Anita

Hi All, <BR> <BR>We were planning a visit to Paris in late Aug-early Sept 2001 as part of our honeymoon plans. And a travel agent warned us Paris/Venice/Norway and other places in Europe will be hot at this time of the year with too many tourists around. Is it true? Any ideas on this? <BR> <BR>Thanks in advance, <BR>A

Chris

Everyone says "oooh, springtime in Paris, how romantic." Truth? Bleah! It's rainy!! But I'd go if that's what I wanted to do and just plan accordingly. <BR> <BR>Yes, it will be hot in Venice and Paris. But aside from the Arctic Circle, you're looking at that in a lot of places. And if you can handle wearing a wedding gown in August, you can handle Venice and Paris! <BR> <BR>Yes, it will be crowded, but do get the museum passes and pre-ticketing when you can. In Venice, I don't think they did a lot of pre-ticketing, but lines weren't too bad (I was there two weeks ago) at the Ducale Palace and St. Marks. No lines anywhere else. Here is a tip though, get the "secret" tour for the Ducale Palace -- if you can't make the reservation before you leave for Europe, just stop in and make the reservation for the next day (you cut in line and make the reservation at the info desk.) Once you have your reservation, you cut through the line to the info desk again and buy your tickets from them. It's more expensive, but the tour is a good one and you can go through the rest of the palace after, at your pace. <BR> <BR>Here's another tip -- battery operated hand held fan. Wish I had one. I would have used it A LOT. "Traditional" non-battery operated fans are popular in Venice, but I'm looking for the easy way out. <BR> <BR>I approach my trips this way: There are "perfect" times to go, "better" times to go, "bad" times to go and "what if I don't get another chance" times to go. If I wait, I might not get the chance again so I'll take the "bad" time to go. If I get the chance again, I'll make sure it's the "perfect" or "better" time! <BR> <BR>My first trip to Paris was in December. Froze my butt off!! Wasn't the "perfect" time, but I was there!! There are still people in my office who are waiting until it's a "perfect" time to go to Paris, and they'll never go. Same thing with Venice and Florence -- go in July? Ugh. Everyone said Venice will smell (it didn't) -- but this was my "what if I don't get another chance" time. Sure I was hot. But I was there! <BR> <BR>If it's really what you want to do, then do it!! Life is short and things happen quickly (saving for a house, kids, etc., etc.) If you've got the shot now, take it. If you get the shot again later, bravo! You already know now, what you wish you knew then! <BR> <BR>Congrats and best of luck! <BR>Chris

elaine

Anita, <BR>Yes, it's crowded in Paris and Venice in the summer, there are hordes of tourists. Still, if you've always dreamed of going and you don't know when you'll have another opportunity or "excuse", then by all means go. If travel is in your future anyway, then perhaps pick another romantic spot. <BR>However, if you haven't booked hotels yet for Aug and Sept, you will find that many good ones are fully booked, even into the late fall, which may reduce some of your options. <BR>Don't compromise too much on a hotel; travel agents aren't always familiar with the pluses and minuses of hotels, particularly locations. <BR>if you go, you'll want a convenient and pleasant place to easily stop back at to take a break. <BR>I have files on Paris and Venice; if you'd like to see them, email me

newlywed

My husband and i will be married a year in Sept. We recently moved to Germany and have been travelling all over! We did Paris for Valentine's Day and it was nice but COLD. I didn't love it like I thought i would. Also, we just did Venice in May. It wasn't very warm yet, but CROWDED and SMELLY. I have heard that the warmer it gets the worse the crowds and smell gets. I thought it was very expensive. I don't want to burst your bubble, though - both places are worth seeing,if only once. Besides, Venice is sinking at a rate of 2 inches every decade, so it might not be there much longer...Have you thought about Prague or Istanbul though? Both cities are AMAZING - friendly, beautiful, and very inexpensive. I would recommend those in a heartbeat...

Betsy

First off, get those reservations ASAP! <BR>I've been in Paris in August and July on 2 different visits. In August it was much less crowded I think because it is vacation time for the French. There was a noticable difference between August and July in Paris. As far as heat goes, They have periodic heat waves like any place. I found it to be usually around 75-80 degrees, but was lukcy enought to arrive right after a heat wave. The drawback about heat in Paris is that it can get very humid. I would get a room with air conditioning. <BR>Venice will be hot. It is incredible in any weather I think. It cools off nicely at night, (also when crowds leave). I was just there and I didn't find that the canals smell. Sometimes when its hot, fuel emissions tend to seem stronger to me. I don't find this is limited to Venice in any way, (ie Florence). I think it may be due to lack of green spaces which both Venice and Florence lack.

dan woodlief

Hot in Paris? Maybe, maybe not. We went in 1997 during the exact period you mentioned - six days in Paris ending on Sept. 3. During the day, it was mid to upper 70's and was actually fairly cool at night. We had one day of rain and a few showers another day, but most of the time it was partly cloudy to partly sunny and very pleasant. I was never really hot the whole time.

BTilke

Right now, Paris is in the grip of "la canicule"--aka, a heat wave. And pollution is up, creating problems for anyone with asthma or other respiratory illnesses. Areas like the Marais, with their crowded, narrow streets and no trees, feel the muggiest and the most stifling. That's why I recommend to our friends planning to visit Paris in August/early September to pick a hotel in the greener and cooler 7th or 16th arrondissements. Your body (and lungs) will thank you! <BR>On the other hand, you could hit a clear, breezy patch and have absolutely wonderful weather--or even a brief cold spell. <BR>Yes, there will be lots of tourists in the prime sightseeing areas. But Paris doesn't really have an off-season anymore. You'll find big tour buses (my husband calls them aquariums because they school like fish to the central sights) in January as well as July (or August).

Greg Gallagher

I haven't been to Paris in some time but was also thinking of going in Mid September. I have been there in July in fact on the 14'th and the crowds did not bother me at all. I love history so it was like having a hundred dollar bill in a candy store. My question is that my wife has never been, and crowds intimidate her a bit. So does the tourist season die down by then?

Anita

thanks a lot for the pointers. <BR> <BR>this is the first time either of us would be travelling out of india (my native). i was reading the messages on language problems and got frightened since we do not know french, too. i know a bit of german (a wee bit and time seems to be running out since we have less than a month to do the wedding preps, too. any suggestions on the quickest way to pick up some french phrases. <BR> <BR>needed some info on the hotel bookings too. which r good ones there? and how r the youth hostels since i have been a member for sometime and used to them? any opinions. thanks once again for all the help. <BR>

Chris

Hi Greg <BR> <BR>Paris is crowded whenever you go. I've been to Notre Dame tower 3 times (all those %^&&* steps!!!) and the wait is always over an hour. December, September (end), April were the times I went. But I think as long as you've prepared yourself, it's not so bad to deal with lines. And it's never like anything's packedascloseasthis, except the elevators at the Eiffel Tower (to avoid that, go 1 hour before it closes, and it's SO pretty at night). <BR> <BR>Hi again Anita! <BR> <BR>Don't worry about the French language thing. Just speak English slowly and clearly. I'm from the northeast of the US, and I speak fast -- I've slowed the pace a little and had to pay attention to how I say things (I try to say "I am" instead of "I'm", etc.) <BR> <BR>"Bon jour", "merci", "parlez vous Anglais", etc., will make it easier for you. Don't worry! <BR> <BR>