First Time In Paris
 

We are contemplating a vacation in Paris in October. Has anyone had any dealings with France Vacations,a discount tour operator? Some of the hotels they utilize are Jardin de Paris Montparnasse, Hotel Capitol,Hotel Lyon-Mulhouse. Any information on this tour operator or these hotels would be greatly appreciated. Also, is not being conversant in French a severe detriment to getting around the city or ordering in restaurants?

When I took my mom to Paris, I bought a France Vacations package for hotel/airfare. Our hotel was in the Jardin de Paris in the 18th: it was clean, comfortable, bathroom in the room (tres importanto for the parental unit), cute breakfast room. Concierge/desk clerks spoke English - sort of - but were most accommodating. <BR>Don't worry about not speaking French; most tourist things have English-speaking employees (including the metro and train personnel) and restaurants usually have at least a few waiters who can communicate in English. <BR>Now, after all that: get away from the tourist spots and explore. Eat in a restaurant where the menu ISN'T in English, and your attempts to be understood in English are met with a Gallic shrug. Go into a patisserie and drool, then do the point-and-pantomime to get what you want. Smile a lot, be appreciative when they finally understand you, ask for the name in French of your pastry and try to pronounce it (entertains the clerk). Never let the phrase "well, that's not how WE do it in the States" pass your lips. Learn a few phrases in French (merci, pardonez-mois, s'il vous plait, etc.) and carry a tourist-oriented phrase book; there are a couple on the market that focus on food to make restaurants a little easier. <BR>Let Paris carry you; don't try to make it fit you. It won't. Stroll, look in shop windows and discuss the display, sit in a little park and eat a sandwich, watch children play, buy a French magazine and read it while sipping coffee or wine in a cafe (okay so look at the pictures). <BR>Have a great time; October is a wonderful time to be in Paris (heck, Paris in a blizzard would be wonderful). <BR> <BR>

AB-solutely follow the counsel of the previous post and practice some basic phrases...and then use them. When you walk into a shop, be sure to say Bonjour on entering and Merci as leaving. That's the advice we (non French speakers) got from Francophile Fodorites before we embarked (with some trepidation) last year - and it paid off handsomely. If you're on a tour, you may not have very many dining decisions, on your own, to make, but if you do - get hold of Cheap Eats Paris...very informative and has a glossary of standard menu items in the back. You will have a wonderful time - we can't wait to go back!

Are you absolutely set on going with a tour group? If you already have a travel companion, you might have a better time exploring the city for yourself. Just get a good guide book and mark off the places you want to see, make your own hotel accomodations through one of the many internet sites people have mentioned on this site such as www.hotelboulevard.com or try the many hotels reccomended in a guide book. Paris is one of the easiest cities to navigate your way through, and you can set your own schedule without being rushed by a tour guide. I went with a tour the first time I went to Paris and felt that I was just being herded around the city. The second time I went with a friend and I enjoyed it much more. I loved the Metro system, which can get you anywhere very quickly. And from experience, planning my own trip was half the fun. I don't know any french except for the courtesy terms which I used often. The words I used constantly were "pardon," and I can't spell it (Do you speak English?), but it is pronounced "par-lay voo ahn-glay?" Usually the people did say yes and try to help even if they spoke little english. However, most of the waiters in the restaurants spoke pretty good English, and most of the questions we had (mainly about directions or prices of museums, etc.)were answered write in our guide books. <BR>Just something to think about, I hope you have a wonderful time either way.

Oops, did I really spell that last "right," write???