JMULLADY

I will be traveling with my two daughters, 19 and 14 - the 14 yr old will be celebrating her 14th bidrthday on our first day in Paris.
We will be arriving early in the morning after traveling thru the night, and I was planning on taking my daughters to a spa/beatuy salon for the morning for a half day of hair color and hair cuts, and then taking in some shopping (just a few stops), lunch, and then an evening on a dinner cruise.
Could anyone porivide any suggestions for a beauty salon? Not looking for a budget hair salon, we are used to paying New York prices - but do not want anything "over the top".

Apres_Londee

Is this you or your daughters' first time in Paris/Europe?

Without knowing their interests, etc. I know if it were me, the last thing I'd want to do after arriving in Paris is spend my morning sitting inside a salon.

Paris was my first trip to Europe and when we got there I was so excited and awestruck, I just wanted to wander the streets and explore.

Also sitting indoors might not be the best thing for jetlag- usually getting outside in the daylight is the best thing to do to get yourself adjusted to the time difference.

I would really think about doing the salon thing another day. Just arriving in Paris will make the day special and memorable.

annhig

i agree with Apres - I wouldn't want to book anything in particular for the first day, just give yourselves time to get over the journey.

and do you really want to spend your precious time in Paris in the hair/beauty salon? - I'd get all this done at your favourite place at home, and spend the time looking at/shopping for clothes, perhaps in the Galeries Lafayettes - I think that there is a weekly fashion show that your DDs might enjoy:

http://www2.galerieslafayette.com/in...&fontLang=null

and check the price of those dinner cruises - it might be better to do the cruise and eat separately - the food is likely to be better too.

cybertraveler

I agree that you might not want to do this appointment on your first day in Paris. However, I have had my hair styled on two different trips to Paris, and I have really enjoyed looking "tres chic" for the rest of my trip. Both times I have gone to the Dessange salon near the Place de la Bastille, but they have many other locations. If you will be in Paris for several days, you might all enjoy the salon experience, but if time is short, you might choose to do other things instead.

Your daughters would probably also enjoy wandering around the Marais where there are many avant garde boutiques.

What a wonderful trip to share with your daughters! Enjoy!

Ackislander

A pastry shop?
Laduree?
Bertillion ice cream?
FNAC?

I saw in your other post that you eat fish. If that includes shellfish, the whole family can share a plateau, a big
tiered platter of cold oysters, shrimp, lobsters and other shellfish that costs a lot but is amazing and would be memorable. Any brasserie would have it, Bofinger or Flo or Chez Jenny. Then she can have cake.

If she likes mussels, Leon de Bruxelles is at the other end of the price spectrum, and she could gorge on moule frites -- mussels and french fries.

If you want to go someplace relatively reasonable but spectacular, you can eat lunch under the dome on the top floor of the Printemps department store. Or you can sit in any old cafe with a red awning and have a salad and cheese and glory at being in Paris.

StCirq

They'll fall sound asleep in the salon, will be cranked out during the shopping, and never make it to the boat cruise. Not a good way to start a trip.

Also, do you or they speak French? If you don't, be prepared for surprising new hairdos, or make sure you go to a salon with English-speaking staff. But really, don't do this on Day 1.

Dinner cruises are generally a bad deal (except maybe Yachts de Paris, which is expensive but gets great reviews). The food is mediocre, and you can't really eat and look at the sights at the same time. But if you must do it,don't do it on Day 1, either. Your kids will have their heads in their soup.

What you need to get over jetlag is loads of vitamin D, in other words, sunshine. Go to your hotel, get unpacked, take a shower, then go walk a bit and have a nice (not a BIG) lunch. Walk some more, have a light evening meal, buy a small cake from a patisserie, take it back to the hotel to enjoy, and bed down by 9-10 pm. Next day you'll be on schedule.

denisea

Not sure where you are staying, there is a Dessange near the Opera Garner (across from the Le Grand Hotel Intercontinental hotel.

I don't think I would want to get my hair done first thing. It is a nice idea just not for right after landing. If you really think they would like it, you could also check with a hotel like the Four Seasons. I would prefer getting familiar with the area and getting a chocolat chaud or cafe creme at a neighborhood cafe.

For later, check out Un Diamanche A Paris for afternoon tes and the best macarons! It is a very modern,chic restaurant and patisserie. The chocolates and pastries are works of art. They also have an area where you can watch the chocolat being made.

Parisecret

This salon has been highly recommended to me for one of my upcoming trips to Paris. I plan to try them out for both cut and color:

http://unlockparis.blogspot.com/2010...art-1.html?m=1

This isn't their official website. I think that's on facebook, in French.

Don't forget shoe shopping on rue du Cherche Midi!

Have fun!

justineparis

You could not pay me to go into a salon in a foriegn country where I have minimal language abilities and get my hair coloured or cut. I manage a salon here, and 99% of problems are because of communication issues,, in english,, but now add their bad english and your bad french and frankly no way would I do it. I would get a blow out,, period. Color your hair at home. Can't imagine wasting time in a salon ,, when there is Paris to see.
Also as pointed out, the last thing one wants to do to minimize jet lag is sit around inside. Perhaps only coming from east coast jet lag won't be so bad for you though.

And finally,, your 14 yr colors her hair ,, wow, Americans are quick to grow up into stuff.

Parisecret

Well, I'm going to be in Paris for 3 months, and there's no way you could pay me NOT to get my hair cut and colored while there.

I plan to practice my French diligently and to do my research on salons and by the time I've made my appointment I will march in there 100% sure I have the stylist and the language I need to get exactly what I want.

I'm sure the OP can do the same, and she and her girls will have a blast. It's not time wasted if a Mother and her daughters are having a girls' day, no matter what city they're in.

Lastly, lots of 14 year olds get their hair colored. It's fun. It's no big deal. AND, it's between the girl and her Mother.

JMULLADY

The problem with this is - my daughters and I have traveled many times - and each time it is the same thing. They do not sleep on the plane for the 8 hours, even though we fly at night. I am exhausted, having worked a 60 hr week trying to squeeze every ounce of "I've got this" out of myself, and completely pass out right after take off. They stay up and talk the whole night thru - in the morning, when we land, I am energized after coffee and a wash, and ready to go - and they want to hit the bed. I lose them for the day - but that usually means the "do not disturb" sign on the door, and I walk and explore. I thought the hair salon might be a way to wake them up and get them going without giving them the opportunity to crash. But perhaps you are right, and I should let them have a quick shower and then a light day. We have 10 days to spend, and I never give them a list of things we will do - we just research everything and then make up our day as it comes. This is not our first trip to Paris, but the last time we were here it was just for three days after being in London, and although we enjoyed every moment of our time, it was not enough.
You have given me wonderful suggestions for our first day - I just want my daughter's birthday to be a special day for her - and not spent in bed sleeping away the day!

justineparis

Pariscret you are practicing your french, good, op does not say same,, so her language skills likely not same as yours.Fine, but don't assume your situations are similar ,, they don't sound similar at all. And I can assure you , while "lots of 14 yr olds get their hair colored" may be true where you live, it is most uncommon here.. I won't debate that further as I clearly have more experience in that area then you do .

JMULLADY I do have another great idea,, and don't discount it just because you may feel it sounds too tough,, i can assure you its easy as pie.

Fat Tire Bike Tour, they run numerous ones, but they have a daytour of Paris that leaves twice a day, no prebooking needed( so you can jam out if weather is grim or you really are too beat) .. the cycling IS easy, (flat) and you stop to look at stuff, stop for ice cream etc. The guides are young and fun( your 19 yr old will be delighted) and you get a great lay of the land tour, not intensive history, just "Paris lite" , with humor. I have done all the tours and loved the one to Giverny the best . The out of town trips you do prebook, but suggest you try a short tour like the day or night in Paris to see how you like it. The rides are fun, safe, and as I said, anyone can handle them( I hadn't been on a bike for decades before I tried my first one) .

Parisecret

Justine, OP asked for a beauty salon referral. I provided that.

And, as it happens, my daughter is 14 years old, and though I'm not a hairdresser, I'm pretty confident I know of what I speak, at least as far as 14 year old American girls go . . . . . .

StCirq

<<I plan to practice my French diligently and to do my research on salons and by the time I've made my appointment I will march in there 100% sure I have the stylist and the language I need to get exactly what I want.>>

Good luck with that. I grew up speaking French, can explain exactly what I want done to my hair, and have still had some haircuts and colors and whatnot that weren't even remotely what I asked for. I took my son to a barbershop in Le Bugue many years ago, explained precisely what we wanted, in French, and ended up calling him "Spike" for the next 8 weeks. French hair salon people have minds of their own, no matter what your language skills. It's not an uncommon trait among salon owners in any country.

But carry on and best of luck.

Parisecret

St. Cirq---very true re: salon owners/hairdressers in many cities worldwide. I have trouble getting what I want with some hairdressers here in the US, without the challenge a language barrier presents.

In France, I'm pre-planning so that my needs while in Paris will be very simple----just basic upkeep---so I'm hoping that with the personal recommendations I have and with some local contacts standing by to assist, I won't come out looking like Ziggy Stardust!