Is this a good deal for airfare to Paris?

Delta reduced their fare for nonstop R/T ATL to CDG during the first week of November from $1067 to $915. Should I jump on it or wait 2 or 3 months? I know it%26#39;s a guessing game but I would appreciate your opinion/suggestion.

Thanks!

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This airfare sounds high to me for November.

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Unless there%26#39;s something interesting about your dates and they are not flexible, you can probably do much better than that.

Have you checked Kayak? 1800flyeurope?

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This sounds high to me also, try booking buddy or sidestep for fare comparisions.

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Thats way high. I just went from San Francisco to Paris, Paris to Rome. Rome back to SF for $500. Check Air France.

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Unfortunately, the dates are not flexible...already booked on a river cruise from Paris to Le Havre. I will search the sites you mentioned and probably wait for the fares to drop.

Thanks so much for your input!

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I nearly always book only on the airline%26#39;s website, but this spring I found a flight in September from Florida for $755 per person (incl taxes etc) on the 1800flyeurope.com site. I found a few longterm posters on TA and Fodors who used that site regularly so I went for it. Otherwise, fares for Sept were in the $1000+ range. The flight is on Delta except one leg on Air France.

I think you could wait a couple more months, and jump on something if you see for less...

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Not sure what sites you%26#39;ve surfed looking for fares but these two have seemed to be the best I%26#39;ve found, www.kayak.com and www.skyscanner.net . Usually can find amazing fares on them, because they check all the airlines websites in addition to the other sources of cheap flights. I booked am open jaw on American to Frankfurt/out of Madrid from Orlando Florida for 497$ total for may. Found that on kayak.

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******** Seabreeze, you%26#39;d better go look again.

Delta has ATL-CDG nonstop flights for $860-888 range, incl taxes etc. ***********

I just plunked in dates like 11/1 - 11/9, 11/3-11/9, 11/2-11/17... same results.

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Removed on: 1:19 am, today

favorite village for beaujolais?

Hello Travelers -- was wondering if anyone would offer their thoughts on their favorite village from which to visit the Beaujolais wineries and vinyards? We are working our way from Paris to Reims, Epernay, Strasbourg, Riquewihr, Eguisheim, Beaune, (and somewhere else in upper Burgundy tbd) to the Beaujolais region for one or two nights, and ending up in Lyon to catch a train back to Paris. I%26#39;ve noticed that some of the hotels recommended for the area are rural -- which is lovely, but since we live in rural SC, we always like to stay in character-heavy towns %26amp; villages when we travel. Thanks in advance!

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In the Beaujolais -- one of our favorite regions, with nice rolling hills -- we especially like to stay in the towns of Julienas and Fleurie. In Julienas, you might stay at Chez la Rose, www.chez-la-rose.fr/en/hotel.html -- it%26#39;s a (**) hotel, in the middle of the small town, with a nice restaurant. It%26#39;s run by a young couple with plans of expansion and continued improvement (a swimming pool soon?)

Have a good trip.

-- Jake (http://parisandbeyondinfrance.blogspot.com)

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Removed on: 1:20 am, today

CDG Terminal Question

I have a US Airways flight arriving to CDG and then separately-ticketed Lufthansa flights in the same morning.

Does anyone know which terminal serves US Airways arrival flights to CDG and then which terminal serves Lufthansa flights (within Europe)?

I have five hours from USAirways arrival to departure of my Lufthansa flight to go through passport control, pick up bags, find Lufthansa, check-in. Does anyone think I should be concerned about my time period in which to get all this done?

Thank you!

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Lufthansa definitely uses terminal 1 for all flights. Terminal 2 is mostly Air France, so odds are US Airways is also Terminal 1, which would make it easy.

But if you do have to switch terminals it only takes about 15 - 20 minutes. You go all the way downstairs to the CDGVAL and catch the little train that comes every few minutes and ride it to the other terminal.

Unless your US Airways flight is more than a couple hours late, you should have plenty of time.

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%26lt;%26lt;which terminal serves US Airways arrival flights to CDG %26gt;%26gt;

Terminal 1

%26lt;%26lt;which terminal serves Lufthansa flights%26gt;%26gt;

Terminal 1

%26lt;%26lt;Does anyone think I should be concerned about my time period in which to get all this done?%26gt;%26gt;

only worry if you arrive 4 or more hours late

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Thanks! You%26#39;ve put my mind at ease; I%26#39;ve not flown through CDG before :D

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Removed on: 1:19 am, today

Best restaurants? Please help!

My favorite thing to do while on vacation is eat GOOD FOOD. That is why I am super excited about our first ever trip to Paris! I know there are good places to eat, but where???

As my departure day draws closer, I am feeling overwhelmed, we gave ourselves three weeks to plan this vacation. (See what I mean?)

I could spend an eternity looking through books and webpages of recommendations for good restaurants, but I haven%26#39;t given myself enough time to narrow it down. That%26#39;s where I hope you all can help.

I understand we can rule out some of the extremely popular due to not being able to reserve at this late date. We leave in 9 days!!!

By the way, I don%26#39;t want to do super expensive every meal...just once or twice for a special night out. The rest of the time, I would like to stay under 35 Euro/person range.

We are staying in the Marais if that helps, but will of course be all over the city seeing the sights.

Please feel free to offer your favorites in these categories or whatever you think!!! THANKS SO MUCH!!!

Bakeries

Pattiseries

Cafes

Special night-out restaurant

Creperies

Pizza/Italian

Chinese

French for less-than-adventurous chicken/beef girl

AND OF COURSE CHOCOLATIER

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This is a nice web site for a few restuarants in you new neighborhood of the Marais. As you can see from their menus, these restaurants are under or close to your budget. The web site also has links to bistros, nightlife, shopping and their current newsletter.

www.parismarais.com/selected-restaurants.htm

On the other side of the Seine are two excellent gourmet restaurants, a little expensive, but not outrageously priced like Talliavent (you may be to late to get reservations for the 3 star Michelin restaurants anyways). Atelier Maitre Albert is connected with Guy Savoy as is Les Bouquinistes on the Quay des Augustines. Do a TA review in the box in the upper left hand corner.

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Thank you so much! What a great website! This will help tons!

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If you have any knowledge of French at all go to www.restoaparis.com. It classifies restaurants by district, and cuisine. It%26#39;s written by Parisians for Parisians. The %26quot;heart%26quot; ratings are very reliable. Also, don%26#39;t hesitate to read menus outside the restaurants and go with your first impressions. A lot of good places around 35 Euros, you can just walk in, particularly on a weeknight or at lunchtime.

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There are so many restaurants in the Marais that it%26#39;s hard to recommend one. We usually just wander around. There%26#39;s a good bistrot on rue des Tournelles called Bistrot de l%26#39;Oulette. The owner is a bit of a pain. He loves to show off his good English but the food and wine make it worth it. You probably need to book in the morning. The brasserie Bofinger and Petit Bofinger are a bit of a disappointment. There%26#39;s a nice street called rue du Tresor which has a few restaurants. An italian restaurant with a bit of a difference is Fulvio%26#39;s, rue de Poitou in the 3rd (not a pizzeria). There are lots of boulangeries (bakeries) in the Marais. If you%26#39;re staying near Place des Vosges there%26#39;s a good patisserie on the corner of rue des Tournelles and rue Pas de la Mule. It%26#39;s just a shop. Chinese isn%26#39;t that big in Paris. The chicken/beef girl will be fine. Steak and chips is the national dish.

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Go to your local bookstore and get a restaurant book by Pudlo. I like it better than Zagat. It might help you decide while pairing it with some of the suggestions on this board

Pat

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Just as a suggestion. On our last trip we finally ate at a Moroccan restaurant. We had an appitizer and a tagine of cous cous and vegatables with a white Algerian wine that the waiter suggested. On the assumption that you have Chinese restaurants in OK but not a lot of Moroccan, you might want to make a switch.

I have the name and address of the restaurant we ate at at home, and another that looked good in the Marais. I will post them if you like.

And, instead of Pizza/Italain, substitute a nice bistro a vin where you can sample several types of wine by the glass and share platters of meats and cheese, etc. I have a few of these, too.

hth

Pjk

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I highly recommend Le Pre Verre for good quality food at very reasonable prices: http://www.lepreverre.com/

And, here is a NYTimes article that will tell you just about everything you want to know about chocolatiers: …nytimes.com/2008/…

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I am a total fan of Jean Charles Rochoux%26#39;s chocolates. His truffles are amazing, melt in your mouth. My favourites bonbon/praline are rum and raisin, lemon praline %26#39;richelieu%26#39;, nougatine covered in chocolate, basil, almonds covered in chocolate and cocoa powder, rose, spice, and a gianduja noisette in a mini muffin cup. He makes beautiful chocolate figurines and his chocolate bars are good too (he has a caramel one with a liquid centre, caramelized almond, caramelized hazelnut, candied orange, apricot etc.)Every saturday, he makes a chocolate bar with fresh fruit bought from the market nearby. I%26#39;ve tried banana, mango, raspberry, pineapple so far.

Other good places are Patrick Roger (MOF, he has a 1 metre chocolate box), the usual Maison du Chocolat, Pierre Marcolini (he%26#39;s Belgian but he has a boutique here. his chocolates are very very good too)

For Pastry shops, check out Fauchon (a bit pricey). Their gianduga chocolate tart and raspberry %26#39;tart%26#39; is good, their chocolate eclairs are nice too, with pop rocks on the top, i like their version of mont blanc and their carachoc is not bad (same as the one at Pierre Herme). Pierre Herme is also a place where Parisians and tourists alike flock too. I like his green tea chestnut macaron and his pastries are like fashion, having different %26#39;seasons%26#39;. Bon Marche (Grande Epicerie) have ok pastries too. Some people like Gerard Mulot, Laduree, Pain de Sucre, Sadaharu Aoki (French with Japanese influence, i adore their caramel chocolate tart, green tea cake. My friends like his Lemon Praline or Strawberry). You HAVE to try Fauchon or Pierre Herme%26#39;s Millefeuille (Napoleon).

There%26#39;s a boulangerie along metro line 2 (can%26#39;t remember the name) that sells very good kouign amann. you can find it too at Pierre Herme%26#39;s. It%26#39;s a breton speciality but the paris one is good too.

If you wallet can afford it, have lunch at a michelin starred restaurant (it%26#39;s usually cheaper).

For Vietnamese or Chinese food, go to Chinatown in the 13th. Le Bambou has good Pho (I wouldn%26#39;t go for their rice dishes), banh cuon, nems or vietnamese salad. They are always full so try to go when they just open or an hour or so before they close. Asia Palace is good too. It%26#39;s located in the shopping centre where you can find the asian supermarket Paris Store. Sinorama along rue de tolbiac has a peking duck speciality where you have duck for 3 courses.

Bon appetit!

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creperie cadettes-- Great crepes and very friendly staff in the 6th. Make sure to order something with their homemade carmel sauce. Very lively street.

You must go to Gerard Mulot for the most amazing pastry and croissants.

Angelina for hot chocolate.

Sourdough bread from Poilane

The camembert from Fromagerie 31

Baguettes from Eric Kayser

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Removed on: 1:19 am, today

3 star hotel in the 6th

Looking for a 3 star in the 6th for July. Traveling are 4 women. Would like some ideas on some hotels. Thanks

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Check out venere.com and parisby.com. Narrow your search down then check on TA for reviews. Then post on this forum if you want additional input.

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www.hotellelittre.com

I came there last year, very nice, quiet and comfortable.

You can have a view on the Eiffel Tower.

2 hotels that seem nice too:

Grand Hotel de l%26#39;Univers

Hotel Jardin Le Brea

Good luck!

Have a nice trip!

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I was staying in an apartment in the sixth in march. Friends were staying down the street at the Hotel St Germain. I fell in love with their room that had a beamed ceiling and a there is a great restaurant, Le Comptoir.

http://www.hotel-saint-germain.fr/index.html

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Hotel le Regent on rue Dauphine is in a good location and has nicely appointed rooms. Friendly, helpful staff.

Also, Hotel des Marronniers on rue Jacob has lots of charm; some bathrooms are very small, however. Being set back from the street on a courtyard, it is very quiet.

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St-FGermain has many good hotels. What is your price range?

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Hotel Clement

6,rue Clement

Paris, France 75006

Have stayed in the 6th for decades and at this hotel for years. It%26#39;s on a square, a block south of Blvd. St.Germain and a half a block west of rue de Seine. It%26#39;s quiet. I suggest a room on a high floor and facing the street.

Mabillion metro stop, Line 10 is less than 5 minutes away and St.Germain and Odeon stops, Line 4, less than 10 minutes away. Happy Travels!

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We just stayed at the Hotel Millesime for the 3rd time this past April. In the 6th on the rue Jacob.

http://www.millesimehotel.com/

Look at their tete-a-tete package.

Pjk

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We can go on and on suggesting,, but we do need a budget perimeter.

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As noted above, the neighborhoods of the upper-6eme--Saint Germain des Prés have a fair number of fine 3-star hotel choices...conveniently within easy strolling/walking distance of a great many of Paris%26#39; major sights and attractions. The neighborhoods themselves offer an abundance of good restaurants, bistros and cafés to suit almost any taste, appetite or budget and one of the best and most eclectic seletions os stores and shops in the city...and these too are also within easy stroll/walking distances of almost any hotel lobby in the area. There is also reaily available and convenient access to many public transportation options--RER, regular Metro, Bus lignes and routes to take you to or back from almost %26#39;..everywhere else in Paris..%26#39; when you don%26#39;t feel like strolling/walking. Perhaps because the area contain such an active and healthy %26#39;mix%26#39; of local residents, local workers, students, shoppers, and tourists, these neighborhoods are remarkably safe and %26#39;..comfortable..%26#39; to stoll/meander about at almost any hour of day or night.

Depending on your own personal preferences, priorities, special needs, tastes, %26#39;expectations%26#39; and BUDGET...check out any of these good 2-star and 3-star hotel choices (among others) that may suit your purpose quite nicely--

2-stars Hotels--upper-6eme-Saint Germain des Prés--

GRAND HÔTEL des BALCONS (2-star)--3 rue Casimir delavigne (nr: rue Monsieur Le Prince) 75006, Métro: Odéon--

http://paris-hotel-grandbalcons.com/

HÔTEL de SAINT GERMAIN (2-star)--50 rue du Four (btwn: rue du Dragon %26amp; rue de Sabot) 75006, Métro: Saint Sulpice %26amp; Saint Germain es Prés--

http://www.hotel-de-saint-germain.com/

HÔTEL BONAPARTE (2-star) 61 rue Bonaparte (nr: Place Saint Sulpice) 75006, Métro: Saint Sulpice %26amp; Mabillon--

http://www.hotelbonaparte.fr/ang/accueil.htm

HÔTEL MICHELET ODÉON (2-star)--6 Place de l%26#39;Odéon (at: rue Regnard) 75006, Métro: Odéon--

http://www.hotelmicheletodeon.com/

HÔTEL Le CLÉMENT (2-star)--6 rue Clément (at: rue Montfaucon) 75006, Métro: Mabillon %26amp; Odéon--

clement-moliere-paris-hotel.com/clement/page…

HÔTEL du GLOBE (2-star)--15 rue des Quartres Vents (at: rue Gregoire des Tours) 75006, Métro: Odéon--

http://www.hotelduglobeparis.com/

3-star Hotels--upper-6eme--Saint Germain des Prés--

MILLÉSIME HÔTEL (3-star)--15 rue Jacob (btwn: rue Bonaparte %26amp; rue de Seine) 75006, Métro: Mabillon %26amp; Saint Germain des Prés--

http://www.millesimehotel.com/

HÔTEL du DANUBE (3-star) 58 rue Jacon (nr: rue des Saints Pères) 75006, Métro: Saint Germain des Prés--

http://www.hoteldanube.fr/

HÔTEL des DEUX CONTINENTS (3-star) 25 rue Jacob (btwn: rue Bonaparte %26amp; re de Seine) 75006, Métro: Saint Gremain des Prés %26amp; Mabillon--

http://www.continents-paris-hotel.com/

HÔTEL des MARRONNIERES (3-star)--21 rue Jacob (btwn: rue Bonaparte %26amp; rue de Seine) 75006, Métro: Saint Germain des Prés %26amp; Mabillon--

http://www.paris-hotel-marronniers.com/

HÔTEL Le RÉGENT (3-star) 61 rue Dauphine (btwn: rue André Mazet %26amp; Carrefour de Buci) 75006, Métro: Odéon-

http://www.regent-paris-hotel.com/

HÔTEL LEFT BANK SAINT GERMAIN (3-star)--9 rue de l%26#39;Ancienne Comédie (btwn: Blvd. Saint Germain %26amp; Carrefour de Buci) 75006, Métro: Odéon--

http://www.hotelleftbank.com/

ARTUS HÔTEL (3-star) 34 rue Dauphine (btwn: Blvd. Saint Germain %26amp; rue de Seine) 75006, Métro: Odéon--

http://www.artushotel.com/

HÔTEL RELAIS SAINT SULPICE (3-star)--3 rue Garancière (btwn: rue Saint Sulpice %26amp; rue P{alatine..directly behind Église Saint Sulpice) 75006, Métro: Mabillon, Saint Sulpice %26amp; Odéon--

http://www.relais-saint-sulpice.com/

HÔTEL LOUIS II (3-star)--2 rue Saint Sulpice (at: rus de Condé) 75006, Métro: Odéon--

http://www.hotel-louis2.com/

HÔTEL des LUXEMBOURG (3-star) 4 rue Vaugirard (btwn: place de l%26#39;Odéon %26amp; rue Monsieur le Prince) 75006, Métro: Odéon--

http://www.hotel-luxembourg.com/

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Hotel de Seine

52,rue de Seine

75006

I stayed there for 9 years. It%26#39;s on rue de Seine between rue Jacob and rue Buci. Happy Travels!

accomodation in paris

hi,

We are 3 couples going to Paris in Sept, looking for mid price range hotel near the river with plenty restaurants/bars nearby,yet not too lively as we middle aged ,dont want anywhere near nightclub scene...

Any suggestions please,

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Hotel Millesime, Hotel des Marroniers and Hotel d%26#39;Angleterre on rue Jacob in St-Germain-des-Prés area suit the description.

www.millesimehotel.com

www.hoteldesmarroniers.com

hotel-dangleterre.com/hotel_angleterre_en.ht…

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Sorry, here%26#39;s the correct link for H des Marronniers http://www.hoteldesmarronniers.com/

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Hi,

Perhaps you might look for an aptmt. since you%26#39;re

a group of 6 people.

www.vacationinparis.com has nice aptmts. and are easy to work with. They have a large loft apt. #142

under the 2 bedrm catagory that can sleep 6) There is another aptmt in that complex too called Place Monge?...it%26#39;s in the 5th AR..not near the River..but reasonably priced if you stay a wk..rents by the day too. Most Parisian aptmts. won%26#39;t rent for less than a wk..if they do..you pay a surcharged daily rate. Also email www.rothray.com and

www.parisholidayapts.com (they have one aptmt..a

block from the Seine called the Pont Neuf..centrally located in the 6th AR..however, may only sleep 5 people. Good luck on your searches..Shirley

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Another option is Hotel de la Place du Louvre (www.paris-hotel-place-du-louvre.com/en/home/) it%26#39;s well situated on a quiet street near the Seine.

And here%26#39;s a better link for H d%26#39;Angleterre hotel-angleterre-paris.net/crbst_2_en.html

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Hotel du Danube, quite near the Musee d%26#39;Orsay, fits your described needs pretty well, I think. It%26#39;s a nice hotel (***) in a very fine location for exploring the St. Germain area, with lots of good restaurants nearby . . . .

hoteldanube.fr/

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Hotel Danube is also well situated on rue Jacob http://www.hoteldanube.fr/home.php

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I haven%26#39;t had good luck with Rue Jacob hotels so far: Hotel du Danube and Hotel d%26#39;Angleterre Saint Germain. They are located in a very nice district however. If you do choose d%26#39;Angleterre be aware of their strict cancellation policy; it%26#39;s good to know just in case.

If you want to be near the Seine I recommend staying on the Ile St. Louis. I liked the basic Hotel Saint Louis (very helpful, welcoming staff) although if you require mid-level accomodations I liked staying at Hotel de Lutece and Hotel des Deux Iles.

Hotel Saint Louis-http://tinyurl.com/cd8puv

Hotel de Lutece %26amp; Hotel des Deux Iles-

www.paris-hotel-lutece.com

www.deuxiles-paris-hotel.com

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I second the two Ile St. Louis hotels. We%26#39;ve stayed twice at Hotel de Lutece (try to get the top floor room looking back toward the left bank) and have visited friends staying at the Hotel des Deux Iles.

This island is our favorite Paris place: When seen while we walk back from dinner on either bank late at night, bathed in beautiful light, it looks like a giant ocean liner, welcoming and yet serene, parked in the middle of the river. And we usually take a late night circumnavigation stroll, sneaking peaks up into the beautiful apartments. This is the place to be.

-- Jake

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Removed on: 1:17 am, today

One week in Paris- What to do?

Ok- I need help!

I will be travelling to Paris in August (13-21) with 6 other adults all in the late twenty, to early thirty range. All of us have never been there before!

We are staying in the 15th district (we are not afraid to use the metro or walk)

So for our 7 days in Paris we thought our intinerary would look something like this:

One day reserved for the Louvre

One day reserved for Euro Disney

One day reserved to go into London.

We have intentions of visiting: Eiffel Tower, and Arc de Triomphe.

We are not thinking of taking anymore day long trips but I would appreciate any tips or suggestions that you may have. Something that you may have learned on one of your trips? Something you do if you returned?

Anything that we must see? Any hidden gems? Anything we can avoid all together?

Thanks so much!

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1. Don%26#39;t forget some walking tours. These can be self-organized and conducted, or there are many companies that conduct these. That%26#39;s how you get real glimpses into Paris, the Parisians and what makes it all special.

2. Musee D%26#39;Orsay and Musee Rodin are very rewarding if you are at all interested in Impressionism and sculpture. Orsay is my favorite museum in Paris.

3. My wife and I have made a tradition of taking a night cruise on the Seine on our last night in Paris. The lights are magical.

4. Versailles is definitely worth a trip. Many here on TA would advise you to drop Disney and see Versailles, but Disney has its fans as well.

5. The 15th is near Bois de Boulogne, so be sure to spend some time strolling or picnicking there. Go in the daytime.

6. Think about a Segway tour early in your trip. It%26#39;s a blast to ride the Segways, and their tour is a good basic intro. http://citysegwaytours.com/paris.

If you can tell us a bit more about what interests you we can provide additional suggestions. Art? History? Night life? Fine dining (although August can be pretty dead and some restaurants close for holidays). Anyway, have fun on your trip!

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Hi Amyzing

August is a great time to travel to Paris and the weather will be fabulous....if you like aircon make sure the hotel has it :-)

Although I am from the UK I spend much of my working life in Paris so here are some thoughts to build on your ideas:-

1. Skip Euro Disney: its Real Disney without the service and I think you will be disappointed.....there is FAR too much other good stuff in Paris to spend your dollars on Uncle Walt.

2. The Louvre: unless you are art historians, a full day will be exhausting. 3-4 hours will be enough. However just a stroll from there through the Tuilleries is the Jeu de Paume with a great collection of Monet

3. Personally I would skip the day trip to London (unless its to go on the checklist). London could keep you busy for a month! However, if you definitely want to do it, make absolutely sure you go to the Tower of London, then tube to Trafalgar Square (and National Art Gallery), then walk through Victory Arch, down the Mall to Buckingham Palace. From there, walk through St James%26#39; Park to the Houses of Parliament, along to Downing Street then just past there to HorseGuards Parade. I promise you will be exhausted and will see some of the most iconic places on earth so make sure you have plenty of camera memory available.

4. If you go by EuroStar from Paris to London check the first class prices: the table service (drinks and dinner) makes it all worthwhile, especially if you complete the list above. You will be ready to sit, eat, drink, SLEEP.

Back to Paris....let me assume you like culture/the arts as you mention the Louvre:-

5. Close to the Louvre in the Marais distric is the Pablo Picasso Museum: a must-do

6. Also do NOT forget: Notre Dame; St Michel (left bank distric) and a drink at the Deux Magots bistrot where Jean-Paul Sartre hung out; Trocadero and Museum of Modern Art

7. Opera distric (2nd aondissement) in the centre. Its where Phantom of the Opera story was based and a beautiful building in the heart of the shopping district

8. Walk the length of the Champs Elysees from Place de la Concorde....shop, people-watch...enjoy

9. Les Invalides: Napoleions tomb and fantastic museum

10. Make sure you have french speakers with you (at least able to manage). I%26#39;m sorry to say it, but as a fluent French-speaker with many years first-hand experience of Paris I feel you should be prepared; many Parisiens will either refuse to speak English or feign ignorance. Its just the way it is. The best way is to make an effort....they soon want to show they can speak another language too :-). Besides in August many Parisiens are away on vacation so the city is full of visitors.

The list goes on! Do mail me direct with some ideas of the type of things you like, where you will be staying, what you want to avoid etc....I%26#39;d be more than happy to help. Give me some idea of budgets too.

Lists of restaurants?

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I agree with almost everything the others have said. Unless you have children or teenagers with you, skip Disney.

We spent about 6 hours in the Louvre and loved every minute of it. We went to the antiquities in the morning and then the Mona Lisa, etc. in the afternoon and found that the crowds weren%26#39;t too bad.

Definitely Versailles. Definitely the Eiffel Tower when it twinkles after dark.

And just walk along the Seine and enjoy the atmosphere. We enjoyed Parc Monceau and Musee Nissim Camondo and also a concert at Notre Dame.

We speak virtually no French. Everyone was so gracious. In fact, everyone spoke English or could point to someone who could. The only exception was the housekeeper at the hotel and we made do with numbers and hand signals. Do not worry about not speaking French - just be sure to say Bon Jour.

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Museum in Tuileries with Monets Waterlilies is L%26#39; Orangerie.

If you are there on the evenings the Louvre(Wed and Fri,) and the D%26#39;Orsay( Thurs) are open they are usually less crowded at night. So you could spend your daytime strolling,going to MontMartre,Luxembourg Gardens and head to museums around 6 until 9 then have a lovely dinner.

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Don%26#39;t miss Montmartre. It is full of artisits in the street painting and selling. If you are interested in seeing any castles, the Loire Valley is an easy day trip. We took the train then rented a car so we could visit the castles at our own pace. Enjoy.

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Don%26#39;t miss Montmartre. It is full of artisits in the street painting and selling. If you are interested in seeing any castles, the Loire Valley is an easy day trip. We took the train then rented a car so we could visit the castles at our own pace. Enjoy.

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%26quot;many Parisiens will either refuse to speak English or feign ignorance. Its just the way it is%26quot; this is a rather an unfair generalization! How many Londoners will break into French if stopped in the street by a lost and confused French tourist? I have gone to Paris many times with a buddy, born in Asia, who only speak a few basic sentences in French but can%26#39;t understand answers in French. I, fluent French speaker, stand back and watch. He has always been well treated, in English, so much so that he is not afraid to go to Paris on his own. Back to the OP: I agree that you should drop Disney for sure. As for London, if you haven%26#39;t been there 1 day is much too short! can%26#39;t you rework your itinerary and stay 2-3 days in London and 4-5 in Paris? how about an open jaw ticket? are you going anywhere else in Europe during this trip?

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I%26#39;d ship London and Euro Disney. I%26#39;m from L.A. and have been going to real Disneyland since around 58, back when I was a toddler. Smiles. So, I%26#39;ve been to Disneyland a lot.

I went to Euro Disney back when it first opened and was not impressed. It looks like Disneyland, but I found it lacking soul and definitely service. Disneyland is advertised as the happiest place on earth and I definitley didn%26#39;t find that happiness/friendliness element at Euro Disney. It was very robotic. I haven%26#39;t been back and I go to Paris almost annually. Others (North Americans) whom I know, who%26#39;ve been in later years, also weren%26#39;t impressed.

In Paris, there are a lot of ethnic clubs to take in..like tango dance clubs, salsa clubs, soul clubs, etc. You could do a lot of club hopping at night.

I would spend the whole week in Paris. When I go annually, I%26#39;m there for 7-8 days on average and have been going since 1976 and still find plenty to do just staying in Paris. I just got back a few weeks ago. Have a great trip. Happy Travels!

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Thank you so much for your suggestions and tips, it is greatly appreciated!

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amyzing

Forget Euro Disney your too old!!! it`s not worth the time, far better to spend it in central Paris.If your staying in paris for that long then a trip to Charters to see the finest Gotic church and stained glass windows on the planet is a must!!.Also no trip to paris would be complete without a trip to Versillies. the Lourve will prob. take you most of the day if your into art and culture.London`s fab but you`d need another 7 days to see it all.Stick to Paris and leave London for another trip

Enjoy Paris

Young couple in Paris

Hello, I need some advise after overwhelming myself with information from these forums. My boyfriend and I are both in our early 20%26#39;s and have flights booked to Paris at the end of May for 3 nights. Neither of us have been to Paris before but am I right in thinking that 5th would be the best place for us to stay in terms of nightlife? We don%26#39;t want to spend a lot around 110 euros a night maybe a little more if the location/hotel was right. I thought i found a belter with Hotel du college but they%26#39;re fully booked. I find myself being put off a lot by reviews hence why i%26#39;ve left it a bit late! I want to be in walking distance of cool bars and restaurants in the evening that wont cost the world... can anyone recommend any hotels? And one last question, where are the gig venues in Paris? or any bars that have open mic nights etc

Thankss!!

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You need to read a guide book so that you can zero in on those things that particularly interest the two of you. Beyond that, you coould just be stuck with what you can get as far as hotels are concerned.

Try www.venere.com and www.ratestogo.com and see if there%26#39;s anything there that appeals. May is already high tourism season, and there may not be many choices.

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Actually most, if not all, of the 20 districts have cool bars and cafes and restaurants..Why? because each arrondissement is a self-contained %26quot;village%26quot; with everything from its own city hall, police station, schools etc. to all sorts of stores. After work most Parisians had rather stay in their own area than traipse all over Paris again..I think that I had rather go to the Bastille area and the Oberkampf area for the type of night life that the Parisians themselves enjoy than in the 5th, as the later is getting a bit too touristy now. Mind you, there are still some tiny basement places in the 5th that have been famous for 50-60 years. As for gigs they are likely all over town but not the type of places known by the average poster on this forum. Some bars do have open mic. but this not very common and I wager that you have to be able to sing old French songs!

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The Latin Quarter in general is probably the best in terms of the proximity to the sights, especially on a short stay, as well as bars, restaurants, nightlife.

Let me start with the nightlife: sounds like you would enjoy Caveau des Oubliettes at 52 rue Galande. It%26#39;s one of the coolest bars I%26#39;ve ever been in: the downstaris used to be a prison back hundreds of years ago, now they hold music jam sessions: bunch of guys playing different style music every night. We loved their rock and blues night we stumbled on one night so much, we came back the next night after dinner. Not sure what styles of misic they play which night but defintely worth checking out. It%26#39;s free too, you just have to buy a drink at the downstairs bar (little more expensive than upstairs. It was great... Honestly, we stayed up till 1 or 2 in the morning and realized that we would be missing out on couple of hours of sight-seeing time the next morning, but it was worht it! It was also very non-touristy, which I love..

We also went to a jazz club, don%26#39;t remember the name but Paris is famous for jazz so i think if you google jazz clubs in Paris, you will find something good close by. Also very affordable.

Not sure if you spelled the name of the one hotel right - its it Hotel des 3 Colleges? If not, you should check it out. I enjoyed staying there. Couple other inexpensive places in the area are Hotel Des Grandes Ecoles, Hotel Cluny Sorbonne, Hotel Central (info courtesy Risk Steves Paris 09 book). We stayed at Hotel Du Pantheon which was great, but may be a little more expensive.

Hope this was helpful, enjoy your trip!!

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i love monteparnasse... the hotel lennox monteparnasse and the l%26#39;aiglon are small but great service and we went literally everywhere in 6 days...

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Removed on: 2:26 am, today

Travel between Cinque Terre and Chamonix

What is the best way to get from the Cinque Terre to Chamonix - car, train, bus? If train or bus, what is the specific route recommendation?

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I confess I haven%26#39;t been to 5 Terre but I would have thought your best route would be train to Geneva Cornavin and bus from Geneva Gare Routieres to Chamonix Mont Blanc. I have done the second leg.

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I%26#39;m not sure this belongs on the Nice forum ...

If you rent a car, there will be international drop off charges unless you are going to go back to Italy - I%26#39;ve seen 300€ quoted, but you should contact companies direct for precise info.

Train routes can be checked on reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en… which gives an idea of possible routes and times, though you can%26#39;t get prices for non-German tickets. As far as I can see, you travel from Cinque Terre/la Spezie to Milan, then have a choice of travel to Geneva and on to St-Gervais-les-Bains, or travel to Visp/Martigny in Switzerland and take the direct train from there into Chamonix Mont Blanc. Either way, you can either spend the night on a railway station or stop over in Milan or Geneva.

As the previous poster mentions, there is also a bus service from Geneva which is often more convenient than the train.

International bus services in Europe are operated by http://www.eurolines.com/ - I find the Italian site difficult to navigate, so I%26#39;ll leave that one to you!

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If you are going between June 28 and Sept. 7, the quickest and cheapest way overland is probably train to Aosta (minimum 6 hours www.ferroviedellostato.it/homepage_en.html ) then buses to Chamonix (the Italian and French buses meet each other in Courmayeur and you climb out of one and straight into the other - 2.5 hrs http://www.savda.it/orari_tariffe.htm )

At other times of year, this route is not possible in one day.

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The Aosta-Chamonix etc. timetable in English, partly, with telephone numbers for booking (though the SAVDA site does have email facilities for that if you click %26#39;contacci%26#39;)

This will still be the cheapest route at other times of year - but you just miss the connection at Aosta if you are coming all the way from the Cinque Terre.

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missed out the link: world.chamonix.com/PDF/courmayeurete.pdf

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Great info, Perlizia and Diz. Thanks

Not sure how I stuck this on the Nice Forum.

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Removed on: 1:19 am, today

old carnet still valid?

I still have a lot of tickets from my last Paris trip left (which unfortunately is about 2 years ago). Does someone know if those are still valid? The ones I%26#39;ve got are violet, if that helps...

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Aslong as you havent demanetised them, you will be fine. Otherwise you will have to change them at a major station (but not Gare du Nord, I never found anyone at Gare du Nord who knew what they were talking about)

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Hope they work cause Im not sure my French would be good enough to change the tickets at the station...

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My tickets bought a similar amount of time ago worked OK in March and they had been in one of the sections of my wallet. I still hae one left for the net time I change stations in Paris.

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I%26#39;ve used Métro tickets that were much older than 2 years so don%26#39;t throw those old tickets away.

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That sounds like good news, sarastro. I will trust you and hope for the best then :-) Fun nichname, by the way :-)

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I%26#39;m glad you asked this as we have four purple tickets left over from our trip in 2007. I just bought a carnet on-line for our trip this summer and the %26#39;new%26#39; adult tickets are white. Confusingly, the %26#39;new%26#39; child tickets I purchased are purple -- exactly the same shade as my %26#39;old%26#39; adult tickets! Anyway, as long as they work I%26#39;ll be happy.

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I had the violet colored tickets from a visit in November of %26#39;07 and used them in March of %26#39;09 without a problem.

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Removed on: 1:20 am, today

Paris/Normandy Itinerary

Hello,

I plan to travel to Paris this July with my 3 sons, ages 23, 15, %26amp; 8. This will be our first visit. I will have museum passes, metro passes, and a list of cafe%26#39;s to visit.

I%26#39;m hoping someone will look over my tentative itinerary and offer changes/suggestions as needed.

Day 1: Arrive in Paris. Shuttle to city. I thought a general overview of the city via a double-decker bus would be perfect on our first day. Hot Chocalate at Angelinas and perhaps a walk in Marais. (Hope to have hotel in Marais) An easy first day considering we will have been on a plane from Boston.

Day 2: Louvre (Will have mapped out specific sites to view and spend 1/2 day there) Sacre Couer in the afternoon. Eiffel tower at dusk with dinner in the restaurant.

Day 3: Arc d/Triumph, Catacombs for the 2 older boys, Pere Lachaise Cemetary, Hotel des Invalides, and a night cruise along the Seine.

Day 4: Notre Dame Cathedral, Cite de-Sciences museum, walk (perhaps the Latin Quater), garden/park for kids to bike, basketball, etc. Another hot chocalate at Angelinas!!

Day 5: Train to Caen. Rent car. Memorial museum in Caen. Bayeaux for hotel.

Day 6: Beaches/Cemetary/Arromanches Touring on our own with rental car. Will have definite itinerary for this before we travel.

Day 7: Beaches/Cemetary etc. Continuation of Day 6.

Day 8: Bayeaux Tapestry, Leisurely drive to Mont St. Michel. Wish to tour Mont St. Michel late afternoon and watch tide come in. Hotel in this area.

Day 9: Drive back to Paris. Will probably drive through Brittany. Not sure of exact route back to Paris. Will spend night near airport and return car there.

I would appreciate any comments/suggestions. I am very flexible and can add days, switch things around, etc.

My main objective is for my boys to experience French life/people, hence the Paris walks, garden/park day, and leisure countryside drives. I would also like for them to see the History/Architecture of this region. My boys are especially interested in the D-Day sites.

A couple of questions, please:

1. Can anyone figure out how I might be able to spend 1/2 day in Rouen?

2. I cannot find a price for the train from Paris to Caen. Does anyone have an idea as to how much this trip might cost?

3. What do I need to book in advance...? Dinner at the Eiffel Tower?

Thank you for your time.

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I just purchased train tickets from paris to Caen. We got the cheap/limited/non-refundable 2nd class tickets %26quot;Prems%26quot; for 15 euro each. I think the full fare for 2nd class is about 26 euro.

if you go to www.sncf.fr there is a British flag in the lower left corner so you can see the site in English. Click on %26quot;information schedule and bookings%26quot; and you can see what the times are and available tickets for Paris to Caen.

Hope that helps.

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Yesterday I tried to book dinner at Le Jules Verne (Eiffel Tower) for April 6 and they informed me I had to do it 4 months in advance.

Rouen is only a little over an hour away from Paris. You can take an early train and be in Rouen a little after 9am. It%26#39;s a great little town.

Bobette

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Having been to Mont St Michel, your day 8

might work better if you get there early

in the morning and do the Bayeux Tapestries

in the afternoon.

I sense watching the tide come in is very

important to you but I bet not dealing

with the hordes of people getting in your

way on the rock might be a little more

important.

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If you really want to see the tide coming in at Mont St Michel you will need to find out exactly when that is going to happen on the day you plan to be there. Have you already checked and is that why you are going in the late afternoon?

When we were there it was low tide and there were a number of disappointed tourists running around asking when the water was going to come back.

Even if the tides don%26#39;t work out for you Mont St Michel is spectacular.

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Here is the tide schedule at Mont St Michel for July 2006. ot-montsaintmichel.com/horaires_juillet06.htm

Here is the link for train travel. You will get available times and prices. http://www.voyages-sncf.com/

There are two restaurants on the ET. The Jules Verne, which is very elegant, pricey and requires reservations months in advance. And Altitude 95 which is simple, touristy and requires reservations days in advance.

I%26#39;d probably only go to Angelina%26#39;s once for the hot chocolate and try somewhere different for the second day. Laduree is famous, historic and gastronomic, L%26#39;Artisan des Saveurs on rue de Cherche Midi is a neighborhood hole with some mind blowingly delicious hot chocolate.

It is not clear that it was part of the plan, but au cas ou, I would not recommend dinner on the Seine.

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Thank you to all who replied to my post. I appreciate the heads up about checking the tidal times for Mont St. Michel. I did not even think of this! Also, thanks for the train fares.

I will ask your opinions in regards to my Normandy itinerary once I make more concrete plans.

One question I have now is, has anyone gone from Paris to Rouen (by train) and rented a car there? I would like to spend 1/2-1 day in this town before moving on towards the D-Day beaches, Bayeaux and Mont St. Michel. I have 4-5 days to spend on this part of our trip.

Thank you again for your time.

Carol

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My family is taking the same basic trip as you have outlined in Aug - any advise you can offer?

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There is another restaurant in the ET that just reopened 58 Tour Eiffel

http://www.restaurants-toureiffel.com/

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Do a search for 58 Tour Eiffel here on the forum - it has not gotten very good reviews either for food or for service, especially given the price. It%26#39;s not going to cost you any €700 - €1,000 like the Jules Verne restaurant in the tower, but it will be about half of that - and it would seem that there are much better meals to be had for that amount of money.

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The tides keep creeping from day to day and aren%26#39;t ever at the same time. check ot-montsaintmichel.com/horaires_juillet09_gb… or google Mt St Michel tides. please note that the high tides in July are during 2 weeks only and i nthe morning or evening. The best place to see the tide coming is from the platform at the top of the Mount, and you have to be there in advance of the tide. your whole schedule should be based on that. I wouldn%26#39;t advise you to spend that much money on a dinner that is likely to be not any better than in many other much cheaper places. As others have said Rouen is a very interesting place. pedestrian streets there--as in most French towns including Paris (Montorgeuil/ les Halles/ Beaubourg and other districts) are so interesting.

pub with setanta sports?

shame on me, looking for a pub that shows live Scottish football on setanta sports. Anywhere, though 17th / 8th districts preferred.

thanks

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Auld Alliance at st paul metro

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Removed on: 1:19 am, today

Trouble with Train Reservations - help!

I have been stumped on every website I%26#39;ve tried... My goal is to travel Paris Nord to Bruxelles-Midi in early June.

Started with the Belgian rail site -- got all the way to the pay page and the only delivery options were mail (but to Belgium / Luxembourg only) or Pick-Up (only at Belgian rail stations, which won%26#39;t really work since I%26#39;m starting in Paris).

Then I went to Thalys.com and got all the way to the delivery pages, selected the %26quot;pick up tickets%26quot; option -- except that the site said that the only supported magnetic stripe card was Diner%26#39;s, and the chip was expected for Visa/MC -- but of course in the states they haven%26#39;t issued the chip cards. Guess that means I could buy the tix but not be able to pick them up???

I%26#39;ve seen plenty of people on this forum say they were able to buy tickets in advance -- help me!

Thanks,

J

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Last week we picked up our tickets at the Gare de Lyon at a manned window that was labeled %26quot;for immediate departure%26quot; with a non-chip credit card. We had reserved through the SNCF site.

Not sure if this is helpful since we were traveling within the country, not out of it, but I would think the same process would work.

Good luck.

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Removed on: 1:19 am, today

TRAVEL to Le Meridien Montparnasse

I hope to be staying at Le Meridien Montparnasse at end of July (waiting on booking confirmation). I will be arriving via the Eurostar from Paris. What is the best way to get from Gare Du Nord station to this establishment please? I must admit having read the critiques of this establishment regarding giving visitors old, dated rooms I am concerned what to find when I arrive. What is the best way to ensure a comfortable twin room is allocated on arrival?

We will be staying for 5 nights after 5 weeks of travelling so want something nice. Please advise.

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What do you mean by %26quot;best%26quot;?

The easiest would be to take a taxi.

The cheapest (apart from walking) would be to go to Gare du Nord metro station and buy a single ticket. Take Line 4 in the direction of Porte d%26#39;Orleans. Get off at Montparnasse Bienvenue. You could walk from there, or change to Line 13 towards Chatillon Montrouge and go one station to Gaite, which is the closest metro station to your hotel.

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Removed on: 1:19 am, today

CDG to Mons

Anyone have suggestions for the best way to travel CDG airport to Mons, Belgium? Have done CDG to Paris many times but heading north it%26#39;ll be the first.

CDG to Mons

Anyone have suggestions for the best way to travel CDG airport to Mons, Belgium? Have done CDG to Paris many times but heading north it%26#39;ll be the first.

Bastille aptmt. in the 11th AR

Hi, Has anyone rented an aptmt in the 11th AR? It%26#39;s

located on Rue de la Roquette near the Bastille Metro stop.

In general, I haven%26#39;t found much info. in travel books nor on the internet about this AR %26#39;cept it%26#39;s an

up %26amp; coming area..with a healthy nightlife, has restaurants, etc. What has been your experiences and

would you recommend staying in this AR? Hope to hear from you very soon.. Thanks

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it depends on which end of rue de la roquette you are talking about. if it%26#39;s near bastille then it%26#39;s ok. safe at night, convenient (3 metro lines excluding line 7 which is further off), many bus stops at bastille, a couple of night buses stop here too. wide variety of food available. 3 cinemas off bastille. there%26#39;s a fresh food market every thursday and sunday (closes at 1.30pm) at place de la bastille. there%26#39;s a supermarket, post office, frozen food supermarket, organic supermarket, amorino gelato just opened (best gelato imho), all in rue de la roquette. it%26#39;s not very far from notre dame or hotel de ville (15-20min walk). close to place des vosges (where victor hugo lived), close to the marais. gare de lyon is one train stop away, chatelet and gare d%26#39;austerlitz are a few stops away.

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I agree with the other poster. Near the Bastille can be nice while the other end can be a little dodgy. I have seen a nice studio there at:

http://www.perfectparisrental.com/

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Sat7,

I agree with previous posts. If your apt is near Bvd Henri IV then it%26#39;s fine. You%26#39;re close to the Pont de Sully and Ille Saint Louis. But if you are close to Bv Voltaire then it%26#39;s not the same. Be sure the exact number where the apt is on Rue de la Roquette and search it in google maps or google earth

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Hi, Thanks very much for your information. The aptmt I think is located probably closer to the Bastille Metro. Glad to hear that part of the

street is close to shops, transportation, etc.

and in a safe area. Regards

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Hi, the rental agent didn%26#39;t give me the exact address...just the name of the street..(I can ask, but don%26#39;t know if the info would be divulged w/o booking the apt). Thanks for your info %26amp; suggestions..

market and restaurant recs close to 8th arrondissement

I am travelling with a friend for a quick weekend in Paris. We are staying close to the Eiffel tower. Does anyone have a recommendation for a place to get a good French meal? It does not have to be fancy - good atmosphere and food. And are there any outdoor markets that you would recommend? Thank you for any advice!

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We discovered this market on our first trip to Paris while walking from the 6th to the Eiffel Tower so it can%26#39;t be too far away...

www.parismarkets.net/Saxe-Breteuil.html

hth

Pjk

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Hi;

Wednesday and Saturday mornings you%26#39;ll find a street market on the median of Avenue President Wilson between metro Alma Marceau and metro Iena. Wonderful market!

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Dear KALM4. there is an excellent market on Sunday mornings at the La Motte Picquet/Grenelle metro, underneath the train viaduct so if it rains you keep dry, you can%26#39;t miss it. It is also on a day in the week but I am not sure which. This is an upmarket area so the produce is top class.

There is also rue Cler, near the Ecole Militaire metro which is a market street and trades every day except Monday. There are several bistros around there where you can have typical French food.

There is also Cafe Constant on rue st Dominique and another one a few doors away owned by the same chef, (I forget the name) at the Eiffel tower end. Good food and very unpretentious.

There are lots of restaurants and bistros along rue st Dominique.

Denise

love from England

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Hi Grndma;

The Grenelle Market is held also on Wednesdays

7am to 2:30pm.

Here is a listing of the roving street markets in Paris along with addresses, days of the week and times.

paris-walking-tours.com/paris-street-markets…

CDG to Mons

Anyone have suggestions for the best way to travel CDG airport to Mons, Belgium? Have done CDG to Paris many times but heading north it%26#39;ll be the first.

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You will have to take the RER suburban train from CDG to Gare du Nord, then a Thalys fast train from there.

Both SNCF and Thalys web sites say there is only one train a day, leaving at 19.43 on weekdays and 20.16 on weekends. You could probably travel at other times by taking one of the many trains from Baris to Brussels and then a local Belgian train, but I have not looked into that.

Thalys information: www.thalys.com/be/en/

Belgium trains: www.b-rail.be/main/E/

Argenton sur creuse

Can anyone tell me about the area Argenton sur creuse, centre of France looking at staying in Argenton September next year any information would be great thanks.

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We haven%26#39;t spent a lot of time in Argenton, but it looks a pretty town. There are some good and interesting restaurants, and it even has a shirt museum!!

Not too far away (about 40 minutes by road) is the Brenne Nature Park, which is good if youre into that kind of thing. The Creuse river is feted as one of the prettiest in France, and they won%26#39;t get much argument from me.

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Thanks so much Wizardofoz for replying about Argenton sur creuse.

bought a paris viste from raileurope...but slightly confused

I was ordering my eurostar ticket on raileurope.ca which was doing a discount..so thought I mind as well get my paris viste as well.

I received it, but I%26#39;m just a little confused with its form. I was sort of expecting a plastic card, but instead it was sort of like paper card.

(looks like this....

http://paris.metropasses.com/images/paris_metro_pass.gif) I%26#39;ve read that I have to keep both together at all times.

So when it comes to using it, how do I go about doing that? I was expecting like a card with a mag stripe that i can swipe or some proximity detector...

any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated!

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The picture is of the carrier for the actual Paris Visite ticket. You need to write your name on this in the spaces provided and keep it with the ticket.

The actual ticket, like all metro tickets, is a piece of card roughly an inch wide and three inches long, with a magnetic stripe on the back. You put this into a slot on the front of the metro entry turnstile, mag stripe down. The turnstile spits the ticket out of a slot on top, you collect it, and the turnstile gates open.

Just watch the other passengers before you try it the first time!

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got it thanks!

ask for the best way to go from Avignon to Aix and then Nice

Dear friends in the forum, I%26#39;m planning a trip in early June covering Provence and Cote-d%26#39;Aure. First-time trip. I%26#39;ll stay in Avignon for 4 nights, visiting the surrounding towns. Than I%26#39;ll go from Avignon to Aix, staying in Aix for one night. May anyone tell me should I go by bus or by TGV?

And then from AIX to Nice, by bus or by train? which way is more convenient?

Your help is highly appreciated.

Lu

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There are few long-distance buses in France. You need to travel by train.

You can get times and costs from www.voyages-sncf.com but stick with French. If you switch to English, you get another site that does not list all the trains.

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There is a TGV service direct from Avignon TGV to Aix TGV, but you need to use a shuttle bus or taxi to travel between the station and the town centre at both ends of the journey. There are local trains serving the town centre stations, but they travel via Marseille and I think you would need to change trains.

There is in fact a direct bus service, which is reasonably convenient for weekdays lepilote.com/Img/…LER-23_Aix-Avignon.pdf

I believe there is also a bus service between Aix and Nice - I can%26#39;t remember who operates it, so you%26#39;d need to ask on the Nice forum. I think the train is probably equally convenient for that section though.

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aix-nice bus service

http://www.phoceens-cars.com/phoceens/

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Thanks my friends for the useful information above. They are very helpful. Lu

Jardin de l'Odeon vs. Hotel du Pantheon vs. Abbatial St. Ger

Hi,

I%26#39;m having a hard time picking a hotel for my week-long trip to Paris in September. My husband and I are in our late 20s/early 30s and are looking to stay in an area that has cafes and is lively. We have narrowed it down to Jardin de l%26#39;Odeon, Hotel du Pantheon and Abbatial St. Germain - which should we choose and why?

Thanks in advance for the help!

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Any of these hotels are excellent choices. We%26#39;ve stayed at the Abbatial St. Germain and it%26#39;s about a block and a half from the Seine and close to walk over to St. Germain des Pres in the 6th. It%26#39;s a moderate type of hotel, nothing fancy but good.

Never stayed at the other two hotels, but the Hotel du Pantheon is about a 20 min. walk to the Seine but a few blocks away from the excellent Jardin du Luxembourg.

Jardin de l%26#39;Odeon is the only one of the three that is in the 6th district but near to the 5th as well. Looks like a nice hotel and it seems to get excellent reviews here.

It depends on which district you want to stay in: 5th or 6th. Any would be good in my opinion.

Is paris visite card worth it ?

I am planning to travel to Paris with family in May and am researching different modes of travelling in Paris. There are a lot of opinions that one reads about Paris visite card and why it would be better if one just takes a carnet of tickets. But I have just calculated that if one were also planning to do a bit of sightseeing then it could turn out a better bet. Here%26#39;s why :

The cost given blow is without the card and with the card (which costs 8.80 E for 1 day card valid for zone 1-3):

a) Pantheon - 7 vs. 5.25

b) River Cruise - 11 vs. 8.25

c) Arc de Triumphe - 7 vs. 5.60

d) Tour Montparnasse - 10.50 vs. 6.80

Total 35.50 vs.34.70 and this does not include free travel on metro etc. which will tilt the balance in favour of the Paris visite card.

What%26#39;s the view of experts on Paris ??

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I%26#39;m not sure what you mean, the difference comes to 9.60.

How long will you be staying? Your options depend on that.

Do you plan on visiting any other sites? If so, consider the Museum Pass.

You can buy tix on Vedettes du Pont Neuf website for the 1 hr boat cruise for 7 Euros.

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Have to consider the cost of card also in the option. So the cost add up would be :

a) without card = 7+11+7+10.50 = 35.50

b) without card = 8.80+5.25+8.25+5.60+6.80 = 34.70

I have taken only those main sites that offer a discount with Paris Visite Card (of course there are many more, which I am not planning to take anyway)

Some other sites that I plan to visit are : Eiffel, Louvre, Grand Arch, Notre Dame, Concergierie, Catacombs, Sacre Coeur and Invalides. But since Paris Visite does not offer discounts on these, may be I should visit them next day and take acrnet of tickets for travel on that day. I am in Partis for 2 days with family.

What is your suggestions ?? Will Paris Museum pass along with carnet of tickets work out cheaper for both days?? If so, how ?

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oops, option b) should be with card.

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Both days? Does that mean you plan on seeing all that in 2 days?

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For transportation you can use:

Tickets at 1.60 each

Carnet of ten tix 11.40

Carnet of ten tix for children 4-11 5.70

A Mobilis daily transport pass zone 1-2 (which covers central Paris) costs 5.80 per day

For Saturday and Sunday there is a daily pass called Ticket Jeunes Week-End for those under 26 (zone 1-3) 3.20 per day

A Paris Visite adult card for two days (zone 1-3) costs 14.40 that%26#39;s 7.20 per day

A Paris Visite card for children 4-11 for two days (zone 1-3) costs 7.20 that%26#39;s 3.60 per day

+ The Paris Visite card offers some discounts which you might use

And here is the Museum Pass information parismuseumpass.com/en/pass_presentation.php

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Quite apart from discounts, we thought the Paris Visite was going to be good value because we could just hop on the metro whenever we felt like it, so no restrictions in our travel. For the last two days in Paris I kept a tally and found that we would actually have done better with a carnet. Because we had grouped our sights we really were not using the metro as much as we expected. However, it was a matter of a few euro and in the scheme of a three month holiday from Aus, really not worth worrying about.

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Hey,

Thanks a ton for the info esp about Seine Cruise from Pont Neuf. I checked their site and they are offering internet tickets for 7 E only.

I plan to do the following :

Arrive 26/5/09 evening (1st Day) : Eiffel Tower.

27/5/09 - 2nd Day, (with Paris Visite Card) : Arc de Triumphe, Pantheon, Montparnasse + other things on which there is no offer by Paris Visite like Conciergerie,Seine Cruise from pont Neuf etc.......

28/5/09, 3rd Day (without Paris Visite Card): Notre Dam, Catacombs, Grand Arche, Invalides, Sacre Coeur %26amp; Louvre

Since no discounts are offered by Paris Visite Card on the the list of 3rd day, the card need not be bought for second day.

For the 2nd day%26#39;s sightseeing however, I think that as travel is free, the Paris Visite Card gives better value than Museumpass.

Your suggestions pl.

Help needed 4-5 hours in Nice. What to see?

Will be anchoring in Nice on a cruise May 16. Would like to see Nice, Monaco or St. Paul de Vence? Whatare the chances? Is it easy with public transportation? How to start? What about taxi costs? To much for so little time. But open to suggestions/ideas to lessen load. Thanks

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You could see round Nice easily - by walking or using local buses and trams or alternatively by using the hop on hop off bus

With only 4-5 hours in port you would spend at least 2/2.5 of that travelling if you went to Monaco or st paul de vence by public transport

A taxi would save some journey time but be expensive

Restaurant Help Urgently Needed

My Mum, my sister and I are treating my Dad to a weekend in Paris for his 60th birthday in June. I have booked them into the Hotel Regencia in the 16th Arr. My parents have never been on a %26quot;city break.%26quot; Their annual holiday consists of 2 weeks in a resort (usually the same place every year) where they know they will get the friendly service and food they like. Neither of them are very adventurous eaters - they like simple food and meat that is VERY well done. My Dad is a very fussy eater - family occassions can be difficult because of this. He likes plain chicken or chicken kiev, steak, potatoes, vegetables, nothing with spices or pepper. I know it%26#39;s not ideal but he has always wanted to see the sights of Paris. Help! I need to send them to restaurants where they can get something. Friendly and patient service would also be important, maybe somewhere more used to tourists (we%26#39;re Irish). Any suggestions would be so welcomed as I want them to have a special time. Thanks!

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Don%26#39;t worry about restaurants in Paris. Steak and chips is the national dish although well done steak will take a bit of explaining to the waiter. In fact a lot of the restaurants serve very simple dishes like roast chicken. The 16th is a little bit away from the main tourist sights, although still in central Paris, so they%26#39;ll have to get used to the metro. I%26#39;ve never eaten in that area so I can%26#39;t give you recommendations but in general French cooking is a lot simpler than you imagine. But they do like their meat rare. Recently I%26#39;ve found that a lot of waiters like to show off their English. If they get tired easily then they shouldn%26#39;t be too ambitious with the big art galleries like the Louvre and Musee d%26#39;Orsay. They%26#39;ll love Notre Dame and they should make their way to St.Germain des Pres to have a tea at Les Deux Magots or Cafe de Flore(following in the footsteps of fellow Irishmen Beckett and Joyce)and take a walk in the Luxembourg gardens nearby.

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Actually that hotel is at the edge of the 16th so it will be fine. Sorry if I alarmed you.

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Try L%26#39;Entrecote on the rue St Benoit. They ONLY serve steak with fries. Ask for your steak well done, the sauce is on the side and they don%26#39;t pepper it. The steaks are excellent and desserts fantastic.

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Thanks so much for that. I looked up a few restaurants that do rotisserie chicken and L%26#39;Entrecote looks great - you can%26#39;t go wrong with that! I do think that they will love the Luxembourg Gardens and around Notre Dame so good suggestion. All of this research is making me want to go back to Paris again soon! And making me hungry.

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I think the Relais de L%26#39;Entrecote on Rue Marbeuf is closer to your hotel.

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There is also Atelier Maitre Albert in the 5th. They are a meat and potatoes sort of restaurant. All their meat is spit-roasted, which pretty much makes it fall off the bone tender (and well done in a good way). They have chicken, veal, beef and usallly a fish offering. They do killer mashed potatoes.

A bit pricey; dinner for two, without drinks, will be about 70-80E, but for an anniversary dinner, it would be lovely.

1 r. Maitre Albert in the 5th. Call and reserve at 01 56 81 30 01

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Le Tastevin on Ile St Louis is a charming and friendly place with all sorts of food from steak to chicken etc. If the steak must be well done I think the term is Bien Cuit or similar and if he wants it cooked to a crisp tell him to add Tres so it is tres bien cuit or whatever. They speak pretty good english and it is such a sweet place and the island is wonderful. They could walk to St Michel via Notre Dame on the way back and grab a taxi

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Sorry here is the website

http://www.letastevin-paris.com/Page2.html

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you shouldn%26#39;t have problems finding good restaurants in the 16th as this is the main posh area of Paris, both conservative and elegantly low key.

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if your dad likes pastry or chocolate he should check out pierre herme, sadaharu aoki (french style with heavy japanese influence, chocolate caramel tart and lemon praline cake are very good), fauchon, laduree.

for chocolate, check out maison du chocolat, jean charles rochoux (his truffles are soooo good, they just melt in your mouth. check out his chocolate bars too, he has one that has liquid caramel inside. his rum and raisin praline, lemon praline %26#39;richelieu%26#39; and nougatine covered in chocolate are my favourites), patrick roger (his 1 metre long chocolate box), michel chaudun.

if he likes ice cream, amorino%26#39;s gelato is the best (in my opinion), they have many branches around paris and they serve coffee too. if you buy a %26#39;cone%26#39;, they shape the gelato into a flower. you can try berthillon too, but i find it overpriced and too sweet.

there%26#39;s a good steak and fries (with pepper sauce or some other) near opera called cafe m-something. it%26#39;s opposite surcouf along boulevard haussmann. leon de bruxelles is everywhere, they specialise in mussels but also have beef or fish. fries are free flow. hippopotamus is another steak chain but i personally don%26#39;t like it much.

bon appetit!

searching for appartment for students

Hello everybody,

we, my girlfriend and me, are looking for a nice appartment in biarritz. It does not have to be really big or luxury, but it has to be a clean appartment in biarritz. So if anybody in this forum can give us advice???

many thanks!

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oh I forgott to tell the period. 2 or 3 weeks starting around the 25 of July..

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I always stay at Victoria Surf, www.victoriasurf.com

But I would get booking a place now - the period you are staying is the absolute high season in Biarritz, and everywhere sells out very early.

Biarritz to barcelona by train

i would like to get from biarritz to barcelona by train or bus in july and i was just wondering if tisis possible? i would greatly appreciate any information on what railway or train routes are and wames of websites where i can get timetables and tickets. thank ou very much!

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reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en…

The journey it suggests is Biaritz-Irun-Zaragoza-Barcelona, with two changes. Journey time c 11 hours.

I would suggest buying tickets soon to get a good fare.

Actually the TGV site suggests a different journey of about 7 hours:

http://www.tgv-europe.com/en/home/

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thanks a million! any idea of the cost?

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80 euros or more. But the TGV site should qote you the best fares.

Family Trip to Paris

Hi , Tripadvisor to rescue again i hope.

I have the unenviable task of organising a family weekend in Paris on the 3rdJuly 2009.

It will be my wife and i,brother in law ,wife and two boys 7 and 6.(4 adults 2 children)It is one of the boys birthday which is the reason for the trip.

Could any of the experts out there advice us on safe and interesting areas,and hotels that have family rooms etc., mid range pricewise. I have used Tripadvisor for other countries for holidays with great success ,but i feel Paris could be a bit daunting..............Hope you can help to get me out of this situation...............Regards Matchka1

Le Parc de Fierbois, ste Catherine, Loire Valley

We are planning to visit this site with Eurocamp this year in July as a family with two seven year old girls.

Has anyone got experience of this site, and any recommendations for activities for us all?

This is our first experience of a French camp site. Previous experience of France has been Paris or Cote D%26#39;Azur without children, or Disneyland Paris with them, so this will be a bit different!

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Hi! We dropped our eldest son off there on Saturday afternoon to start work as a courier for Fleur holidays for the season. We had a good look round the place with him before we came back home to Saumur.

The site%26#39;s a Castels site, so has a chateau within the grounds. There%26#39;s a nice pool area with attached bar. The grounds are well-kept. The mobile homes all seemed to be fairly new and in good condition. We didn%26#39;t see any tents though, maybe still in the %26#39;montage%26#39; state? The caravan/camping pitches seem to be of a reasonable size, though some larger units may feel a bit cramped.

The village of Ste. Catherine de Fierbois is pretty with a few bars and eateries, and is a 10 minute stroll from the campsite. The closest supermarket (SuperU) that we noticed was a good 20-minute drive away at St. Maure de Touraine.

The area%26#39;s good for sightseeing though, you%26#39;re not too far from Tours, Chinon, Fontevraud, Saumur. If you%26#39;re up for a drive, then a visit to Cholet, and Le Grand Parc Puy du Fou is a must! Trust me!

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Thanks for taking time to reply.

Thankfully only getting positive reviews of this site, so looking forward to a good holiday.

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I am planning a 2 week holiday to this site for summer 2008 with my family, the children will be aged 12 and 8, I wondered how found it?

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We thoroughly enjoyed our visit. The weather was a big part of that - high 20%26#39;s all the time creeping into 30%26#39;s so not too hot and not too cold! The week before we were there, however, it had rained every day so suspect that would not have been much fun.

Swimming pool was excellent for our two girls (7, nearly 8) and the slides were good fun for them. Over about 12, pool might seem a bit limited, but the lake was probably more attractive for older kids. There is an adventure play area in woods, although we didn%26#39;t use it as ours are too young, that older kids would like it.

We were there in July, so mainly Dutch there, with English only appearing later, so the UK based kids clubs were quite quiet, and we didn%26#39;t bother using them. Excellent tennis courts that were never too busy (might get busier in August though).

Went with Eurocamp, and service was a bit poor although mobile home was very comfortable. Would consider the Thomson ones, as they all had wooden patios and looked just a little more comfortable. The on site bakery was fab, and not far to the supermarket in Ste Maure so that was all very easy.

On-site restaurant and pzzeria a bit ropey, but handy if you didn%26#39;t want to go far. Take away cooked chickens you can order from the shop were very handy. The Auberge in the village is excellent and good value. Would thoroughly recommend it.

We had great plans to visit various places, but actually found the site entertained us every day (ther for 9 nights) and only went on a trip one day when it was a bit cloudier. Went to see %26quot;Sleeping Beauty%26#39;s Chateau%26quot; which was %26quot;OK%26quot;. Nothing to write home about, though, and if we go back we might research what good day trips might be more thoroughly.

We are definitely planning to go again next year to same site, so that%26#39;s probably as good a message about it as we could give.

Hope you enjoy it,

JB

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Thank you for taking the time and trouble to reply with such a good, well thought out review, which answers all my questions.

We plan to visit Le Parc de Fierbois in August 2008, with Canvas Holidays, staying in their lodges, hope the weather is as good as you had!

Second visits are the best recommendations!

Thanks once again.

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I have just booked my second trip to this site for summer 2008. We loved the site and found something to entertain everyone (children aged 15, 10 and 9 for our last trip). Weather wasn%26#39;t fantastic when we went-early school summer hols, but it can be unpredictable in the Loire. I would recommend a trip to the Zoo de Doue which all of the family enjoyed,and some of the chateaus are spectacular. On site my partner bought a cane rod and enjoyed some fishing on the lake with the younger children joining in, the pool complex was great too althugh we used the indoor one by the lake more often due to the weather. shop and take-away were both good and we also found some lovely restaurants in Ste Maure de Touraine. We went with Ian Mearns holidays last time (2 yrs ago), This time we are using Canvas Holidays.

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We are going to this site in August this year as a family with two boys aged 8 and 5. The comments so far have been really helpful - and have led me to book in the first place, thanks. I now wonder if anyone can recommend some good day trips (with travelling times etc), and in particular ideas for a rainy day! We are going with Keycamp. Thanks.

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Hi,

We have just returned from a canvas half term break and can thoroughly recommend this site.

The pool whilst cold in May!! was great and the site is well maintained.

There is a nearby zoo (1.5 hours away) which is fantastic and well worth a visit.

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Just returned , spent 24thmay-1st june at this site

travelled with keycamp. booked 3bedroom villagrande delux with decking, one of their more expensive homes, we were only four people, needed 3 bedrooms.

on arrival , first impressions terrible, nice pitch, but badly maintained outside, green moss, birds mess etc, awful reps, inside not very clean, cobwebs in curtains pelmets etc. spent couple hours saturday and sunday cleaning. they said couldnt clean outside deck etc as raining !!!. hadnt been cleaned since last season !!. Fridge not working, had to bring new one next day, bulbs out etc, gutters outside filthy/blocked, every time wind blew, got covered in mess, feathers etc, they did try and clean them. when sorted out not to bad. would never use keycamp again or euro camp. have used thomson al freso in past, very good. tomson reps at this site were husband.wife more mature people ,they were left bunches of flowers from departing guest. we left complaints !!

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We are back from our 10 night stay at Camping de Fierbois and it was great! We stayed in the same caravan type as mentioned here, Keycamp Villagrand Deluxe, 3 bed, 2 bathr, and it was fantastic, in great condition, clean, and a large decking space where we sat to eat almost all of our meals. The pitch was, as requested, quiet and shaded, and although all the surrounding caravans were occupied we were not overlooked at all and it felt very private. The weather was sunny/cloudly, rain on two days, and always warm in the evenings (18-28 Aug).

The Keycamp reps were nice enough, but had no local knowledge whatsoever. The couple of times we asked their advice they couldn%26#39;t help, but we picked up some brochures and sorted it out ourselves. We did feel that they should have been more efficient in this area, but it didn%26#39;t really matter in the long run.

The site itself was lovely, very clean, attractive, with plenty of things to do. Our children enjoyed the tennis, table tennis, kids club (1 session), go karts for hire, and the pool. The pool water was cold! but still proved very popular. We had to be at the pool for 10am though if we wanted sunbeds.

Off site we went to Futuroscope, Gratien %26amp; Meyer wine tasting, picnics by the river, and Chateau de Chambord for the night light and sound show. All of which we enjoyed, as well as the general surroundings and scenery.

We would return in a few years time when the children are older, as they wanted to go off and explore on their own, which the 9 yr old did, but not the 5 yr old. In the evenings there seemed to be teenagers meeting up to play table tennis, or go to the entertainment in the bar, which I would be quite happy for my children to do when they are of the right age. The whole place seemed very safe and friendly.