I am heading to Europe ( last minute decision) from Oz with husband, daughter (20) ,son (18) to meet up with other daughter(16) who is finishing an exchange program in Turin. The kids have not been to Europe before and desperately want to see Paris. Husband,after a very negative experience of Paris 20 years ago is a self confessed francophobe! Can anyone suggest apartments( budget 250 euro/ night) and area which could help him tolerate Paris? My motives are quite selfish....a grumpy francophobe is a nightmare (or a divorce) in the making. Thanks. Anyone?

Not so much about where to stay - but I do want to put in a word for Paris itself...! I truly hope your husband can set aside his memories of past experiences and try on the city for what it is today. From my personal experience, it's such a different (dare I say welcoming) place for visitors than it was 20 years ago!

I don't want to oversimplify things... But IME I can relate to what your husband remembers. Suffice to say that despite living in Paris for a year in the late 80's (looking the part and able to speak colloquially), during my tenure there, much of the city's denizens I encountered lived up to their reputation for franco-centric snobbery. When I was finally able to return many years later (mid-90's), I cringed thinking of the reception my now-battered conversational French would receive. But to the contrary! Again - at the risk of sounding like the boorish American I probably am - on that and subsequent visits I've found that, overall, the Parisians with whom I interact on a casual level do so in a much more enlightened way.

I will add that I was and have continued to be enamored of Paris - the farthest thing from a francophobe! But hopefully my brief story will help your husband to see that he has hope in Paris!

Hi newbi,

I am a francophile from way back. First trip was 25 years ago, last trip was in November and I never had anything but kindness shown to me in France.

Here is my latest trip report for your husband:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...r-in-paris.cfm

Have a great trip.

gruezi

My Aussie bf is also not keen on Paris, also after going about 20 years ago. However happily doesn't qualify as a Francophobe; I think he's to laid back to be an 'anythingaphobe' I love Paris, although also haven't been for years, but I speak some French and he doesn't which might have somothing to do with it....also I live in the UK so have been a number of times on short trips. We will go at some point, and I'm keen that he will enjoy it!

Anyway, are there things that your husband espeically likes doing? Working those in would help, and staying in an apartment sounds like a very good idea. Last time I was there I stayed in the Marais which I really liked, but there are those who've been there far more recently that me who might suggest otherwise.

I was in your husband's frame of mind for a long time - and I've got a degree in French!

My tip would be not to focus on the big, "must do", places with all their associated tourist-trap hangers-on - stay somewhere else where you can feel part of a neighbourhood, pace yourselves to allow time to sit and people-watch, to meander, even to get lost. This is a holiday, not a route march.

Might this trip report help him change his mind:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...so-excited.cfm

Which neighbourhood? A matter of taste depending on your own experience and expectations, but mine are more oriented to the east of Paris rather than the west: 3rd, 4th, 11th arrondissements and parts of the 10th. Others here like 5, 6, and 7. There are number of overviews of Parisian arrondissements online that might help - here's just one:
http://www.parisnet.com/parismap.html

Can't help with specific apartment rental recommendations, but there are plenty of threads about this already.

Best of luck.

I think it might help, a little bit, to know what that bad experience 20 years ago <B>was</B> so we can help you work on reversing that particular pain.

If, as an example, it was all about people smoking in restaurants...well, perhaps Madrid IS a great idea after all (LOL)..but seriously, what's the heartburn?

I can fully understand your husband.

Why not split up? You and the others go to Paris, he´ll go to some place that´s worth it, and then you all meet at the airport and fly home.

Well, I will throw my TR out there...just back from my 3rd trip and my husband's second

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-fantastic.cfm

We have always experienced kind people in France, we do try to speak a little French and have found it is appreciated and that many will switch to English without us asking...my TR mentions several events this trip where the locals were exceptionally kind, so please don't avoid Paris! It is a beautiful city and I love their way of life.

I have not rented an apt there, we almost did this time. I don't know what you are looking for, but we enjoy strolling the neighborhoods, checking out the neighborhood markets and enjoying the neighborhood cafes. So we love the 6th arrondisement because of the neighborhood feel and the close proximity to Notre Dame, St Chapelle, Musee d'Orsay and Luxembourg Gardens.

Oh and if you hated the smoking next to you at meals in the past, it's outside only in restaurants which is a big improvement. There are lots of threads on the forum re: apartments, so search for those...the info you want is probably already there.

My husband and I spent 5 days in Paris in 1982 and he didn't really care for it. He reluctantly agreed to return in 2009 because the trip was a graduation gift for our daughter. He loved it so much that he and I went again this past October and he remarked the other day that he'd go again in a heartbeat.

For an apartment, we have used Vacation in Paris (I think on recommendation from this board), and loved it so much we are using them again in April. They have a variety of apartments all over Paris in your price range.

DH was not necessarily phobic, but had openly stated he never cared to go to Paris. Now it is truly probably one of his favorite cities in the world--- he says if he won the lottery, the first thing he would do is hope a plane to Paris for l'As du falafel!!!!

How I convinved him to go was that he liked coffee, he liked wine, he liked good food--- how bad could it be to spend a few days doing those things?!?!??!
Focus on what he likes to do in general on a vacation, and find those in Paris.
Hope that helps!!!

Also I should add my favourite thing to do in Paris is walk, it's the best city to wander in...I never cram in loads of stuff when visiting somewhere, it is supposed to be a holiday after all....

DH WAS a phobe until we actually visited and he became a huge phile!

We often stayed in Montparnasse area and enjoyed the "vibe" there. Easy to get around by bus and metro.

Yes, what happened to your DH to cause his negative feelings?

Paris isn't the same as twenty years ago (unfortunately in many ways). Your husband isn't the same person, either, but we have no idea why he didn't like it 20 years ago and whether it or he has changed in that regard, so who knows what to suggest. Some people just don't like any big city, or any foreign place, etc. I know guys who wouldn't like Paris, either, they don't like big cities in general, especialy ones that are not "easy" which means with a foreign language they don't understand.

It's hard to say which area he would like as they vary and we don't know what he likes or not.

I think you have to differentiate between people in Paris and the rest of France. I've noticed a marked difference between them. Those outside of Paris seem to be friendly and polite. I wouldn't call Parisians unfriendly, but they're just not warm and fuzzy, either.

That said, I've been in Paris a few times over the last 30 years, and I would say that Parisians are more helpful and courteous than they were years ago.

I'm embarking on my 1st trip to Paris in May. Just put a deposit on a apartment on I'le Saint Louis through GuestApartment.com. If you put Paris Apartment in the search box you will find many threads with recommendations. But I would suggest you narrow down your neighborhoods first. bonjour!

There is a culture difference between us and them. From reading threads here and going several times, I have 'an idea' of what to do.

For example, some people seem to get annoyed that the waiter at a restaurabnt does not bring them their bill when they are finished. How rude! But, culturally, you need to ask for the bill. The table is yours until you decide to leave.

So, read up here, get an appartment, tailor the trip around his interests, perhaps take an english language tour or two (e.g. Paris Walks), maybe a pub or two, some good food, and the conversion will hopefully start.

Location wise, my suggestion for a ~first time visit is to get something near the Seine. In terms of arrondissements (districts) this could be the 4/5/6th. Public transit is very good, so if you find a place you like elsewhere, it just means a bit more time on the Metro/bus.

I am just starting my trip report of taking my DH to Paris and he was prepared for the worst. Surprise: he loved it. We stayed in the tourist areas, we do not speak French (although we tried), but never ran into a rude Parisian. Service was impeccable, friendly and courteous. We never ran into smokers inside bars or cafes. My DH is a history buff, and Paris is a historical gemstone, so I planned the tours with that in mind. You know what your DH likes; be it art, history, or food, I'm sure you can find it in Paris.

Thanks so much everyone! It was so exciting to see so many helpful responses. I have never posted on a (any) forum before. When I logged on briefly this morning and saw all the replies I was resentful of the intrusion a day at work imposed. ( I found myself locked in the toilet thru the day with my iphone sneaking a look!) Home now,so about that bad experience of DH?
We brought it all upon ourselves really. We took ourselves off to Europe with a 2 yr old in tow with no more planning than having purchased a Eurail pass each. I had lived in the UK for a couple of years previously and embarked upon this trip with the "she'll be right, mate" attitude of my backpacking days. So we arrived in Paris in pouring rain on a Friday afternoon preceding a long weekend in May. The only accommodation we could find was in an establishment that DH swears rented rooms out by the hour ( he is quite the raconteur, DH, and when you hear him tell the story which includes tales of shoes getting stuck to the sputum encrusted stairs, not being able to differentiate between the toilet and the shower as they both seemed to contain the same amount of sewage, it is all sidesplittingly funny at the Parisians expense when really we should be laughing at our own folly.
But really even before the accommodation debacle DH's ego had taken a real pounding when his bastardisation of their language had not been appreciated. Then there was the subway. With a pram. No escalators. Being ripped off by a taxi driver. Accosted by a group of gypsy kids. And the rain. And the rain.And the rain.
So you can see I just have to get the accommodation right ( surely noone rents apartments out by the hour??)
Am I being unrealistic with a budget of 250euros?
Alihutch and PatrickLondon, we too hope to walk and walk just to imbibe the atmosphere. We are not ones o queue for hours to see a particular exhibition. For those we Must see we intend to be first in line at sparrow ----.
I LOVED your report Gruezi ( read in the loo today) and yours deisea ( gobbled up as soon as I got home)
And thanks for the link Patricklondon that was helpful.
The kids are quite arty/alternative so maybe the 4th?
Thanks again everyone. I will wait with bated breath for any other suggestions. BTW we will be in Paris 16/2 and we only have 3 nights ( narrows the field apartment-wise) so I need to get my skates on!

Ah, now I understand. "She'll be right" tends, in some Parisian hands, to become just "Take it or leave it", especially at the backpacker end of the market. Life is very different with a bit of money to show, and some forethought applied. It may seem hard to persuade your husband otherwise, but if you follow up on some of the positive apartment rental recommendations here and in other threads, she will be right.

For the arty/alternative taste, 4th to 10th to 11th, particularly further away from the river would be quite a good bet. There were some good reviews here for apartments in and around rue de Saintonge and rue de Bretagne that might fit the bill, and that would put you in easy walking distance of both the arty/alternative and the more comfortable/conventional, or you could try nearer Oberkampf. I'm not sure how the prices for apartment rentals go in those sorts of areas, since I've been lucky enough to stay exchanged flats for most recent trips.

well, May is the rainiest month of the year for Paris, I think. So if you pick months like that, it will likely rain a lot. It rains a lot in Paris, in general, but some months are worse. February is one of the driest months, though, that is when you are going.

There are very few apartments that will rent for three nights, unfortunately. I wouldn't have picked the 4th for any particular reason if looking for arty/alternative, in fact, it's hardly that at all IMO. About the opposite in most parts.

The 11th sounds like better idea or the above suggestions. There are other places but maybe not a good idea for a first-timer who is there only three days, actually. The more alternative places tend not to be in the central tourist and rich area of Paris.

try www.rentparis.com for short rentals, not sure if they do 3 nights, though. Of course you can always check VRBO as they are private owners and might be more flexible, if you are willing to do that option (private owner)

even some apts affiliated with hotels won't rent for 3 nights