julie_Colorado

You can use your cards with no problem.. Do call each card issuer (I like to have one visa and one mastercard) and let them know where you will be travelling and when. They do tend to place a security hold after a few usages.

RONREYN2008

I think all has been covered about the CC thing but if you have any CC with a picture on it take that one for sure. I take my Am. Exp. that has my picture on the back & a Visa & MC & have never had a problem, because I use cash to get my tickets from the machines. I don't know what is on your must see places in Paris but my wife & I loved the Rodin Museum(House) & Gardens that is just a couple blocks from the Eiffel Tower & right next to the Invalides. There are many nice pieces of his work inside the Museum & in the Gardens.We have done the Louvre & Orsay several times as well. Ste. Chaelle is also a favorite place of ours to visit because of the stained glass.St. Sulpice, if you can catch an Organ concert or just get a look at it & it is close to Luxembourg Gardens. One of the great views we had of Paris was from the top of Montparnasse Tower which is SW of the Lux. Gardens. Anyway I could rattle on so just have- Good Travels.

Nelson

Thanks for the further replies. The more I have read of the Rodin Museum the more I am convinced it is elevated to the "must do" list. The organ concert at Ste. Chaelle is a wonderful tip - my wife was moved to tears when she heard an old pipe organ in a church in Bath, England a few years ago.

The Montparnasse Tower view suggestion is also great. I enjoy photography so good views are on my list - though it looks like many views in Paris will be superb.

I am in Portsmouth now and posted a few photos from the other day if anyone is interested, but keep those Paris suggestions coming!
http://www.pbase.com/nelsonchenkin/england_2008

Barb_in_Ga

You are going to love Paris! Your advice to buy the Navigo Decouverte is good. Paris' week-long travel pass for zones 1 and 2 is the best bargain in any major city, provided your days of use fall from Monday-Sunday. The buses are covered by the pass, too, and are a great way to cover a little more ground than walking. You can always hop off at the next stop if you see something you'd like to explore.

http://www.parismuseumpass.com/en/home.php

We also like the museum pass, which can be bought for 2, 4, or 6 days.
Make a list of the museums that you would like to see, check out which days they are closed, and that will help you to decide how many days to buy on your pass. We usually get the 4 day pass, which is 45 euro. 2 museums per day makes it pay for itself, not to mention the ability to jump most entry queues, and the nice clean toilet facilities.

We have used our Amex for years, with only a few small places turning it down. We also carry a Visa. The smart chip cards are needed for automated points of purchase, but a manned booth can run the regular credit cards.

Have a great time!
Barb

avalon

Another good viewing spot is the top of the Arc, lots of space to walk around for 360 degree views.

Try to visit the Carnavalet , the history of Paris museum and it's always free.

janisj

Love the pix of Portsmouth. Seem to have terrific depth of field - what camera/lens were you using?

Nelson

Thanks once again everyone. I must confess I am carrying a Lonely Planet guidebook (have used it for years in Asia), but the Fodors forum is far better then the LP forum! Really appreciate the info.

It looks like we can purchase both the Museum Pass and the Navigo at the airport. We will be in Paris Saturday though Saturday, so that generally works out.

Janis, the photos were taken with my old Canon S70 point and shoot. The effect you are seeing on 3 of those shots is called High Dynamic Range (HDR). I shot in RAW mode, the saved three images at -2, 0, and +2 EV. These images are then processed in software called Photomatix (Google on that), which blends the properly exposed part of each into one HDR image.

The proper way of doing this is to shoot multiple bracketed images in the field using a tripod, which I did not pack on this trip. Some examples of this technique can be found here, along with some straight shots:
http://www.summitpost.org/album/4391...n-Feet-II.html

A coworker (not the one of the original CC info) and I are heading into London for the day tomorrow. It will be a whirlind. Planning to hit the Ntaional Gallery, Westiminster Abbey, the London Eye, and Henry Sotherans bookstore. Plus have a good Middle Eastern or Indian meal somewhere. We may not get it all done.

In Paris with my wife our time will be more relaxed.

d_claude_bear

Christina (and others): During our month in Paris (May 08) my wife and I used our Capital One card (no added fee for currency conversion) for almost every purchase except at crepe stands or for very small purchases (like Pariscope or postcards) or some admissions. We had more than 80 charges; only two places that accepted credit cards insisted they could not get our card to work, and in both of those cafes the waiter tried repeatedly to get his hand-held machine to accept the card. Everywhere else, it worked just fine--in a few places we had to tell the clerk to swipe the card when it didn't "read" without a chip.

Nelson

This could be the answer to my co-workers belief about needing "the chip" in your card: intermittent card reading issues. We just returned from Paris yesterday and had the following experience upon arrival.

The first purchase we made upon arrival at CDG was our six-day museum pass. We used my Visa card, no trouble. Ten minutes later we were at the train station getting our Navigo Découverte and once again used my card. This time it didn't work. The ticket seller tried several times, no luck. Then we used my wife's card, same account. No problem.

Two hours later we had our first meal in a brasserie near our hotel on Bd. Saint-Marcel. We paid with my card. Once again it didn't work, but my wife's card (same account) worked fine. Now I'm thinking something happened to the magnetic strip on my card.

Next we tried purchasing metro tickets because our Navigo did not start until Monday, this was Saturday. Repeated attempts with both cards at two ticket machines failed. I was about to go look for a sales booth (there was not one staffed at this entrance), but decided to give it one more attempt with my card. This time it worked! I have no idea what magical combination I finally used.

After that we never had another problem using either of the cards anywhere. So, if my coworker experienced some early frustration in using the cards, she might have assumed that she needed the chip.

In any case, we had a FABULOUS time in Paris! It exceeded all expectations, and the superlatives continued to pour from us for the entire week.

Also, the Navigo and museum passes were worth their weight in gold. Thanks for all the advice.

Christina

I just got back from Paris yesterday, also, although I also was in the Burgundy area a few days. I used my VISA and Capital One MC in many places and never had a single one say it didn't work, anywhere. I used them at restaurants, cafes, museums, stores, SNCF, etc. I never tried to use them in the machines at the metro, because I know that doesn't work so didn't bother. I only spent about $25 total on metro fares over a long time anyway (one CO weekly and one carnet), so had no necessity to use a CC, I easily could use euro coins at the machines.

NWWanderer

Now *that's* interesting--because everything I've read says you have to have a chip in your card to use the metro station machines! So I didn't even bother to try on my recent visit (but I had no problem using my card at restaurants, hotels, etc).

Rumseydog

In November 2007 my wife and I were able to purchase two RER tickets for the trip into Paris at an RATP self-serve machine at the train station in CDG Terminal 2 with my AT&T MasterCard. No chip, and no problem.

AMX390

Took the Eurostar from Ashford International in England to Gare du Nord, Paris on Wed Sept 17th, 2008.
Purchased our ticket online in Aug while still in the USA.
Given priority on Eurostar.
Only one train per day from this station - not the usual 3
Few people on board.
NO one spoke a word while going thru the tunnel.
Thanks Eurostar for a safe trip!

Nelson

When we returned I had an e-mail from Eurostar saying that they would issue our refund. As noted above they had explicitly advised against travel on the day we had booked.

Throughout this whole incident they have been great to deal with, very professional and courteous. Hopefully we can ride the train on a future trip.

crepes_a_go_go

To go back to the credit card chip issue, IS there any credit card issued in the US that DOES have a chip? Or is this a technology that still has not been adopted by any credit card company here?

Anyone have a card with a chip or possibly know of one? Thanks.

travelgourmet

I am unaware of any American credit cards that have a chip-and-pin feature. I do, however, have an American Express that has a chip in it and which causes all sorts of confusion when in Europe. I think it was supposed to be used to help you save internet passwords and use the card with your computer.

FWIW, there have been quite a few articles questioning the security of chip-and-pin terminals. Here are a couple of relatively recent ones.

http://tinyurl.com/4xuk69
http://tinyurl.com/68hmou

ediemay

silly question department! What size picture does one need for the Decouverte? pass?

kerouac

The kind of photo that comes out of the ubiquitous photo machines in almost every metro station.

Christina

It's also the kind of photo that comes out of any photo booth machine in any location that advertises photos for passport/ID purposes, which is their usual purpose.

Sarastro

In reference to American Credit Cards. The banking systems of virtually every country in the world (well about 80 or so) including Canada and Mexico plan to begin issuing EMV or chipped credit cards and dropping the magnetic strip variety. There is no bank in the US (I have asked quite a few) that has any intention of issuing EMV cards.

What does this mean for those of us without EMV cards. Mostly just inconvenience and possible payment delays. EMV cards are required to purchase Métro/RER/SNCF ticket at a kiosk, self service gasoline pumps, some highway toll booths, and for services such as Vélib bicycles.

Many restaurant/boutique cashiers no longer handle a sufficiently large number of magnetic strip cards to remember how to properly swipe them. Occasionally, one may find a restaurant which refuses to accept them. In a nutshell, expect delays and an occasional frown.

On the whole, we who are stuck with magnetic credit cards should become accustomed to our minority status as credit consumers and will simply need to adjust to and make the best of this new development.