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Old Nov 14th, 2016 | 11:39 PM
  #21  
 
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I am sleeping in 4 or 5 stars each year in August in Paris. Because hotels are empty and they discount like hell.
They have an occupancy rate of something like 70 percents. No businessman is working except the tall gorgeous blonde guy writing now. Et encore I never work after 15 August.
Same for Parisians they leave Paris en masse from 14 July to go to southern france.
So it leaves some tourists in Paris.
What does parroting means btw ? (I know what a parrot is).
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Old Nov 14th, 2016 | 11:43 PM
  #22  
 
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On top of being each year in Paris in August I am also each year on the cote d azur. My family stays on average 6-7 weeks there. It IS overcrowded from 14 of July and pack jammed early August.
Is there a problem for those who call it the riviera to listen to folks who are actually there ?
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Old Nov 14th, 2016 | 11:48 PM
  #23  
 
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Try to drive from St Raf to St Trop in early August for instance.
You get stuck for hours on the coastal road and it is easier to go back to Le Muy and via la garden frenet.

But ok if the consensus says there are no prob stay in the traffic jams.
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Old Nov 15th, 2016 | 07:33 AM
  #24  
 
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Woinparis - "parroting" = repeating verbatim, or maybe not - comme le jeu "telephone".
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Old Nov 15th, 2016 | 07:46 AM
  #25  
 
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That is what I figured.

Am I parroting when I say something about a place where I live more than 2 months a year or where you live all year long ?

And they'll say they live like locals.

Soit. Need to find a restaurant in the Trocadero area. I'll ask a German tourist.
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Old Nov 15th, 2016 | 11:18 AM
  #26  
 
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Is there a problem for those who call it the riviera to listen to folks who are actually there ?>

Not for me.

Call it what you want just not Provence, of which it is a part of.

Cote d'Azur I assume is the part of the French Riviera around Nice.

Yes and got caught up in bouchons - bottlenecks on the coastal road there in August - much nice to take the inland route via Grasse and the Route Napoleon - Verdun Gorge,etc.

August is a great time for Paris- much quieter without that noxious traffic and resulting smog. You have a beach put up along the Seine - but to say for the tourist Paris is not crowded IMO is giving a false impression as everything the average casual tourist will want to see and do will be open save some restaurants but many will be open.

August - terrible time for Cote d'Azur and any popular seaside resort - great time for Paris.
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Old Nov 16th, 2016 | 03:46 AM
  #27  
 
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No one who knows the "riviera" would try travelling to St Tropez by car in August; however, people that know the "riviera" also know the places to visit to avoid the increased tourist population in the area at this time.
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Old Nov 16th, 2016 | 05:39 AM
  #28  
 
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Haven't you noticed that OP has lost interest in this thread?
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Old Nov 16th, 2016 | 07:41 AM
  #29  
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Wo of the many names, I alternate living in Paris with living in the Netherlands about 50/50...
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Old Nov 16th, 2016 | 10:40 AM
  #30  
 
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Yes IME of a few times driving in August in the Cote d'Azur is that it is gridlock most of the time - take trains along the coast to move easily about. Things clear out dramatically after the last weekend in August but there are still lots of folks there- just that the French August vacations end and like lemmings they flock home- autoroutes north can be super crowded - once waited in a bouchon around Lyon for a few hours- plan on more time and take side roads (see Bison Fute for info on alternative routes):


https://translate.google.com/transla...r/&prev=search
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Old Nov 16th, 2016 | 12:48 PM
  #31  
 
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Mayor Hidalgo hasn't yet decided if Paris Plages will continue next summer (or in the years to come), or if it will just be set in the La Villette area - or if it will cease altogether.
It appears that tonnes of sand and highly-trained armed soldiers are very expensive.
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Old Nov 16th, 2016 | 04:24 PM
  #32  
 
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I agree with MmePerdu who is a great expert on France.

I'd opt for Paris in October. Stay in one place and travel out for the day to Versailles, Reims, Giverny, Fountainbleu ...the list goes on and on, and come back at night to relax and explore Paris. You'll go away loving it and wanting to come back for more !
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Old Nov 16th, 2016 | 06:01 PM
  #33  
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Well, Helsie, I certainly appreciate the vote of confidence. I wish. Some here may think you're my alter ego speaking.
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Old Nov 17th, 2016 | 10:09 AM
  #34  
 
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Couple other neat day trips from Paris in addition to Helsie's- Chartres for the great Gothic cathedral; Reims for Champagne Cave/House tours and even farther afield to Mont-Saint-Michel and Bayeux and Normandy D-day beaches.

Oui Mme Lost is a great France research!
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Old Nov 17th, 2016 | 10:21 AM
  #35  
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In France, and everywhere, never be afraid to be lost. It's where the best things happen.
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Old Nov 17th, 2016 | 11:03 AM
  #36  
 
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>> It's where the best things happen. <<

We once had a car accident in Charleville-Mezieres and the family of the young lady who had wrecked our car invited us for their Sunday family dinner - it was 12 courses with Champagne and followed by digestifs and everything. And we had a most interesting political debate (they were socialists, of course).

And the French insurance company reimbursed me twice as much as I had payed for the (used) car.

Nice that we can freely exchange our travel experiences in France. OP has vanished.
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