Reporting back - last minute plans for Paris over Thskgving
 

I'm following up my post of 11/11 about buying last minute plane tickets to Paris over Thanksgiving and looking for last minute hotel reservations (Carol, thanks for your help). The bottom line is that Thanksgiving is the peak of the slow season, and it's hard but not impossible to find rooms in the location and price range you want 10 days before you go. <BR> <BR>The details: My goal was a 3-star hotel in the Latin Quarter for around $100 night, and I got serious about the search over the weekend. I found a web site (http://www.france-guide.com) that includes winter promotions for some of the entries, and I sent e-mails or faxes to 8 of them on 11/15. I've heard from 5 so far: 3 are booked for some or all of the time and 2 have rooms. One of the 2 reported that the only room open is their most expensive at $216 a night -- no way. The other has offered a room at $125 although their advertised winter promotion rate for a double is $100 - - I've faxed back asking for the lower rate. However, their high season rate is $150 and it's by the Pantheon, so it's a good deal either way. <BR> <BR>Hope this is of interest to anyone else who took advantage of last week's air sale. I would be glad to hear about events in Paris Nov. 25-30. <BR> <BR>Joe

Joe, We'll be there during the same week, I have looked at the schedule of concerts at St Chapelle and St Julien Le Pauvre on www.ampconcerts for the week (many readers recommend these). I also found in my Fodor's 99 Paris book that there is a Christmas Market from late Nov to late Dec. It features 'crafts, gifts and toys from every region of France'. I'm still trying to find out where; I se it is in the 10th off metro stop Gqare de Est. Address is supposed to be 'pl. du 11- Novembre-1918'. What does that mean?

Kristine: You'll probably hear from a ton of people about the meaning of the address"place du 11 novembre." It loosely translates "Armistice Day Place" though I'm not sure where that is. You should be able to find it on your Paris map though. Bon voyage, Joan

Kristine: You'll probably hear from a ton of people about the meaning of the address"place du 11 novembre." It loosely translates "Armistice Day Place" though I'm not sure where that is. You should be able to find it on your Paris map though. Bon voyage, Joan

Hi Joe--glad to hear you're making progress. www.paris-touristoffice.com has complete schedules of every event in Paris (concerts, theatre, sports, rock, etc. etc.)by date. Have fun!!

Hi all, We're leaving for Paris Wednesday afternoon, and I'm drawing up a list of things to do from this post and the other current Paris threads, among other sources. The only interesting events that I've come across that I haven't seen mentioned on Fodors are: 1) daily tethered balloon rides weather permitting -- part of the millenium celebration -- at the Park Andre Citroen, and 2) an indoor garden exhibition at the Jardin Planetaire at La Villette. Does anyone know if there are Thankgsgiving services/observations in Paris (similar to the one at St. Paul's in London)? Thanks again, Joe

An FYI, if you haven't already seen Monet's WaterLilies at the L'Orangerie, these are the only rooms open at the museum right now. They remain open until January 10, 2000, when the entire museum is renovated and closed until 2002. the rest of the museum is currently closed but you can see the waterlilies. Also covered by the museum pass.

For Thanksgiving services, it's a good bet that the American Church (quai d'Orsay, 7th) and the American Cathedral (avenue George V, 8th) have something going on.

I don't mean to throw cold water on anybody's Paris/Thanksgiving plans, but this just in from USA Today (today): <BR> <BR>French workers strike, again <BR> <BR>A series of strikes appear to be continuing across France this week as <BR>unions show their disapproval of concessions sought in exchange for <BR>cutting the workweek to 35 hours. Three of the country's biggest unions called for a national strike on Wednesday. Strikes are expected to affect public transportation, broadcasting, hospitals and fire fighting. <BR> <BR>also... <BR> <BR>Authorities in France are reporting that storms have blanketed parts of the <BR>country in up to a foot of snow. The snow and ice have made driving treacherous, forcing soldiers to dig out stranded motorists. The blizzard has also closed highways and mountain passes in Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Italy and Spain. The Barcelona airport was closed briefly and tens of thousands of homes are without power. Train service near Marseilles was disrupted after trees fell onto the tracks and another train from Nimes de-railed but no injuries are reported. <BR> <BR>I'm thinking maybe I picked a good year to go enjoy the Macy's parade!