baldworth

How about it? My 18 year old daughter and I are going to be there for an EF convention this weekend and it would be interesting to meet many of you. I know that some of you don't think much of EF but they are paying for this trip to learn about leading groups and we are going. Anyone for a place maybe in Montmartre at say 10:00 Saturday night? We leave in the morning from Atlanta so I'll be curious if anyone is there now.

John

Intrepid1

We arrive on the morning of the 16th but I am sorry I do not know what "EF" stands for...

baldworth

EF is a tour company that has been mentioned on this site before so I assumed that most people would know, dumb me. We are staying in the La Defense area, unfortunately for just walking around but again they are paying for everything and it is air conditioned, and will be tied up all day but plan on wandering at night and especially plan to see Montmartre among other things Saturday evening as we missed it last time. Where do you live Intrepid1?

John

Intrepid1

Thanks very much for the reply and the clarification. Unfortunately, we have arranged for a private docent to guide us through Vaux-le-Vicomte that afternoon and evening so probably won't be back in our hotel until late that night.

We are only going to be in Paris for three nights this time and times have already gotten pretty much filled up for us. Therefore, it is probably unlikely we could join in a get-together.

We live in Arlington, VA....and thanks for posting and I am sure you will enjoy your trip.

baldworth

Thanks for the response. Maybe we'll get together another time.

John

111op

Sounds like you'll make it to one of these candlelit evenings in Vaux-le-Vicomte, Intrepid.

I was just there last week, but I made it to the outside of the castle only (had to sneak in, in fact), as we arrived too late.

If your docent doesn't point this out to you, here's a little tidbit: The castle was at one point owned by the Choiseul-Praslins, one of the most illustrious families of France. A cook for them invented the praline.

Enjoy your visit!

baldworth

ttt

cigalechanta

topping

baldworth

thanks cigalechanta ttt

Intrepid1

111OP:

Unfortunately, we had an e-mail from ContextParis yesterday after I posted my previous response.

Apparently, on weekends, the building closes at 6PM so they can "get ready" for the candlelight business which starts around, or after 8PM.

The Context folks are concerned about the ability to get back to the train station in Melun later on as the shuttle to and from stops running at 6PM and the docent went out last weekend and had a very hard time getting a cab back to the station in Melun.

What we now think will happen is we will go out earlier than originally planned in the afternoon and probably head back to Paris at 6 or before when the place closes and probably won't see the candles. Unfortunate but a car service is too pricey and renting a car just for this didn't seem worthwhile.

Disappointing but I suspect we'll enjoy it nonetheless.

kappa

> EF Convention

So that's not ELECTRIC FOOTBALL CONVENTION, the first result I got by googling?

I will be in Paris this weekend but probably will not go to Montmartre area this time.

AnthonyGA

I'll be in Paris all weekend, but it is so hot that it's hard to find the energy to go out and do anything. As usual, temperatures are 15° F above normal. With high humidity and no breeze, just going out to buy a bottle of mineral water becomes an ordeal.

Intrepid1

I always anticipate both heat and humidity in Paris in the Summer which is why I'm glad our hotel is very charmingly air conditioned! I agree that going out can get to be uncomfortable but I remain determined.

baldworth

Thanks for responding. Maybe I'll catch you next time. The predicted weather for Paris only shows one day at 90 with cooler temps at night. That's cooler than here and I bet they don't have north Georgia's humidity. Back in six days.

John

111op

Interpid, V-l-V does seem difficult to get to without a car. When I was there, I noticed some flyers advertising the shuttle to Melun (which I think runs only during the summers).

When I told a French friend here that I was at V-l-V, his reaction was, "Oh, that's the nicest one! Especially the interior." I told him that I didn't get to see the inside at all.

The grounds of the castle should still be open until 7. After we snuck in (around 5:45), we had enough time to see the grounds, visit the bookshop and buy some stuff from the cafe on site.

My friend in Paris has a car, so in a few hours, we also went to Fontainebleau, Milly-la-Foret, Barbizon and saw the Tinguely/Saint-Phalle sculpture called "Le Cyclop."

So that'd be an incentive to rent a car, as there's a lot to do near V-l-V. Personally I don't drive these days (and certainly not abroad), but it was nice to get someone else to do the driving, and I got to see a lot that I wouldn't otherwise have seen.

Anyway, I think that you'll enjoy your day trip.

mvor

Intrepid, FWIW, we rented a car last week in Paris at AVIS (St. Sulpice) for $70. We used Patrick's advice and arranged the car the day before we needed it and then were free to leave Paris as early as we wished (the office doesn't open until 8:00 am) on our travel day.

They also allowed us to drop off the car to the St. Sulpice underground parking lot after they closed (8:00 pm) and then return the followiing day to process the paperwork.

Have a terrific trip.