Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Paris

Geeky things to do in Paris?

mediamelt — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:15:46 -0800

Geek loose in Paris for a week - What to do? So a friend of mine is going to Paris for a week and is looking for a few geeky things to do while there. Not the typical touristy stuff, she's looking for some hard core nerd experiences. Having never been there and my google-fu failing me, I'm turning to you, the metarati. You're my only hope.

Food In Paris????

haikuku — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:12:09 -0800

Can anyone recommend yummy yet affordable restaurants in Paris for non-French speakers?

2 weeks driving around Europe at Christmas - what not to miss?

allkindsoftime — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:12:48 -0800

European road-trip for the holidays (filter). Meeting up with a friend in Paris on the evening of the 19th - both of us traveling there from different continents and wrapping up on Jan 2nd back in Paris. Here's the current plan:

Week 1 (Road Trip!):
12/19 - Arrive Paris, stay overnight.
12/20 - Drive to Munich, staying with friends.
12/21 - Explore Munich, Christmas markets, etc.
12/22 - Drive to Vienna with a stop in Steyr, Austria*.
12/23 - Explore Vienna, Christmass markets, etc.
12/24 - More Vienna, Christmas Eve Mass at St. Stephansdom*.
12/25 - Drive to Venice.
12/26 - Explore Venice.

Week 2 (based out of Geneva, where we have a free apartment):
12/27 - Drive to Geneva.
12/28 - Ski Chamonix, stay in Geneva
12/29 - More skiing, still in Geneva.
12/30 - More skiing, last night in Geneva.
12/31 - Drive to Paris for New Years.
1/1 - Explore Paris
1/2 - Friend flies out, I'm off to London for a day then flying out myself on the 3rd.

*Both of these were "local recommendations" given by friends - cool things to see and do. I am particularly interested on these around our route.

My questions:

1. Cheap / decent hotel near the airport in Paris - any suggestions?

2. Driving - we're both pretty set on it because a) we both love driving / road trips, and b) we crave the flexibility of being able to stop off in this or that place along the way, stay at a B&B outside the city rather than a hotel in it, etc.. We realize trains are good around here but would really need a strong argument against driving to sway us at this point. Any tips on tolls / etc. appreciated, as well as things along our routes not to miss.

3. Hotel in Vienna - same as above, we are looking for something more local / small, preferably on the city outskirts. From what I understand most of Europe will shut down on the 25/26th, so I figure on spending Christmas day on the road.

4. Hotel in Venice - see above.

5. Best skiing recommendations within reasonable driving distance of Geneva? I'm pretty set on Chamonix as I've been reading about skiing there my entire life, and extreme skiing is my "thing," although not my friend's, so I'm only pushing for one day there - the other 2 days we're looking for something more enjoyable to ride together.

6. New Years Eve in Paris - where to go? What to do? Where to stay?

Any input on the above or anything I'm not thinking of is appreciated in advance. I've only been to the UK and Greece before so if parts of (hopefully not all!) my plans are idiotic, please hope me. We're pretty much going off of the Lonely Planet guide and the AskMe tags (i.e. Vienna, Venice, etc.) for things to do in the cities we are at, but any other suggestions on stops along the way that are don't-miss are appreciated.

Travel/Proposal trifecta in play

2legit2quit — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:22:13 -0800

Triple whammy travel/proposal question. For those of you following my previous questions, I am almost home. I now have the diamond and the ring. I also have the flight to Europe. My questions now are: 1) How do I get from Frankfurt to Paris cheaply during the second week of January? 2) Where in Paris should I propose considering the cold January weather? 3) She knows nothing about the trip. How/when do I tell her about it? 1) As to the travel, we are flying into Frankfurt on January 5th and flying out on the 6th. I have a hotel in Frankfurt for the night of the fifth, but don't have to use it. We have a hotel in Paris for the rest of the trip. Searching skyscanner and related sites yields flights of around $350. Using raileurope, train trips are $300. There has to be a cheaper way to get there and back. And, ryanair does not allow me to select Frankfurt and Paris as connectors.

2) Past threads have been very helpful, but I want to ask specifically with a consideration of cold weather. Weather underground says to expect cold in the 40s.

3) I feel that anticipation of a trip is almost as much fun as actually going, so I don't want to just spring it on her last minute. We are not very well off and I have been saving for several months for this trip and it will be a very big deal to her. I am toying with the idea of giving her the tickets to Frankfurt for Christmas and then telling her that we aren't really staying in Frankfurt a little bit later and then nonchalantly mentioning that we are actually ending up in Paris over New Years. I would like to hear your general thoughts on this and how I can romantically play this out for maximum fun for me the information giver, and her the information receiver.

Propitious places to move to & unusual living situations for having 3 or 4 days a week free to work on personal project

cotesdurhone — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:39:38 -0800

I'm working on a project that requires at least 3 or 4 full days attention each week. What are some places in the US or world I could move to, &/or unusual living situations, that would give me a good chance of doing this? Other considerations:

• Part-time job terminating Jan 1, and definitely want to move elsewhere (currently live in Boston)
• Have $5000 savings. Will probably also be able to continue receiving unemployment (about $1,000 month) if I move out of state (but not country, obviously)

• Age 30. US Citizen.
• Languages: English, Russian
• Skills: Writing and editing, visual art, Russian translation (but no graduate-level degrees to show this)
• BA from Liberal Arts college + semester (2 terms) at Oxford

Any and all reasonable options considered.

• Preferred urban environment: vibrant arts scene, inspiring architecture, not overrun with college students or sports fanatics, ethnically and age-ally diverse
• 'Ideal' destinations: Montreal, France
• Hypothetical order of preference: 1. Montreal & France (tie) 2. EU, Scandinavia, & Turkey 3. Eastern Europe 4. USA & Canada 5. South America 6. Asia 7. Australia/New Zealand 8. other

• Preferred rural environment: the more (interesting) people around, the better

• "unusual living situations" = housesitting - caretaking - living in some cabin - (earnest) meditative community - collective farm - kibbutz - teaching abroad - or anything else

• If it's helpful to know— the project is of a literary nature (a novel and other writings)

Finally, what are the very best resources (books, websites, magazines, etc) that might be of help?

Looking for cheap DVD shops in Paris (Left Bank)

lahersedor — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:37:49 -0800

While I'm in Paris (for a short stop) I plan to buy DVDs (movies) by french new wave directors like truffaut. I have heard that there are cheap DVD shops in Paris. Do you know of any good ones in the Left Bank ? I will be staying in Montparnasse.

Yelp a Paris?

kenzi23 — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:48:48 -0800

Is there a Yelp-type site for restaurants in Paris (or Europe, as a whole)? Ideally I'd like a restaurant guide for Paris that is based on user reviews, is easy to search and bookmark like Yelp to make my meals in Paris a breeze. I'll even take a blog or a list if that's all I can get. Any suggestions are welcome.

Leather-free fashion in Paris?

nicoleincanada — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 09:21:59 -0800

Where can I find leather-free clothing in Paris? Specifically, I'm looking for boots and shoes, but bonus points for jackets, belts and the like. I'll soon be spending a week in Paris, and it seems reasonable to expect that one should be able to buy stylish, leather-free footwear in one of the world's fashion capitals. But so far I've had zero luck on Google in finding any Parisian store that sells leather-free or vegetarian clothing (granted, I'm Googling in English due to minimal French language skills.)

I'm willing to spend some money - though not crazy amounts - for reasonably well-made non-leather footwear, casual or dressy. Stores that advertise as vegan/vegetarian would be awesome, but not necessary. Ideally I'd love to go to a store that specializes in this sort of thing, but I know of only Stella McCartney, and I suspect her flagship store will be trop cher for me.

As a runner-up, I'd be interested in any stores that typically sell some non-leather footwear. (Runner up b/c in my experience, the token synthetic pair of boots in any given place is usually frumpier and more cheaply made than the leather stuff. And then there's the offgassing...)

To narrow things down further, I'm aware that there are good options available for online ordering - I've resisted because I have wide and weirdly shaped feet, and don't feel like dealing with the hassle of shipping shoes. But if you've had great experiences at any given online store, I'd love to hear about it.

And finally, I've found a lot of thorough lists of vegetarian restaurants in Paris online. No concerns there. This is just about fashion.

How best can I help a naive teen spend a week in Paris

tavegyl — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:57:32 -0800

My baby sister will spend a week in Paris alone and is travelling overseas for the first time. What practical arrangements can I make from a distance to help her have the best time she has ever had? My 17 year old sister and I were supposed to meet in Paris for her birthday in early November. She's flying from Pakistan, I was taking the train from London. Unfortunately it's looking increasing unlikely that my visa will arrive in time. This is the first time she'll be out of South Asia, let alone travel in a non-English-speaking country by herself. Given this, I am looking for suggestions on the following:

- Good, comfortable friendly B&Bs, centrally located in a safe area, where the owners and staff will take good care of a foreign teenager who doesn't speak French. I'm paying for the holiday as a present, but would prefer it to not bankrupt me (say under 80 euros a night, preferably much less). Ideally it would be a nice little place, very comfortable, with staff whom I can speak to and who will help her navigate the city, keep an eye on her, but not be pushy or enfolding.

- Any long distance arrangements I can make? Eg ensure there is a mobile phone SIM and a guidebook waiting for her? Week-long tickets to public transport?

- How can I ensure she has cash once she's there? I was planning to do all the spending, and her Pakistani card may not work overseas. Is there a way I can make sure there's money waiting for her once she arrives?

- Any tips for a kid in this situation? My own feeling is that a week alone in Paris as your first trip abroad should be a superb adventure. At the same time I don't want her to feel intimidated or nervous alone. Any suggestions on how I can make it easier - or indeed if I should help at all? Any off-the-beaten-track places and events?

- Finally, here's the big sister worrying. I've never been to Paris, and whilst I've been travelling alone since 16, I was the dorky gawky teen, not the one who gets modelling offers. My sister is naive, beautiful and completely lacking in street smarts. In Pakistan there are societal structures (eg chaperonage, class, honour etc) protecting her when she's alone. What sort of warnings should she have about being taken advantage of, sleazy men, mugging, etc?

Not Shakespeare & Co

lucia__is__dada — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:26:37 -0800

Looking for an independent bookshop in Paris. Ideally, you've been to the London Review Bookshop in London. Or maybe to St. Mark's in NY or Goulard in Aix. If you haven't, I'm looking for a smallish independent bookshop that (almost) doesn't sell crowd pleasers and manages to display prominently books like The Complete Works of Hugo Von Hofmannsthal or the new biography of Max Weber. The type of bookshop that already stocked Bolaño before the hype or the sorts of books that make it into the Hesperus Classics collection. Except that it would exclusively sell books in the french language. What would be the Parisian equivalent?

NYE: Paris. Suggestions?

proj — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:25:15 -0800

New Year's Eve in Paris. Suggestions? A long-belated honeymoon will find me and my wife in Paris for New Year's this year. We've decided this is the perfect opportunity for a (relatively) expensive, multi-course feast in a great restaurant. Nothing too fancy (we're students) but we like food, and we want this to be an experience. It needs to be somewhere we can walk to (staying in Marais near the Picasso Museum on Rue Thorigny), and we will eventually end up at the champs elysees. Looking to spend no more than 130 euro a person, unless this is laughable for what we're asking.

Last minute advice for solo trip to Paris?

cider — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:21:50 -0800

I'm heading off to Paris for four days, and I'm starting to get a bit nervous that I'll forget something important. I've never been to Paris, and I haven't been to Europe for fifteen years. I'll be staying by myself in a hotel in Arondissement 7. I'm wondering if you can help me out with any last-minute tips or things I'm likely to have forgotten. Here are the types of questions that I suddenly find myself asking:

Will I need an adapter of some sort in order to charge my camera or ipod?

Am I required to carry my passport with me, and if so, should I get some sort of money belt? (I believe my hotel room has a safe deposit box -- is it better to leave it there?)

I'm assuming that I can get Euros out of a bank machine with my regular (Bank of America) card. (That's what I did in Germany years ago.) Is this true?

Will I generally be safe walking around at night? I'm a woman who will be travelling by herself; are there areas I should avoid?

I hate not having access to internet in case I want to look up directions, print tickets, or other computer-based tasks. I have an iPod touch -- is there likely to be free wi-fi around? Are internet cafes common in Paris?

Is there anything else that I'm forgetting?

Thanks so much!

Lots of men would like to have fun in Paris

einekleine — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:21:57 -0800

Paris help: I am organising a weekend for a group of men in Paris in mid October. We're arriving Friday night, staying at a hostel on rue Mouffetard, doing some activities on the Saturday and heading home Sunday night. I need some advice on locations... and activities... and everything... This is long, because I'm worried, apologies. Any help is much appreciated, a few previous threads have come up with some great suggestions but none cover this. Chiefly because there's 17 men. I'm concerned about the amount of men. But they are all knowing, stylish and easy, aged 22 - 34, typically 30. Good men.

Primarily we want to keep costs down, especially the price of alcohol, which we will consume in the enthusiastic manner that a group of 17 men are inclined to on a weekend jaunt.

First of all, I hope I've got the hostel location right: rue Mouffetard in the Latin Quarter. If any people think this is an absolute disaster, do say, as it can be changed. The plan is to leave the hostel to sample the delights of the Parisian night at around 11pm on Friday night. We want a number of bars to go to first, then a nightclub, or even better, a lively rambunctious late license thrill parlour with plenty of life, character and women. Does such a group of places exist within sensible distance (preferably wandering distance) of the rue Mouffetard? Is there a noted (cheap) bar where the said group of men could 'settle in'? Would getting late night/early morning food on the Rue de la Huchette work?

Saturday we're doing stuff in the day (does anyone have any experience of the petanque courts in the Jardin du Luxembourg? Do you just turn up?). In the evening we're going to a burlesque at the Bobino in Montparnasse. That starts at 9.30, so we need somewhere to eat beforehand, somewhere that's nearby, fun and can accommodate 17 men (I realise I should have booked this already)! Then after that we'd like to go out again in Montparnasse, and would love some recommendations, or better yet, a street or route to visit. Again, we need to watch the price of beer and wine and would like to watch that price with pretty women (I know that's close to impossible).

Finally, with such a large group of men, any advice on getting in places? Does it make sense to contact bars in advance. I would love to have a cocktail in the Curio Parlour for example, but would we get in? Maybe before 9pm on the Saturday?

Sunday we were planning on grabbing some food and having a picnic in a park: any advice on which park?

Also any kind relaxing words of 'it will all go fine' gladly taken. I know it sounds like a terrible, hungry descent, but really we're all rather nice, promise. If I'm asking the impossible by being too specific, then please advise alternatives, thank you!

What do you wish you knew the first time you traveled to Paris/Europe?

carterscott — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:49:44 -0800

What is your best advice for a first time international traveler? I will be staying in Paris for a month early next year and am incredibly excited, and slightly apprehensive, about it. I have never traveled outside of the US, and have no idea what to expect, which is where the collective wisdom of Mefi comes in. With that said, here are my questions:

What do you wish you had known before you traveled internationally for the first time?

If you had the opportunity to live in Paris for a month, what would be on your "must see or do" list?

Le nom nom nom.

IWoudDie4U — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:02:09 -0800

Where can we make out with French boys, what foodie things can I not miss in Paris, and what is the Kampa Park of Brussels? In two weeks, I will be in Paris for the first time, with
my family. Then Bruges, Brussels and Amsterdam. I will be on vacation with my parents and my sister. We love seafood and wine and meat and salty snacks and cocktail hour. And cheese. I am obsessed with France/ French cuisine/Food and cooking in general. I spent all winter baking macarons in my tiny Chicago apartment. I have Pierre Herme and Laduree already mapped out for macaron gluttony, and Stohler's for éclairs. My parents are graciously picking up the tab, so being thrifty isn't necessary. We're not looking to have dinner at any Michelin star restaurants- but what foods/restaurants/bakeries/shops should we not miss?

We'll probably have a nightcap after dinner with my parents, but my sister and I would like to go out a few nights. We're both in our mid-20s, both single. She's more mainstream sports bar/ beer/ frat boys, and I'm more offbeat hipster bar/ gin martinis/ hipsters. We will both begrudgingly put up with the other's choice for at least a night. We're staying in the city centers at all locations, and are transit-savvy. Any suggestions?

When we were in Prague, my mother, sister and I had dinner at Kampa Park. We ate outside on the patio right on the river, overlooking the Charles bridge. The food was exquisite, we watched the sunset, and when it got a little chilly, the waiter draped us with
warm blankets. Blankets! It was perfect. It'll be just the ladies for two nights in Brussels, and we'd like to repeat the experience- breathtaking views, superb service, and delicious food. Where should we go?

Is there really lasting love at first sight?

Anonymous — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:17:41 -0800

How did you know getting engaged impulsively was a good idea? I met this wonderful woman a few months ago. I am 24 and she is 21 were both about to finish our BA's this winter. I feel like I have found something unique and special in this girl and could see myself being with her a long time. It has been four months, but that "so happy I'm going to puke because the butterflies won't stop flapping" does not ever stop. Our relationship feels like it is beyond gut level infatuation; we are compatible on so many levels that I doubt that I will ever find this mix in a single person again.

We have both dated and had our hearts broken. I dated a woman for 4 years and we were dead pragmatic about the idea of getting married. We had the logistics down, but the real gut level part of it just was not there.

I know is snark bait, and I am not interested in people telling me how naive I am. I understand marriage is an economic contract with the state and not a love certificate. I am asking partly because we had discussed how we both kind of like the fun of long engagements. In addition, she is in Paris for this quarter and I would like to surprise her by proposing to her in Paris. Neither of us have any interest in eloping.

What I am interested in are stories of people who found each other and quickly decided that they had found someone whom they wanted to share their life. I would like to hear both from MeFites who found this to be the best or worst decision of their life. How did you know this would be a good idea? Was it a good idea? Any anecdotes about quick engagements or marriages are welcome. In particular, I would love to hear stories about couples who ended up staying together for decades.

Planes, trains, and lots of bags; Germany, France, and the UK.

Devika — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:35:17 -0800

InsaneLast-MinuteEuropeanTravelFilter: How to get one procrastinator and three bags from Berlin to France and England. Read on, it's probably crazier than you think! I'm coming from Canada to do a semester abroad in Glasgow, and I'd like to do some traveling before the start of term. Currently I'm finishing up a summer program in Berlin. The plan is to meet a family friend in Reims, travel around France with them, visit my aunt in London (with a few days in Hampshire to see the partner), then head up to Glasgow.

A couple of problems with this pretty good plan. The first hurdle is that none of the tickets are booked yet. Strictly speaking I should be out of Berlin by the 17th, but am considering spending a night in a hostel or begging the institution to let me stay another day if the saving is significant enough.

The second complication is the three bags I brought over. I'd started out one hard suitcase and one soft bag, but added another suitcase to keep under the weight limit. The two hard suitcases weigh 30 and 50 pounds (about 14 and 23 kilos) respectively, and the soft bag weighs 50 pounds (23 kilos). Lugging three bags around Europe seems like it would be a nightmare, and very costly if I fly an airline like EasyJet or Ryanair. It seems around 108 GBP to ship two suitcases from Germany to the UK according to this site, assuming the same rate applies backwards. Is shipping one or two heavy bags to London a good idea, or not cost-effective?

If I'm traveling by train, I'd think that the bags would be less of an issue. However, booking by train at the last minute seems rather costly. I've been poking around the Deutsche Bahn website for ages and can't get it to tell me how much money a ticket would be before asking me to put in a credit card number. I remember seeing a fare of around 230 euros (Berlin-Reims) on another rail site, as opposed to 88 euros (Berlin-Paris, assuming Paris-Reims will be a cheap train journey) from EasyJet on the 18th. A random thought also occurred - would it be more cost-effective to fly on a better airline, even perhaps first class, if I can take my bags with me?

My question in all its barely suppressed hysteria basically boils down to this - when making travel plans within Europe at the last minute and with considerable baggage, is it better to take the train or fly, and should I keep my bags with me the entire way or ship two of them up? I'm having trouble conceptualizing all of this, and the partner and I have been at our wits' end trying to figure it all out at the last minute. I hope the all-knowing hive mind can give me some much-needed guidance!

Are there any affordable one-way tickets to Europe?

msbrauer — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:23:25 -0800

Are there inexpensive one-way tickets from the US to Europe? I'll be in NYC and want to get from there to Europe inexpensively around Sept. 1. My final destination is Paris, but anywhere in Europe served by the cheap airlines (RyanAir, et al) will work in a pinch. I only need a one-way ticket, and any return ticket will be useless to me. There are plenty of deals to Europe at the moment, but as always, they seem to be for roundtrip flights. Is there anything to be done?

How do I get from Paris to Innsbruck?

iguanapolitico — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 07:54:58 -0800

How do I get from Paris to Innsbruck? Traveling to France and Austria later this month. We need to get from Paris to Innsbruck on a Thursday. My traveling companion and I are having trouble finding airfare that even approaches "reasonably priced" ($1100 one-way, $450 round-trip). She has made this trip before and didn't pay those kinds of fares, but the dollar *is* in the toilet.

So we're looking at rail. We're kind of having trouble finding a definitive answer on whether we need to book this now or if we can get a ticket on our day of travel. Some MeFites must be familiar with European rail travel, hopefully specifically from Paris to Innsbruck. Any specific advice you can offer? Thanks.

Name that busk

disillusioned — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:55:49 -0800

While in Paris, I stumbled upon a group playing quite an impressive strings arrangement, in a Metro station. What song is this?

What is a polite gift for Americans visiting Parisian couple for dinner?

tarthur — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 20:54:28 -0800

What is a proper gift to bring a same-sex Parisian couple when invited to dinner? My boyfriend and I are visiting Paris next week and were invited to dinner with two Americans who have been living and working Paris for the past few years. Both men are very successful in the business world and live comfortably in the city. We have been invited to dinner at their apartment on our first night in Paris.

I need an international drivers license.. on the double!

nakleh — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:53:41 -0800

Has anyone from the US ever had to apply for an international drivers license? I'm a dummy and didn't realize it supposedly takes 4-6 weeks to get one! We learned from the DMV you MUST get them through AAA [which is weird, but whatever].

I'm leaving on August 14th for Israel [staying 8 days, want to rent a car for the entire stay there] / then off to Paris [staying 9 days, need to rent a car for 3] and don't have 4-6 weeks to wait. Can anyone offer some advice or personal experiences obtaining one? We found a few places online that say they can expedite for a fee, but they all look shady.

I live in NYC, and have a valid US drivers license. Any help would be appreciated! Thank you!

less than 24 hours in Paris...

waylaid — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:22:13 -0800

In September I have a one-day layover in Paris (noon on a Saturday until 8am the next morning) on my way back to the US from the Middle East. Looking for suggestions to make the best of less than 24 hours in a city i've never been to! Because I have such limited time (less than 24 hours), I would love AskMeFi suggestions on the best itinerary for someone that's never been to Paris and doesn't speak French. (just Spanish and some Portuguese)

I will be coming in on the RER from Charles deGaulle, but I haven't picked a place to stay that's central and close to the train that will get me back out to the airport in the morning. Any suggestions on a neigborhood (or cheap hotel/hostel to stay at?)

Aside from the obvious (Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame) Any suggestions on things I should try to squeeze in or see in my brief time there? things of interest include cultural events, museums, architecture, and people watching. I'm not too big on nightlife, especially not for one-night with an early morning departure.

Thanks in advance!

Fun in Paris?

disillusioned — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:24:27 -0800

TypicalTravelFilter: What are the must-sees, tips and tricks, and off-the-beaten paths whilst in Paris for 3 days? I'm visiting Paris later this month for three days, down from London.

I know the Museum Pass is supposed to be fantastic, but what other absolutely amazing things are proximate/accessible without a car service (public trans, walking, or bus okay)? (I'm staying at the Arc de Triomphe Hilton.)

I'm very into food, but my typical garb is t-shirts and jeans. What do I need to pack in case I'd like to eat at a very nice restaurant? Moreover, what very nice restaurants would you recommend? I'd also love for feedback all along the economic strata, from dirt cheap (if such a non-McDonalds thing exists) bites to what I might expect to pay for a much nicer restaurant. Also, will I have trouble getting in some place great? Can I make reservations once I'm there, or is it already too late for some of the better places?

I like photography as well, and people watching. I'm not terribly into wine, which itself is a crime in France anyway, or fashion, or shopping, but I do love art, museums, off-the-beaten path demonstrations or activities, and everything else... any other tips and tricks would fantastic as well, including faux pas, etc.

(And of course I'm eating up other threads as well, but please feel free to link to any I absolutely must not miss.)

Merci.

How do we arrange financing to buy an apartment in Paris or London?

jchaw — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:06:50 -0800

How do we arrange financing to buy an apartment in Paris or London? Hi!

We are non-EU residents and will like to buy an apartment in either Paris or London.

We plan to use the apartment for a few weeks a year, when visiting Paris and/or London. For the rest of the year, the apartment will be available for short-term rentals, e.g., to tourists.

We don't have bank accounts in the UK, France, or any other european banks. We also do not have bank accounts with any global investment or commercial banks, e.g., Goldman Sachs or Barlays.

We do have good credit (state-side), good jobs (state-side), and a nice home (servicing mortgage).

We plan to put a downpayment of about 20%-33% for the apartment we plan to purchase in Paris or London.

Our questions: How can we finance this apartment? What types of banks should we enquire at? What are the logistics involved to secure financing? What type of documentation is required? Do we need to put up collateral, and in what form? What types of fees and interest rates should we expect in such financing?

We appreciate your insights to any of these questions. If you have previously done something similar, we will love to hear your experiences too.

Thanks! :-)