For those of you that have traveled to Paris, France, what iteam do you recommend bringing that most wouldnt?

Show all answers

Kaoso

I would say that you should bring whatever you bring on any normal vacation. And, seriously, there is really nothing that you can't get in France, and no deoderant does not smell like BO. If you have anything with an electric plug (electric rasor, cellphone, etc.), bring a converter to plug it in, and if you can't live without peanut butter, then bring your own. By the way, unless you are sitting at a cafe, which is a place of business where the seats are for customers, no one will charge you money to sit down.

In terms of things NOT to bring:

Shorts: French people, especially Parisians, do not wear shorts. In shorts, people stick out as tourists and could become easy targets of pick pockets of which there are many in Paris.

T-Shirts with big logos on them, ie polo shirts from your company: Again, this will set off the tourist alarm. The French tend to dress a bit less casual than Americans. French people prefer to wear things without logos, or dress shirts, slacks, etc.

Pushy attitude: Don't be loud and pushy in France, it is not how people are here. One example is on the subway. When you talk to people on the metro, only you and that person should be able to hear the conversation. Use discretion. People yelling in any language other than French is quite common on the metro, and it drives the French nuts. They wont be so nice to you, and you will become one of the people who fumes about French arrogance, even though you were culturally insensitive in the first place.

Visors: Again, marks you as a tourist. If you want shade, get some sunglasses.

Huge fat guide books: Obviously you can bring it, just don't shove it in your back pocket, half sticking out, like most tourists do when you are walking around the city. Pickpockets hang out around all the tourist areas, the less you look like a tourist, the safer your money is.

Hope this helps!

Heidimax

Make sure to bring Aspirin, Pepto Bismol, or any other over the counter medicine. They are hard to find. You must go to a Pharmacy and get it from the pharmacist which is quite a pain in the neck when your head is killing you and they close at 5. They don't sell the same things in supermarkets as we do here.

Liz G

Your best walking shoes.

Paris needs to be taken in slowly, at night, on foot.
What a wonderful city, full of so much history and beautiful buildings.

Love it!

lollypop

comphy shoes.. but 1 great great tip i got that will help u sooooooooooooooo much:

when u go to paris ..insted of buying metro or bus tickets... buY " CART ORANGE" its cheap...and you can use a million times to all public transportation... you can buy the for 1 week or for 1 month depending on how much ur staying

i use to ride a bus and leave when the street look interesting...then ride any bus and so on...

good luck

angel_of_darkness2480

I would say take a lot of extra money and i mean A lot! And also i remember when i went to paris france, they charged my sister and i money to sit down.It may sound crazy but, i think maybe a portable chair would be good. And once you get there and see for yourself what i mean you will thank me. =)

cmurphyenergy

If you are staying for an extended period of time, I recommend certain toiletries:
toothpaste - french "dentifrice" is tastes terrible and doesn't foam up like colgate or crest.

Deoderant - european spray-on deoderant smells like B.O. in a can.

Shampoo/conditioner - you will find excellent hair care products in france but at three times the cost for a bottle half the size.

Be-hive Baaaby

a dictionary

duoak

Lots of Kleenex. I know it seems stupid, but everyone and I mean everyone smokes in France. I have gone into cafes, where you can't even see your hand in front of you because it's filled with so much smoke. All of that cigarette smoke really does make you sniffle and stuffed up.

I also recommend bringing a sweater. Even in the summertime, it gets really chilly at night in Paris. Even in the middle of August!

Remember also to bring your passport with you when you go shopping, because as an American you are entitled to get the VAT refund when you return to the U.S.

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: