Help! Paris/France Newbie
 

Hello All,

I'm really a novice, I need advice. The only thing I do know is I would like to spend some time with my Girlfriend in Paris, but have no idea about a great many things and desperately need advice from seasoned travelors.

1. Do I need to learn French(will they be mean to me if I don't know)
2. I'd like to keep costs low, but have a good time.
3. Fun things to do?
4. Locations to see / Locations to avoid.

Thanks!

Im sure you will LOVE Paris.
I travel to Paris about 5x a year - my boyfriend is there on business.
NO you do not need to learn French however as always with visiting other countries I would suggest you learn or attempt some key phrases
Paris is definitely a place you can have fun on a budget
Fun things to do - depends on what your interests are I LOVE just walking and walking and walking I never get tired of that. Shopping is always fun in Paris - the clubs are great as well
Have you figured out where you will stay?

I would suggest you start by buying a guidebook or two (or taking them out of the library) to get a basic of idea what the Paris experience is all about.

1. No, you don't need to learn French. But do learn to say hello/good-bye and please/thank you in French - it's the least any visitor to a foreign country can do!

2. This can be done. But, it's not a question, so I'm not sure what info you want.

3. Very, very, very individual. Read the fodors information about paris in their city links. Get a few good guidebooks from the library on Paris. Read them, then decide what interests you. Search the boards here for more info on those specific things. When all of these fail to give you sufficient information, post a more detailed question here with exactly what you'd like to know.

4. Ditto for 3. There are no things that you absolutely shouldn't see - that's different for everyone. And there are the obvious must-sees (eiffel tower), but many things that some people love and others couldn't care less about.

The best advice for every newbie who comes here is to do the basic research first. No one here can give you an itinerary that will satisfy you, and we really can't give specific advice on what to do without a LOT more info. :)

I hope you have a wonderful time in Paris. I went for the first time last summer and LOVED it and will be going back this coming April.

For your questions:

1. It is to your advantage to learn some basic words in French. They won't be mean to you but it shows good manners that you are at least trying. Most will recognize that you are not fluent in French and will attempt to converse in English but again, basic phrases are to your advantage. You will get a lot of advice but I used the Living Language tapes and dictionary as well as Rick Steves French/German/Spanish dictionary. I will fully disclose however that I had 4 yrs of French in high school and one in college so I did have some prior training.

Some basics: bonjour - good day, bonsoir - good evening, merci - thank you.

It is customary to always greet a shop keeper with Bonjour Monsieur (male) or Bonjour Madame (female). Bonjour Mademoiselle (young female) could also work but when in doubt, choose Madame.



2. Have you booked a hotel yet? If not, I will suggest Hotel Muguet in Paris. It is in the 7th arrondissement. You will quickly learn that Paris is divided into various sections or arrondissements. The popular ones are the 4,5,6,and 7th but again, you will hear a lot of discussion on that. If you do a search on Hotel Muguet, you will see it is a favorite on this board. For transporation, make sure you get a carnet for the Metro. This is basically a book of tickets. This will save you some money when using the Metro instead of buying individual tickets. A carnet is a book of 10 tickets.

3. Where to start? This depends on you and your girlfriend really. One nice thing to do is to have a meal at one of the many sidewalk cafes and spend a lot of time there. Once you get a table, it is basically yours for hours. This is a fun way to people watch if that is your thing. You can also window shop along the Champs Elyses but this can get you into trouble. I was going to do just that but ended up shopping inside as well. :) Of course there are many romantic areas to stroll - especially along the Seine River which splits the city in two.

4. Again, this depends on you. Places to consider, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre (although you need to know now this museum is MASSIVE), Notre Dame, St. Chappelle, Orsay Museum, etc, etc.

Please get a good guide book too so you can plan your time well. I used a variety of guidebooks, Rick Steve's Paris, Fodor's, and Eyewitness.

Again, have a great time!

Type Paris in the search box and you'll probably get an overload of information.

Type in the france search box: 100 Great things to do in paris

Have fun on your trip.

The above provide a lot of good advice. But the most important thing to keep in mind is that a lot of things will be a little bit different. And identifying those differences and figuring out how to deal with them is one of the joys of travel. Don't worry that things might go wrong. Most won't but a few will. Keep your sense of humor, roll with the punches and enjoy everything - just remember one of the main benefits of travel is that it helps to broaden, mature and enhance your appreciation of other cultrues in particular and life in general.

You'll have a great time.

prepare yourself - you may become addicted....with many reurns in your life. I have a rul about Paris "there is always next time" There is a great deal to see and do - don't try to do it all your first time...just enjoy the city of light....

They will NOT be mean to you. I don't know where the crazy idea of the "rude" French came from but it's just not true. They are like anyone. If you treat them with respect, they will treat you with respect.

Other posters have mentioned learning to say please, thank you, hello and goodbye. It's not difficult and will help you feel more like you belong.

They are a bit more formal and they do have some different customs . . . like not bugging you while you are eating by asking you, "Is everything all right?" when you have your mouth full and can't answer.

You do have to ask for the check when you're finished or you can sit there all night. That frustrates some Americans, but it's just a different custom.

Explore the entire Fodor's site and lots of other sites too. Do go to Paris and don't be afraid. It's a wonderful place and you will enjoy yourselves.

HI
I'm a loyal fodorite, but do check other chat forums such as
slowtrav, frommers, ricksteves, etc as they have a lot of budget-minded travel info.
I have a long file on Paris and would be happy to send it if you email me at
[email protected]

Book a hotel well in advance, the small popular economical ones fill up many months in advance. The hotel room will be a lot smaller than perhaps you are used to. Don't assume that there will be an elevator or airconditioning unless you know for sure.

Bon voyage