can i go to lourdes end jan

It will be our 1st time to lourdes and we can only go end jan or early feb %26#39;09. What can we expect during this time of the year?

|||

Expect it to be very cold and quiet. However, some people prefer this to the crowds during the official pilgrimage season which follows Easter, when there are daily processions and pilgrimage masses at the grotto. The baths however are open all year round and during the winter months are available for 2 hours each afternoon.

|||

Most of the hotels, shops and cafes near the sanctuaries close through the winter. Many places open for the few days around 11th February (Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes). There are normally processions too during this time.

|||

Thank you for all your informations. I certainly have

to change my plans.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 2:19 am, September 27, 2009

Am I doomed?

I%26#39;m planning a London/Paris trip this summer. Staying in Paris for 6 night, June 12-18. I realize I%26#39;m leaving things late (I just got the airplane tickets booked yesterday), and am now having serious trouble finding paris hotels. It%26#39;s my best friend and I going to celebrate our college graduation, so we%26#39;re really trying to stick to a budget. I had hoped to find a room under 100euros/night if possible.

We don%26#39;t want to stay in hostels. I had really liked Hotel des Mines, but they just booked up too fast. We%26#39;d like a fairly central location, easy to get to from the airport and to gare du nord for eurostar to London. We%26#39;re not party people, so it%26#39;s not important to be near all the nightlife.

Any ideas? I feel like I%26#39;ve looked at 100 hotels, and they%26#39;re all booked or too expensive. Luckily I got a really good deal in London, so if we have to spend a little more in Paris I guess we can.

Thanks!

|||

check out Madeleine-Opera

|||

Check this out, they even have one for $99 a night! Heard good things about them, have booked for myself in late May and early June. But the great thing is you pay in US$ and that%26#39;s a huge savings!

This link is to their studio page, I have no idea if they still have anything available but you could call and ask.

http://vacationinparis.com/infop/studios.htm

|||

Try http://www.hotel-lelaumiere.com/index-gb.htm

It is not at all central, but only three stops on line 5 to Gare du Nord on the metro.

|||

Navrad makes a good point - if you find something in your price range that%26#39;s on a direct Metro line, it may not be quite as ideal but still will allow you to get to the center easily (as you note, it%26#39;s a problem that summer vacation is upon us!)

|||

A budget hotel we stayed at and liked is the Hotel St. Andre des Arts, which is located on rue St. Andre des Arts between Place St. Michel and St. Germain des Pres. It%26#39;s not fancy, but the staff are very friendly and the neighborhood is absolutely the best -- lots going on nearby, and it%26#39;s walking distance to everything. It%26#39;s at most 10 minutes walk from the St. Michel Metro stop, which is on the RER B line from CDG airport. The street-side rooms are nicer, with large windows and plenty of light and the one we had was quite large by Paris budget hotel standards.

We%26#39;ve also like the Hotel de la Sorbonne, which is walking distance from the Luxembourg Metro stop, also on the RER B line. The rooms are small but very clean, and the location is great. It%26#39;s not quite as central as St. Andre des Arts, but it%26#39;s near nice things like the Luxembourg Gardens, the Place de la Sorbonne, the Pantheon, etc. It%26#39;s in heart of the Quartier Latin, and it%26#39;s really not a very long walk up to the Seine and all the sites nearby.

|||

Hi --

Congratulations on your graduation!

Central really isn%26#39;t an issue, and safety isn%26#39;t an issue, but budget is, so find the hotel and plan your sight seeing from there. The Metro makes everything easy and there are restaurants, brasseries, cafes, bakeries, etc., in just about every little neighbourhood, so you won%26#39;t starve even if you%26#39;re a little off the beaten path.

There is nothing to prevent you from staying out on your wanderings and having dinner near Notre Dame or where ever before you Metro back to your hotel.

I%26#39;m seldom able to plan very far ahead, so I often end up in a little one or two star hotel that I%26#39;ve never heard of. It really doesn%26#39;t matter. Even by myself, I wander the city, dine out at a Gallic hour, and walk or take the Metro home afterwards. No matter where I%26#39;ve stayed - perhaps 8 different arrondissements over the last 15 years, I%26#39;ve never felt unsafe, and I%26#39;ve always found interesting little shops and cafes in the neighbourhood.

Find your hotel, and then have a great time.

Bon voyage.

|||

Hi -

Try this site - I used your dates and found loads of hotels - but more importantly - some in the vicinity of $100USD

http://kayak.about.com/s/hotels

Good luck.

|||

Take a look at www.venere.com

There seems to be plenty of availability for your dates.

You can sort the results by price.

You can narrow your search by neighborhood(s).

I wouldn%26#39;t necessarily book through Venere. Sometimes their rates are a bit lower, but I%26#39;ve also known them to be a bit higher, that directly with the hotel%26#39;s website.

The ratings are useful, too.

|||

With a stay that long, you might want to look into an apartment rather than a hotel. It is often way less expensive than a hotel with way more space. You always get a least a kitchenette and can often get extra amenities like washer/dryer. There are a lot of different apartment rental sites. One that I%26#39;ve used twice in the past is servissimo.com. A quick check just now showed a studio on the Ile Saint Louis for 800 euros for your time frame. (A little more than you wanted to spend, perhaps, but you cannot get more central than in the middle of the river, a bridge away from Notre Dame...)

|||

Love vacationinparis.com

for an apt. See if they have a studio left. ID #108 good size and location for college students. Friends daughter stayed there- loved the street.

Dining with teens in Paris

We will be in Paris in June and I have 2 teens who enjoy good food, but not exotic food. We would like some great steak, great deserts and good wine for Mom and Dad. We will be doing the tourist sights during the day, so we will be in the busy sections of town. We need suggestions for restaurants so we can make a reservation. Thanks

|||

Hi --

Go into any corner brasserie in any neighbourhood and steak frites will be on the menu. Reservations aren%26#39;t necessary.

The house wine will be more than drinkable and brasserie portions tend to be a little larger than those in restaurants - a good thing if you have teen boys.

I don%26#39;t know where you can count on thick steaks like what we have here in North America except the dining rooms in American chain hotels and the Hard Rock Cafe, none of which could be considered reasonable in price.

I have no idea what exotic food is.

|||

I echo the sentiments of the earlier poster. The bistros, creperies and restaurants of that sort are what Paris means to us after ten trips. Faux filet avec frites is available at every bistro and each place tends to have a house specialty which they offer as a %26quot;formule,%26quot; with a fixed offering and price. At some bistros it is salads or stews, at some it is pasta or whatever. One issue with kids is that a coke costs the same as a glass of wine and the cokes are small. A kid could put away fifteen bucks worth of coke in an instant. Ask for %26quot;carafe d%26#39;eau%26quot;, which is house water and is gratis. We always drink the house wine and have never had a bad glass. All the bistros and restaurants have their menus posted so you can cruise until you see something you like. Be adventurous. Our first few trios when our language skill were meager often resulted in surprises at dinner, but they were wonderful surprises that we talks about for years.

|||

Hi beanosmom,

I third the previous postings. Went two years ago with my then, 14 year old daughter. Ate mostly at braserries, cafes and some restaurants.

There was one restaurant, forgot the name but its right across the street foem the Trocadero plaza.

Natasha had a wonerful pasta bolognese plate and I was able to get my French fix and had , pate,

escargots, etc. The house wine was very good.

No reservations needed .

Goimg again this Jine ,Natasha is now 26 and my son is coming who is now 14 years old. Here are some of the Restaurants I have found that meet our crietria.

Montmarte area

La Cremaillere

www.cremaillere1900.com

Le Zimmer , 1e (near Louvre)

www.lezimmer.com

Le Boeuf sur le Toit (near Champs deElysees)

www.boeufsurletoit.com

Relais de L%26#39;Entrecote (2locations 6e and 8the)

www.relaisentrecote.fr/uk

Chartier 9e (near Galaria Lafayette)

www.restaurant-chartier.com

Restaurant Polidor 6e (St Germane)

restaurantpolidor.info

La Cigale(SOUFFLES)

4 rue Recamier(think its near Eiffel Tower area)

Check out websits for menue and prices , some of these might require reservations.

If you need any other help let me know ,I%26#39;ve done

nothing but research places to eat with my 2 kids

Curves

|||

Sorry meant Natasha is now 16 !!!

Long day getting tired

Curves

|||

Thanks for the input! At least you didn%26#39;t ask what exotic food was! My kids are adventurous eaters, bit sometimes they draw the line.

|||

For most restaurants you can look at the menu that day as you wander by,, and if you like it , go in and make a reservation for that evening.This would exclude very fancy places, but since your kids( like most) wouldn%26#39;t want anything exotic, it would be a waste to take them somewhere with a 100( per person) euro menu! LOL

Really most of the time ( I took my 14 yr old son three years ago, and this year I am taking my 12 yr old daughter) we were so beat that I tended to find places for us to eat near where ever we ended up ...or near the hotel. Last year I went just with a friend and we went to a few places that were more out of the way, and more adult so to speak... plus we would go out to eat at 8;30 or later, whereas with kids mine like to eat between 6-7:30.

|||

We love Bistro du 7eme in the 7th district. The prices are right, the food is great and they%26#39;ve got %26quot;normal%26quot; things your kids will enjoy while also offering the escargot and foie gras for you and your husband. Their address is 56, Blvd. de la Tour Maubourg and phone is 01-45-51-93-08.

|||

I have always wanted to try Breakfast in America, www.breakfast-in-america.com.

|||

I suggest you try Altitude 95 on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower for dinner. Make a reservation for around sunset and dine while the lights of the city come on. I have dined there twice with my teenage daughter and it was memorable both times.

DH and I took our 12 year old son to Auberge de la Blanche Reine on I%26#39;le St. Louis. Excellent food in a nice atmosphere. The shops on the street around the restaurant were very fun before dinner.

For a drink and appetizers, I suggest Le Petit Pont directly across the Seine from Notre Dame (at the start of the Latin Quarter). It offers a lovely view of Notre Dame from the outside tables and provides a great place to relax with a bowl of onion soup or delicious escargot. Moms

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 3:38 am, September 27, 2009

French TGV, is it punctual? reliable?

I%26#39;m considering a trip back from Lyon, France to Charles de Gaulle airport by TGV, arrving at 10:04 and expecting a flight to catch at 11:50.

I was wondering if I should reconsider.

I appreciate any comments or suggestions.

|||

Yes TGV has a good ontime record. It isnt bothered much by weather. However, all bets are off if there is a strike. Fortunately, the unions schedule strikes in advance with both a begin and end date / time. This would allow you to make other plans.

However, 1h45 mins could be tight if checking in for an international flight. Are you flying back to the US? If so what airline? What terminal? What class?

You understand that if you are late you are at the airlines mercy basically. They could take pity on you and let you fly the next day for a small fee or depending on your fare class, you could lose your ticket all together ... Food for though.

|||

Our experience with the French railway system (TGV, SNCF, etc.) has also been very good: punctual and reliable, except of course when there is a strike as mentioned by the other TA poster. I guess I would be a little more concerned about your having just under 2 hours for checking in for presumably an international flight back to the US. You probably will be okay, but then again depending on the time of day and your airline, etc., there may be lines at the ticket counters and at the security checkpoints. If you have some sort of an elite frequent flyer with your airline, that actually will help. We used the elite check-in with ours and things went pretty smoothly this past Friday at CDG.

|||

Hi --

If you are indeed about to fly back to the US, you%26#39;ll need a minimum of 3 hours lead time for check in before your flight. For a mid-day flight, I%26#39;d want 4 hours.

Your airline will have a time selected at which they will shut down new check ins for your flight, and begin to give the unoccupied seats to passengers with stand by status. There is nothing you can do to reverse this process, so be sure to check with your airline about your grace time.

|||

3 to 4 hours is excessive IMHO. 2 hours is fairly standard. I%26#39;ve never seen a situation where I couldnt complete check-in / security etc and get to the plane in 2 hours and i%26#39;ve flown in and out of CDG many times. With internet check-in, fast bag drops and kiosks the process has improved. Also, if push comes to shove and it looks to be taking to long you simply make yourself known and they will check you in.

|||

Thank you for the valuable info. Greatly appreciated.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 1:25 am, September 27, 2009

Antibes, France

Travelling to this are at the end of July. Apart from the beach , any advice onthings to see and do , two children ages 12 and 15.

|||

I am no expert, but I spent two wonderful weeks with my husband in Antibes last June. Also, it%26#39;s a while since my sons were teenagers - they are all grown up and getting married now! However, three ideas immediately spring to mind:

1) Take the bus from the Gare Routiere (bus station) in Antibes to Eden Rock. From the end of the line bus stop we walked down a steep hill to the sea. From there we were able to scramble over rocks and practically stand beside the Paparrazi who were stationed there with huge-lensed cameras aimed at any unsuspecting famous people coming/going by sea to the fabulous Hotel Eden Rock. We saw no-one famous, but got a real buzz from this experience - and the views all around there are terrific.

2} Take the same bus but get off at Garoupe Beach. and walk round the coastal path which has spectular views.

2) Visit the old fort in Antibes. We weren%26#39;t sure about it, but on our last day decided to give it a go and we felt it was really worth a visit, if for the views alone. There is a good guided tour in French and English and your kids may be interested to know that the fort features in the James Bond film %26#39;Never Say Never Again%26#39;. It%26#39;s beautifully lit up at night time.

We are going back again this year - third year in a row - but staying in Nice this time, but will be returning to the coastal path at Garoupe.

I hope these ideas are helpful. As I say I am no expert, but I love the whole area and the fact that it is so easy to travel by train or bus to different places. So much to see and do - can%26#39;t wait!

Have a lovely trip!

|||

Just be there .... I promise you it will be enough. Wander round the old town, take a coffee at Cafe Felix and people watch through the arch, stare at the yachts in the harbour, have the best Flan Nature from the market ..... simply enjoy this wonderful town.

|||

I completely agree about walking along the Cap d%26#39;Antibes.

With its white inlets that plunge into the Med, it%26#39;s gorgeous even if it%26#39;ll be busy at the end of July.

For the bus from the town of Antibes to the Cap d%26#39;Antibes, it%26#39;s the EnviBus line. Check out their schedules on envibus.fr (has english version). The line to Eden Roc is %26quot;Ligne 2%26quot; and you can get off at Garoupe, Contrebandiers, Galion or Bouée to begin the walk to the Cap d%26#39;Antibes.

Enjoy!

AzurAlive.com

|||

Hi Siubhan,

Just 4 kms East of Antibes is the Marineland theme park. Your teens will love it. Five different parks with Marineland being the best, with every type of sealife. A glass surrounded whale tank, where you can view killer whales interacting with their trainers. When i was last there, there were nine whales, three born in captivity. As well, they have the largest dolphin pool in Europe. A walk through shark pool, and a ray touch pool. You also have an Aqua-splash, and wavepool, and other great water activities. To end it all, they even have miniature golf. Enjoy!

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 2:22 am, September 27, 2009

30th anniversary, Altitude 95?

Im sorry, another Altitude 95 question....but wer%26#39;e leaving in 2 days on our first trip, and I%26#39;m re-thinking our reservation for dinner at Altitude, because of the negative comments lately.

Do you think we should celebrate elsewhere? I know there are so many good restaurants to choose....we are staying in the St Germain area, any help appreciated!!!!! Thanks!

|||

i suggest you Le Violon d%26#39;Ingres in the 7th(www.leviolondingres.com) a bit expensive, but really nice or in the 6th, St Germain : ze kitchen galerie (www.thekitchengalerie.fr) ...

|||

May I recommend www.restaurant-cafedelhomme.com

My husband and I too will be in Paris for our 30th anniversary in September. We originally were going to make reservations at Altitude 95 until I read about Cafe de L%26#39;Homme in one of the threads. I thought it would be more romantic to dine on their outside terrace with the Eiffel glistening in our view. Have a wonderful anniversary!!!!

|||

There is something very magical about dining on the Eiffel Tower. I recently dined at Altitude 95 and found the food delicious and the service impeccable. In fact, our waiter remembered my daughter from our trip two years earlier. I thought he was kidding until he pointed out the precise table where we sat. I can%26#39;t get that kind of service here!

I have not dined at Cafe de l%26#39;Homme. But I have enjoyed two delicious meals that created lifetime memories at Altitude 95. Moms

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 3:38 am, September 27, 2009

photo for carte orange/passe navigo decouverte

Hello all,

Will a good-quality colour photocopy of our drivers%26#39; license pictures suffice for the photo needed for these cards? (trying to organize ahead of our departure Sun. for Paris!)

thanks1

|||

Doesn%26#39;t need to be in color.

|||

Thanks, Francophool; so in other words any photocopied photo around 1 %26quot; x 7/8%26quot; will do?

|||

yes, i just scanned photos (head shots), put it into powerpoint, save as a jpeg, and had it printed at costco, 2 photos on one page/print, $0.19.

size is the most important, so it will fit.

|||

You can just print it on regular copy paper. It%26#39;s not necessary to print it out at Costco.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 4:17 am, September 27, 2009

Reims or Epernay?

We%26#39;re going to Paris in the last week of may and we%26#39;re plannig to take a day trip in the region of Champagne.

After reading some reviews and searching for information on the net, we decide to take the trip on our own, by train. Still we are not fixed on the destination: Reims or Epernay?!

Reims has the Cathedral and Epernay Moet Chandon. Which one is more interresting and has the most to offer? Can we visit some vineyard in Epernay?

Any information will be more than welcome!

Merci :)

|||

I didn%26#39;t find Epernay so interesting to visit, apart from the Champagne.REims has a beautiful cathedral, eglise St Rémi and is nicer, bigger

|||

See this thread from just a couple days ago...

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187147-i14-k19242…

I did some research last week, and we%26#39;ve decided to go to Reims, as we will not have a car.

Karl

|||

Thanks a lot for all the infos!

|||

If you will only go to one, go to Reims. More to do. The champagne houses tend to close at lunch, so you have the city and restaurants to occupy you then until the champagne houses reopen. Moet is nice but so is Pommery and others.

|||

I recommend going to Reims.

Reims has a City Pass which allows entry to museums etc..

Also the Champage Houses are a short taxi ride on the edge of town. We enjoyed them all.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 11:19 pm, September 26, 2009

Train or car from Frankfurt airport to Strasbourg

I%26#39;m hoping someone can advise me on the ease and cost of train travel between the Frankfurt airport (international) and Strasbourg. I%26#39;m wondering how often trains leave for the Strasbourg area and the cost of the ride. From my reading, it seems that the trip can be made in about 3 hours w/1 or 2 stops, but I can%26#39;t find how often the train departs and the cost.

|||

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/e

From: FRA

To: Strasbourg

The trains are leaving from the airport%26#39;s long distance railway station (Fernbahnhof):

airportcity-frankfurt.com/cms/default/rubrik…

→ getting to/from → %26quot;by train%26quot;

Regular fare is € 49,20. If you like to get a saving fare, buy a ticket to %26quot;Kehl Bahnhof%26quot;, which is the last stop in Germany. In this case you%26#39;ll have to buy an additional ticket for the portion Kehl-Strasbourg.(2 stops) The additional ticket is either available at the airport%26#39;s ticket window, or, at a surcharge, on the train.

bahn.de/international/…sparpreis.shtml

If there are several people travelling together, you could utilize the %26quot;Laender tickets%26quot; for Hesse and Baden-Wuerttemberg, but as you%26#39;d have to stick to local trains only, the trip would take 4 hours at least.

bahn.de/international/…laender_tickets.shtml

|||

Thank you ... I wish I had your understanding of the German rail system! Could you also tell me how often the train leaves? I%26#39;m trying to book a flight that arrives at a time convenient to catching the train.

|||

%26gt;tell me how often the train leaves?%26lt;

About hourly between 5:55 am and 10:38 pm.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 1:25 am, September 27, 2009

Best area for lavander landscapes

Hello to everybody,

We would like to know which is the nicest area in Provence to take pictures of the lavander fields. And when is the best month to go? We are a group of amateur photographs.

Thank you very much for your help.

|||

The lavender fields typically are in bloom from late June through August, depending on the weather. The Lubéron area is a good place to view the fields, especially the one near the Abbaye de Senanque--that%26#39;s near Gordes. You%26#39;ll also find beautiful fields of red poppies in that region.

|||

There is a lot of info on the Routes de la Lavande website http://www.routes-lavande.com/indexgb.html It identifies the most likely time for blossoming in different areas, though I suppose you can check with the local tourist offices nearer the time to see whether they expect flowering to be %26#39;on time%26#39;.

|||

Thank you very much.

|||

Keep in mind that the lavender fields around Sault will be picked by the first part of August. They hold the annual Lavender Festival the 2nd weekend in August, so they harvest nearly all the lavender prior to that time.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 3:37 am, September 27, 2009

dinner cruise: help!

I%26#39;m still trying to choose a dinner cruise on the Seine for my birthday. Has anyone been on La Marina de Paris, or know anything about it? It looks good on the website, but there doesn%26#39;t seem to much info on TA. I%26#39;m making myself crazy! Thanks for your help!

|||

Hello viajare

I have%26#39;t been on La Marina de Paris, however, I%26#39;ve taken two other dinner cruises ( one was with the Bateaux Mouches)and I think they%26#39;re all pretty much the same. I can (at least) tell you what to expect.

- Be there ON TIME.

- Don%26#39;t show up in jeans...there is a dress code.

- The boats are glass-covered, but if you go out for fresh air, it can be chilly. I brought a wrap.

- The food was good but not memorable. It%26#39;s all about cruising down/up the Seinne and enjoying the illuminated architecture (Louvre/Notre Dame for example). Very very pretty!

- I remember the dinner cruises started late...if you%26#39;re used to eating at 7pm, you might want to have a late lunch being that dinner may not hit the plate until 9;30pm.

- On one dinner cruise,I had a private table with the boyfriend. On another, I sat bench style with people I didn%26#39;t know, but it turned out to be fun. If you want a private table, you may want to addresss this with the boat company.

Overall,enjoyable and relaxing. The best part is the scenery. I know this wasn%26#39;t exactly what you were asking but I thought a few tips might be useful.

Have a Very Happy Birthday!

|||

I appreciate you taking the time to write all those helpful tips; I know they%26#39;ll be useful. And thanks so much for the kind birthday wishes!

|||

You%26#39;re welcome sweetie....have a good time!

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 4:19 am, September 27, 2009

Meet My Street

I created a site that links people with their neighbours in Paris called meetmystreet.com

It is free, check it out.

|||

Sounds good but perhaps you can tell us about the benefits/in detail: why your site is relevant to visitors to Paris? Just curious.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 3:42 am, September 27, 2009

Renting a Gite near Carcassonne

Hi, would anyone be able to help me in finding a gite near Carcassonne that takes bookings Wednesday to Wednesday. I booked our flights (rather silly of me) before I realised that most gites only do Saturday-to-Saturday bookings and I am now struggling to find my husband and myself a suitable place. Our only request is that it has a swimming pool. Any suggestions or recommendations most welcome.

|||

You have not mentioned what time of the year you require the information for. We used to book fri- flights as they were cheaper and then stay in a cheap hotel for a night. This was during July-August. I know last year the gite people were having problems getting bookings out of main holiday season so may be prepared to run mid-week bookings. Especially those who live on site and run more than one gite. Good luck with your hunt.

|||

thanks. We would require gite from 25th June to 9th July.

|||

Hi nightaway, it might be worth going onto a site like The Languedoc Pages and placing an ad on their free forum. As it is likely to be a busy time of the year would you consider bed and breakfast as an option ? might be easier to find somewhere that way. Good Luck and have a lovely holiday in this region.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 2:20 am, September 27, 2009

Sightseeing tours from Caen

I am spending this holiday weekend (May 1, 2008) in Caen. I am having trouble finding D-day tours or, in fact, any tours at all that originate in Caen. I can find lots of options from Bayeux and from Paris. However, I live in Paris and will be in Caen. Does anyone know of any tours that originate out of Caen to the Beaches, the cemeteries or to Honfleur. I wold appreciate your help.

Thanks.

Al

|||

No, sorry. Howeer, Bayeux is only about a 15 minute drive from Caen so why not pick one up there?.... IF you can get one now, I know they are very popular and a lot are booked up several weeks in advance.

|||

Thanks so much for responding. I knew that Bayeux and Caen were close, but I am pleased to hear that it%26#39;s only 15 min. Since I am traveling by train, I won%26#39;t have a car. Is there public transportation between the two that I could select?

Thanks for your help.

Al

|||

Yes the train only takes about ten minutes and the station in Bayeux is easy walking distance to many hotels and the centre of town.

|||

Also, most of the sightseeing tours pickup from Bayeux station.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 3:39 am, September 27, 2009

A Good Arrondisement to Explore From

I have never been to Lyon. In Paris, I like to stay near the Latin Quarter/St Germain de Pres....

For those of you who have been to Lyon, did you stay at a well-situated hotel...by that I mean close to Metro, lively/pretty area? Can you pass on the hotel name? I leave in 10 days.

Thanks!

|||

The best places to stay, both central and lively, are the 2nd and 1th, in the area between the 2 rivers called the %26quot;Presqu%26#39;île%26quot;.

I ususally recommend the Grand Hotel des Terreaux if you want to stay in an hotel (there are also B%26amp;B as an alternative. There are other recommendations on this forum (use the search space above) in case this hotel is fully booked.

|||

Thank you onlylyon! I was hoping I%26#39;d hear from you.

Merci

|||

Now that I am thinking about it..I%26#39;ve read that there are %26#39;bad%26#39; neighborhoods to avoid e.g. %26quot;little Algeria%26quot;. What the heck is that? Can you tell me a little bit about what to expect in Lyon? For example is it an easy walking city? Insight into the metro system? Is the dialect different from my Parisienne education?

Thanks again...

Delphi

|||

Lyon is definitively an easy walking city. It is not as big as Paris, so you will be able to walk everywhere. There is also a very well developped public transportation system (métro / tramway and bus) to get outside the city center.

http://www.tcl.fr/index.asp?page=plan_reseau

And also an original bike rental system (first developped in Lyon and copied since in Paris!) : you can get a bike for free if you use it less than 20%26#39; (and you cover a lot of ground in 20%26#39;!). But you can use it only if you have a credit card with a chip (all credit cards have chips inside in France but I know it is not the case in the USA). Don%26#39;t miss the Rhône banks, nice bike paths along the river! Have a look:

http://www.velov.grandlyon.com/?L=1

Don%26#39;t worry about %26quot;little Algéria%26quot;. You won%26#39;t stay there anyway as there are no hotel there (it is located in the 7th arrondissement around rue Paul Bert). It is an ethnic neighborhood I like very much. I go there for shopping : food, bread, turkish slippers, tea glasses, etc...or just to stroll around for the atmosphere. There is also a little Chinatown closeby. I think that is what makes you feel in a %26quot;real%26quot; city when beeing in Lyon, unlike smaller french cities (but nothing compared to ethnic neighborhoods in US cities).

Last but not least : no there are no more dialects spoken in France except in Brittany and Corsica (but not really spoken, only by older people), you will hear regional accents as in any country, but the one in Lyon is not as strong as the southern or soutwestern accent.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 2:18 am, September 27, 2009

Surfing.

I am trying to find a nice beach for some good surfing. I am a novice surfer. What would you recommend?

|||

Practically the entire coastline from the tip of the Médoc peninsula to the Arcachon basin is one, unbroken string of beaches, continuing on to the Côte Basque further south. Because of the interplay of the Gironde estuary (the largest in Europe) as it empties out into the Atlantic ocean, the waves along the seaboard are particularly prized by surfers.

Several events on the world surfing tour are held on these beaches each year. Lacanau hosts the Lacanau Pro competition, and Hossegor in the Landes to the south together with Biarritz round out the trio of major events, but good surfing is to be found at other locations along the coast here.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 4:20 am, September 27, 2009

Nice B&B/Hotel between Calais and Vannes

Hi,

We%26#39;re in the process of organising a trip to the Vannes region, driving down from Calais.

We would very much appreciate if someone could recommend a nice B%26amp;B/Hotel between Calais and Vannes where we could break the journey. We don%26#39;t want to divert too much from the main route and have seen quite a bit of Normandy and Brittany, so we%26#39;re not really planning to do any sight seeing in the area.

We%26#39;re just looking for a place where we can rest a while, eat and refresh, where we can leave our car safely and relax overnight.

Our French is passable so we%26#39;re not necessarily looking for English speaking establishments.

Thanks in advance.

|||

Hello

Below is a copy of the reply I have posted to an earlier question which you may find helpful.

%26quot;We always look first at www.logis-de-France.f

These independently owned and usually family hotels offer a guaranteed level of accommodation and service.They are classified under the Official National system from 1* - 4/5* and also under the Logis logo 1 - 3 %26quot;chimneys%26quot;.

The website is easy to navigate by map and there is an English version -look for the Union flag.

We prefer a minimum of 2* and 2 chimney hotels; many have very good restaurants too!%26quot;

Good Luck1

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 9:20 pm, September 26, 2009

Disney Charge Cards

Dear All

I%26#39;m not sure if what I%26#39;m asking about is a charge card but .... I think I%26#39;ve read somewhere that we can get items charged to our room instead of using cash and then at the end of our stay we will pay with our credit card. Oh I forgot to mention we are staying in the Sequoia. Is this true?

What I%26#39;d like to know is;

Can everything be charged to our room - from eating out to mickey mouse ears from the shop?

Is there an extra charge for this service?

Items bought from gift shops - do these items get taken to our room for us?

Have any of you used this service and what pros and cons have you come across?

I am looking forward to your replies!

Many thanks

|||

Hi there Gownlady.

You mean express check out I think.

We have used it twice one time at Disneyland hotel and one time at Hotel New York.

They take a print of Your Visacard, if they don´t have it already.

You get a amount at every hotel Highest amount at Disneyland hotel, then lower , when You reach the limit they will let You Know that they charge Your card and for that amount, then You can still use you r card .

We used it till everything, dresses , food at the restaurants, Only at Disney thing then not at rainforest cafe or McDonalds.

Yeah and they take it to your rooms, we got picture taken and got them to our room.

Very easy.

Cons when staying for 6 days and nights as us we passed the credit limit after 3 nights , and since I didn´t know how big the limit was at the hotel, I got a little bit afraid when I got the message at the hotel that I should go to the reception and talk with them. I did so and it was nothing to worry about they just wanted med to know that they charge the card that day for the limited amount, and that I could continy to using it afterward.

And remember to keep Your recipy so You are sure that the charge they make is right.

Mutter

|||

Gownlady, you have understood the principle exactly. There is no charge for the service but there is a limit on the card (which I can%26#39;t remember off hand, about 500 Euros I think) and when you get to the limit you just pay some or all of it off and away you go.

There are no cons that we came across other than the potential embarrassment of being over your limit when you go to buy a souvenir and of course the potential to spend more than you intend!

You can put everything Disney on it i.e. you cannot put a meal at the Rainforest Cafe on it for instance.

If you buy stuff in the parks it can be taken to your room. IIRC there is no charge for this service.

|||

Oh thank you for your replies.

Now another thing that as crossed my mind is the exchange rate. I%26#39;ve only ever used a credit card abroad once before and that was in Mexico and I can%26#39;t really remember what the outcome was. Can you tell me, when you%26#39;ve used your credit card as the exchange rate been to your advantage or disadvantage?

|||

Hi Gownlady .

I am not sure what You mean, but

if you are going to use your creditcard, and take out money everytime you going to buy somethings I think that it will cost more than if You use the express card who will only been drawn one time, or two like in my case. You will save some money there, but it all depends on what your bank take in intrest I think or charge amount, some bank do take a lot every time you use the card someone less.

And Sorry about my spelling.

Mutter

|||

The exchange rates vary from card to card and some charge, but they are usually inline with the exchange rate. The room charging idea works well just make sure you keep tabs on your spending!!!!

|||

Thank you for your replies so far. I%26#39;ve applied for a Abbey card as I found out from the %26#39;Money%26#39; man on the GMTV website that this credit card doesn%26#39;t charge when using abroad (fingers crossed it arrives in time). Like you%26#39;ve said though - we%26#39;ll have to keep an eye on our spending!!

If you%26#39;ve any other tips or ideas please let me know :)

|||

Make sure you let the credit card company (whoever it turns out to be) know that you are travelling abroad. The card companies keep a close eye on unusual spending patterns and may not authorise a transaction if they believe/suspect it is fraudulent. This could cause unecessary embarrassment for the sake of a phone call.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 2:20 am, September 27, 2009

travelling from perpigan to collioure

Helllo, I am thinking of getting a train from perpigan airport to collioure, does anyone know how much this will cost and how long it will take. Will arrive on a wed and leave on a sunday. Why are the taxis so expensive? Not going to hire a car so need somewhere central to stay in collioure can anyone recommend a hotel.

|||

Are you sure about train service from the Perpignan airport? I certainly do not remember seeing any.

There are taxis and a shuttle bus.

From Perpignan you can take the train to Collioure for the less than 25 minute ride. Cost for the train is about 5€ and there are numerous departure throughout the day:

http://www.voyages-sncf.com

Here is a list of all of the hotels in Collioure:

http://www.collioure.com/heber.htm

|||

I visit the area regularly.

Taxis are expensive as it is about 30km from Perpignan Airport to Collioure.

Trains are irregular, very infrequent on Sundays and do not run late into the evenings.

You can download the complete timetable at

ter-sncf.com/languedoc/…index.asp

There are a few buses Perpignan - Collioure

cg66.fr/routes_transports/transports/bus/doc…

but none on Sundays.

Hope that helps.

|||

We stayed at Les Templiers in late September and have no complaints. It is certainly central, and about a 10 minute walk from the train station.

|||

You can get a shuttle bus which meets every plane. This will take you to the train and bus station. We have found the trains to be very good and not too expensive. Bus costs about €4 and train about the same.

Great way to arrive, the station in Collioure is not far from the centre.

Would recommend the Casa Parail Hotel or Les Templiers.

Have fun

Heather

|||

We stayed last year for two nights only at Le Triton,in a room with sea view and balcony, a short walk across the Bay. Basic, small rooms but comfortable and clean.

Friends stay frequently at Les Templiers and speak well of it.

Earlier this month we rented a cottage in Collioure but took a look at both Casa Pairal and Le mas des Citronniers, both of which looked attractive.

All these hotels are very central. There are many,many restaurants, cafes and also taleaway pizza establishments. Cafe Sola opposite the bus station has free wi-fi. The Yellow tourist train leaves from the bus station as well of course as other service buses to local areas .

The railway station a few minutes walk, slightly uphill, but people with roller cases can often be seen coming and going betwen the station and the centre.

There are markets on Sunday and Wednesday mornings.

Have a good time.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 9:17 pm, September 23, 2009

Typical weather in Strasbourg around Christmastime

Sorry if this question seems silly.

We are going to Strasbourg at Christmas this year. We are wondering if it generally snows in Strasbourg at Christmas Time. Where would the nearest towns be where it might snow? (We%26#39;re Australians from Sydney so the concept of snow at that time is very exciting).

Thanks in advance.

|||

Generally you can%26#39;t guarantee snow in Strasbourg - basically Alsace is in a bit of a valley so it%26#39;s less likely to have snow on the ground. Nearby though there are 2 good options. In the Vosges mountains in France there are ski resorts such as Gerardmer and La Bresse which are about 90 minutes drive from Strasbourg and also in the Black Forest in Germany there are many ski areas, I don%26#39;t really know them but Freiburg is a good base to explore them from, probably you want to hire a car to be flexible even though public transport is very good.

|||

We were in strasbourg last dec 23, 2007 and the weather in the night time was bit cold. We arrived strasbourg around 12midnight and the temp was -3C degrees. but in the the day time, it was 3-7C degrees. It was very festive since christmas markets where everywhere. We went to a town in germany called kEHL AND SNow WAS everywhere there. its just a couple of minutes from strasbourg. Take the tram d to astrid briand stop. from astrid, take the bus 21 for kehl. Its around 10 minute drive from astrid briand, strasbourg. Its just the border. You can use your day ticket for the bus also. At least you can say you got to step into germany:) Its very cold in kehl and you can get back to strasbourg anytime since buses runs every 30 minutes.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 9:21 am, September 26, 2009

shopping and shows in Paris next weekend!

Bonjour!

Can anyone recommend a good area in Paris to go shopping without spending a fortune...and a good outdoor market for food/jewellery/shoes etc?

Also, can anyone recommend a show or musical/dancing spectacle night (Ive already been to Moulin Rouge which was amazing) to do...also any lovely french bars or taverns in the latin quarter?

Thanks!

|||

A good area to shop without spending a fortune are the streets on the back of Printemps and Galeries Lafayette. Rue Saint Lazare for example. Rue du Havre, Rue Chaussee d%26#39;Antin and others in that general area also have good prices.

Blvd Haussmann has a Zara, an H%26amp;M and a variety of %26quot;affordable%26quot; stores.

|||

There is a show called the Salon des Realities Nouvelles - The Parc Floral de Paris is a green oasis on the outskirts of Paris, and in April it brings contemporary and abstract art to the fore at the annual Salon des Réalités Nouvelles. Over 400 well-known and up-and-coming artists reveal the latest trends in the abstract world through their works.

hopefully this helps

|||

Galeries Lafayette - The most famous and the most spectacular of Parisian department stores. The only store where you will find big brands (often exclusively) like Armani, Chanel, John Galliano, Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Lacroix, Prada, Sonia Rykiel, Thierry Mugler, on fully-refurbished floors entirely given over to women’s fashion. Rediscover the pleasures of browsing along the spacious alleys among all these brands

hope this can help!

|||

There are several outlets located rue d%26#39;Alésia in the 14th (métro Alésia on line 4, then get west). Big names such as Sonia Rykiel and Cacharel at reduced prices, and also cheap clothes and shoes.

You may also find good bargains at these shops:

Chercheminippes %26quot;empire%26quot; for men, women, and babies 102, 109, 110, 111, and 124 Rue du Cherche-Midi, 6th

Mouton à Cinq Pattes : 8 and 18 Rue Saint Placide, 6th

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 4:20 am, September 27, 2009

Lille for the day

Hello,

We are visiting Lille just for the day looking to go on Eurostar with family 7 adults and 2 children, can any one recommend what we should do as only going to be there for the day (8 hours) and want to eat is this time to!!

|||

When you leave the train at Gare Lille Europe walk down Avenue Le Corbusier, the main road outside the station, heading towards Centre Ville.

Keep following the main road down Rue Faidherbe. Bear left at the end towards Place de General de Gaulle.

This walk should take no longer than ten minutes.

You will find the Tourist Office on Place Rihour, there are plenty of bars and restaurants lining the road, and get free tourist maps and advice from them.

There are dozens and dozens of eating establishments catering for every taste in the centre of Lille so at least you won%26#39;t go home hungry.

And any last minute shopping could be done at %26#39;Eurolille%26#39; on your way back to the station.

Google %26#39;bonjourlafrance.net%26#39; for excellant maps of Lille.

If its hammering down with rain take the Metro from the station and don%26#39;t worry about the price - it%26#39;s very cheap!

|||

Thanks thats great, i take in on a sunday Lille doesn%26#39;t stop either?

Karen

|||

For good victuals %26amp; for children %26amp; if credit card looking sickly try Flunch for lunch or din dins

Happy trip Regmaiche

|||

I take it Lille doesn%26#39;t stop on a Sunday.

Look on the website %26#39;Office de Tourisme De Lille%26#39; to find what is open and what is shut on a Sunday.

Most tourist places are open on a Sunday but usually with restricted access times.

On the %26#39;Office de Tourisme%26#39; site click on %26#39;Going out%26#39;, at the top right of the page, and then click on %26#39;Download our Rendez Vous%26#39;

This will show all events in and around Lille throughout 2008.

|||

Most shops will be closed on Sunday!

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 8:18 am, September 26, 2009

altitude 95

planning to book at table for a saturday night this coming may...whats the best time to see the sunset and do all tables have a view or are these at a premium...wifes 40th want to get it right!!!

|||

I was in Paris last week ( sigh ) and don%26#39;t forget that Paris is an hour ahead so it gets dark 8-9pm.

|||

i just booked for June. Im pretty sure they have two sittings take the later one, at 9:00.

Have a great time

Curves

|||

I am going to Paris in June and would take curves advise about taking the second sitting, but I would like to hear if anyone can answer on PMACCA%26#39;s second question: Do all tables have a view or are these at a premium?

Niels DK

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 3:18 pm, September 26, 2009

English speaking & pushing

Dear All

I%26#39;m very excited for our Disney holiday in may but I keep having a little niggling feeling from reading forums and speaking to people about DLP.

We are going Spring Bank time so yes I am expecing it to be really busy and I am expecting loads of waiting around but are the French really that bad?? Do they really push and shove people out of the way??

Staff - I want this trip to be magical for all of us and whenever I call Disney it%26#39;s usually American%26#39;s that take the call and they are so friendly and sound so happy and make me more excited about going to DLP - are we going to experiance this warm friendly feeling at DLP from the members of staff working there? And how good is their English? I%26#39;m trying to learn some French and I%26#39;m getting my son do do more French homework but we are not very good at all!

I am looking forward to your replies :)

|||

Dear gownlady.

I have never had a bad experiance at DisneylandParis,

I know I am not english, but have never had people pushing or anything else bad.

But of course we are a family of five 2 a and 3 c 11,5,2 so the crowds its sometimes a little bit to much for the smaller ones since they can´t see, but using a trolley its no problems.

And for the ,Frence people%26quot; have been in DLP and other places in France have never had any problems.

Actually I think they are very polite. And France is one of the country I would love to explore more.

And for the Staff They are excellent people smiling and answer Your questions in English, so no problems there and if they have problems they ask someone else to help You.

Have nice Holiday.

Friendley regards

Mutter

|||

There is a little pushing and shoving I tend to find around:

A - shuttle busses - its everyone for themselves

B - characters that are wandering around (i.e. not part of an organised meet and greet)

So the answer is - when in Disney do as everyone else does - I know thats not in our %26quot;english%26quot; nature but thats how it is. Not so much it would spoil your holiday but I have seen grown adults push kids out of the way to get to a better view at the parade for example or push your kids out of the way to push their kids in front so if thats the case stand your ground.

All the CM%26#39;s wear badges with little flags showing what languages they speak - all of them speak at least 2 anywhere where you might have an interaction. You may find for example the streetsweepers do not but you can always find a CM that can help. A hello, goodbye, please and thankyou is always nice to give in french though and doesn%26#39;t take much to learn or remember :-)

|||

I%26#39;m with Ruthie

There is some pushing for character photos and occasionally you will get queue jumpers, but they are pretty rare in all honesty and you%26#39;ll be hard pushed to find a queue jumper LOL.

Us Brits tend to think the French are rude and obnoxious but you really couldn%26#39;t be further form the truth. Yes, they can seem to be ignoring you when you are waiting in the queue BUT you must remember this is just how they are. If you went to Timbuktu you may find that everyone spits at you - this would be just customary in their country, not a personal thing towards you because you are English. Just remember you are in a foreign country and they do things differently :)

You will be sure to have fun and DLP is big on customer service so I doubt you will have any trouble at all :)

KC x

|||

Thank you - you%26#39;ve put my mind at ease now. I%26#39;m sure you all know what its like, you ask one person about the trip and all they tell you is the negatives. I have come to realise I asked the wrong person for advice ha ha!

I%26#39;ve got to say though - I%26#39;m very excited!

|||

Don%26#39;t forget that it%26#39;s not just French and English people who visit Disneyland but people from all over Europe. The idea of an orderly queue can vary from country to country.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 8:17 pm, September 26, 2009

Need advice on my Europe Road Trip itinerary

Has anyone done a road trip around Western Europe in a 2 weeks timeframe?

Please see my itinerary below.

We are not interested in museums and history, we are more into scenery and food tasting. So we don%26#39;t need too much time in each city.

Has anyone done a similar driving route? How was the drive? Are the driving times from google maps accurate?

Mon Jun 2 3h 11min drive Bordeaux to Lourdes

Tue Jun 5 h 8min Barcelona

Wed Jun 6h 5min Nice

Thu Jun 5 Nice

Fri Jun 6 7h 12min Rome

Sat Jun 7 Rome

Sun Jun 8 5h 31min Venice

Mon Jun 9 Venice

Tue Jun 10 5h 41min Lucerne

Wed Jun 11 Lucerne

Thu Jun 12 7h 33min Amsterdam

Fri Jun 13 5h 15min Paris

Sat Jun 14 Paris

Sun Jun 15 fly out of Paris

|||

I%26#39;m just making my itinerary clearer.

It is:

date, driving time, destination

Mon Jun 2, 3h 11min drive, Bordeaux to Lourdes

Tue Jun 3, 5 h 8min drive to, Barcelona

Wed Jun 4, 6h 5min, Nice

Thu Jun 5, Nice

Fri Jun 6, 7h 12min, Rome

Sat Jun 7, Rome

Sun Jun 8, 5h 31min, Venice

Mon Jun 9, Venice

Tue Jun 10, 5h 41min, Lucerne, Switzerland

Wed Jun 11, Lucerne

Thu Jun 12, 7h 33min, Amsterdam

Fri Jun 13, 5h 15min, Paris

Sat Jun 14 Paris

Sun Jun 15 fly out of Paris

|||

IMHO this is way too much. You are probalby driving on autoroutes where you will not really see the good parts. Is there any way to cut out some - maybe save Italy and Switzerland for another trip? You can get more time in France and Spain.

You will spend your whole vacation in a car. This may be okay for you, but my back would tell me NO after about four days. I really do recommend you scale back the areas you are trying to cover, in favor of more time in each place.

|||

When I saw you wanted scenery and then noticed your first destination was Lourdes, I really expected you to be spending a couple of days in the area, at least driving the high passes and going up to the Cirque de Gavarnie, which is an absolutely stunning World Heritage site. Then the drive towards Italy will take you through Provence, which is a wonderful place to see scenery with very pretty perched villages (and good lunches too, though they can take 2-3 hours). Google some pictures of Gordes or any other villages in the Luberon and you%26#39;ll see what I mean.

I%26#39;ve not driven around your other destinations, but I think you%26#39;ll have the same issue there, with no time to see anything because you%26#39;re on an autoroute / autostrada / autobahn which was designed to avoid any scenery which might distract the motorist ... and worse, the food you get may have to be from service stations, in order to keep up the schedule.

Sorry to sound negative, but I%26#39;m with the previous poster, that this is a lot of driving around with the risk of seeing nothing much at all. Two weeks is nice and generous to give you time to explore some of the small, slow roads ... which I think would give you the sort of holiday you%26#39;re looking for and a much better feel for old Europe.

|||

I have driven most of your itinerary and it is an excellent one - assuming you have 4-6 weeks in which to complete it.

This is more the itinerary of a professional trucker. How is the drive? . . . all from the autoroute - quite boring actually.

|||

Thank you so much for your replies. I didn%26#39;t realize the highways wouldn%26#39;t be scenic. Sorry to hear that.

Thanks again,

Linda

|||

Hi Linda,

I heartily concur with the previous posters...

you are attempting far too much and will end

up seeing very little.

If it were me, I%26#39;d concentrate on the northern

part... drive to Paris and spend more than a

day there. If you land in Bordeaux you can drive

up through the Dordogne and the Loire Valley.

DON%26#39;T use autoroutes. Your Google map itinerary

has most likely got you on them but as has been noted

you%26#39;ll get the worst of the scenery and miss the

small villages and towns and unexpected small

things that can make a trip so wonderful and memorable. And if you like food you won%26#39;t find

any worth eating along the autoroutes!

After Paris you could drive through Champagne,

see Brussels and/or Bruges then on to Amsterdam.

Whether you like museums or not, Amsterdam and Paris

alone deserve much more time than a day each. We spent a week in each last summer and even though we%26#39;ve been both places several times in the past we have barely scratched the surface!

Everyone is different but my feeling is to take

the time to enjoy things rather than rush about.

And take a trip as if it isn%26#39;t the only one you%26#39;ll ever take! Italy and Spain will be there for your

next trip. ;^)

Rob

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 3:38 am, September 27, 2009

still confusion on openings

still confusion reigns on holiday dates May 8-12th

will cafes, street markets, monoprix, vendors be open? What about Momarte%26#39;on Pentecost Sunday? Also will metro be running Sat. night till at least midnight? Have eurostar tickets for Sat. and boat ride tickets for Sunday night surely if they sold them some things must be running. It is a busy tourist time in this beautiful city correct? The responses so far are most appreciated but hard to get a handle on...please help..thanks!

|||

I can tell you that every year is different.

Most places will be open as it is a busy tourist season. Neighborhood stores (bakery - butcher - hairdresser ...) may be closed but the town is NOT going to shut down.

|||

thank you for responding to my post...this is a special trip for us (hubby and I) and like others, we

have planned for a long time to make memories to share together...we have been before with our daughter and are blessed to be able to visit again...we are staying in the latin quarter and had our plans made way before whit monday was reinstated which is what brought on this apprehension.

|||

What is happening in 8-12 may in Paris???

Any special envents?

Thank you

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 3:39 am, September 27, 2009

Visiting in August (I know)......Laurent?

Having a difficult time booking a dinner suitable for a ten year anniversary celebration. Laurent is open and from what I could gather from their menu, sounds very nice. We are staying in Hotel Lancaster so it is nearby. I appreciate in advance anyone%26#39;s thoughts and experiences with Laurent. We are of course also open to other suggestions from people with experience. First trip to Paris - mid thirties.

|||

Help? Cheers!

|||

bumping for you as I found it odd to see my families last name on the thread LOL ( Laurent)

|||

Laurent is a very expensive place, apparently not very well known by locals and not often mentionned here.

I suggest that you pm the few people on TA who already mentionned this restaurant, for further information (search with %26quot;Laurent%26quot; in the blank space above), for example janeharriet (sept 2007):

tripadvisor.com/…8863039

|||

I have been there but it was back in June 2005 so in my mind too long ago to be relevant. However my view from almost three years ago: We picked it for our anniversary lunch as it has a nice secluded outside terrace. It is a traditional established French restaurant both in food and service (so quite proper). At lunch time, given it%26#39;s proximity to the Palais de l%26#39;Elysee, it seemed to attract people from there. I think we were the only non French eating.

We had a lovely lunch but I do not think I would rush back.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 4:17 am, September 27, 2009

Train ride from Paris - Nice Views?

I was just wondering how are the views from Paris to Nice... Since it%26#39;s gonna be about 5 hours...

Also, any nice alternatives other than train?

|||

%26gt;I was just wondering how are the views from Paris to Nice... Since it%26#39;s gonna be about 5 hours...

Pretty nice - but at 300 km per hour you don´t get to see many details.

%26gt;Also, any nice alternatives other than train?

You can fly (Easyjet and similar) but the time savings will not be great. And the hassle factor associated with teh airports is of course greater than going by train.

|||

Thanks very much.

I really want to plan the trip myself, but since I%26#39;m taking my elderly parents I need to make sure it%26#39;s as smooth and well-planned as possible, especially since they wanna just join a Chinese-operated tour group! :-)

|||

Paris to Avignon is the high speed bit, non stop through the French countryside. Avignon to Nice is much slower and there are good coastal views. From central Paris to Nice I would take the train. In effect flying will take around four hours centre to centre.

|||

%26gt;Paris to Avignon is the high speed bit, non stop through the French countryside.

You probably mean Paris to Marseille.

The TGV Mediterranee is running for quite some years now.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 2:19 am, September 27, 2009

Another "Reims for a Day" Question

Traveling by TGV from Paris in mid-May for a one day cellar(s)and Reims visit. Can we do this fairly easily by taxi from the TVG station to the city centre - then just walking around? Or do we need to hire a local guide to take us around and pour us back on the TGV 6 hours later?

|||

The attractions of Reims are all walkable. However, the champagne houses are spread around the city (unlike Epernay where most are along one road) though I remember 3 being within half a mile or so. It might be best to check the tourist office info and/or individual companies web sites, then you can decide which you would like to visit, what you consider walkable, and if you need a taxi between houses. Not very detailed but I hope this assists.

|||

The centre of Reims is right by the Train station, browsing the forum shows that MANY others have managed this easily just walking, with a little bit of planning ahead, as you will need to book to visit the Champagne Houses I understand.

|||

Hi the answeres you have received are correct. I leave in a village close to Reims and advise everyone who stays, to walk around Reims you see so much more, that said you only have 6 hours a tour will be 40mins so taxi from tourist office (they will order one for you) may be best option. Visit catherderale first.From the gare its 5mins to the start of main centre of ville, 15 mins to tourist office by the catherdrale. Plenty of places to stop on the way for cafe,toursit office is very good/helful. Depending on which champagne house%26#39;s you wish to visit they are walkable, Pommery being the furthest one from centre, but if you walk you could also stop at Piper Heidsieck enroute and Taittinger,or you take a taxi %26amp; walk back vis visa. look up google maps %26amp; see location of the champagne house.

Check these site. www.reims-tourisme.com or email info same address. Main website for region www.tourisme-en-champagne.com

|||

I booked the champagne house visits first before figuring out the order of things I wanted to visit, because I can visit the cathedral any time during the day but I had to have reservations to visit the houses. (Some I was told accept walk-ins at some times during the year but it was not guaranteed they could do an English tour spur of the moment).

I%26#39;d suggest setting up times for visits first (leaving 90minutes or so for each visit) so you get those in, preferably back to back to back so you don%26#39;t waste time. I did a 10:30 at Pommery and a 1 p.m. at Ruinart so I could have lunch in between at a nice little place not too far a walk away. All 3 are walking distance.

So I got off the train, hopped a cab to Pommery, did that tour at 10:30, walked to lunch, walked to Ruinart (near Pommmery) and did that tour. After that, I had Ruinart call me a taxi for the cathedral. That is not walkable from that area in my opinion. After visiting the cathedral, tourist office and Place d%26#39;Erlon for a meal, I walked to the train station.

I could have (and should have) scheduled a visit to Taittanger (near Pommery and Ruinart) but worried it would be cramming too much in. Too much worrying on my part. It%26#39;s do-able.

I think that%26#39;s a good way to do it.

|||

Thanks for the info - will probably follow essentially your itinerary - though will include the Taittinger house and return to Paris for dinner.

|||

oops, my tour at Ruinart was at 2. 1 p.m. would not give me time to have lunch.

Great little lunch spot we stumbled into -- about a 10 minute walk only. We needed the walk there to walk off the champagne (we got some extra tastings) from Pommery and the walk from the lunch spot to Ruinart to walk off the very generously portioned meal.

I would try to contact the tourism office and have them send you a map. Also, ask them if that know of a small eatery with a sign on the front that says %26quot;The Square%26quot; and locate it on there for you. That%26#39;s where we had lunch.

From Pommery%26#39;s gate, we walked up Boulevard Henry Vasnier to where it intersects with Avenue Victor Hugo. Then we crossed to our left through this huge intersection and the place was a block up continuing in the direction we were going when crossing the intersection. (West)

|||

Thanks - do you have to call the %26quot;Cellars%26quot; individually for the appointment? Just go to their web site for the numbers?

|||

I set up everything via e-mail and their online inquiries found on their web sites.

There was a reservation form on one, I think. And I e-mailed someone for the other. It was quite easy. Although you can%26#39;t pick times, just time of day and they%26#39;ll pick the time depending on whether there are other requests for that day. I asked for 1 p.m. for Ruinart, for example, and they gave me 2. Worked out great in the end.

I would pick the one you want to go to most and schedule that first. We chose Pommery because we can get their champagne here, and we%26#39;d only heard the names of Taittanger and Piper-Heidsick, etc. Just make sure you get times for the places you want. We loved both of our tours. Pommery is the big boy on the block, Ruinart is the smaller house that says it focuses more on quality, not quantity. Nice contrast. And Ruinart has really spectacular caves/chalk mines that are registered for historic significance for the art and the history down there.

Hope all goes well. If you%26#39;re trying to do 3, depending on when you get there, you could do 10:30, 2 and 3:30. That would be ideal. If you take the 7:57 train out of Gare de L%26#39;est you can do an earlier first visit, even. We took the 8:57 train though.

|||

Thank you to all the posters on this topic, very helpful. My wife and I will be visiting this summer and are planning a Day in Reims. So a few questions for those who have more experieince that us.

1. Is the Veueve Cliquot tour walkable from the train station?

2. Are any of the tours, considered the best?

Thank you.

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 5:21 am, September 27, 2009