RER B to RER C possible?

We%26#39;re planning to take the RER B from CDG and get off at the SAINT MICHEL/NOTRE DAME stop. From there, we want to take the RER C to Les Invalides and walk to our hotel (Muguet on Rue Chevert).

Does this make sense? Do I have to buy another ticket or is there no problem transferring from one RER line to the other?

Sorry if this one is a dumb question, but is the CDG 2 TGV the same as the RER B stop at the airport?

Thanks!

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YES...you can transfer between the RER B to the RER C ligne of Saint Michel/Notre Dame for onward travel on the C ligne to INVALIDES on the same ticket. The walk from the Invalides station to the Muguet is certainly doable and in the event of rainy weather, there will be a taxi stand near the RER exit to take you the rest of the way. Bear in mind that the minimim taxi fare will be 5 Euro for this short ride, plus the ,90 surcharge for each bag that goes into the trunk.

CDG 2 TGV will also be the RER station directly connected between CDG terminals #2-C %26amp; #2-F. If your flight from Boston arrives at any of the CDG Terminal #2 buildings (Air France %26amp; Delta #2-C %26amp; F; Continental and American at #2-A, most others at CDG #1) you simply exit the French Customs control points after collecting your luggaga and roll along the main concourse until you bump into it, then down the wide escalators two(2) levels to the RER ticket kiosk. If your flight arrives at CDG #1, you will have to take a GREEN shuttle bus (Navette) from there to the RER station.

For details and CDG terminal building diagrams--

http://www.adp.fr/webadp/a_cont01_an.nsf/$$Affich@ReadForm%26amp;cle=X500520521.html

Voltage Converters for Cell/Digital Camera Batteries

I want to charge my cell phone and digital camera batteries while in Paris. I went into Radio Shack today and they don%26#39;t know what they are talking about.

What exactly do I need? Do I need a 50-watt converter, a 1600-watt converter or what? (LOL!)

And, about how much should they cost?

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FIRST---consult the owner%26#39;s manuals which came with the equipment and/or the manufacturers%26#39; web sites for any recommendations or warnings they may provide. You might also e-mail their Customer/Technical Services departments for specific recommendations. Many electronic devices have automatic or switched dual voltage (110V-60Hz to 220V-50Hz conversion built in. But in any event, you will need an %26#39;adaptor%26#39; plug to get the two(2) flat %26#39;balde%26#39; plugs that came with your US equipment to fit into the two(2) round %26#39;prong%26#39; outlets used in France.

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Look on your plug device and read the Input tolerance, if it is marked 100V-240v, then you just need an adapter that will allow you plug in to the french outlets.

If it reads Input is anything less than 220v, then you will need a converter for input 230V-50watt converter (I%26#39;m looking at the one we use here for old US appliances without any problems).

Salle Bernadette-HELP!

I stayed in Salle Bernadette last time-it%26#39;s a hostel sort of thing, above a cinema that shows the Song of Bernadette every day. I wanna stay there again, anyone know a contact address!?

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To stay in the Salle Bernadette you need to do voluntary work for the hospitality of Lourdes. You will be able to contact them through the Lourdes Web site.

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thank u!

Madrid Opera hotel to Grand Boulevards train station--how...

We will be staying at the Madrid Opera hotel, nearest train station is Grand Boulevards--is this within walking distance of the hotel.? Can we get to Gare St Lazarre station from Grand Bouvelards??We will have a 5 day Paris Visite Travel Card Zones 1-5. Will this card enable us to get to Giverny?

Have looked up maps but can%26#39;t find Gr.Boulevards station.

Approx how much would a taxi fare be from Madrid Opera to Gare St Lazarre station?

Thanks .

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Go to this web site and enter the address of the Hotel Madrid Opera (3-star) rue Geoffroy Marie, 75009, Metro Grand Boulevards-#8 %26amp; 9 %26amp; Le Peletier-#7 It%26#39;s 2-3 blocks south, down rue du Faubourg Montmartre, at the intersection Blvd. Montmartre %26amp; Blvd. Poissonniere

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

You could probably walk the distance in 15 minutes. Taxi fare from the hotel to Gare Saint Lazare would probably be 5-6 Euro depending on whether you had the hotel telephone for a taxi or you flagged one down on the street. If it%26#39;s early morning, have the hotel telephone for a taxi. With a telephone summos, you will pay for the distance the taxi had to travel to get to your hotel first.

paris weather in february

I will be in Paris on February 21 for 8 days. What can I expect for weather? What should I pack

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I will be in Paris on February 21 for 5 days. What can I expect for weather? What should I pack

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Bring layers. It has been a surprisingly mild winter, but this week we%26#39;re freezing over here. Check the weather channel a week befor eyou leave to have a better idea. You can do it now for a long range forcast, but you will be needing your coats.

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I was in Paris last February and I will be there again Feb 18-24. I got by with a light jacket and nice wool scarf. Bring an umbrella. If you want to see my photos from last year to give you and indication of the weather, just go to …yahoo.com/ph/myfebparistrip/my_photos

If interested in meeting while I am there, let me know.

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February in Paris is WINTER. You can pretty much expect it to be cold--but you can%26#39;t predict how cold...or how damp---it might be. If you were planning to spend 8 days in NYC in mid-February, how would you pack for that? Well, pack the same way for Paris.

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You would NEVER get the same amount of snow in Paris as you might get in New York in February. According to the weather channel, the average high/low in NY is 42/29 and in Paris it is 45/34. Not much of a difference there.

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I will be visiting London and Paris the last week of March. What weather should I expect? Will there be flowers or icy damp wind?

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Hey Pixiefield - I LOVED your slideshow - thanks heaps! I%26#39;m going to be in UK/Paris from late Feb to mid-March and can%26#39;t wait!! Good to see what people were wearing and how light it was during the day. in addition to all of those fabulous places and scenes I%26#39;m looking forward to seeing myself.

Best haute lunch?

I%26#39;d like to book one or two special lunches in advance and am considering the following places. Which one(s) has the most bang for the buck? And which one(s) will be the most different from the food at La Tour d%26#39;Argent (where we%26#39;ll have our big blow-out dinner!):

Taillevent

Le Grand Vefour

Le Jardin d%26#39;Hiver

Le Meurice

Lasserre

Laurent

L%26#39;Astrance

Lucas Carton

Les Elysees du Vernet

Le Bristol

Pierre Gagnaire

I look forward to hearing your experiences and comments!

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Ahhh, my favorite dining topic in Paris. I%26#39;ve been to a total of 7 of the restaurants on your list, and my favorite restaurant in all of Paris has remained, through my various trips, TAILLEVENT. Truly a great experience every time I%26#39;ve been there. If you are choosing one from this list, I have to tell you that this would easily be the one that I%26#39;d choose. Then again, I%26#39;d choose it as my big blow-out dinner instead of Tour d%26#39;Argent. But don%26#39;t let me make you apprehensive about your choice of Tour d%26#39;Argent. It is also a wonderful restaurant and probably superior in experience from a historical perspective, with a storied past and its penchant for training some of the greatest French chefs in the world. Of course, it goes without saying, that you must have the duck there.

After Taillevent, my second favorite haute cuisine temple in Paris is Pierre Gagnaire.

I%26#39;d say to you to go to l%26#39;Astrance for dinner instead of lunch. It%26#39;s fantastic and is a step down in pricing from the others that you have listed. The prix-fixe menu is one of the best bargains in Paris at about 90 Euro, as the food is every bit as good as (and often better than) that at many of the far more expensive haute cuisine establishments. It%26#39;s my favorite %26quot;mid-range priced%26quot; restaurant in Paris (slightly edges out Jacques Cagna for me)

I%26#39;d say that I%26#39;d rank the rest that I%26#39;ve been to: le Grand Vefour, Les Elysees du Vernet, Le Meurice, Lasserre in descending order.

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I would suggest two restaurants which are not on your list: Le Cinq at the George V, and L%26#39;Espadon at the Ritz.

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i never saw l%26#39;ambroisie mentioned, they have 3 michelin stars, and are exceptionnally placed (place des vosges). i%26#39;ve never been but i%26#39;ve read lots of things about, and have friends who have been, they told me it is wonderful, they have michelin stars so i think you wont be too surprised about the quality.

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Taillevent is the best haute cuisine restaurant in Paris, this according to several of my chef friends in SF, locals and many, many satisfied diners.

Le Grand Vefour is thrilling, especially knowing the history of the place and the jeweled setting of the Palais Royale.

And Lasserre, on a fine day with the roof open, divine.

O' Chateau Wine Tasting

Has anyone heard of this wine tasting that is offered in Paris? It is run by a French man who also speaks Italian and English. He offers several different wine tasting %26quot;packages%26quot; to introduce one to French wines.

I am traveling with a friend who does not drink and she will be spending two days off with her parents who will happen to be there the same time we are. I thought this might be fun for me to do as I do drink...and I love wine!! Not familiar with very many French ones as I come from Northern California where we are spoiled with great wines.

Any comments are appreciated.

KelBel

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This one got a really bad review a few weeks ago...as I remember it the wine was bad, one bottle was even corked and the man%26#39;s english was not so great.

Lavinia is Europe%26#39;s largest wine store and they have a tasting bar at 3-5 bd. de la Madeleine, 1e open Mon-Sat til 8pm. You may even be able to compare a CA wine with the real deal.

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Thanks for the info Good2Go.

Bummer....I was hopeful about it.

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Here is the bad review, but I think it is another place?

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187147-i14-k43597…

Here is a good review:

tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g187147-d497…

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Thanks Terry_G!

I remember reading that post and thought it was a different place. Is this the review you were referring to Good2Go?

I hope so....O%26#39; Chateau sounded like fun!

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Yes, my mistake, sorry.

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TerryG, do you have a way to search these listings, if so it would be muy helpful in the future.

KelBel, let me know if you%26#39;d like company at O Chateau, I%26#39;m intrigued.

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Hi Good2Go--

I would love to have company at the O%26#39; Chateau wine tasting. It is always more fun to taste with someone....then you can compare notes. By no means am I an expert though!! I think I will go on Thursday, 7 April. That is when my friend is with her parents. I am also planning on possible meeting alexth82 from this board for dinner that night!! You are welcome to come with us as well.

Check out O%26#39; Chateau%26#39;s web site and see what one you would be interested in and let me know. The wine/cheese pairing sounds great....I LOVE cheese! My e-mail is kellie40@comcast.net

http://www.o-chateau.com/en/main/

KelBel

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Good2Go;

I used Google search with this:

paris wine tasting site:tripadvisor.com

One was still not shown, so I clicked on %26#39;Cached%26#39; on the Google line to find it.

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Terry G... impressive, you are a google master.

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Hello Everyone!

Please write back and let us know how your wine tasting adventures were. I am going to paris in May with a friend of mine. So far we are looking at a tour that takes you on a champagne tour.

Thanks!

where can I buy a Paris museum pass?

We are going to Paris and I%26#39;m interested in the musuem pass and I don%26#39;t want to buy it online as they charge 9 euros to deliver it in our hotel! So I will really apreciatte if someone tells me where to buy it in Paris, what momuments and musuems are included and if there is some museums that need reservations (even with the pass)

thank you for your help

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Just do a Google search for %26quot;where can I buy a Paris museum pass?%26quot; !!!

Where to buy the Pass ?

You can also buy your pass in certain travel agencies and tour operators abroad.

The Museum Pass can be purchased in RATP (metro) stations, in the museums and monuments participating, Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau and in FNAC stores.

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You can buy the passes at the Metro stations throughout Paris our at any of the museums that you wish to visit (saving you the extra trip).

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Thank you for your help!!!

Travel Pillows Horseshoe shaped etc.

Does anyone have any experience or a recommendation about using a travel pillow or one of the horseshoe shaped neck rings when trying to sleep on a plane? Are either superior to the standard pillow provided by the airlines?

Thanks

UB

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The answer is definitely yes! I use the Samsonite inflatable neck ring. It holds your head and reduces drastically the effort you have to do to keep your head up. Even if you are seated (means that your seat is not tilted back totally) you are much more comfortable as your neck doesn%26#39;t suffer any effort.

I can%26#39;t consider staying in a plane for more than 6 hours without it.

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I finally broke down and purchased one by Eagle Creek (also inflatable) and I loved it (I have neck problems and I%26#39;m short)! I%26#39;ll never travel on an airplane again without it.

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UteBear: Have to agree with the other posters.... it keeps you from having that %26quot;bobble head%26quot; feeling when you%26#39;re just falling asleep and your head either lands on the person next to you, or if you%26#39;re on the aisle, having your head become a target for folks walking down the aisle or even yet, hit by the drink cart!!!

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What about something to elevate your feet? I find that after about 4 hours, my feet start aching, and apart form the usual exercises, can do little to relieve it. I wonder why airlines don%26#39;t provide those foot rests you get in good coaches. I%26#39;m travelling to London %26amp; Paris in a few weeks and am considering purchasing an inflatable ottoman or similar. Does anyone have info on something suitable? Thanks

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Magellan sells a folding foot rest, it%26#39;s kind of high at $25 and it weights 1 lb., so I would also like to find an inflatable one.

magellans.com/store/…

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Thanks Terry, for this website. If I find anything useful, I%26#39;ll let you know.

help with our own at-home wine tasting

hello and thank you in advance for advice.

we will be renting an apartment in the 7th in late march, shopping on rue cler,

need suggestions for buying five or six wines to try, and accompanying bread, pate, etc..should i put my total faith in the wine merchant?

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Well, you%26#39;ll be very near the Cantin cheese shop and they will be able to help you with the pairings.

As for the wines, I trust my cavist (Ryst Dupeyron, rue du Bac) because he often steers me to the less expensive bottles, depending on my menu for the evening. I wouldn%26#39;t trust my tasting to a seller from Nicholas, because they tend not to be the buyers. I do recall that there is a local cavist on the rue Cler, so you should be fine there.

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If you are on the other side of the 7th (closer to the Eiffel Tower) another reliable store is Repaire de Baccus 147 Rue St. Dominique. A small store with a young, very helpful manager and selections from small interesting producers.

Good2Go is right, no matter where you are staying you must make your way to Marie Cantin, just off rue Cler. It is staggering for the selection and quality of its cheeses and many of the city%26#39;s finer restaurant%26#39;s feature Cantin%26#39;s cheeses on their menu.

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Oh sorry, forget the third point of the triangle... the bread, Poilane is excellent for palate cleansing, our a chunky country loaf would be nice. Baguettes get a bit chewy with cheeses.

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Oh sorry, forgot the third point of the triangle... the bread, Poilane is excellent for palate cleansing, our a chunky country loaf would be nice. Baguettes get a bit chewy with cheeses.

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that was forgot.

Here is one that may, or may not surprise you, many of these people are going to tell you that white wines go best with cheeses. This is not what many of us were taught, but it is delightful, mouth wateringly true.

I will never forget the combo of a perfectly ripe reblochon and a well aired sancerre, although heaven on earth is Chateau d%26#39;Yqeum with a simple foie gras.

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thanks so much, good2go. i have goosebumps just imagining!

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One of my favorite wines is called a Saumur Champigny. This wine tastes best served slightly chilled even though it is a red wine. Also, Bandol rose (not like the rose in the states) is one to try as well.

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You are right on about the Saumur, yum.... Bourgeuil is another good red that is served chilled, Chinon, too.

Why no shower curtains in French Hotels?

In another posting someone accused Americans of only wanting luxury accomodations in France. I%26#39;ve not moved up to luxury yet but there%26#39;s one luxury I%26#39;d like to have--a shower curtain! 30 yrs ago on my first trip--stayed in Hotel St. Marie Gallo, left bank--old, very charming, clean about $15/nite. Toilet down the hall, but no sign of bathing capabilities, but OK, I was with a backpack, young and ready for anything. 20 years ago with my wife, I decided to scale up-when we got to our room as desired, it had a toilet and shower stall retro fitted on a high platform beyond a movable partition-but no shower curtain! I thought the maid had forgot. It had taken all my best french to get the room rented (un chambre avec douche) so no way I was going to go back down and try to explain there was no shower curtain. We did our best not to flood the room, luckily the water pressure was barely above zero. We returned to same hotel 10 days later, different room, but again no shower curtain! Then realized it must be de riguor not to have shower curtains. In recent years have stayed at better places--but still a challenge. Citadines--nice bathrooms with tub/shower, but only a small plastic partition that covers 1/3 of side of tub. Back end and side of tub completely open and vulnerable (sort of like hospital gown). Its very challenging to take a shower w/o flooding the bathroom. I try to keep the water pressure down, but the wand is usually hard to control--seems to be positioned to spray straight out the back of the tub, or water ends up rickocheting off my body out into the bathroom. We travel with teenagers used to water heater-depleting showers so you can image we spend a lot of time mopping up the bath room! How to do the French take a shower in these circumstances? or do they only take baths? or? Or is it a sinister, sadistic plot against unsuspecting Americans who think they are getting shower facilities only to find they are disfunctional and half-baked? Is the desk clerk secretly chuckling every time he rents one of the rooms, thinking about unsuspecting Americans trying to take showers w/o spraying down the bathroom? If I move up to luxury such as the Ritz, will I get a shower curtain? (Please no replies that I%26#39;m a stupid, insensitive American who expects everything like home everywhere I travel. I do like all different kinds of stuff and should write a posting lamenting all the neat, charming, archaic stuff that has disappeared over the years. And I have used those Turkish pit toilets w/o complaint. I%26#39;ve been curious about this and just realized there must be loads of folks on the board who can explain this to me!)

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We don%26#39;t stay in hotels.

We take showers in our homes so I really can%26#39;t help you.

There%26#39;s a chance though that it may turn out to be just you? I%26#39;ve only stayed in about 4/5 hotels in France and I can%26#39;t remember what the shower curtain was like.

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Lot less turkish toilets than the last time you were here.

As for the shower curtains... this is not a %26quot;smile, you%26#39;re an American tourist%26quot; plot.

I guess this would fall under the catagorie of cultural differences. To avoid stereotypes and misconceptions I am going to avoid the details here, but suffice to say, you may just have to ask the hotel when making your reservations if they have a rideau (ree-doe) pour les douches.

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Always had shower curtains in hotels (even 2 stars).

Yes it is true Citadines has this plexiglas (not plastic...) sort of door but I managed to keep the water in without flooding the bathroom (and I go to Citadines twice a year minimum for at least 10 days each visit).

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I have seen some with shower curtians. I believe the hotel Mercure Roncerey in the ninth arr, in the passage Jeoffrey had them. But most of the other hotels we%26#39;ve stayed in did not. I wonder also why the don%26#39;t have wash cloths. We rented an apartment last trip and it had shower curtains so I know they are available. The hotels probably find it easier to clean those little glass things. Shower curtians can get pretty nasty so that%26#39;s probably why you don%26#39;t see them much.

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So it sound like I just have a poor statistical sampling and its not a major cross American-French cultural problem (smile!). I love the Citadines and would go back anytime, not withstanding the plastic/plexiglass shower thing. At our last visit in Dec. we had a 2 BR apt booked, but they made a mistake and overbooked the 2BR apts. In place, they gave us two 1BR apartments next to each other w/o extra charge!!. Guess my problem is my trips to France/Paris have been too few and too short to get an accurate sampling of shower facilities!! I know they have been too short to do more than just touch base with everything we want to do. If I was unencumbered and free to go, I%26#39;d leave tomorrow for an extended stay.

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I was more amused than concerned about the lack of a shower curtain in my otherwise very nicely renovated bathroom of my superior room at the two star Hotel Prince.

I figured what water got on the floor would be cleaned up by the maid. I have stayed at some American hotels where the water did not escape the shower, but I wondered when the last time the bathroom floor had felt water. Lack of a shower curtan is one way to keep the floor clean.

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Won%26#39;t someone please explain how the French do it?

Somerset, have a great trip, sleep well on the plane and bring your own shower curtain.

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Which Citadines did you stay in ? Do you remember the price per night? Do you get maid service there? Was there adequate closet space? The pictures I have seen look nice. I%26#39;s trying to decide between that or a private apartment rental.

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I%26#39;ve stayed at 3*, 4*, and 4* luxe hotels. None of them have had shower curtains.

It remains a mystery to me.

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Here is how they did it: Turn on shower and get wet. Turn off shower soap up. Turn shower on and rinse. Usually this was done while sitting in a tub of warm water.

For stand alone showers there is generally a curtain, and a place to hook up the shower head to stay warm while soaping up.

When I first came to France as a high school student I stayed with a wealthy Parisian family that had houses in several different regions and at the country homes we were still bathing in a tub, as in metal, as in no built in bath. France has come far in these last twenty years (hardly ever find a squat toilet these days), but some habits die hard.

Cost of Drinks

On average how much is the cost of a soda in Paris?

how about beer?

water (non carbonated)?

Do you get free refills?

just checkin........thanks

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I don%26#39;t have the receipts before me, I am giving prices assuming you are at a table in a cafe (as opposed to a market or at the cafe counter) and the prices can vary wildly from neighborhood to neighborhood...

A soda 3-4 euros

water bottled 3-4 euros

tap water free

as for refills hahahahahahahhahaha

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Good2go I love that last answer refills. HA HA HA HA HA. And especially asking for ice. Double HA HA HA HA HA

Better off buying un carafe de vin rouge.

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A beer in a cafe will usually set you back 2euro for a %26#39;demi%26#39; (half litre) but can sometimes be a little more.

In an Irish bar where there%26#39;s no special price offer it%26#39;s about 5.50 euro for the cheapest beer but can be up to 50% less during happy-hours.

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Beer? Do they have beer in France. I was once in a biker bar and even the bikers were drinking wine.

Actually, I am looking at a menu that I have from Les Duex Magots from my trip last year. A 50 cl. bottle of Heinekin is 9 euros (about $11.70-it must be really good beer). A 1/2 bottle of water is 5.5 euros (about $7.15) and here it is, Coca Cola is 5.2 euros or about $6.75.

Granted, Les Deux Magots is a bit touristy and probably charges 20% more than many %26quot;local%26quot; places. And remember, tip and tax is included!

Oh, refills on the soda are 5.2 euros each.

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Les Deux Magots is double most high end cafes... so a cafe that would be 1-2 euros anywhere else is 4 euros at the Magots. This is not the place for travelers on a budget.

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You can get soda for about 1 euro, maybe a little less in grocery stores. We bought 2 liter bottles of water for about 30 cents in the grocery near our hotel in the Rue Cler area.

We stuck to wine or un carafe de eau (free tap water) in restaurants.

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Do all Paris restaurants include the service (tip)? I%26#39;ve always added about 15% as although there may be a sign on the door saying %26#39;tax compris%26#39; when you add up the items on the bill, there doesn%26#39;t seem to be an extra amount added for service. Or is it included in the individual prices for each item?

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15% is always included EXCEPT when consumming at the counter in a cafe. An additional token of a euro or two is appreciated, but another 15% is not necessary.

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Good2go mentions the counter...which changes the cost as well. There is usually a 2 or 3 tier pricing system...cheapest at the bar or comptoir...then an inside table, then an outside table. Some philosophy of buying time as well as product.

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I%26#39;ve never seen prices posted seperately for indoor/outdoor consommation and generally prices are posted by law. I wouldn%26#39;t count on it being cheaper inside than out once you are seated, although I have been wrong before.

Marseilles...is it very nice?

I am planning a trip to France ....is Marseilles a good base? Or are we better of up near Nice....is it very different?

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It%26#39;s a matter of opinion. Marseilles is a big town, crowdy and a bit crazy like paris. Nice is more relax, close to italy and the Riviera is so nice you shouldn%26#39;t miss an inch of it.

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Well we went to Marseille on the TGV from Paris, when we got out of the train station we couldn%26#39;t believe how busy it was just like Paris as the other post said. We noticed alot of dog mess every where and it seemed like people just emptied their garbage out on the streets everywhere. We got the impression it was dirty, we walked 4 hours along the coast with our back packs and the beaches seemed very nice and clean, we finally found the hotel we wer looking for! the Metro (subway) system is just as confusing as the Metro in Paris too. We left there the next day to head towards Saint Raphael, Cannes Nice and Monaco which is where I have always gone since, and bypassed Marseille just travelling through on the TGV to head east.

Saint Raphael and Cannes have nice sandy beaches but Nice is pebbles. But I like Nice%26#39;s beach the best and now just wear rubber shoes for walking into the water etc.

HEAD TO NICE and use that as your base would be my advice

Lemon

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I%26#39;ve been to both cities and love them both.

Marseilles is France%26#39;s second city, a big bustling place full of energy and with lots of ethnic diversity and some great hiking towards the calanques.

Nice is a quaint picturesque town, near some great provencial towns and with a great collection os art museums (Chagall, Matisse.....)

Lourdes

Please help with the following queries:

1. Is it possible to make a day trip from Paris to Lourdes?

2. What are the ways to travel and the fare?

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You can fly from Paris to Lourdes, other then that, it would be one very long day trip since Lourdes is in southwest France, about 900 Kms from Paris. You%26#39;ll have to check the airlines for the fares on the date you want to travel.

There is a train from Biarritz to Lourdes, but first you have to either fly or take the train from Paris to Biarritz.

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It takes 6-7 hrs on the TGV to travel to and from Paris to lourdes. Give yourself a bit more time for your prayers.

Paris in winter

My boyfriend and I are planning a trip to France in December 2005 -Jan 2006. Being from sunny Oz I am a little worried about travelling through Europe in winter as have only ever seen snow twice in my entire life. Does anybody have any tips on what to wear etc and also what events and activities are on at that time of the year? Most travel guides seem to be geared towards those travelling in spring or summer and I am wondering if some of the attractions may be closed.

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It rarely snows in Paris, but it does get cold by your standards. I would recommend layers, including a warm overcoat and an umbrella.

Sites in the cities will remain open except for Xmas day, and there is an ice skating rink in front of the Hotel de Ville which is fun. Parisians also make an effort to visit the store windows along the Grands Boulevards during the holiday season, as each department store trys to out do itself with animated holiday displays.

It is truffle season in Dec./Jan. so you could try that seasonal treat.

It is a great time to be in Europe without all the crowds.

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Bonjour,

what does mean snow?

No, I am kiding we see snow once a year in Paris. Of course temperature will be at a low standard for you (around 5�� in Paris). All attractions are open in winter (exept 25th Dec and 1 Jan) as usual! Paris is packed for New Year%26#39;s eve : everybody wants to enter the new year on the Champs Elys��es. Do not forget to book in advance.

Joel (born Parisian...)

www.louvre-richelieu.com

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I made a first-time visit during New Year%26#39;s Eve 2004. Great decision that was. I loved the holiday atmosphere and decorations that were displayed on and outside the shops, hotels, and restaurants.

It was drizzly sometimes and sunny and nice at other times. Just wear a rain coat and layer.

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Also, because the weather is not ideal and the holidays are a festive time, the opera and ballet season are in full swing. Check www.stargonaut.com for a very comprehensive and current list of things going on the art community, including the performing arts.

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Thanks for all the info guys

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went there mid dec last year - it was just too cold to go see the sights and the wind under the eifeel tower did not help at all

Lourve des antiquaries

My husband is a military buff (WWII). Want to know if this would be a place to go to obtain any militaria stuff. I know the flea market at Clinquencourt is another place. Is it worth a look? and can anyone give directions.

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I%26#39;m not sure if it%26#39;s still there but there used to be a shop along the arcade (Galerie de Montpensier--west side) withiin the Palais Royal which sold mititary medalsand decorations. Even if you%26#39;ve no interest in military decorations the interior courtyard and gardens of the Palais Royal are well worth the stop.

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Clignancourt:

It is actually called St Ouen, Clignancourt is the metro stop and the area is subdivided into many seperate markets. You will probably have the most luck at the Marche Paul Bert, or the Marche Seprette. To get there take metro line 4 to Clignancourt, then exit the station heading north (follow the crowds), but stay on the left side of the street. After you have passed under the overpass you will cross the street then turn left at the next corner on to the rue des Rosiers. These two markets are neighbors, about one block down on the left side of the street.

There is also a stand or two at the Louvre des Antiquaires that may be of interest and the location is so convenient that it is certainly worth a peek. I also seem to recall a stand or two at the Village Swiss, not far from the Eiffel Tower.

If you take KDK%26#39;s advice on the Palais Royal (also near Antiquaires) be sure to peek into the Little Black Dress Shop if you are at all interested in dresses.

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The Louvre des Antiquares is a very high end gallery of antique dealers located across the street from the Louvre. It is a very interesting place to walk through, especially if it is cold outside. There are beautiful things for sure, but doubt there are any bargians to be had there.

There is another smaller Flea market at the southern end of Paris that is very interesting also.

Take some time to walk through the various passages. You will find many interesting shops selling specialtie items.

The shops in and around the Palace Royale are are good too

The Flea market at Clingincourt is huge and will take a full day to get through. I only get a week in Paris at a time so I%26#39;ve not felt the need to spend time there, but from what I%26#39;ve read it sounds interesting.

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There%26#39;s a shop called %26quot;Outre Mer%26quot; 48 bd Temple 75011 PARIS

where you could find any militaria stuff from the french army and police.

phone card

Hi, Does anyone know which phone card is the best for calling back home to the states? I will be calling from a regular phone.

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Peli,

Not being sure exactly what you are asking, I thought I would share how we call back home. We buy a prepaid French phone card in any Tabac and use it. You can get them starting at 15 euros, if I remember rightly. Just put it in the phone slot and dial your international number. It seems to be fairly reasonable if you dont talk too long. The card will charge itself and the next time you put it in the phone it will tell you how many units are left (and cut you off when there are no more). Mostly all the public phones there need a card. Hope this helps

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I really liked the phone card from iradium.fr Last December I could not locate this brand from any tabac store around the Latin Qtr. I had bought it from the tabac shop on Blvd. St. Germain not too far from the church.

I really liked the iradium card because it was the easiest to use.

Another one that was good is a brand called Maxicall.

The one I hated and would never recommend is the card that the post office sells. At least the post office on Ile St. Louis sells that brand. Sorry, I was so glad to use up my minutes I threw it away so I don%26#39;t have the name brand to give you. I just know it was way complicated with no English instructions. It took me about 45 minutes the first time to guess how to use it. All instructions were in French.

Iradium and Maxicall have English instructions.

They both cost around 7.50 euro per card and each approximately gives you 50 minutes. Also you can use the cards at both public and private (hotel) phones.

Jules Verne Resturant

Planning a trip tp Paris and my teenage son wants to eat at the Eiffel Tower. Would like some feedback on whether on not we should try.

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That depends on your son and your budget. Jules Vernes is a very formal restaurant with meals lasting 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The food is excellent and it is the kind of dining experience one rarely gets to enjoy in the US. Meals are approx. 100E per person, so it is also kind of pricey.

If that is not for you there is a second dining option on the Eiffel Tower.... Altitude 95. This is still a traditional french place, but the style is more bistro, the environment more casual, and the meal time is shorter, but you are still dining with Paris at your feet. Be sure to ask for a window table.

Either way it is a memory you will all remeber for years to come.

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Lunch at Jules Verne is not as much as dinner. We were there in December, ordered a la carte and each had a drink (beer %26amp; gin and tonic). It came to $142.00 with trying to scrimp. There was a Parasian woman with her young (maybe 10 yrs. old) son or grandson sitting next to us and he seemed to enjoy it too. Reservations fill up a month or so ahead of time. If you make your reservation for 12:15pm (opening time), you are more likely to get a window table. They said jacket %26amp; tie are required but saw nicely dressed men without them. You can find their fax and phone number by searching for the official Effiel Tower website.

Judy

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As has been suggested, JULES VERNE is a very pleasant, higher-end restaurant. And though dinners tend to be expensive; luncheons are much less so--in the range of 50-60 Euro per person. If it fits into your budget, it would certainly be an experience that you would all remember. There is also another restaurant on the level below Jules Verne, ALTITUDES 95, that is less expensive...but it tends to cater to escorted-tour bus groups. Rather than eat at Altitudes 95, you would probably be better off buying a ticket and going to the top of the tower...then dining elsewhere afterward. But id simply dining in the Eiffel Tower is your priority, then go for it.

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This one gets asked a lot. Great setting, it goes without saying, but the food does not live up to the setting (although I suppose that it%26#39;s a little unfair to expect it to). I%26#39;d say to go up to the top of the Tour Eiffel and then go eat somewhere that the food, not the view, is the main attraction.

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Our lunch was very good.

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I agree that Altitude 95 caters to the tourist crowds. Unlike the Louvre, Pompidou and even perhaps the Champs Elysees, which are all frequented by locals, the Eiffel Tower in general is primarily a tourist attraction.

It is still well worth the trip and I thoroughly enjoy inviting our younger visitors to Altitude 95 for the thrill of dining with Paris at their feet.

The haute cuisine of Jules Verne is also full of tourists and generally unappreciated by the younger crowd. Unless, of course, your teen is the exception, then it would be a treat.

London to Paris by Bus

I have a return ticket to Paris by Eurostar but have been thinking it might be interesting to do a surface crossing of the Channel. Has anyone taken the bus from London to Paris. Will it be a more serious problem getting from the bus station to my hotel in the 7th than from the Gare du Nord? I speak NO French so I will be totally dependent on the kindness of strangers.

Thanks for any help

UB

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If the bus arrives in tat the Gare de Nord then it won%26#39;t be more trouble then the Eurostar as it arrives at the same place !

Anyone crazy enough to take the bus from London to Paris rather then the train shouldn%26#39;t have any troubles covering about 2 miles on metro :)

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Where is the bus station?

I don%26#39;t know if time is an issue, but the trip by bus will be considerably longer. But the lack of french will not pose a problem.

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By the way, the %26#39;normal%26#39; London-Paris bus service doesn%26#39;t drop you in Gare de Nord, in fact it doesn%26#39;t actually even make it to Paris :) It stops at the end of metro line 3 (Galieni).

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ptegan/Good2Go

I know this trip seems a little simple minded, but I would really like to see the stretch of water that Big Willey didn���t seem to have too much trouble with in 1066, but that kept Dolph and the boys at bay in the 40s. I realize I will %26quot;waste%26quot; a day of my vacation, but it also seems like a chance to see a little of the English and French countryside. My understanding is that the bus stops at the Eurolines Coach station on Ave du General de Gaulle in Bagnolet. Is this at the end of metro 3 in Gallieni? If so, it looks like a direct shot from there on line 3 to Invalides then a transfer to line 8 and a short ride to Ecole Militarie and my hotel?

Thanks for your help and comments.

UB

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UteBear,

You might try asking your question on the London forum here.

Years ago we used to take a train from London, then the ferry across the channel and a train from the French side right into gare du Nord, just regular ole trains. The Eurostar does make a stop in Cailais and perhaps you could do the French part of your trip with it, to save some time. It was an interesting trip and they had a package price. Yes it does take longer but if you like the sea air, it can be neat too. I agree about just seeing that stretch of water that was so important throughout history.

There is English spoken on the trains and the French are really helpful if they know what you are asking.......use lotsa sign language and writing down what you want might be of value, along with pardon, merci, sil vous plait.

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Eurolines coach station is situated to Bagnolet (close neighbourhood of Paris) and the Metro station to get there is Gallieni line 3, from Gallieni you have to take one connection at Opera station and get the line 8 to Ecole Militaire, it may take you 30-40 minutes.

Sorry I %26#39;m not fluent in english :)

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I like Bea%26#39;s suggestion..... you get splendid views from the train, and you%26#39;d get the water trip, too. Didn%26#39;t say it was a waste of time, just wasn%26#39;t sure if you were aware of the time investment.

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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;you get splendid views from the train, and you%26#39;d get the water trip, too. Didn%26#39;t say it was a waste of time, just wasn%26#39;t sure if you were aware of the time investment.%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;

The rail/ferry/rail links sound like a very good idea as an alternative for a leisurely passage between London and Paris, viewing some of the countryside as you go. The train service is quite excellent. And then you should ask yourself, do your really want to spend THAT much time on a bus? At least with the train, you can get up, walk around.

Transfer from Eurostar

Hi,

What is the best way to get from the Eurostar station in Paris, to the Arc de Triomphe area?

There will be 2 of us.

Thank you

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You just need to enter your depart and arrival destinations into www.ratp.fr (in English) and they%26#39;ll tell you the best route.

Week-end in Grenoble?

I am planning to drive from Genova, Italy to Grenoble France. This trip will only be for 4 days. Is this a difficult drive and would 3 days in Grenoble. We live in Sicily (Americans) and love France. We have never been to this part of the country.

I read a post by someone transplanted to france from the states if you read this could you please respond. Me and my wife would like to follow in your footsteps. Based on your username are you a nurse by chance, I am an RN and my wife is an internist could we work in france? I do have a dual french/U.S.. citiizenship.

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Hi,

Read your post. I think you%26#39;re referring to me ;)

Email me at nursears@hotmail.com and we can chat. Glad you caught the %26quot;nurse%26quot; part. Everyone else thinks it means nurs-ears.

Thanks

April

Help with Riviera Honeymoon Planning

Hello, I am planning a honeymoon to the French and Italian Rivieras. We would like to start in Marseille or Cannes and end up in Venice going through the Riviera and down through Florence. We would be taking the train and love to see important city and archeological sites. We would like to stay at pensions or gust houses rather than in large hotels. Any recommendations or ideas on places to visit or stay would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

George

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If it%26#39;s cost you%26#39;re thinking of, rather than atmosphere, the budget hotels in france are all good enough from 28 -36 euros a night for a double room. http://www.hotel-bb.com/ - or premiere clasee, Mr. Bed, Quick Palace.

Shame you%26#39;re not passing through Normandy - we have a 15thc appartment - and you can eat at the Chateau de Villeray 5 minutes by foot, along the river!!!

good Luck, George,

John

Driving from Paris to Prague???

Has anyone have the crazy idea to drive from Paris to Prague?

I want to do it , but I dont know if it would be a smart thing to do

Help !!

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It is a pretty direct route to Prague. Through France then the autobaun (sp) to Check Republic. You could stop in Strasbough, Nuenburg (we stopped in Heidleburg too).......If you went direct you could do it in one very long drive probably (fast on the highway in Germany!) ...We went a couple of years ago, but did not get any farther than Pilzner, just a short way over the boarder from Germany, but fairly close to Prague....They said you could get a public bus from there...took less than an hour. Pilsner was a really neat brewery town.....old....some communist buildings on the edge of town....Not much in the stores.........Food just ok and cheap, beer good...lots of sausage and potato pancakes!. It is very interesting to see how the East has done....such a contrast to the West. Person from our hotel was paid to watch the cars in the parking lot....and my son was told it was safe on the street at night if he did not let anyone know he was American......I believe they are part of the E.C. now and things might be different.

Prague is reported to be a wonderful now..... I was there years ago and it is very beautiful. I am sure you have heard how lively it is now too and not too expensive.

We did not know we needed to pay a road tax, or something before entering the country. They did not even stop us on the way in..... noone said anything. But on the way back at the boarder, guards were not very friendly (actually sorta nasty) when they saw we had no certificate on our windshield. No English spoken by them, not to us.........Pulled us off to the side.........Grumble, grumble.......wait, wait, wait....We didn%26#39;t know what to expect....Finally after we sat there for quite a while, they said we had to pay the tax plus a fine...cash was fine! Guard took it (no receipt) and off we went, glad to be back in the West.........not too costly as I remember..........but pretty darn scary.

If you go, do better research than we did on what you need to get into the country.........AND out of it.

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P.S. Our trip was in 2001 or 02..........

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Bea, thank you very much for all your help. I%26#39;ve been to paris twice %26quot;magical city,%26quot; this time I%26#39;m taking my husband

and son for their first time.

Iv%26#39;e been to Amsterdam.Brugge,and a large part of Germany.

Have never been to Prague.

But I dont know if we would waste our precious time driving.

Any other recomendations to go?

We%26#39;ll be 5 days in Paris and 6 days to go..........

Also, I would like to know if it would be cheaper to rent a car as soon as we get to Paris or rent it from the USA.

Thanks again !!

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www.viamichelin.com can help you plan the road trip... giving you the tolls, showing where the sped radars are located, a fuel budget and highlighting interesting towns along the way. Its only a ten hour drive, but that sounds far for a five day visit. Have you explored the south of France? Marseille is a fun town and only a 3 hour train ride from Paris, with lots to see/do in the region.

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Hi Moony,

Are you having an extra 6 days to travel are do you have just 5 days total? Sorry, I%26#39;m not clear on that.

It generally is best to reserve a car from the U.S. (for price), however we have done it in Paris too. If you can%26#39;t find a good price in Paris and you can get to an internet cafe you could make a reservation through the net....sometimes better prices. It is sorta important you know where to pick up the car though.........to avoid traffic in Paris (HA). They have Budget, Dollar, Hertz, Avis.....a bunch of them....many companies at gare de Lyon, with offices and staff that speaks English. Try looking for rental companies on this net for the best price and then call them for a reservation so you dont have to give them your credit card number.....Generally we rent for a week at a time and the rates are not bad with unlimited mileage.....(gas is another story). Same cars as we have (except American made), generally........with or without automatic. Some use diesel some regular gas.

We sometimes make the reservation and then decide not to take the car...........No problem with most companies...no charge (we call them to cancel). We have even rented a %26quot;Smart%26quot; car, albeit 4 door ,for only 12 euros a day.............limited mileage. Sixts had a special last September. Dont know if you can find a deal like that now.

Driving in Paris is sorta like driving in Dallas traffic.........crazy, jammed...sometimes needing a great deal of patience, but not that different from any big city here. Once outside the cities the highways are great....as ours, limited access with ring roads around cities.....You can see some beautiful country driving.

Bonne chance with whatever you decide to do.

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Hi Bea

I am also the one who is asking about Mercure la defense, we bought it through Priceline and did not where it was, how far from downtown etc etc.

I%26#39;ve been to Paris twice, but this will be the first time with my husband and kid(14 years old) we found a triple room in this hotel for 62 euros, not bad he !! Jajaja but have no idea about it !

I am also the one asking about driving from Paris to Prague, as I told you we are going spend 5 days in Paris and will have 6 more days to go to Prague, although I know that It%26#39;ll be beautiful trip, I dont know if it%26#39;ll be a lot of driving and a little time in the city.

Thank you vrey much for all your help !

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crazy indeed...

it took us 8-ish hours to drive from Vienna to Prague, when mapquest (yeah, I know) said it would take 3. At least one hour of it was just trying to find our B%26amp;B in town--we finally called our host and he came to find us %26amp; escort us back to his place! Vienna is lots closer to Prague than Paris is, I think! Driving in the Czech republic is kinda scary, what with the language--they use letters we don%26#39;t even know about. It took us nearly as long to get from Prague back to Dresden in the former E. Germany. Prague is very interesting and gorgeous, but we found it somewhat dismal and also a lot of hard work. A far fewer percentage of Czech people speak English than say, German people or French people. I wouldn%26#39;t say I regret our days in Prague, but I think I would%26#39;ve rather stayed in Vienna!

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I drove from Normandy to Warsaw last summer. Apart from the difficulty with Germany motorway signs which are notoriously easy to get confused and to miss turnings - THE VERY IMPORTANT thing in the czech republic is to buy a car tax badge in a petrol station. They cost about 5 dollars for a few days but the fine is heavy if you don%26#39;t have one and the police check most motorway exits - scanning windscreens with binoculars. There are no warning signs or reminders. I only knew because I read it on the net.

Good driving - cheap petrol in Luxemburg if you drive that way.

to kdksail .

I have been reading all the post .or t least allof them, and your very interestings answers are in almost all of them !!! guauu

It means that you have traveled a lot !

I posted also a question about the weather in Germany, dont know if you read it . But if not I need your advice, because we have no idea how the weather will be in Germany and we would like to drive from paris to Prague ( just have 6 days to go and come back to Paris to catch flight).

If its snowing bad we would rather drive to France any sugestions of nice cities that we could drive to??

Thank you

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Sorry. I%26#39;ve no idea what the weather will be in Paris or Prague nor anywhere in between a week from now---except that it will still be winter in northern Europe---with all that implies. Your best bet---little though it will be---is to keep checking the regional weather reports right up until you date of departure.

As for the trip from Paris to Prague, the direct driving time between the two cities, across central Germany, is approx 10 hours via autoroutes which probably means at least two days driving. So with a 6 day travel window you shoulld have sufficient time---though from what I hear from acquaintances who have visited Prague during the past several years, you may wish that you had more time to spend there. They%26#39;ve all enjoyed Prague a LOT. I recently read that Prague is the most frequently used shoot-location for period- films that are are ostensibly set in Paris---it evidently %26#39;looks%26#39; older and the production costs are much lower than Paris.

But my advance weather forecasting stand-by (as good as any...%26#39;n better than most) has always been:

http://www.indra.com/8ball/front.html

Bon voyage et bonne chance.

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Hey KDK - you%26#39;re a funny one! I checked out the website you recommended - and was overjoyed to find out that I%26#39;m going to win lotto next week! haha!

On another note, slightly related to weather, how well are Paris hotels heated, generally? I mean, do we need to take %26quot;winter flannels%26quot; when it comes to nightwear?? Thanks for your answers - I really enjoy your humour - keep it coming!

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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;how well are Paris hotels heated, generally? I mean, do we need to take %26quot;winter flannels%26quot; when it comes to nightwear??%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;

Parisian hotels will be sufficiently well heated for most people in February (though they may not be as warm as Alice Springs in February--but then nowhere this side of the Ninth Level of Hell is THAT warm). In the event that your hotel does not meet your comfort expectations, buy the hotel with your lottery winnings and fire the staff.

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Bravo!! What a great idea!! Could you imagine a Croc Dundee style pub, or worse, an Ettamogah style pub, in Paris!! What a laugh..

Anyway, thanks for your reliable information.

Christmas in Normandy

Has anyone spent Christmas time in Normandy? In particular, I%26#39;m interested in knowing whether the principal sites such as the D-day museums and beaches, the American cemetery, and Mt. Saint Michel are open on Christmas day and the days immediately before and after. Thanks for any information.

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Hi SteveA,

Have spent Christmas in Normandy but didn%26#39;t get up to much on that visit. The best I can suggest is to contact the place where we stayed on our visit (www.la-ducrie.com) for some local advise. You can email directly from the website.

Good luck!

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Steve

Mont St Michel and all of the landing beaches are open 365 days a year. You will find that the various museums are closed on CHristmas day.

See the reports on La Ducrie who do tailored Christmas breaks.

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Christmas is pretty quiet in France - everyone still gathers in families and consequently the hotels offer nothing very special. The weather is also often bleak but there are always people who brave the cold to go into the sea on Christmas Day.

The Memorial at Caen is a superb and emotionally exacting experience.

Apartment Rental

My husband %26amp; I are looking to rent an apartment in Paris for one week in April 05. I would like to book online/email and am hoping for some ideas and/or recommendations re a reputable website that could help me. Has anyone rented an apartment in Paris using this method recently? What was your experience. Thanking you.......

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Why not a night with us at Le Ruisseau - in really rural France?

http://www.le-ruisseau.com 1 1/2 hrs from Montparnasse on train.

paris music scene

i am very much interested in checking out some of the local clubs. any suggestions on which have good techno and world djs? or any club suggestions at all? is the buddha bar still good or has it gone down a bit?

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The Ki%26#39;i Club is especially nice, I hear.

Trying to locate Villa Renee in / near Vence

Have read a review of Villa Renee posted in 2004 by Scottish traveller. Unable to locate it on any site - would appreciate any information.

|||

Try google with: villa renee vence

Go to http://villa-renee.ifrance.com/villa-renee/

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Thanks Bill2005 Much appreciated.

first time to paris want to go to eurodisney

hi everyone

it will be my husbands birthday soon an as a suprise i have booked for us to go to paris for 4 days, i am really keen to go to euro disney so i woulg be very greatful if anyone could help answer the following questions for me please:

we will be staying at Londres Et D`anvers

133 Boulevard Magenta

75010 Paris

i want to go to euro disney and would like to know if it is far from where we are staying and if we can get a train or bus there and how long and how much for our transport there

Also as we will only be there for 3 nghs will a one day pass to euro disney be long enough

as i said i would be very greatful for any help anyone could give me or any tips thankyou

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About 40 minutes from the centre of town. You cen get train (RER) tickets at any metro station.

All your answers are here :

http://www.disneylandparis.com

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thankyou ptgean this has been very helpful

I hope one of you can help me with this!

I was in Paris 4 years ago and I will soon be heading back in April for 2 weeks. I wanted to take my friend to a great restaurant that I dined at with my family,but I can%26#39;t seem to remember the location exactly. I found a card at the bottom of my old purse that I took with me on that trip and it appears to be a business card from an eating establishment. I am not sure if it is %26quot;THE ONE%26quot; ,but I am hoping that by recounting these details it will ring a bell for someone who knows where it is and how I can get back there.

The card is pretty worn, however it looks like it says something rue du bac and it%26#39;s either 75001 or 75007, Paris. Too , on the back of the card it looks like it says ouvert7/j7. There looks like a telephone number with 61 23 77 as the last numbers.

All I remember is that we%26#39;d just left the museum. I actually thought it was the Louvre,but since we%26#39;d gone with a tour group, I know that we would have ridden back on the coach bus to the group%26#39;s office. Therefore, I am guessing maybe it was the Musee D%26#39; Orsay. I do remember walking across a bridge and then down a sidewalk and stopping in front of a menu posted outside on an easel. A man then appeared and ushered us inside and we sat down to the most wonderful lunch of steak and potatoes. I also remember that there was a bar in front of the restaurant and we were seated over to the left of the bar. I ordered the most wonderful hot chocolate too.

If someone knows anything, your input would be very much appreciated.

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the only thing i relevant (maybe) that i know is the musee d%26#39;orsay is in the 7th which would be 75007, but if you walked across a bridge after you left the museum, it would put you on the other bank which would most likely be the first (75001), so perhaps that card is from %26#39;the one%26#39;. search online for a map of paris with the bridges that go from the 7th to the first---maybe something will jog your memory... good luck to you!

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Is it this one?

La Frigate

1, rue de Bac

75007 Paris

Tel: 01-42-61-23-77

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Perhpas this will look familiar:

BRASSERIE La FREGATE-- http://www.la-fregate.com/

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You guys rock!

I am almost sure from what I can make out on the card,added to the pictures on that website KDK gave that this is indeed the place. I distinctly remember the mirrored wall, the mural on the ceiling and the table and chairs. I am almost sure this is it.

This is so amazing that you guys found my needle in the haystack!

I will call the number tomorrow that ptegan left. I am so excited that I will be able to share this with my friend because I had been raving about it.

Thanks ptegan, KDKSAIL and Mistress.

Some of you should write your own travel books, I am serious!

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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glad you found it! hooray!! my curiousity has been piqued, i%26#39;ll be there next week, perhaps i%26#39;ll give it a try...

Arrive CDG 9:15pm to connect to a 11:15pm flight to Brazil...

Fellow travelers, I have a dilema. My brother is taking a British Midland BMI flight from London LHR to CDG arriving 9:15pm at CDG. He has to catch his flight to Brazil flying AirFrance at 11:15pm. Will he have enough time? Given that he has to wait for his lugage?? What if he doesn%26#39;t check any lugage, would that be reasonable then? How far is BMI from AirFrance at CDG? His other alternative (24 USD more) would be to arrive at CDG at 6pm and wait for hours . . . Your thoughts and comments please!

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BMI flights arrive at CDG terminal building #1 Most of Air France%26#39;s flights use CDG #2. So you would have to get across between CDG #1 and CDG #2 and STAY WITHIN the controlled IN-TRANSIT spaces. There are special shuttle buses (Navettes) between the two terminals for this but even if you have to collect your lugggage from BMI and carry it with you across to CDG #2, you should be able to make your AF flight to Brazil in planty of time.

Sorry, I%26#39;ve never swithched flights at CDG so I%26#39;m not familiar with the IN-TRANSIT shuttles between the two terminals. I do know that if you EXIT the controlled-spaces of the terminal at the French Customs checkpoint for any reason, you will have to re-check-in and pass through airport security all over again.

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I would wait the 5 hours, it isn%26#39;t that long. If his flight is delayed into CDG for any reason he is out of luck and stick for a lot longer at CDG waiting for a new flight.

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and it%26#39;s is strongly suggested to be min 2 hours in advance for international flights, most of the planes are overbooked, i would also wait the 5 hours. the plane arrives a 9,15am, let%26#39;s suppose it is on time. that means, yout borther will not get out of the plane before 9.25, then he needs to take his luggage, 10 min more. so with the best conditions he will check-in with air france at 9.40 more or less, so 1 hour and a half approximatly before the departure. but you know that there are lots of risks that the plane is delayed, even 15 min, and that his luggage can arrive after all the other ones. so i would be very stressed to check-in with air france at 10 or after. he can buy magazines, have a drink, chill a bit before the long flight. and he will not wait so long, if he arrives at 6, he will be out with his luggage arond 6.30, then he can check-in with air france around 9, and he will get in the plane probably 30 to 40 minutes before the departure. when i went to ny, the call to get in the plane began 40 min before the departure. so he can wait max 4 hours, but being sure he will get into the plane :)

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Thanks guys! I just booked his flight to arrive at 6:15pm . . . . $24 USD more than the 9:15 arrival flight . . . and he will be in there for a few hours . . . but no risk . . . no rush . . . . no stress . . . . and its better to be safe than sorry. I also checked wtih an American Airlines sales person (just called and asked questions) . . . and she advised me to allow at least 3 hours from arrival time to next flight departure time.

Walk From St. Michel RER Station to Hotel?

Anyone know how long of a walk it is from the RER station at St. Michel to Rue de l%26#39;Ancienne Comedie (Hotel Left Bank Saint Germain)? I will be arriving this Friday morning after flight from the States and probably could use the stetch. Looks like a 10 minute walk (if we don%26#39;t get lost!) with small wheeled suitcases but if it is much longer might take metro to Odeon. Can%26#39;t wait for this Thursday to arrrive! Thanks.

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Trace this route on your Paris street may (you have a good one already, right??). Come up onto the street at Petit Pont and walk west along the Left Bank of the Seine, with Notre Dame over your right shoulder, past Place Saint Michel to Pont Neuf and TURN LEFT onto rue Dauphine, heading away from the Seine. Walkd three blocks until you come to the carrefour de Buci (busy intersection with a daily street market. As you look clockwise into the Carrefour de Buci, the first street on your left (at 9 o%26#39;clock) will be rue Saint Andre des Arts, the second (at 11 o%26#39;clock) will be Rue de l%26#39;Ancienne Comedie.

An alternative route is to walk long the Seine to Place Saint Michel, then turn Left diagonally across the Square and find rue Saint Andre Des Arts a bit in, on the west side and walk along rue Saint Andre des Arts to Carefour de Buci and the first intersecting street on your left will be rue de l%26#39;Ancienne Comedie. If you;re looking for the HOTEL LEFT BANK SAINT GERMAIN, it will be half-way up the block, on your left.

In either case, I%26#39;d estimate the walk from the Saint Michel/Notre Dame RER station to rue de l%26#39;Ancienne Comedie to be approx. 15 minutes, at an %26#39;uncertain%26#39; pace.

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You can always go to ViaMichelin.com for a quick download of the route.

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Thanks! I noted the two routes you mentioned on the map. I%26#39;ll plan on a 15 min walk and will make walking/metro decision based on the weather Friday morning.

Do people still lodge at the Hotel de Crillon? Or is it now...

I was thinking about booking for June.

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The Hotel de Crillon is very central. That was my first impression when I first saw the Hotel de Crillon.

And magazines like Travel %26amp; Leisure (February 2005-50 Romantic Places article) are still writing about it:

Paris

Make a wish on the five-minute twinkle of the Eiffel Tower (on the hour), and wander through the side streets off the Boulevard St.-Germain, where the haute, hot, and highbrow intersect. T+L TIP Splurge on a night in the ��ber-luxurious Suite Duc de Crillon at the H��tel de Crillon, just off the Champs ��lys��es.

DOUBLES FROM $650; PLACE DE LA CONCORDE; 33-1/44-71-15-00; www.crillon.com

The reviews are still good on Tripadvisor. It really depends on what you really want from your experience. Paris has a lot of quality hotels. One thing that I have really learned from doing research on Tripadvisor is that we all have our favorite hotels that truly fulfill our own hotel experience in Paris--it could be a view of the Eiffel Tower, or a great location such the Hotel de Crillon (for me it is a soft bed with white bedspread and great interior decoration in a hotel). Some of us would spend a lot of money for a hotel in Paris. And other Tripadvisor users are more budget oriented.

Sincerely,

Diana

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The Hotel De Crillon is a very good hotel , one of the best in Paris , and in a very convenient location. It%26#39;s a good choice. There are also some other hotels that are , as the Crillon, members of The Leading Hotels of The World:

1.Hotel Ritz www.lhw.com/ritzparis

2.Hotel Raphael www.lhw.com/raphael

3.Hotel Plaza Athenee www.lhw.com/atheneeparis

4.Hotel Meurice www.lhw.com/meurice

5.Hotel Lancaster www.lhw.com/lancaster

6.Hotel Le Bristol www.lhw.com/bristolparis

All of them are very luxurious and upscale.

The final decision would be based mostly on your preferences.

For more infos do not hesitate to ask.

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The Crillon is a lovely luxury hotel. And no, it is not now passe, although admittedly it no longer has a monopoly on celebrity guests to Paris as it once seemed to have. I%26#39;ve been fortunate enough to stay at many of the five star hotel temples in Paris, and I%26#39;d rank them in the following order:

1) My is actually the Hotel Lancaster. It%26#39;s a smaller, boutique style hotel on the Rue de Berri just off the Champs Elysees in the 8th arr. Ideal location and very luxurious, but on a smaller, more intimate scale. One of the best new restaurants in Paris also, La Table du Lancaster, opened by Michel Troisgros, a Michelin 3 star chef.

2) If you are looking for a palace hotel, though, the Lancaster is not one. My favorite palace is the Four Seasons George V, which sits in a high rent neighborhood in the 8th arr, close to many big-name designer boutiques. Among the biggest rooms of the 5 star hotels.

3) Hotel Meurice. A palace hotel with a great location overlooking the Jardin de Tuileries, but on a smaller, less ostentatious scale than some of the others.

4) Plaza Athenee: very stylish. Great Alain Ducasse restaurant for which you will pay a small fortune.

5) Hotel de Crillon. A good mix of old-school with new-school chic.

6) le Bristol: Classic French charm for the less ostentatious wealthy

7) the Ritz: beautiful classic hotel, but a little too stuffy and snooty for me.

Hope that helps.

First trip

I%26#39;m looking to take my daughter to Paris for a weekend for her 13th birthday. I haven%26#39;t been to Paris for about 15 years. Any recommendation for hotels, best areas to stay and anything else we should be aware of.

We want to shop (of course) and do some sight seeing.

Thanks

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Look in previous posts as your question is a regular on this site

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I am taking my daughter for her 13th birthday also this spring. She has been asking to go since she was seven! We are staying in the Latin Quarter. Seems like a trendy, youngish location with lots to do, easy access to sites and lots of cute shops.

Scan back through this forum several pages and you will find several threads responding to places, restaurants etc. for teen girls.

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Our friends who come to visit us each year love our neighborhood, so I often recommend the Hotel Lindbergh, www.hotellindbergh.com. We are in the 7th, but it is still part of the St Germain neighborhood.

More importantly, for your daughter, we are near the rue de Rennes and some great shopping... be sure to take her to Zara, down towards Montparnasse.

I have also found that teens enjoy a night out at Altitude 95, a bistro on the 1st floor of the Eiffel Tower and the dinner cruises on Le Calife. Both of these places have online info.

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I emphatically agree to find a %26quot;Zara%26quot; store, she will love it and the prices are great.

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A word of caution: MIND THE GYPSIES!

I took my girlfriend to Paris for her first time there as I had a few extra days to spend on a business trip.

We took a Seine boat tour (not bad...), went to the Eiffel tower (big antenna...) and then went to take the Metro to go to the Latin Quarter.

At the Champ de Mars stop for the %26quot;C%26quot;, as we were going in the train was already at the opposite platform so we ran down the stairs and up again to cross over. I looked back to make sure she was right behind me and she was smiling like a little kid running up and down the stairs; we were having fun!

There was a bunch of about six junior high kids (all clean cut and in brand new sweats, looked like they were just out of soccer practice or something) getting in ahead of us and the doors started to close, so they held them open.

There were a bunch of other people at the station, they just watched indifferently.

As we tried to get in there was a lot of commotion and two adults approached also from behind.

By the time the train left, they had all run out and we were inside.

And my girlfriend%26#39;s wallet was gone.

We were shocked. She was devastated. She started crying. I couldn%26#39;t believe what was happening... The french in the train just looked back at us annoyed, and then looked away. There was a Spanish family that had just gotten in also, and they tried to console us.

We got off at the next stop and I tried to call the police. It took a while to figure out that the number for the police is %26quot;17%26quot; because their payphones are full of advertising and other stuff, and it%26#39;s an exercise to find the emergency numbers. I speak very little french so I asked the man who answered if he speaks english. He said:

-No.

I asked if he can give me someone who does. He said:

-No.

I explained in my broken french we had just been robbed, and he said:

-Go to the nearest precinct.

I asked where that is and he started to talk to me quickly, I had to ask him to speak slowly. It didn%26#39;t matter...

The trip was ruined.

A $400 wallet with $200 in cash, six credit cards, driver%26#39;s licence, receipts, notes, health insurance card, gift certificates... all gone.

The smile on her face gone.

All replaced by a feeling of shock and grief and violation and wondering who else is dangerous... everywhere we went. Which was not much. No desire left...

So watch out for the gypsies, nice looking little kids with adult back-up.

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A word of caution: MIND THE GYPSIES!

I took my girlfriend to Paris for her first time there as I had a few extra days to spend on a business trip.

We took a Seine boat tour (not bad...), went to the Eiffel tower (big antenna...) and then went to take the Metro to go to the Latin Quarter.

At the Champ de Mars stop for the %26quot;C%26quot;, as we were going in the train was already at the opposite platform so we ran down the stairs and up again to cross over. I looked back to make sure she was right behind me and she was smiling like a little kid running up and down the stairs; we were having fun!

There was a bunch of about six junior high kids (all clean cut and in brand new sweats, looked like they were just out of soccer practice or something) getting in ahead of us and the doors started to close, so they held them open.

There were a bunch of other people at the station, they just watched indifferently.

As we tried to get in there was a lot of commotion and two adults approached also from behind.

By the time the train left, they had all run out and we were inside.

And my girlfriend%26#39;s wallet was gone.

We were shocked. She was devastated. She started crying. I couldn%26#39;t believe what was happening... The french in the train just looked back at us annoyed, and then looked away. There was a Spanish family that had just gotten in also, and they tried to console us.

We got off at the next stop and I tried to call the police. It took a while to figure out that the number for the police is %26quot;17%26quot; because their payphones are full of advertising and other stuff, and it%26#39;s an exercise to find the emergency numbers. I speak very little french so I asked the man who answered if he speaks english. He said:

-No.

I asked if he can give me someone who does. He said:

-No.

I explained in my broken french we had just been robbed, and he said:

-Go to the nearest precinct.

I asked where that is and he started to talk to me quickly, I had to ask him to speak slowly. It didn%26#39;t matter...

The trip was ruined.

A $400 wallet with $200 in cash, six credit cards, driver%26#39;s licence, receipts, notes, health insurance card, gift certificates... all gone.

The smile on her face gone.

All replaced by a feeling of shock and grief and violation and wondering who else is dangerous... everywhere we went. Which was not much. No desire left...

So watch out for the gypsies, nice looking little kids with adult back-up.

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Another fun idea with teens is to go to a music store and get them a CD of what kids are listening to over here. There is a FNAC (electronics/books/music) located just across from the Zara (it is my favorite for its gorgeous art deco architecture) on the rue de Rennes.

Some insipid pop music that is a big hit w/13 yr old girls is anything by Lorie, Lynda Lemay, Jenyfer, Avril Lavigne, Priscilla, Emma Daumas and the horrific Star Academy (France%26#39;s version of American Idol). I find some of it rather insipid, but the kids love it!

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Crime Hater, That is sad what happened to you, perhaps your homeowners/tenant insurance will cover the financial loss.

I%26#39;d hate for people to assume all gypsies were thieves, it is a prejudice that the entire EU is trying to combat and generalizations don%26#39;t help.

As for pickpockets, yes you have to keep your wits about in major tourist areas across the globe... hands on you bag at all times.

When my Camera was stolen in Berlin I was quite sad until my Parisian traveling companion looked at me and said, %26quot;But you weren%26#39;t being careful enough.%26quot; OUCH. But he was right, I knew better.

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So sorry to hear that you had such a problem. It is a sad experience to have someone take something which belongs to you and can be a bitter experience. It is also NOT your fault. You just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time(for them). From the posts on this site, it apparently does not happen too often, thank the gods. It has happened to me and it can be terrible, I know. But they did not get much of anything when they hit me, though there was one neat photo in my old wallet.

One reason I am a big avocate of NOT carrying much in a wallet, or not carry one at all, is that if you should get hit by a group as you discribed..... a sweet little old lady....... just a %26quot;bump%26quot; in a crowd......or nothing you can remember, you will not LOOSE much. Because it is such a bad experience it is important that people think about it..........for a moment and take appropiate precausions. You can%26#39;t go out worrying about who will try to rip you off.... can%26#39;t live that way. But it happens......You are distracted, helping someone else, sneezing, not concerned....... in Paris, Rome, Barcelona, NYC, even here on the quiet beaches of s/w Florida! (Recently had someone come in my fenced back yard and take my old bike!...... one of the %26quot;something for nothing%26quot; crowd).

It is not the French, just a bunch of hoods that would rather steal your things than work for their own. If those on the metro who seemed to be French did not seemed concerned I have a feeling they were very much concerned and felt a great amount of sympathy for you..........just didn%26#39;t know how to let you know.

Do try to remember all the nice times you and your friend had on your trip, all the wonderful things you saw and all the lovely people you met, once the pain of this is lessened.

Take care and it%26#39;s my belief that the things taken will be replaced with something even better...........

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$400 wallet with $200 in cash, six credit cards, driver%26#39;s licence, receipts, notes, health insurance card, gift certificates... all gone.

Not a good idea to carry all that while wandering through a big, foreign city. I agree with Bea, carry little then if it is stolen, which does happen, it is no great loss. Money belts are also a good way to go. I would do the same in New York or Washington D.C. as well.

Getting to Mont St. Michel from Paris

Is Parisvisions the only way to travel to Mont St Michel if you dont%26#39; have a car? Does anyone know how difficult it would be to take the train on your own? thanks.

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There is no direct rail link between Paris and Mont Saint Michel. There are TGV trains as far as RENNES (approx; 2 hrs) and then regional bus service from Rennes station to Mont Saint Michel (approx 90 mns). The total travel time by train and bus is approx 4 hours. So this really isn%26#39;t a day-trip from Paris. Even then I%26#39;m not even sure if the trains schedule would even make it practical as a day-trip (last train back to Paris leaves at approx 3 PM). But as an overnight or for a day or two you could certainly make it work via train on your own.

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The Lonely Planet recommends taking the trian all the way to Pontorson and then catching the bus to Mont St Michel from there, 4-9 daily, depending on the day. But it may actually be most cost efficient to rent a car.

voyages-sncf.com can helpyou figure out the train transportation costs, etc... It%26#39;s in French, but you should be able tofigure it out fairly easily.

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thanks..I checked the SNFC site and it does look like a day trip wouldn%26#39;t work that way so maybe Parisvisions is the way to go. Has anyone been to Mont St. Michel? I am wondering if it looks as impressive as the pictures I%26#39;ve seen.

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It is more impressive than any photo can show. If you can swing an overnight trip, it is truly magical to sleep on the island in one of the medieval bldgs. and then to wake up the next morning, enjoying the island before the hordes of tourists arrive. It also gives you the time to appreciate the incredible tides and an incredible omelette at the Mere Poulard.

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The Mont is just awesome.....It is unique and one of a kind. No photo could do it justice. It would go well if it were off one of the islands of Venice, I think.

Not only is it an old, wonderful, religious setting but also an interesting, living town with back alleys, narrow rues, old cemeteries, little parks here and there, with all the alluring and sometimes interesting things that tourist enloy. There are breathtaking views, some nice restaurants, cafes, bistros, places for a picnic, old hotels even private living quarters.

It%26#39;s good advice to stay overnight on the Mont, but if you can not, do try to get there early in the day or visit it in the evening. It can get really crowded.....jammed. There are some modern type motels just before the causeway over which look fairly nice and some B%26amp;B type farmhouses on the mainland too. And wear your comfortable walking shoes its all hills.

You will love it!

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I have taken ParisVision from Paris to Mont St. Michel.

It%26#39;s a long day but certainly worth it.

You might want to climb directly to the top (passing all the shops)

and work your way down (avoiding a lot of the crowds).

The views in 3 directions are fantastic (the other direction

is the car/bus parking).

I would suggest a good book or pamphlet to study before

you get there to be generally familiar with Mont. St. Michel

(some areas are dark and the signage is not the greatest)

Enjoy your adventure, I sure it will be meaningful.

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Great advice, thanks! After reading these responses, this has to be my Paris day trip. Hoping to fit in one more to in another direction from Paris.

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Try Reims for the cathedral and some champagne tasting!

Lavender ice cream

Several years ago we ate at Moulins de Mougin in the South of France (I understand the restaurant has since closed). Aside from it being one of THE best dining experiences in my life, I remember the wonderful lavender ice cream I had for dessert. I have not been very successful finding a similar ice cream in the U.S. and thought it was a French specialty.

Will I be able to find my lavender ice cream when I go to Paris in May?

I am looking forward to our trip - not just the ice cream.

Thank you,

Michelle

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i had that in Nice and it was so divine I had it every day we were there....... have not yet seen it here in Paris.

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There is an ice creamery, Mootime, in San Diego that has it, Lavande restaurant in Santa Monica does also. Sorry, don%26#39;t know about Paris but if you are ever in Ca. try those out.

I have a great recipe too, if you want it I will send it to you.

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what a great idea for a flavor!! Now why didn%26#39;t Baskin Robbins or Howard Johnson%26#39;s think of that? (Aside from the fact that lavender is typically French, right?)

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sort of brings to mind the OUTSTANDING rose petal flavored macaroons I had from Laduree....also really unique

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can you just imagine the two things together?!? I%26#39;d be in floral dessert heaven! :o)

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The place in Nice also had honey, thyme and rosemary... yum!

For some exotic ice cream here go to

Berthillon - 31, rue saint Louis en l%26#39;Ile - 01 43 54 31 61

Le Bac �� Glaces - 109, rue du Bac - 01 45 48 87 65

Chez Raimo - 61, Bd de Reuilly - 01 43 43 70 17

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I went to Le Train Bleu last night and had some of the best chocolate ice cream ever to pass my lips and when I was writing about it today, I noticed that they had lavendar ice cream on the menu!

They procure their chocolate and lavendar ice cream from Les Sorbets de St Mande (yes, it was that good...I actually called this morning to ask where it came from), which is not in Paris and does not have a retail outlet, but if the lavendar is anything close to the choc., I%26#39;d make a trip to the Train Bleu, even if you only want the dessert!

The menu is on their website www.le-train-bleu.com. I only see the lavendar ice cream on the tasting menu, but I they may accommodate your special needs.