Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with France

Screw Chevy Chase

Christ, what an asshole — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:03:51 -0800

I'm looking for underrated, obscure European vacation stops. A couple friends and I are going to Europe for a month (Nov/Dec), and we plan on doing the whole Eurorail/hostel thing across several countries. 1/3rd of the destination stops are for my choosing, and while I know they'll be making the saturated, obvious choices like Rome, Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, etc., I'd like to spice things up with places that don't automatically spring to mind but offer the same level (if not more) of awe. Ideally, cities that aren't automatic tourist stops where most everyone speaks English and there's a McDonald's on every corner (but also not so far out of the way from mid-Europe like some hole-in-the-wall, Eastern-European Caspian city).

What sort of places have you visited that you would recommend?

Cote d'Azur nightlife

PTCHFRKR — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:32:13 -0800

I'm new to the region and don't know much about the nightlife here. Can anyone recommend good clubs/bars in or around Cannes and Nice?

English Tutor Available!

Evstar — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 02:43:20 -0800

What is the legality of posting flyers to telephone poles and similar public spaces in Lyon, France, for the purpose of advertising a private, for-profit service such as language tutoring? Or: where online can I find this information? Another in a series of questions about the city. . .

Where can I find a inexpensive dress in Paris?

Vanna79 — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 14:58:14 -0800

I have just moved to Paris and am not at all familiar with the area. I am in need of a black dress for a wedding that I am in at the end of the month but can't find anything for a reasonable price. If anyone knows of a good place to find nice dress for 200EUR and under I would greatly appreciate the help.

Is my name dirty?

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:41:05 -0800

I worked for five and a half months in France and never filed a French tax return. Am I in trouble? About 6 or 7 years ago I spent five and a half month working as an intern for a French electronics company. During this time I made about 700€ a month. My visa was "stagiare non-rémunerée." I never filed any tax stuff for this period, and I'm wondering (a) if I'm in trouble and could get arrested or barred from entry, (b) how can I find out for sure if I'm in trouble without actually trying to enter the country, and (c) how do I fix this if I am in trouble? I no longer have any relevant financial documentation (pay stubs, bank account numbers, etc.) handy, but I could probably find some of it somehow either by contacting the employer or the bank.

Throwaway email is lesimpots@gmail.com.

Tété-Michel Kpomassie: Where is He Now

luriete — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:46:43 -0800

Tété-Michel Kpomassie: where is he now? Whatever happened to him? I can't find other books by him after An African in Greenland; I've read he eventually received French citizenship and lives there now - but what does he do? He must have written other books or articles, right? Anyone know?

What to do with my accumulation of coins in France?

la grande chaleur — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:44:24 -0800

Dear French Mefites: what do you do with all your pocket change? I'm about to move from Paris to London and I really don't want to leave the roughly 25 Euros in 1, 2 and 5 centime denominations to the next tenants. 25 Euros could mean a pre-move pizza or two! What do you French folks do when your piggy banks overflow? I've been told that rolling change doesn't really happen here but I also haven't seen any of those nifty coin sorting machines. Any ideas? Thanks for any help.

Wrong. Shockingly wrong!

Morrigan — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:18:29 -0800

Extremely long shot horror movie question involving cats and the French subway system. In the late 1960s or early 1970s, I was scared witless by a televised movie involving a cat (cats?) in the subway system in France that somehow lured victims onto the electrified rail. Any idea what this movie was?

I really don't want to take it all with me.

tip120 — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 05:04:27 -0800

What is the most secure and cost effective way to start moving a small number of things to the US from France? Last year, I moved to France for a job. Hooray. I'm not renewing my contract and moving back to New York. Yay!

I brought more clothes that I should have, and I have some books and things I would like to send back before I move home. I will be traveling a bit before returning to the States and don't particularly relish the idea of lugging my crap around with me.

While I will be doing some local pruning of the clothes, I know there will still be stuff to send back. What is the best way to send it back from France?

All the other posts on Ask that I saw dealt with moving from the US, not to. They also typically dealt with furniture and larger amounts than I am dealing with.

Is my best bet to load up a few boxes of clothes at La Poste and ship them back? Or is there another, cheaper yet just as safe alternative?

Looking for an animated French music video and song from a few years back

zaebiz — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 18:11:20 -0800

What is the name of that French song from maybe five years back which had an animated music video of a little girl running through the pastures and playing? After a certain time, she stops playing, and she exits what turns out to be a big stage. A line of children are waiting their turn to enter the stage and play. I am pretty sure there was a link to it on Metafilter too back then. It seemed to paint a gloomy picture of the future.

Parcel from France

gimonca — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:15:50 -0800

Package shipped from France, really should have been sent by Chronopost, instead was shipped surface mail. How long will it take to arrive in the U.S.? Roughly speaking.

Flying Solo in France...

moocheen — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:07:47 -0800

Can I find a secluded get away in the South of France for 1? I want to go away to decompress after a long year and, the south of france is idyllic.

I will be going alone for a period of 1 or 2 weeks at the end of October and seclusion is what I'm aiming for.

How do I find a place to stay that isn't too big or massively expensive where I can have the opportuniy to keep to myself or mingle with locals to practice my french, depending on my mood?

Please evaluate my route from Italy to Spain by car

zaebiz — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:07:07 -0800

I plan to drive from Venice, Italy to Valenica, Spain in April or May 2009 using the following route. I will stay for a few days or weeks in little spots along the way. I should have about six weeks in total. I mostly want to see a little of Spain and Italy, the French Riviera, Montpellier, Marseilles and finish at Valencia. Apart from that anything else I should try to see? Any parts of the chosen route I should avoid? What's driving like along that route? Any rental car companies which will let me pick up in Italy and drop off in Spain?

Foreign guides around Europe

vizsla — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:21:43 -0800

How does a 40ish year old male with enough money find his way around Europe without foreign language skills? Is it possible to hire guides to travel with, or at least to show them around on a city-by-city basis for this sort of thing? I'm thinking specifically France, Spain, Italy. Willing to use University students or some other creative possibility. Mostly there for a holiday but may also need to talk to real agent agents about places in France or Spain.

Study Abroad: Nantes/Paris

Solon and Thanks — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:47:16 -0800

I'm a French major (a sophomore) at an American university weighing my options for study abroad and I'd like some input, especially about Nantes, France. I apologize in advance if this sounds obnoxious; I'm aware that I'm a very lucky person to have this "problem."

My plans, until recently, were to study for February-June 2009 in Paris. I've just decided to investigate the idea of participating in two study abroad sessions, since it recently became affordable thanks to some scholarships that will apply. There is a program in Nantes that looks great and I've heard good things about, but I've never been to that area. It's similar to that Paris program afaik despite location.

So: I have many options. I would like to go abroad for the second semester of the upcoming year (spring 09), and perhaps for either fall 09 or the 09-10 school year. I don't know how to distribute this. (Paris full year? Nantes semester? Nantes full year? Paris semester? Both semester? Paris but not Nantes, vice-versa? I have more opportunities than just these two, so it's fine with me if an answer is "x city is overrated - don't bother.")

Paris is an amazing city, but perhaps too touristy for my needs (which are: learning French. I'm at an middle/upper-intermediate stage and really want to get better.) Though it would, I guess, be an easier place from which to travel during holidays/weekends. I've never been to Nantes but heard good things, and I'm guessing it would be much less expensive than Paris (though I'm doing a home stay either way, so rent/groceries aren't a factor.) I like Paris, but also like the smaller-town feel of places like Chartres.

To get to my point: What are your impressions of visiting each, or of living in either area? I've briefly visited Paris, so I'm specifically interested in hearing from people who have visited Nantes or Brittany, or have lived in either city. Any thoughts are much appreciated.

This is stressing me in.

Evstar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:33:14 -0800

What is the best way for me to find an apartment in Lyon, with a kitchen, for 10 months to a year? I'm a Canadian in Toronto with a French Visa good for a year. I'm leaving at the end of August to stay in Lyon for 10 months to a year. My girlfriend and I need an apartment apartment within a reasonable distance of the University of Lyon for those ten months. She is a student, I am not.

We will arrive in Lyon on the 29th of August.

Should we hire a real-estate agent? Search online classifieds ourselves? Would we be crazy to show up in Lyon on the 29th in hopes of finding a place for September in the few days left in August? Is there a better way to go about this?

Oh, and we're on a student's budget. The two of us will be splitting rent halfway.

I would love to hear from people who live or have lived in Lyon, especially from someone with a similar travel experience.

Thanks.

Where can I eat some good North African food in Paris?

oxala — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:48:26 -0800

Where can I eat some good North African food in Paris? Moroccan, Tunisian, Algerian etc. As with all tourists, I'm looking for authentic little cafes and diners rather than fancy restaurants, any "fusion" driven establishments, or places where tourists go. I have found a few suggestions using Google but I thought I'd see if anyone has any personal faves...

Where in France can I find some inexpensive privacy?

Beardman — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 05:12:44 -0800

I'm looking for a secluded place in France, preferably no more than two hours from Paris by train, where I can read philosophy for two days straight. On Thursday I've got to be in Paris, but I'm flying there from Berlin on Tuesday morning. I was supposed to have gotten a lot of studying done in Berlin, but got sucked in by the city and its nightlife. Now I'm hoping to arrive at Orly and promptly head somewhere utterly off the beaten track, preferably a nice, small town that doesn't have any renowned sights that I'll feel obligated to check out. My preference is for Normandy, but I'm open to anything: where would you shack up for two nights if you wanted a secluded single room, but had no reservations?

I want to become fluent in French by being an exchange student

majikstreet — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 18:09:59 -0800

Studying abroad in high school. Recommendations? Advice? Anecdotes? I'm planning on doing this during the fall semester 2009-2010 (as a junior). Specifically to France.

I'm looking for company recommendations, advice, anecdotes, and whatever else you can say about the topic

Sorry if this question seemed a little disjointed.

Going to Paris in October. What should I know?

eric1200 — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:35:40 -0800

I'm spending 4 days in Paris. I've never been to France, and I speak no French. This was a spur of the moment plane ticket purchase. But I don't want to be an unnecessarily annoying tourist. Should I try learning to speak some French? Will anyone understand me if I speak English? How might I unwittingly offend someone? Any other tips for a clueless American in France? (Besides, you know, trying to become less clueless between now and October.)

Finally if anyone has any fun Paris suggestions re: where to stay, good eats, etc. Those would be very welcome too!

FleaMarketFilter: Looking for all Flea Markets in Europe

dripdripdrop — Fri, 23 May 2008 09:55:20 -0800

I'm looking for flea markets in Europe. Specifically we will be going through Greece, Macedonia, Albania, Croatia, Bosnia (Sarajevo), Slovenia, Hungary, Czech Republic and Poland (Krakow) before settling in France, but any other suggestions in Europe are welcome. I'm interested in the kind of flea markets with old, random crap, not the new, cheap crap. I've been to the flea market outside Budapest on Nagykőrösi út and loved all the old nick nacks.

Please be as specific as possible about addresses. If I get a lot of answers I'll put together a Google Map for sharing.

What else to do at Cannes?

crookedneighbor — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:37:45 -0800

Where to eat, who to do and what to see in Cannes during the film festival? I'm going to the Cannes Film Festival this week. It's awesome, but because it's a last minute trip, I may not be able to get accreditation. I've been to Nice before but never this town--what do I have to do? How do I decide what screenings to go to, assuming I get the badge? And if not, what do I do in Cannes that doesn't involve a red carpet?

I like eating, alternative culture, sight-seeing, ancient ruins, eating, the sun, and books. I speak French and Gay.

Itinerary for French scavenger hunt

proj08 — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:16:15 -0800

Travelfilter: Help me plan a week-long scavenger hunt throughout France. I'm traveling alone to France for approximately one week, plus or minus a couple days on either end. To give the trip more focus, I'm pretending like it is a scavenger hunt.

1. A hot beach (as in L'Etranger. I want to swim in it, too.)
2. A Catholic grade school (as in Le Petit Nicolas and numerous other children's books)
3. A site of trench warfare
4. Une cinema
5. A bread factory (I'd like to go on a tour)
6. A hospital
7. A Gothic cathedral
8. A crypt
9. A cart of legumes
10. Un tuyau d'arrosage, i.e. watering hose. (long story)

First of all, where can I find prime examples of each of these things?

Second, how should I group these activities into Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, etc.? In other words, which ones are located nearby each other?

Lastly, do you think it would be possible to rent a studio apartment for approx 200 euros for a week? If so, where? Ideally, the apartment would be conveniently located, given my goals, and reasonably beautiful as well.

I suspect I am asking for too much, but you never know until you ask. Thanks, hivemind!

What was the music used in the introduction of this French wildlife series?

Auden — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 04:05:15 -0800

Help me identify the classical musical piece used as an introduction to a wildlife series shown on French TV (more inside) I lived and studied in France around 1998-99 and watched a lot of french TV.

There was one wildlife series - similar to the old US series Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, I suppose - which had brief introduction, a wildlife montage featuring lions running across the plains, zebras in herds and so forth.

The classical music used during this intro was very fast paced (I would say "rousing") and sounded appropriate for a hunting/safari/martial piece. It reminded me of works written by Russian composers such as Tchaikovsky or Rimsky-Korsakov.

I know this is a long shot, but... What was that series, and what was the music used in the introduction? (I've been wondering this for many, many years) Thanks much

Creative Writing Musts in Aix & Paris?

annabellee — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:35:54 -0800

Help me create a literary tour of both Aix-en-Provence and Paris. I'm looking for a slew of places, activities, pastimes, even readings with which to enrich a group of teenage creative writing students this summer.

From the touristy (we'll certainly have coffee and write in our journals at Les Deux Magots) to the lesser known, I welcome all suggestions. Even quiet or provocative spaces for writing would be splendid.

I know Aix's literary draws are fewer, but I'm looking for good recommendations for both cities.