Trip Report - Paris, Marais, Plage and my feet are sore!
Aug 11th, 2005, 07:35 AM
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Trip Report - Paris, Marais, Plage and my feet are sore!
Hi All I will just start now while I have the time. I was in Paris this past Friday to Monday for a long weekend with a friend.
Went for the posh flights this time and flew Aerlingus as the price was good from Dublin. Its nicer to not have that 1.5 hour bus ride from Beauvais especially in the evening. Surprised by Charles de Gaulle airport, looked much crummier that I had thought and a bit like the Jetsons cartoom very 60's.
My friend was a bit under the weather and speaks French a bit better than me so walking to find the taxi rank she looked at some one and asked if he was a taxi (We thought he was like a hackney here as there were a few hanging around in suits). He said yes and took us to his lovely Merc...now to be honest I would prefer the rank as I know we are going to get screwed but I let this go as my friend is a bit wrecked and its pretty easy......well arrived quickly and safely to the Hotel Axial Beaubourg on rue du Temple in the 3rd and it cost.........70 euro...f**king heck! No traffic etc very Pissed off for taking him. I ALWAYS get done over for money once every trip I take. My boyfriend and I laugh about it now but it still annoys me.
It was about 9:30pm by the time we arrived and checked in and dumped the bags...The lift was broken and we had to walk up two flights of skinny stairs with our bags. My shoulder is killing me now. The room is fine but the whole place is not quite as good as expected. For 160 I also think we were done over. I will attach my other post on that later. We went back to a small square we drove by on the taxi on rue du Rivoli and ate outside at ______(will look at notes I think its Enticienelle or similar). Had a glass of champagne first, carafe of Bordeaux with our goats cheese pasta and and Possibly another glass of wine. We were glued to our seats and chilling and had a lovely waiter. The speaking fr3nch so far was going well between the knowledge we both had. The place was nice for a first night but pricey at 87euro for two that included the service charge. The glass of champagne was the most expensive one of trip at 10 euro each. Ah well its a treat and usually 18-20euro in Dublin so there! Off to sleep at the Hotel Axial Beaubourg. Not a terribly exciting night
Went for the posh flights this time and flew Aerlingus as the price was good from Dublin. Its nicer to not have that 1.5 hour bus ride from Beauvais especially in the evening. Surprised by Charles de Gaulle airport, looked much crummier that I had thought and a bit like the Jetsons cartoom very 60's.
My friend was a bit under the weather and speaks French a bit better than me so walking to find the taxi rank she looked at some one and asked if he was a taxi (We thought he was like a hackney here as there were a few hanging around in suits). He said yes and took us to his lovely Merc...now to be honest I would prefer the rank as I know we are going to get screwed but I let this go as my friend is a bit wrecked and its pretty easy......well arrived quickly and safely to the Hotel Axial Beaubourg on rue du Temple in the 3rd and it cost.........70 euro...f**king heck! No traffic etc very Pissed off for taking him. I ALWAYS get done over for money once every trip I take. My boyfriend and I laugh about it now but it still annoys me.
It was about 9:30pm by the time we arrived and checked in and dumped the bags...The lift was broken and we had to walk up two flights of skinny stairs with our bags. My shoulder is killing me now. The room is fine but the whole place is not quite as good as expected. For 160 I also think we were done over. I will attach my other post on that later. We went back to a small square we drove by on the taxi on rue du Rivoli and ate outside at ______(will look at notes I think its Enticienelle or similar). Had a glass of champagne first, carafe of Bordeaux with our goats cheese pasta and and Possibly another glass of wine. We were glued to our seats and chilling and had a lovely waiter. The speaking fr3nch so far was going well between the knowledge we both had. The place was nice for a first night but pricey at 87euro for two that included the service charge. The glass of champagne was the most expensive one of trip at 10 euro each. Ah well its a treat and usually 18-20euro in Dublin so there! Off to sleep at the Hotel Axial Beaubourg. Not a terribly exciting night
Aug 11th, 2005, 09:30 AM
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Why were you taken for money if it was your friend's choice to take that private driver? Well, maybe you were being nice to pay part but if you take a private driver, you should have agreed on a rate ahead of time, right? You know a legitimate taxi is not standing around soliciting business elsewhere, they have to be in the queue (or get in trouble with the head guy, I think). I've never been in any Western European airport that didn't have an official taxi rank where you know is the place you have to go to get a legitimate cab. I have been in some other countries on other continents where it was more a free for all. I think this can be a good thing for people who don't travel much to learn about, though, that taxis are in taxi ranks, and if you take a private driver, you'd better have a firm agreement ahead of time (and know what is a good deal).
CDG is getting a bit faded and maybe sort of Jetson-y.
CDG is getting a bit faded and maybe sort of Jetson-y.
Aug 11th, 2005, 11:27 AM
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That old CDG terminal is a disgrace to all of France. Besides for Rome Fumiciano it has to be one of the ugliest terminals in all of Europe!
Do you think you really paid for "location, location" at the Axial? I am so glad you left a post about it because I almost stayed there!
Do you think you really paid for "location, location" at the Axial? I am so glad you left a post about it because I almost stayed there!
Aug 11th, 2005, 11:37 AM
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I appreciate your trip report too, Siobhan. Your review of the Axial Beaubourg is very helpful. It'll save lots of prospective guests disappointment. I'm sure this hotel was written up in Travel & Leisure five years ago. I guess it was fine then but now it's not a good choice--at least not at those ripoff rates they're charging.
Aug 12th, 2005, 12:56 AM
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Hi all just a quick one here as I forgot to bring my notes to work again! Christina is right alwaysgo to the rank but I was not going to Argue with a hungover very PMT, german woman (And my lovely friend!) sometimes you gotta just go with the flow . Also yes to anyone I would not reccommend doing this unless you are in a rush and don't mind the expense.
Richard - I think the location was good for our needs..needed to do some shopping etc for things I can't get here in Dublin and the prices are better. I do think the hotel may have had better rooms or nicer ones than ours as we faced the courtyard but maybe they did not want to place us too high with a broken lift. I would do the same as a hotel manager.
Fell asleep Friday night after much enjoyed bordeaux and dinner and watched 2 episodes of sex and the city in French. It was hilarious and Big was still called Big with a french accent. Too funny. Sat we woke up (No noise from builders on the weekend) and went to breakfast. The breakfast lady was such a sweetheart. A middle aged african lady and vey smiley/motherly. Had coffe.croissants fruit cup (a bit tired looking). Why is the bread o lovely and flakey and I cannot get this in Dublin. Totally different.
Being beside BHV we popped in to the hardwarre department and saw a few things to take back for my pother hald (sad I know) and found a beautiful suede and fake fur collar coat...bugger could not but as I would not have any money for the last day! Hit almost every shop from there and got an outfit in H&M for a wedding (Can't believe it myself) and hit occitane etc. People in the shops are so much friendlier than dublin. We have lost our sense of manners with the Celtic Tiger. Made a few stops in unremarkable cafes for my friend to sit a while and have coffee and then wandered across the river to explore this is where we first saw the Paris plage.
Will write more have to do some work Bah!
. Also yes to anyone I would not reccommend doing this unless you are in a rush and don't mind the expense.Richard - I think the location was good for our needs..needed to do some shopping etc for things I can't get here in Dublin and the prices are better. I do think the hotel may have had better rooms or nicer ones than ours as we faced the courtyard but maybe they did not want to place us too high with a broken lift. I would do the same as a hotel manager.
Fell asleep Friday night after much enjoyed bordeaux and dinner and watched 2 episodes of sex and the city in French. It was hilarious and Big was still called Big with a french accent. Too funny. Sat we woke up (No noise from builders on the weekend) and went to breakfast. The breakfast lady was such a sweetheart. A middle aged african lady and vey smiley/motherly. Had coffe.croissants fruit cup (a bit tired looking). Why is the bread o lovely and flakey and I cannot get this in Dublin. Totally different.
Being beside BHV we popped in to the hardwarre department and saw a few things to take back for my pother hald (sad I know) and found a beautiful suede and fake fur collar coat...bugger could not but as I would not have any money for the last day! Hit almost every shop from there and got an outfit in H&M for a wedding (Can't believe it myself) and hit occitane etc. People in the shops are so much friendlier than dublin. We have lost our sense of manners with the Celtic Tiger. Made a few stops in unremarkable cafes for my friend to sit a while and have coffee and then wandered across the river to explore this is where we first saw the Paris plage.
Will write more have to do some work Bah!
Aug 12th, 2005, 05:14 AM
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Sorry brain freeze there! here it is http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...hanP&fid=2
Aug 12th, 2005, 07:02 AM
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I guess I'm confused by this rogue taxi thing. You seem to indicate that when your friend approached the guy you KNEW you were going to get "screwed", but did it anyway, and then seemed surprised you WERE taken. Huh?
If a guy approached you with a "Rolex" under his sleeve for $50 and you buy it suspecting it is a fake, would you still be upset later when you find out it is indeed a fake? Seems like the same thing to me.
If a guy approached you with a "Rolex" under his sleeve for $50 and you buy it suspecting it is a fake, would you still be upset later when you find out it is indeed a fake? Seems like the same thing to me.
Aug 12th, 2005, 10:23 AM
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Come on guys ... leave her alone about the taxi rip-off. She explained why she didn't argue with her friend even though she was suspicious. It didn't hinder the rest of her stay, so let it go. She went with the flow and that is what it takes to make a great trip even better.
BHV hardward department is one of our favorite shopping places in Paris - absolutely love that place. We've come home with door closers (numatic that we couldn't find here), drawer knobs, tools and the Bricolage Cafe is something special too.
BHV hardward department is one of our favorite shopping places in Paris - absolutely love that place. We've come home with door closers (numatic that we couldn't find here), drawer knobs, tools and the Bricolage Cafe is something special too.
Aug 15th, 2005, 12:05 AM
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Patrick I always try to be optimistic in these situations. Sometime you got to go with the flow when travelling with others and Yeah I knew it would be high but was surprised by €70.00. Personally I wanted to take a taxi from the rank but when you having someone not feeling well and want to just get out then yes we paid for it knowingly. Just hate it beacuse I could have used the money for another bottle of wine instead .
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