Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with travel and paris

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?

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.

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!

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?

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.

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.

Paris: Metro or Taxi?

wildatheart — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:55:03 -0800

Which is more reliable when moving a family of 5 across from Paris Gare du Nord, to Montparnasse station -with 1 hr 20 available. Taxi or Metro?

Help us elope in Paris this summer!

Anonymous — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 18:46:43 -0800

Help us elope in Paris! My fiancee and I are planning a summer elopement in Paris (late July or early August), and need help finding an officiant for the ceremony (if religious, Catholic preferred; but secular is fine too). We plan on being legally married in NYC prior to the trip, so this would be more ceremonial, and a great way to kickoff our honeymoon in Paris.

In addition, we'd love your tips on outdoor locations for the ceremony, tips on English-speaking photographers and anything else we may not be thinking of yet.

We're planning on renting an apartment for the week (we're thinking about going through ParisPerfect based on a recommendation, but we're open to other suggestions).

Any tips would be most appreciated!

Down and Out in Paris and London

the NATURAL — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 03:45:12 -0800

LondonFilter, ParisFilter: I'll be in London and Paris for about a week, starting next week. What are the coolest, most-offbeat, least-overplayed activities/destinations for a young (21) traveler? Yeah, yeah. The Louvre, Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London -- all that stuff is great, but I'd like to do and see things during my two weeks in Paris and London that hinge on me being young and fun. (Disclaimer: I'm not discounting the value and coolness of museums, but on limited time and money, offbeat is better.)

So, MeFites, what can I do? Ideally these activities will be within the Paris and London metro areas, moderately easy to access via tube (or whatever France has), and edgy but not dangerous. (i.e., I shan't be buying hard drugs under bridges like Russell Brand.)

Bonus points for good food and good photo ops (for my Rebel XT, you see).

Cheers!

City of Light on a light wallet

bricoleur — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:14:02 -0800

Care to share your tips and tricks for spending a week in Paris on the cheap? Accomodations: Clean and quiet. Open to anything from couchsurfing.org to short-term apartment rental.
Food: Cheap ethnic preferred, but I'm not picky.

Bonus points for stuff in the 13th and 14th (hoping to attend DrupalCon at Cité Internationale Universitaire).

ugh. I'm going to be homeless in Paris.

amtho — Sat, 30 May 2009 12:27:46 -0800

I need to find a place to stay in Paris, starting tomorrow morning. I'm starting to panic. Oh yeah, and I have a migraine, haven't had any food on my stomach since yesterday, and generally feel awful. I feel pretty stupid. I had an apartment lined up, went to see it today, and it smelled like smoke -- a lot -- in the bedroom. In my current state, it made me want to cry. Smoke and migraines don't go together well. I felt so bad, though, that I paid the guy 20 euros to let me take a nap there before I tackled the metro and the trip back to my current lodgings.

Ugh. I'm looking at hostels, but will a dorm room be OK if I'm still getting better? And I usually keep food around since I'm vegetarian; can anyone recommend a specific hostel, with vacancies from tomorrow?

I've looked at a few relevant threads on AskMe, but didn't get a plan of action from them.

My French is pretty bad, too.

What are some fun things to do in Paris at night?

mizike — Tue, 05 May 2009 10:37:59 -0800

What should we do in Paris in the evenings / at night? Hi all, I'm sure this has been covered before but I'm going to ask it again nonetheless: Does anyone have ideas for fun activities in Paris during the evenings? My partner and I will be in Paris for a week; during the day we plan to do the typical touristy stuff (museums, shopping, general walking around, etc.,), but we're kind of at a loss for what we should be doing at night. It seems like most of the attractions and shops close at 6 or 7ish, we're not really into the club / bar scene so going out every night isn't really an option (although I'm sure we'll go out once or twice). We'll be traveling by metro, and have things we want to do pretty much all over the city (well, not the suburbs) so location isn't really a problem. Cost is a factor though, we'll be on a fairly limited budget so something like going to the opera would probably be out of our price range.

Amelie music box?

dorgla — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 00:07:09 -0800

Where in Paris can I buy a small, relatively-inexpensive music box which plays the theme waltz from the movie "Amelie?" Will be there in a few days.

What is the greatest gift?

santojulieta — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:30:57 -0800

What gift should I bring to a 4-year-old half American, half-French girl living in Paris? Friends of my husband are generously offering to let me stay with them when I got to Paris next week. I have gifts for Mum and Dad, but what about little girl? What should I bring a little girl who just started going to French school?

Best cheese in Paris?

ransom — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:10:01 -0800

What cheese shops should not be missed in Paris? We're in Paris in early April and want to have great cheese experiences. Where should we go?

Am I too early or too late?

Ollie — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:43:23 -0800

Is there a "sweet spot" for airfares to Europe? I'd like to take a trip to Paris in April; right now nonstop fares are at about 800-1000 USD. Any chance they'll go down in February? What's the trend on this?

want to tourist without cumbersome luggage

waltzing astronomers — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:21:07 -0800

Where can I leave three small carryon bags in Paris this Sunday? (or what can we do while lugging around rolly suitcases and a backpack?) our hotel is sketchy so we can't leave stuff with them. We are in our mid-20s so probably don't look nice enough to leave bags at a random hotel.

quick trip to paris this weekend.... should i take a plane or train? and where should i stay?

badish — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:47:51 -0800

i'm throwing together a trip to paris for the weekend to visit a friend. i live in garmisch, germany. should i fly or take an overnight train out of munich? and where should i stay in paris? i checked the hostels online but they seem to either be booked or badly located. i'm very interested in budget hotels, willing to pay up to 60 euros a night for 4 or so nights. any suggestions?

Best way to get between Disneyland Paris and the Airport (CDG)

Goofyy — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 11:39:38 -0800

We are planning our second trip to Disneyland Paris in a couple of weeks and are trying to figure out the best way to get between the airport (CDG) and Disneyland. The two main options discussed in a previous thread around this topic recommended the RER or the VEA shuttle. The RER seems like a hassle with luggage having to change in Chatelet-Les-Halles. During our last Disneyland Paris trip we took the VEA shuttle and we did not enjoy it at all (having to leave 2.5 hours before check-in, unpredictable timing, long stops at the different hotels, crowded). We are therefore looking for alternatives.

One option that never seems to be mentioned anywhere is to take the TGV (train) from Chessy to CDG Terminal 2. It is fast (10 minutes), should be much more predictable than the shuttle or the RER and appears to cost the same as the bus. What are we missing here? Why is this not the preferred way to go?

One other option we are considering is to take a taxi - does anyone know how much this would cost, and how long?

What's a good architecture catalog website?

askmeacct — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:31:43 -0800

Contemporary architecture: Is there a website that lists notable pieces of recent architecture, organized by city, with pictures and descriptions? I'm traveling to Paris and London and I need a tool to plan out my time in those cities so I can see cool buildings in an efficient manner. So, any resources devoted solely to architecture in London or Paris would also be appreciated.

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.

Romantic dinner in Paris

vega — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:59:49 -0800

Where can I take my wife for a romantic rooftop dinner in Paris? The mrs and I got married about two years ago and for a number of reasons (money, blah blah blah) we were not able to go on a honeymoon. Until now, that is. We're going to Paris! I want to surprise her by taking her to dinner in a rooftop with a view overlooking the city. Can you help me find the place?
There isn't unlimited budget for this, but I'm looking at this as one of those once in a lifetime opportunities...

Foodies: ID this soup!!

CreativeJuices — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:35:18 -0800

Foodies: Please help me ID this soup!! Also, what are some of your all time best soup recipes? Foodies, help me ID & find a recipe for a pea soup I had in Paris last year. It was the best soup I have EVER had! It was like agreen pea soup with a fried egg and bacon floating on top. It also had some sort of diving nectar (maybe great quality balsamic vinaigrette??) What is this? Just a ritzy French version of pea soup? If you can, point me towards a recipe!! On 2-for, what are you fav soup recipies? Thanks!