We are flying from Dalla to Paris. Can we buy bottled water in Dallas which we think will be cheaper and get it through customs? Also there will be a group of 10 of us and I'm looking for a good but reasonable place to eat that would give us three checks. I have looked on all the sites and have thought Relais de l Entrecote(Steak and frites) would be a good place for us but I'm not sure of the price. We will be staying in the 15th arrondissements. Thanks

The cost of water in Paris is likely to be a very tiny percentage of the cost of your trip.

With how much water weighs and luggage restrictions on planes these days I just don't see the point of taking water to France. How many gallons per person were you thinking of taking?

Rob

You can buy bottled water at the Dallas airport once you have cleared security, like you can at all airports. Do you plan to get a whole trip's worth in Dallas and lug it around? It's hard to imagine that effort is worth the price difference.

As for the three cheques, I'm sure of you explain what you want up front you can get it done. Heck you will probably be sitting at three different tables with 10 of you anyway.

OK - please clarify. Do you mean just buying individual bottles of water at DFW to drink on the flight? Or - and reading between the lines, I think/fear, do you mean bringing cases of water to drink while in Paris?

Please say that is not what you meant . . . Take up valuable luggage space for <u>bottled water</u>?

Large groups eating together often are given a single check - same as at many Stateside restaurants. Just make sure to tell them your requirements before you order - not after the waiter brings the tab. In any case, not many restaurants will be able to seat you all together (w/o advance reservations) so it won't often be an issue.

You can buy cases and bottles of water of all sizes at grocery stores in Paris. They aren't expensive. It makes no sense to carry water except for what you may want on the plane in addition to what the airline will provide.

Paris tap water is just fine, in case you were wondering.

Transporting water overseas is extremely inefficient. Unless you require some very special water, there's no reason to buy it in the States and bring it to Europe.

There are endless thousands of restaurants in France called &quot;Relais de l'Entrec&ocirc;te.&quot; It's a very common name for a restaurant, a bit like &quot;Joe's Diner.&quot;

Carrying cases of water to France, if that's what your contemplating, is beyond inefficient - it's ludicrous. Paris tap water is one of the best in the world, and since the French practically invented the notion of selling bottled water, believe me, they've got plenty of it - and it's cheap, too.

The request for three checks may or may not be graciously accepted. Make sure you arrange that at the beginning of the meal - as I trust you would in the USA also.

Which Relais de l'Entrecote?

Why do you think water will be cheaper in Paris? I seem to remember bottled water by the litre costing well under a euro in supermarkets. Kerouac, St Cirq et al - what is the cost?

A 1.5 liter bottle of Cristalline spring water costs about 0.30&euro;.

If you mean the restaurant that only serves one meal, steak and fries, then it's about 25 Euro per person exclusive of beverage and dessert. If all of you want to sit together, near each other then arrive very early and be at the restaurant when they open.

Please don't bring your own water to France, that's rather like bringing your own cheese.

Hi 4J,

As noted, do not bring your own water.

The Monoprix supermarkets sell BW by the case. You can look them up at www.pagesjaunes.fr.

Are you planning on eating only steak and fries your whole visit?

Even though we enjoy beating a dead horse, I think the OP actually was wondering about bringing water onto the plane through security and accidentally said customs.

One of our group suggested buying a few bottles of water in Dallas to get us thru a couple of days in Paris so we would not have to go out first thing and buy water. We would just carry it on the plane in our backpacks and was concerned with getting it thru customs??? Also they thought it would be cheaper as we keep hearing how expensive everything is in Paris. We are a group of 10 with 80 in all Charger fans going to see the game in London(3days Paris, 3 London, 2 Rome, 1 Florence, 2 Venice). Since I am the lucky one to make most decisions in our group I was wondering about Relais de l Enrecote as a place for us all to eat one meal together???? Thanks again

You'll see lots of places to buy water when you're sightseeing in Paris. What I do is have a small bottle or two for the plane and then refill with tap water. Much less expensive than buying new bottles of water. For 10 people you'll need quite a few bottles of water and airport shops charge a premium. I've never gone through customs in Paris...immigration, picked up my bag from the carousel, and on my way. Even if there were customs I'm sure there's no limit to water.

I've already answered your Relais de l'Entrecote question.

Carrying several days worth of water to Paris is simply ludicrous. It wold take up half you luggage space. Take what you need to drink on the plane and then buy what you need there. Or. to save more, just reuse the bottles with tap water from the hotel - Paris water is perfectly fine.

And I agree- the cost of water i minute compared to the cost of everything else you will be eating, drinking, doing and seeing.

Again, repeating what others have said, tap water in Paris is totally fine to drink.

What I would suggest is to buy one bottled water at DFW (after security) and save the bottle. Fill the bottle with tap water once you arrive in Paris. That way, you won't be carrying pounds of bottled water, and you save $ too.

And no, you won't have trouble with the French customs by carrying bottled water with you.

This sounds like it could get into a classic &quot;penny wise, pound foolish&quot; scenario. Buying water is not where your budget concerns should lie.

I'd be willing to bet the person in your group who came up with the suggestion to bring water has never been out of his or her own country.

Going out to buy things in Paris is NOT an onerous task!
At least my wife and daughter seem to think it's not a problem. ;^)

Also, as previously noted, Paris has perfectly acceptable tap water and the French invented the concept of selling water anyway!

Do yourself a favour and take any other hints or suggestions from that person with a grain of salt!

Rob

If I understand the question correctly, 4Janet wants to know whether her group can carry water in their backpacks on the plane.

You can not bring bottled water through security at the Dallas airport. The only water you can bring on the plane is water you buy after going through security. Water at groceries and convenience stores in Paris is not likely to be more expensive than it is at the Dallas airport. And if you connect to another flight, the odds are good that you will go through security again and have to throw away any water you bought at the Dallas airport before getting on your connecting flight.

Other than that, the only way to buy water in Dallas and bring it to Paris is to check it in your luggage.

I assume you know about the liquids restrictions? That you can only bring a one quart zip lock bag through security with containers of up to three ounces of liquids that easily fit into the bag?

Whatever you do buy at the airport after security, you can bring on the plane. Customs won't be a problem, if you have any left over water in your backpacks when you arrive in Paris.