gardendiva

Thank you for pointing out the actual situation. I was discussing my December trip at the hair salon yesterday. I was warned not to go. Last year I was warned not to go to Chicago because there was a great probability that I would be shot upon leaving the train station. Thankfully I am here to experience the bed bugs in Paris this year.

kerouac

I finally came across a report on a travel forum of someone who had bedbugs in their hotel in September, a nice modern one built just a couple of years ago. Or rather, the person didn't have bedbugs but the travel companion in a different room did.

scrb11

They can appear anywhere but you assume the more posh hotels will spend whatever it takes to eradicate an infestation as soon as possible.

dfourh

>>>>>>Any member here is sure to report bedbugs if they are encountered; The fact that nobody has done so can be considered a clue as to whether there is really a "crisis" or not.


Yeah, but everybody here just goes to Barcelona.

Travel_Nerd

Sure seems like it! Or Croatia (of which I am a pot calling myself black).

rosetravels

My son and his family live in Vincennes and work in Paris and my daughter-in-law did find two bedbuds on her clothes after she came in from the metro. She had undressed in the bathtub (hard surface) to check. There were bedbugs found where my son works (a university.) I tend to dismiss the reports because they sounded overblown and there are plenty of bedbugs in US cities that never make the news, but it does seem to be real. My next visit I'll probably be more careful than usual to not bring bedbugs in when I get home.

travelchat

Given the above postings, bed bug spray, lavender body lotion, lavender softener sheets, lavender wipes, as well as peppermint pillow spray all in hand for the battle ahead. I won’t be taking along any rat deterrents because there are no plans to go frolicking in the park at night or picnicking along pavements of the Seine. Our little hotel in the Fifth informs that daily creepy crawly checks are in the works and advises against public transportation. At this point an episode of extreme fragrance near suffocation could be the more likely event.

There is a very involved plan for an arrival home strategy as well but fear of being thought totally bonkers, I withhold such.

Thanks to all for your comments.

kerouac

No public transportation? I hope that includes taxis. You will be in top shape after your holiday from all that walking.

travelchat

Correction: hotel recommended to not use the Metro. We will be taxiing!

kerouac

I consider taxis to be a greater risk than the metro, but have fun! The RATP at least checks all of its trains and buses every day. Do you think that every taxi driver does? And there are more bed bug carrying tourists in taxis than in the metro which is mostly full of Parisians. But maybe your "little hotel" has special information that the municipal authorities do not.

dfourh

Just got a schedule change for my connection from Turin to Hamburg on November 2nd. Originally, had 7 hour layover in Paris. Planned to go into town. Schedule change now reduces the layover at CDG to only 3 hours. Thanking my lucky stars! (But will look for hard plastic seating.)

kerouac

So no tourists or sailors ever go to Hamburg? Lucky you!

bvlenci

There was a bedbug alarm in New York some years ago, and I remember reading this advice for travelers.

Unpack your suitcase and keep it closed thereafter. Store it off the floor, maybe on one of those luggage holders, or on a table.

Hang your clothing on hangers in the closet.

I've been fighting with an infestation of woodworm mites, Pyemotes ventricosus, and I would gladly trade them for bedbugs.

bilboburgler

no public transport... that rules out flight then too

dfourh

Cleanliness is a fetish up here.

scrb11

Flight attendants union is advising their members to take latex gloves and flash light on their trips, especially to Paris.

They are giving them instructions on how to check for bedbugs and using heat to kill them, such as a hairdryer.

Take hard sided luggage because bed bugs can attach to soft side luggage.

If you get an infestation at home, you have to heat things to 140-170 degrees ...

coral22

I am in Paris at Hotel le Clement right now, no bedbugs.

RobertaL

Just returned from Paris 2 days ago. Funny thing, I was somewhat worried about the bedbugs before my trip and after I returned home. We took buses and metros while there, stood most of the time because all seats were occupied. We kept our suitcases on luggage rack in hotel room, glanced at the bedsheets for abnormalities. Other than that, we didn't take any other precautions. We ultimately felt how much can you control surroundings (sitting in restaurants, buying clothes or trying on shoes in stores, sitting in airports, taking taxis, waiting in hotel lobbies)?

Our flight home from Paris to Newark sounded like an ER waiting room with coughing patients. There were at least 4 passengers in our near vicinity coughing non stop for the majority of the flight.

So far, no bed bugs.

kleeblatt

Indeed. Covid is back and raging. However, it‘s been downgraded to a flu status.

Traviata

I have been in Paris for two weeks now and been on Metros, sat in restos, walked exhibits, and not a bed bug in sight......but, as Roberta noted, lots of people coughing, lots....