On a whim I just purchased air tickets to Paris for April 7 - 17. There was a great sale on Iceland Air and without any plan I made the purchase. Now, I need to plan a trip I had no idea was in my future. I haven't even thought of Paris in my travel plans so except for the obvious - the Lourve, Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower- I have no idea what I might want to do with my time. We prefer to stay in Paris or day trips from Paris although a short overnight train trip out of Paris would be fine.

I'm also interested in hotel recommendations. I generally like a bit of room and enjoy AirBnB accommodations or small suite hotels. I don't need fancy, just clean and well located.

We don't speak French - but do speak Spanish if that is any help. My 1 year of college French limits me counting and saying "My name is >>>>> I don't understand anything." So this will be quite an adventure!

All ideas and help gratefully accepted.

Thanks!

jkm321 - Ten days in Paris sounds delicious, though it can still be quite cold in April depending on what you're used to. If you get a pile of replies focused on the legality of Air BnB just try to sift through the strongly held views, it's a bit of a bête noire for some people here.

There are so many options in Paris and the surrounds, it really depends on what you like to do, museums, walking, history, markets, architecture etc? We spent a couple of months in paris a few years ago and I wrote quite a bit on my blog which could be helpful. There are walking tours, museum reviews, food suggestions and lots more . Don't worry it's non commercial.

http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/search/label/Paris

We've been flying into Paris every year for awhile since our son lives and works there. Our choice of places to stay is chosing an apartment from this site: parisbestlodge.com. They have private apartments in the best locations in Paris, fully equipped and modern. All within walking distance to the metro, local food stores, museums, etc. Paris sights are spread out all over but all accessible by metro or RER.......... The cleaning, wifi and telephone, TV are all included and the prices are reasonable (better than hotels) for the length of time you will be there. Our favorite locations were either the Orsay or Marais area........A lot happening around there.......You'll not be bored. Don't worry about not speaking French........you'll do fine. enjoy planning your trip..........

BTW are you stopping off in Iceland to take a dip in the blue lagoon before heading to Paris? Iceland Air allows free stopovers for up to 7 days I believe. We were there for a week.........people are so friendly, food good and every one is so laid back!

I second the recommendation of Parisbestlodge.. have used them twice.. and have rented again from them for next June!
Do not waste any time contacting them .. their apartment go fast as most folks who rent from them.. use them again and again! Just email your dates and see if they have anything available. All are well located.

Hi JKM321.
10 days in Paris will be wonderful!! Aside from the places you've mentioned, my favourite place to visit is Sainte-Chapelle - the concerts here are a superb way to enjoy the chapel.
Also doable in a day trip is Versailles, Monet's garden at Giverny, the château Vaux le Vicomte and the chathedral at Chartres.
I love Sacre Coeur and Montmartre - although I concede it is a bit touristy and tacky!
Enjoy

I would take advantage of Icelandair's offer to do a stopover in Iceland for a few days - maybe 2 or 3. You can't imagine how much fun Reykjavik is! DON'T do the Blue Lagoon if you do - it is a total tourist rip-off at 6 times the price of any local hotsprings spa.

Get a couple of guidebooks to Paris and figure out what interests you. Get a map of the city and study it so you can group things that are close together. Know what days things are open and what days things are closed. Study www.ratp.fr and www.parisbytrain.com.

Set a budget - we can't recommend anyplace to stay unless we know, in euros, how much you can spend per night for lodging. If it's your first trip to Paris, an apartment may not be the best solution, as you may need some assistance from the front desk of a hotel.

Spanish might be a bit of help in Paris, but only in terms of understanding cognates. Learn the basic formalities in French. (It's Louvre, not Lourve). Be sure to greet people, all of them, all the time, and say au revoir and thank you when you depart.

Have a great trip and do consider a few days in Iceland.

Pull down the Destinations menu at the top left-hand side of this page and research Paris.

Thanks for your quick replies! I've started searching accommodations and will definitely be contacting parisbestlodge as the apartments on the website all look perfect although I also agree with the comment that on our first trip to Paris having some help from the hotel staff would be very useful which is something I'm now considering.

My husband and I have already downloaded Duolingo so we will start our French lessons and hopefully I'll be better at it than I was in college!

And although we considered an Iceland stopover we decided to do all our time in Paris as we visited Iceland a few years ago and loved our trip - rode horses, did the Ring Tour, swam at public heated outdoor pool, loved the art museum. I highly recommend Iceland but didn't want to lose time from France on this trip.

Please continue to provide your assistance and advice. I'm very grateful for you taking the time.

All good suggestions given........also look at website Parisbymouth.com. They do a good job updating you on what is happening in paris.

I've only been to Paris once, but I didn't plan anything in advance more than booking a hotel room. Stay somewhere central (lower numbered arrondisement).

Grab a guidebook and read it on the plane ride over. Pick up a good street map. I found it a very easy city to get a handle on. I don't speak French.

Duolingo is pretty good, I use it to review adverbs which for me are hard to remember and can be "faux amis" with what look like should be their English counterparts.

I would look also at some of the online resources for "tourist" French. The first time I was in Paris I had had 4 years of high school French and a semester in college, but all very structured (late 60s/early 70s). In all those classes I never learned that "correspondance" signs in the Metro meant a line transfer, or that "carnet" (carnay) is a package of 10 discounted Metro tickets available in tabacs or larger Metro stations or that in asking for the toilet/loo/bathroom you ask for "les toilettes" always plural, but don't be surprised when you find it that it's a single male/female facility.

Most people you deal with in Paris will speak English but they still appreciate an attempt at the basics. Some approaches are about manners more than language, "Bonjour monsieur or madame" is appreciated before asking a question. "Pardonnez-moi, monsieur or madame" is the polite way to get someone's attention who isn't looking at you. Once the formalities are done, 9/10 times in Paris the response will be, "How can I help you?" in English.

I think an apartments is the way to go for 10 days but if you would be more comfortable with a hotel staff, let us know your budget.

For 10 days I would consider an apt. Many of the agencies do have people that can help in some ways mostly via email. Obviously it's not like having a desk downstairs where you can go pretty much anytime to ask a question. Also we don't hesitate to go into any hotel and ask questions as we move about a city. Never had anyone not willing to help. Again not the same as your own hotel, but helpful for directions and basic questions. Agree with all the advice on the language -- many people speak English, but the niceties in French are appreciated.

At some point look at the museum pass and see if you're interested in purchasing one. It doesn't always save a lot of money, but it avoids the lines at the major sites.

Aside from a good guidebook reading TRs on this site is also helpful in deciding what you might like to do.

Yes, it's true that many people in Paris, esp those in the tourist industry speak at least basic English. But you should 1) learn all of the basic polite phrases and 2) familiarize yourself with popular dishes and get a good quality menu reader so you know not just that the dish is poulet (chicken) but what they've done to it or put it in or put in t..

Just be sure to remember that the French tend to be more formal than americans - hence the greeting on entering and leaving any store or restaurant (and even in a cab) and throw in extra pleases and thank yous.

Thank you all so much for your responses. I've started my Duolingo and have an app for my smart tv where I can also get some language lessons with more conversational language and info on the cultural and manners norms. My French accent is appalling even to me so I need to really practice my basic manners language so people will recognize that I'm trying to be polite! Given my small amount of French in college and my ability to speak some Spanish I can figure out a lot of words when written but have no idea what is going on when someone speaks to me. I think I"ll have to rely on being pleasant and polite and asking my questions with a smile.

I agree that an apartment is more our style as we like to really "live" in a place which includes visiting the grocery, having our breakfast at home, and having some space for relaxing, and a dinner or two in the apartment. We don't like to be out sightseeing every moment and prefer to be able to feel much more at home that a hotel room accommodates. So when looking for an apartment what are the pros/cons of the different arrondissements? We like walking and being close to things and we are comfortable in an urban environment. We don't like places that are too touristy. Yes, I know I am a tourist but I don't want to find tchotchke shops outside my door, or have all the menus in English. If you are familiar with Madrid we like to stay in a very small hotel in the Barrio de las Letras so that we an walk everywhere and have lots of cafes and restaurants nearby. Finding something similar in Paris would be perfect. Price range for an apartment would be something under $200 per night which looks to be very do-able. So suggestions?

Oh, and another question - When in Spain our main meal is always the menu del dia in the mid-afternoon. (Our eating hours are very Spanish even in the US so late meals are good for us.) What is the French custom for meals and mealtimes? Is there a menu del dia for lunch? Can you then get small plates or cafe meals in the evening without a large dinner? What are the hours that people eat?

I know I can get some of this info from the guidebooks but I always like to hear from people who have actually experienced the country. So thank you all so much!

You'll get a lot of info on various neighborhoods but it may be better to have a list of "possible" lodgings and post them here. You'll get more detailed info about the various 'hoods. I like to stay in the 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th; others will say to stay on the left bank. And the arrondissements I like to stay in vary within the borders.

Its fun to plan a first trip - I envy you!

You won't have any trouble finding cafes, bistros and restaurants in any area that you stay in. Cafes and bistros offer lighter meals in the evening. We noticed that restaurants have more Americans earlier, say 7:30 -8:00 than later say. 9-9:30 when there appears to be more French speakers. Lots of menu of the day available at lunch and dinner.

As the last poster stated each arrondisement has its pros and cons. We have stayed in the 3rd and 4th the most, but also stayed in the 5th, 6th and 11. I agree that you should post some apts you like and people can judge the area because as said above the areas within an arrondisement matters. This past trip we were right near the 2nd and identified lots of areas I would have stayed in though I have never stayed in the 2nd. (Sorry don't know Madrid well enough to do a comparison.)

How is this location for an apartment - Rue Richelieu, 2nd arrondissement? I don't have a specific address but this is the description of the location - "the studio is 450 feet from Richelieu Drouot Metro Station, which provides direct access to the famous Champs-Elysées. In the surrounding area you will find a weekly market, the popular shopping area on Montorgueil Street and the Grevin Wax Work Museum." and "close to the Bourse, Grands Boulevards and the 1st Arrondissement. ".

It doesn't have old Paris charm but it does have a great price and good space. If it is a good location I can give up the old world charm.

Comments?

You can check any neighborhood that interests you using Google Street View, a great tool for a multitude of reasons. Just enter the street name and have a look, right there, around the block, the whole neighborhood, anywhere a vehicle can go.

Most cafés, bistros, and brasseries will have a prix fixe menu at lunchtime, some at dinner. The French rarely to to dinner before 8 pm, more commonly at 9 pm, especially on weekends. Unless you stumble upon a tapas or similar place, you won't commonly find small plates, but there is always street food and take-out dishes from traîteurs.

In addition to Duolingo, which I experimented with when looking for online teaching aids for my husband before we moved here, and which I wasn't impressed with for French, you might look at News In Slow French. It was very helpful for my husband, who admittedly already had a few years of French under his belt but needed to start over with verb tenses and such. It has the added advantage of its lessons being based on real-live news events in France, so you can learn about politics, daily living, news events, etc. The online version has some nice features, and as you improve, you can speed up the pace at which the narrators talk.

Agree on Google Street View. I don't know that area really well, but it seems fine to me. For a first time visit I think you will be fine in any of the single digit arrondissements. I also like the 11th but it is a bit of walk further to major sites. I googled and came up with this with a desciption of the arrondissements.
http://jetsettimes.com/2014/06/25/20...rondissements/