Im planning a trip to Paris France. Anyone have any travel tips or best places to stay?

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Rillifane

The "best" place to stay depends on your personal tastes and your budget.

My personal recommendation is the Hotel St. Andre des Artes at 66 rue St. Andre des Artes in the 6th arrondisment. Metro:Odeon Telephone 01 43 26 96 16
email:hsaintand@wannado.fr

A double room with breakfast in the morning will cost you only 85 euros. Its the best location in Paris in an area of lively bars and restaurants and only a short walk to Notre Dame, the Louvre, or the Luxembourg Gardens. Email for a reservation they are VERY popular.

Paris is, as Hemingway said, "a movable feast." Its a relatively compact city in which you can easily walk to most tourist destinations. For longer distances the Metro is very easy to use and quite convenient. While there is a Paris Pass which allows unlimited use of buses and the Metro, I suggest walking when possible and simply buying a "carnet" of ten Metro tickets to get the best price.

Get a good map of Paris. Much of the city is medieval in origin and the streets are a rabbit's warren if you venture off the "Grandes Boulevards" that were cut thru the city by Baron Hausmann in the late 19th century.

Despite what I just said about the streets I urge you to just wander. Get lost even. When that happens just sit down in the first cafe you find, have a drink and check out your map.

You can usually orient yourself by the big landmarks. Sacre Coeur, the big white onion domed church is north. The ugly skyscraper that is the Montparnasse Tower (one of the few tall buildings in Paris) is south and the Eifel tower is west. The Seine, which divides the city in two, flows from east to west. When you face downriver (i.e. west) the left bank is on your left and the right bank is on your right.

Eat at places that don't have English language menus and are at least a few blocks away from any major tourist attraction. Don't be afraid to just point at what someone else is eating and get the same. Mnay places have a daily special up on a chalk board. Order it. It's usually good and will probably be the best buy. If it turns out to be something you can't stand at least you'll have a funny story to tell your friends about the time you found yourself staring at a plate of snails.

Learn at lest a few French phrases, most importantly "s'il vous plait" (Please) and "merci" (thank you). Call the waiter "monsieur" or "madame" (never "garcon") and greet every shop or cafe worker with a friendly "bonjour" when you first encounter them and say "au revoir" when you leave.

Its a good idea to scout out a pleasant seeming cafe close to your hotel and establish yourself there. If you stay at the Hotel St. Andre then go to the Cafe Conti on the corner. (you can't miss it). The second or third time you have a drink there the waiter will greet you like an old friend. Have lunch there a few times and he'll slip you a free glass of wine or a complimentary after dinner drink.

Mainly, be adventurous, be open minded, and be fearless. If you are then you'll find yourself agreeing with Thomas Jefferson who said "Everyone has two countries...his own and Paris"

Wizzard2

I always like staying on the left bank in a 2 0r 3 start hotel, with a good room facing the street,

hurricane_0_8

Here is a travel trip that will serve you well anytime you travel outside your home country, Jan.

Get good travel insurance early. And I recommend you get your travel insurance from a source other than that for your transport arrangements so there is no chance of conflict of interest.

Go to http://www.wavehelp.com/travel-medical/index.htm and click on the red phone booth. You'll get to read about options from the industry leader. You can buy on-line. If you buy within 2 weeks of making your first deposit or payment for transport, many times you get extra benefits.

Best wishes.

C_C

Stay at The Ritz darling... its Fabulous!
if u cant stay there, then go have a drink at the bar... check out The Plaza Athene as well!

sourire

I am near Paris France all year round. Some places may be shabby but others are fantastic. A good guide book and ...good shoes will ensure you a great trip ! You will love the food there.

paris

I suggest you hotel Ascot Opera - rue Monsigny no.2. It's a small one, not very expensive and very well located, just in the centre of the town, close to almost all beauties of Paris. Bon voyage !

nimo22

Go to www.parishotels.com
We stayed in the Cactus hotel and will stay there again. It's tiny, but it's clean, has free breakfast, you can see the Eifel Tower from the sidewalk in front of the building, there's a great pizza place just around the corner, and a metro station stop right there too. Get a metro pass based on how long you will be there, we got a 3 day metro pass, the system is pretty easy to figure out, and we found that when we were confused that people were eager to help point us in the right direction, despite the rumours, the French are not rude people. And when those people get on the metro to play music for money, don't make eye contact with them and they usually leave you alone. If you look like you are listening to their music, they will head directly to you holding out their cup for money. Make sure you carry a metro map and city map around with you, our hotel had them on a table in the lobby. And at some of the touristy places, like the Eifel Tower and the Sacre Couer church, there are people trying to sell you things. Just firmly say "No" and continue on your way. Oh yeah, and watch out for pick-pockets, even inside the churches.

P.S.- Paris is not dirty and stinky like the person after me said. Yes, it has a couple of parts of the city that are, but there are so many beautiful things to see there.

baby1

Go onto Rick Steve's travel website. There are a ton of suggestions from people who have gone with various spending levels.

Raj

stay near airport hotel formula one for euro 29 or in city B&B

Cherie M

I stayed at the Paris Hilton (seriously). You could see the eiffel tower from it.

I don't know when you plan on going but I went there in the summer and it was really hot. I'd recommend Fall or early spring.

I would learn some french. I know a good deal of french and there were still communciation barriers. I found that not as many people as I was lead to believe spoke English.

When you're there, you have to try Macaroons. There not the coconut ones we have here in the states -- they're a 1000 times better. I tried some at Pierre Hermes' shop.

Make sure you get wine w/ dinner. It was actually one of the cheapest beverages on the menu & it was really good.

Also just so you know Charles de Gaulle Airport is the worst! At least the terminal I was in really sucked.

dlgrl=me

yes, somewhere other than france....paris is dirty and smelly, ok for a day trip, but so many more beautiful places to see in europe.

babyboo_x

Well the best districts to get a hotel is in the 75016,75001,75008 for example,here you will be in the center of the city and close to most tourist attractions. Places to visit are the Louvre,Sacre Couer(pls do pay very good attention to your purse/pockets as it is very close to a bad part of town),the Eiffel tower. Also you should definately use the RER(train) and visit Chateau de Versailles. Champs Elysees and Arc de triomphe(dont bother to cross the road there,very dangerous.lol) One tip,stay away from hotels which are called hotels de charme,they are shabby hotels without any service. i know this as I worked in on of those and also 4star hotels which are great if you dont mind coughing up 200$ or more per night.
Personally paris is great if you remain in the tourist areas. Ooh yeah you shouldnt forget to take a tour wit the bateaux mouches on the Seine or to visit the Moulin Rouge or the Lido for evening entertainment. Another handy way to get around in paris is taking the Car rouges (red buses where you buy a 2day pass and you can use it unlimited and it covers most tourist attractions)

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