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Traveling to France and want to visit Paris and Provence. Has anyone tried the new Ouigo train? (10 EUR from Paris to Lyon in 3 hours). How is it? Worth it? Anything to look out for? I'm leery because the website has no English version, and I've heard some tales of non-French credit cards being declined as well as something about needing a French mobile phone number. Someone to tell me what I need to know! [more inside]
posted by AceRock around Paris, France at 8:42 AM - 7 answers

I'm going to France for seven months to teach English to French high schoolers with a program through the French government. I'm incredibly excited to try my hand at teaching and improve my French. As someone with a chronic medical condition, I'm also excited to be enrolled in the Sécu and the MGEN - I imagine my medical costs will be some of the lowest in my life! Anyway, my question is what to bring to France for seven months, 1) for general quality of life, and 2) as teaching materials for my high schoolers. [more inside]
posted by Devika around Amiens, France at 7:50 PM - 9 answers

My mother is here in Europe for a visit. Unfortunately, she's not up to par in terms of walking fitness in recent months, and I've booked us a trip via Ryanair to Paris. I'm quite clear on getting out of Beauvais via the shuttle, but 1) would it be worth it or is it possible to take a taxi directly into Paris; or 2) how do I go about getting a taxi once we're in Porte Maillot? My French is extremely basic but we're both fluent English speakers. She's also very used to cars.
posted by cendawanita around Paris, France at 3:24 AM - 5 answers

My best friend is going to Lille, France for a year to work as a teacher. I'm super excited for her and I want to give her an awesome going away present. [more inside]
posted by cyml around Lille, France at 12:17 PM - 7 answers

I'm cat-sitting for a few weeks in a small village 20 minutes south of Aix-en-Provence. Because of the cats, I am limited to daytrips, but I do have use of a car. I'm looking for interesting or quirky places to visit. These could be in a city, town or the countryside. [more inside]
posted by Rumple around Viry-Châtillon, France at 11:44 AM - 5 answers

I am in the early planning stages of a trip to Paris and Brussels. I'd like to find a place between the two (or at least not too far out of the way) to spend two nights or so in the middle of the trip. I'd prefer a small, walkable town on the coast or with some kind of natural feature that you can just sit and stare at. Calais? Lille? Bologne-Sur-Mer?
posted by soelo around France at 7:16 PM - 7 answers

Due to some ill-advised scheduling, we (Americans) are travelling from London to rural Brittany, then back to our reserved room in Paris three days later. Rennes is the closest major city to Plumieux, the village where our friends live. All of the stuff I see online says to take the Eurostar from London to Gare du Nord in Paris, then transfer to Montparnasse to take the TVG to Rennes. From there we would catch a bus to get us near Plumieux, close enough for our friends to pick us up. [more inside]
posted by Danf around France at 1:28 PM - 19 answers

Are the Stones of Carnac worth asking my hosts to spend a bit over an hour driving us there? [more inside]
posted by Danf around France at 11:52 AM - 7 answers

Looking for Parisian hotels in Monmartre or in central Paris with US-quality wifi or Internet access during the Christmas season. No wifi tokens or credits or anything like that, looking for flat fee wifi within guest rooms for at least one device. That the hotel be nice to stay at is a plus.
posted by The Whelk around Paris, France at 6:38 PM - 11 answers

Help two American first-timers to France choose a town for our "Get out of Paris" day. The catch: it has to be a shore town, somewhere between Le Havre and Dunkirk. [more inside]
posted by Rykey around La Petite Pierre, France at 2:05 PM - 5 answers

What are some alternatives to the large-scale celebrations of Bastille Day in/around Paris? [more inside]
posted by Rykey around Paris, France at 10:31 PM - 3 answers

Seeking advice for a two-week France adventure [more inside]
posted by sprezzy around Paris, France at 2:23 PM - 22 answers

I know this question has been asked many times, but I cannot understand the answers! They use terms like CDMA and other stuff that I don't get. I am an old woman (53) who thinks she's tech savvy, but is not really. [more inside]
posted by primate moon around France at 10:07 AM - 18 answers

Business takes me to Paris next month, and I'd like to tack on a several-day cycling excursion to the trip. Can you recommend any tour companies? Snowflake details inside. [more inside]
posted by Dashy around France at 8:57 AM - 5 answers

In June, I'm going to Paris for a conference. I'm planning on booking a room in Alfortville, whilst the conference is in the 7th arr., on the Boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg. I'll need to take the RER D for an 8.30 start in the morning, returning in the evening. Anyone have any idea how long the journey will take? How reliable is public transport in Paris? And is this particular line dodgy? Thanks
posted by miorita around Paris, France at 5:11 AM - 4 answers

Where to go in Paris alone? [more inside]
posted by dinosaurprincess around Paris, France at 7:42 PM - 23 answers

My wife is in Paris attending a conference, and just realized that she didn't bring her business cards along! I know that freestanding machines exist to make these while-you-wait in other cities, but where can one go to get same-day business cards in Paris? Difficulty: some, but limited, French language ability.
posted by 1adam12 around Paris, France at 3:22 PM - 5 answers

I'm spending my 40th birthday in Paris (early August). I want to have a memorable evening with my husband. Help me pick a fabulous restaurant, a great place for a dessert (either at the same restaurant or elsewhere) and an activity. [more inside]
posted by bodgy around Paris, France at 10:50 AM - 13 answers

I'm going to France & Italy for about 3 weeks with my freshly-unlocked iPhone 4. I'm looking to pick up a SIM while I'm there and use it on a pre-paid plan, but the French carrier websites aren't being super helpful; none of them indicate whether their pre-paid SIMs will work on iPhone. Any advice, including best carrier/plan?
posted by saltykmurks around France at 8:12 AM - 9 answers

I'm going to Chaudes-Aigues (France) in early July and I currently live in England (York). What are my (best) options for getting there? Would like to fly out of Manchester if at all possible, but I'm having a hard time figuring out what airlines and airports I should be looking into at the France end and how feasible train/bus travel is to/from places there. Thanks! [more inside]
posted by iamkimiam around Chaudes-Aigues, France at 3:14 AM - 9 answers