| Paris 10:44 - Jun 16 with 4634 views | Lord_Bony |
Just going for a few days...anyone got any recommendations for best place to visit,eat out etc.
Is it best to have a taxi from the airport? |  |
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| Paris on 11:00 - Jun 16 with 3096 views | sherpajacob |
Dont be a clark griswald and try and see everything,
Walk up to sacre coeur for the view. Watch out for pickpockets.
just enjoy a beer or a coffee at a pavement cafe. |  |
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| Paris on 11:08 - Jun 16 with 3080 views | pierre91 |
...it's cheaper to buy a Carnet ( it allows you to travel on the Metro and buses and RER trains for several days) and does run from the Airport into central Paris too. See the details here.
http://europeforvisitors.com/paris/articles/paris-metro-tickets.htm
Do the familiar (and no less brilliant things) - Louvre, Eiffel Tower , top of the Arc de Triomphe etc.
Fabulous city, best in the world. Enjoy. |  | | |
| Paris on 11:08 - Jun 16 with 3078 views | Cooperman |
CDG? If so I've caught the train in a few times and it's relatively straightforward if you are comfortable with navigating and reading signs (and don't have an impatient Mrs with you). |  |
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| Paris on 11:15 - Jun 16 with 3062 views | Lord_Bony |
Staying in Vincennes area east of the centre for a wedding,yes CDG airport but looking at the train times it takes about 1.5 hours? To get to city .
A taxi takes about half hour and costs about £50 to the door Will see if there s a quick connection to the area .... | |
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| Paris on 11:16 - Jun 16 with 3057 views | mattjenkins1990 |
Get the metro as mentioned above its about 20 miles from Charles de Gaulle to the centre of Paris so a cab may be pricey.
You can get pass's that allow you to travel for set amount of days, i think we paid about £25 for 3 days well worth the money
Enjoy the city, i am not sure about best city in the world (Parisians ruin it for me) but it is a lovely place to visit |  |
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| Paris on 11:22 - Jun 16 with 3041 views | JackSomething |
We got a train from CDG into Paris and then used the metro to get to our apartment. Easy enough and much cheaper than a taxi. I found a website that took you through the process step-by-step including photos, which was helpful. Can't remember the website, but should be easy to Google.
I really enjoyed seeing Palais Garnier (opera house). Gives you an idea of the luxury of Versailles, but is cheaper, quieter and in the center of Paris. The massive department store Galeries Lafayette is close by, worth going to their roof terrace for the views, especially on a sunny day and it costs nothing.
I second the recommendation for Sacre Cour. Didn't go in last time but still went up there for the views and a wander through Montmartre.
My strongest recommendation though is for this:
http://www.wegowalking.com
Free walking tours through Paris. We met our guide on a bridge outside Notre Dame, which was walking distance from our apartment, on our first morning. The guide was American but had lived in Paris most of his life. We were dubious at first, because he was full of energy and a bit too full-on, but once we started walking, it was brilliant. 3.5 hours, saw loads of Paris and got a huge amount of info from him. We gave him a good tip at the end because we thought it was superb. Takes a toll on your feet though!
Hope you have a great time, I love Paris. |  |
| You know, Hobbes, some days even my lucky rocket ship underpants don't help. |
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| Paris on 11:22 - Jun 16 with 3040 views | Lord_Bony |
Cheers guys...might get RER train as close to the area as I can then a taxi.
Btw it's cheaper to fly to Paris now from Cardiff than to get a train to London....also half the travelling time...check out Flybe.com. | |
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| Paris on 11:24 - Jun 16 with 3027 views | JackSomething |
| Paris on 11:22 - Jun 16 by Lord_Bony |
Cheers guys...might get RER train as close to the area as I can then a taxi.
Btw it's cheaper to fly to Paris now from Cardiff than to get a train to London....also half the travelling time...check out Flybe.com. |
RER! That's the one we got. Not sure if that's as suitable if you're East of the city centre, but it worked fine for us. | |
| You know, Hobbes, some days even my lucky rocket ship underpants don't help. |
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| Paris on 12:07 - Jun 16 with 2986 views | monmouth |
| Paris on 11:22 - Jun 16 by Lord_Bony |
Cheers guys...might get RER train as close to the area as I can then a taxi.
Btw it's cheaper to fly to Paris now from Cardiff than to get a train to London....also half the travelling time...check out Flybe.com. |
We got the bus into the city for a couple of quid each (this was 1999 mind!). When there my favourite by miles and miles was the Sacre Couer. Miles better than Notre Dame imo. Climb the Eiffel...great views. Loads of cheapish rare steak and chip joints as long as you're off the main drag. Louvre was too crowded..me no likee....but then you realise what you are looking at. Sitting on the Champs...expensive, but worth every penny watching life wander past. Montmartre worth a visit too. getting around is easy on the metro.
Enjoy |  |
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| Paris on 12:36 - Jun 16 with 2954 views | perchrockjack |
Pere Lachaise cemetery. I kid you not.
Jim Morrison, Chopin,Wilde, Piaf, Signoret, all there.
18th Arondissment.
MISS The Louvre and do Musee D Orsay instead.
Don't miss Notre Dame, but miss the river trips (very expensive).
Jardin de Luxembourg is beautiful too.
Walk the two lower stages of Eiffel tower, you ll see enough from second floor and its a good work out.
u lucky tw@t |  |
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| Paris on 13:33 - Jun 16 with 2914 views | Dull1Thomas |
Take a tour bus on day 1 - get a sense of the city and it's layout.
Save yourself time and frustration by picking out a sensible plan of your days and accept you will not see or go to everything (in fact only a small percentage).
Pick where you are going and book ahead for busy museums, galleries, exhibitions and popular tourist places - queues can be really time consuming (once spent 2 hours outside the Pompidou Centre to see a Van Gogh exhibition!!) Checking the venue on the internet first will give a good idea of how long you are likely to spend there.
Walk to the Sacré-CÅ“ur, great places to look at on the way (good food everywhere) and great view from the top. And free.
Also free and more interesting than it sounds is to tour the Shopping Arcades (there is a route you can follow) loads of idiosyncratic shops and plenty of nooks and crannies to explore.
A favourite of mine is the Musée d'Orsay - alway quiet and peaceful with great art.
Walking along the Seine is also enjoyable (I like walking and free stuff).
AVOID
Pick pockets - they are everywhere.
Showing anything valuable it could set you up as a target.
Roma beggars - who seem to be in even more places than everywhere & often children (if you speak Welsh use it, it confuses the hell out of them and they go away; ignoring them can work but they are persistent).
People sleeping on the pavement
Roma conning you with the, 'you have dropped this gold ring. Not yours? We could sell it and share the money but you can have it for €10.' Walking on can work but shouting 'Gendarme' is more effective. Be warned some of these guys carry knives.
Dog shit - it's everywhere.
Expect the Parisians to treat you with distain (especially if you have limited or no French), it's their way with tourists ... and each other. I thought it was just me but friends from Poitiers say the same.
Have a nice time. 
ps
I have had some good times there too.  | |
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| Paris on 13:35 - Jun 16 with 2912 views | Swanjaxs |
Paris is absolutely stunning mate, but as been said watch out for the pickpockets, they are everywhere, be on your guard if you stop to watch some of the many street performers, they hang around looking for an opportunity to strike, you can spot them I mile off though from the tourists mind, keep taking cash out with you to a minimum and try to keep phone / wallet in front pockets, also tell the missus to hold handbag in front of her, don't let this post put you off mate, Paris is a wonderful place and you'll have the time of your life |  |
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| Paris on 15:30 - Jun 16 with 2858 views | controversial_jack |
| Paris on 11:08 - Jun 16 by pierre91 |
...it's cheaper to buy a Carnet ( it allows you to travel on the Metro and buses and RER trains for several days) and does run from the Airport into central Paris too. See the details here.
http://europeforvisitors.com/paris/articles/paris-metro-tickets.htm
Do the familiar (and no less brilliant things) - Louvre, Eiffel Tower , top of the Arc de Triomphe etc.
Fabulous city, best in the world. Enjoy. |
If you get the RER from CDG airport into the centre, the ticket machines only accept coins, so go to the main desk to get your ticket.I don't believe the machines on the metro accept debit cards either, as French cards have a certain chip in them that we don't | | | |
| Paris on 15:35 - Jun 16 with 2853 views | controversial_jack |
| Paris on 15:30 - Jun 16 by controversial_jack |
If you get the RER from CDG airport into the centre, the ticket machines only accept coins, so go to the main desk to get your ticket.I don't believe the machines on the metro accept debit cards either, as French cards have a certain chip in them that we don't |
I disagree about Montmartre, it's dead compared to what it used to be. The Latin quarter by Notre Dame is better, especially for good value food.
The river boat which stops off at several tourist spots is good value, and you can hop on and off whenever you like | | | |
| Paris on 17:13 - Jun 16 with 2821 views | Treforys_Jack |
| Paris on 12:36 - Jun 16 by perchrockjack |
Pere Lachaise cemetery. I kid you not.
Jim Morrison, Chopin,Wilde, Piaf, Signoret, all there.
18th Arondissment.
MISS The Louvre and do Musee D Orsay instead.
Don't miss Notre Dame, but miss the river trips (very expensive).
Jardin de Luxembourg is beautiful too.
Walk the two lower stages of Eiffel tower, you ll see enough from second floor and its a good work out.
u lucky tw@t |
River trips were only 12euros, so not expensive at all. |  | | |
| Paris on 17:18 - Jun 16 with 2818 views | ymaohyd |
Go to the top of Samaritane Dept store, open air bistro, fabulous views. |  |
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| Paris on 17:32 - Jun 16 with 2802 views | Aquinas |
I spent a month there last summer, it is a nice city if you are a sightseer but after a few days (and you've seen everything) it gets tedious. And the Metro and many parts of the City are very run down.
As someone alluded to, Parisians are not very nice people. But Paris is worth a visit just to say you've done it. The Catacombs are worth a view.
I much prefer other parts of France, especially Rennes. |  | | |
| Paris on 17:33 - Jun 16 with 2802 views | Banosswan |
Take out a second mortgage to pay for a pint. |  |
| Ever since my son was... never conceived, because I've never had consensual sex without money involved... I've always kind of looked at you as... a thing, that I could live next to... in accordance with state laws. | | Poll: | How do you like your steak? |
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| Paris on 21:49 - Jun 16 with 2706 views | Swanzay |
| Paris on 17:33 - Jun 16 by Banosswan |
Take out a second mortgage to pay for a pint. |
paris catacombs |  | | |
| Paris on 13:27 - Jun 17 with 2596 views | Pinky |
This thread has made me think of stopping off in France for some downtime after a trip to West Africa next month. I've done Paris before but it'd be good to see it again without doing the tourist circuit. I'd plonk my arse outside a traditional cafe with a bottle of red. Another option would be Lyon - I haven't been there and it looks fantastic. |  | | |
| Paris on 15:06 - Jun 17 with 2571 views | swanduck |
I recommend going up Montparnasse, gorgeous views. Love Paris and France in general would love to live there one day. |  | | |
| Paris on 15:44 - Jun 17 with 2560 views | Banosswan |
| Paris on 13:27 - Jun 17 by Pinky |
This thread has made me think of stopping off in France for some downtime after a trip to West Africa next month. I've done Paris before but it'd be good to see it again without doing the tourist circuit. I'd plonk my arse outside a traditional cafe with a bottle of red. Another option would be Lyon - I haven't been there and it looks fantastic. |
They charge you more to sit outside. | |
| Ever since my son was... never conceived, because I've never had consensual sex without money involved... I've always kind of looked at you as... a thing, that I could live next to... in accordance with state laws. | | Poll: | How do you like your steak? |
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| Paris on 05:11 - Jun 18 with 2500 views | Lord_Bony |
| Paris on 13:27 - Jun 17 by Pinky |
This thread has made me think of stopping off in France for some downtime after a trip to West Africa next month. I've done Paris before but it'd be good to see it again without doing the tourist circuit. I'd plonk my arse outside a traditional cafe with a bottle of red. Another option would be Lyon - I haven't been there and it looks fantastic. |
UPDATE
Got here last night 1hr10m flight from Cardiff bit the bullet caught a taxi,all of them metered and regulated strongly by the police cost 52 euros took 25 mins. Other transport would have taken much longer and more hassle. Recommend download app called ÃœBER anyone tried this? Cheap local taxi service worldwide almost booked through them,quoted about 20 euro cheaper but was unsure to use at the last minute.
Anyway,different climate here,last night nice meal and a bottle outside restraunt in t shirt..still warm in the evenings and still light for some reason this was about ten,eleven o clock...seems to go darker much later than the UK. Temperatures this week about 25 most days and sunny.
Going to catch metro into city this morning and check out a few of the recommendations above was here about 15 yrs ago last time but never done some of those.
Was in Lyon/Grenoble last year..it is a beautiful city and I was surprised how big it is...some of the best cuisine you ll find anywhere,it all sprawls out from a huge central square...very historic city...good football team... | |
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| Paris on 14:55 - Jun 18 with 2427 views | MichelleBrown |
Just one thing from my own experience from when I visited Paris.
The Eiffle Tower isn't actually as magnificent or beautiful like many people would like you to belive. Actually, the closer you get the more ugly it gets :D
But, if you get a chance, go and see it when it is getting dark - that's when they will lit it up. Ask your guide if you have one, or just try talking to people around you to get the exact hour (although it might be a bit difficult given the fact the French don't speak English well). It's best to stay far away from it to really see all the illumination.
Not sure if it helps but the Eiffle Tower all lit up is by far the best memory I have from Paris. | | | |
| Paris on 15:43 - Jun 18 with 2408 views | monmouth |
Sacre coeur lit up is still better! Guess which is my favourite paris landmark... | |
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