Kayb95

We've all made mistakes when planning that first trip (errors in judgement, planned poorly, over-planned, been hit with something unexpected, or just not known about something.) Since others may learn from our rookie mistakes, what were some of the mistakes you made when planning your first trip to France?

Judy_in_Calgary

A really, really dumb mistake. But it was many, many moons ago, on my first trip to Europe. Didn't know that each museum and art gallery closed one day a week. Consequently on that trip I missed the chance to visit an art gallery I'd wanted to see.

111op

Which art gallery was it and did you get to revisit?

ThinGorjus

Big Mistake #1: going up to a stranger and saying something like, "Excuse me, where is the Louvre Museum?" This will get you the cold shoulder, and you will walk away thinking that the French are rude. You must start out all your conversations with, "Bonjour Monsieur/Madame...," wait for a reply of "Bonjour," then procede with your query. Take your time when speaking.

Mistake #2: wearing a BOYCOTT FRANCE T-shirt on the Paris Metro.

Sally

Going from CDG to Paris on the train and metro with luggage and jetlag. Fortunately a very nice man actually walked us to the correct metro connection when we were totally turned around.

Now we take either a shuttle or taxi- definitely worth the money

SuzieC

Shamefully Stupid Rookie mistake... I gave the clerk a 20 Euro bill for my groceries and whatnots...he handed me a handful of change. I challenged him that he didn't give me my correct change. As an American, I expected a few one dollar bills and coins for the change. He "flipped me off" (not in the American flipping off" but by the look on his face and the wave of his hand it meant the same thing! Hehelped someone else.)
errrr...duhhhh...I haughtily left...realized that there were two 2 Euro coins...and the change
I slunk away...

mikemo

Relying on the viamichelin.com directions available on line.
They are in the business of selling maps, lol.
M

Sally

The first time we stayed in a location by a train station in not too great a neighborhood. We learned to research our hotel and neighborhood choices.

BlackAttire

I did hear of someone going to Paris deciding beforehand they'd forgo restaurant planning and reservations, that eating in Paris was extraneous to the full enjoyment of that lovely city. My understanding is they dined in their hotel room.

BTilke

Ordering a drink at the bar in cafe and then taking it to a table (for those who don't know, most cafes charge less for drinks taken standing at the bar than for those served at a table).
Expecting butter with your bread.
Learning to deal with the SMALL tables in many French cafes, brasseries, etc. What you may consider a table for two will easily serve as a table for four at French restaurants, esp. in Paris. Small tables placed close together are a real challenge for the clumsy...if you're not naturally graceful, try for a table at the end!

hopingtotravel

Mikemo, that's scary. Does that mean the viamichelin directions don't work? or just that driving distances take longer?

nukesafe

Not looking up closing times for museums.

Many years ago, on my first business trip to Paris, I just HAD to see the Louvre. Jumped into a cab late in the afternoon. Paid the cab driver and rushed to the ticket window, where the lady looked at me rather sharply, but sold me a ticket.

I hurried through the entrance doors, only to meet a line of official looking guys in uniform, with linked, arms coming toward me, blocking my path.

As I found out, this is a ritual clearing of the exhibits at closing time as they sweep the place clear of the last visitors.

Damned lady could have told me it was closing time -- when I went back to shout at her the ticket office was, of course, closed.

bookchick

Not booking a hotel prior to my arrival in Avignon during some kind of a festival that I knew nothing about. I had a travel book with me, took a cab from the train station, and had the driver drive me to a hotel that was..closed! He took me to another hotel listed in my guide, and they were full, but the concierge there gave me the address of another place where I did find lodging. The cabbie was so angry there was almost smoke coming out of his ears! I'd never encountered this problem before---and since then I've always booked a place prior to arriving in a town, so I guess I learned my lesson.

BC

letour

Coming into Paris via the AirFrance bus, toting luggage and feeling jet-lagged, and then stepping onto one of those high-speed moving concourses in a Paris metro station--only to be spit out at TGV speed onto my can at the end of the runway! Next time, it's taxi all the way!

mr_go

Forgetting to pack antiperspirant/deodorant. Especially if you're staying out in the country. In the summer. And bicycling a lot.

Kate_W

1. Looking up at the architecture instead of down at the sidewalk (smeared with dog poo, everywhere) in Paris.

2. Wearing shoes with grippy treads (so that said dog poo became caked in the treads).

3. Having learned these important lessons, failing to instruct my partner, so that then I had to share a hotel room with a guy who had dog poo caked in his grippy treads.

4. Learning a little too late how to do the scan downward, forward and left where my partner was walking (i.e. checking out the next ten feet of the street in front of my partner and me), which freed me to look up at the buildings and everything else going on above ground level.

BTilke

Kate W, I've been to Paris over 50 times and have yet to step in dog poo. It isn't *everywhere*--for example, you're highly unlikely to step in it in the Luxembourg Gardens, as dogs aren't allowed there (except in a small part on the side). And even though we usually stay in the 16th arrond, aka the Poodle Arrondissement, it's fairly poo free.

JeanneB

Well, mine sounds so stupid after all these. But, here goes.

I'm really obsessive about trip planning. I'd done so much research that I felt like I had the Paris city map engraved in my brain. I'm one of those people who rarely has to ask directions.

Somehow, though, in all my planning, I had gotten it in my head that our hotel was on the west side of the street. When we arrived, it was on the east side. To this day it still amazes me much that disoriented me. Even after I figured it out, I could NOT get it straight---even after we'd been there two weeks! To this day, I get turned around thinking about which direction we walked to get to the river. (And, yes, I had absorbed ALL the tips to get oriented with the river on the first day.)

It's hard to explain, but I think in all the months' pre-planning I was sub-consciously relating each landmark to our hotel...its direction when we walked out the door.

So, first timers, do yourself several favors. Don't allow yourself to get a "picture" in your mind of the orientation of your hotel. On the first day stand at the front of your hotel---looking at a map---and get your bearings with relation to major landmarks. Which way is the river? The Eiffel Tower? The Latin Qtr, etc.

It sounds like a small thing, but I sure wish I had done it.

tpatricco

I guess Kate W is more of a rookie than you are BTilke!! Poor Kate...I can just imagine those awful shoes!

flsd

My first trip to Paris was long before Al Gore invented the internet and the resultant hotel websites and quick reservations systems - I was relying on travel books like Fodors, Frommers and Let's Go for decent budget hotels and just figuring the one we wanted would be available when we got there. We got off the Metro at Boul. St.-Michel, headed for our intended hotel - and found a sign indicating it was closed for renovations. After a short walk (and the unwelcomed attention of various French young men who were loitering around movie theatres) we were fortunate to find an affordable and decent hotel.

The moral of the story: at least for the first night, make a reservation.