Abbeau..

Enjoyed your post. It is a cute apartment. I know you are enjoying it. So happy for you that you are enjoying the experience.
Happy Birthday to both of you!! You will have to add your trip report upon return home.

I will be back in Paris in a few weeks..I am 99% packed now....

a bientot..

Joan

To all..

Be sure when/if contacting Paris Perfect re reservations to use the permanent Fodors 15% discount..FODORS15 it is called along with the url
www.parisperfect.com/fodors.html

This is what I have used.

a bientot,

Joan

Abbeau,

Wishing you and your husband a very happy birthday in your beautiful PP apartment!

Joan and I will be there in a few weeks............

framboise

Can I just stay here a meet you guys in December????? I'll just hang out and wait. :-) We have decided THIS is the time to be in Paris. We have not had to wait in any lines and definitely are not oppressed by the crowds that we have experienced at other times of the year. (I actually took a picture of my husband as we were climbing up La Tour Eiffel and there wasn't another soul in the picture!) Granted, the weather isn't perfect, but it isn't awful either. The first two days were lovely, but since then it has been a bit gray but still around 50*. That is very tolerable. Some light rain, but nothing that makes one run for cover!

We have had wonderful meals while here. I would like to add to the list - La Petite Cour (at the Mabillion Metro - 8 Mabillon) We have been there a number of times over the years, and it has always been excellent. That is where we had the Birthday Dinner! (3-course meal with a bottle of wine 130 euros.)

Joan - One problem we did have, which I haven't talked to Paris Perfect about yet - but just so you are aware of it - we returned from dinner last night at 11:30 and put in the door code (several times) and it didn't open and made a sound like it was the wrong number. (it was NOT the wrong number.) We tried a number of times - even walked around a little and came back and tried again. I was beginning to panic, thinking we might have to go to a local hotel - then suddenly someone came out the door. (how likely is THAT in the USA where no one is out walking at midnight!) So we did get in. But I went in and my husband stayed outside and tried it again, and it still didn't work. :-(

The access code problem must have been scaary! I'm sure that you have called PP about it by now.

The access codes are changed rather regularly for all buildings. Perhaps it was changed and the word not gotten to all residents!! I'm sure PP will be on top of that!!

I know you are enjoying. Do go over to St. Dominique and some of the Constant restaurants. Les Cocottes and Cafe Constant do not take reservations, so get there early for lunch and dinner..open at 7:00 for dinner.

Enjoy your trip!! It sounds like you will be rteturning..and to more apartment stays. Now that you have done it once, you will no longer be satisfied with an apartment!

a bientot...

Joan

Obviously, that should have been "you will no longer be satisfied with a hotel"

Joan

Well, back home after an absolutely delightful time in Paris! We tried many of the restaurants mentioned by Fodorites, and I can truly say we did not have one "mediocre" meal. We were a tad confused about tipping, however. We were told that service is always included now, but then someone else told us no. If it is included, is it common practice to still leave some percentage amount? I know it used to be called "pour bois," and was just sort of the left-over change. But that seems kind of cheap these days. Anybody have any input about that?

At a mid-range to high-end restaurants, I usually leave an additional 5% if the service was good. Otherwise I leave 0.

If I were a struggling student, budget traveler, or a senior on a fixed income, I would also leave 0 (assuming I was not dining at high end restaurants).

By law, service is always included in the price listed on the menu. We dine out in France about 40 times each year - and I don't recall ever seeing otherwise.
Stu Dudley

Hello Abbeau,

I went to Paris last month and I have to agree with you about the meals, they were great!

We always checked the bill to see if service was included and, yes, I recall it usually was. We went to one restaurant where it wasn't mentioned on the bill but an American couple next to us said it was included and they didn't leave anything extra in tip. However, we left several euros. It seems especially easy when your pockets & purses tend to fill up with those 1 or 2 euro coins! So we felt better just leaving some euros behind if we felt the service was good. I don't know if others do the same.

-Roberta

Abbeau,

I know you enjoyed your stay in the Moulin-a-Vent apartment. Roberta stopped by the apt. with her sister and a friend while I was there.

Re the tipping. It is included, by law, as Stu said. I pretty much do the same as he does.

I will be back in Paris in 3 weeks!!

a bientot...

Joan

Thanks for the tipping info - we Americans tend to overtip, I think... but it was rather confusing.

Joan, which lovely PP apartment are you staying in this time? (I actually knew you were coming back because Cassandra told me.) :-)

Abbeau,
I will be staying in 3 different apartments...Two of them will probably be Pomerol and Medoc and the last one is unknown, at this time. The first two could also change. I'm sort of checking some out to become familiar with them. They do all the moving, so it is not a problem..I think it is fun.

I have the new running trip report started for December. You will be able to follow it there...we have all our dining eservations listed.

Did you find out what the access code problem was?

Joan

The door access code worked fine the next morning... But I do think PP should have an emergency-only number. They said they used to, but people misused it and called for ridiculous things. But still...
it was scary to be on the street and not be able to get in. Luckily there are a couple hotels right there so we wouldn't have been sleeping in the street. :-)

How do I find your December trip report? I love to read about your days there. And as long as I am asking dumb questions..... when people say they are bookmarking something, what are they doing??? I don't know how to bookmark and there are a lot of things I would love to save to return to.

bookmarking

Abbeau,

The Dec one is here:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35164888

The Sept/Oct one is here:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35154778

Bookmarking is saving it as I do with Internet Explorer to Favorites.

Joan

To bookmark something, first "pull up" the thread, as you probably did this one. Then (and this is important) click on the title to the thread at the top of the text - so on this thread you will click on "Paris Perfect Followers". The thread will re-appear exactly as before, but notice the URL will change. The "new" URL will have a long number at the end of it - like 123456789046443. Then "Bookmark" on some browsers or "Favorites" on aol.

Many people bookmark something by just doing a "Post a Reply" to get their screen name on the post so they can find it by clicking on their screen name at the top if the Fodors Travel Forum page. This is OK until you get a long list of stuff you have replied to, and the "bookmarked" thread starts to fall to the bottom of the list & you forget about it.

Stu Dudley

Abbeau,

Stu did a much better job for you re bookmarking.

Yes, as he said, click on the thread title to get its URL before you bookmark..for me it is Favorites.

Just ask for things like that. There are so many on this site who can help you.

Joan

Thank you both for your instruction... I've just been "reading" and always forget where I've been on this site - so NOW I know what to do. Thanks!!!