport they will allow you to rent for free a wheelchair to use. ( The Louvre does the same.)

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You can buy tickets for the Musé d%26#39;Orsay in advance either by going to the museum itself and buying tickets for the next day (there is a separate window for this) or online at www.fnac.com

I%26#39;m not sure what you want to know about l%26#39;Open Tour bus. If you are asking if you should take it as a way of seeing the city, I think the answer is yes. If you are asking about the closest stop to your hotel, without knowing exactly where you are staying is is a bit difficult to say. Either the stop at 13 rue Auber or the one at 49 av, de l%26#39;Opéra might be best. You could also pick up the Montmarte/Grands Boulevards tour (there are four different routes) at the stop on rue Auber.

http://www.paris-opentour.com/index_eng.htm

If you need an exact location for either of the addresses of the bus stops use the map feature on the Pages Jaunes (Yellow Pages) site:

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

If you want to go to the Sacré Coeur and other places at the top of the hill in Montmartre you should know that the funiculaire is out of service. I doubt your MIL would be able to deal with the steps. Your best plan would probably be to take the Montmartrobus to get around:

www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan.php…

Go n-éirí an bóthar leat!

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Thank you so much for your information, knowing the musee d%26#39;orsay is open late on thursdays is great as we arrive late thursday afternoon and may be able to take a taxi there in the early evening. irish Rovr you seem to be very familiar with Paris and maybe you can help me with the open top bus, we are staying at hotel Mercure Haussmann Saint Augustin,Rue Roquepine, Paris 75008, and I wonder if you can tell me if there is a stop nearby, also is it better to purchase tickets before I go.? Does anyone have any tips on restraunts in this area.

Thanks again

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Removed on: 3:27 am, August 30, 2009

hostal or convent stay

I stayed in convents in Italy and enjoyed the quiet and security. is there anytthing similar in Paris? I am a woman traveling alone, and i would appreciate any suggestions.

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You might like Pennion Les Marronairs... ( I think I mispelled the last paart but look at the web site and google the correct name and you csan deal directly with the owner who is very nice!) It is not a convent but it is very nice. You did not say when you are going ... she fills up fast so try to contact her directly asap.

www.sawdays.co.uk/search/display.php…

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Removed on: 8:17 pm, August 29, 2009

International cell phone

I know that you can rent cell phones in London that are pre-paid and get additional phone cards easily. Is that also true for Paris? If you rent a phone in Paris, can you take it to London?

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unlike London(£1/day), hardly anyone rents cell phones in Paris.

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Any unlocked GSM phone will work %26quot;almost%26quot; anywhere in the world. It is quite possible that you could buy one on eBay cheaper than renting one for any amount of time, just execute a simple search.

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Sorry Bibimbob, but you%26#39;re wrong.

ljsmith, try www.cellhire.fr, they rent phones in France and especially in Paris.

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I notified my mobile service here in the states that I would be in Europe as I have a phone with international capabilities and they have a program with international carriers. I used my own phone and number, didn%26#39;t need a new SIM card. I was charged $5.95 for the month, and .99 for each incoming and outgoing call. Since I only use my phone only as necessary when I vacation I thought this was a great deal.

T

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I did say %26quot;hardly anyone%26quot;.

Also, original poster asked for rental phone that%26#39;s pre-paid, cellhire offers POST-paid only for rental phone.

BTW they charge €40/week minimum. You can buy a new Nokia1600 for €59 from SFR. And as mentioned by another poster, you can get used, unlocked world phones on ebay for next to nothing.

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Like Tricia, I use my US cell phone in europe. If you are using it to call back to the US, I suggest texting to keep in touch. Its easy and cheap. I have cingular, and if I text to another cingular customer, they don%26#39;t charge me beyond my text messaging package that I already have. Its the best way to check in back home for us. Cuts down on phone calls. If you are going to call within France then a europe based phone number would be a good bet.

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yeah, i know about cellhire. i use them too. they were pretty expensive but the thing i like about it is the 24 hour support. if my mom can%26#39;t reach me, she calls cellhire and someone from their office always puts us in contact.

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Is lobby internet common in the bigger hotels, such as the Holiday Paris-Republique? That would be an option.

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Hi %26quot;Key...%26quot; some of the hotels do have free lobby internet and some charge for use.

I usually just buy a local telecarte for $20.00 for any local call ( it also can be used for International calls too) The minutes do not expire so the card can be used on other trips to France.

I arrange for my hubby and then our daughters to call us ( 90 day trips) every three day on 10-10- 987....... they only have a .50 cent connect fee and charge about .04 cents per minute. We usually calculate the time difference and we would get a call either around 10:00pm or 7:00 am from Wash state.

An hour call cost about $2.80 ! We thought that was a good solution!

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Removed on: 10:17 pm, August 29, 2009

Where to stay

Hi

Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on where to stay in Paris?

We 2 couples) will be travelling from Ireland to Paris the end of September for the Rugby World Cup and would appreciate some advice on hotels - city central I suppose?

Its first time for all of us - we have only 1 full day to go and see everything (due to the match Sunday!) So advice on what to DEFINITLY to see %26amp; do would be appreciated!

Thanks

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ohhh forgot to mention we will be on a budget .......

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It would make sense for you to stay slightly out of %26#39;tourist central%26#39; but close to a metro/RER line direct to the stadium. Hotels will be cheaper in most of the double figure arondissements.

Is the match at Stade de France or Parc des Princes?

If you state your nightly budget per room it would help.

As to what to see and do, I think you need to read up on what the city has to offer and come back with specific questions. In one day you won%26#39;t see much.

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Get some of the budget travel books. Rick Steves is particularly helpful and practical. We have gone to Paris twice and found his advice excellend. We like to stay in the 7th ag near Rue Cler. Have used a hotel (Turrene - ok) and rented an apartment which we really liked. The 7th is where the Eifel tower is and if you can only be there one day you might want to spend some time in that wonderful spot.

Area around Notra Damme is wonderful also. Have fun. Can%26#39;t you try to go for longer.....it is a wonderful place.

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Removed on: 11:18 pm, August 29, 2009

nighlife in carcassonne

Ive been to carcassonne many times but havent been out for a good night. Id love to hit a great restaurant, wine bar and traditional pub for a few beers. Followed by a great night club....

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Hi nick10

Here%26#39;s the Carcasonne website :

carcassonne.org/carcassonne2.nsf/pgeaccueil

perhaps that will get you started!

EW

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Removed on: 4:28 am, August 30, 2009

barcalona to cannes/nice

we are palnning to take a car in barcelona and we going to spend10-12 days on a road along french rivera.

which towns/cities the best to stop. Of course, cannes/nice - 100%. but who knows more?

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hi, you should visit of course nice, cannes and monaco.

this will take about 7-8 hours from barcelona.

but dont forget, that italy is also very close to monaco, so spend some time in italy, simply cross the border in menton, which is 6 kilometres from monaco.

than you can visit the towns: vintimiglia, san remo and arma di taggia.

very good food you find in the typical local restaurants like %26quot;la rampa%26quot; in dolceaqua (famous for big t-bone like steak and rabbit in red wine).

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Thanks,

actually I have been in Italy for 2 weeks, but I really want to stop in san remo...famous for italian music festivals.

and i love italian music! because i am from Ukraine!

Thanks for your reply.

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I would definitely add St Tropez and Antibes to your list along with the others. Have fun!!

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Hi bonya

Coming up from Barcelona I would stop off at Tossa de Mar, Rosas, Figueres and Cadaques, then on to Perpignan, Cap D%26#39;Agde and Sete, you could consider an inland trip to Carcassonne from there.

There are several similar threads to yours, so this seems to be a popular trip.

Enjoy

EW

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Removed on: 6:16 am, August 30, 2009

If you could eat anywhere...

If you could eat at any restaurant in Paris, which one would it be?

Let us know what type of food it is and, if you know, how much the average meal might run per person. Have you eaten there before, or simply dreamed?

I%26#39;ve seen many great restaurant suggestions on this board, but I%26#39;m curious which places rank as true favorites and fantastic experiences. Anything goes, from haute cuisine to the best boullabaise.

Can%26#39;t wait to see responses!

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I would really like to eat at 1728 one day. Meals cost more than we%26#39;re used to spending, so I probably won%26#39;t eat there. Many people on the forum have said that it%26#39;s a very romantic place, and when I looked at the menu on the website, the dishes really appealed to me.

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Shoesy,

Do you have the web address to the restaurant?

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Here is the offical website:

http://www.galerie-1728.com/flash.html

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Hi, Discover !

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We ate at this cute little Ivy cover rest. that won%26#39;t break the bank. I recommend the orange duck ... that is if you love duck!

You can reserve on line and they give you a free glass of wine!

Here is the cute little restaruant called %26quot;Au Vieux Paris d%26quot;Arcole%26quot; website:

www.auvieuxparis.fr

Hi Shoesy! How is your arm?

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Thanks Discover :)

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Discover - Yesterday for the first time I felt a very slight improvement.

(Luckily, the ultrasound I did on Thurs. shows no tears in the tendons of my shoulder.) I guess that by the time I go to Paris in 2008 I%26#39;ll be absolutely fine.

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Another of my very favorite %26#39;true%26quot; Dim Sum I love in Paris is:

%26quot;Tricotin%26quot; on 15 Ave de Choisy in the 13 e. Go for lunch time! It is fantastic!

My favorite is riz avec gambas au caramel my husband%26#39;s is ravioles de boeuf gingembre a` la sauce d%26#39; huitre. For desert we have pa`te de soja.

(Mine is glazed giant prawn on rice and hubby%26#39;s is ginger beef in oyster sauce and a sweet soy desert.)

Also we bring in the Chinese menu from a USA dining place ( they write what we want in Chinese) and this Paris place will make it for us !

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Glad to hear Shoesy just make sure you get some PT on it!

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Shoesy - we could go to 1728 for tea next summer and some really sinful cakes !! That wouldn%26#39;t ruin our budget. I promise, I won%26#39;t wear my pink Crocs.... (yes, yes, yes, I MUST me off to work)

Will a 1" x 1" Photo Suffice for Carte Orange

I intend to bring some photos so my wife and I can buy Carte Orange passes for the Metro.

Will a 1%26quot; x 1%26quot; head and shoulder photo suffice? Anyone know the specific requirements.

Thank you

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That%26#39;s fine. My husband and I snapped a couple headshots and printed them out on our home printer, 1%26quot; x 1%26quot; is fine. Fits perfectly!

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Is it necessary to print the 1%26quot; x 1%26quot; photos on photo paper, or will a color print out on regular paper suffice?

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All you need to do is take a photocopy of your passport and snip out the photo. I did it in February.

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As pixfield suggests it does not even have to be in colour just so long as it is recognizably a pic of you and not Fido or Spot or whomever...

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The space available on the photo-ID portion of the CARTE ORANGE pass will allow for ANY %26#39;..head-shot..%26#39; photo from approx 1%26quot;-to-1 1/4%26quot; x 1-to-1 1/4%26quot;. The photo may be of ANY sort--from professional %26#39;..glamour shot..%26#39; to a b%26amp;w photocopy of the photo on your drivers license or employee ID--on almost any type of paper (if you can get your home ink-jet printer to accept Scott%26#39;s toilet tissue and the ink doesn%26#39;t bleed to much to blur the image...that%26#39;d work too)

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where can you buy a Carte Orange? we will be staying in Montmartre area.

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If you are taking the RER/métro from CDG I think that the ticket window at CDG is the best place. The people there are used to dealing with visitors.

Otherwise in theory you can buy a CO at any métro or RER station. If you have a problem at one station just go to the next one. I think the more touristy places are likely to be less problematic than the smaller stations but you *should* be OK anywhere.

Good luck!

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Removed on: 3:26 am, August 30, 2009

Are teens welcome in Jazz Clubs?

We%26#39;re travelling this summer with our two teenage sons, 14 and 17. The 14 year old is an avid Jazz fan and aspiring sax player. Will he be welcome in the clubs? Is there any age restriction? Anyplace in particular that we should try? We are staying in the 1er in an apartment on rue Saint Honoré.

Any other hints for a 5 day stay in August? We%26#39;ve got guidebooks and I browse TA freqeuntly, there seems to always be something else great to put on the itinerary. Especially looking for good cheap eats!

thanks

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Hi KayakandMore

Google %26#39;Paris Jazz Clubs%26#39; and see what info you get - some sites I have found include :

fr.parisinfo.com/show_exhibition/rub8185.html

http://www.parisbestlodge.com/jazz2.html

www.jazz-clubs-worldwide.com/docs/france.htm

(in fact the Jazz-clubs-worldwide site is so good, I have had to add it to my bookmarks tonight!)

Lionel Hamptons Club, and New Morning seem to be the favourites, but there are others in the 1st.

As to %26#39;age%26#39; for entry, I do not know, but the French tend to be fairly %26#39;easy%26#39; about children being out late at night in Restaurants and bars, particularly. I can only imagine that they would jump at the chance to encourage a keen young jazz fan rather than to stamp on his enthusiasm. Jazz folk are usually pretty %26#39;cool%26#39; let%26#39;s face it!

Have a groovy time

EW

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In the search box above the posts on the right do a search using jazz or jazz clubs as your keywords and you should turn up several very detailed posts and threads discussing the locations of jazz clubs all over Paris and their admission policies. I don%26#39;t think you will have a problem — other than the fact that it could get to be expensive if you take in every jazz club in the city during your stay!

The rue des Lombards not far from your apartment is one of the centers of jazz in the city.

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As previously noted, use the %26#39;..Search In:..%26#39; feature (located below the GREEN %26#39;Paris Forum%26#39; line, using %26#39;..Jazz..%26#39; or %26#39;..Jazz Clubs..%26#39; as you basic Search criteria for a LOT of information on jazz in Paris. But there will be no problem taking teens to any.

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Removed on: 6:19 am, August 30, 2009

Day Trip in Loire Valley

My Wife and I are going to be in Paris for 1 week, we wanted to get away to the Loire valley for a day and go wine tasting. I have the trains figured out and can get tickets on TGV, the quesiton is, once there, how do we get to the vineyards? Where do we go? and is it like California where they all have wine tasting rooms?

Thanks for the help

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When you arrive at your Loire destination, seek out the Tourist Office, they should have information on the most local wineries.

Hiring a Car for the day will probably be the easiest way to get around.

where do you think the Californian Wineries got their ideas for tasting rooms?? However, owners of some of the smaller wineries will either invite you into their house, or sit out with you in the garden if it is a lovely day.

EW

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If you do a one day bus tour you might make better use of your limited time. There is one tour that will tour two chateaux and one winery in one day and get you back late to Paris.

If you take a train out on your own you will have to rent a car for the day and try to do it all the touring on your own in one day.

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The wine-producing regions of the Loire valley stretch over an enormous area, along probably close to 500 km of the river valley. From the west close to the ocean you have the Pays Nantais, then Anjou and Saumur, then the Touraine region and finally the Pouilly and Sancerre regions.

I am guessing that you are planning to take the TGV to Tours. From there you would have to rent a car. With a good map, probably 1:25,000 scale you could easily find your way to the white wine producing regions of Vouvray and Montlouis nearby to the east of Tours. Most of the winereies are quite small and may not be set up to receive casual visitors in the same aqy as the California wineries are.

The (mostly) red wine areas of Chinon nd Biurgeuil for which you would also need a good map are some distance west of Tours around Chinon on the left bank of the river and around St. Nicolas de Bourgueil on the right bank. The other major wine-producing areas are too far away for you to get to them in a few hours.

Honestly I don%26#39;t think the Loire is the ideal area to which to make the kind of quick foray you are thinking of. The champagne region lends itself much better to this kind of one day trip. Many of the major producers can be visited in Reims without the need to rent a car. From June 10 when the TGV Est line will be inaugurated Reims will only be a 45 minute trip from Paris.

Another option would be the Burgundy area where half day winery tours are available from Dijon and I think also from Beaune.

I do not know of any such tours in the Loire valley but if you google the Tours and Chinon tourist offices and send them an email they should be able to advise you.

Good luck!

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Removed on: 3:28 am, August 30, 2009

Looking for non smoking room in Paris

Planning to go to Paris for a one-week stay.

Desperately need to find NS accomodations due to ashtma problems... Any suggestion welcome (hotel, B%26amp;B, appartment, etc.)

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Some of the hotels have non-smoking rooms and non-smoking floors, you just have to ask them.

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Just ask, no problem at my hotel. Sorry to see so many smokers...

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It would be a big help to have some idea of your budget.

If you can afford it, I believe the Hôtel Villa Mazarin on rue des Archives in the Marais is entirely non-smoking. I have not stayed there but it gets very good write-ups here and it is in a great location..

tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g187147-d586…

If it is *really* important to you to be in a room that is as smoke free as possible, I would strongly recommend a hotel that at least has an entire non-smoking floor, if not a completely smoke-free environment. Unfortunately the French still have a rather lax attitude about whether to pay attention to %26quot;Défense de Fumer%26quot; signs in places like hotel rooms.

Good luck!

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IF a specifically designated non-smoking is THAT high a priority for you then you should probably select a hotel in Paris that is completely %26#39;..Tobacco Free..%26#39; or Non-Smoking..%26#39;...rather than %26#39;..rolling the dice..%26#39; on whether your %26#39;..promised..%26#39; non-smoking room really was %26#39;..non-smoking..%26#39; 15 minutes ago.

Check out this sample list of %26#39;..Tobacco Free..%26#39; hotels and chaeck with any hotels you%26#39;re considering to find out if they have dedicated non-smoking room...or better yet completely non-smoking floors. You might use the %26#39;..SEARCH IN:..%26#39; feature of this TA site (located below the GREEN %26#39;Paris Forum%26#39; line) using %26quot;..Non-Smoking..%26#39; or %26quot;..Tobacco Free..%26#39; as your basic Search criteria for other suggestions or recommendations on the general topic.

www.parisinfo.com/paris_hotels/rub6871.html

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Hotel Muguet in the 7th is also completely non-smoking. We%26#39;ve stayed there several times and enjoyed it very much. Especially enjoyed the large room with the Tour Eiffel view. If your visit is during the warmer weather, the air conditioning is excellent.

Be advised, though, that Paris is full of motor vehicle exhaust fumes, especially all those tour buses!

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Removed on: 2:18 am, August 19, 2009

Couchette criminals.....Paris to Nice night train

We just returned from a ten-day trip to Europe last night....three days in Paris were just heavenly.

However, on our night train to Nice last Monday, April 2nd, we realized that a thief was entering rooms bertween 5:30 a.m and 6 a.m. Somehow, he was opening locked doors. He would enter couchettes and , one lady reported, that he tried to shine a tiny flashlight into her room to see what he could steal. She was petrified and thought she was dreaming.

We put the pieces together when the passengers finally came out of their rooms. Unfortunately, when one lady went to the bathroom at daybreak, he entered her unlocked room and stole her large purse which contained her passports and the passports of her two accompanying children. In addition, he got all her euros, her 2 credit cards, and her drivers license. The thief was smart, as he waited until there was a strategic stop, and then he disappeared off the train just as people were getting out of their rooms.

Of course, the authorities were notified of the theft, but nonetheless, he succeeded in stealing something.

Has anyone ever experienced anything like this? We were in a 4-person couchette and we knew our bunkmates. But the thought of sleeping with strangers and thieves makes the whole situation unbearable. I remember reading here at TA about some gas that thieves released to make the passengers go into a deep sleep, but with my current experience,I know ,for sure, will NEVER take a night train again! Any thoughts/experiences on this subject would be greatly appreciated.

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Hi Ton Amie

I am sorry that you had that experience but glad that it did not happen to you and your friends personally. I would personally never take a night train anywhere as I cannot sleep on trains any more than planes but I love day trains. I must say I would never leave my passport etc in the train compartment or at my seat when I went to the WC as the woman you spoke to did.

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Sorry to hear about your experience...how was he (or she?) able to open %26quot;locked doors%26quot;? How many compartments were broken into?

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Thanks for your comments Faux.

I must add that the victimized woman had placed her purse next to her sleeping daughter when the woman left for the bathroom. The thief still entered the couchette compartment in the dark and reached across the sleeping daughter in order to steal the purse. Scary stuff.

The woman lost nearly two days of touring when dealing with/replacing the lost passports, etc. Apparently, Nice does not have a facility for replacing lost passports. She had to travel to Marseille.

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How scary !

Even in hotels I always place my money, credit cards, passport etc. inside the pillowcover (at the lower side of the pillow) - so that I sleep on my valuables. Paranoid ? Maybe, but it makes me feel better.

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Very good question about HOW this was all done.

One passenger reported seeing the male thief examing couchette doors with a tiny flashlight...perhaps to see if the doors were locked or not. The observing passenger thought that perhaps the thief was simply an innocent passenger who could not see the couchette door number in the darkened hallway, and he needed the flashlight to see the proper numbers.

We even concluded that the thief must have had some type of special key which opened the doors.

This may not happen to you...but simply BEWARE if you travel on a night train.

ONE SOLUTION was recommended......We were warned AFTER the fact, that if you position the metal step ladder infront of the door, then an intruder would not be able to enter at night. The couchette door would bang into the ladder and scare away the intruder. There is storage above the door in one%26#39;s room, so attach the ladder to the metal hooks over the couchette door.Makes perfect sense...now.

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I know of only four compartments that were broken into that particular night.

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Hi Ton Amie

Regardless how they get in (and I am sure a train compartment lock is not a real challenge to a determined and professional thief) it really makes you wonder why anyone takes night trains (and they are so bad for sleeping IMO). Still, I am really glad you and your friends were not robbed.

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People take night trains because it%26#39;s 8 hours not spent in the car, it saves a night in a hotel, and you arrive the following morning, refreshed and ready to start another day. I won%26#39;t disparage your choice of transportation, so long as you don%26#39;t disparage my choice. We find them a terrific way of making long treks with minimal wear and tear on your behind!

You can book a couchette (4 or 6 berths) or a private cabin (2 to 4 passengers) so that you won%26#39;t have to share accommodations with a stranger (we 3 shared ours with a very nice young man returning to Munich after a weekend in Paris with friends -- judging by the gentle snoring coming from his berth, we had nowt to be concerned about)

The bad guys break into hotels, rental cars, storage lockers at train stations, and sometimes into purses, pockets, and locked luggage. It%26#39;s the risk of traveling, and all you can do is try to minimise your exposure .

The alternative is to stay home, barricaded in your own house....but people break into houses, too.

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To each his own. I am glad that your experience has been a favorable one. And, you are right, taking a night train is a great way to maximize your day touring time, because you are on the train while sleeping through the night. That is why we took the night train in the first place...hoping that our days could be fuller and more productive with touring. Personally, I feel the train ride was not at all sound way to sleep through the night, and I felt like I had jet lag all over again.

However, if you had been a victim of the crime, perhaps you would have a much different reaction. And, I am glad that you are forewarned ......through someone else%26#39;s misfortune.

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Wow - I just booked my night train from Amsterdam to Munich - but even before reading this post, I figured I would put something in front of the door while we slept ,since we are 2 women traveling, maybe a little vulnerable. I booked a deluxe 2 person double with the shower and toilet - I don%26#39;t remember reading anything in the description about a ladder, but hopefully there is something else that I can barricade the door with.

GlitteK I like the idea of sleeping on your passport,etc - what a good tip, I%26#39;ll do that too!

oh no! help help help someone

Oh No!!!!! I just received my Eurostar tickets in the mail today. I MADE A MISTAKE!!!! I booked London to Paris when in fact I wanted Paris to London.......HELP! Eurostar%26#39;s offices are closed (it%26#39;s after 7:30 p.m. here in California). Will they let me exchange for the correct ones???? Oh no! $400!!!!!!!

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As long as they have room on the train that you actually wanted, then they will sort it out for you.

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Relax. Have a good stiff drink if that is your thing, or a scented bubble bath, or whatever...

Tomorrow you will sort it all out and I%26#39;m sure with no problem.

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Ok.....thanks guys. My husband (who I was dreading telling) said essentially the same thing. I was so ready to cry! I%26#39;ll have that cocktail and trust that it will iron itself out. GULP!

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daveswife - I can easily imagine your panic ! Please write back, when things have been sorted out. Now pour yourself another of those cocktails and take it to the bubblebath, as irish suggested.

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I booked four return tickets from London to Paris last saturday, and managed to mess up with my travel dates. I called the Eurostar helpdesk, and a very helpful operator fixed my problem in no time. And mine were the cheapest standard non flexible tickets. So you don need to worry.

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I have no advice other than what%26#39;s already been given, but I did have to chuckle that after all this talk about bubble baths a rubber ducky appears in this thread! :-)

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OK, I%26#39;m breathing again, but not after another scary spell! The first guy I spoke to this a.m. was rather nasty and snarled that %26quot;these are non-exchangeable, non-refundable fares%26quot;. I took a deep breath and told him I hadn%26#39;t changed my plans, nor was I looking for a different fare, I had just made a mistake. He repeated the same business and then he grudgingly put me on hold for 5 minutes (seemed like forever of course) and boy was his tone different when he came back on. Yes, I can exchange the tickets but will have to pay another $18 to send them (of course, that%26#39;s only fair it%26#39;s my fault. I wasn%26#39;t looking for a freebie). Then just as he gave me the new ticket schedule, my cell phone dropped the call! Argh! It was just like a commercial. Upon re-dialing, I got the loveliest lady who took great care of me and all is well. WHEW! I%26#39;m hoping I got my requisite trip disaster out of the way before I%26#39;ve even left and all will be smooth sailing now LOL. Thanks everyone for calming me down.

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Hi - I just read your post and, boy!, down to even the dropped call, did it sound like something I would do! I am soooo glad this worked out. And am happy for you that you got a sweet lady to wait on you at the end. I hope you have a wonderful, safe, and memorable visit to Paris!!!! :-)

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Glad everything is turning out great for you!!!

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I feel relieved to know that you%26#39;ve straightened things out. I%26#39;m sure everything else will be fine from now on.

Classical Music Concert

How would you go about finding times and tickets for a classical music concert in Paris? Any particular show recommendations?

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Hi d~

Try www.ampconcerts.com. We attended a Vivaldi 4 Seasons concert at St. Chapelle last summer which was a highlight of the trip. I%26#39;m sure there are other websites. Try a search here on TA with %26quot;classical concerts%26quot; and see what threads come up.

Enjoy!

joy/luvparee

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What type or sort of clasical music concert or performance are you looking for ??--

CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERT Info--

http://www.concertclassic.com/

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

http://www.ampconcerts.com

www.fnacspectacles.com/…

http://www.operadeparis.fr/

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Removed on: 1:19 pm, August 23, 2009

Complete list of museum listings?

Does anyone know of a publication on could read online that lists all current special museum exhibitions in Paris? I%26#39;ve checked the Pariscope Web site and they only list movies. And can%26#39;t seem to find a listing on Le Monde%26#39;s, though perhaps I can buy the Sunday paper and find it there. If it%26#39;s in French only that%26#39;s OK. Thanks -- just seems it would be more efficient than getting on every major museum%26#39;s Web site. I%26#39;ll be in Paris in early May.

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evene.fr is the best site I know of for listings of cultural events in France. It is in French so I hope that is not a problem. I did a quickie search for Fine Arts events in Paris between May 1 and May 15 for you. Here are the results:

www.evene.fr/culture/arts/arts.php…

I woul not suggest that this list is exhaustive but at least it is a start...

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If you are in Paris, the week%26#39;s issue of PARISCOPE is will be your best and most comprehensive resource. The on-line edition used to contain a LOT more information...but a couple of years ago the magazine severely cut-back its free, on-line content.

I don%26#39;t think that I%26#39;ve ever come across a genuinely complete or comprehensive on-line list or resource for this information...some that were %26#39;..prettty good..%26#39; but not great. Perhaps not surprisingly, the regular Paris Tourist office web site is pretty good...and perhaps so obvious that%26#39;s it%26#39;s often overlooked-- http://www.parisinfo.com/ --but it is up-dated each maonth so you%26#39;ve got to keep checking it...and then spend some time %26#39;..poking around..%26#39; within it. If you do you will usually be rewarded with an odd assortment of interesting little details.

For art in Paris, another pretty good resources is ART LOVERS PARIS-- http://www.stargonaut.com/ ---that%26#39;s also pretty good...but still lacking in information some of the %26#39;..less-usual-suspects..%26#39;.

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KDK -

I think if you check it out that you will find that evene.fr is much more comprehensive than the other sites you mention and also has a lot of listings for exhibitions and events that you will not find in the printed Pariscope. It is actually TOO comprehensive if that is possible. Sometimes it is hard to filter its listings down to something manageable.

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Thanks to both of you for your suggestions -- and to Irish Rovr for looking up the info. I will check out the sites. Indeed, Pariscope is the best once you%26#39;re in Paris, but I was hoping to do just a little planning. I keep thinking there must be something similar to our papers in the US (e.g., if I%26#39;m going to NYC, I pick up the Sunday Times a couple of weeks ahead of time to figure out museum exhibits, theater, etc.).

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Removed on: 5:17 pm, August 29, 2009

puppet shows

anyone know what time/days the puppet shows occur at luxembourg gardens?

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try www.paris-tourism.com/kids/marionnetteus.html

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It looks like the above link is outdated...

Does anyone have any updated information? I%26#39;d like to catch one of these, myself...(I%26#39;m just a big kid, I guess!)

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Hello;

I beleive the hours for the shows at Jardin du Luxembourg are

Saturday and Sunday at 11 and 3:15pm and on Wednesday at 3:15pm

If those times don%26#39;t fit your schedule and you%26#39;d still like to see a show( the kids are the best part of the show) consider the following:

There are also puppet shows(guignols) at the

Promenade Champs Elysees:

www.theatreguignol.fr

At Parc Montsouris:

www.paris.fr/portail/Parcs/Portal.lut…

At Parc Floral:

www.guignol-parcfloral.com

At Buttes Charmont:

www.petits-bouffons.com

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Wonderful! Thank you for your suggestions!

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and this--

parisparis.com/fr/enfant/marionnettes1.html

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Removed on: 3:18 pm, August 27, 2009

hotel near Eiffel tower for family of 5

Please help I can%26#39;t seem to find anything that would allow 5 in 1 room, any suggestions? Also I did think about a apartment but we are only staying 3 or 4 nights, and we really don%26#39;t know the language. any suggestions would be appreciated.

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2 adjoining hotel rooms or an apartment, those are your options (as you%26#39;ve seen, Paris hotels prefer to cater to couples). Although, you might try one of the Best Westerns (bestwestern.com), they had no problem with our party of 4 (maybe 5 can be made to work -- worth a try). If you run out of options, check back thru the %26quot;many%26quot; discussions on this forum concerning Parisian apartments, for resources. Good luck.

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Removed on: 10:19 pm, August 27, 2009

Day trip to Italy from france

Hi, Has anyone any suggestions for a day trip to italy (not Ventamilla, bad spelling!) from Nice\Monaco please.

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Couple of stops beyond Ventimiglia to San Remo - an interesting half day excursion, including a climb up the medieval rabbit warren that is La Pigna.

If you have the appetite for the distance, Genoa is the nearest practicable major city - you can squeeze it into a day but you must time the trains exactly right to make it worthwhile. Change at Ventimiglia to Trenitalia.

My favourite trip is to get the bus from Ventimiglia (Via Cavour) back towards the border and visit the stunning Giardini Bottanico Hanbury

at Mortola. Its the most breathtaking huge gardens and villa open to the public - if youre at all a plant person its a must.

A trip planned but not done is Dolceaqua, which is a picturesque village inland reachable by bus from Ventimiglia.

And whats wrong with a little shopping in Ventimiglia on the way?

Cheers

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That is great thank you.

Have done the shopping previously and don%26#39;t have much time!

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As the wife tells me, no-one has ever actually finished shopping.

Cheers!

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Removed on: 4:24 am, August 30, 2009

Trip prep

I feel very scatterbrained... a lot going on here, so I could use your help in my last six days before departure. What do I need to do besides pack? Add to my to do list?

* download free audio tours to my iPod

* buy calling card

* take/print photo for the Carte Orange (to buy in Paris at any metro)

What else? Any tickets I need to buy in advance? (we will buy a museum pass in Paris)... any coupons to print out?

(we are renting an apartment that is well equipped and will be there for 5 days)

THANKS!

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* scan passport and email it to my gmail account

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Print discount coupon for Vedettes de Pont Neuf

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Notify your credit card companys that you will be making purchases out of the country and also get their international numbers. Also do this with your bank debit card.

Also get a Streetwise Paris map. Best map around.

Don%26#39;t forget convertors.

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twinmom - THANKS! I totally would have forgotten to call the credit card companies! Got the Streetwise map... and I should find my converters.. thanks again.

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If you have a cell phone that is able to be unlocked and used internationally I would say to do that instead of buying calling cards. You will need to call your cell phone provider and have them unlock it before your trip (sometimes it takes about 48 hours). Once you get to Paris, then purchase a SIM card for the amount of time you think you will need it.

I find phone cards to be a problem. Sometimes you can%26#39;t find a public phone, the phone is difficult to use and then the card doesn%26#39;t work. And if your typing in the info on the phone card and it%26#39;s not going through then you%26#39;ll get a message in French (difficult to understand what it says unless your fluent).

Besides the other things people have mentioned, I would say to take guide book with you or at least a list of all the main attractions you want to see.

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Also besides your credit cards you must call the fraud dept of your debit cards as they are separate dept. and let them know the dates you will be using their debit cards in a foreign country.

Confirm you flight information to make sure times have not changed.

Also make sure your seats have not been changed (Several times our seats have changed and they changed them back!).

Also stop your mail and have it held until your return date.

Leave you travel info with a responsible person....and also your car license # and Insurance Company with them incase something happens with your house or car while you are gone.

I suggested this because we were gone one time and the water dept. had a huge water pressure problem which flooded the houses on our block. The neighbor was able to contact the insurance company and go into the house and stop the flooding from two broken pipes.

Have a great trip!

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Hi jslatch.

Wouldn%26#39;t it be better to buy the calling card from France? I would have assumed the rates are cheaper this way.

Mez (who wants to know in preparation for own trip :-) )

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Wow all great suggestions that I%26#39;m saving for my own trip. My two cent%26#39;s worth:

My debit card is with Wells Fargo. They told me just before I leave on the trip to come in and change my 6 digit PIN to a 4 digit PIN as European ATMs only recognize 4 numbers.

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Photocopy ALL of your travel documents---passport information pages; airline or train tickets or e-confirmations; hotel confirmations or vouchers, any travel vouchers you may have been issued and BOTH side of any ATM / Debit or credit cards you plan to carry with you (the contact numbers are on the backs), and medication prescriptions, etc. Make up two(2) sets (copy paper is cheap). Carry one set with you and leave the other at home with whomever is watering your cat and feeding your houseplants while you%26#39;re away (in case all-the-wheels-come-off-the-wagon-at-once). These photocopies will provide you with the various numbers and dates to fill-in on replacement forms and make the process quicker and easier.

You might also print out the home page from your hotel%26#39;s web site to leave at home as well for basic contact information (mak sure that you make note of the local time diferences between Texas and Paris)

If there are any day-trips by rail that you%26#39;re considering as possibllities, it might be a good idea to print out the train schedules. These are a snap to look up with the convenience of your home computer...but perhaps not so easy sitting in your apartment in Paris.

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Additionally --

Either tear out the guidebook pages you%26#39;ll need, or copy them, put them in a zip lock bag, and pack them in your carry on - and print out several sets of N%26amp;A lables for your post cards. These also go into a zip lock in your carry on - that way you%26#39;ve got them if your checked luggage goes sight seeing on its own and you can at least get your post cards out of the way.

I would buy a calling card in Paris, then you%26#39;ll be sure that it will work in the French phones. Be sure that you get a card for International calls rather than domestique.

Bon voyage.

Transportation btwn Nice Airport and Cassis

Can anyone tell me how I get from Nice Airport to Cassis via train; AND how long does it take (approx). Is it nec. to chg trains in Marseilles?

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You will need to make a couple of changes if you want to go from the airport.

Find your way a half km on foot to Nice St Augustin station, and pick up the stopping service about six stops to Antibes. At Antibes switch to a faster service direction Marseilles but get off before, at Toulon and once more switch to a stopping all stations service to Cassis

Should take around three hours as long as you are in reasonable daytime schedules and nothing goes wrong with your connections

Cheers

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Thanks NiceLife. Not being familiar with Nice, would I get better connections from another train station? Or is St. Augustin the only train station in Nice? I%26#39;ve been debating whether or not to overnight in Nice -after arriving on a flight from the US or press on to Cassis. If the only way to get to Cassis is with 2-3 connections, I guess I%26#39;d be better off overnighting in Nice and getting a fresh start the next day.

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If you spent the night in Nice you could take a train from the main station, Nice Ville, direct to Toulon. You would still have to change there. The time from Nice Ville should be around 2.5 hours. Incidentally at some times of the day it would actually be quicker to take a train from Nice St. Augustin to Nice Ville and then change to a train to Toulon. If you did decide to travel to Cassis on the day you arrive it might be just as easy to take the bus from the airport to the main station and then travel to Cassis from there.

Timetables at voyages-sncf.com

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Removed on: 7:50 am, April 13, 2007


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Excellent well said, NiceLife!

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Was it a bad day Andrew? Now I suggest a large glass of wine or 3 weeks away from the board in South America LOL

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Thanks IrishRover. Your info was most helpful - without getting into specifics. I fly standby, so I need to remain flexible.

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I upped the medication, Judy, and somehow everything seemed calm once again. It was a rather good Cabernet Sauv.

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Removed on: 11:19 am, August 28, 2009

trip report 22/06-29/06

Firstly I would like to make two big thankyous. To the people from trip advisor who took the time to reply to my questions and gave me invaluable advice and to the people of Paris who were polite, kind and helpful.

We flew Air France on time and very friendly. Took the Metro to our hotel 8 Euro each (we only had hand luggage). Stayed at Best Western Jardin De Cluny in the Latin Quarter (131 euro a night).The room was small but had everything we needed, it is in a great location and the staff were attentive and spoke very good english.

We purchased a 6 Day Museum Pass (60 euros) and it was well worth it, we visited places we might have walked past without the pass. I must confess we were very fortunate that we arrived in Paris when we did. There were hardly any tourists the first five days we were there. We walked straight into all the museums and major sights without any waiting and even the lines without the museum passes were either very small or non existent. The last two days were a different story. Suddenly there were long lines and masses of people (mainly American) everwhere, so I guess the American holiday season had begun. The only thing we didn%26#39;t do was go up the Eiffel Tower as we had left it to the last couple of days and the lines were horrendous so we took T.A. advice and went to Montparnesse which had a great view.

A few quick tips:

Clothes: Stop all the worry, wear what you would normally and definately wear your most comfortable shoes. I gave up counting the white runners I saw after the first 2 hours. The Parisians do not care one bit, they are to busy going about their daily life to worry what the tourists are wearing. I thought the locals dressed no different to any other major city I have been in they just have a certain confidence about them.

Metro: Once you get the knack it works great and there is always station staff or a local on the platform who is more than willing to confirm you are going the right way.

Language: Do try and learn a few words. Just the basics please, thankyou, good morning/evening, numbers 1-10 etc. I knew about 20 words and it got me through. I sounded shocking, I know, an Australian murdering such a beautiful language but the French didn%26#39;t seem to mind, I got my point across and I am sure gave them a laugh for the day.

Getting around: You will do alot of walking. We walk 5km everyday at home for exercise but in the first few days in paris we reckon we walked 15km a day. My feet were so tired and we didn%26#39;t have a bathtub in our room so I resorted to a strong shopping bag filled with enough water to soak my feet one at a time sitting on the side of the bed. A funny sight but it worked. There is also lots and lots of stairs so be warned.

Arrondissements: My favourites were the 5th,3rd,4th and 16th (we took a wrong turn somehow going to musee marmottan and ended up in a lovely neighbourhood but that tends to happen alot in Paris.

Food: It can be very expensive. We are not %26quot;foodies%26quot; and only ate in cafes and grabbed beautiful salad rolls, crepes and pasteries on our travels. Every morning we had breakfast at a cafe opposite Notre Dame called Cafe Le Petit Pont, coffee, juice, 3 pasteries and cake for 6 Euro. We also went to the local supermarket and stocked up on bottle water,coke etc. Fruit stands are everywhere so it was easy to buy fresh everyday.

Highlights: The people, the atmosphere, the pastries, walking along the Seine at night eating an icecream from Ile St. Louis, having 8 full days to just get lost in Paris.

Disappointments: None really. I had been forewarned by T.A. about the gypses. They were kids mainly 10-16 years old around Notre Dame, Arc De Triomphe and some of the touristy streets asking if you spoke english. We just ignored them or just said a firm no and they moved away, sad really they should be in school. Monmartre, I know alot of you love this area but we walked around and around trying to find the charm and quiet streets. There were so many people and scam artists doing the string on the finger trick and in the end we collapsed into a cafe dying for a cold drink, ordered 2 cokes and was charged 16Euro. Maybe we went on a bad day.

Favourite day trip. Chantilly and Senlis. Easy and charming.

I have tried to be brief but if anyone has any questions I will be more than pleased to answer them and if you are thinking of going just do it you won%26#39;t be disappointed.

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How did you get out to Chantilly, and what did you find there that made it a favorite trip?

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This I guess :

http://www.chateaudechantilly.com/

and this :

museevivantducheval.fr/english/homepage.html

It%26#39;s my favorite sidetrip to recommend to foreing friends, given that Versailles is not really a side trip!

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We caught the train (about 40 minutes)SNCF Gare du Nord. RER D Chantilly-Gouvieux. There is a bus at Chantilly station that takes you to the chateau and onto Senlis, take this bus it is on your left as you leave the station. The fare is included to the chateau in your train ticket and to Senlis it is about 3 Euro. You can also walk to the Chateau (about 15 minutes). We liked Chantilly as we are interested in horses and the chateau is on Chantilly racecourse. It is not to big and has lovely gardens. There is also a huge stable building (looks nothing like a stable) as the Prince thought he would come back in his next life as a horse and built the beautiful building for himself. It is not as grand as versailles (which is truely impressive and must be seen) but has fabulous artwork including Rapheal. There were far less people there and it just felt less hectic.

The little town of Senlis is about 15 minutes away. The old town dates back about 1000 years I think and has a huge gothic church, vestiges of a royal palace and cobblestone streets. We went to the chateau first and caught a cab to senlis but it probably would have been easier to stay on the bus go to Senlis first then go back to the bus station to catch the bus back to the chateau. We couldn%26#39;t find the bus stop at first in senlis as the cab had dropped us off on the other side of town. We should have just asked someone but instead wasted about 1hour walking around in circles when it was right under our nose. It is really an easy trip and fills a day very nicely.

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Sorry I forgot to mention Chantilly and Versailles are include in your Museum pass as is a few other chateaus

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We%26#39;re in Paris for 8 days and wanted to do a new side trip. Usually we have had a car, but this time, not. We%26#39;re staying in Le Marais and are toying w/either Fontainebleau or Chantilly. I kinda like the sound of Chantilly, but from past experience, the Gare du Nord station seemed very sketchy and recent riots on the news reinforces that.

Also, the little we%26#39;ve done of train travel in Europe proves to be very over-stimulating w/all the bustle of people, trains, constantly clicking track signs leads to confusion even just to get to the right window to buy the darn tickets! If you can remember any details of %26quot;how-to%26quot; or %26quot;what-to%26quot; look for at the station we might feel better prepared!

Is the sign at the bus station easy to read for the return trip to the station? Did you mean that Senlis is only 15 mins walk to the Chantilly train station? And, that the train fare from G. du N. includes entrance to the chateau?

Thanx for all your help.

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Removed on: 6:17 pm, August 28, 2009

so, how hot, humid and crowded end of June/earlyJuly???

not to come across as a whining tourist, but how hot, humid and crowded will Provence be the last week or June/first week of July? Mrs. really wants to visit. We%26#39;re in Paris one week and thinking about Provence for the other. We live in S. Cal...so we%26#39;re use to heat and crowds. But, the humidity can be difficult. I%26#39;ve seen comments mentioning the difficult weather and crowds...but looking for really candid input. Thank you very much

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We were in Provence last year from June 22 to June 30. Yes, it was hot. However, our van was air conditioned and our B %26amp; B was air conditioned. The biggest crowd we ran into was the Sunday market in L%26#39;Isle sur la Sorgue. However, it is a fabulous market and EVERYONE is there on Sunday mornings. Keep yourself hydrated, know what to expect, and then enjoy yourself in spite of it! I think because Provence is more an open, countryside area, you feel like there is room to breathe. We went to Paris from Provence and Paris was VERY hot and humid. With the narrow streets, lots of people out, etc., it was kind of hard to enjoy. However, WE WERE IN PARIS!!

Enjoy!

joy/luvparee

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Yes , it can be rather hot in Provence , but it is a dry heat , not humid at all , windy sometimes a wind called %26#39;mistral%26#39; .

End of june would be better because french school summer holidays start in July and Provence is a holidays place where .. parisians go !

So , if you are in France for the last week of june and the 1rst week of july , my advice would be to visit Provence in june and Paris in july .

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Thank you, luvparee and LOUGIR, your candid insights and advice are very helpful. I guess the worse that can happen is we%26#39;ll be sitting at a cafe in a hot (although dry heat) and possibly crowded Provence and Paris enjoying the sights and a glass of wine...too bad!!!

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Removed on: 8:17 pm, August 28, 2009

Where to go Nice or Cannes?

I planning to go to the Cote d%26#39;Azur for the first time in early May, but am not sure where to stay. At the moment I am think of Cannes but don%26#39;t really know which is teh best place to stay.

I am looking for a nice boutiqish hotel from which I can go and explore the surrounding area including Monono.

I%26#39;d appreciate any help.

I was planning to have a car but is parking / traffic a major problem?

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Ah %26quot;Monono%26quot;, the fourth point in the Bermuda Triangle. Definitely a must-see, but not until you%26#39;ve been to Monaco ( - ;

The choice is down to whether you want mainly to lie on sand and soak up the sun, in which case Cannes is the better choice, or want to travel and sightsee the Cote d%26#39;Azur, in which case Nice, as the travel hub, is the better base.

Cannes has a delightful hotel weve discovered - an oasis in the heart of Cannes, the Hotel de Provence at 9 rue Moliere, just between the Croisette and rue d%26#39;Antibes. Very reasonably priced 3star 60 - 95 euro a night according to season and aspect.

The hippest boutique design hotel in Nice is said to be the newly renovated Hi Hotel in Nice%26#39;s Carre d%26#39;Or, at 3 Av des Fleurs. though there are many others to choose from which would help make Nice rather than Cannes your base.

A car is a total liability here, traffic can be awful, parking impossible and expensive when found at a euro an hour night and day. Theres no need unless youre a party of five intent on touring the wilderness

There%26#39;s perfectly good cheap public transport everywhere, but you need to do a little homework to master it all. If its helpful, I have written up the art of Riviera public transport on my VirtualTourist.com pages - here -

members.virtualtourist.com/m/6cdeb/188b0/9/

Its a little Nice-centric, but what else would you expect from someone calling themselves %26quot;NiceLife%26quot;?

Cheers

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Thanks very much thats just the kind of information I was looking for.

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Removed on: 8:15 am, August 29, 2009

Bus to Bd de Grenelle

We are staying in the Bd de Grenelle near the Eiffel Tower and would like to travel by bus from Gare du Nord (I know the metro would be easier but my companion doesn%26#39;t %26#39;do%26#39; tubes or metros!!) I think I%26#39;ve worked out that we could get a no. 43 to St Lazare and then change to a no. 80 all the way to the hotel. Is this correct?

Advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

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Not knowing exactly where your hotel is — %26quot;near the Eiffel Tower%26quot; is a bit vague — it seems to me it would be a whole lot easier to take the #42 bus direct from GduN to the Dupleix stop on bv. de Grenelle. Might be a slightly longer walk but you would avoid the transfer and probably get there a good bit quicker.

www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan.php…

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We are staying at the Hotel Europe near Avenue de la Motte Picquet. Thanks for your suggestion of the 42 - sounds a lot easier.

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Shouldn%26#39;t be more than a five minute walk if that.

Bon voyage!

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Merci!

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We will be staying in the same hotel 2 weeks from today, we%26#39;ve been there before, very nice small hotel and easy to get everywhere you want. Look out for the very small lift to the floors, its soooo tiny its funny! have a lovely trip!

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Andiandgaz

If you have stayed there before, wonder if you know of any good reasonably priced restaurants on the Bvd de Grenelle for the evening?

Thanks.

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There are lots of restuarants along the bld de grenelle, many different styles too, last time we went we did%26#39;nt do any of them as we were on a really tight budget but used the pizza take away practically next door to the hotel 4e for a huge pizza. There are one or two renowned restuarants in the area where politicians and the like go, I have a list and will post it up in a minute when i find it for you. When are you going, may I ask?

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This weekend. Thanks.

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Here are a few............

La Gitane

La Galleria

Le Café du Commerce

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Also forgot to mention, it was only 15e for a taxi from GduN to the hotel last time and far less hassle, and also theres a Maccies across from the hotel too if you are desperate, but you shouldnt be............Monoprix straight across from the hotel with food store upstairs! I heard their ham baguettes are to die for!

Strasbourg-Colmar-Route du Vin in June/July?

Sorry, I know my question%26#39;s not about Paris but as this forum appears to be the most active and people here are knowledgeable about France in general, here goes my question:

I%26#39;m thinking about making this trip, but am wondering how nice the natural setting of the Route du Vin will be in June, and then again, in July. I know well enough not to expect any grapes, but will the vines be dried out? Is the natural setting still going to be lovely?

Also, I%26#39;m narrowing down my itinerary, and here%26#39;s what it is so far:

Day 1: Take early train from Paris to Strasbourg, arrive about 10am

Day 1-2: Strasbourg

Day 2 night: Head to Colmar

Day 3: Kaysersberg (Route du Vin)

Day 4: Riquewihr (Route du Vin)

Day 4: Leave in evening from Colmar to Paris

I just put this itinerary together this evening, any ideas, tips would be most appreciated.

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I was last there in August, and the vines were lovely.

Are you planning to rent a car?

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Good to know, thanks! Most likely, we%26#39;ll end up going in July. I%26#39;d worried that with the intense summer heat, the vines would wither by the time we get there...

We plan to take the train the whole time. We find that this is generally cheaper than renting a car.

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car rental is just prohibitively expense. The road is so narrow and crowded. If you can manage with train, stick with that. However, if you drive, you can come and go as you please and it will save lots of time. Be mindful that once you get out of Paris, you have to pay tolls and the tolls are not cheap.

I was in Strasbourg this past feb. It was lovely. Supposedly, the catheral there is one of the places that %26quot;1000 places to see before you die%26quot; mentioned. Are you familiar with this book?

I believe that the hotels in Strasbourg during July are about 20-30% cheaper than other time. I have no idea why. The person at the front desk (not at the one I stayed at) at one of the places where I went to have some coffee told me as such. I stayed at the Le Petit Regent and it was very lovely provided good service, and right in the middle of town.

As for food, you the really thin crust pizza . I forgot what that was called. Supposedly, it is unique to that region. There are lots of Germanic characters there and beer is one of them. Hope this helps a little.

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Thanks for the advice! Hopefully the hotels will be cheaper in July, my bf and I are on a budget! I haven%26#39;t heard of this book, but I%26#39;ll definitely have to look into it.

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The setting of the Route du Vin is gorgeous in the Summer, except that it is very crowded with tourists . The vines won%26#39;t be dried out .

The Alsatian thin crust %26quot;pizza%26quot; that SDWanderlust mentions is called %26quot;Flammenkueche%26quot; . It is covered with cream, bacon and onions and you roll it and eat it with your fingers . Delicious !

Anne

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You really can%26#39;t go to Strasbourg without seeing the nearby Alsatian wine country! We rented a car in Strasbourg in April and drove through all the wonderful small towns ending up in Colmar -- and yes, the %26quot;tarte flambe%26quot; (sic) is soooo good!

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anne2606: Discover has also raved about that %26quot;Flammeküeche%26quot;. Any suggestions where to buy one in Paris - would that be around Gare de l%26#39;Est or around République (where all the Belgian moules-frites-joints are located) ?

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Gittek : I%26#39;ve found a chain of restaurants making tartes flambées in Paris . They are called Flam%26#39;s : go to flams.fr to find their several addresses in Paris . But don%26#39;t expect too much from those restaurants : bear in mind that no self-respecting Alsatian (I am one ! ) would ever consider eating tarte flambée in a chain restaurant ...

But I suppose that this Flam%26#39;s place will at least give you a whiff of what flammenkueche are and then you will want to visit Alsace to taste the %26quot;real%26quot; ones !

Anne

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With a rental car you can get out to the wineries for tastings. I don%26#39;t know how you would do this without a car. Our favs were Weinbach (they taste at the kitchen table and we bought a bottle of wine and had a nice picnic outside) outside of Kayerburg and Marcel Deiss in Bergheim (lovely and inexpensive cremont!) look at vinsalace.com for information on the wines.

Blacksmiths & Smithys

Next month, I am going to Paris for the first time in my life.

I%26#39;m wondering if there are any blacksmiths in or around Paris, and if so, where?

I%26#39;m sure I%26#39;ll have a million other questions before I leave ...

Thanks.

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Unfortunately no. Since the metro eliminated all the horse drawn subway routes last year, all of the blacksmiths and ferriers have moved outside of the city.

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I think the French term is maréchalerie (is that forging horse shoes?). Here is the %26quot;maréchalerie%26quot; business website : www.marechalerie.net/cd_prof.htm.

It includes a list of profesionnals. See under %26quot;Ile-de-France%26quot; for Paris and its region.

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The tourist website has links to a silversmith and an ornamental ironwork shop welcoming visitors - very limited dates for some though:

…parisinfo.com/paris_sightseeing/rub7865.html

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

In the %26quot;Business type%26quot; box type blacksmith. In the %26quot;region%26quot; box type IDF for Île de France, the region surrounding and including Paris. Et voilà!

I did not find any listings for blacksmiths in Paris proper.

Isn%26#39;t the French word forgeron?

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A %26quot;maréchal-ferrant%26quot; is a %26quot;forgeron%26quot; (blacksmith) specialising in horse shoes, according to my Petit Robert (so %26quot;maréchalerie%26quot; is correct). The only place I can think of in Paris where you can find one, are the stables of the Garde Républicaine near the Pont de Sully - but those are off-limits to almost everyone. Maybe near Longchamp?

But I%26#39;m probably not the only one wondering why a tourist would be looking for a farrier (I think that%26#39;s the correct word in English) in Paris..?

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All farriers are blacksmiths. Not all blacksmiths are farriers. The distinction is the same in French as English I think.

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Thanks for all of your replies.

IrishRovr is correct. Not all blacksmiths are farriers. Many blacksmiths have no idea which end of a horse is which.

I’m more interested in finding the artisans who are responsible for making and maintaining the city’s ornamental ironwork than I am in finding the folks who keep the horses in shoes.

As a blacksmith, I like to visit other blacksmiths when I travel. I learn interesting things about the craft, and also get a view into the local culture that I wouldn’t get just from gazing at the Eiffel Tower … though I’m looking forward to doing that too.

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%26quot;I’m more interested in finding the artisans who are responsible for making and maintaining the city’s ornamental ironwork than I am in finding the folks who keep the horses in shoes%26quot;.

In this case you are not looking for forgerons or maréchaux-ferrants but for ferroniers d%26#39;art.

Here are a few addresses - shops selling their own creations (except for the last one in Montrouge). Maybe they could put you in touch with their blacksmiths

Art et Fer Pur Créations

7 rue Commines - Paris 3

BFA Créations

22 rue Trousseau - Paris 11

Emarg et Cie

16 Passage Main d%26#39;Or - Paris 11

Galerie La Ferronerie

40 rue de la Folie Méricourt - Paris 11

Madleniak

Rue du Colonel Gillion

92 Montrouge

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THe OP might be interested in checking out in the Coubertin art Foundry, near Paris.

www.coubertin.fr/home/index.php…

They are specialised in all metalwork

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Removed on: 4:19 pm, August 29, 2009