Metro safe at 11:00 - 12:00 at night?

There will be 3 of us in Paris in June. 1 Male(20(, 2 females(24 and 54). Can anyone advise whether it is a good idea to use the metro at night to return to our St. Germain hotel? I know one night we will be in the Montmartre area?

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The Metro is safe during the day...and at night as well...unless you%26#39;re %26#39;a-bit-the-worse-for-the-wine%26#39; and stand too close to the edge of a train platform. YUP...it%26#39;s safe to ride the Metro at night.

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It shouldn%26#39;t be a problem. Don%26#39;t worry.

I%26#39;ve taken the metro to return to hotels (in dif. areas, some not central) around midnight and it was fine and St-Germain is a nice area + there%26#39;s 3 of you.

In Montmartre, Sacré-Coeur (closes around 11pm) and Place du Tertre are lively, full of people at the end of the day.

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You will find a lot of people in the métro by these times and until 1:00am, especially on line 4 which is one of the busiest in the city (assuming you stay near one of line 4 stops).

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I%26#39;ve been told to be careful/avoid the Chatelet station at night, but again, with three of you, you should be ok.

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Three people in a range of ages, no problem. I wouldn%26#39;t hesitate.

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Just be wise. Don%26#39;t wear a lot of jewelry cheap or not, don%26#39;t carry a purse, wear a money belt of some kind. I have seen people mugged three times in the metro earlier than 11 p.m. at night. It is kind of spooky at some of the metro stops at night. The trains also don%26#39;t come as often as they do during the day.

Pat

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It%26#39;s safe. Many nights I traveled alone on the Metro at 10:30pm or so (solo woman) and there were so many people it seemed like rush hour. I didn%26#39;t worry at all.

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I have been living here eleven years, i am a girl , and i have often taken the metro even later than this, never ever seen anyone being mugged so that must be balancing the three people mugged in the previous post, as an average of 1,5 i guess!

It is safe in my opinion, even if some stations can be a bit seedy, but on trains it is safe, you might see the few drunk young guys laughing and being silly but that should be it.

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www.ahparis.com

Has anyone had problems with this Paris apartment rental company.

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Removed on: 2:26 am, October 22, 2009

golfing

does anyone know any golf courses near port grimaud

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Hi

Did you ever find any golf courses near Grimaud ,as we have bought an apartment in Cavalaire and my husband is a keen golfer ?

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Removed on: 9:16 am, October 19, 2009

I'm Coming to See You!

Bonjour, friends,

I am very excited to be making my first trip to the South of France in 2 weeks. Due to some unforeseen circumstances with some fellow travelers, we don%26#39;t have accommodations, yet. (Someone was supposed to take care of this and did not).

We have been to Paris several times, but we felt that we%26#39;d like to see your beautiful area of France. We will have 3 nights at the beginning of our trip, and 3 nights at the end of our trip. (We%26#39;ll be spending a bit of time in the middle in the Emilia Romagna area of Italy, invited by friends to stay with them at their expense!)

I have a few questions. We will be flying into Nice on June 5 and back out of Nice on June 17. We would love to find somewhere to stay that is a bit unique. A cottage perhaps, or in a family home (like a farmhouse, maybe). There are only 2 of us (adults) and we live very close to the beach at our home, so we don%26#39;t anticipate wanting to spend any time at the beaches. We enjoy shopping, museums, churches and great food! Quaint and charming villages are very appealing to us.

Can anyone suggest an area up to maybe 2 hours from the Nice airport that we may enjoy and also any suggestions on accommodations? Our budget is rather low since our other plans did not come through. Ideally, we%26#39;d like to spend only about 120 Euro per night. We enjoy bed and breakfasts, too.

Any suggestions will be much appreciated, and we are so looking forward to visiting you!

Vicki

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Bump...anyone there in the French Riviera who can help with some suggestions?

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I%26#39;ve been watching your post, vickisfloyd, and hoping that someone will have suggestions. Unfortunately, I don%26#39;t really; we stay in the same apartment in Cannes every year (which we just adore!) but you%26#39;re obviously looking for something different to that. We do take several trips in the region but I%26#39;ve never actually been on the look-out for places to stay.

Last year we went to a quaint and charming village (with lots of serious history) not far from Nice, is %26quot;Valbonne%26quot;. Not too touristy yet, and lots of little interesting shops and a few very good restos . In fact your criteria, shopping, museums, churches (the Abbey dates back to 1199!) and great food ~ it%26#39;s all there. You might want to have a little look and search.

www.tourisme-valbonne.com

P.S. We tried Foie Gras %26quot;Mi-Quit%26quot; there for the first time (only had the regular fresh seared, or terrines, in all the years before)and I%26#39;m now a total convert to mi-quit.

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Thanks so much! This is why I love the forum. I%26#39;m constantly chiming in with advice for people on Rome and Paris and I live in FLORIDA! And here you are giving me advice on the French Riviera and we%26#39;re practically neighbors!

Maybe I should just change my plans altogether and just grab a bathing suit and head to the Bahamas. We love that.

I%26#39;ll check out Valbonne. I always have everything planned 6 months in advance, but I relied on someone else this time and unfortunately, she totally dropped the ball (and I%26#39;m left holding the bag!) So we%26#39;re scrambling for accommodations.

Here%26#39;s another question for you, Soames, or anyone who may be able to answer it. We will be in Parma, Italy after our time in France, and we will have three days to get from Parma back to catch our flight in Nice. Does anyone have any suggestions on somewhere that may be interesting to stay on the way from Parma to Nice? Our flight leaves at 10:20am, so we don%26#39;t want to be too far away - I was thinking somewhere around the Italy/France border, but I%26#39;m a moron when it comes to geography (sad since I love to travel so much) and so that may not be an option in any way shape or form! We%26#39;d love to find a nice village where we can hang out, maybe take a day trip somewhere, and be close enough to Nice to get to the airport by about 7:30am or so.

Any suggestions, welcome! Thanks for Valbonne, Soames!

Vicki

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Hi Soames,

I have looked into Valbonne and it looks wonderful!!! I%26#39;ve requested availability on 3 apartments whose calendars show that they%26#39;re available (fingers crossed). Friday is market day, and that%26#39;s one of the days that we would be there. I absolutely adore markets in France! Thanks so much for the suggestion! I%26#39;ll let you know if we get one of the apartments.

Valbonne looks absolutely charming!

Vicki

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Hello Vicki!

I%26#39;m so glad you like the looks of Valbonne. We spent a wonderful day there, (lots of comfortable %26amp; sleepy Hemmingway type cats around, lol).

We%26#39;re actually off to Cannes next week (always arrive after the FF) and might well pop back to Valbonne, it%26#39;s so near Cannes. It would be lucky if you get to be there on Market day (it is far more quaint! than the one in Cannes or Antibes). If you%26#39;re anything like me, living in a hot%26amp; humid climate, lol, you might like chic cotton and linen clothing. There%26#39;s a fabulous young guy who sets up there on Fridays (he%26#39;s in Cannes on Sat and in Antibes on Thurs) I go every week; there%26#39;s always something I like. His stall is quite small, usually has a helper or two, and he also has lots of real designer clothing (labels cut out). His stuff is not dirt-cheap but real bargains to me.

There are one or two serious wine boutiques, and if you like wine, also have a look-out for some Provençal %26quot;Reds%26quot; (rosés are easily come by, but it%26#39;s a real treat when you find a good red!).

I%26#39;m almost envious of you, lol, if you actually stay there. So peaceful and so pretty. Good luck with apartments!

(Sorry I can%26#39;t help with your trip back from Parma ~ when we%26#39;re on our way to crossing over to Italy we tend to keep on going, lol. Hopefully someone will have info on that, and post!)

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Thanks for the advice! We%26#39;re due to arrive June 5 and will stay (hopefully in Valbonne for 3 nights) then Parma for 8 nights then maybe even back to Valbonne for the remainder of the time (June 14 - 17). If we stay in Valbonne and you%26#39;re still in Cannes, come for dinner! We%26#39;ll have a glass of the Provencal wine! It%26#39;s just myself and hubby this time. Sometimes we travel with friends or family, but this time, just us!

I%26#39;ll definitely visit the linen stall at the market regardless of where we end up staying. If we can%26#39;t get Valbonne, we may have to stay in Nice, but we could certainly drive to Valbonne on market day.

Let me know if we%26#39;ll be in the vicinity at the same time.

What is Cannes like? I wonder if it would be something we would enjoy for a day trip? Is it mostly just for beach and sun? Or are there other things going on? I%26#39;d love to visit just because of the film festival (I know it%26#39;s not going on at the time, but it would be interesting to see where all of that takes place).

Thanks again, friend! And have a great trip!

Vicki

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vicki - as another %26quot;almost neighbor%26quot; I%26#39;ve been watching too, and hoping you%26#39;d get some good advice. I stayed in a modern hotel on my last visit to Nice, and have rented an apartment for our trip this July, so didn%26#39;t have any info to offer on cottage or b%26amp;b type places. Valbonne does look charming, so I hope that works out!

It%26#39;s too bad we%26#39;ll miss each other in Nice, but pm me if you%26#39;re ever heading down the Fla. coast! I%26#39;ve read so many of your posts, I feel I know you already. :)

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Hey Key Lime!

You never know when we%26#39;ll be down your way. My hubby grew up in Lake Worth and until we moved his mom to Jacksonville about 5 years ago, we were in West Palm five or six times a year. The Gardens Mall...bliss!

He still has a brother and several friends there, plus there are high school reunions...(Uggghhh)

We%26#39;ll definitely let you know if we head your way, and you do the same.

If we stay in Valbonne, I%26#39;ll be sure to post back and let you all know what we thought about it....

Vicki

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Did you know they have a Paul restaurant/bakery (just like in France!)right next to the Gardens Mall in Downtown at the Gardens? It%26#39;s awesome! Okay, we%26#39;re way off topic here... :)

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No...I didn%26#39;t know! We%26#39;re not off topic because we are theoretically talking about a French restaurant, right? And no one from the French Riviera seems to be chiming in anyway!!! Hubby graduated from Lake Worth High.

But to really get off topic, (then I%26#39;ll bring it back so we%26#39;re not shut down) we really enjoy City Place, too. We went to a cool place (The Blue Martini?) or something like that and had a really wonderful afternoon just having some wine and food. And of course shopping! We enjoy Clematis Street, and the antique shops on Lake and Lucerne. Plus I%26#39;ve found that the Palm Beach Goodwill store is awesome! You can get all the designer stuff at a mere fraction of a cost.

And to get us back on topic, travelers, make sure you don%26#39;t buy fake designer goods when you%26#39;re overseas. You can be fined (large amounts) by their government and your own!)

I%26#39;m hoping to hear an answer about a Valbonne apartment tomorrow. Out of all of the places that I checked, it just seems like the right place for us!

So thanks to Soames...now Soames, you know how close me and Key Lime are to you in the Bahamas! Never know when we might drop in! And if you ever need a place to stay in North Florida to go to the theme parks or Daytona, we have plenty of room!

I%26#39;ll keep you all posted. Say a little prayer we get a Valbonne apt!!!

Vicki

Paris - never been - thinking of October, 2009

My question is, what%26#39;s this month like in France (weather, tourism, etc.)?

Thanks in advance!

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Never been in october, but when it comes to Paris, any month has its pluses. And, after all, it%26#39;s PARIS!

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Well, my personal opinion is that Paris is great any time of year, but late October and November are my particular favorites. The crowds are gone, the weather is wonderfully temperate and I always think the shopkeepers, waiters etc. are in a better mood.

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HI Scott

I second the first two responses and agree, any month is better none in Paris.

I have been in Paris in late september years ago and it was temperate, not rainy, and crowds were much less tha when I went in June of this year.

I apologize in advance if you have tired this already, but I find using the search field and entering you question will send you to prior forum threads on common questions like %26quot;October in Paris%26quot;.

Have a great trip, whenever you go!

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Hi --

October is my favourite month to be in Paris. It%26#39;s often cool in the evening, but generally, the days are very pleasant.

Get yourself a couple of good guidebooks and start your research. Make a wish list as you go as there are many places that sound like other places and if you don%26#39;t make you notes as you read, you%26#39;ll end up thoroughly confused.

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We were in Paris 25th-28th October this year. Weather was pretty cold and on the Monday had very heavy rain. I note someone says not so many tourists in October, well, we queued for 2 hours for the Eiffel tower!! You take your chance with the weather wherever you go in the world - just go prepared.

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We spend nearly every October in Paris. We think it is more wonderful in October than any other month. The earlier in November you go, the better. The parks are beautiful, tourism is down, the cafes are still available for outside seats. The exhibits are generally wonderful. Have a special time there, it is a special city.

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This past October 2008, it was cold and my Parisian friend had had it with the cold and e-mailed me, bought a cheap plane ticket to L.A., and arrived at LAX on October 31st. He stayed with me for 2 weeks to get some warmth and sunshine and to swim in the ocean. He%26#39;s been in Paris his whole life, born and raised and he said he was really cold and tired of the dreary weather.

Paris weather can be very unpredictable. Some years back, I was there Thanksgiving week and it was beautiful and the weather was much warmer than it was when I was there at the end of March last spring. So, I always pack for cold, rainy, windy weather to be prepared. Happy Travels!

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Go to the Weather Underground trip planner at

www.wunderground.com/tripplanner/index.asp

Put in your destination city and date range to see the weather stats (highs, lows, rain, wind, humidity etc.) for each day for the last 11-12 years.

That will give you some idea of what to expect.

I loved Paris in October.

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Kimee

I find the search function on Trip Advisor very poor to useless. Most times I get a much better result on Google with %26quot;title%26quot; + %26quot;Trip Advisor%26quot;. The best use of the TA search function is to see what others think of your possible accommodation and I can also do that quicker and more accurately on Google using %26quot;hotel name and town%26quot; + %26quot;Trip Advisor%26quot;

So I put %26quot;October in Paris%26quot; in the TA search box and got nice trip reports but nothing specific to October about weather or crowds or clothes or things to do. Try it.

Then putting %26quot;October in Paris%26quot; into Google got lots of appropriate hits.

Sometimes asking the question directly on TA is much better than searching using a poor search tool. And Google often wins anyway.

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I agree - love Paris in October. We go every October just about. This past year we went in mid November and it was too cold for my taste . . . but I find the October weather and crowds perfect for enjoying the city. I am planning to take my nephew this October. He is a budding artist and chef and I want to encourage his talents by experiencing this wonderful city.

Opinion on itinerary: Bordeaux/Provence/Paris

Your opinions are greatly appreciated!

August Travel.

Option 1:

Fly straight in to Bordeaux (longer leg and delay at CDG airport) rent car, stay 2 or 3 nights.

Drive to St. Remy or any of those pretty villages in Provence - stay 5 nights.

Drop car off in Avignon and take train to Paris.

Stay in Paris 5 or 6 nights - non stop to LA.

Option 2 - Fly straight to Paris (non stop) Take train same day straight to Libourne (Bordeaux)

Same as above.

Option 3 - Same as #2 except take train straight to Avignon first, rent car and after Provence, drive to Bordeaux, stay 3 nights, drop car and take train to Paris. Just a reverse version of above. Don%26#39;t know how easy it is to drive to Provence to Bordeaux...

Option 4 - Skip Bordeaux (is it a hassle to do everything I just outlined?) My main interest is to wine taste, I%26#39;ve always dreamed of visiting Bordeaux and the Rhone wine country (reason for going to Provence)...thanks so much!!!

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I don%26#39;t think it will make much difference which way you travel, though you may find it useful to map your route on either google maps or viamichelin.com/viamichelin/…MaHomePage.htm so that you can see how much driving you%26#39;re taking on. The fastest way between Bordeaux and Avignon is the loop round the autoroute passing Carcassonne, which is worth a stop

carcassonne.org/carcassonne_EN.nsf/vuetitre/…

That route also passes other wine-growing areas like Corbières which could be an interesting detour - compare and contrast!

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We found St Emillion to be a great little place to stay and enjoy touring in the vines and tasting the product. The town is full of wine cellars and sellers. Five days in Provence is also a great idea. Getting between the two try to map it so you go past the Millau Viaduct which is extraordinary (see my avatar). In Provence we stayed at Isle sur la Sorgue and visited many sites around there. Again,for an ancient viaduct and aqueduct, see Pont du Gard.

This might give some ideas

…blogspot.com/2008/08/week-in-provence.html

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NIKE - %26quot;Just do it.%26quot; Go for option # 4 - skip Bordeaux and go straight to Provence. Since you want to do wine tasting, I seriously suggest that you spend some serious time in areas such as the sothern Cote du Rhone regions (Chatearneuf-du-Papes, Vacqueyras, etc....) Hope that if you choose this option you will also check out some of the wonderful lesser known Provencal winegrowing regions such as the the areas in/near les Baux.

AlpillesGal

PS - I hope that you will look upon this trip as the first of many rather than the only trip to France...

And, since you are from LA, you will sprnd your time exploring the countryside rather than in another (albeit fabulous)city.

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Removed on: 3:18 am, October 22, 2009

Questions about Louvre and taxi

We will be taking a day trip to Paris from London in late June. I wish we can stay longer, but cannot this trip.

We will be there on a Wednesday. I understand the Louvre will be open late. There is a late admission fee from 6:00 p.m. on. If we enter before 6:00, can we still stay after 6?

Also, I understand we have to take a taxi from a taxi stand only (no hailing). Where is the taxi stand closest to the Louvre? About how much will it cost and how long to get to Gare du Nord? Our train leaves at 8:13 p.m. About what time should we leave the Louvre? I guess we can%26#39;t stay too much beyond 6:00. THANKS.

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There%26#39;s a regular Taxi rank located on Place André Malraux (up rue de Rohan from rue de Rivoli). You shouldn%26#39;t have difficulty hailing a taxi in the area of the PALAIS ROYAL-MUSÉE du LOUVRE Metro, along rue de Rivoli...but if you walk west, up rue de Rivoli, there are a few hotels along rue de Rivoli, within a couple/few blocks where taxis should also be available.

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You can hail a taxi, but he won%26#39;t stop if he is too close to a taxi stand, or if he is on his way to pick up someone (yellow light on). If the tiny yellow light on top is not lit up, it should be available. But i guess it is better just to walk across rue de Rivoli to Place Colette, there you will see the taxi stand. Is it a Eurostar or just a normal train you are taking? If Eurostar, then check in is about 45 minutes before the departure time, so around 7h30, in that cas you should leave at 7pm sharp

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Thanks KDK and raphy, and yes, it is the Eurostar. So I gather we should be in the cab and ready to go at 7:00 in case of heavy traffic, etc. Thanks.

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Removed on: 3:19 am, October 22, 2009

Distance between Orly and Charles De Gaulle airports?

I%26#39;m meeting a friend next week, he flies into Orly and I fly into Charles De Gaulle. Does anyone know how far away each airport is from one another?

Thanks!

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About 20 miles in a straight line. CDG is well north of Paris, and Orly is south.

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By car, it%26#39;s about 25 miles or 42.5 km.

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It isn%26#39;t so much a quesation of distance as it is one of time. You can take the #3-LES CARS AIR FRANCE Coach route (19€), from pick-up points at CDG arrival terminal buildings, direct to ORLY-Sud %26amp; Ouest terminals and be there in approx. 60-70 mins. As a frame of reference, add approx 45 mins from the time your flight arrives at CDG to clear arrival formalities and make your way to the Air France coach stop.

#3--LES CARS AIR FRANCE Coach Route Info--

http://tinyurl.com/7s7amu

aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/…

Then you must both make your way back to Paris from ORLY--

aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/…

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Removed on: 3:20 am, October 22, 2009

Cheap and cheerful hostel near gare du nord

Hi can any one suggest and cheap budget hotel or hostel near the Gare du nord Station staying just 2 nights just wanting to see the sights so will only want a cheap safe place to stop for the nights thanks

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Hi, will you try using the Hotels section and the Advanced search? You can isolate hostels by using the tab for %26#39;other lodging%26#39; or something like that, then there are additional filters on the left-side menu... You can click on the listings to read the reviews...

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Removed on: 3:20 am, October 22, 2009

Suite room at the hotel Le Manoir les Minimes in Amboise

Hello,

I am planning to stay at Le Manoir les Minimes for a night or two coming May, and need to know a little better about the suite room they have.

Apparently, they have two suites (room 10, and the one with blue colour decoration), and since room 10 is already booked, hotel reception suggested me the blue suite, saying that this suite is bigger than room 10. After looking at photos, reviews, I cannot find much about this blue suite and I need your help on this.

Is the suite room actually bigger than room 10?

Or is the bedroom bigger or the bathroom bigger?

Also, does the blue suite have nice armchairs like the ones in room 10? Is it located at 1st or 2nd floor?

By looking at the photo, it looks bedroom is bigger for sure, but not sure about the living room or bathroom.

Can any one of you who stayed or looked the blue suite give me some feedback?

Thanks a lot for your help!!

Ovni

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I didn%26#39;t stay at the Manoir and can%26#39;t specifically answer your question about the rooms but having spent a little time roaming around the Manoir grounds , I can confirm that this is a very nicely maintained residence with friendly staff. Indeed , while we were roaming about, late in the afternoon , the caretaker was kind enough to allow us to inspect the impressive and massive troglodyte grottes at the rear of the estate (a sight worth seeing).

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Removed on: 4:23 am, October 22, 2009

Paris to Rome transportation

Arriving in Paris June 25th and need to be in Florence sometime that evening. Better to drive or take train?

Spending 3 days in Florence then going to Rome for 3 and back to Paris for 4 nights. Been looking at train schedules and I am completely confused. My husband and I are traveling with our 15 year old son. We like the flexibility of driving so we can stop and see whatever catches our eye, but the train sounds nice, too. Please advise. Also, please comment on any good stops along this route. Many thanks!

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Have you checked the distance from Paris to Florence? It is about 700 miles including crossing the Alps. I certainly wouldn%26#39;t want to drive that after a long flight.

The train takes 12.5 hours upwards so is similar in overall time to driving. I would suggest looking for a flight if you have to be in Florence that day.

Coming back from Rome there is an overnight train.

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Sounds like an excellent plan. I found several flights from Paris to Florence. I had thought about taking the night train from to Rome to Paris via Bern, Switzerland then spend the night and head on to Paris the following day. It reduces Paris to 3 nights but lets us get a glimpse of another country. Your thoughts?

Thank you for your guidance. When I looked up the distance from Paris to Florence mapcrow.com said 299 miles (not km, I checked). Obviously there is a little more to the drive than I thought. My husband is extremely grateful for your clarification!

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Removed on: 4:24 am, October 22, 2009

paris bus terminal

can anyone tell me where the bus from beauvais stops in central paris? my hotel is in the latin quarter

%26#39;best western serotel lutece%26#39; and i want to print out a map so as to get my bearings. thanks folks.

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I%26#39;m not sure which bus service you mean exactly (there might be several) but I suspect you mean the (RyanAir?) shuttle service between Beauvais and the bus park at Porte Maillot (Boulevard Pershing).

This is at the western edge of central Paris - metro stop Porte Maillot (line 1)

Censier-Daubenton is probably the metro stop closest to your hotel (at 2, rue Berthollet). To reach this, you can take line 1 (direction Château de Vincennes) to Musée du Louvre, change there to line 7 in direction Villejuif-Louis Aragon. Get out at Censier-Daubenton or Les Gobelins; you will need to walk about 400-500 m.

The RATP website has an itinerary function - but unfortunately, it doesn%26#39;t work at this moment. It should work later today - try it at www.ratp.fr, or www.transport-idf.fr

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The BEAUVAIS SHUTTLE%26#39;s-- www.aeroportbeauvais.com/bus.php?lang=eng --terminus in Paris is located at the western edge of the city, near PLACE de la PORTE MAILLOT, 75017--specifically, on Blvd. Général Pershing, across from the Palais des Congrès complex.

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There really are no %26#39;direct%26#39; public transportation routes from PORTE MAILLOT to here. The HÔTEL SEROTEL LUTÈCE(3-star)-- http://www.hotellutece.com/ --is located at 2 rue Berthollet (at rue Claude Bernard) 75005, Metro: Censier-Daubenton. The most %26#39;direct%26#39; Metro route is #1 Metro ligne (heading in the direction of Chàtau de Vincennes) to PALAIS ROYAL-MUSÉE du LOUVRE...then switch lignes/trains over to the #7 Metro ligne (heading in the direction of Villejuif-Louis Aragon or Mairie d%26#39;Ivry) to CENSIER-DAUBENTON Metro..and then walk from the station to your hotel.The combined Metro trip should take approx 30-35 mins.

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Removed on: 4:24 am, October 22, 2009

May Day weekend in Paris

Hello, I%26#39;m plan to visit Paris (first visit there) the last week of April until May 4 and realized that it coincides with their labor day weekend. I%26#39;ve read that major museums and most restaurants will be closed on May 1, will the rest of the weekend be sort of normal or will a lot of things be closed throughout? I had been thinking of taking side trips to Giverny, Chartres or Versailles, anyone know how things would be in those areas regarding places being open? Thanks

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I will be there the same weekend. I%26#39;d like to know this info too! Can anyone help us out???

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We will be in Paris the exact same week, April 28th-May 4th. From other forums I have gathered that most museums will be closed on the 1st. Because it is a 3 day holiday weekend, Paris will be very crowded. My plan is to get to the big sites early in the week, and do neighborhood walks, gardens, day trip outside of Paris over the 3 day weekend. Someone who visited Versailles over that weekend last year said that the lines were unbelievably long and that they considered it a waste of their time and money. We may have to skip Versailles, since I can%26#39;t fit it in earlier in the week. I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has been in Paris over the labor day holiday weekend in the past.

I believe the catherdral in Chartres will be open on the 1st, however the tower may be closed. Also, the gentleman (Malcolm Miller) who does wonderful tours of the cathedral will be doing his tours but only at noon. also considered going to Vaux-le-Vicomte that weekend. Anyone know how crowded that may be?

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I have done research on May 1st opening and found most of the monuments and museums will close. The ones that will opens are the churches: Notre Dame the church (the towers will close), Saint Chappelle and Sacré Coeur. I think that Museum of Rodin will open but that is to be verified.

Galeries Lafayette%26#39;s Friday fashion show will not be on also. We emailed them to book and they told us it%26#39;s close. Booked us in the next Friday (which is a bank holiday too but with more opening).

We are going to land on the 29th of April, and after doing some research about May Day weekend, we decided that we%26#39;ll take it easy on May 1st, just wandering around the parks and relax. The weekend is said to be super crowded with visitors and Parisians so we%26#39;ll take off to Amsterdam on Saturday May 2 and come back the week later.

This is a travel blogs of some ladies who visited Paris on the exact dates, a few years ago. I don%26#39;t know them but found in their blogs some helpful information. Hope you will too.

…stmargaretsbay.ca/holidays/loire/loire.html

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Removed on: 10:16 am, October 19, 2009

Help! Petit dejeuner on 7eme?

Hi there,

here is my quandary - staying next week at the Duquesne Eiffel with 10 yrs old son. I understand the breakfasts are not out of this world - any recommendation for a place nearby which has healthyish choices for me (granola, yoghourt etc) and anything sweet and sticky for my companion?

Many Thanks! A.

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I recommend taking him on an early morning stroll around the neighbouring streets as Paris wakes up it%26#39;s a fantastic experience in it%26#39;s own right- you%26#39;ll soon pick up where everyone%26#39;s heading for- go there and you%26#39;ll have a wonderful petit dejeuner with fragrant freshly brewed coffee and melt in the mouth croissants and pastries.... you can get healthy choices if you must but, go on.... enjoy the moment.

Wish I was there now [8.50am in cold Newcastle!]

Have a great time! Let us all know how you get on.

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in my younger days I used to buy a box of granola or.. plus yogurt and milk and stash it in the hotel fridge for may morning breakfast. Now I go to some of these bread shop chains and have whatever they have for breakfast. It will not kill me to eat that for a few weeks and once back at home I%26#39;ll go back to plain oats and plain yogurt. A true French breakfast at home and in many hotels and cafes is a big bowl of cafe and milk (1/2-1/2) with toasts or croissants or %26quot;petir pain au chocolat%26quot; and jam.

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Great ideas, thanks! In the meantime I found Le boulangerie des Invalides Jocteur on Avenue Villars not far away. I can definitely make do with a good cafe au lait and grab an apple on the go.

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Walk down Duquesne toward Ecole Militairs Metro to # 3, ave. Duquesne to Flirt%26#39;The (Flirt Tea). Say Hi to Florent, the owner, and have a great breakfast. He is open for breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. Therefore, you can actually have some late lunches. He has a great menu on the board, good foo d and great prices....

Enjoy,

Joan

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Thanks, Joan! Jotted down.

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Update - ended up having breakfast at the hotel since it was too cold to go out on an empty stomach, although there were nice looking places nearby. The breakfast at the Duquesne is not overflowing but it had more or less what we both wanted - apart from fresh fruits. Had a great stay. Thanks again for all the assistance.

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Removed on: 3:19 am, October 12, 2009

carte orange / carnet for staying at La Defense?

I booked my parents in a hotel in La Defense for 4 nights. I was wondering what%26#39;s the best option for transportation to and from the center. I realize that for the RER, it is considered zone 3. But for the metro, it%26#39;s in zone 2. Would a carte orange work well for this assuming I tell them not to take the RER? Or will the Paris Visite pass be the best choice?

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The carte orange is a 7 day product that starts Monday and ends Sunday, offering unlimited travel during that period in the zones covered by the pass. The chances are your folks won%26#39;t get the full benefit from the Carte Orange if they%26#39;re only there 4 nights.

Carnets are pretty cheap and convenient - and you can generally change on the metro system - or bus to bus, within a 2 hour time frame (from memory) - on the one ticket.

This is especially the case since Paris is a city best explored on foot - so if they catch PT in and back to the hotel at the end of the day, they%26#39;ll probably want to wander about in between.

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Though the RER connection between La Défense and central Paris is marginally faster (a couple/few minutes at most) is is far less practical or convenient than the #1 METRO ligne. There are far fewer and more widely spaced RER %26#39;A%26#39; ligne stations within Paris...with far fewer interconnecting/corresponding, onward METRO ligne connections. So yes...by all means...tell your parents to AVOID the RER %26#39;A%26#39; ligne...not so much on account of fares or tnasportation zones...but rather on the grounds of simple practicality and convenience.

As noted, the DÉCOUVERTE/weekly CARTE ORANGE transportation pass (5€ + 16,80€ = 21,80€) has a specific Monday-thru-Sunday %26#39;weekly%26#39; term and may not suit the specific days-of-the-week for their visit. In general terms, for this brief a visit, it will probably turn out that simply sharing discounted Ticket ts from CARNETs (1 reduced priced Zone 1-2 Ticket t--11,40€) will serve their purpose best. If the relative %26#39;hop-on/hop-off%26#39; access/convenience of a transportation pass is a priority, then individual, one-calendar-day MOBILIS Zone 1-2 transportation passes (5,80€) will be the better choice than multi-day PARIS VISITE pass.

You may compare and proof the various Ticket and transportation options and costs yourself.

RATP Ticket %26amp; Pass Prices--

ratp.info/informer/titres_de_transport.php

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Removed on: 5:17 am, October 22, 2009

Apartment stay: paris-pro-rentals.com?

Hello,

What has been people%26#39;s experiences with paris-pro-rentals.com? The owners are Sylvain and Catherine Labbe. I am considering their apartment at Rue Froissart 13. This is my first time booking an international apartment stay, and I want to be careful to book with a trustworthy company (e.g., the description in the ad is accurate, they will not wrongfully keep the security deposit, etc).

Some of us are still students and we are on a budget of 450-550 euros for six nights.

Thank you very much for your feedback.

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I have not used this company but a few things to watch, which you may have already been aware of or inquired about

# The prices given are for weeks/months and high/low season. Will they rent for fewer days and is the cost withing your budget?

# They require all money in advance. This always concerns me because you have no idea if the apartment will be clean, appointed as agreed nor with everything working. Having been caught once this way we will not now rent from someone who wants all money in advance. I want to at least meet them at the apartment before I pay over.

# The lack of human contact also worries me. Keys left in a lobby means no meeter and greeter.

# Have you considered VRBO (Vacation Rental by Owner)which is very interested in making sure what they have on their list is up to standard.

I hope someone else can give some assurances.

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Hi Lynnb48,

Thanks for your tips. Yes, I initially found this posting on vrbo.com. Their response included their website (paris-pro-rentals.com). The rate is within our budget. What concerned me was the lack of guest feedback on vrbo.com, even though the property has been listed on vrbo since 2005. Also, the booking process seemed a bit lackadaisical, especially considering the fact that, on their website, Sylvain is described as having ten years of experience in the French real estate business. For example, Catherine told me initially that the booking process was simply to send a 150 euro deposit through Paypal. However, their website describes their booking fee as 10% deposit plus a security deposit equivalent to 10% of the total rent. When I pointed this out, she said I may secure the booking under the terms described on their website. They also charge a 5% fee for Paypal, but do not appear to offer an alternate payment option. She also mispelled the company%26#39;s Paypal account (omitting the hyphens in the URL).

When I asked for any references, they did give me a contact in Denver, CO. I%26#39;ve yet to hear from him, however.

I don%26#39;t want to be overly paranoid, but I also want to protect myself.

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I should add that her initial comment regarding a 150 euro payment through Paypal comprised only the security deposit. In other words, pay the security deposit in advance and pay the rental fee at the check-in time.

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I don%26#39;t know what she has said privately to you, but the terms and conditions indicate that you are to pay the lot a month before the rental begins. Very hard to find this I might add, sort of buried in the text. So it sounds like pay all money owing a month before and we will leave the keys for you, so you don%26#39;t get met at the apartment and you don%26#39;t get to jump up and down if it is putrid etc. Mind you it probably won%26#39;t be, but we have been bitten in Paris (dirty bathroom, non-flushing toilet, dirty additional bedding like the extra pillows, stained upholstery on the dining chairs, almost no equipment in the kitchen) so you need to opportunity to see this. You also need the opportunity to note things that are already broken or wrong so that you don%26#39;t get charged for them.

I used Paypal to a guy in Spain and for E100 he paid 4.5% and my exchange rate was down about E4.5 so they are making 9%. Nice work.

You can use a bank transfer to pay. It costs too.

We have also paid a deposit by Australian cheque and exchanged it for Euros on arrival. That worked well but I suspect was open to abuse by us if we were dishonest.

Good luck

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Thanks so much for your help Lynnb!

I%26#39;m also looking at a place in Montmartre on Rue des Saules, around the corner from the Lamarck metro. The owner for this other apt seems legit. What do you know abt that neighborhood?

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It is an area I have walked around but not stayed in. Tucked in behind Sacre Coeur in Montmartre. Others would probably say a bit out of the way but we stayed near Abbesses metro and found the area lovely and because the Metro was close we had no difficulties getting around.

It is a bit more residential too, but that often makes things a bit cheaper. Just watch floor space. Paris flats can be tiny. I have seen some at 22sq m and thats not enough space to scratch yourself. We had one once where you had to open the toilet door to stand and zip your trousers.

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Hi Lynnb,

Thanks so much for your helpful tips. We%26#39;ve decided to go with the Montmartre apt. It%26#39;s about 400 sq ft, which should be enough room for us. I really appreciate the time you took to send along your advice! May all your travel adventures be joyful.

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Have a great time. Paris is Paris after all.

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Removed on: 2:20 pm, October 21, 2009

48 hours in Paris -- where to stay, what to do

We have a layover in Paris en route to Africa and have about 48 hours,. We (me, husband and our almost 11 year old daughter)arrive at CDG on Thu 24 Sept at 11:00 AM and fly out again on Sat 26 at 10:30 AM.

I%26#39;d like suggestions of where to stay and what to see on this first, whirlwind trip to Paris. Also dining suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

We%26#39;d like to see the Arc d%26#39; Triumphe, the Eiffel Tower (daughter%26#39;s must do!) and the Loueve (sorry for the spelling -- took Spanish in HS, not French!).Just walking around in Paris will be wonderful, but your expert advice will help us make the most of limited time.

Merci!

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The experts are going to ask you what is your budget so they can suggest a hotel.

I%26#39;d say you could stay on the 6th arrondisement so you will be near to Louvre Museum and the Eiffel Tower.

You can take a taxi or the metro to go to the Arc d%26#39;Triomphe.

I think you will have time to visit the Notre Dame Cathedral and St. Chapelle. If you like museums, you can go to D%26#39;Orsay to see the impressionists. A lot of people prefers D%26#39;Orsay to the Louvre.

Enjoy your almost 2 days in Paris.

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We did much the same on our trip to Africa. We stayed at the Londres Eiffel Hotel and got an upper floor room with a view of the Eiffel Tower at night. Worth every penny. We bought a two day boat trip, right below the ET, and were able to boat to Norte Dame, the Louvre, d%26#39; Orsay, and most other famous places from the hop on, hop off boat. Better than the metro which is faster, but underground and you can%26#39;t see things. You can walk to the Arc or many other places in central Paris from anyplace the boat stops. We walked from our hotel to Angelina%26#39;s, across the Seine, next to the Louvre, for the famous hot chocolate and the macaroons. We also walked most of the Champs from the Arc to the Louvre.

You will never be the same after Paris....You%26#39;ll have plenty of time to research your trip and where you want to go. All of central Paris is at your beck and call.

oprah44

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I%26#39;d like to spend less than USD 250 per night, but can go up to 300. I figured we%26#39;d find local bakeries for breakfast and try crepes from a stand on the street, or bread and cheese for lunch. For dinner I%26#39;d like to find a nice bistro -- not le Tour d%26#39; Argent as one acquaintance of ours suggested!

Thanks!

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FYI - $250 US is the equivalent of about €193 at today%26#39;s rate.

If you don%26#39;t have a guide book for Paris get one and as you read through it, each of you make your wish list. That way you can choose something that each person wants to see so nobody feels they%26#39;ve been left out of the process.

If the hotel suggestions aren%26#39;t available or attractive or not within the budget - go to www.venere.com and see what you can find there.

The bills of fare are posted outside every restaurant, cafe, brasserie, etc., along with prices - so there are no surprises. BTW - what we call the menu, the French call %26quot;la carte%26quot; and what we call the daily specials, they call %26quot;le menu%26quot;. Le menu is a fixed price selection usually of 2 or 3 items for each of 2 or 3 courses - occasionally including a glass of wine. Le menu is generally the most frugal selection for any particular meal.

Imported spirits and wine by the bottle are two budget killers - and Coca Cola is one as well. Get the Coke from a grocer or supermarket and drink it in your hotel. It often costs more than wine. Drink the house wine - no place could survive in France with a bad one.

The only reason to drink bottled water in Paris is if you hate the flavour of the stuff that comes out of the tap - there%26#39;s certainly nothing wrong with it. I don%26#39;t mind the flavour, so that%26#39;s what I drink with meals - because it%26#39;s free.

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Removed on: 5:19 am, October 22, 2009

A quick, simple restaurant recommend near Tour Eiffel?

Hi folks,

Wanted to thank you all once more for all the wonderful help and advice you gave me a few weeks back regarding our upcoming trip to Paris.

I was wondering if anyone could provide us with a really quick and simple (i.e., not fancy) restuarant choice near or within view of the Eiffel tower at night. We%26#39;re flying in this Saturday morning, but depending on how long we have to wait for our room to be ready, we probably won%26#39;t be in much of a mood for anything extreme in terms of dining later that night. I was thinking of surprising my wife with someplace near this landmark when it lights up at night.

We plan to visit Tour Eiffel in daylight during the following week, but it would be nice to get just a little taste of the %26quot;touristy%26quot; side of Paris right off the bat. Although we%26#39;re staying on the Ile St. Louis, so I%26#39;m sure we%26#39;ll get more than our full share on that account. :)

And again, thanks for all the help so far. You%26#39;ve all settled my anxieties and now I%26#39;m just looking forward to our trip with no reservations.

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Les Cocottes de Christian Constant, on rue St. Dominique, is a casual place with great food. You sit on stools at a long counter, and a lot of the food is cooked in round pots called cocottes. They don%26#39;t take reservations and it%26#39;s very popular, but if you go during off-hours - until, say, 7 pm - there shouldn%26#39;t be much if any wait. It%26#39;s a very easy stroll from the Tour Eiffel. Here%26#39;s David Lebovitz%26#39;s take on the restaurant:

davidlebovitz.com/archives/2009/01/les_cocot…

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Do you mean where you can dine and SEE it %26quot;when it lights up at night%26quot;.

There are very few places, actually, where you can dine with a view of the Tour Eiffel.

If you just want a light bite and/or beverages, highly recommend the terrace at Chez Francis, right next to Alma Marceau metro station. This is on the other side of the Seine, but the views are terrific.

Closer to the Tour Eiffel in the 7th, recommend Le Recrutement on the corner rue Saint-Dominique/blvd LaTour Maubourg, which also has tables on the terrace with great views of the Tour Eiffel.

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Actually, DJK, I was looking for both: casual and/or within sight of the Eiffel. But to be honest, I was really thinking of anything within walking distance. It%26#39;s not imprtant at all to actually see it. I know that%26#39;s a tall order, not to mention probably expensive! But I love your recommendations. Thanks a lot!

Travelbug - that%26#39;s pretty much exactly what I was looking for. What a great sounding place!

I%26#39;m going to have to look over all these choices and make a quick decision. I prefer any place you don%26#39;t have to make a reservation for.

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We loved La Terrasse, it%26#39;s more of bistro, just great for lunch and a glass of wine. Love the roti chicken , pomme frites or onion soup. Ecole Militaire metro station. Can%26#39;t see the Eiffel Tower, but it%26#39;s close.

Visit the web site for Les Hombres restaurant, located on top of the Branly Museum. Unique views of the Eiffel Tower, the bateauxes on the Seine, Sacre Coeur. They serve tea around 4:00 PM: A little spendy, but tea might do it for your budget.

http://www.lesombres-restaurant.com/

Cafe de l%26#39;Homme 17, place du Trocadero et 11 Novembre Across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower, great place to soak it in for the price of a drink.

http://www.restaurant-cafedelhomme.com/fr/

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Excellent suggestions! Thank you so much. As we%26#39;ll be getting off at the Trocadero metro station, that last one sounds very appealing right about now. :)

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At the Trocadero, which is the large area directly across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower, there are several cafes with decent food just 20 meters from the best views of the Eiffel Tower. For something breathtaking, but affordable I like the Cafe de L%26#39;Homme, which is a very trendy restaurant with a direct view of the tower. You can go there for just drinks, and their meals are fast by local standards. It is the kind of place where you can order just a main dish.

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Removed on: 6:23 am, October 22, 2009

Traveling by bus or train to small towns near Avignon

I will spend 5 days in Avignon and would like to visit nearby small towns I can reach by train or bus. Can I get to Aix en Provence? Which small towns would you recommend ( I am a photographer) that I can reach via bus or train? Thanks so much for your ideas....

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From Avignon, by train you can easily reach Arles, Aix-en-Provence, Nimes. and perhaps Orange. Just about anywhere else will require bus travel which is not terribly convenient for tourism. Many locations have only one or two buses a day. There is good bus service to Pont du Gard, St. Remy, and Cavaillon, but reaching places such as Les Baux, Gordes, Vaison-la-Romaine, Roussillon, or Venasques will not be a simple affair.

One really needs a car to fully explore Provence.

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Other places that you can visit by train from Avignon include Cavaillon, Salon de Provence, Isle-sur-Sourge, Tarascon. I also went to Ales and Aigues Mortes by train while I was in Avignon for a similar length of time last year. Aix you can reach either by regular trains by changing at Marseille or on the TGV although both TGV stations are outside the cities. There will be plenty to keep your camera active.

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Thanks so much for the advice.

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I am very grateful for the reply - thank-you.

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Removed on: 6:23 am, October 22, 2009

Car rental near Branges, France

We are picking up our Boat to cruise from Branges to Gray in June and hoped to collect a Budget rental car in Paris when we fly in and drop the car in Louhans (about 4 Kms from the boat base) as per the Le Boat%26#39;s website information. However it appears that Budget do not have an office in Louhans and I can%26#39;t seem to find any other rental company nearby.

Does anyone have any advice about car rental companies either in Louhans or close by to Branges so we don%26#39;t have to travel a great deal of kms to get to the boat base.

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I don%26#39;t see car rental companies listed in Louhans either. Your best bet is to drop the car off at Dijon and take the train to Louhans. The ride is approximately one hour and requires no transfers.

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How about sending an email to Le Boat?

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I did email Le Boat here in Australia and they told me to email car hire companies direct - not very helpful I%26#39;m afraid.

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Have you thought of the TGV Paris-Dijon, then the local to Louhans? Both Branges and Louhans are pretty small. Think about where you plan to obtain provisions for the boat.

On the way to Gray you will pass some very interesting country. The R. Seille is quite tranquil, you will work the 4 locks yourselves (not hard). Tournus affords an opportunity to get food, the ATAC is very close to the moorage on the R. Saône. Chalon sur Saône has an excellent marina, nearby supermarket and many fine restaurants. St. Jean de Losne also is a great place to moor. Many services, including an English language book exchange.

The river gets rather %26quot;forest-y%26quot; closer to Gray, but still many fine places to stop. Gray itself is good.

Beware the large locks on the Saône unless you are very experienced with ropes. The middle cleat will prove invaluable.

Good cruising,

N-B

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Many thanks for your tips regarding our cruise. We travelled on the Canal de Midi last year so quite familiar with the lock systems with ropes. Last year 65 locks compared to 12 this year so it seems like it will be a dawdle this time round.

Good to know we have chosen an interesting sector to cruise - after last year on the Midi we thought it would be very hard to top the beautiful scenery, restaurants and chocolate box villages of that area.

Appreciate all responses for this post.

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Hi!

try to type economybookings.com.

they operate in many french locations and offer brand new cars to hire.

Check it!

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Sorry I can%26#39;t help with car hire info for Branges, but can give you a few tips for you journey.

The nearest large supermarket to Branges is in Louhans for stocking the boat up. Alternatively, the base will provision the boat for you, see LeBoat%26#39;s website for the downloadable provisioning list.

During your boat introduction at the base, make sure they show you how to reverse into a mooring if you%26#39;ve never done it before. Many or the ports on the journey require this, and it%26#39;s nothing like reversing a car!

The base will direct you through the local lock, direction upstream to Louhans (well worth the visit and the supermarket is close to the mooring and open Sunday mornings), to show you how it works. If you are one of the last departures of the day, beware, there are no proper mooring sites between Branges and Louhans, and if it%26#39;s a weekend, even good looking sites amongst the trees are populated by anglers camps. You could end up like us, complete novices trying to reverse our boat into one remaining gap on the pontoon in the dark.

Your first real encounter with navigation buoys will be just after going through the Seille%26#39;s first lock at La Truchere. Remember you are still officially going downstream at this point so %26#39;red buoys on the right%26#39; otherwise you go straight into the sandbank. Another 20/30 meters and you will head right onto the big-boys river where it all changes to red buoys on the left when going upstream.

When going through the big guage locks, it is far easier to rope up to one of the vertical pole bollards as the ropes just slide up the pole as the water rises.

Hope this helps, feel free to ask for more info.

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Hello ,

Is this a recommended tour for a famely with to kids under 10 ?

what are the sailing hours if any ?

How many hours do we have to spend on boat each day specific for the route?

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Removed on: 5:16 am, October 15, 2009

"Casual" walking guide

Hi

Can anybody recommend a good walking guidebook for Corsica? We are NOT looking to do the GR20, Mare e Monti, Mare e Mare etc, just a few half or full day walks. We do a fair bit of walking so other than ruling out whole weeks or mountain climbing the walks can be quite varied.

When we stayed in Mallorca (I know, but it was nice!) we used the Cicerone guide and it was fantastic, spot on, but when we went to Croatia the Cicerone guide was rubbish so now I am a bit more cautious about ordering the Corsican equivalent without a recommendation.

We are only staying a week - maybe even the local tourist offices publish routes (we will be based in Calvi but have a car) and along with a good map (which one?) this would be sufficient? When we were in Croatia the paths were well sign-posted so we ended up doing without a book and just following our maps and noses.

Any advice - including any %26quot;must do%26quot; circular or train-linked walks between 2 and 7 hours long, say - appreciated.

Thanks

R

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We%26#39;ve done a fair few day walks in northern Corsica using a combination of the following:

...the IGN Top25 maps, that cover the whole island, that you can get in any decent bookshop and often in the supermarkets - these are indispensable for any walking, better on the long distance walks but also have local walks marked.

...the Rough Guide, which is generally good on walks including shorter ones.

...the Rother guide, which has a selection of walks all over the island, ranging from easy to challenging

...local signposting in some areas (eg Cap Corse, Castagniccia, the Balagne, the Calanches...probably others too but I haven%26#39;t been there so can%26#39;t say)

More generally, don%26#39;t rule out the GR20/Mare e Monte etc because there are sections of each that you can do as half or whole day walks (some of these are covered in the Rother Guide, and the maps will also enable you to work out which bits you can get to)

Particular recommendations...I hesitate to make suggestions because capacities and preferences vary so much. They%26#39;re all great and there are hundreds of them; the ones that follow are in the easy category (I%26#39;ve done most of them, so they must be, I%26#39;m 50+ and not fit) though virtually all Corsican walks have steep stretches and are rocky underfoot, they are not your English country walk on nice soft woodland, grass and mud (I only say this because I have English walking friends who were shocked by the roughness of the terrain even on the easier walks). And of course it%26#39;s hot, even in spring. From Calvi, you can walk the Punta di Revellata by the sea; up behind Calvi on the local mountain (I%26#39;ve forgotten its name); take the train to Lumio or Algajola and walk up the hills overlooking the sea to Occi/Lavatoggio/S Antonino/

Ile Rousse; walk along the coast; take the car to the Maison forestiere at Bonifatu, local tracks in the woods marked and a stretch of GR20/Mare et Monte; drive to or just beyond Galeria and do bits of Mare e Monte along a river or on top of the ridge or to the sea; drive to the Ghiussani and follow trails near the M.Forestiere in the Tartagine valley; drive to the Calanches and do a number of trails (locally marked, also on the maps); drive to Corte to go up to Lac di Melo. Take the train and go to Vizzavona to the Cascades des Anglais and beyond. Lots of other walks from Corte and off the train. If you%26#39;re going into the mountains you need to start early (eg it takes 2 hours to get to the top of the Restonica road)because it gets hot and/or cloudy at midday.

Hope that%26#39;s useful - you%26#39;ll have a great time !

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Just one more suggestion to complete Balanina%26#39;s excellent reply:

- When staying in Algajola once, I took the Tramway de la Balagne to the stop just below Lumio (by the Mata Hari beach restaurant - Ondari? request stop) and walked back to Algajola along the coast, taking in the spectacular Punta Caldanu. I had the 1:25000 walking map with me as a guide and only ran into a problem close to my destination when I was in a ghost town of holiday homes and had to clamber over a wall to get out. There are swimming possibilities all along the way.

It would be quite possible to do the same walk using transport from and back to Calvi.

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Hi

Thank you very much. I shall print out your replies and take them with me!

R

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Removed on: 6:26 am, October 22, 2009

Arrondissement 1 ou 6

Hi again,

I need another opinion about an apartment located on Rue des Capucins (1st arrondissement?) vs the La Reine Astrid (6th). Is the Rue des Capucins a safe area? Would it be closer to tourist sites and restaurants than the Astrid? Would it be more difficult to enter and leave Lyon by car for surrounding areas than the Astrid? Any other opinions or thoughts would be appreciated!

Merci beaucoup,

IndianaTravelPlanner

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Rue des Capucins is a nice area to go out at night, it is the area called %26quot;pentes de la Croix-Rousse%26quot; with a vibrant night life mainly for students and young people; but not an easy area though to get with a car : driving and parking will be tricky.

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I%26#39;ve never heard of that street in the 6th. It could be at the south end of the 6th. I%26#39;ve stayed in the 6th, north end, almost annually since 1981. What is the name of the apartment agency and the apartment ID number and I can look it up. Happy Travels!

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Guenmai, rue des Capucins is in the 1st arrondissement, not in the 6th.

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Thank you again for your responses. I was concerned about Rue des Capucins due to google%26#39;s pictures of the area, specifically the grafitti. I was concerned about safety both during the day and at night. Of course, I do not know when the pictures of the street were taken. From what has been posted, I am assuming that it would be a shorter walk to restaurants, the metro, and tourist sites from Rue des Capucins than from the La Reine Astrid. Correct?

Thanks again,

IndianaTravelPlanner

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Only-Lyon- I know that rue des Capucines is in the 1st. I was referring to the other street that the poster stated as being in the 6th. Refer back to the poster%26#39;s original post...%26quot;La Reine Astrid(6th)%26quot;. Happy Travels!

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La Reine Astrid is not a street name actually, it is the name of a hotel.

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Removed on: 6:17 pm, October 19, 2009

Car rental - for day trip from Aix

Hi everyone,

Have asked this question in another thread but thought it mmight get a better response if I specified a topic on car rental.

My partner and I are spending 4 days in Provence in may (our first time) and staying in a small B %26amp; B outside of Aix. The owner has kindly offered us free airport pickup and drop off, so we don%26#39;t need to hire a car for the whole time.

We are however interested in hiring a car for a day either to head coastal or inland.

We are thinking of going to the Sunday Isle-sur-la-Sorgue markets -- thinking this may be the good day to hire a car?

If we chose to do this rather than hiring for a trip to the coast, is it easy to reach nice coastal areas from Aix via public transport?

Our itinerary is shaping up something like this:

Thursday afternoon: Relax at B %26amp; B head into Aix for dinner/drink

Friday: Check out Aix most of the day (is a day overkill for Aix? Maybe head to Avignon in the afternoon?)

Saturday: Head to the coast via public transport (any advice great?). Back to Aix in the evening to pick up car.

Sunday: Drive with hire car to Isle-sur-la-Sorgue area.

Thoughts?

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One more question -- the Saint Tropez area -- thought it might be fun to see the place (even if glitz and glamour isn%26#39;t generally our speed). Is this do-able by public transport or car needed?

just trying to guage if we can get away with only 1 day car of we need two...

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Hello,

Your best bet is to hire the car for L%26#39;Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and go by train to Nice. Go to www.sncf.fr and choose language English. In the %26quot;Travel%26quot; drop down menu choose %26quot;TER%26quot; and plan your trip. I looked and Aix to Nice is about 3 hours by train from Aix%26#39;s central station (not the TGV i.e. bullit train as it is outside of Aix and you would need transportation to get there like taxi or other...).

You seem to be adding bits and pieces here and there for which you might need a rental car throughout your stay: for Avignon and Saint Tropez you need a vehicle also.

Hope this helps,

Lou Gari

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There are several areas of research you need to complete to help formulate this itinerary.

1. Do you know the cost of a one day car rental? Keep in mind that if you pickup a car at a train station there is a special fee for this which can run as high as 40€ plus the rental costs. There may be few options to pick up a rental car very late in the day Saturday. It might be better to pick one up in Marseille.

2. %26quot;Avignon for the afternoon%26quot;. The train from central Aix to central Avignon takes about 1+10 each way. How long did you want to stay in Avignon? Is late night transportation available from the Aix train station to where you are staying?

3. Specifically, what %26quot;coastal areas%26quot; do you want to reach from Aix. You could take a bus to Marseille and connect to Cassis. I should estimate 2 hours en route each way.

4. There is no train service to St. Tropez. There is bus service from St. Raphael. Driving time from Aix to St. Tropez is 1+40.

Generally, there is bus service throughout Provence but frequency can be a problem for someone with limited time. With only a few days and an itinerary that takes you quite a distance from where you are staying, I strongly suggest you rent a car upon arrival at the airport.

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I have already done the research on car costs -- we could realistically afford one day easily and another one possibly.

Sorry if I am being vague -- just trying to work the area out having never been.

We have been told you can get a train from Marseille west along the coast to visit various little beaches etc...thought this might be an option. But no idea how the coast to the west of Marseille compares the coast to the East.

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Hi Sarastro,

Your post was very helpful for what it%26#39;s worth!

Considering we can%26#39;t and don%26#39;t want to hire a car for the whole time,your comments have helped a lot in terms of refining the itinerary.

You seam to have a lot of knowledge of the area -- if we are happy to relax on the Thursday, check out Aix on the the Friday and do a coastal and inland day trip on Saturday and Sunday what/when/where would you (or anyone else advise?).

We would love to see good flea markets...

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A quick map check and I can see a rail line west of Marseille with several coastal stops. I have never taken the time to drive through this area as it looks rather industrial but there may be several very suitable beaches.

Because of high fixed costs of car rentals (airport/train station pick up surcharges and road tax fees) short term rentals (1-2 days) cost no less than 3 sometimes 4 day rentals if arranged through a broker (brokers do not handle rental of fewer than 3 days). Hence my suggestion to rent a car upon arrival.

While Aix-en-Provence is a worthy destination, its location within Provence (somewhat easterly of most tourist destinations) does not make it as interesting a base to explore without a car as locations more central to the Luberon.

None the less, a couple of highlights nearby include:

http://www.val-joanis.com/

http://www.ot-cassis.com/

http://www.marseille-tourisme.com/

The markets of Isle-sur-la-Sorgue are well know so if you do drive there on the weekend, plan to arrive early as parking becomes increasingly distant (due to the large number of cars) from the center of town as the morning progresses. Near here you may want to visit: Roussillon, Gordes, St. Rémy and les Beaux de Provence.

If you like shopping for bargains, Aix itself has several dozen resale shops where one can find amazing value. Look for the sign BROCANTE.

My favorite small restaurant in Aix (there are many from which to choose) is Le Comté d%26#39;Aix at 17, Rue De la Couronne. The owner is quite a jolly fellow; the food encompasses regional specialties. I recommend reserving in advance: 04 42 26 79 26

There are a number of excursions from Aix that may interest you. They are listed here:

aixenprovencetourism.com/uk/aix-excursions.h…

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Oh thanks so much plenty of info to sort through there!

Cassis looks very appealing -- maybe more so than west of Marseille??! The owner of the B %26amp; B said there was a boat you can get from Marseille that goes east for an hour or so...would this be to Cassis?

WIll look at the rest of your suggestions in the morning...thanks again!

One question though - if I was to (for budget reasons and a lack of desire to drive too much) only hire a car one day to head out into the interior, which day is better Saturday or Sunday? Cassis being the other day for arguments sake...

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Please do check the car hire prices carefully. I have often found that 3 days costs little more than 1 day and less than 2 days. It seems that 3 days is the magic figure - or always used to be. You can do so much more with a car.

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If you are interested in the coast between Marseille and Cassis, there are a couple of websites for boat trips:

from Marseille visite-des-calanques.com/marseille-cassis-cr…

from Cassis http://www.calanques-cassis.com/

There are local trains between Marseille and Cassis:

ter-sncf.com/paca/carte_horaires/index.asp

My memory is that the station is a couple of miles outside Cassis, but there is a shuttle bus to the town centre.

If you are keen to avoid driving, there are local bus timetables:

for Aix / Marseille area www.lepilote.com/recherche/index.asp?guide=ok

for Avignon area www.vaucluse.fr/1119-recherche-de-lignes.htm

However, as others have said, the most time-efficient way of exploring Provence is by car.

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That is so strange -- the magic three days!

It is 40 Euro cheaper for three days than two...strange!

Sounds like everyone agrees a car make the region far more accessible.

Even if we don%26#39;t use it the whole time it sounds a must...A lot of people have mentioned the difficulty of parking though...I guess that%26#39;s part of the fun!

Annecy or Lyon?

My mother and I are traveling to France this summer and are trying to decide between the two. We will either be taking a train to Geneva and driving to Annecy, or just a train to Lyon. It is only for one night, since we will then be traveling down to the coast.

Which do you prefer? Any pros or cons?

Thanks.

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For just one night I%26#39;d suggest Annecy, which is not far from Geneva. It is beautifully situated on the lake, and the old town would be perfect for one day and night. Lyon is a great city, too, but for the short time my vote is for Annecy.

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I agree - Lyon is a larger place, and you could spend 2 or 3 nights there.

Lyon is more urban, Roman sights, traboules, loads of restaurants. Annecy is extremely pictareque, with mountains and lake.

I suggest you book the hotel fairly soon, as the summer is very busy in Annecy.Perhaps get the bus from Geneva to Annecy ( timetable is http://www.frossard.eu/horaires.phtml?hashID=80337511f4a6d7b16baac9dea7e7a3ff) as it%26#39;s quite difficult with a car, and sometimes difficult to park. Then get the car from Annecy to travel to the coast, or the TGV.

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Removed on: 8:17 am, October 22, 2009

Trains from Bordeaux to Leon in Spain

I cannot find a route to get to Leon from Bordeaux in one day

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The all powerful German railway database tells me that the QUICKEST journey is just over 10 hours, leaving Leon at 0937 arriving in Bordeaux at 1947.

By travelling overnight you can leave Leon at 2212 arriving at Bordeaux at 1021 the next day.

Changes of train at Vallodolid and Hendaye on the daytime option. Changes at Burgos and Hendaye on the night time option, with a horrible 2hr 45 minute wait in Burgos from around midnight.

Info from www.reiseauskunftbahn.de but you cannot book through that site.

That%26#39;s about it which I hope helps.

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Removed on: 8:17 am, October 22, 2009

Museum Pass Question for Adults and Children

I understand that most monuments and museums are free to those under 18 years of age and that having the MP permits you to %26quot;skip the line%26quot; for most attractions.

Let%26#39;s assume that an adult has the MP. The adult is accompanying a dozen 17-year olds without the MP. Can they all skip the line?

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Yes. My 16 year old shipped the line at most places with us. I just told them his age in Franch and they let us bypass at Rodin, Musee D%26#39;Orsay, the l%26#39;Orangerie etc. A few places required him to get a separate admittance ticket which was free.

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That should be skipped

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In theory that should be true....BUT...if you are clearly %26#39;leading%26#39; a %26#39;tour group%26#39;, entrance attendants/guards at any of these participating institutions MAY well require %26#39;proof-of-age%26#39; or student IDs from %26#39;group%26#39; participants and direct you to someone else who will check those %26#39;proofs%26#39;. With this in mind, it would behoove you to make CERTAIN that those in your %26#39;group%26#39; all have the appropriate

%26#39;proofs%26#39; readily available to present, if required. More often than not a photocopy of the Information page of a passport or student ID card will suffice.

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Of course, everyone would be carrying a copy of their passport.

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%26gt;%26gt;Of course, everyone would be carrying a copy of their passport%26lt;%26lt;

Yeah, sure...of course. What was I thinkin%26#39;??....and %26#39;..the check is in the mail..%26#39; and %26#39;..of course, I%26#39;ll respect you in the morning..%26#39;.

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Of course they would all have copies of their passports, but GROUPS have to pay. Even the local eight year olds who go on class field trips have to have a ticket.

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Well, then, what is a group?

If I take my daughter and her four friends, is that a group? How about a 19 year old and 8 of her 17 year old friends? Is that a group? How about a teacher and 6 students?

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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;If I take my daughter and her four friends, is that a group? How about a 19 year old and 8 of her 17 year old friends? Is that a group? How about a teacher and 6 students?%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;

If you%26#39;re trying to find out %26#39;..how many angels are allowed to sing on the head of a pin..%26#39; you%26#39;ll have to ask the archangels. The opinions of individual archangels (a bit like individual museum entrance atttendants/guards) may have different interpretations of who is seraphim and who is cherubim and who of how many singing angels constitute a choir.

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The Louvre has ample information on the subject for professionals. I suggest you ask them directly.

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Guys, if you don%26#39;t know the answer, it%26#39;s OK to just ignore the question. I don%26#39;t know what you%26#39;re trying to do with the last 2 responses.