It was about 11:30 last night, and I was reading and nearly asleep when my phone rang. I saw via caller ID it was my boyfriend. I was a bit worried, as I had just gotten off the phone with him a half-hour before. Expecting the worst, I answer the phone, and was greeted with “Do you want to go to Europe?” He has some travel website send him emails when fares to specific destinations drop below a certain price, and last night it was flight to Paris in February. We have long flights there and back, with at least one layover, but we’ll be there from a Friday morning to a Wednesday morning.
So it’s months away, but I’m still excited. I’ve never been to a country where I needed a passport and I think it will be fun.
So much to do, so little time. I also need to remember to check customs regulations to see how much wine I can take out of the country (France, obviously, not the US).
easy e, don’t mean to rain on your parade, but fares to Paris in February are always low. About $300. I’ve even gone for $200. That’s round-trip, nonstop direct. No changes. Every airline does it as a fare war. There’s no need to buy tickets now. Unless you’re getting them for $100 RT, which is quite a deal, why give them use of your money for nearly a year?
Well, anyway, I’m sure you’ll have fun. Feb. is a great time to go as there are few tourists and it’s often not all that cold. I’ve gone in January where I didn’t once have to wear a winter coat.
Okay, there wasn’t a request for information in the post, so I was a smartass with my first answer, so sue me. I can’t let the quoted sarcasm go by without comment, however. The French are, in fact, very nice people (with the exception of the occasional snooty waiter, but you can find that in New York City) and actually do like Americans. I’ve been there at least a half dozen times and have never been treated rudely.
Since you have so much time until your trip, I strongly recommend that you buy “French in 10 Minutes A Day” (assuming you don’t speak the language) and learn a few basic phrases. Life becomes much more pleasant with even the rudiments of “menu French”. Secondly, with only a few days to tour, get a copy of Fodor’s and plan your agenda carefully. Some places you may want to see may not be open or have limited hours in the winter. It’s a large city and you don’t want to waste time going somewhere only to find it’s closed. On the good side, public transit is exceptionally efficient and you can get where you are going quickly. Have fun.
Umm, check the forum title. Mundane, Profound Stuff I Must Share.
I did take a couple years of French in high school, but I intend on refreshing my memory before I go. Since then I’ve taken German. When I first started German, I would sometimes speak it in a French accent (I’d see certain letter combinations, and my mind would think "well, this isn’t English, so it must be French) and get my German vocabulary mixed up with my French, so it will be interesting if the reverse is true.
Back in high school, my family also hosted a French student for 3 weeks, so I know many of the French don’t fit the “all French hate Americans” stereotype.
And I will definitely plan on doing some planning. We went to New York for a weekend in March, without much advanced planning, and barely did anything. I don’t think either one of us wants that to happen.
I know the French are nice to Americans. That’s exactly why my American friends who travel in Europe in general, and France in particular, make sure to have their maple leaf patches and pins on their clothes and luggage, since they don’t want preferential treatment…
I stand appropriately chastised and humbly contrite.
As to the other posts concerning the wearing of items Canadian, and the other snide comments about the French and Europeans in general, I can only assume ignorance on the part of the posters. I lived in Europe for eight years in Germany, Belgium and Portugal and traveled extensively in nearly all countries both east and west. At no time did I try to hide my American citizenship and can only recall one instance when I was hassled (by a drunk in a bar in The Hague). The old saw about shaving and deoderant has some basis, but the smoking is definitely the worst aspect. Most people there are like most people here: working shlubs just trying to live their lives.
Well, this has gotten off track and I apologize. Bon voyage.
Fantastic! You’ll have a great time. I agree with those who said that you ought to brush up on your French, at least the basic phrases. I found the French very polite. The smoking got to me, but I live in California where you can’t smoke indoors, so all the smoking took me off guard.
FWIW: Get yourself a good tour book (I used Idiot’s Guide to Paris or Paris for Dummies) and stay as close to the center of town as possible. Take advantage of the passes and discounts. Don’t overdo it with the planning and if you can spare it, get out of Paris for at least an afternoon. Head to Giverny (esp. if you like Monet) or Fountainbleu. (Things are much cheaper out there too!)
Pack smart; many of the smaller hotels (the best ones, IMHO) lack elevators and have steep stairwells.
PS: I studied French and German, too. On a trip to Europe, I was in France, where I was struggling with “no, this is France. Not Germany” then went ot Germany, when all the French words came back. To make things worse, I went back to France. My brain was confused.
I just returned from France (my home!) last week, finishing the trip with 2 days in Paris. There is so much to see!! It is a beautiful city. You’ll enjoy it!
You got to see, Montmartre, the Eiffel tower, the Arc de triomphe, do the boat rides on the scene, see the Latin Quarter, all the museums (!), etc,etc!!!
Seriously, do the boats (bateaus mouches) as most monuments were built right on the Seine river and with a short trip, it is good to see those you might not have time to visit.
I just returned from France (my home!) last week, finishing the trip with 2 days in Paris. There is so much to see!! It is a beautiful city. You’ll enjoy it!
You got to see, Montmartre, the Eiffel tower, the Arc de triomphe, do the boat rides on the scene, see the Latin Quarter, all the museums (!), etc,etc!!!
Seriously, do the boats (bateaus mouches) as most monuments were built right on the Seine river and with a short trip, it is good to see those you might not have time to visit.
