Etienne_dOhio

The cost complete account available of Mike and Steve?s trip (March 26-April 12) to Paris!

This is divided into three parts, posted in separate messages in order:

1. Tips for those thinking of going to Paris

2. Ratings and reviews of the sights

3. A travelogue of our stay

Pick and choose as you wish!

Tips for those thinking of going to Paris:

If you are staying for at least a week, and are traveling as a single, couple, or couple with small child, consider renting the apartment described at http://www.oz.net/~grenelle. The apartment is everything represented and the owners/landlords are absolutely delightful people? and you can pay in dollars to someone living here in the US. Renting it was a breeze and the apartment is great, ground floor (no steps), inner courtyard (quiet? all we heard in the morning was a bird singing ), great location (10 minute walk and you are in the Champs de Mars virtually underneath the Eiffel Tower, in a safe, quiet neighborhood) and reasonably priced (the hotels in the nearby Rue Cler have upped their prices thanks to Rick Steves? this apartment is a bargain, especially if you cook your own meals there to save on the high restaurant bills). It?s my number 1 insider?s tip.

If you have a week or less for your trip, consider spending it all in Paris and forget about trying to get to Normandy or the Loire Valley or where ever else. Paris is like New York in that you could spend a year there and barely scratch the surface of all there is to offer. Why rush it? This is truly a spectacular city that deserves more than a couple of days. You?ll spend more time enjoying yourself and have fewer hassles if you stay in one place your entire vacation. Why not make it Paris, where there is so much to choose from? I guess I?m trying to convince people that this is a city to savor, not to be rushed through. But you get to make your own plans. If you?ve got three days, see the Louvre, Orsay, Eiffel Tower (up close, under it, not just from the Trocadero), Ile-de-la-Cite, wander around the riverside and the Left Bank a little. Worry no further about planning. That?s all you can possibly fit in anyway. You will love it. Just expect big crowds at those sights, because most people only spend three days in Paris and see these ?must sees? too (and they truly are must sees). For those of you willing to dedicate a whole week or (gasp) two weeks or more, there is a long list of great things to do to choose from. That?s what we did? 18 days, with a few short day trips, staying in the same place the whole time. I had been twice before, for two days each, in 1978 and 1984, so I was not an expert. And my partner had never been. But we had a great vacation.

Familiarize yourself with the Parisian public transport system before you depart, and your planning and stay will be much easier. http://www.ratp.fr. I especially encourage the use of the busses. They are clean, run frequently (less so after 8:30 pm, and on Sundays and holidays), but often get you where you want to go quicker than the metro and without all the steps and walking. The only downside is that you have to use a ticket for each bus as there are no transfers allowed between busses or between bus and metro on the same ticket. Individual purple tickets purchased in the carnets must be punched in the machine next to the bus driver. If you get the weekly Carte Orange you simply flash the pass at the bus driver. In the metro, slide the Carte Orange coupon through the machine at the turnstile just as you would a regular ticket. We used the bus about 50 percent of the time. It was great? we got to see loads more from the bus than on the metro. Use the weekly Carte Orange if you can use it at least five or six days out of the seven that it is valid (Monday to Sunday only), and if you take at least two trips a day. Otherwise, just stick to the carnets.
When in doubt about what to do, watch other people and do what they do. We walked into a post office, and although there were lots of people standing around, nobody was in line, but it felt kind of weird, so I watched for a while and then someone came in and essentially ?took a number? from a machine. Never had I seen this system in a US post office. So by being patient and not trying to rush things, I saved myself a little embarrassment. Remember this in commercial establishments especially. Just watch what other people are doing, and you can?t go wrong.

Parisians are not rude. That is a total myth. There is a certain hauteur, which comes partly from the higher level of social formality found in Europe in general, and also Parisians are constantly having to deal with foreigners who do not know the routines of daily life in France. Imagine you are in a long line at the Kroger bakery and the person in front of you doesn?t even know how to ask for a loaf of bread, and you get the idea. But not once in 18 days were we treated rudely. Not one time! And I think it was due mostly to my efforts to use my fractured, high school French. Don?t expect everyone to speak English. Always greet the shopkeepers with a bonjour, Madame/Monsieur, say ?parlez-vous anglais?, and if they say ?non?, don?t babble on in English anyway, but engage in good-natured pantomime. Also, there should be no excuse for failing to learn a few basic phrases?. ?deux billets, s?il vous plait?, ?l?addition, s?il vous plait?, ?desole, je ne parle pas francais, Madame? etc, that will show you are making at least a small effort to communicate in the local language.. Buy a simple phrase book with pronunciation guide, and then use it. You will be glad you did.

My best sightseeing tip: ?How to Make the Most of a One-Day Museum Pass.? See Day 13 below. We bought a museum pass for one day and used it for a lot of the major sights, bypassing the lines altogether, saved money, and were glad we did. Note: The museum pass is not good for the Eiffel Tower, and the Eiffel Tower does not accept credit cards or dollars, only euros.

Get to the major sights early. Slightly before opening time is way better than slightly after.

It is rude to take someone?s picture without permission. If someone sees you readying to take his or her picture and then knits his or her brow? put your camera away. Don?t be an intrusive shutterbug.

Don?t expect everything to be just like in the US. France is a whole ?nother country. Go with the flow and have fun, and don?t complain when there?s no ice in the drinks or you have to buy a bag for your groceries.

Buying food for picnics is much cheaper than eating out, if you are on a budget. We did not eat at a single restaurant in our 18 days, and had only one coffee at a café. The street markets, bakeries, fromageries (cheese shops), and supermarkets (Leader Price, Ed, Franprix, Monoprix) are fabulous and cheap cheap cheap by comparison to restaurants! There are lots of upscale food and gift shops, quite expensive, and the neighborhood ?alimentations? (corner convenience stores) are handy but charge more than supermarkets. So what if you go shopping for food three times a day? It?s fun and the opportunities are literally everywhere. As a simple example? a continental breakfast at a café (orange juice, croissant, butter, jam and one cup of coffee) costs $6 per person at today?s exchange rates. Buying these items at stores and making your own coffee will cost you roughly $2 a head. Do the math over eighteen days. Double the math for lunch, and triple it for dinner. Eating out is expensive. But it is also a great experience, admittedly? if you want to eat out a lot, go ahead, just don?t complain about the $40 dinners for two , without drinks, times 18 days, and that is lowest-end restaurant pricing!

The major tourist choke points were the Eiffel Tower, Sacre-Coeur and Notre-Dame. The enormous crowds at each significantly lessened the experience, although at the Eiffel Tower the crowd has more of a carnival rather than touristy feel to it. I highly recommend getting to these particular sights extra early (930 or earlier) or late (after 1800) to avoid the awful, terrible crush. Nowhere else was it nearly as bad. The crowd at the Louvre was huge, but so is the Louvre.

If you are looking for restaurant, hotel or shopping tips, you are in the wrong place, sorry. I can offer only grocery and street market prices for basic foods, which we purchased every day. Most food prices in the supermarkets were really very comparable with prices in American groceries, despite the weak dollar. We were pleasantly surprised by this. Remember, these are supermarket/street market prices, not fancy food/gift store or corner grocery prices. Prices based on 1 euro = $1.20. April seasonal prices.

Ground Colombian coffee, $1.62 for a half pound bag.
Yummy juice-style navel oranges, $1.12 a pound
Fresh white button mushrooms, $2.25 a pound
Yellow onions, $0.80 a pound
Fresh parsley, $0.96 a bunch
Emmental (Swiss) cheese (good quality, from a fromagerie), $5.42 a pound
OK quality supermarket Brie or Camembert, $3.60 a pound ($1.80 for 250 g (1/2 lb))
Yummy superior quality Brie from the fromagerie (cheese shop), $6.85 a pound
Fresh baby red potatoes, $0.75 a pound
Fresh carrots, $0.57 a pound
Pasta, $1.20 a pound
Delicious cherry tomatoes, $2.50 a container
Wonderful Spanish strawberries, $2.25 a pound (coming into season in April. French ones are supposedly superior but cost almost twice as much)
Fresh apples (Elsass, yummy), $1.95 a pound (April is expensive for apples)
1 liter boxed (as opposed to canned) green vegetable soup, $1.25 (great deal)
Baguette = $1.00 (all bakery prices are somewhat cheaper than US prices, and for superior products? we especially liked a multigrain loaf, at $2 each)
1 ? pound can white beans = $0.75 (all canned beans and vegetables are really cheap)
Wine in the supermarkets is also dirt cheap. You can get a drinkable one for less than $2.00 a bottle! And if you are willing to pay $7 or $8 a bottle, then you can buy really good wines. Beer, on the other hand, is more expensive than in the US.

When you compare these prices with restaurant prices, you can see why we prepared our own food Made easier of course, by the fact that our rental had a hotplate, fridge, dishwasher and American-style coffee maker. We took a thermos on the trip and used it every day, and had coffee whenever we wanted without having to pay café prices for it.

Expect that portions of many major sights will be closed, and that no one will tell you before you buy tickets. Many others are covered in scaffolding (renovation work is a necessary evil). Among the sights currently affected: Notre-Dame (north tower scaffolded, tower climb limited at times to the first platform only), Conciergerie (kitchens and other sections were closed), Tour St Jacques (covered in scaffolding), Chateau de Vincennes (major renovations and scaffolding, but still worth a visit in my view), Arc de Triomphe (scaffolding at the top, partially blocking the views), Palais de Tokyo, Grand Palais, Musee des Monuments (at the Trocadero) all closed for renovation, the cathedrals at Meaux and Senlis have scaffolded towers in renovation, and Versailles is also partially scaffolded. When we went to the Eiffel Tower on a late Sunday afternoon, the top platform was closed. Paris museums think nothing of closing a section if a needed employee calls in sick. This was the case on our day at the Carnavalet. Don?t get mad, just expect it.

What to wear: Rule 1: Any self-respecting over-25 year old will leave the blue jeans, shorts and sneakers at home or be immediately tagged as a tourist. You wouldn?t go to church at home wearing shorts or jeans? so why would you visit one in Paris wearing them? People in Paris wear a lot of black. For men?s shoes, we suggest Crosstrekkers from Payless Shoes. They may be designed like sneakers, and have (gasp) velcro closures, but at least they are solid black, EXTREMELY comfortable from day one, and cheap ($20). These were the only shoes we took and they performed excellently. We combined them with black khakis, dark shirts and lightweight sweaters, and black leather jackets, and often French people were asking us for directions in French? a sure sign we didn?t look like tourists. Rule 2: Take a small umbrella? or end up overpaying for one in Paris.

Guide books: I looked at them all, and settled on the Michelin Green Guide. The material is more thorough (for the sights, at least) and the maps better than anything else available. Supplement this with any street map of Paris and you will be fine. The street map is absolutely necessary because all the guide maps are of one neighborhood or walk only, and it is often helpful to get a better feel for what lies just beyond the edge of that particular neighborhood/walk. Just like all the other guidebooks, though, even the Michelin can?t keep up with changes in entry prices and opening times, so be prepared for the unexpected changes, whichever guide you rely upon.

grantop

Nice report! How wonderful to have 18 days for Paris and side trips - a lot people think they will automatically have to re-mortgage the house to stay so long, but you made it affordable and shared how you did it. As you said, if you want to eat in a restaurant 3 times a day that's great and you should do it, but if you don't want to (or can't) you offered some great alternatives. Also nice to see you offer what think was objective advice on clothing, books, and transpiration (all things that are asked about here a lot) Glad everything work out with the apartment. Looking forward to reading more.

westiedogs

Thanks for the tip about needing euros for the Eiffel....we are not planning to have much cash because of all the pickpockets so it's nice to know where our credit card will not work.

richardab

You thoughts are accurate except for the one about denim. Denim is as much of a rage in Europe as it is in the USA. On my last trip i left my designer "distressed" jeans at home because I feared that they would look sloppy. I was disappointed that I did not bring them because everyone was wearing them. Oh, and don't leave those Levi's behind. You know those Levi's you bought at Macy's for $29? Well, they are a $100 pair of jeans in Paris and very prestigious. I just returned from Spain and wore my jeans day and night and never felt out of place because everyone was in jeans. Denim is a universal fashion statement and remember that if you are buying a certain style of denim in the USA it was probably the rage in Europe last year since most trend in the USA are copied from Europe a year prior.

Discretion is always important. In the evening if you are dining at a fine restaurant you may want to wear you black jeans!

I also have a policy, if a place of business doesn't like my denim habit, then I will take my euros elsewehere.

BowenLinda

I really enjoyed your well-written, sensible trip report, and am eagerly awaiting further instalments. A friend and I are visiting Paris for five days (only, alas!) in the fall, so your comments are very welcome. Especially enjoyed your comments re clothing.
Cheers, Linda

richardab

P.S.

Payless shoes? You gotta be kidding. Get yourself a pair of Prada or at least some Kenneth Coles!

TrendGirl

Your trip report was nice, however The PAYLESS SHOES and Paris, sure should not ever appear together in a sentence or a Trip or worse on your feet. I would be re-thinking your shoe options.
Glad you liked your trip.

elle

Thank you for your report. I like the way you've chosen to organize it.

itswoody

In the past 18 months I have been in Rome twice, Madrid, Paris and Copenhagen and saw jeans everywhere on men and women. Just don't wear them with a Budweiser t-shirt or 50 lb of extra fat.

Etienne_dOhio

I'll admit I was less than fashionable in my $20 Crosstrekkers but they were COMFORTABLE and BLACK and that was all I cared about. They really were the perfect walking shoe. I did pair them with a $350 leather jacket. Is that better? : )

Etienne_dOhio

And about the denim...
is it okay if I wear my Levi's to your sister's wedding? Of course not. You are simply bound to go somewhere in Paris in a day of sightseeinig, whether it be a church or a nice shop or restaurant, where jeans looked underdressed. I don't understand the insistence on them when black khakis or anything dressier than jeans can be just as comfortable and ALWAYS appropriate. I honestly saw next to one one over 25 wearing them who wasn't quite obviously a tourist. In the end, people will wear what they want. Make your own choice.

missypie

When my 8 year old saw Notre Dame in scaffolding she said "They're adding on!"

StCirq

Loved your report. Just one comment: it's well worth it to pay the extra price for the French strawberries. I gorged myself on strawberries from both Spain and France on my recent trip to France, and there is NO comparison between the bland, big Spanish ones and the incredibly succulent and sweet little French ones - Maras and Gariguettes, to be precise. A small point, but worth making for strawberry afficionados.

richardab

Since denim is not acceptable at wedding I chose not to go, and yes I did not go to my sisters wedding. What is wrong with going in a shop wearing jeans, after all I am goiving them MY money. I also see NOTHING wrong with going to a chuch in jeans. There is nothing disrespectful about that. Now a halter top, thats a different story!

jamikins

Great report...you made me look forward to my upcoming trip to France even more!

Thank you!

Etienne_dOhio

One other major tip: the Michelin Green Guide is very good on the sights themselves, but has only short restaurant and hotel recommendations, but we weren't interested in those, anyway. For daytrips outside Paris, it offer thorough info on only three places: St Denis, Versailles and Disneyland. So if you want to research daytrips, use Google and try the town name. Near the top of the list is usually the official town governement or tourist site, such as http://www.ville-etampes.fr, where you can find tons of info to download, as all these places are interested in attracting tourists. Don't forget to thoroughly understand the ground transport system... http://www.ratp.fr covers the metro and bus lines. There are also suburban trains and bus lines that cover an area about 30 miles in circumference, and longer-haul trains (the "Grande Lignes" also sometimes offer service, often expresses, to the major suburban towns. The whole topic of local transport is extremely important and worth buying a guidebook for, as they usually have fairly decent descriptions of how the whole thing works

Cole

I tried looking up the apartment web site you mentioned but the link was dead. What did you pay for your apartment?

Thank you. Great information! I am going in September with my folks.

cigalechanta

Great information, Thanks.

Gretchen

Really terrific reports and you all really DID "do the town". I love the Rodin inside and out so I don't agree there but that's OK. We do enjoy eating in restaurants and can find excellent food without breaking the bank. I think you have given just wonderful insights and information. Thanks.

Etienne_dOhio

I tried the address for the apartment and it worked fine. Try it again: http://www.oz.net/~grenelle/
Cost worked out to about $90 or so a night, one week minumum stay. 300 square feet one room studio, large by hotel standards, ground floor (no steps), interior courtyard (quiet), everything supplied, including a nice TV and local phone, reasonable cost, great landlords/owners, they live in the US and we paid by check in dollars, 1 minute walk to Rue Cler and all the food shopping you will need. They even provide a collapsible shopping cart, for the ultimate street market shopping experience! It is a quiet (ie, not a lot of night-life, but we didn't care about that... preferred it that way, in fact), safe neighborhood, (7th arr)