bonjourparis.com
Jun 3rd, 2006, 02:55 PM
#41
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm amazed by some of the comments posted about www.bonjourparis.com It's surprising people would have such strong feelings.
The message board is free for one and all. Karen Fawcett goes out of her way to post and post. She answers many questions that take considerable research including her contacting lawyers, immigration specialists, etc.
She has helped me find rental apartments and more. Not everyone would devote so much time and attention to a site, in addition, to being a journalist.
Re price: John Talbot's weekly articles target lower priced Paris restaurants.
And, the premium discounts are worth something.
http://www.bonjourparis.com/static/o...bp_offer_b.htm
No one is forcing anyone to join. But, I'm glad I did.
The message board is free for one and all. Karen Fawcett goes out of her way to post and post. She answers many questions that take considerable research including her contacting lawyers, immigration specialists, etc.
She has helped me find rental apartments and more. Not everyone would devote so much time and attention to a site, in addition, to being a journalist.
Re price: John Talbot's weekly articles target lower priced Paris restaurants.
And, the premium discounts are worth something.
http://www.bonjourparis.com/static/o...bp_offer_b.htm
No one is forcing anyone to join. But, I'm glad I did.
Jun 4th, 2006, 03:30 AM
#42
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 940
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
vanne,
I have posted on the Bonjour Paris boards and found the people there to be nothing but kind and helpful. However, when it comes to spending my limited travel dollars, I'm careful, and in the past year I haven't felt the Bonjour Paris premium articles were as helpful to me. My suggestion would be to sign up for the free newsletter, and then you can see if the premium articles would be ones you'd like to read.
Sandy
I have posted on the Bonjour Paris boards and found the people there to be nothing but kind and helpful. However, when it comes to spending my limited travel dollars, I'm careful, and in the past year I haven't felt the Bonjour Paris premium articles were as helpful to me. My suggestion would be to sign up for the free newsletter, and then you can see if the premium articles would be ones you'd like to read.
Sandy
Jun 4th, 2006, 04:54 AM
#43
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,862
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm surprised you don't know who the "insiders" are Underhill, if you are some staff member on that website. It's a term that website uses itself, I didn't make it up, to refer to the special people that pay a fee. It's on the advertising banner at the top of the homepage, in trying to entice people to pay the fee. Go see for yourself.
As for jeanne1408 being surprised on the negative comments, I notice her first post on this board just happened to be this one, solely to defend that website and then she wrote another post to advertise Karen Fawcett's guide services for a fee. I suppose things like that kind of annoy me, as it appears obvious someone sent her to this board to defend or promote that website.
As for jeanne1408 being surprised on the negative comments, I notice her first post on this board just happened to be this one, solely to defend that website and then she wrote another post to advertise Karen Fawcett's guide services for a fee. I suppose things like that kind of annoy me, as it appears obvious someone sent her to this board to defend or promote that website.
Jun 4th, 2006, 05:19 AM
#44
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 235
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This bit about free champagne is absurd.There is no such quid pro quo.In fact when a Paris BP GTG met with a last minute restaurant problem Karen invited the whole group for dinner at her house. Aside from the Forum the BP Home page has so many helpful and interesting goodies to offer that one could never realize that anything has a monetary "restriction". As others have said, it is hard to believe that this strong anti-BP attitude doesn't have a hidden basis.
Jun 4th, 2006, 09:05 AM
#45
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,357
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think more than enough time has been spent on this subject.
BP is one of many forum sites. Forum sites cost money to operate. If some want to offer an "extra" newsletter for a fee..so what?
We could all spend time in saying what we don't like about each and every site..but why? I could post many negatives about the Slow Travel site, or the Trip Advisor site, but why?
These forums are supposed to be helpful to fellow travelers. Why not leave it that way........
BP is one of many forum sites. Forum sites cost money to operate. If some want to offer an "extra" newsletter for a fee..so what?
We could all spend time in saying what we don't like about each and every site..but why? I could post many negatives about the Slow Travel site, or the Trip Advisor site, but why?
These forums are supposed to be helpful to fellow travelers. Why not leave it that way........
Jun 4th, 2006, 09:52 AM
#46
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,293
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One last time, Christine: I am NOT and never have been a BP staff member. Forums host, yes; volunteer editor, yes. But not staff, who are paid. Period.
As for the "insiders," no, I don't know who they are. There are some regular posters--people who travel to France several times a year and the expatriates who live there--but there's no insider clique, if that's what you mean.
Special people who pay a fee? That must be the folks who subscripe to the Premium newsletter. They aren't staff either.
Karen Fawcett doesn't give tours, just a lot of her time to help keep the BP site running.
You clearly have a major bias against the BP site, and I think there's no point in any further discussion.
As for the "insiders," no, I don't know who they are. There are some regular posters--people who travel to France several times a year and the expatriates who live there--but there's no insider clique, if that's what you mean.
Special people who pay a fee? That must be the folks who subscripe to the Premium newsletter. They aren't staff either.
Karen Fawcett doesn't give tours, just a lot of her time to help keep the BP site running.
You clearly have a major bias against the BP site, and I think there's no point in any further discussion.
Jun 5th, 2006, 03:04 AM
#48
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 201
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi Underhill, you know Karen Fawcett better than most on this forum do so if, as you say, she does not do private tours, I assume Jeanne1408 will confirm that the person she spoke of on this thread was a different Karen? I think that is where this apparent confusion arose:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34815860
<<Author: jeanne1408
Date: 06/03/2006, 10:17 pm
Try contacting: [email protected]
She writes for www.bonjourparis.com and it's reported that her tours are super.>>
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34815860
<<Author: jeanne1408
Date: 06/03/2006, 10:17 pm
Try contacting: [email protected]
She writes for www.bonjourparis.com and it's reported that her tours are super.>>
Jun 5th, 2006, 08:13 AM
#51
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,357
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I know Karen as well as anyone who posts on this forum.
Karen does NOT do tours. No way that she could even find the time. She is a VERY busy person keeping up with BP needs, an ailing, elderly mother in DC, a husband who is not in good health, (after surviving a horrible auto accident and months and months of rehab), finding time to enjoy her new grandchild (also in DC),getting together with some of us for an evening or lunch out when we are in Paris.
How about Slow Travel with a Premium fee part to their site? If fees are the problem, pick on that site for awhile.
Better yet, why not just stick to our travel questions and help for those with travel questions!!
Karen does NOT do tours. No way that she could even find the time. She is a VERY busy person keeping up with BP needs, an ailing, elderly mother in DC, a husband who is not in good health, (after surviving a horrible auto accident and months and months of rehab), finding time to enjoy her new grandchild (also in DC),getting together with some of us for an evening or lunch out when we are in Paris.
How about Slow Travel with a Premium fee part to their site? If fees are the problem, pick on that site for awhile.
Better yet, why not just stick to our travel questions and help for those with travel questions!!
Jun 5th, 2006, 08:47 AM
#52
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 235
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It's funny....a few weeks ago I wrote a trip report here on my recent riverboat trip to Normandy and the beaches from Paris that I also posted on Bonjourparis In the course of the posting I had concern about the propriety of memntioning BP. 
In terms of new viewers I'm sure BP didn't suffer!!
In terms of new viewers I'm sure BP didn't suffer!!
Jun 5th, 2006, 09:15 AM
#53
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 739
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I checked out www.nuitblanchetours.com, and it's obvious that Karen is Karen Henrich, a woman who splits her time between Canada and Paris.
That should put any suggestions of impropriety to rest.
That should put any suggestions of impropriety to rest.
Jun 5th, 2006, 09:30 AM
#56
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,256
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
gracejoan, you are telling me slowtravel has a premium site with a fee???? 
I think most of us agree that BonjourParis is a site that brings helpful information to those interested in things relating to Paris and France.
I was a Charter Premium Member way back when BP went to subscription. BP was a wonderful find for me after I discovered my French Passion. I also have not renewed my membership but get the newsletter.
I hold Karen Fawcett in high regard for all she has accomplished and wish her continued success. Deborah
I think most of us agree that BonjourParis is a site that brings helpful information to those interested in things relating to Paris and France.
I was a Charter Premium Member way back when BP went to subscription. BP was a wonderful find for me after I discovered my French Passion. I also have not renewed my membership but get the newsletter.
I hold Karen Fawcett in high regard for all she has accomplished and wish her continued success. Deborah
Jun 5th, 2006, 09:41 AM
#58
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 739
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
gracejoan3,
Please take the time to read my post before jumping on me for being "obviously wrong."
"I checked out www.nuitblanchetours.com, and it's obvious that Karen is Karen Henrich, a woman who splits her time between Canada and Paris.
That should put any suggestions of impropriety to rest."
Clearly, if I were speaking of Karen Fawcett, I wouldn't have called her "Karen Henrich." I posted, as I said, to put a stop to any conflict of interest allegations. I should have known that some people don't bother to take the time to read something before they react.
Please take the time to read my post before jumping on me for being "obviously wrong."
"I checked out www.nuitblanchetours.com, and it's obvious that Karen is Karen Henrich, a woman who splits her time between Canada and Paris.
That should put any suggestions of impropriety to rest."
Clearly, if I were speaking of Karen Fawcett, I wouldn't have called her "Karen Henrich." I posted, as I said, to put a stop to any conflict of interest allegations. I should have known that some people don't bother to take the time to read something before they react.
