Trying to see Paris with luggage in tow

Old Oct 29th, 2011, 07:51 PM
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Trying to see Paris with luggage in tow

My teenage daughter and I will be arriving in Paris next month at 2:30 in the afternoon. A friend that we are staying with does not get home until after 6:15 pm. We are taking a shuttle and should arrive at the flat by 3:00/3:30. I hate to just sit at the nearest Starbucks waiting with our suitcases when our time there is short already 2 1/2 days. Would it be crazy to walk around the Bastille area with our luggage? Should we take the shuttle to the neighborhood and then maybe find a bus that makes a round trip and just ride around the city for a couple hours? Of course safety is a huge concern.
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Old Oct 29th, 2011, 07:56 PM
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How are you arriving in Paris?

There are left luggage lockers in the train stations, like the Gard du Nord.

You usually need euro coins and the charge is for 24-hours.
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Old Oct 29th, 2011, 08:54 PM
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if your flight lands at 2:30., you won't be through customs till 3 or 3:30. Then at the flat/area around 4-4:30. That gives you 90 min or so. I would find a nearby cafe and hang out.
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Old Oct 29th, 2011, 09:05 PM
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mztery has a good point if you are arriving by plane into Paris at 2:30pm.

There are plenty of cafes around the Place de la Bastille. It's perfectly safe there. Just take the normal precautions - keep your luggage by you at all times and have one person always sit with the luggage if the other person has to leave for any particular reason. Never leave your belongings by themselves.

There used to be a really tall and handsome police officer that patrols the Place de la Bastille. Give him a nice smile for me if you see you, will you please?
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Old Oct 29th, 2011, 11:42 PM
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I've had to wait up to 45 minutes for my checked bags at CDG airport. Customs is nothing in Europe so mztery must mean passport control which may take some time but I've never had to wait long there.

I would not wait at Starbucks but find a French cafe where the coffee is really good or, better yet, you could have a glass of wine.

>

What is your huge concern with safety? Paris is quite safe.
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Old Oct 30th, 2011, 01:26 AM
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You can also sit at a cafe in the Place des Vosges, a short walk from Place de la Bastille.

I usually stay just up from the Bastille on Bvd Beaumarchais or close by in the Marais, and have often roamed the streets in that area dragging my suitcase. You will be perfectly safe, so do not worry.
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Old Oct 30th, 2011, 02:38 AM
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Did you mean that the flat is near Bastille? You never said.

If so, and the weather is good, Place des Vosges is a great place to hang out for an hour. You could even sit at a table of one of the cafe's -- you'll probably be hungry. This would be a great first experience in Paris.

[BTW...from where are you flying that arrives at 2:30 pm - not USA?]

Adrienne...I suspect 4funandsun meant the combination of luggage and control, which could take 15 minutes or so. However, if they are sitting in the back of a jumbo jet, it could take twenty minutes just to get off the plane. Then there's the walk to luggage (can be pretty far away), then the Navette; then buying transport tickets/Navigo, then RER (40 min), then Metro to Bastille.

If this is their first time, it could, indeed, take 2 hours to get to Bastille.

(Of course they could save a half-hour or so taking a taxi.)

SS
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Old Oct 30th, 2011, 03:15 AM
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onebag.com carry on what I do so no worries

or Left luggage so no problem...
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Old Oct 30th, 2011, 06:21 AM
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Qwovadis makes an extremely important point.

If possible (and I do realize this is not possible for some folks or many travel situations) only take a rolling carry-on for above and a small over-the-shoulder purse-sized underseat item.

You will be so glad you did.

SS
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Old Oct 30th, 2011, 08:02 AM
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In what fantasy are you going to arrive at the apt in Paris at 3 pm when your plane lands at 2:30? This is literally impossible.

A lot of people don't know what customs is, I've heard that numerous times. They think passport control is customs for some reason I don't understand. It's a common mistake. In the US, I can sort of understand it as you have to hand your customs form to the passport control person to check before you go through actual customs. Landing in France, you don't have any customs form so I don't know why so many people think that. In Paris, you only go through customs if you voluntarily decide to and I presume that would be business people or someone bring in a lot of merchandise or something unusual, no routine tourist does.

YOu couldn't get there by 3 pm no matter what, at a minimum, the travel time would be 30 minutes (and that is a real minimum which is not usual), which would allow no time for actually getting off the plane, going through immigration and getting your transportation of whatever kind. YOu never get off the plane the minute it lands, that takes about 15 min right there.
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Old Oct 30th, 2011, 10:14 AM
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Agreeing with others, no way are you going to arrive central Paris in 30 mins. from the time your flight lands.

How big are your suitcases? As far as if it's practical to try to fit in a bus tour with them in tow.

No reason you have to sit at a Starbucks, even if it comes to that find a more "Parisian" place to hang out.

I also don't understand why you are saying "safety is a huge concern". You're not exactly of the beaten path here.
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Old Oct 30th, 2011, 10:45 AM
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First agree with others on time frame...will take a while to get through CDG, passport control & depending on how your travel into Paris, it will take hours, not minutes. In fact, my last flight into CDG our gate was occupied and we literally "drove" around to find an open gate-it took an hour!

Beyond that, I see people pulling luggage all the time in Paris and I don't think it is a great way to "see" Paris, but you can get around that way. Be smart and don't carry huge luggage!

Also agree...find a local cafe and don't sit in Starbucks-you can do that at home. Do be mindful that many cafes are quite small, so be courteous about where you place the luggage while there. There are many cafes around Place des Vosges. The time will go faster than you think.
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Old Oct 30th, 2011, 12:50 PM
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I agree w/ the others. You really won't have much time to kill. IF you land on time, and IF you park at a gate and don't have to shuttle to the terminal, and IF you bags come out quickly,andIF there are short lines at Immigration . . . you might get to Bastille by 4PM. But that would be very quick. I would expect to arrive between 4:30 and 5-ish. Or later if there are hiccups along the way.

Place des Vosges would be a terrific place to rest/relax/people watch for the maybe hour+ you'll have before walking to the flat.
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Old Oct 30th, 2011, 03:40 PM
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4funandsun:

Before we go any further, it's probably best to provide us with further information.

Are you arriving in Paris by plane at 2:30pm? If so, which airport?

How did you calculate your arrival time at 3/3:30pm? Was it from an airport or from somewhere else?

Where in the "Bastille" area is your friend's apartment? which street?

It doesn't make sense to send you to the Place des Vosges if it's in the opposite direction from where your apartment will be - especially with you lugging suitcases.
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Old Oct 30th, 2011, 07:54 PM
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We are flying into (Orly airport). Definitely didn't think about the time and should have written 4:00/4:30. As our total trip time is 10 days and we are females who don't pack lightly, we will have one large suitcase and carry-on bag each. We have a few contacts who are trying to work out meeting us at the airport but I wanted to be prepared.

As far as the safety issue, just heard a lot about pickpockets, taxis that might not take you to where you need to go (flashbacks of the movie Taken run though my mind when hearing this) and several blogs about areas of Paris to avoid. We have trucked though NYC with luggage and while feeling a little odd, didn't think too much of it since we were not the only ones. I felt safe as there were NYC cops everywhere.

I think we will look into a shuttle vs trying to figure out the bus, metro, RER combination it seems to take to get out of the airport and into the city. Even our friend we are staying with said it is confusing and depends on which part of the airport we land in (???). Although from what I've heard Yellow Van is not a reliable one to take.
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Old Oct 30th, 2011, 08:10 PM
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I realize you didn't ask this but

10 days is enough time to do laundry or have laundry done at a wash and fold overnight. One big suitcase and one carryon each is a LOT.

With those kinds of luggage I can't imagine trying to negotiate any sightseeing esp if just for an hour or 90 min.


And customs vs immigration/passport control. yeah they are different but I think the OP and everyone else got my point.
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Old Oct 30th, 2011, 10:05 PM
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OK, the first thing that you will hear from anyone on Fodors advise you is: travel light.

The best thing to do is to lay everything you want to take with you, lay everything out on your bed, then reduce by half. You really don't need the kitchen sink.

The next thing to do is drag your packed suitcase around the block, try lifting up and down a few steps, etc. Do it with your jacket on, your purse in hand, and so on. Fully loaded, because that's what you'll be doing in Paris.

Try not to be a pack mule for your possessions. Unless you're going to a wedding and are going to be the bride, the biggest suitcase you will need is a 21"-22" rolling bag with wheels.

janisj and the others will offer you excellent tips on what and how to pack. You'll be infinitely happier with a smaller suitcase and less possessions to carry.

As for shuttle or bus or metro, where do you want to go? you didn't say what street your friend lives on, do you want to end up at the Place des Vosges? Is that close to where your friend's apartment will be?
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Old Oct 31st, 2011, 06:03 AM
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She is in the 11e and I think Place des Vosges is in the 4th.
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Old Oct 31st, 2011, 06:23 AM
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If you insist on traveling with a large suitcase plus a carry-on each, then definitely take a prearranged shuttle or a taxi, and don't try to do public transportation. That said, just because you are female doesn't mean you can't pack lightly (lol).

Another idea is to drop your luggage off with your friend at her workplace. Would that be a possibility?
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Old Oct 31st, 2011, 07:43 AM
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I agree with everything above and will make a few more suggestions:

1. Can your friend not send you a key so that you don't have to wait until 6:30 to get in his/her apartment? Or have another friend do them the great favor of meeting you at the apartment when you arrive?

2. From Orly, take the RER B to Gare du Nord. Put your luggage in Left Luggage. Pick it up a couple of hours later, and take a taxi to your friend's apartment.
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