Paris next week - need help
 

HI !

I posted a message but am realizing I need a lot of help with my first trip to Europe - Paris ! next week by myself - solo woman.

I will be at a womans trade show at the Paris Jardin Des Tuileres. Does anyone know if there is a convenient reasonable hotel or is it better to stay near shopping places as there is where I will be spending the next few days - shopping (research into trends and fashion) I know nothing about where I am going and have absolutely no time to get any info since I own my company and have to work 24/7. Any help? I am not worried about food or anything - just need to be near good shopping places (not brand names that are available in US) to look for ideas and inspiration for future collection.

I am excited and apprehensive - my husband declined to go.
Thanks for all your help. freddie

Given how important this trip is to your business, it might be worthwhile to hire someone to help you plan it, given you have no time. Some travel consultants are listed on the SlowTrav.com site. I wouldn't rely on a random travel agent.

You work 24/7. No sleeping?

there is the italie2 shopping centre in place italie. take a look at TATI, very big business in france

PS

"and have absolutely no time to get any info since I own my company and have to work 24/7."

this is your excuse?
you mean we do the research for you (instead of doing my homework or finishing my office assignment) for free, while you run your business and get rich for future trips to paris.

If your show is in the JArdin de Tuileries you are right in the center of the best shopping in the world! St Germain on the left bank and the whole right bank is at your feet! Any of the hotels in the Rue Jacob area would be a short walk from the show area. Try the Verneuil, Lenox, Danube, Angleterre, Millesime..on the right bank try the Brittanique. Most of those have websites

Central Paris is very compact and you are within easy reach of any areas you may want to frequent. And although you THINK you may not have time to plan, you will not maximize your time in Paris if you don't. You really need to familiarize yourself with what is available in relation to what you want to accomplish. You have certainly waited long enough to even ask.
The fashion district is the Sentier (is that right someone?) near the Grands Boulevards. I agree with the person who said something about a guide--but not a travel agent. A guide IN Paris. I would suggest you try to contact Michael Osman at [email protected] immediately and engage his services.

As far as a place to stay, did you get any hotel information with your trade show information from the promoters? Often promoters offer a reduced "convention" rate to attendees at hotel that are convenient to the show location.

ok, let's get some details

Your show is actually IN the Jardin des Tuileries. All I can say is that doesn't sound right to me, it's an outdoor public park without a building. Your show is NEAR the Tuileries? In what venue? And what price makes a hotel 'reasonable' to you, especially in these days of poor dollar to euro ratios?
For my most recent trip to Paris last month I'd researched this right bank hotel and found good comments on it at www.tripadvisor.com : Hotel des Etats Unis Opera, www.hotel-paris-opera.com
16 rue d'Antin, in the 2nd. There is a direct Roissy bus link from CDG airport to the Opera Garnier stop, which is very near the hotel.

Get on line with amazon.com and have them express mail to you a Streetwise Paris map, and a book by Suzy Gershon on shopping in Paris--I forget the exact title,it might be 'Born to Shop',but it's a long-time popular book that is updated regularly.

I have a long file on Paris that you could skim through on the plane, though it's not so strong on shopping per se, but it does have some general tips.
If you'd like to see it, email me at
[email protected]

Re: Gretchen's query above.

The Sentier is kind of the wholesale/jobber/sweat shop district of Paris. No need to go there unless you'll be buying from those places and frankly, if you were, you'd probably know about it and have your appointments all set up.

I'd go to a web site that books hotels, plug in your dates, and see what's available. If this is a big trade show, the hotels near the Tuileries are probably already booked, but Paris is so compact and has so many transportation options that you should be quite fine even if you're staying a bit away from the show.

What demographic are you trying to reach? That would help us determine where to send you for people watching, trend research etc. It's going to be very different if you're looking for trends that would appeal to a 20-year-old vs. a 45 year-old.

Although no matter what demographic, you may pick up a lot walking down rue du Temple in the 3rd and 4th--that's the wholesale handbag district.

I recommend picking up the Time Out Paris book, as well as one of they myriad books on shopping in Paris that are available in most major bookstores or on line and immersing yourself in them on the plane. That way, as someone said upthread, you'll have a bit of a plan and won't waste time trying to figure out where to go, what to do, and how to get there.

Best of luck! I hope you enjoy Paris.

Have you really delved into the info from the trade show - usually they provide a lot of stuff that will help you figure out what's going on and where you need to go. I would also contact their central office to try to find a fashion guide for at least one day to help you find what you're looking for (others are correct - you;re not clear what you;re looking for - young vs adult, trendy vs sophisticated etc) and there's so much going on in fashion in Paris witout help I'm afraid you'll be lost.

Also - the info on the Jardin des Tuileries must be wrong - it's just a large public park - can;t be holding an event there in Feb or March!

This would appear to be the relevant trade show:
<b>ATMOSPHERE D'HIVER</b>
du 4 au 7 mars 2005 de 10h00 &agrave; 19h00
<b>Terrasse des Feuillants Jardins des Tuileries</b>
et H&ocirc;tel St James - 75001 - M° Tuileries ou Concorde

Here is a list of commercial show rooms:
http://www.modemonline.com/france/show_rooms_w.html

This appears to be a useful website:
http://www.infomat.com/calendar/infsp0000022.html

This seems to be a workshop related to the show:
http://www.tradefairguide.com/en/fai...005/index2.php

Here are some very nice hotels in the general area:

<b>Hotel Mansart</b>
http://www.esprit-de-france.com/en/h...entation/5.htm
5, rue des Capucines 75001 Paris
T&eacute;l. :+33 (0)1.42.61.50.28
Fax :+33 (0)1.49.27.97.44

<b>Hotel du Louvre</b>
http://www.hoteldulouvre.com/
Place Andr&eacute; Malraux 75001 PARIS
T&eacute;l. : (33) 01.44.58.38.38
Fax : (33) 01.44.58.38.01

<b>Hotel Lancaster</b>
http://www.hotel-lancaster.fr/index2.htm
7 RUE DE BERRI 75008 PARIS
Tel: 01 40 76 40 76
Fax: 01 40 76 40 00

Some nice but less expensive hotels:

<b>Hotel Verneuil</b>
http://www.hotelverneuil.com/
8 Rue de Verneuil - 75007 Paris
Tel 33-(0)1 42 60 82 14
Fax 33-(0)1 42 61 40 38
e-mail : [email protected]

<b>Relais du Louvre</b>
http://www.france-hotel-guide.com/h7...laislouvre.htm
19, rue des Pr&ecirc;tres-Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois - 75001
Tel. : +33(0)1 40 41 96 42
Fax : +33(0)1 40 41 96 44

<b>Hotel Tronchet</b>
http://www.hotels-exclusive.com/hotels/tronchet/
22, rue Tronchet - 75008 PARIS
T&eacute;l: 33.(0)1.55.33.16.55
Fax: 33.(0)1.55.33.16.56

I am not a shopper, so can't comment on best shopping areas.

here is a link to your other posting on this same topic

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34574862

I thought perhaps it was in some of the show or conference rooms underground, connected to the Louvre, as some fashion shows are held there. However, that is a terrace that runs along the top (north) side of the Tuileries.

Just look for a hotel near the Tuileries or Louvre.

Of course, you could try for one where the show is, St James et Albany. I think the Hotel du Louvre or Relais du Louvre are good ideas, as Travelnuts suggests. Another good 3* hotel nearby is Hotel de la Place du Louvre. It's on various places, such as www.123france.com

You do realize that if this is a very large trade show, the odds that you are going to get a last minute room in a good, convenient hotel nearby are pretty slim.

Again, thanks for all the wonderful help re: my trip to Paris this weekend.
Actually I just came to know about the show last week and wanted to jump on the chance of going to a fashion trade show instead of saying it is too late to make arrangements. I actually was trying all sorts of &quot;key words&quot; in Google before coming across Fodors website.

I am actually looking for fashion for the 20 + woman and up - fun, funky, cute and unique.

The website,for the trade show did not seem to be very helpful to buyers www.premiere-classe.com No info on hotels or address. Perhaps doing this in the wee hours I missed it - but I checked many times . Actually to answer some cheeky questions, yes, I do sleep 4 hours a day. Started my business 2 years ago and did over a million before my second year and it was only 2 people in the company now four. But since getting to know the fodor site and all the exciting places people are going to, I am thinking I know I should work less and play more as we do not have kids.

If I'm not mistaken, the Jardin Des Tuileres has a huge underground mall and a huge Metro connection there (it took me 2 visits to Paris to realize it was more than just a park!). I love staying in the St. Germain area because it is so close to everything and it has an active night life so you don't feel out-of-place walking at night back to your hotel. Hotel St. Joan D'Arc is inexpensive, very old Paris, and nicely updated rooms (except there is no elevator--but boy do you get in shape in Paris), and easy to talk to other guests at breakfast and get to know your fellow travelers. It is rather noisy at night there since it's right in the middle of the action, so bring earplugs if noises bother you. You can walk to everything from there and your convention site is not too far a walk either...pretty much just across the river.

Okay, for 20 and up, I would browse the Marais area, as mentioned. Make sure you go as far north as rue Charlot and as far south as the Seine. You might also enjoy going a bit further east into the 10th and 11th arrondisments, which have a number of unique and youthful shops.

On the Left Bank, wander the streets that Ira has recommended (although the designs they exhibit may hold more appeal to for a more mature crowd). There are also some small shops on the streets that lead off Boulevard Saint Michel into the 6th--I saw some stunning accessories in a shop on rue Monsieur-le-Prince, I believe.

And walk down the main street of the Isle Saint Louis. I always find interesting things there--jewelry, handbags, etc.

There is no huge underground mall at the Tuileries by name, and the Tuileries metro stop is a small station.
There is, farther east on rue de Rivoli, an entrance to the Louvre Carousel shops, and that is the underground shopping area which I think ojoy is referring to. The shops can be entered near the Carousel Arc, at the Louvre end of the Tuileries. It can be entered also via the Louvre Palais Royal metro stop, underground (which is a good way to enter the Louvre anyway.)

Hi f1,

You can find both of your posts by clicking on your name.