Daily Itinerary - Help in identification of order... please.

Hi,

I have an itinerary planned for my trip to Paris next week. I did run it by TA a few days back. Today, I found out about the www.ratp.fr website. Currently, I am in the process of mapping routes for each of the day I would be there.

At this stage, I was wondering if someone could help me put my daily places to visit in an order based upon what would come first starting from my hotel. I want to avoid wasting time going in circles. Once I have that, I shall use the above mentioned website to get the routes from each place to another. Also, any ideas on which places are so close to each other that we could cover them on foot.

As mentioned above, I did share my itinerary earlier as well. Any other suggestions on places to visit are also welcome !!

We are staying at Hotel De L%26#39;Ocean, 7 Rue Mayran, 75009 Paris. So, this would be our starting point every morning.

Day1

----

We arrive in the evening. The only thing I have scheduled for this day is to visit the Eiffel to view the sparkles after 10:00 pm. I have already taken out routes for this.

Day2

-----

1. Champs Elysees

2. Arc de Triomphe (Get tickets for Lou%26#39;vre at FNAC branch)

3. Eiffel Tower during the day

(Not sure what should be the order)

Day3

-----

1. Lou%26#39;vre

2. Notre-Dame Cathedral

3. Ile St. Louis

4. Sainte-Chapelle

(Not sure what should be the order)

Day4

----

1. Luxembourg Gardens

2. Opera Garnier

3. walk around Montmartre

(Not sure what should be the order)

Day5

----

Day trip to Versailles. I have scheduled this for Saturday to be able to see the fountains. Reading through the earlier posts, I have learnt to buy the tickets in advance. Are they available at the RER station?

Day6

----

1. Latin Quarter

2. Paris Illuminations Night Tour

As always, thanks for all your help in making this trip possible for us !!!!

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Hi

I%26#39;ll take a stab at some of your days :o)

Day 2 - I would head for the Tour Eiffel first to get ahead of the queues as I%26#39;m guessing you want to go up it on this day?

I would then head for the Arc de Triomphe and from there wander down the Champs Elysees.

Your other option, if you don%26#39;t want to go up two tall buildings is sucession, would be the Tour Eiffel, then walk up the Champs Elysees towards the Arc and do that last.

That will not take a whole day so you have time stop and look at things along the way and have lunch etc.

Day Three: Notre-Dame %26amp; Sainte-Chapelle are both on Ile de la Cite with a connecting bridge to Ile St. Louis so they will group together. The Louvre could easily fill a morning or afternoon - dependant on your interest - so that depends how you want to approach the day.

Day Four: The Jardin Luxembbourg are nearer to the Latin quarter so you might want to put those together on Day 6.

As you are staying in the 9eme you could start in Montmartre, on Day 4 and make your way to the Opera Garnier from there and then carry of down towards the Jardin des Tuileries if you%26#39;ve not had a walk around there while at the Louvre.

I don%26#39;t know if you have invested in a map yet but I find this one very easy to use

amazon.com/Paris-Mapguide-Michael-Middleditc…

I%26#39;m sure you could find in a local bookshop.

HTH%26#39;s ebabe

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Day 2: If you want to go up the Eiffel Tower, then do this first and get in line before it even opens. Otherwise you could spend 2 hours standing in line. Then head to the Arc de Triomphe (there is an underground passageway to get there on the righthand side of the street as you face the Ard de Triomphe). I hope you aren%26#39;t planning to walk up the Eiffel Tower because I think it is too much to do that and then walk up the Arc de Triomphe afterwards. There is an elevator at the Arc de Triomphe if you need it (most people don%26#39;t take it) and, of course, you can ride up the Eiffel Tower to the second or top levels. Once you have seen the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (at the base of the Arc de Triomphe) and gone up to the top (my favorite view of Paris), then walk down the Champs-Elysees, being sure to see the car dealerships and stopping at Laduree for a sweet treat.

When you get all the way down the Champs-Elysees (even past the last couple of blocks which are park-like rather than shops) you will be at the Place de la Concorde. You could get a crepe at the little crepe stand next to the ferris wheel. If you wanted to, you would have time to visit L%26#39;Orangerie (a small and wonderful museum) which has a room specially built to hold Monet%26#39;s Water Lilies paintings. Then you could either walk through the Tuilleries and/or (directly opposite from L%26#39;Orangerie on the other side of the tuilleries (south to north) on Rue de Rivoli you could have a meal at Angelina%26#39;s (famous for their hot chocolate, mont blanc dessert)

I don%26#39;t understand your statement after Arc de Triomphe about getting tickets for the Louvre at FNAC. You don%26#39;t need to do that. You can enter for the Louvre on Rue de Rivoli under the red and white banner which says %26quot;carousel%26quot;. Take the escalator downstairs, pass the shops to your left and your right and you will come out into a huge open room which has ticket machines for you to purchase your ticket(s) to the Louvre. There are little or no lines. Decide which wing you want to see first, go through the short security line for that wing and off you go. No need to go to FNAC for your tickets for the Louvre. (and I don%26#39;t understand why you have it listed after Arc de Triomphe on Day 2.)

Day 3 (which day of the week is this?) Louvre is closed on Tuesdays and open late on Wednesdays and Fridays. Go to Sainte-Chapelle or Notre Dame first. There will be a line at both. I might do Sainte-Chapelle first because notre Dame is right next to Ile St. Louis. All three are very close to each other (short walks). Then, after you have seen Ile St. Louis, then walk to the Louvre to see it. Before you go, get some idea of what is there. Otherwise, the museum is overwhelming.

Day 4: Take the Metro to Le Jardin du Luxembourg, wander around that beautiful park. (Perhaps pick up goodies somewhere so you could have a picnic in the park. Then Metro to Opera Garnier to do a tour or a self-tour. If you have additional time in your day, I suggest a nearby museum called Le Musee Jacquemart-Andre. It belonged to husband/wife art collectors and is very beautiful. They give you an audio guide to use as you walk through the museum. They have a lovely restaurant in belle epoque style where you could eat or have afternoon dessert/tea. This museum is on Blvd. Haussman which is very near Galeries Lafayette and Printemps department stores. It is at least worth stepping into Galeries Lafayette and looking up to the ceiling to see the beautiful round domes ceiling. Then head to Montmartre to wander around. End your day up at Sacre Coeur and Place du Tertre for a drink or dinner.

Or on Day 4 you could see the Luxembourg Gardens, Les Invalides, Musee Rodin and the Latin Quarter since they are all near each other. then on Day 6 you could see the Opera Garnier, Musee Jacquemart-Andre, then Montmartre and ending with your night-time tour. (I don%26#39;t know where or when that tour begins.)

Day 6 is fine.

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Thanks.... I have slightly modified my plans based upon the suggestions provided by you both.

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Day 2: Eiffel Tower can be placed either in the morning or evening, with the Champs Elysees and Arc de Triomphe in between. I don%26#39;t know how long you plan on walking around the Champs Elysees, but maybe you%26#39;d like to take the Seine river tour before or after going up the Eiffel Tower.

Day 3: I%26#39;d recommend going to Notre Dame first. If you plan on climbing the towers, arrive between 9:00-9:30am, go inside the Church, and then immediately line up to go up the tower (beautiful view!). I think I may go to Montmarte in the late afternoon / early evening here. There%26#39;s a 2hr Montmarte Tour with New Paris Tours (10€) that starts at 6pm.

Day 4: Do you plan on taking a tour of the Opera Garnier? They have tours at 11:30am and 2:30pm, so you if plan on joining one, you%26#39;ll have to adjust your schedule around that. The tour was about an hour and a half (which was fantastic, btw), but I think I spent just over two hours there because the place if just so magnificent. The Louvre is open late on Wednesdays and Fridays (10pm), the other nights it closes at 6pm. Plus, it%26#39;s slightly cheaper to go during the later hours b/t 6pm and 9:45pm.

Day 5: An alternative to Day 4 would be to skip Luxembourg Gardens, and go there after Versailles in the evening to relax. Of course, this would depend on how long you plan on staying in Versailles.

Day 6: Sounds like a very relaxing last day :)

Enjoy your trip!

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Yes, that is true.... Day 6 is pretty open. Actually, I was able to fit in all the places recommended to me in 5 days.

I am open to any suggestions for day 6 :)

Thanks !!

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I love the www.ratp.fr site. Fantastic trip planner.

As always, it’s your trip. If it was mine, I think I’d split up the visits to monuments that involve views over Paris. Some suggestions follow:

For Day 2: Consider starting with a gallery (you don’t have the Musee d’Orsay on your list. It’s an amazing building converted from an old railway station it has an incredible collection of works by artist like Van Gough, Monet, Renior, Pissarro, Manet, Whistler, Cézanne. The museum – which is on 1 rue de la Légion d’honneur in the 7th – is open everyday except Mondays till 6:00pm and closes at 9:45pm on Thursdays.)

From there, I would head down the rue de Bellechasse to the Musee Rodin (79 rue de Varenne, also closed Mondays) to visit the sculpture garden (and maybe have a picnic lunch). Around the corner, under a gilded dome, is the Tombeau de Napolean which is one of our “must sees” because it is so over the top. From there, wander down to the Seine to the equally over the top Pont Alexandre III.

Cross the Seine at the Pont, walk back to the Place de la Concorde and then wander up the Champs Elysee and visit the Arc de Triomphe.

Day 3: flainers’ tip on Notre Dame is a good one. If you are planning on the bell tower tour go early as the queue builds quickly and moves very slowly. They only let small groups in at a time and Paris Museum Pass holders don’t get priority access (which is only relevant if you were planning on getting one – check out www.parismuseumpass.com for more information).

As others have noted, Sainte-Chapelle is close by and the Ile de la Cite linked to the Ile St Louis by a (mostly) pedestrian bridge.

Maybe see the Louvre in the afternoon (open daily except Tuesdays; late opening Wednesdays and Fridays).

Day 4: Start the day in the Marais – see the Place des Vosges and check out the funky boutiques, bars and cafes.

Walking west (ie: in the general direction of the Louvre/Arc de Triomphe) you will come across the Centre Pompidou. If you are a modern art fan, it’s definitely worth a visit. If not, check out the Stravinsky Fountain anyway.

From there, it’s about a half hour walk to the Place de la Opera for a visit of the Palais Garnier.

Spend the late afternoon, early evening at the Parc du Champs de Mars. If you are planning to climb the stairs at the Tour Eiffel, there are rarely any queues. Personally, I prefer the climb because you get to see the structure – and interesting perspectives on Paris through it. It’s also cheap (€4 vs €12).

Day 6: Start in the Latin Quarter, visit the Jardin Luxembourg. Consider dropping into the Musee du Moyen Age – if only to visit the famous Lady %26amp; Unicorn Tapestry series.

The Pantheon is also nearby (loved it for Foucault’s Pendulum) as is Saint-Sulpice (which was used in that Dan Brown novel that also featured the Louvre).

From there, spend the afternoon in Montmartre and visit Sacre Couer.

Enjoy the City of Lights

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Removed on: 3:19 pm, September 24, 2009

U.S. Banks With Local Affiliation Agreements...

I%26#39;ve heard that some U.S. Banks have affiliation agreements with overseas %26quot;partners%26quot;, so that clients of the U.S. Bank can use the ATMs of the overseas %26quot;partner%26quot; on better terms (ex: no extra/duplicated fees). Is anyone familiar with this?

In particular, I%26#39;m wondering if anyone here knows if Wells Fargo has any Bank %26quot;partners%26quot; in Paris/France (and if so, what Bank)?

Thanks!

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To the best of my knowledge, the only US bank that has a correspondent/partner %26#39;no-fee%26#39; ATM agreement in Paris is BANK of AMERICA...with BNP-Paribas.

I don%26#39;t believe that WELLS FARGO shares any such correspondent bank agreement...but if Welles Fargo is your local bank, then you should check with them DIRECTLY. Some banks may offer differing fee arrangements, depending on type and size of the account(s). As an example, some larger account types may %26#39;..comp..%26#39; foreign ATM transaction fees to clients as a %26#39;client goodwill%26#39; gesture....but don%26#39;t bet the ranch on it.

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Great info! Hmmm, I must get thee to a BofA!

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Commerce Bank (recently acquired by TD Bank) offers account holders free ATM withdrawals anywhere in the world (also covering any fees charged by the host ATM) if you maintain a minimum Checking Account balance of $2,500.

Furthermore, you can use your Commerce Bank VISA check card, which is also devoid of any international transaction fees when used abroad.

Great deal really if you happen to have a branch around you.

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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;Great info! Hmmm, I must get thee to a BofA!%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;

As I%26#39;m sure you%26#39;re aware, with most things there are usually more not-so-minor-details...than simply free foreign ATM transactions that should go into making a decision on which institution(s) to bank with. Better rates on deposits and loans, other included financial %26amp; personal services, etc. can often exceed the amount saved on free foreign ATM fees. It%26#39;s always a good idea to check the benefits and features your own bank may provide...before switching banks or opening new accounts for specific short-term %26#39;..gains..%26#39;.

Though my own bank does not provide free foreign ATM transactions, its local branch managers do have %26#39;discretionary authority%26#39; to re-credit these charges to accounts upon request. Under the Terms %26amp; Conditions of the account(s) they are in no way obligated to do so (hence %26#39;discretionary%26#39;)...and when they do the charges are written off to %26#39;client good will%26#39;....in part to try to retain existing customer accounts. So, all other factors considered, it%26#39;s usually worth checking with your own bank before rushing about town or the internet openning new accounts.

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There are a large number of banks and credit unions offering no fee ATM withdrawals (even giving cash reimbursements when fees are incurred) and credit cards which do not add additional transaction fees to the 1% Visa/MC currency conversion fee.

(The only bank credit card of which I am familiar that imposes absolutely no international transaction fees is Capital One.)

It pays to ask and maybe more than once because many bank customer assistance representatives simply do not know their employer%26#39;s fee structure in regards to international transactions.

Ultimately, I believe one finds lower banking costs at smaller, local institutions rather at larger, nationally known entities.

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Thanks, KDK. BofA was the first place I opened a checking account way back when I was teen. Wouldn%26#39;t hurt to inquire. I do appreciate your tip regarding the manager%26#39;s discretion to refund fees. At any rate, my banks%26#39;s foreign transaction fee is %26quot;only%26quot; 1%.

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Wow, thank you all for your great insight and advice! It%26#39;s very much appreciated!

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Most major banks have partnership agreements with foreign banks. B of A is not the only one, by any wild stretch of a vivid imagination.

This is called a %26quot;correspondent banking relationship%26quot;. Call your bank, and ask for their international banking department. Ask the international banking folks with whom they have a correspondent banking relationship with.

European banks don%26#39;t usually charge an ATM fee.

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Thank you for this additional info, Sunshine! We%26#39;ll give this a try.

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Removed on: 8:16 am, October 01, 2009

Toulouse accommodation

Hi

We are a family of 4 - 2 kids 10 and 8 and are looking at staying in Toulouse in early October. Has anyone any suggestions for the price conscious.

We arrive by train from Barcelona.

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There%26#39;s an IBIS hotel opposite the station in Toulouse. I often use them; for a chain hotel they are usually good value. Their website and on-line booking is easy. I stayed in another IBIS hotel in Toulouse a few weeks ago a little away from the centre. in hindsight, I should have chosen the slightly more expensive option to avoid a few long walks!

Take a look at www.ibishotels.com

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Thanks for that.

Will jump on website and take a look. As we arrive at 4.30pm acc. close to train is good idea.

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Thanks for that. Will get onto website and check it out as only there for a day. We arrive by train and pick up car next to railway station so accommodation near station will save us alot of hassles.

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Removed on: 8:17 pm, September 27, 2009

Food Shopping

Like many people, we will be arriving in Nice late afternoon/early evening on a Saturday. We are staying in the Musician%26#39;s Quarter (Rue Rossini) - could someone please be kind enough to advise where the nearest small supermarket is that will be open(just for the urgent basics). Also, which is the best general decent-sized supermarket in central Nice - have gathered that there is a Monoprix in Jean Medecin, and a Casino in Rue Gambetta...

Many thanks.

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Knowing where exactly on Rossini would be very helpful in telling you where to go. You may look on the Yellow pages website with your address

pagesjaunes.fr/trouverlesprofessionnels/inde…

Stores are open until 19:30 usually.

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You don%26#39;t say what time you%26#39;ll be here? There are plenty of small 7/11 type shops in Musiciens. There%26#39;s also a Spar on rue Maccarini.

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Sorry about the lack of relevant information; we are at the Jean Medecin end of Rue Rossini, and should arrive at about 6pm.

Thanks...

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Removed on: 12:22 am, October 03, 2009

Cookery Course at La Boulinerie

Has anyone been to a cookery course at La Boulinerie in Vendee?

http://www.laboulinerie.com/

They have a week long cookery course on 21-28 Sep and am trying to decide whether to go or not.

If anyone has been before I%26#39;d like to know your opinions of it.

I%26#39;ve looked at several courses but they are all very expensive and this ones seems to be the best value.

Many thanks

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Removed on: 1:18 pm, October 03, 2009

paris to venice: Airline advice

Hi, I am looking to fly from Paris to Venice late August. I have looked into the Budget airlines such as Vueling, EasyJet, Myair, and RyanAir. I am just a little nervous in regards to the baggage limit (15-20 kilos per person). As I will be traveling for a month I am afraid that my baggage will exceed the limit and I really don%26#39;t want to pay 10+ euros for every kilo the baggage is over (what they are charging). Does anybody know if these rules are strictly enforced and on which airlines? I read a post where pa group of people had all their luggage over the limit on MyAir but werent charged extra. Worth the risk? Thanks for your time!

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Hi,

Have you considered taking the Artesia night train from Paris to Venice. I am doing this in September and am really excited about it! There is no baggage weight limits either....

Good luck!

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It seems its hit or miss on whether or not you get charged the extra amount but what a risk! A couple of years ago two friends and I were travelling via Ryan air after packing her daughter up after a year in Florence. After the weigh in she was assessed a very hefty (near $200) fee for the overage.

I was in a bit of a panic, as my shoulder bag was full of Italian Ceramics and was way over the limit. I managed to appear that it was nearly weightless even though it was digging into my shoulder and I wanted to cry it hurt so bad. They didn%26#39;t ask to weigh it and I didn%26#39;t get assessed the extra fee :-).

The train may be the way to go if you can get a reservation. It was our first choice but the train we needed was sold out 3 months in advance.

Good luck.

Linda

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Thanks!!

Yes, we had considered the night train, but I opted against it because I just wanted to get from Paris to venice faster, and since we are traveling by train in 5 other instances. We already received tickets for the trains and there may not be any availability at this point for the overnight one. I guess I just have to pack light. Good idea on carrying the heavy items on board and passing it off as if its light items. I will definitely be pulling that trick. I am thinking that we won%26#39;t do RyanAir even though it is the cheapest since the airports are more out of the way and would spend the extra 30-50 Euros on transportation in between anyways. That means its between MyAir, EasyJet and Vueling. If you have a preference on one over the other please let me know. Thank you for your suggestions!

-Kala

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I do know that Easyjet cut-off their check-in 40 minutes before their flight.

They have also now moved to Term.2 B.

Flew them once before and they%26#39;re fine....baggage is 20 kg. I think !

Sharon

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Did you check with major airlines? We flew Air France direct from Paris around $325 two years ago (in September 2006). No worries and the usual weight limits.

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We flew MyAir in June. They didn%26#39;t scrutinize the weight of the checked bags, and I%26#39;m 95% sure they were over the limit of 18kg per person. However, I think we were just lucky in this regard.

For my planning, I looked at the cost of the airfare (for us $159 Euros total for two passengers, including the advance surcharge for three bags and all taxes) and factored in an assumption that we%26#39;d exceed the weigh limit by a few kilos. Compared that to the price of the train ticket (looking ahead to October 19th right now the price is $334 for the lowest fare class for two) the difference is negligible (in fact the train is more expensive so long as I wasn%26#39;t more than 6-7 kilos heavy). A lot of people claim one benefit of the train is saving one night of hotel expenses -- but personally I know I wouldn%26#39;t get the same kind of sleep in a couchette that I%26#39;d get in a bed. Even with a modest delay getting out of Paris (weather) we were in our hotel bed by midnight and touring Venice first thing in the morning... I would definitely do it the same way again.

Jason

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Removed on: 8:21 am, October 08, 2009

Students

We%26#39;re staying in Montpellier for the second week in September and I was wondering how busy the city would be then? Will the students have returned from the summer break?

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They will have arrived by then. Inscription starts 1 September, and they will then be busy finding accommodation.

The school %26amp; university calendar is available here : univ-montp2.fr/upload/calendrier-univ08-09.x…

Peter

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Removed on: 1:19 am, October 03, 2009

Free guide in Paris

I%26#39;m french and I propose a visit in Paris (like you want). I leave and I love Paris. And I know lots of no tourist place

I%26#39;m free lots of afternoon in week et the week end

It%26#39;s free because I need to train to speak in english for my job

If you are interest send me an email

mli_ipi@hotmail.com

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Removed on: 4:16 pm, October 03, 2009

TRAIN From Paris To Prague????

Hi,

Please advise is this possible??

WE have booked flights home from Prague and are considering now Paris for 2 nights and then the train??

We would maybe be able to break up the journey and spend a night in another country??

Does anyone know which is the best rail service?

Thanks!

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Hello ashcoffey me and the wife did it this way in june. from Paris Est (next to Gare du nord) take the 17:09 ICE (German train) to Frankfurt arrives at 20:58 then the 22:19 City nightline to Prague Holesovice arrives 08:18 www.bahn.de should be of help enjoy your trip

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I forgot to say if booking online book trains seperately.paris to frankfurt then frankfurt to prague otherwise it cannot calculate the fare.

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Bahn.de is a good solution and they will mail you your tickets very quickly.

But unless it is a last minute thing or you have a lot of baggage you will do better to buy a one way ticket on a low cost carrier. www.smartwings.net or www.skyeurope.com

The baggage weight limit is something like 20kg and the over weight cost is 5EUR or 7EUR (skyeurope) per kilo. if you are 1-2 kg over they probably won%26#39;t charge you, but more than that and you must pay!

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Removed on: 5:20 am, October 02, 2009

When? June or September

We are in the early stages of planning a 3-week trip to France for next year. We want to avoid July and August but cannot make our minds between June and September. Our rough itinerary (if it helps) is:

3 days Normandy

5 days Provence

5 days Cote d%26#39;azur

2 days Loire chateaux

7 days Paris

The travel guides seem to say the weather should be similar so does anyone have any suggestions or reasons why we should pick one month over the other?

Thanks in advance...

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We always go to France (Provence) in September since trhe weather is absolutely gorgeous, the hoardes of tourists have already gone home AND the food is wonderful, with the summer crops still really producing, and, depending on how late in the month you are travelling, there is the possibility of early truffles - What%26#39;s not to love!

Personally, I wouldn%26#39;t spend that much time (5 days)in/along the Cote d%26#39;Azur -instead I might consider 2 or 3 days at max - as there is much more of real interest to see in Provence where there are loads of wonderful historical sites including some of the best preserved Roman ruins in the world.

Also, in September you have the potential of being there for the vendange (grape harvest) in the vinyards of the southern Cotes-du-Rhone and the various appelations of Provence as well.

Perhaps you may also want to think of this as a first trip to France and choose a specific region or two where you will concentrate your explorations rather than to going all the way from the far North to the shores of the Mediterranean in a relatively short time and just skimming over everything.

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If you%26#39;re wanting to see lavender fields, go in June. The fields are all harvested by September.

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Thanks AlpilleGal! Great comments. We might do as you say and reduce the Cote d%26#39;Azur time. Provence is the area we are probably most excited to see and we haven%26#39;t really got down to the details yet so will keep this mind.

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Yes, we were wondering about the lavender fields as well, but the posts I have seen here seem to suggest that they aren%26#39;t really in full bloom until well into July. We wouldn%26#39;t travel in July just for this.

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Removed on: 10:16 am, October 03, 2009

Travelling from LYON to PARIS

Hi:) Me and my friends have decided to visit France this September, we have to move from Lyon to Paris, could you recommend us the cheapest way of travelling? We thought about going by bus to see some landscapes and take pics ( we dont%26#39;t mind stops)

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There are no bus to get from Lyon to Paris.

You have 2 solutions : either rent a car to be able to stop and take pictures, but in that case, don%26#39;t take the highway, the trip would have no interest at all; or take the train, but make your reservation ASAP (the sooner the cheapest, I am afraid it is too late to get good fares...).

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Removed on: 4:24 am, October 03, 2009

How to rent in France; recommendation from a french!

Hello Everyone! :)

I ve just try for the last 3 weeks to rent a little flat in the middle of Paris for my Australian family who preferred ask me to do it.

I was happy to help, what a TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE!!

Ok, if don%26#39;t want to have the same DISAPPOINTMENT that i had, read me:

At first, be prepared that french people living in big town are at 90% : not polite (* don%26#39;t have to be proven), selfish (*1 i can proove that)...and always complaining or negative...

If you think i m myself negative, just remember that the french way to talk is naturraly not very diplomatic and already you ll feel less frustrated after contacts with frenchies!

Anyway if you manage to see the 10% left you ll realize that we are also nice, good laugher and %26quot;really good provider food people%26quot;! ;)

The %26quot;agences immobilières%26quot; (= private offices who look after building, organise rentals and sometime organise as well short rental for holidays) don%26#39;t give too much informations!

They often infortunatly just want you to sign the contract and receive the paiement!!

Be aware that when the paiement is done, you%26#39;ll get (at 99%) nothing from them again if the law don%26#39;t oblige them to!

SO, FIRST thing twice and pay them only when all your questions have been answered to!

SECOND: BE ADVISE!!!!IMPORTANT!!!

In France, lots of %26quot;bad%26quot; attitude are registrated every year and more with strangers (a little bit everywhere in the commerce) but not a lot of people are punished because french law is very very long, so nobody even try if they don%26#39;t have money to through away!!!

THE BETTER WAY is for you to avoid the justice thing and to keep you safe before anything happen, that%26#39;s better and that what we all try to do (the French advised ones!)

- If you can understand french or want to try google translator, just look on google.fr for:

%26quot;Guide pratique des locations de vacances%26quot;

(the Fnaim give all the good advice)

(Like its name shows, its the guide of the rental for holidays) All the tricks to know are inside!

If you don%26#39;t bother, just know that your %26quot;CONTRACT de LOCATION%26quot; (official document you ll sign meanwhile you pay part of the holiday rent) must have a part called: %26quot;DESCRIPTIF de la location%26quot;

who explain where is the rental, the quality of the bed, the furnitures, the area...the access time to go to the beach, the train station...etc...if the cleaning is included inside the price...and all the rules of the rent.

Is that is not included in your document, just ASK for it!

THEY MUST DO IT!

Often (the bad one) just protect themself and don%26#39;t care about the client.

(Your contract has got to be in english, that%26#39;s normal for the french to have a full translation of the french one, please, only sign the english one!)

KNOW THAT if they are serious, you won%26#39;t have to ask them, it will be normally included inside the contract!

In place, if you have a %26quot;sh..%26quot; quality bed or bad flat in comparaison of what they made you pay for (not at all what you saw on photo), tell them by phone immediatly or when you enter with them in the appartment!

If they don%26#39;t do anything about it, send them a letter with a proof of it (special %26quot;lettre recommandé avec accusé de réception) by law in the first 3 days with all the details of what is not good and not identical with your %26quot;contract descriptif%26quot;!

Your letter can be in english, don%26#39;t worry, just write everything you are not happy about, even the small details!

Even if you don%26#39;t go in court, they will know that you protect yourself about it and they should be really annoyed and move their bum to be arranging the problem!

After that, if you really want, there is association free for the comsumer %26quot;association de consommateur%26quot;...but that would be long...

THE BETTER and EASY WAY is to be sure, before you sign the contract and pay, that the descriptif is clear about all little details and included in the contract form!!

If they do it without you asking for it, they know that they should be serious about the next parts!!! ;)

For MORE french rules/informations:

-They normally can%26#39;t ask more than 25 ou 30% of the rent when you sign the contract. (Often they ask 50%! So they do all to be safe themselves!!!)

-By law you don%26#39;t have to take an insurance for the days you are in the rental place but some agence ask you to take one! (The owner have an insurance for it all normally)

BE careful, if they ask for it in the contract, they could refuse you to get in if you don%26#39;t one!

They generally to take an insurance through them (they will enjoy that...and/but that the easy way for you as well!...)

Or you can take it on your own. (= take the proof with you the day you come in the rental place, in case they ask for it!)

--)Be sure to read well your contract about that and to be clear with them before you go there, so everything will be fine.

-Payment through paypal, when you pay, will keep a trace.... that could be helpfull?!

In any way, pay nothing if you didn%26#39;t receive your contract with the descriptif at your name, at the good date and the amount you are going to pay written clearly on it! (stupid, i know but be sure of that after you looked at all, don%26#39;t forget the basics!)

That%26#39;s all! ;)

GOOD HOLIDAY to you!!!

French food is excellent, enjoy:

-The cheese: camenbert, cantal, tome de savoie, fromage de chèvre...etc

-the win...

-the %26quot;charcuterie%26quot;: pâté, mousse, saucisson (hard one), foie gras (if you have some money to spend)...etc

-cakes and breads %26quot;baguette moulée%26quot; or %26quot;baguette tradition%26quot;!...

Enjoy! :)

Hope that i helped someone :)

florence

*1: My sister, 7 months pregnant, going to work, had a low blood pressure and falled on the train station in the morning (Chatelet les halles, just middle of PAris). All the people looked at her from around! Only one old man came to help her before the ambulance arrived!! Incredible insn%26#39;t it?!

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%26quot;If you think i m myself negative, just remember that the french way to talk is naturraly not very diplomatic %26quot;

And during all that time I thought French was for centuries the language of diplomacy !

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Your post is so funny..

It is too bad your relatives trusted you to help them , it sounds like they would have had MUCH better luck reading this forum regularily and looking into some of the highly recommended agencies that rent apartments for holidays.. many posters here only rent apartments and are very happy with results they have had.. I guess you just were not informed enough to choose a good agency.. I live in a tourist city ,, and I do not know everything about it either,, of course one doesn%26#39;t if one has a home.

Next time suggest they do read more here.

That is a shame about your sister, it is the same in many big cities,, people are not sure what the problem is, is she tricking them, ( pick pocket) is she on drugs,, that is what some may think,, it is a sad fact of life in a big city.. I hope she is taking some time off work to rest, that is the only and best solution for her.

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Thanks Florence, that was a really interesting read!

I%26#39;ve just booked an apartment in Paris and was intrigued by your saying that insurance is not compulsory... One of the agencies I considered said that it was. I%26#39;ve ended up renting privately and asked about the need for the insurance mentioned in the contract - the owner said that the public liability part of my travel insurance would be fine to cover any eventuality. The fine print in my policy seems to agree, which is good!

halwimsey

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... I vented all my anger in my big first post! :)

...and i m happy if it can be usefull to someone...

...or make laugh/smile some others....

:)

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Thank you for this informative post!

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Removed on: 6:18 pm, October 03, 2009

Chip and Pin Credit Cards..... again....

Interesting article from the Los Angeles Times Travel section, August 17, 2008.....

…latimes.com/articles/la-tr-insider17-2008au…

Anyone with any recent problems....?

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Traveled in Provence and the Riviera in the Spring using US debit and credit cards. The only refusal was at one autoroute toll booth. Didn%26#39;t need a pin other than at ATM%26#39;s. No problems in restaurants, shops or hotels.

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I had this problem last time i was in the US! They swiped my US debit card at the supermarket and asked me to enter the code, which i didn%26#39;t have because i only used that card in France where they don%26#39;t ask for it.

In France if your card doesn%26#39;t have a chip they swipe it and the card readers they use don%26#39;t distinguish between debit and credit cards, so you will never (knock on wood) be asked for a pin code on a card that doesn%26#39;t have a chip. However, I guess it could happen, it has just never happened to me, but that could change.

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%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;No problems in restaurants, shops or hotels%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;

While you may not have a problem in a hotel or other area which survives on tourism, you may not be able to purchase (1) gasoline on a weekend or holiday, (2) train/m tickets at a kiosk, (3) passage at some toll booths as noted (but it%26#39;s difficult to know exactly which one until you%26#39;re already in line), and I have had my pin-less credit card rejected at restaurants.

These items have been discussed at length at various times here on this forum and I believe the problem for US travelers will only worsen in the future. Ultimately however I believe pin-less credit cards will continue to be accepted outside of the US but be prepared for delays, inconvenience, and awkward situations.

While this is an interesting article, there are two points with which I disagree:

1. Travelers%26#39; Checks are not a payment option for thoe without EVM credit cards. Travelers%26#39; Checks are prone to fraud and counterfeiting and are accepted by fewer and fewer businesses. Most importantly, the ATM has made them all but obsolete.

2. Though I do not have the numbers at hand, I believe it is the vendor who pays the price for credit card fraud, not the banks (known as %26quot;charge backs%26quot;). The banks%26#39; exposure is limited and that is why we will not see the adoption of EVM cards in the US.

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Removed on: 7:16 pm, October 03, 2009

Driving from Calais to Banyuls Sur Mer - route ideas please

Hi,

We are driving down to Banyuls in early September and would like use a scenic route there and back using B roads as apposed to motorways with tolls. We will have 2/3 days both ways, but can play with days at the moment as nothing booked.

We then thought maybe Rheims - Dijon - Lyon, does this sound okay or is there a better route that way and would we need to stop 1 night or 2 ? we don%26#39;t mind driving long distances as we share the driving.

We are thinking of Rheims for our first nights stay as we will have a 4 hour journey in England to reach Maidstone and will arrive in Calais mid morning.

We will have 7/8 days in Banyuls and would like a different route for the return, again 2/3 days. Is it unthinkable to return via La Rochelle.

Thank you

Shirley-7

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Reims definitely would make a good first-night stop for you. Driving-wise it is a comfortable distance from Calais. IF your ferry docks in the morning, you should reach Reims by mid-late afternoon, enough time perhaps to have a small wander around the gorgeous Cathederal, sort your accommodation, and have a good %26#39;Champagne%26#39; dinner, to celebrate your first night in France.

IF you can spare another day/night before reaching Banyuls, then go via Troyes, Nevers, Moulins %26amp; Vichy taking then the D906 south through the Massif Central/Auvergne to stay at Le Puy en Velay, a really interesting small city to visit.

Next day you can drive to Banyuls.

On the way home, if you can spare 2 nights, try Dijon and Laon.

OR for a one-night trip, mid-way up (with a small deviation) is Blois or Orleans, for a little time on the Loire.

I%26#39;m sure you can work out good ROADS for yourself and hope these suggestions are of use

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Hi,

Thank you for your reply - outward journey sounds great. We may have to return the %26#39;quick%26#39; route now as holiday length has been shortened to 10 days. So 3 days down - 5 there - 2 return.

Thanks again

Shirley-7

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Removed on: 9:19 am, October 08, 2009

First time, 3 days in paris

hi,

i need your help about my stay in Paris for 3 days, 2 nights on the next Oct.

1- till now i didn%26#39;t decide if I%26#39;ll stay at De Dieppe at 22, rue d%26#39;Amsterdam or Ibis Paris La Défense Centre (help).

2- from Paris tripadvisor page, i extracted some places to visit like Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Arc De Triomphe, Madeleine, Louvre and les invalids. r these places many to visit within 2 and a half day??(help)

and what else i have to c?(help)

3- what about the bike tour?some experience? (help)

thanks,

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The first time we went to Paris it was also for three days. There is a lot you can do in that time. These are the %26quot;must sees%26quot;: Notre Dame, Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Arc the Triomph, Ile St. Louis, Montmartre.

Any doubts or clarifications you need on these sites you may enter specific questions on right hand side on top of your original question.

Good luck!

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The Dieppe is probably the more centrally located choice, but since you are traveling in October--not high season--maybe you can shop around for a different possibility. Of course the places you list are must-sees. Maybe in the short time you have, a bus tour would work well to help as an orientation. You%26#39;d see all the major sights without having to navigate on your own at first.

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One day: Notre Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, Ile St. Louis (for lunch and to wander around and see this small village-like island), then walk past Hotel de Ville (Paris city Hall) to the Louvre and go inside using the entrance on Rue de Rivoli under the red and white banner saying %26quot;Carousel%26quot;, go down the escalator, pass the shops on your left and your right until you get into an open area where there are machines to purchase you entry ticket. If you still have time, walk through the Tuilleries to the Place de la Concorde, up the Champs-Elysees all the way to the Arc de Triomphe and go to the top. The view is fabulous and you will be able to see the Eiffel Tower.

Another day: Visit 2 areas: Latin Quarter and Saint-

Germaine-des-Pres (5th %26amp; 6th arrondissements), les Invalides, the Pantheon, le Jardin du Luxembourg, the Rodin Museum. That night go to the Eiffel Tower.

Third day: Opera Garnier (do your own self-tour)--gorgeous building inside, Marais District just wandering around (there are several wonderful museums you could see in this area but I don%26#39;t think you will have time--Picasso, Cluny, Carnavalet (I think this is in this area). Definitely see the outside of the Pompidou Museum (amazing architecture) and go next door to see the Stravinsky Fountains which are colorful, have lots of moving parts and are fun to watch. Walk down Rue de Rosiers to see the Jewish and Gay section of town and perhaps have a falafel at L%26#39;As du Falafel (yummy!). Then, take the Metro to the Montmartre area to see Sacre Coeur and Place du Tertre which is just behind Sacre Coeur.

If you accomplish all of this (or even any part of this schedule) you will have a great trip.

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Second Rue d%26#39;Amsterdam as a more central location – but if you can, try for something in the 4th (Marais, Ile de la Cite, Ile St Louis), 5th (Latin Quarter) or 6th Saint-Germain des Pres). You’ll save heaps of time which, given you have only got 3 days, is worth €€€.

I like ILWP’s suggestions – but how you structure your days will definitely depend on where you are staying, what you are interested in and what is open on the days you are visiting.

Two suggestions:

First, check out www.parismuseumpass.com for information on the major museums and monuments. (The “practical information” section is invaluable for address details and for ensuring you don’t plan on visiting the Louvre on the day it’s closed – which is Tuesdays, by the way.)

Second, once you’ve worked out what you want to see, use googlemaps to help familiarise yourself with where things are located in relation to eachother.

For example, the Invalides is just around the corner from the Musee Rodin (which are on the border of the 6th and 7th) while the Pantheon is on the border of the 5th close to the Jardin Luxembourg which is in the 6th. So you save time if you sequence your visits in a logical order. (By the way, the Cluny – also called the Musee du Moyen Age – is in the 6th, rather than the 4th. It’s about a 5 minute walk from the Pantheon and the Jardin Luxembourg and really worth a quick visit just to see the famous Lady %26amp; Unicorn tapestries.)

Also: if you visit the Invalides, check out the nearby Pont Alexandre III. Like the Tombeau de Napoleon, it is way OTT.

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thanks all for ur helpful replies especially ILWP and EllaDexter.

to answer ur Qs EllaDexter, i%26#39;ll be at paris on Sun and will leave on Tuesday (thanks for the Louvre info) and btw i use googlearth as u advised.

secondly, I want to visit the must-seeing places even those which r not in my interests but i have to visit because they r must-seeing places.

finally, what about Paris Museum pass, Paris City passport, Paris visite, and l%26#39;open tour. do i have to buy or use them or i can handle without them?

thank you guys for ur help.

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Regarding the museum pass, look up that website to see what museums allow the pass to be used. Then decide where you want to go and if it will save you money. There are only a couple of places where it will save you time so you don%26#39;t have to stand in line: Sainte-Chapelle, D%26#39;Orsay museum and L%26#39;Orangerie. If you enter the Louvre on Rue de Rivoli under the red and white %26quot;Carousel%26quot; banner, you shouldn%26#39;t have any trouble getting in pretty quickly.

You don%26#39;t have much time in Paris so time is something which will be very important to you.

I don%26#39;t think you have time to do a bike tour unless you want to make that more important than seeing something. It is up to you. You can check out Fat Tire Bike tours and make a decision.

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Removed on: 5:21 am, October 02, 2009

Where to stay in Banuls Sur Mer

Hi,

As a middle aged couple we are hoping to either drive or fly down to Banyuls Sur Mer in early September ( if we fly we will hire a car )for 10-14 days beach/touring holiday. We decided this would fit our requirements after replies on trip advisor.

We are looking for somewhere to stay ( with parking ) and have looked at the Les Elmes as reports seem favourable. There are other places on the Tourist board website but don%26#39;t seem to be many reviews on them ( someone said Hotel Pecheurs but the website isn%26#39;t very detailed ).

We would like B %26amp; B. or just self-catering.

Also the dinner menu for Les Elmes looked fairly expensive - is it ?

Thank you

Shirley-7

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You could try Hotel El llagut (their restaurant is very good):

la-rando.com/hotels/hotel-el-llagut-35.html

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Hi Shirley-7

If you are looking for self catering accommodation you should check www.abritel.fr. They have 22 holiday apartments and houses listed in Bansuls-sur-Mer with further properties in nearby Port Vendres and Collioure. You may have a reason to actually stay in Banyuls but of the 3 locations I would chose Collioure. I booked a 3 bedroom apartment on the waterfront between Collioure and Port Vendres (walking distance to both) for a week a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it.

When you get into the Abritel.fr website, the area you are looking for is France %26gt; Mediterranean Sea %26gt; Pyrenees-Orientales, then just cursor over the red dots for the actual town.

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Hi,

Thanks to you both. Typing error on heading so glad you found the message !!

The hotel looks good and seems to be part of another that we looked at - Al Fanal ( same website ). Do you know if the rooms are okay as there are no reviews. If we stayed there is it within walking distance of the beach ? it seems to be in the port area - fantastic view !

The self catering apartments also look good as they give more freedom. We choose Bunyuls for the beach ( coves as apposed to long stretch )as we enjoy snorkling round rocky areas. Also it seems quiet and not too tourist orientated. We will be in the area for 8/9 days as have decided to drive down stopping %26#39;on route%26#39;.

Thank you

Shirley-7

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Hi Shirley-7

The area from Collioure south to Banyuls-sur-Mer is rocky with sandy coves. The long beaches stop north of Collioure. You are correct in thinking that Banyuls-sur-Mer is less touristy than Collioure. If you access Google Earth you will get a good feel for the topography of the area.

We stayed in an apartment just south of Collioure with direct access down to a cove. It can be seen in Google Earth at Lat. 42.524917 Lon. 3.097796. The large grey building in amongst the apartments is an underground carpark and not a shopping centre.

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El Fanal is the restaurant of Hotel El Llagut. This is why they share the same site.

As I live in the area I%26#39;ve never stayed at the hotel but it has got good reviews here.

The restaurant of Hotel St Elmes, La Littorine is one of the best restaurants in the Département, hence the high prices.

There is an underwater discovery path in Banyuls called %26quot;sentier de découverte sous-marine%26quot; - your hotel will give you information about it. Don%26#39;t miss the Paulilles bay, between Port-Vendres and Banyuls, it has been completely remodeled recently (there used to be a dynamite factory until WW2 and access was limited for a long time).

Also in Banyuls, the Institut Océanographique and aquarium and a few km from the village, Maillol%26#39;s farm house in the Roma valley which is now a small museum.

If you are adventurous, drive up to Col de Banyuls. The view over Spain on the other side is breath-taking.

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Hi,

Thank you for the replies. I had a quick look on Goggle Earth last night but will look closer today.

Thanks to Pvoyageuse for the ideas we will definately try and see them all. This is the great thing about trip advisor - there is always someone with local knowledge. We will have 3/4 days on the beach ( weather permitting ) and travel on alternate days so any more ideas would be welcome.

We want to have a day in the mountains , do you reccommend a %26#39;route%26#39; ( do realise they are vast !! ).

This is our first time in this area of France so all new to us.

I am posting another message regarding the best way to travel down from Calais using B roads that I believe are a bit more scenic. So all replies gratefully received.

Thank you

Shirley-7

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If you want to see the %26quot;real mountains%26quot;, the obvious day-trip is Cerdagne, the area around Font-Romeu. It will be a long drive from Banyuls and I suggest you leave early. You%26#39;ll start at sea level and will drive up to 1800 m.

Drive from Banyuls to Prades via Perpignan and follow the road to Andorra. Stop in Villefranche-de-Conflent and Mont-Louis along the way : both fortress towns were built by Vauban in the 17th century and both have been named World Heritage places a few weeks ago.

In Mont-Louis, take the low road via Col de la Perche to the Spanish border: 12th century church in Hix, small Folk Museum in a 17th century farm (Cal Matteu) in Sainte Léocadie, Llivia, a Spanish town on French territory (the oldest pharmacy in Europe).

On your way back just before Col de La Perche take the %26quot;high road%26quot; which will take you to Font-Romeu via Odeillo. A few miles after the town on the road to Mont-Louis stop in l%26#39;Ermitage - statue of a black Virgin and miraculous fountain.

Note : on September 8, there is an %26quot;aplec%26quot; (catalan for pilgrimage) marking the end of the summer season. The black Virgin is taken down to the church in Odeillo (by foot) for the winter. It will be very crowded.

If you%26#39;d rather stay closer to sea level, you can also drive up to les Albères (the medium size range of mountains around Banyuls). There is a nice road to the left just as you reach Le Perthus.

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Hi,

Thank you for your excellent and detailed reply, we will certainly take the %26#39;high%26#39; route. I%26#39;m sure we will enjoy our day trip !

We both enjoy mountains and have experienced some in Switzerland when visiting relatives. Our mountains in Great Britain are small by comparison but we have great pleasure trekking up some of them.

Shirley-7

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Removed on: 8:17 am, October 07, 2009

Town website

Can anyone help me with a website for Angouleme that might help me learn more about the town?

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Amazing what you can find if you google %26quot;Angouleme%26quot;

angouleme-tourisme.com/435000000/Home-Angoul…

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thank you yes I can also use google. I was hoping that someone would have a little known website or something that keep personally.

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Removed on: 8:18 pm, October 03, 2009

Paris to Riquewihr

Hallo everyone!

Please can somebody help tell me how to arrange transport from Paris to Riquewihr, and how long would it take? I suspect there might not be a direct transport to Riquewihr as I%26#39;ve searched before, so in that case would it be recommended to travel from Paris to Colmar instead and then get to Riquewihr?

=)

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Colmar is accessible by TGV trains (High Speed Trains) from Paris (Gare de l%26#39;Est). Make your TGV train bookings on the following site: http://www.tgv-europe.com/en/home/

There are several bus services per day from Colmar train station to Riquewihr. The bus takes approx. 25 minutes from the station to Riquewihr.

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signothetimes, thank you so much! that was really helpful as I%26#39;ve been searching around with no answer. I%26#39;ll look up the site you gave here. thank you again! =)

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Removed on: 9:17 pm, October 03, 2009

Twons between Paris and Bordeaux

Four of us are planning a trip to France. We want to spend a few days in Paris and later go to Bordeaux region. We are looking for a nice town in between Paris and Bordeaux. Any recommendations? Do you also have any nice/cheap places to stay?

Please advice!

Ania

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Removed on: 11:17 pm, October 03, 2009

Question about: LocationProvence.com

Has anyone ever dealt with www.locationprovence.com? We are looking at renting their property called %26quot;La bastide des Tourettes,%26quot; and would lke to know if anyone can share their experiences with this company or house.

Thanks!

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Removed on: 11:18 pm, October 03, 2009

Steak Restaurants

Can anyone recommend a good steakhouse in St Malo?

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St. Malo has so many restaurants and all of them serve steak. They will ask if you want well done, medium or rare, if you like it well done make sure you emphasize the fact. In nearly all of the restaurants they speak english. The restaurants are fantastic and the seafood is so fresh.

I love St. Malo, and since we have bought a holiday home in Le Pouldu we don%26#39;t get there are often as we used to, I think it is my favourite place in the world.

Judith

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Removed on: 2:18 am, October 02, 2009

Review of House/Agency???

It would seem that we have found the ideal rental house for our trip to Provence next year, with the key word being %26quot;seem,%26quot; lol. Does anyone have any info on:as anyone ever dealt with these owners:

1. The owner is Bertran Reynaud, and his website is:

www.locationprovence.com

2. The particular house we are considering is %26quot;La Bastide Des Tourettes%26quot; which is located just outside of Apt.

Again, I would greatly appreciate any information about either the owner, the house or the area.

Merci!

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Removed on: 11:18 pm, October 03, 2009

Hotel Lancaster -Still Noisy?

I%26#39;ve read some older reviews on the Hotel Lancaster that complain a lot about construction noise (and, more generally, street noise). Does anyone have an update about whether this is still the case?

Thanks

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Removed on: 11:18 pm, October 03, 2009

first time in brittany, need advice

going to brittany last week of august

mum dad and two year old

thinking of doing a chalet in carnac or quiberon

would like to be with other people

close to beach and village/town

any advice

please help

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Just returned on Sunday from week%26#39;s holiday in Port Louis on the south coast of Brittany, albeit 5 adults and no children. Lovely little town with very nice beaches and well placed for travel to all the main tourist areas. Carnac beach area not very Breton and gets very busy. Quiberon peninsula lovely but, again, gets very busy at peak times. Have been to Morbihan 4 times in all over the years and have had brilliant holidays each time. First time when the children were young and everywhere is VERY child friendly. Port Louis has all the typical French shops in the main street but there is a large Intermarche supermarket on the outskirts of town. Don’t know whether it applies in peak season but most shops close for 2 hours over lunchtime and Intermarche doesn’t open on Sundays. Majority of restaurants in town also close Tuesday evenings.

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From my experience I would choose Carnac as you can reach Quiberon from there in 20 mins. Quiberon is also fine but it is a bit more isolated. Carnac is great, lovely beaches, a street full of shops and cafes for an evening stroll and lots of places to visit within a short drive (20-30 mins). We stayed at Camping des Menhirs at Carnac Plage in a mobile home. We travelled with Canvas holidays but all the usual companies use the site and most are fine, except I am told Charisma holidays! People turn their noses up at these sites but for a family they are great and you can spend as much or little time on site as you wish. We have holidayed like this for 15+ years and still use sites even though the kids are long gone, in fact they are now talking about joining us next year with their own families. If you make a decision let us know and I can offer a few ideas of places to see.

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i would choose carnac it is a lovely place it was the first french holiday my family went on and my son was also 2 at the time he his now 17

my family have always used the campsites in france and the children have always enjoyed them, there a few you can chose from eurocamp, keycamp are the one people mention, but the is french freedom and canvas life

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just booked mobile home at shortish notice not far away.

English run site, with a lot of English owners advertising direct - deals to be done if you find the right one.

http://www.campingquinquis.com

directholidayhomes.co.uk/quinquis.html#661

good luck - leave some feed back if you find anywhere really worth a visit.

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Bonjour! We%26#39;ve been staying in this area in mobile homes for the last 8 years (since we had a family!) I would choose Carnac, Quiberon isn%26#39;t far but it is a bit of a trek back to the mainland if you want to have say trips - it can get pretty windy too! Most places are child friendly which makes life easier. One thing you can%26#39;t get in the supermarket it juice (ie robinsons) so if your little one likes certain drinks I%26#39;d take some other than that you can get everything you need so don%26#39;t pack much food! Hope you have a good time.

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Thanks for all the advice. it has been really helpful. i will let you all know how i got on

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Take the advice of flatbroke.

Camping quin quis is a lovely place. Right next to an animal park, near a small town, river and beautiful beaches at Le Pouldu and Guidel Plage.

The mobile homes are lovely and the place has 3 swimming pools and a kids club and kids playgrounds.

We have a mobile home there and we love it.

Judith

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Removed on: 3:16 am, October 05, 2009

Question

Since my friends and I are plan on doing a lot driving during our trip to France in May, we have been looking at a lot of maps lately (maps.live.com, maps.yahoo.com, etc.), and as such are having trouble finding out what the intials %26quot;Z.A.%26quot; and %26quot;Z.I.%26quot; mean.

Some examples are, in the Orly area, %26quot;Z.I. Nord,%26quot; %26quot;Z.I. Sud,%26quot; %26amp; %26quot;Z.A. Chemin Blanc.%26quot; We can figure that this means, Zone-something North, South %26amp; White Road, but would like a better understanding of their meanings.

Any help will be appreciated!

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ZI = Zone Industrielle

ZA = Zone d%26#39;Action, Zone d%26#39;Activité

ZA can also signify Zone artisanale

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ZI : zone industrielle, an area where they have warehouses, headquarters of companies etc...

ZA : can%26#39;t really think at the moment.

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Thanks to both of you....this is pretty much what we thought, in that it correlates to our (U.S.) Industrial Parks, etc. Again, thanks for confirnming!

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Removed on: 1:18 am, October 04, 2009

CDG to Vila Mazarin Hotel - Marais District & return

I%26#39;m travelling to Paris on Sunday for 2 Nights %26amp; would like to know the best way to the Villa Mazarin from CDG Airport. I shall be using Public transport therefore any info on purchasing tickets would be most appreciated - is it better to buy return tickets in advance? Is the exit for the RER easily signposted in the airport? Please help!

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The best way is undoubtedly by taxi, about 50€.

The cheapest way is by RER/Métro:

1. RER from CDG Terminal 2, lowest level:

www.easycdg.com

2. Exit RER at Chatelet and then either (a) walk to Villa Mazarin or (b) change to RER A4 (direction Marne la Vallée or Boissy) one stop to Hotel de Ville.

Fare - 8.90€

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Removed on: 1:19 am, October 04, 2009

Day Trips from Nice

Hi!:)

My boyfriend and I are planning a trip to France and we are planning on visiting the French Riveria.

From what I have been reading, I gather it would be most sensible to base our selves out of Nice.

We would most likely only have 3-4 days to spend in Nice and the surrounding area.

I am trying to figure out an itineray! We thought we would spend one entire day exploring Nice as well as staying in Nice for the nights.

If we were going to have to other days for day trips we just don%26#39;t know where we should go!

We are defiantly interested in going to Monaco. I have also read about Villefranche-sur-mer, %26quot;Eze%26quot;, Cannes, Antibes, St. Tropes etc.

There are just so many places and so little time!

I was wondering which places (besides Nice of course!) are a MUST see and if it is possible to see two places in one day, for example, Monaco in the morning and Eze in the afternoon.

Any help would be great!:) Thanks!!

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Greetings,

The Monaco/Eze is definitely a go. Don%26#39;t bother with St. Tropez, too far. You might also consider some time in St Paul de Vence. Wonderful old Village. Try to spend as much time though in Nice, as it really has so much to see, especially hanging out in the Old Town. So little time, and so much to see. How frustrating. Whatever, or wherever, just enjoy!

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Monaco and Eze Village can be combined easily in one day as you can pick up the 82 bus from Nice Gare Routiere to Eze Village and onward to Monaco by the 112, then back to Nice by either train or bus.

The key to making the best selection from the hundreds of choices of destination is what interests you. Antibes and the superyachts is jaw-dropping - if you like that sort of thing, as is a trip to the villa Ephrussi on Cap Ferrat. They would be on my list. As Funkster rightly says, forget St Tropez, but its big sister, Cannes, is a good half day and quite accessible by train.

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If you%26#39;re set on going to St.Tropez, the most enjoyable way is by fast boat from the Port. I%26#39;ve done this a couple of times and can recommend the trip. Also stops at Cannes and the nearby islands such as Ile St.Marguerite. Also recommended.

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Thank you all for your help!:)

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WE walked to Villefranche -good views all the way-spent the day on the beach,mooched around thetown and attractions and then walked back-great day out.

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If you do the Eze-Monaco daytrip, when you get off the bus at Eze, be sure to note the bus schedule for the Eze to Monaco leg. The buses don%26#39;t come too often so it%26#39;s best to plan what time you%26#39;d want to leave Eze and be there 10 minutes or so before the scheduled time. If you miss the bus, you might need to wait more than an hour for the next one. A trick I use is to take a picture of the bus schedule at the bus stop so I won%26#39;t forget.

Monaco is actually one of the not-so-interesting spots to visit. Just walk around for a couple of hours is enough. If you are familiar with the Grand Prix circuit as seen on TV, it does become a bit more interesting.

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Thank you!! That is a great trip about the bus schedule!

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So Sammyfloyd which were your favorite spots?

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We%26#39;ve visited all the tourist traps along the coast from St Tropez to Menton, and also had some very interesting trips to the countryside behind the area from Cannes to Menton.

Here are my suggestions:

1. Use Nice as a base- good idea; spend a whole day exploring Nice: old town, port, museums (if interested), get up early one day to see flower market, walk part of the Promenade des Anglais.

2. Day trip on train to Villefranche sur mer(2-3 hours walking around this picturesque small town, down by the sea), then on to Monaco (half day exploring). You will either love it or hate it- depending on how you view life. I think it%26#39;s a fascinating place to visit- walk along the port area and up to the main square- people and car watching.

3. Day trip to Antibes -wonderful old town, and down to the secluded marina where the monster yachts are anchored; Picasso museum (if interested); then on to Cannes for a walk along the promenade.

I would suggest a visit to one of the perched villages- either Eze, St Paul or Vence. Gourdon and Haut de Cagnes are even better, if you can get to them by bus!

4. Boat trip from the port in Nice to St Tropez. This needs to be booked in advance, but is a wonderful day out and you get a different perspective of this part of the Cote d%26#39;Azur. You will get to spend 2-3 hours in St Tropez itself- also interesting from a people and boat watching perspective.

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I did a trip report based on 4 nights there, which might be useful. Link below - hopefully it will work!

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187216-i137-k2187…

Southern Brittany Campsite

We%26#39;re going to Brittany this summer (accompanied by my 11-year old son) and are looking for a suitable campsite in which to rent a mobile home or chalet.

There%26#39;s a few around Pont Aven which have caught my eye, namely Deux Fontaines, Raguenes Plage and the Siblu site at Domaine de Kerlann.

We%26#39;ve been to Brittany several times over the years and stayed on various sites, some good and some otherwise.

I%26#39;d be interested to hear anybody%26#39;s experiences of these three in particular or of any that members recommend highly. I%26#39;m looking for somewhere that has enough going on to keep a lively child busy but at the same time is not prey to boozed-up teenagers and has a disco pumping music out till the early hours.

I know I sound like a right boring old f**rt!!

The problem is that 2 weeks on a French campsite doesn%26#39;t come cheap in the peak season anymore so I%26#39;d welcome any feedback.

Thanks in advance!

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hi we stayed in camping de penboch 2 years ago which was lovely.you can walk to small beach from campsite and it has nice pool with compulsory slides for kids! we travelled from ireland but the campsite seemed to mainly guests from uk germany and belgium.kids made loads of friends and spent evenings in well kept playground or playing table tennis/bouldes.there is a small bar /shop which was usally closed by 11 and all was quiet.It%26#39;s near small village of arradon and about 15 mins from vannes which is a lovely city to walk around and has a lovely harbour, plenty of restaurants and a very good market . lots to do in the area, rent kayaks or take a boat trip within a short driving distance.carnac and branfrere(zoo with lots of animals allowed to roam freely,kids loved it) were only about half hour away

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I once visited my brother, staying on a Siblu park in the Charente Maritime. Not the same area that you are wanting, BUT if the standard of that park, the facilities and entertainment, are repeated at other Siblu parks, then you would fare well with them.

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Go to www.campingquinquis.com wonderful place, teenagers not allowed without parents. No noise allowed after 11pm plenty for kids to do, kids club and playgrounds 3 swimming pools and run by a very nice english couple, very near some beautiful beaches, take a boat out on the river. We have a mobile home there (do not rent out) but there is plenty to rent.

Judith

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Removed on: 5:22 am, September 27, 2009