TuscanNights
 |
Paris can be expensive, but that's mostly in the really touristy areas. One of the best places for cheap shopping is the St-Ouen flea market in the northern part of the city. At the flea markets, the price they tell you for an item is pretty much never final, bargaining is encouraged. For cheap food, go to the supermarket. There's a Monoprix by the Cluny Metro stop that has food downstairs. If you're on your own for lunch, one of the best places to go is the Blanche Metro stop (line 2). Walk up the Rue Lepic, next to the Moulin Rouge, and there's a bakery on the right hand side of the street. You can get a good size sandwich on baguette, a drink, and dessert for 6 Euros there. Even if you don't go for lunch, drop by there for the tarte au chocolat. It's probably the best dessert I've ever had. In general, I recommend Montmartre for shopping, food, and general charm. The flight depends on where you're flying out of. Usually you'll end up on a short flight from wherever you are to a major airport like New York, Chicago, Detroit, or DC, or if you're flying Lufthansa, you'll fly into Frankfort then take a short flight to Paris. Either way, unless you're on the west coast, the long part of the flight shouldn't take more than around 8-10 hours. The people are absolutely wonderful. They're pretty easy to understand in general, and if they know you're struggling, they'll do whatever they can to help. Just make sure to put the effort in to use French, and even if you pronounce things wrong, they'll be thrilled you tried. Some of them even think it's cute when Americans pronounce it wrong. As far as wardrobe goes, just stay away from wearing clothing with writing on it, I recommend wearing either solid colors or some kind of a cute print. Nothing that screams "I'm an American" like the US flag, Hannah Montana, or High School Musical. I usually just wear nice jeans and a fairly nice top. This time of year it can get pretty chilly, so make sure you check the weather before you go and have some sweaters as well as short sleeved things in case it's warm. I know you're traveling with a group, but you will probably still have some time pretty much on your own. Also bring at least one dressy outfit, like a nice skirt or pants and a nice top. You don't have to wear it every day, but it's good to have on hand in case you need it. You may want to pick up a guide book before you go because it may have something in it that you aren't going to cover that you didn't know was there but will really want to see. I highly recommend Frommer's Irreverent Guide to Paris. General necessities to pack...other than the obvious toiletries and clothing, look into getting some travel Space Bags. They work great and make packing a lot less stressful b/c you don't have to worry about not having enough room. Bring some kind of a notebook or a journal with you and at the end of the day write down what you did and saw. It's easy to forget the little things after you get back, and it always makes me smile to look in my notebook and find something cool I forgot happened. Don't forget stuff to keep you amused in the flights and airports. I usually bring a novel or two, music, and word puzzles/sudoku/etc. A mini first aid kit can be extremely useful-bandaids, aspirin, the pill form of Pepto Bismol, safety pins, and anything else you might need. If you take medications, make sure to put them in your carry on in case your suitcase gets lost. It doesn't happen often, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Keep a copy of your passport in your luggage so if something happens to your passport, you at least have photocopied backup when you go to the Embassy. Always have more batteries than you think you'll need for your camera. It would be a nightmare getting halfway through the trip and having your last set of batteries go dead. Take some kind of small battery powered alarm clock because not all European hotel rooms have alarms to wake you up or even clocks at all. This will sound a little crazy, but if you want to have a washcloth, pack a couple. I've been in some hotels that have them, but most don't. If you haven't seen it already, try to watch the movie Amelie before you go. It's fabulous and will really get you in the mood for Paris. If you want or need more advice, email or im me and I'll be happy to help, including if you are an Amelie fan, where and how to find places from the movie.
*VERY IMPORTANT* Find extremely comfy shoes. Even with the fantastic Metro system, you will still end up doing a ton of walking, and even with comfy shoes, your feet will probably still hurt by the end of the day.
Sorry this was so long, I just wanted to be thorough. Enjoy your trip!! |
sandra b
|
Paris is quite expensive. The dollar is not holding too well against the Euro. That may have slightly changed since I went a year ago. Food is pretty pricey at restaurants. Try not to blow all your money on family and friend gifts. If your looking for gifts try to get small things so you can save your money for real experiences. From New York City the plane flight is 8 hours so your trip is roughly the same. Understanding French conversation is difficult because they speak french. I would explain to them that you speak "un peu francais" and that you are American so that they can speak slower. Sometimes it's easy to understand basic things like Bonjour, Bonsoir, Ca va...but conversations are hard. Not everyone there dresses fancy. I saw a lot of blue jeans, slacks, etc. I think the whole French fashion thing is overrated because I never saw outfits over there that knocked my socks off. Necessities: Camera (Photos last a lifetime), extra photo in case passport goes missing (trust me it happens), perhaps a credit card with a set limit for emergencies, sneakers, book or music for plane. Have fun...trip of a lifetime.
If you want to use certain electronics (hair dryer, computer, chargers) you must bring an Adapter which you can buy at Radio Shack. |
News
Travel Topics
Travel Forum Travel Directories
Dictionary 
Travel
Forum 
France 
No Spam
Adult 
Gambling
Unfinished
Deception
Plagiarism
Not English
