Kristina's Big Fat Fortieth in France 2008 -A week in Paris and the Dordogne Trip Report
Oct 16th, 2008, 07:45 AM
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Kristina's Big Fat Fortieth in France 2008 -A week in Paris and the Dordogne Trip Report
Warning, this is going to be long. I have a real problem with self-edit so if you don't like all the gory details, this may drive you crazy. If you're like me and relish in other people's lengthy trip reports for your own planning or just for fun, then hang on...
<b> Preface</b>
I wasn’t planning on going back to Europe any time soon. Not this year. Not having just been to Rome in March and certainly not with the euro hovering around $1.60.
It’s all my mother’s fault.
In the car, after picking my husband and me up from the airport on our way home from Rome, she said, “You’re turning 40 this year so I thought I’d take you on a trip. Anywhere you want to go.”
Sounds great, right? Easy?
Not so fast. That’s just too much choice for me to handle. We talked about Egypt and China and a bunch of other places, but I just could not commit.
Fast forward a couple of months and our friends invite us to join them in France in the Dordogne for their 20th anniversary celebration at a <i>chateau</i>. My husband can’t go because it’s in the beginning of the school year and he's a teacher, but the week coincides with another trip my mother was planning to Germany.
So, I start looking at airfare for our dates and I am appalled to find almost nothing under $1200. The more we talk about it, “How about a few days in Paris too?” (Mom has never been to France), the more we want to go.
So, in the end, this trip becomes my "birthday trip". The trip falls in the week around the Big Day, and my mother buys me an upgradable ticket on United. I manage to cobble together enough miles to get myself upgraded to business class both ways.
Next: The research and planning begins....
<b> Preface</b>
I wasn’t planning on going back to Europe any time soon. Not this year. Not having just been to Rome in March and certainly not with the euro hovering around $1.60.
It’s all my mother’s fault.
In the car, after picking my husband and me up from the airport on our way home from Rome, she said, “You’re turning 40 this year so I thought I’d take you on a trip. Anywhere you want to go.”
Sounds great, right? Easy?
Not so fast. That’s just too much choice for me to handle. We talked about Egypt and China and a bunch of other places, but I just could not commit.
Fast forward a couple of months and our friends invite us to join them in France in the Dordogne for their 20th anniversary celebration at a <i>chateau</i>. My husband can’t go because it’s in the beginning of the school year and he's a teacher, but the week coincides with another trip my mother was planning to Germany.
So, I start looking at airfare for our dates and I am appalled to find almost nothing under $1200. The more we talk about it, “How about a few days in Paris too?” (Mom has never been to France), the more we want to go.
So, in the end, this trip becomes my "birthday trip". The trip falls in the week around the Big Day, and my mother buys me an upgradable ticket on United. I manage to cobble together enough miles to get myself upgraded to business class both ways.
Next: The research and planning begins....
Oct 16th, 2008, 07:57 AM
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<b>Planning</b>
Something I did while planning my trip to Rome was email "Tidbits", (links to interesting things I found while researching) to my friends.
I did the same for Paris.
To see the "Tidbits", you can check them out on my website:
http://www.wired2theworld.com
Click on the Paris trip and "Paris Tidbits".
Tidbits include links to museums, walking tours, markets, festivals, transportaion options, etc.
In addition, I created my own Google Map of restaurants, sightseeing places, shops, etc and this is on my website as well.
<b>Accommodation Search:</b>
The accommodation search for hotels in Paris (3 nights at the beginning of the week and 2 nights at the end) was frustrating to say the least. I must have looked at least 50 hotels in the “under 130 euro per night” range.
We wanted to keep our cost below $200 a night, but it was hard. Rooms at that rate in Paris are not really comparable with what you find for that amount here in the US. Even Priceline did not seem to be turning up much.
I looked at lots of apartments too, but most will not rent for less than four nights and many had high cleaning fees for stays under a week.
Our criteria were that the hotel has to have some charm, have WiFi access, and a good central location. I discovered that most hotels have Wifi, but almost all charge a fee for it.
We kept the choices very “central” compared to where my husband and I have stayed on our last few times in Paris (the 18th and the 9th).
In the end, we selected two different places for our time in Paris. I wanted one on the Right Bank and one on the left so my Mom could get a feel for the different areas. It seems that most hotels offer breakfast, but again for a fee. The years of breakfast being included in the hotel rate are over.
The hotels we selected were:
The Hotel Grandes Ecoles (http://www.hotel-grandes-ecoles.com, 118 euro/night) in the 5th for our first few nights,
La Boisserie (http://www.laboissiere-grandbrassac.com, 85 euro/night inc. breakfast!) in Grand Brassac for our time in the Dordogne,
and the Hotel Beaubourg (www.hotelbeaubourg.com 130 euro/night) in the 4th for our last two nights in Paris.
Something I did while planning my trip to Rome was email "Tidbits", (links to interesting things I found while researching) to my friends.
I did the same for Paris.
To see the "Tidbits", you can check them out on my website:
http://www.wired2theworld.com
Click on the Paris trip and "Paris Tidbits".
Tidbits include links to museums, walking tours, markets, festivals, transportaion options, etc.
In addition, I created my own Google Map of restaurants, sightseeing places, shops, etc and this is on my website as well.
<b>Accommodation Search:</b>
The accommodation search for hotels in Paris (3 nights at the beginning of the week and 2 nights at the end) was frustrating to say the least. I must have looked at least 50 hotels in the “under 130 euro per night” range.
We wanted to keep our cost below $200 a night, but it was hard. Rooms at that rate in Paris are not really comparable with what you find for that amount here in the US. Even Priceline did not seem to be turning up much.
I looked at lots of apartments too, but most will not rent for less than four nights and many had high cleaning fees for stays under a week.
Our criteria were that the hotel has to have some charm, have WiFi access, and a good central location. I discovered that most hotels have Wifi, but almost all charge a fee for it.
We kept the choices very “central” compared to where my husband and I have stayed on our last few times in Paris (the 18th and the 9th).
In the end, we selected two different places for our time in Paris. I wanted one on the Right Bank and one on the left so my Mom could get a feel for the different areas. It seems that most hotels offer breakfast, but again for a fee. The years of breakfast being included in the hotel rate are over.
The hotels we selected were:
The Hotel Grandes Ecoles (http://www.hotel-grandes-ecoles.com, 118 euro/night) in the 5th for our first few nights,
La Boisserie (http://www.laboissiere-grandbrassac.com, 85 euro/night inc. breakfast!) in Grand Brassac for our time in the Dordogne,
and the Hotel Beaubourg (www.hotelbeaubourg.com 130 euro/night) in the 4th for our last two nights in Paris.
Oct 16th, 2008, 08:12 AM
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<b>Planning-Car</b>
We needed to have a car for our 3 days in the Dordogne. The plan was to take the train to Angouleme and pick up the car there.
I always check with Auto Europe first when renting a car in Europe. I've had nothing but good experiences with them. Usually they have the best rates and/or will match anything better you can find. But we waited and the rate went up to $50 a day for 3 days plus an extortionist $50 surcharge for renting from the train station at Angouleme.
Then I checked the British site for Autoeurope and the rates, even in British Pounds were better and did not include the surcharge. We gave our home address in the US and this did not raise any red flags. Plus, I saw various posts here and Slow travel from others who have done the same with no problems.
Later, some of our friends who rented from the US Auto Europe site were "surprised" by the rail station surcharge on arrival in Angouleme (they had booked through a travel agent who neglected to tell them about the extra fee). Our booking form (from the UK site) clearly stated this charge was included in our rate and thus, we were not charged the extra surcharge.
<b>Planning-Train </b>
I used the French railway web site, Voyages SNCF, to buy our train tickets. Look for PREM fares, which are highly discounted, but non refundable. You can print out Prems, but not other types of fares which must be picked up at the station. Set your location to France, not US, otherwise you get routed to the RailEurope website which is more expensive and doesn’t always have the discounted fares. You can try the TGV web site too, which is in English, but also does not always show PREMS.
I was able to find 19 euro each way Prem fares from Paris/Angouleme by waiting and searching. At one point these fares were up to 108 euro each way.
<b>Planning-RER to Paris from CDG</b>
I was nervous here about this, going by myself, even though I'd done it before with my husband. But I didn’t want to spend 40-55 euro on a cab when I could spend 8.40 on the RER and not have to risk sitting in traffic. There is a good web site with lots of details on how to do it, how to buy tickets etc, called www.parisbytrain.com.
<b>Packing notes</b>
One 22” roll aboard, one small carry on bag. That’s it. I’m a little more challenged this time my need to bring “dressy” clothes for the Anniversary event. I would not usually bring a dress and high heels.
You can see everything I packed and how I did it on my Packing page on my website: http://www.wired2theworld.com/BasicPacklist.html
<b>Language:</b>
I’ve never been great with foreign languages. I took 4 years of Spanish in High School and College, lived in Madrid for 3 months, and spoke it for a good portion of my career and yet, I still have problems conjugating irregular verbs.
I’ve also taken Italian classes and listened to CDs in my car, so I have a rudimentary ability in that language as well.
But French? No way. I’ve always left that to my husband who is fluent. To me, spoken French has always sounded like the adults on the Peanut’s TV specials, <i>“Wah wah, wah wah wha wah.”</i>
So imagine my dismay when I realized I would not have my own personal translator along on this trip. This meant I might actually have to learn some French beyond “Bonjour!”.
I downloaded some language CD’s and started listening to them in my car.
CD #1 went well as it was the basics. I must admit I called DH from the car, incredulous, when they got to the counting and the translation for the number 90 is literally four-twenty-ten. <i>Seriously?</i> They could not come up with an individual word to represent ninety?
After that it all started to sound like “Wah wah, wah wah wha wah” to me. I needed more time.
Ultimately, I think listening to the CDs was helpful, but I certainly was no where near able to speak it by the time I left. Still, I did my best!
We needed to have a car for our 3 days in the Dordogne. The plan was to take the train to Angouleme and pick up the car there.
I always check with Auto Europe first when renting a car in Europe. I've had nothing but good experiences with them. Usually they have the best rates and/or will match anything better you can find. But we waited and the rate went up to $50 a day for 3 days plus an extortionist $50 surcharge for renting from the train station at Angouleme.
Then I checked the British site for Autoeurope and the rates, even in British Pounds were better and did not include the surcharge. We gave our home address in the US and this did not raise any red flags. Plus, I saw various posts here and Slow travel from others who have done the same with no problems.
Later, some of our friends who rented from the US Auto Europe site were "surprised" by the rail station surcharge on arrival in Angouleme (they had booked through a travel agent who neglected to tell them about the extra fee). Our booking form (from the UK site) clearly stated this charge was included in our rate and thus, we were not charged the extra surcharge.
<b>Planning-Train </b>
I used the French railway web site, Voyages SNCF, to buy our train tickets. Look for PREM fares, which are highly discounted, but non refundable. You can print out Prems, but not other types of fares which must be picked up at the station. Set your location to France, not US, otherwise you get routed to the RailEurope website which is more expensive and doesn’t always have the discounted fares. You can try the TGV web site too, which is in English, but also does not always show PREMS.
I was able to find 19 euro each way Prem fares from Paris/Angouleme by waiting and searching. At one point these fares were up to 108 euro each way.
<b>Planning-RER to Paris from CDG</b>
I was nervous here about this, going by myself, even though I'd done it before with my husband. But I didn’t want to spend 40-55 euro on a cab when I could spend 8.40 on the RER and not have to risk sitting in traffic. There is a good web site with lots of details on how to do it, how to buy tickets etc, called www.parisbytrain.com.
<b>Packing notes</b>
One 22” roll aboard, one small carry on bag. That’s it. I’m a little more challenged this time my need to bring “dressy” clothes for the Anniversary event. I would not usually bring a dress and high heels.
You can see everything I packed and how I did it on my Packing page on my website: http://www.wired2theworld.com/BasicPacklist.html
<b>Language:</b>
I’ve never been great with foreign languages. I took 4 years of Spanish in High School and College, lived in Madrid for 3 months, and spoke it for a good portion of my career and yet, I still have problems conjugating irregular verbs.
I’ve also taken Italian classes and listened to CDs in my car, so I have a rudimentary ability in that language as well.
But French? No way. I’ve always left that to my husband who is fluent. To me, spoken French has always sounded like the adults on the Peanut’s TV specials, <i>“Wah wah, wah wah wha wah.”</i>
So imagine my dismay when I realized I would not have my own personal translator along on this trip. This meant I might actually have to learn some French beyond “Bonjour!”.
I downloaded some language CD’s and started listening to them in my car.
CD #1 went well as it was the basics. I must admit I called DH from the car, incredulous, when they got to the counting and the translation for the number 90 is literally four-twenty-ten. <i>Seriously?</i> They could not come up with an individual word to represent ninety?
After that it all started to sound like “Wah wah, wah wah wha wah” to me. I needed more time.
Ultimately, I think listening to the CDs was helpful, but I certainly was no where near able to speak it by the time I left. Still, I did my best!
Oct 16th, 2008, 08:51 AM
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Wow Kristina you are some much more "on the ball" then me!
I just got back from 3 weeks in France last week and still haven't edited all my photos (well, there are 1600 of them!) let alone try to compose my trip report!
I haven't read your whole post yet, but will relish it was glee...I loved your Rome trip report earlier this year!
We seem to be traveling in the same circles this year (Rome and France) and I celebrated my 40th this year too!
I just got back from 3 weeks in France last week and still haven't edited all my photos (well, there are 1600 of them!) let alone try to compose my trip report!
I haven't read your whole post yet, but will relish it was glee...I loved your Rome trip report earlier this year!
We seem to be traveling in the same circles this year (Rome and France) and I celebrated my 40th this year too!
Oct 16th, 2008, 09:01 AM
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nukesafe-thanks!
LCI-No, not as "on the ball" as I'd like. I only have the report and photos done through Day 1. I got home on Sunday and Tuesday came down with a massive, horrible cold. So I can't guarantee how long the rest will take me.
However, I know that if I post here, and not just "for me" on my own web site, then I am more likely to finish it (with all the gentle encouragement I get here).
And yes, we are going in the same circles. You aren't by any chance going to Vietnam next year too, are you?
LCI-No, not as "on the ball" as I'd like. I only have the report and photos done through Day 1. I got home on Sunday and Tuesday came down with a massive, horrible cold. So I can't guarantee how long the rest will take me.
However, I know that if I post here, and not just "for me" on my own web site, then I am more likely to finish it (with all the gentle encouragement I get here).
And yes, we are going in the same circles. You aren't by any chance going to Vietnam next year too, are you?
Oct 16th, 2008, 10:06 AM
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Kristina, this is wonderful and I love your website. How did you create the map of Paris? I know you created it with Google map but what did you start with, i.e. did you import a map and then add to it? Also, I assume you have to sort of estimate locations since the streets are not marked, correct?
Oct 16th, 2008, 10:08 AM
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<b>Flight to Paris
October 3, 2008
LAX-DC United Flight 946, Seat 14H </b>
I know I've said this before, but I hate to travel. I like <i>being</i> other places, but I really dislike the process of getting there. Just driving to the airport fills me with anxiety. So, even though my flight is not scheduled to leave until 8:15, and even though I have only carry on luggage, DH takes me to the airport and we are there by 6:15. The day before, I'd managed to score my last flight upgrade to business class for the DC to Paris route, but I still had no assigned seat for that leg, so I checked in at the front desk in Terminal 6 where there is a counter dedicated to United Premium services. Unfortunately, all that was left was a middle seat, and I chose the row at the bulkhead, thinking at least I would not have someone reclining into me and it would be easier if I needed to get up and out.
Because I'm so early, I go to the Red Carpet Room, where I discover that had I not had the international upgrade to Business class, I would not have been admitted with "only" a Domestic Business class ticket. <i>That would have sucked now, wouldn't it?</i>
In the RCC, I'm able to get online (they have free T-mobile wifi cards), send emails and make a free local call. I have a cup of coffee and some little snacks (nothing great).
The plane boards about 1/2 an hour early and is full, even in Business Class. Then we sit and wait. The seats are ok; lots of room between my seat and the one in front of me, but they are not the new "lay flat" seats currently being installed on UA's long haul planes. There is no amenity kit, but there is an offer of a pre-flight drink of water or orange juice. There's no lunch menu (should have been a clue to the horror to come) and there are no AC power ports for laptops, just the "em-power" ports which require a special adaptor (the new business classes will have AC power).
I hear the announcement in economy class that no food will be served other than that for purchase. I think they may be better off. In business, they give us one of the boxed options they normally sell, the "breakfast box" filled with the same, hard, cellophaned pastry as in the RCC, a cup of fruit and, honestly, I can't remember what else. It was dismal.
I can tell the flight attendants hate it too, because with every meal, they pass out a response card to be sent to United. They ask, "are you happy with the meal?" and inevitably, the reply is "no" and they say, "then fill out the card and say that!" I'm impressed with the little act of employee subversion.
During the flight I read and watch the movie "Then She Found Me" with Helen Hunt and Bette Midler. Fortunately my seat mate is working or sleeping throughout the flight and doesn't see me weeping through the movie. It's a bit of a downer, but ends well.
The flight arrives about 20 min late into DC and I need to walk from the far end of Terminal D to the far end of Terminal C for my next flight. In the process, I make the world's fastest RCC stop to check and send another email and wolf down some cheese and crackers. Then I hear they are boarding my flight and I rush down to my gate where they've already boarded 1st and Business. People start to get into the Business line and the gate agent gets testy telling them to move and they are in the wrong place. <i>Yikes!</i>
Fortunately, he lets me through because I have the "golden" ticket. Oddly, no one asks for my passport before I get on the plane.
October 3, 2008
LAX-DC United Flight 946, Seat 14H </b>
I know I've said this before, but I hate to travel. I like <i>being</i> other places, but I really dislike the process of getting there. Just driving to the airport fills me with anxiety. So, even though my flight is not scheduled to leave until 8:15, and even though I have only carry on luggage, DH takes me to the airport and we are there by 6:15. The day before, I'd managed to score my last flight upgrade to business class for the DC to Paris route, but I still had no assigned seat for that leg, so I checked in at the front desk in Terminal 6 where there is a counter dedicated to United Premium services. Unfortunately, all that was left was a middle seat, and I chose the row at the bulkhead, thinking at least I would not have someone reclining into me and it would be easier if I needed to get up and out.
Because I'm so early, I go to the Red Carpet Room, where I discover that had I not had the international upgrade to Business class, I would not have been admitted with "only" a Domestic Business class ticket. <i>That would have sucked now, wouldn't it?</i>
In the RCC, I'm able to get online (they have free T-mobile wifi cards), send emails and make a free local call. I have a cup of coffee and some little snacks (nothing great).
The plane boards about 1/2 an hour early and is full, even in Business Class. Then we sit and wait. The seats are ok; lots of room between my seat and the one in front of me, but they are not the new "lay flat" seats currently being installed on UA's long haul planes. There is no amenity kit, but there is an offer of a pre-flight drink of water or orange juice. There's no lunch menu (should have been a clue to the horror to come) and there are no AC power ports for laptops, just the "em-power" ports which require a special adaptor (the new business classes will have AC power).
I hear the announcement in economy class that no food will be served other than that for purchase. I think they may be better off. In business, they give us one of the boxed options they normally sell, the "breakfast box" filled with the same, hard, cellophaned pastry as in the RCC, a cup of fruit and, honestly, I can't remember what else. It was dismal.
I can tell the flight attendants hate it too, because with every meal, they pass out a response card to be sent to United. They ask, "are you happy with the meal?" and inevitably, the reply is "no" and they say, "then fill out the card and say that!" I'm impressed with the little act of employee subversion.
During the flight I read and watch the movie "Then She Found Me" with Helen Hunt and Bette Midler. Fortunately my seat mate is working or sleeping throughout the flight and doesn't see me weeping through the movie. It's a bit of a downer, but ends well.
The flight arrives about 20 min late into DC and I need to walk from the far end of Terminal D to the far end of Terminal C for my next flight. In the process, I make the world's fastest RCC stop to check and send another email and wolf down some cheese and crackers. Then I hear they are boarding my flight and I rush down to my gate where they've already boarded 1st and Business. People start to get into the Business line and the gate agent gets testy telling them to move and they are in the wrong place. <i>Yikes!</i>
Fortunately, he lets me through because I have the "golden" ticket. Oddly, no one asks for my passport before I get on the plane.
Oct 16th, 2008, 10:17 AM
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Louisa- I created the map in Google's "my map" function. Then there's a way to link to it in my web design software.
I just started it by putting in my hotel's address and going from there. Every time I found something I wanted to save, like a restaurant, I entered the address in Google Maps and once it was found, clicked on "save to my maps".
There are some drawbacks to this process, made very clear to me on this trip.
1. It is impossible to print out the google map with information on it.
2. It is impossible to organize the information by location once it is entered and saved to the map.
3. I had to "cut and paste" the text info from the maps into a word document which I could then reorganize by neighborhood and print out to bring with me. But because the places weren't on a map, they were often hard to find. Some streets are long and if you don't know where a specific address is located on that street, it can be impossible to find. This happened to us more than once.
After getting lost driving in the Dordogne and while wandering the streets of Paris, I am seriously considering a GPS unit for my next European trip
I just started it by putting in my hotel's address and going from there. Every time I found something I wanted to save, like a restaurant, I entered the address in Google Maps and once it was found, clicked on "save to my maps".
There are some drawbacks to this process, made very clear to me on this trip.
1. It is impossible to print out the google map with information on it.
2. It is impossible to organize the information by location once it is entered and saved to the map.
3. I had to "cut and paste" the text info from the maps into a word document which I could then reorganize by neighborhood and print out to bring with me. But because the places weren't on a map, they were often hard to find. Some streets are long and if you don't know where a specific address is located on that street, it can be impossible to find. This happened to us more than once.
After getting lost driving in the Dordogne and while wandering the streets of Paris, I am seriously considering a GPS unit for my next European trip
Oct 16th, 2008, 10:24 AM
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<b>IAD-CDG United Flight 914, seat 11E</b>
Champagne is offered along with the pre-flight drink of water and OJ and I take it after the rush down to the plane, thinking, "I'm going to need this if I am stuck in the middle seat". It's the same type of seat as the last plane, but there is a little amenity kit with the usual stuff in it (socks, eyeshade, toothbrush, toothpaste, moisturizer).
An aside: Who are the people who get on a plane with nothing or just a small purse? Do they not read? Do they not carry a camera or anything of value? Is <i>everything</i> in their checked luggage? Are these the same people who put jewelry and electronics in their luggage and then express shock when it goes missing? What if their luggage gets lost? Look, I'm not against checking luggage, though I try to avoid it whenever possible, but how can you get on an 8 hour flight with <i>nothing</i>? Just wondering...
Thoughts on being behind the bulkhead:
Pros: no one reclining in your lap, might be easier to get out.
Cons: people use it as a through-way, especially when boarding, all bags have be stowed for take-off and landing and there's not a lot of room for them when they are down.
As it turns out, my seat is broken. The leg support won't stay up and therefore I can't really rest comfortably with my feet hanging down. Consequently I get no sleep while the guy on my right snores though the flight and the guy on my left puts his eyeshade on directly after dinner and sleeps the whole way.
Speaking of dinner, there's a menu designed by Charlie Trotter to choose from and it sounds much better on paper than it is in practice. I opt for the beef and it has the texture of shoe leather. I've never had another airline meal like the one on Austrian Airlines where there was a private chef (toque and all!) onboard cooking the meal. I have two glasses of red wine in a desperate attempt to sleep and reset my clock, but it's no use.
We land at 6:15, I'm off the plane by 6:30 and on the RER headed into Paris by 7:05. There was no waiting to go through immigration and because I didn't check luggage, no waiting for my bags. I followed the instructions I printed off www.parisbytrain.com and made my way to the RER station where I bought an RER ticket (8.40 euro) and a carnet of 10 metro tickets (11.40 euro).
Champagne is offered along with the pre-flight drink of water and OJ and I take it after the rush down to the plane, thinking, "I'm going to need this if I am stuck in the middle seat". It's the same type of seat as the last plane, but there is a little amenity kit with the usual stuff in it (socks, eyeshade, toothbrush, toothpaste, moisturizer).
An aside: Who are the people who get on a plane with nothing or just a small purse? Do they not read? Do they not carry a camera or anything of value? Is <i>everything</i> in their checked luggage? Are these the same people who put jewelry and electronics in their luggage and then express shock when it goes missing? What if their luggage gets lost? Look, I'm not against checking luggage, though I try to avoid it whenever possible, but how can you get on an 8 hour flight with <i>nothing</i>? Just wondering...
Thoughts on being behind the bulkhead:
Pros: no one reclining in your lap, might be easier to get out.
Cons: people use it as a through-way, especially when boarding, all bags have be stowed for take-off and landing and there's not a lot of room for them when they are down.
As it turns out, my seat is broken. The leg support won't stay up and therefore I can't really rest comfortably with my feet hanging down. Consequently I get no sleep while the guy on my right snores though the flight and the guy on my left puts his eyeshade on directly after dinner and sleeps the whole way.
Speaking of dinner, there's a menu designed by Charlie Trotter to choose from and it sounds much better on paper than it is in practice. I opt for the beef and it has the texture of shoe leather. I've never had another airline meal like the one on Austrian Airlines where there was a private chef (toque and all!) onboard cooking the meal. I have two glasses of red wine in a desperate attempt to sleep and reset my clock, but it's no use.
We land at 6:15, I'm off the plane by 6:30 and on the RER headed into Paris by 7:05. There was no waiting to go through immigration and because I didn't check luggage, no waiting for my bags. I followed the instructions I printed off www.parisbytrain.com and made my way to the RER station where I bought an RER ticket (8.40 euro) and a carnet of 10 metro tickets (11.40 euro).
Oct 16th, 2008, 11:12 AM
#12
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Thanks, Kristina. I think I might try what my friend Monica did last year when we went to Paris. She created a list of restaurants and numbered them. Then she printed out individual maps of Paris and then put the number of each restaurant on the individual map. Each map is 8 1/2 by 11 and easily readible. The maps can be downloaded from France-for-Visitors.com.
Oct 16th, 2008, 11:28 AM
#15
Hi Kristina, I'm especially looking forward to your description of the Perigord Vert--if that is, in fact, where you were. I want to return to the Dordogne someday soon and am interested in areas outside of where I stayed last time. Expanding horizons and all that.
Also, I had a GPS in the Dordogne and managed to get lost constantly. In a pleasant way.
Please continue!
Also, I had a GPS in the Dordogne and managed to get lost constantly. In a pleasant way.
Please continue!
Oct 16th, 2008, 12:48 PM
#19
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Louisa-I thought about doing exactly what your friend did, but I was trying really had not to be so OCD. Next time I will let my compulsiveness get the best of me.
Laartista-Hi girl! How are things in Firenze? You owe us an installment!
Leely-Honestly, all the different areas of the Dordogne confused me immensely. We were only there for 3 days and I'm not 100% sure which part! In addition, one of those days was a marathon drive to a winery in the Pauilliac region, but more on that later...
To all those bookmarking, thanks for joining in!
Next time I will let my compulsiveness get the best of me.Laartista-Hi girl! How are things in Firenze? You owe us an installment!
Leely-Honestly, all the different areas of the Dordogne confused me immensely. We were only there for 3 days and I'm not 100% sure which part! In addition, one of those days was a marathon drive to a winery in the Pauilliac region, but more on that later...
To all those bookmarking, thanks for joining in!
Oct 16th, 2008, 12:58 PM
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<b>Paris Day 1
October 4, 2008. Paris. $1=1.38 euro</b>
Once on the RER train, I turn on my phone and call my mom's international cell. She's on a train from Germany, headed to Paris and picks up right away, though our call gets dropped after about a minute. She's not scheduled to arrive until 9:50 am at Gare de l'Est.
At the St. Michel RER stop, I switch to the #10 line and get off a few stops later at Cardinal Lemoine.
It's 7:50 am and I walk purposefully out of the metro station and 6 blocks in the wrong direction!
When I hit the Blvd St Germain, I realize I'm in the wrong place and take out my map. Now I have to walk about 10 blocks back up Rue Cardinal Lemoine dragging my bags in the opposite direction.
Uphill.
By the time I reach the hotel, the Hotel des Grandes Ecoles, I am sweating even though it's only about 45 degrees outside.
The hotel has a beautiful courtyard filled with flowers. Of course, it's too early for me to check in, but the lovely young woman at the desk says the room is vacant and just needs to be cleaned.
Suddenly, I am exhausted and can't fathom going back outside in the cold, let alone all the way to the Gare de l'Est to pick up my mom. I try to call her but we get cut off again so I call DH and check in with him. I try to send texts to my mom, asking her to take the metro to the hotel where I will meet her at the Justeau metro stop. But I'm unaccustomed to this phone and inadvertently send the texts prematurely with only a few letters. Later, when I check my phone bill I will have spent $18 that day, much of it by mistake.
An aside: Before going to Rome earlier in the year, I bought a quad band phone on ebay and a global roaming SIM card. This is convenient because I have a working phone on arrival and my number never changes.
Outgoing calls from most countries in Europe are .49 cents a min, but .25 cents more if you are calling another cell phone and incoming calls are free. Texts are .69 cents to send, free to recieve.
Because I don't feel like going out in the cold, I sit in the hotel's office/lobby on an uncomfortable chair outside the dining room where people are breakfasting. It seems like many of the guests are American. I feel like people are looking at me because I'm just sitting there, but I'm sure that's just jet-lagged paranoia creeping in.
Finally, when I think my Mom should be arriving, I walk down to the metro stop to meet her and buy my first croissant along the way. Yum!
I wait, I take pictures of the area and I wait some more. I walk down the street and buy the International Herald Tribune and read it in the square. Finally, I call her and she's still at the train station trying to buy a metro ticket!
Eventually, she makes it to the square and we walk back to the hotel where our room is finally ready.
October 4, 2008. Paris. $1=1.38 euro</b>
Once on the RER train, I turn on my phone and call my mom's international cell. She's on a train from Germany, headed to Paris and picks up right away, though our call gets dropped after about a minute. She's not scheduled to arrive until 9:50 am at Gare de l'Est.
At the St. Michel RER stop, I switch to the #10 line and get off a few stops later at Cardinal Lemoine.
It's 7:50 am and I walk purposefully out of the metro station and 6 blocks in the wrong direction!
When I hit the Blvd St Germain, I realize I'm in the wrong place and take out my map. Now I have to walk about 10 blocks back up Rue Cardinal Lemoine dragging my bags in the opposite direction.
Uphill.
By the time I reach the hotel, the Hotel des Grandes Ecoles, I am sweating even though it's only about 45 degrees outside.
The hotel has a beautiful courtyard filled with flowers. Of course, it's too early for me to check in, but the lovely young woman at the desk says the room is vacant and just needs to be cleaned.
Suddenly, I am exhausted and can't fathom going back outside in the cold, let alone all the way to the Gare de l'Est to pick up my mom. I try to call her but we get cut off again so I call DH and check in with him. I try to send texts to my mom, asking her to take the metro to the hotel where I will meet her at the Justeau metro stop. But I'm unaccustomed to this phone and inadvertently send the texts prematurely with only a few letters. Later, when I check my phone bill I will have spent $18 that day, much of it by mistake.
An aside: Before going to Rome earlier in the year, I bought a quad band phone on ebay and a global roaming SIM card. This is convenient because I have a working phone on arrival and my number never changes.
Outgoing calls from most countries in Europe are .49 cents a min, but .25 cents more if you are calling another cell phone and incoming calls are free. Texts are .69 cents to send, free to recieve.
Because I don't feel like going out in the cold, I sit in the hotel's office/lobby on an uncomfortable chair outside the dining room where people are breakfasting. It seems like many of the guests are American. I feel like people are looking at me because I'm just sitting there, but I'm sure that's just jet-lagged paranoia creeping in.
Finally, when I think my Mom should be arriving, I walk down to the metro stop to meet her and buy my first croissant along the way. Yum!
I wait, I take pictures of the area and I wait some more. I walk down the street and buy the International Herald Tribune and read it in the square. Finally, I call her and she's still at the train station trying to buy a metro ticket!
Eventually, she makes it to the square and we walk back to the hotel where our room is finally ready.
