France/paris

[zheer]

  Anyone from France here, or has been to France a lot. I'd like to know what there is to do there, where to eat, where to stay, places to visit and avoid ect ect. What are the French like?
I speak a little french, would I cause offence by speaking English in france.

[thalbergmad]

I speak hardly any French either old chap, but it has never proved to be much of a barrier.

The best way to see Paris is on one of the excellent open top busses, as long as it is not raining.

The Louvre i guess is a bit of a must to visit and the Eiffel Tower if you have a head for heights. The highlight of my visit was going to here Daniel Roth play the organ at St Sulpice. If you like organ music, it will blow your brains.

Hotel and food prices are as not as bad as London, but the fall in the Euro could have changed that over the last year. I used to stay in a Hotel near the main train station and the prices were reasonable. The closer you get to the centre of the City, the more expensive it gets i would imagine.

If you are going to use the new high speed rail link, Paris is only a short hop away.

Thal

[zheer]

If you are going to use the new high speed rail link, Paris is only a short hop away.

Thal

  Yes definitely, the open top bus sounds good but too touristy. Eiffel Tower is a must, not sure about the organ music, though i love organ music.

  How much did you pay for hotel rooms, I'm planing 2 nights at the most some-where not too expensive including breakfast?. I really could visit france often.

[thalbergmad]

You can get some good deals if you book hotel and train at the same time old chap. If you do it seperately, i guess you would not get any half decent hotel for less than 70 Euros a night. However, it has been a couple of years since i went and the Pound has fallen since then.

You might not think much about the French idea of breakfast. It is not enough to fill a mouse. They are a bit uncivilised and do not have fry ups like us Brits

Thal

[zheer]

You might not think much about the French idea of breakfast. It is not enough to fill a mouse. They are a bit uncivilised and do not have fry ups like us Brits

Thal

  That's funny, usually you eat as much as you like. Fry ups are a sure way of having a heart attack.
I'll take your advice on the deal thing, but you know 70 Euros a night is a lot, here in london you'd do well with that amount. I was thinking 50 Euros a night including breakfast. Tanx anyway.

[oxy60]

Hello London poster, please tell me where the 70 euro rooms are. I can't get anything under 100 quid a night. But that hotel did include a full English breakfast.

In Paris the included free breakfast is meager but if you want more look for a restaurant and your full breakfast desires will be met.

When I first came to Paris the franc was 5 to the US$. My room was FF25, a complete dinner was FF30 and the little hotel breakfast was FF5 extra. Coffee was FF1.25. This might have been before many of you were born!

[thalbergmad]

I can't get anything under 100 quid a night.

You could try Whitechapel

[pianochick93]

Go visit Lucy...

[zheer]

Hello London poster, please tell me where the 70 euro rooms are. I can't get anything under 100 quid a night. But that hotel did include a full English breakfast.

  I know it's expensive, I found a deal online, a return ticket including 2nights in a 4 star hotel for £250. I guess that's not bad, but then I don't know what hotels are like in France. I'm sure breakfast is included, whether it's English or not, it's of no relevance.

[oxy60]

Thanks to the London poster. I never thought about that end of town until you mentioned it. I'm sure it has changed a lot. A 4 bedroom flat is offered at 3 million sterling just down the street from one of the cheaper hotels!

[lucylucy]

i'm living in france and i'm french !!! sooo coool come to visit me loool
well the best places in paris for the shopping are "Chatelêt les Halle", "la Défense" etc etc....for visiting u can go to the "Louvres" in the first arrondissement (i don't know how we say) and there a lot of others things...u can go to Disney Land lol
anyway us french are cool :p and don't worry u can speak english everyone will be like "Oohhhh an english ouawwww (of course if u're cute, if u aren't...euh lol)

[zheer]

i'm living in france and i'm french !!! sooo coool come to visit me loool
well the best places in paris for the shopping are "Chatelêt les Halle", "la Défense" etc etc....for visiting u can go to the "Louvres" in the first arrondissement (i don't know how we say) and there a lot of others things...u can go to Disney Land lol
anyway us french are cool :p and don't worry u can speak english everyone will be like "Oohhhh an english ouawwww (of course if u're cute, if u aren't...euh lol)

  ouawwww, Disney Land hmmm I'm 29, I would have if I were 9. However I'll definitely visit the other places you mentioned, tanx.

Sure I'll visit you, meet me at Eiffel tower 6:30 tuesday, it will be fun. ciao

[Bob]

I heard EuroDisney is definitely something.  I mean, sure there's Paris, but this like... EuroDisney man...

[zheer]

I heard EuroDisney is definitely something.  I mean, sure there's Paris, but this like... EuroDisney man...

 Sure, if I ever have kids I'll take them there, other-wise no. I prefer simpler thingz, visiting places of interest, walking, eating out, shoping, and obviously having a laugh with the person your with.

[Bob]

I was being sarcastic.  EuroDisney is something... to avoid.  I heard it was cold and grey and windy. 

[alexis_]

That's true, EuroDisney is not a great place to visit. If you're looking for attraction parcs go to the Parc Astérix.
I don't know much about the price of the hotels in Paris as I don't use them but like everywhere there is some cheap hotels. But I'm not sure the cheapest ones have a site web to start with.

You should also visit Montmartre (9th arrondissement), it's a nice place for a tourist there is a lot to do
The "musée d'Orsay" is nice, along with the Louvre...
Pigalle (Moulin Rouge and some other nice things) could be fun during the night, depend of what you're looking for of course

[Bob]

Yeah, like if you're looking for red windmills....

[lucylucy]

That's true, EuroDisney is not a great place to visit. If you're looking for attraction parcs go to the Parc Astérix.
I don't know much about the price of the hotels in Paris as I don't use them but like everywhere there is some cheap hotels. But I'm not sure the cheapest ones have a site web to start with.

You should also visit Montmartre (9th arrondissement), it's a nice place for a tourist there is a lot to do
The "musée d'Orsay" is nice, along with the Louvre...
Pigalle (Moulin Rouge and some other nice things) could be fun during the night, depend of what you're looking for of course

eurodisney is better than Parc Astérix ! parc astérix SUCKS !!!!!!!
and yes "Pigalle", "Bois de Boulogne" or "La rue Saint Denis" could be FUN lol
 

[oxy60]

All are great suggestions but if I may suggest that even if the Metro is easier and quicker, you will see more if you travel above ground. The busses are not difficult to use and they may still use the same ticket sytem as the Metro. There may still be maps at every bus stop if they haven't been defaced..

[alexis_]

eurodisney is better than Parc Astérix ! parc astérix SUCKS !!!!!!!
and yes "Pigalle", "Bois de Boulogne" or "La rue Saint Denis" could be FUN lol
 

I disagree, EuroDysney is good for children and fans of the whole myckey&Co but that's all. The other one has plenty nice attratraction to do (adrénaline is good :p).
And I was a little (just a litte ) serious when I said Pigalle, don't critisize were I live
Thoses other are just too creepy, especially the wood (only at night).

As for the Metro, to go from a point A to a point B the Metro is quicker. If you want to see more just walk

[ahbach]

Might I suggest that when you get there you ask some locals where to go...and what they do for fun...you might get some pretty good answers....I hope you have a great time

[richard black]

would I cause offence by speaking English in france.

Only if you are English - which I seem to remember you're not. The French (and Germans, Belgians, Spanish, Italians.....) hate and despise the English because of the typical English attitude ('Wogs begin at Calais'.... 'Fog in English Channel - Continent cut off' etc. etc.) which includes speaking only English ('If they don't understand, say it again in English, louder'). However, if you are Turkish, Samoan, Kyrgyz or whatever and happen to speak English but not French, you'll get cheerful co-operation.

[zheer]

 Thanks Richard, that's funny, and I'll remember that.

[ahinton]

Only if you are English - which I seem to remember you're not. The French (and Germans, Belgians, Spanish, Italians.....) hate and despise the English because of the typical English attitude ('Wogs begin at Calais'.... 'Fog in English Channel - Continent cut off' etc. etc.) which includes speaking only English ('If they don't understand, say it again in English, louder'). However, if you are Turkish, Samoan, Kyrgyz or whatever and happen to speak English but not French, you'll get cheerful co-operation.

Aye - as a Scotsman, I've gotten awa with that on many an occasion (and the French all seem to love the Scots more than the English, although I've rarely enountered anti-English attitudes among the French other than when the more boorish of them do exactly what you refer to - saying what they said before in English, only louder - i.e. being goddam' rude).

Best,

Alistair

[nia_kurniati]

Hi I like to ask too about france. I am from Indonesia and plan to go to Lourdes this March. Is it better to go direct to CDG Paris and take TGV to lourdes or is it better to go to netherland and then go to bordeaux and then Lourdes?

[zheer]

Hi I like to ask too about france. I am from Indonesia and plan to go to Lourdes this March. Is it better to go direct to CDG Paris and take TGV to lourdes or is it better to go to netherland and then go to bordeaux and then Lourdes?

  Hmmm soundz complex, can you swim.

[oxy60]

Amsterdam - Paris is 5 hours by train. Paris would be closer. I didn't know there was a TGV to Lourdes. All I've seen are bus packages organized by the Church.

[nia_kurniati]

Oke thanks for the info.

[zheer]

  Waw Paris is seriuosly nice, and the french are so friendly, will difinitely be going back there  soon.