A bit of a trip report

A first bit - I%26#39;m about to have an early night, so I%26#39;ll post more tomorrow. However, following on from tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187147-i14-k31593… (#3)

I ate the ludicrously expensive breakfast (€12) on Sunday morning, sooner than traipse around searching for something cheaper. It was perfectly pleasant but even if I%26#39;d been feeling OK, it would have been virtually impossible to eat 12 euros%26#39; worth of bread, cheese and ham. It may have been the meds the dentist gave me just before I left the UK but something sure didn%26#39;t sit right with me the night before. This won%26#39;t be mentioned again, except to explain it kind of put a block on any plans I%26#39;d had for fancy eating - just urgh, it wouldn%26#39;t have been worth it. On the plus side, I abandoned the meds and could drink the odd glass of red wine.....

I bought a mobilis ticket and headed out ot the George V metro station and St. George%26#39;s Anglican Church on Auguste Vacquerie for the service. I have minimal orientation skills, that%26#39;s why I like the metro so much, it goes in straight lines. What do you mean, It doesn%26#39;t? It looks like it on the maps.... Coming above ground is always a different matter and I can usually be counted on to take the wrong direction. Fortunately, there are plenty of corners in Paris where I can orientate on junctions - and the street signage is excellent. Inevitably, I found I was going the wrong way, so turned 180 degrees and set off. I%26#39;d not gone two steps when - there was only the Arc de Triomphe just standing there in the near distance. Just there, just standing there. It was a great moment. I%26#39;m not a great lover of The Sights in any city, I don%26#39;t like to Do The Tourist Thing, so I never know how to answer %26#39;What should I see?%26#39; questions - surely we should see what interest us and anything else is a bonus.

This was some bonus! Imagine to yourselves, a crisp, autumn morning, sun pouring down through browning leaves and the Arc -de Triomphe whispering your name..... I have to assume that Parisians are used to respectable looking women suddenly bursting into smiles: if they weren%26#39;t, they are now, because I did it a lot. I went and took photos, lots of them, and some even without traffic.

The Anglican church was fascinating, a modern building on the outside and the church itself under ground, all in brick. Very impressive. Very good singing too from the choir.

Metro back to Bastille to change for the opera - I was going to an early performance at the Theatre des Champs Elysees. Still didn%26#39;t want a whole meal, so I stopped at a crepe stand at the end of Boulevard Richard Lenoir/Bastille and got a plain one with sugar. Back to the metro. This time the straight lines worked fine - but I got lost on the surface again. I got through two Printemps sponsored city maps in 3 days. I eventually got on target and walked along the Avenue Montaigne, very swish - and on the street corner, by Alma Marceau station - there was only the Eiffel Tower looking at me! It seems the sights of Paris were determined to sneak up on me and say hello. Took lots of early evening sunshine shots, annoyed a woman in a kiosk by not having less than a 5 euro note for a twix - I still didn%26#39;t feel much like food but having only eaten the crepe since about 85 cents worth of breakfast around 8 a.m., I was fearful that Andromache would be drowned out by the sound of my stomach rumbling.

The theatre was pleasant and easy to navigate, even without the pay-as-you-go usherette. Andromache in concert form was not wonderful though, I don%26#39;t think I need to have bothered with the Twix. And the performance was a bit am-dram sounding. Why stay with something if you%26#39;re not enjoying it? So I left at half time.

The E. Tower was still waiting, beckoning, so I walked back up and took more photos of her; and walked and walked a lot more. That%26#39;s the thing I noticed most about Paris - it was always tempting to walk just a bit further and a bit more. I spent my time taking great, striding steps through it all. As striding as my little legs can do, anyway.

After that, it still felt early, so I dived onto the RER at Pont d%26#39;Alma and got out at Notre Dame. I thought I%26#39;d let another Sight take me by surprise. It was beautiful, although the parvis was very crowded and it felt not threatenting exactly, not at all in fact, but just a bit uncontrolled, and I could see how all these tourists together could be a scammers paradise. Not that I saw any, the whole trip. I went into the church where Mass was being sung. I loved the flat-screen screens on many pillars to show people exactly what was going on. And the music was glorious.

I RER/metroed back to the hotel area. Still didn%26#39;t want a whole meal, so I bought a baguette jambon cru crudite at a station outlet - Gare d%26#39;Austerlitz, I think - and took it home to my room. I opened the double windows over the wrought-iron balcony front (no balcony, just the front, don%26#39;t know what you call them) and let in some warmish evening Paris air, just a modicum of traffic noise, it being a Sunday. I ate the baguette and my one remaining Twix finger, drank some red wine from the mini-bar (chilled red wine? hm) and toasted Paris. C%26#39;etait si bon.

The second day ended.

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The market! I knew when I looked at it that my report seemed a bit empty round the middle bit of the day. I went to the Bastille/Richard Lenoir market on the way back from church. A dozen shawls bought and some cheap jewellery - but fun. It was definitely worth a visit, and I%26#39;ll make sure any future trips (and I%26#39;m planning the March one now) will include a Sunday.

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I love this report Ailidh. Thank you. You sound just like me when I first spotted the arc de triomphe %26quot;standing there, just standing there!%26quot; I can also empathise with you wanting to just stride on a wee bit further - I%26#39;ve never walked so much in my entire life! As for your orientation after comng out of the %26#39;straight lines%26#39; of the metro, I discovered a strange thing when I came up to ground. I could always tell what direction the river was. Isn%26#39;t that weird?

Thanks again and so glad you had the trip you wished for. Can%26#39;t wait for the rest.

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I%26#39;m so glad that Paris was at her her flirtatious best for you. She never seems to tire of the game. Watch her, though. She%26#39;ll walk the buckles off your shoes...

Sorry you missed out on the food, but that%26#39;s what the next trip is for...

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%26lt;%26lt;That%26#39;s the thing I noticed most about Paris - it was always tempting to walk just a bit further and a bit more. %26gt;%26gt;

Yes, isn%26#39;t it strange (and wonderful).

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lovely report so glad you enjoyed it you%26#39;re right about the Bastille market we always try to squeeze in an extra sunday ,looking forward to your next trip in march

jim

France-Canal Boat company and route

We are four adults planning 5-7 days on a canal boat in France in early October. It seems from the forums that for first timers the Canal du Midi is the most scenic. Can anyone clarify the best departure and arrival points in that area and which direction is recommended. This may seem a strange question, however, is it considered best to have as few locks as possible or the more the better ?!Also there seem to be mixed reports about the best boats to hire-I have checked out a few of the websites, however, am more confused than ever. We would like something reasonably clean and comfortable. many thanks

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%26lt;%26lt;the Canal du Midi is the most scenic.%26gt;%26gt;

The Canal du Midi is a good location for a first cruise. There towns along the way are generally spaced evenly making exploration and re-provisioning relatively easy.

%26lt;%26lt;Can anyone clarify the best departure and arrival points in that area%26gt;%26gt;

This depends upon the company you use which may depend upon rental cost and availability. My one strong recommendation would be that the departure and arrival points be different. One way travel keeps the route fresh and maintains a continued sense of discovery. In my opinion the return portion of an out and back over canal portions recently viewed is anticlimactic.

%26lt;%26lt;which direction is recommended.%26gt;%26gt;

Direction of course applies to one way travel and has no bearing on your ability to enjoy boating. For any perceived advantage going one direction, I can give corresponding advantages going the other. I have written that I recommend easterly travel along the Canal du Midi but this had nothing to do with the direction of the water flow, rather to allow time on a 10 or 14 day journey in which to venture out upon the Etang du Thau and see (up close) one of the world%26#39;s largest oyster beds.

%26lt;%26lt;is it considered best to have as few locks as possible or the more the better%26gt;%26gt;

Too many locks, more than 5 or 6 as a daily average, can really become a lot of work (as with some routes in Burgundy). Too few locks, one or two in a week (as in the Camargue) will not give a new crew sufficient experience to develop a rhythm and proficiency or to really understand the process.

%26lt;%26lt;Also there seem to be mixed reports about the best boats to hire%26gt;%26gt;

I recommend the following companies:

http://www.franceafloat.com/

http://www.leboat.com/

http://www.locaboat.com/

http://www.nicols.com/

http://www.rive-de-france.com/

www.minervoiscruisers.com/english/main/

As for the specific model you might select, it%26#39;s a matter of personal taste, budget, and the number travelling.

You might try a forum search using the words %26quot;Canal du Midi%26quot; and read what has already been written. There have been changes in the canal%26#39;s 400 year history but there is a great deal of pertinent information in the forum archives readily at hand.

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Many thanks for this information. I hope you do not mind a few more specific questions now.

To clarify, from reading many many forums, it seems a good route is easterly from Castelnaudery to Port Cassfieres.

Is this reasonable for a seven day trip ?

I have looked at all the websites for canal boat hire and can not find any that specifically have boats avail to be picked up in Castelnaudery and left in Port Cassifieres.

Is it worth liaising directly with the companies to find out if that is possible or do you know of a good company that definitely does this ?

What is the usual daily routine along this route in terms of boating time-hours per day- and time available to walk, cycle dine and sightsee ?

Is there a recommended chart/book which gives the lock opening times and is forward planning before arriving in France recommended in terms of what distance per day, what lock times to aim for and where to pull up for the night ?

That might be enough questions at this stage ! Any info gratefully received.

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%26lt;%26lt;Is this reasonable for a seven day trip ?%26gt;%26gt;

Yes

%26lt;%26lt;I have looked at all the websites for canal boat hire and can not find any that specifically have boats avail to be picked up in Castelnaudary and left in Port Cassifieres.%26gt;%26gt;

The company with this option is called Le Boat.

http://www.leboat.com

%26lt;%26lt;Is it worth liaising directly with the companies to find out if that is possible%26gt;%26gt;

Contact le Boat directly through their website.

%26lt;%26lt;What is the usual daily routine along this route in terms of boating time-hours per day- and time available to walk, cycle dine and sightsee ?%26gt;%26gt;

I am presently out of town and do not have immediate access to my charts to give you specific touring information. Plan on several hours a day traveling on the canal, with plenty of time to visit the adjacent communities. It is possible to bike almost the entire length of the canal.

%26lt;%26lt;Is there a recommended chart/book which gives the lock opening times and is forward planning before arriving in France recommended in terms of what distance per day, what lock times to aim for and where to pull up for the night ?%26gt;%26gt;

Again I do not have my charts but lock times are contingent upon season. The only real concern is near Beziers; the 6 locks of Forserannes are one way only, twice a day during the busy summer months. There is also a passenger boat running through these locks that always takes priority so plan ahead.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fonserannes_Locks

You can stop anywhere you like. There are several ports along the way and if you use Le Boat, they have ports all along the canal where you can tie up and connect electricity for free.

%26lt;%26lt;That might be enough questions at this stage !%26gt;%26gt;

There are never too many questions. Ask as often as you need.

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Many thanks again for your very prompt reply.

I am hoping you will not mind me taking a completely different tack.

I am wondering what the route Corbigny to Dompierre in the Loire/Nivernais region is like.

For some reason the Locaboat company appeals to me.They do have a route in the Canal Du Midi but not from Castelnaudry to Port C.I know the route travelled is more important than the boat, nevertheless, I would appreciate any comments on this alternative to Canal Du Midi from the point of view of scenery, places to visit along the way, weather in early October and manageability of Locks.

Many thanks.

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just a couple of comments. Early October is about the limit for doing the canals in southern France. The days can be good but the nights and mornings start to get cold. Most boats, however, have heating. Re locks: Don%26#39;t worry about the number of locks. After you%26#39;ve done a couple of locks you have it down to a fine art. Also in October you won%26#39;t have to hang around waiting your turn to get into a lock. You%26#39;ll sail (sorry, motor) straight in when you get to a lock. June, July and August are the worst months. You spend a lot of the day just waiting your turn to get into a lock. Almost 100% of the hire boat companies have a good reputation. Enjoy your trip.

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Thank you for your comments about weather and the locks and reassurance that most boat companies are ok.

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Just noted your comment/question about........

%26quot;I am wondering what the route Corbigny to Dompierre in the Loire/Nivernais region is like.%26quot;

In October in France we are in Autumn. The further north you are the colder it will be. In the south the good weather lasts until about mid November. The nights are fresh but the days are still warm and sunny. Further north, the nights are colder and the days can be chilly also. In October, I%26#39;d stay as far south as possible. Most hire boat companies shut up shop at the end of October. Generally, there are no people using hire boats on the canals after the end of October.The boats are out of the water being serviced for the following season (April to October).

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That is a good point and I appreciate your advice. We will stick to the Canal du Midi route which from all accounts sounds beautiful.

Thank you to those who have helped with our planning, it has made all the difference and it is fantastic to have such generosity from people all over the world sharing their travel experiences. I hope one day I can offer some helpful information also !

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As a first time traveler, I think that overall the Canal du Midi is the best choice because there really is a great number of places to see and easily explore. Please perform a forum search with %26quot;Canal du Midi%26quot; as the subject because over the years, much has been written about what to see, what to expect, and what to explore along this route.

Should you have additional questions, those of us who travel the canal often shall be very pleased to assist.

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Many thanks. Interestingly a travel agent friend of a friend commented that October is almost too late to do the canals because of the weather and chance of being confined on a boat in the rain. Unfortunately this is the only time we have so willhave to hope for the best. I am sure there will be questions later.

Rue Cail and Pasage Brady

Which metros are the best for Passage Brady and rue de Cail (or Cali) please,

Thanks

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Passage Brady is just a few steps from metro Château d%26#39;Eau. It is also an easy walk from both Strasbourg-Saint Denis and Gare de l%26#39;Est if you are on another metro line and don%26#39;t want to bother with the connection.

For rue Cail, the best station is La Chapelle (line 2), followed by Gare du Nord.

Christmas in Strasbourg

Hi,

I am thinking of spending Christmas Eve night and Christmas Day in Strasbourg, Are shops and restaurants still open or is everything shut down because of a public holiday? Also are the Christmas markets open at this time? What %26#39;Christmassy%26#39; activities are there to do?

Do you think Christmas is better spent in Strasbourg or Paris?

Thanks!

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You%26#39;ll find answers here:

www.noel.strasbourg.eu

There%26#39;s an English language option.

RER to the latin quarter

Is it correct that i can get one train direct to st michael from cdg? If so how much is this likely to cost? Many thanks

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Yes. Any RER train from CDG will stop at St. Michel/Notre Dame. Fare is 8€50 one way.

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What%26#39;s the best way out of St. Michel with luggage? Is there an escalator there? Or better to walk to the Notre Dame exit? (coming in from CDG also)

Thanks :o)

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The Notre Dame exit is the only one at the St-Michel/Notre Dame stop that has escalators all the way up to the street. Please note, though, that there is NOT AN ESCALATOR DOWN for your return. There is an elevator, which is currenlty under repair, on the Left Bank side right at rue de Xavier Privas and the Quai. It wasn%26#39;t functioning the whole month I was there (just returned 2 days ago).

For elevator and escalator service DOWN, you can go to the Gare du Nord. They have both going to the RER-B level.

Hotel le Petit Paris' meteoric rise

I have been reading the hotel reviews for about a month now and am particularly interested in the reviews for this hotel. I am reminded of the topic on how to spot generic hotel reviews. I just counted up the reviews of this hotel and as of this writing, of the 25 reviews, 18 are first time contributors and very few of those have any specific facts about the hotel. This really teaches me that you have to watch the reviews over time and read the reviews, not just look at the hotel%26#39;s position on the chart. Too bad we couldn%26#39;t have a list of things to look out for for casual users of Trip Advisor.

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I know exactly what you mean, skatermom. I have a similar situation on the Cape forum with this place:

tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g41555-d267425-…

I do think that TA is trying to do the best they can with reviews. It has to be an incredibly daunting job to sift through the thousands of reviews that come in. (impossible, imo)

I agree it is best to read Many reviews to get a feel for a place. I wonder if hotel owners are suggesting that guests write a glowing review for their place while the guest is still there. I just wish we weren%26#39;t reading such Biased reviews. I%26#39;ve not posted a review on the property I referenced because it would be the lone negative review and would be summarily dismissed by those reading it so it would have no value at this point. Also, my visit was a few years ago. Since that time, I%26#39;ve seen nothing but Glowing reports. I find that fascinating.

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If you read a lot of the hotel reviews on this site, the fake ones are easy to spot.

First time contributions by people who never logged on the site again is a hint, but there are many others.

Creepy, robotic %26quot;Stepford wives%26quot; tone, with short sentences and hotel brochure vocabulary. High praise of the breakfast with the extensive list of everything available on the buffet. Occasional recommandation for the wonderful restaurant next door. Specific spelling or grammar mistake that keeps coming back. Tons of positive votes for the fake reviews, tons of negative votes for the real all-the-more-negative reviews, almost no votes for the real positive or neutral reviews.

Those hotels should be avoided like the plague, because it shows their only goal : trick people into booking them. That and being oblivious to the critique, being absolutely sure that nothing is wrong with their establishment.

On the brighter side, I like to read the George V reviews every now and then. I believe they are all perfectly real, but it%26#39;s a lot of fun anyway.

%26quot;Telepathic service%26quot;, %26quot;I went there for one night three years ago and the manager remembered my kids names%26quot;, %26quot;the bell boy teached tricks to my dog%26quot;, %26quot;the breakfast bus boy spoke fluent Japanese%26quot;... this place seems out of this world

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«a list of things to look out for for casual users of Trip Advisor»

I think that would be an excellent thing to implement on the part of TA.

I see these phony posts all the time on TA forums. First (and often last) time poster who sings the virtues of a vacation rental in ad-agency language. These posts are easy to spot if you read thousands of posts every year on TA but, and this is important, the %26quot;casual%26quot; visitor on TA can%26#39;t see the sinister aspect of this.

I%26#39;ve said it before, TA should do more than just respond to complaints registered through their robotic %26quot; Report inappropriate content%26quot; link. Their overall credibility depends on getting to the bottom of this problem. It%26#39;s not rocket science. The exact source of a post is easily traceable if the system is designed to do it. TA won%26#39;t change their lazy ways without strong demand by their users.

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Hello Skatermom, I%26#39;m not as concerned as you about the folks who post one review. That%26#39;s because I am a regular contributor to TA and I haven%26#39;t posted an actual review for years. At one point someone at TA asked me to post some reviews and I did a flurry of them all at once but this just doesn%26#39;t interest me. I believe that folks generally are more inclined to post something negative rather than take the time to add positive remarks, at least that%26#39;s my experience.

What you might want to do is select a few %26#39;top contenders%26#39; based on the TA reviews and then check what other sources, professional reviewers, have to say. Even go to go the the bookstore and look through actual BOOKS, the guides.

Of course you could book with your local French specialist, the one who has taken a course, books accommodations in France as a living, has up to date information and resources, and may have even seen the properties that you are considering. Just a thought.

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I can%26#39;t speak to the meteoric rise of any particular property but, with regard to first time posters, you should be aware that TA has recently made a concerted effort to encourage all lodging establishments to ask their guests to submit reviews to TA. Since most folks who travel have never contributed to TA, it is not surprising that many reviews are by first timers. Perhaps the hotelier/innkeeper that has recent reviews has been working with TA, within their guidelines, to increase their on-line presence. In any event, I think it%26#39;s wise to back up TA reviews with trusted guide book reviews like Fodors and Frommers and to look at the specifics of the on-line reviews. An anonymous lone voice of praise or negativity is always suspect to me so I use professional advice first and then consult on-line reviews.

With regard to negative reviews and forum comments... TA users should also be aware that some people have %26quot;vendettas%26quot; against places, either because they are competitors or have some personal issues that color their judgement. In the case of Fort Hill Bed and Breakfast that Fussyguest has an %26quot;issue%26quot; with, I can say from personal experience, that they well deserve their #1 rating for B+B lodging on Cape Cod. They consistently earn editor%26#39;s choice status with a number of guide books/local publications and have been in business for over 20 years. Since word of mouth plays a big roll in a place as small as Cape Cod, it seems highly unlikely that they could be so well thought of if they were not offering a quality stay.

I do not believe that Fussy Guest has first hand knowledge of this award-winning small B+B (Fort Hill in Eastham, Cape Cod) as she has a family home in a neighboring town (Chatham). Additionally, she consistently chooses to review/recommend hotels and resorts....she does not appear to stay in small B+Bs. Could her negative comments about a small B+B in a neighboring town be a personal vendetta? I wonder how TA deals with this type of poster?

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Hi -

I agree that it%26#39;s necessary to check more than one review source, and do exactly as yellowbird does. I always recommend www.venere.com as an accommodation resource and usually advise posters to check the venere reviews as well as those on TA. Since venere is a booking engine, they can ensure that the reviewers have actually stayed at the property involved, unlike TA. The combination of guide book referrals, venere reviews and the TA reviews, gives our readers a fighting chance of ending up in the sort of accommodation they prefer.

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« Since most folks who travel have never contributed to TA, it is not surprising that many reviews are by first timers.»

It%26#39;s the unsolicited first-time posts that _read_ as advertising on TA that I have a huge problem with. If the OP comes back and participates in the thread I seldom have a problem but many OPs don%26#39;t. Those are automatically suspect.

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Well on forum posts I agree that a singleton that reads like an advertisement probably is one. But, for reviews in the lodging section I do not necessarily think that a poster who only posts once is bogus. As I mentioned, most travelers do not post reviews on TA. However, now that TA is urging lodging establishments to request reviews from their guests, I expect that the TA word is spreading and that more first time users are posting. This only works if the reviews are requested by the lodging establishments, not solicited with promises, and if posters are truthful, not vindictive. Therein lies the problem that we agree upon. How does one distinguish between honest reviews/statements and bogus reviews/statements (both positive and negative)?

I believe that the US govt. is working on a proposal that would make bribing patrons with gifts in order to get positive reviews illegal. How they would enforce it is a big question.

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How the heck does it become no 2 in Paris out of 1891 hotels with only 25 reviews. Seems to me TA is making a rod for it`s own back encouraging hotels to solicit reviews.

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TA is VERY secretive about how it arrives at a rank. I know that they totally restructured the Rome ranking when a small B+B in the outlying area consistently came up #1, beating out the outraged hotels that participate in Expedia, Oribitz and other partners. I bet those hotels screamed and managed pressure TA into banishing the small B+B to the obscure town designation under the guise of restructuring. I would love to know how TA arrives at its rank for a particular hotel.

Nightlife w/college student-problem w/research

Staying in the 6th w/my college age niece over Thanksgiving weekend whose priority seems to be partying. Nothing wrong w/that but we%26#39;re too old to go clubbing. Any ideas for fun bars w/ dancing? I am making a distinction between %26quot;clubs%26quot; and fun bars that have good music %26amp; dancing to eliminate super-loud house, techno or trance music. We don%26#39;t need to stay in the 6th for nightlife, but anything walking distance would be helpful since it%26#39;s impossible to get a taxi late night. Also looked for alternate entertainment such as a movie at the Rex, but nothing appropriate that week. Live music at the Olympia, also nothing. Walking tour-too cold to walk for 3 hours in late November. Bateau mouches-not so exciting for a 20 year old-afterward there would still be lots of time left in the night. She won%26#39;t be ready to appreciate the Opera or the Ballet for another 15 years, not to mention we don%26#39;t feel like spending hundreds of euros for cultural events that aren%26#39;t going to be met enthusiastically. Sorry to sound cheap, we%26#39;re willing to spend some money on nightlife, but already spending gobs on accomodations, meals, transportation, etc. so hoping to find budget friendly ideas. We%26#39;ve plenty of youngster-friendly daytime ideas: Montmartre visit followed by crepes, walking from Isle St. Louis to Notre Dame w/stop at Berthillon, two-hour ninja attack on the Louvre w/the obvious highlights, daytrip to Reims for a champagne tasting at Veuve or Taittinger, photo opportunity at the Trocadero followed by walk across the Pont to the Eiffel Tower %26amp; up to the top, tour of the Opera Garnier followed by cocoa %26amp; pastries at Laduree %26amp; anything else we can think of that will enable us to sneak in cultural %26amp; historic sites with a spoonful of (sometimes literally) sugar. All these are fun, but those hours between the end of dinner and 3:00 a.m. are hard to fill so I was hoping to find some reasonably fun spots where the crowd is young enough to be interesting to her %26amp; old enough that we don%26#39;t feel out of place. Help?!

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Do you know directly from your niece that she%26#39;s %26quot;not ready to appreciate%26quot; the opera or ballet? If not, ask her. My daughters all loved both, along with various other cultural events, before they got were old enough for high school, and continue to love both, to this day.

I%26#39;m always in favour of handing a younger person a guide book and asking for a wish list. It%26#39;s much the easiest way of finding out what would be of interest, and you may be surprised at what she finds intriguing. Additionally, she may not be so interested in late, late nights after having walked all over Paris all day before hand, so I don%26#39;t think you need loads of ideas. A couple will probably suffice. Consider a jazz club while you%26#39;re doing your research. Paris has always had several good ones.

BTW, the staff/bar tender at any club will happily telephone a cab for you at any hour.

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I have not taken my daughter to the opera, but she does like the ballet and symphony. She likes plays too, but probably not so much in French. She will be 12 next month, so I certainly don%26#39;t think your niece is too young. Perhaps she is not interested, but I wouldn%26#39;t blame it on her age. Also, probably her idea of partying is not with her aunt/uncle (I don%26#39;t know this for sure of course, but am just judging from my college years.) I know I could not have stayed up until 3AM after walking all over Paris all day, and my daughter did not argue at all about going to bed around 10:00 or 11:00 (we went in the summer and that was when it got dark), sometimes she even went to bed earlier on her own:)

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If you are planning to cram all those daytime activities into one weekend, she will probably be exhausted long before 3am!

I have %26#39;kids%26#39; in this age group/a little younger and what they like doing in Paris at night is: seeing the Eiffel Tower lit up, watching street performers, visiting the car showrooms on the Champs Elysees, visiting the Tour Montparnasse, sitting in a cafe and watching the world go by, walking by the river....all the usual touristy stuff, but lit up at night. They would not want to be cooped up in a cinema/concert/theatre whilst in Paris, those are activities to do back home in the UK.

At 20, she is old enough(and some!) to ask her what she wants to do.

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http://www.chez-felix.com/index2.html

This place might meet your criteria. Hard to find a place for opera loving aunt and a partying loving niece to both have fun in.

There are tons of 20 year olds out partying on this street at night.

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You might be surprised to find that a walking tour might not be bad at all in late November. Our weather is similar to that of DC this time of year...

It will be chilly, but probably not snow...and walking keeps you pretty warm.

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I fervently hope that you are underestimating your 20 year old college student niece. Perhaps you could give her a couple of guidebooks (I would suggest the DK Eyewitness Guide and at least one of Access, Lonely Planet, Let%26#39;s Go or Michelin) and ask her to come up with a list of places she would like to go and things she would like to see. Invite her to go online and research all the special events that will be taking place in Paris while you are there, in addition to the same old top ten %26quot;must sees%26quot; in Paris. Give her a deadline — perhaps a week — and if she can%26#39;t come up with a better list than yours in that time you might seriously consider leaving her at home where she would apparently be happier in any case. Why spend %26quot;gobs%26quot; of money taking your niece to Paris if the only thing she is going to show any interest in is where she can party until 3 a.m.?

(Am I the only one who is appalled that you should be willing to provide or your niece should expect to receive regular bribes (of sugar yet!!!) to persuade her to put up with the pain of spending a vacation in Paris? She%26#39;s an adult woman for Pete%26#39;s sake, not a 5 year old child who needs to be rewarded for being brave when she got her flu shot...)

Two female staying on 35 rue des Ecoles.. safe area?

This will be our first time in Paris and we will be there for 3 nights and then plan on renting a car and driving down to Grasse. Any suggestions on cafes, places to eat that will give us true French food without breaking the bank? Some nice cafes that we can enjoy some wine and people watch in the evening? Any suggestions would be appreciated!

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To answer your first question, I have stayed in the area and I always felt very safe, even if walking by myself at night (I%26#39;m female). It is a busy area, so there will be other people out and about.

I am not a foodie so I don%26#39;t remember/never paid attention to the names of restaurants and cafes, but there are a multitude of places to eat and drink in that area. All menus are posted outside so you can look at them prior to entering.

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I was just there last week. The area is great and perfectly safe. For eating we like the street called Rue Mouffatard. There are some places at the Square Contrascarpe. We ate at Delmas twice and liked it. The little quiche place down the hill a ways, is great. The place with the black and white cows in the window is good too.

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I echo the post above. I just got back from Paris and walked through that area a lot. Very safe feeling. Tons of places to eat in the area.

I ate at this place last night tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187147-d1…

Very lovely, warm people and the food was great. Very popular restaurant in an area packed with places to eat.

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You will be surrounded by places to eat and all restaurants must, by law, display their menus with prices, outside their establishments, so jus wander auntil you see something you like and have at it! For people-watching the Place St. Michel is the best area close by, but again there are cafés everywhere in that area...

On another topic, unless you are planning a leisurely trip to Grasse with lots of sight-seeing along the way, you%26#39;ll get there a lot quicker and probably cheaper if you take the TGV to Aix-en-Provence and rent your car there.

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The little place Suzanne mentioned %26quot;down the hill a ways%26quot; is called Mouffe-Tarts. It%26#39;s terrific. It%26#39;s tiny...I mean TINY. I think it seats 16 a la sardine. I took two friends a couple of weeks ago and they both said it was the best lunch of the trip. If you%26#39;re a fan of eggplant (aubergine) do try the eggplant parmesan tart. It%26#39;s fantastic. You can actually taste (wonderfully fresh) eggplant!

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Happy Goin%26#39; - a little off-topic so I hope I won%26#39;t be deleted! I thought eggplant parmesan tart sounded wonderful so did a google search to see if I could find a recipe. You won%26#39;t believe this, but the only thing I found which might slightly resemble what you%26#39; re talking about was from the Boston Globe! Small world. :-) Is this similar?

boston.com/lifestyle/…

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The area is fine. Happy Travels!

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Hi Kiwi, I am a religious reader of the food section of the Boston Globe and remember that piece! I didn%26#39;t until you linked it, so thank you.

This should keep things on topic :) The tart at Mouffe-Tarts was similar to that recipe except that there wasn%26#39;t lots of gooey mozzarella cheese (something I dislike intensely anyway). There was parmesan cheese, which isn%26#39;t gooey at all, or shouldn%26#39;t be. And only a bit of it. Plus it was in puff pastry, bien sur. I would guess that the BG editors were simplifying the recipe for home cooks when they called for a pizza dough crust. Ha! Have they never heard of Dufour??

My problem with most eggplant parm is that all that gooey cheese masks the delicate flavor of the eggplant. Why not just melt a gob of cheese on a plate and scarf that down?? At any rate, Mouffe-Tarts is a good enough reason for me to have a run over to r. Mouffetard for lunch when in Paris.

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This is a safe area! I walked around with my girlfriend at night and never felt threatened. Go down to the St.Michel metro area and plaza- there are plenty of people walking around and eating. There is a nightclub on the left side if you are facing the statue/fountain that had a line extending down the street. Lots of places to eat in this area.

List of Hotels with Family / Quad rooms

I did a lot of heavy researching for my up coming trip as I needed a quad room for a couple of nights while in Paris.

Luckily, I found many different options at all price levels through out Paris.

I wanted to share that list with the forum since the question comes up a lot and often time’s posters advise that there are not a lot of options or the best bet would be an apartment - which isn%26#39;t always ideal for everyone.

Here%26#39;s a list of 0-3 star hotels ranging in price from 72 to 350 euros a night. For the most part they all rate from 3.0-4.5 on TA except for a few that are a 2.5 or haven%26#39;t been rated yet.

1st

www.hotelderouen.net

www.hallehotel.fr

www.hotel-paris-montpensier.com

www.paris-hotel-bourgogne.com

www.hotel-britannique.fr

www.paris-hotel-bourgogne.com

www.paris-hotel-bastille.com (2.5)

2nd

www.hotelsaintemarie.com

www.ascotparishotel.com

www.hotel-paris-favart.com

3rd

www.paris-france-hotel.com

www.paris-hotel-americain.com

www.hotelbellevue75.com

4th

www.jeannedarchotel.com

www.hotel-loiret.fr

www.saintlouismarais.com

www.hotelbretonnerie.com

5th

www.andre-latin-paris-hotel.com

www.hotel-desmines-paris.com

www.hotel-marignan.com

www.hotel-grandes-ecoles.com

www.hotel-paris-familia.com

www.hotel-paris-minerve.com

www.bresil-paris-hotel.com

www.hoteldesgrandshommes.com

www.parishotelroyalcardinal.com

www.hotel-cluny.fr

www.hoteldulevant.com

www.hoteldupantheon.com

www.residencehenry4.com

www.paris-hotel-senlis.com (2.5)

www.excelsior-paris-hotel.com (2.5)

6th

www.eugenie-paris-hotel.com

www.hotelmicheletodeon.com

www.regent-paris-hotel.com

www.hoteljardinodeonparis.com

france-hotel-guide.com/h75006saintandredesar…

www.chaplain-paris-hotel.com

www.paris-hotel-grandbalcons.com

www.hoteldanube.fr (apartment)

www.hotel-marronniers.com

www.hotelresidencedesartsparis.com

www.residencedupalais.com (not rated on TA yet)

www.globe-paris-hotel.com (2.5)

7th

www.hotelparispaix.com

www.hotelebermars.com

www.paris-hotel-tulipe.com

www.hotel-palais-bourbon.com (2 adjoining rooms)

www.hotel-eiffel.com

www.hotelvaladon.com

www.eiffelpark.com

8th

www.champselysees-paris-hotel.com

www.hotel-paris-orient.com

9th

www.hotel-langlois.com

www.hotelmontecarlo.fr

www.les3poussins.com

www.paris-hotel-hollande.com (2.5)

10th

www.exposition-paris-hotel.com

11th

www.hotel-lyonmulhouse.com

www.hoteldenevers.com

www.garden-hotel-paris.com (2.5)

12th

www.hotel-defrance-paris.com (2.5)

13th

www.hotelgobelins.com

14th

http://hotelvoyageursparis.free.fr/english/ (not rated on TA)

www.paris-hotel-odessa.com (2.5)

15th

www.delosvaugirard-paris-hotel.com

www.innovahotelparis.com

16th

www.hotel-nicolo.fr

www.trocadero-la-tour.com

17th

www.hotel-troyon.com

www.hotelriviera-paris.com (not rated on TA)

www.hotel-paris-batignolles.com

18th

www.paris-hotel-pavillonmontmartre.com

http://ermitagesacrecoeur.fr/

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Brilliant! you did do a LOT of research, didn%26#39;t you?

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Yes I did. I have an on going list for some time now on Paris.

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Hi Elsie

Thank you for compiling this great list. It is very very useful.

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That%26#39;s great, fantastic idea - it will save me a lot of work! Hope you enjoy your trip to Paris.

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Thank you for sharing your list.

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Great job Elsie, very useful even for French guys ! Thanks.

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Elsi: Tripadvisor should make this a %26quot;sticky%26quot; or give it a separate inside page. It%26#39;s brilliant and so tremendously helpful.

Folks at Tripadvisor central, are you listening...I mean reading! Moms

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Also to note: hotels with quad rooms will also have TRIPLE rooms, so this list is good for that, as well.

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I%26#39;m glad it%26#39;s been useful.

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There is another in the 14th. The Hotel de Bretagne (a Best Western). We stayed there a couple years ago. Really enjoyed the location, even though it is not in the thick of things. Their website is www.bwbretagnemontparnasse.com

A 2nd bit of a trip report

One other bit I forgot was that I did a lot more walking on the Sunday, up and down Rue St. Antoine a couple of times, through the Hotel de Sully and into Place des Vosges. I can see why P des V is popular but for a lovely, quiet sit for 5 minutes in the sun, the hotel courtyard was much nicer.

So: Monday.

Now, I know purists will fling up their hands in horror but today I planned to make very good use of my L%26#39;Open Tour hoho 2-day pass. There are 2 stops in the Place de la Bastille, and I knew I wanted the Rue St. Antoine one, which starts at 09:15 and heads off towards Notre Dame. A bus was parked right there and I walked smartly up to it. The doors remained closed. I%26#39;m British, I wait in queues, even queues of one, so I stood. I got out my email voucher suggestively, and smiled at the 2 ladies standing in the bus talking to the driver, I supposed they were hostesses, some of these buses have them. They smiled back. Then they drove off. Hm, I thought.

It was another sunny and golden, crisp morning, so I set off smartly down Rue St. Antoine, figuring if the tourist bus went that way it must lead somewhere %26#39;interesting%26#39;. I strode out smartly, wondering if that glimpse of tower in the distance was Notre Dame. It wasn%26#39;t, it was Tour St. Jacques, and very photographable. I turned left, because the buildings looked interesting and shortly saw a queue of people. I was reminded of the olden days in the Soviet Union when, if residents saw a queue they joined it, only then asking what it was for: it was bound to be for some previously shortage goods that were now in stock. I decided that the Paris equivalent was that if there was a queue of people, it had to be A Sight. It was the Police Prefecture, and I don%26#39;t know if people were touring or presenting themselves on police bail, but it slowed me down long enough to orientate on my actual first choice of the day, Ste. Chapelle.

I queued for less than 10 minutes to get through security, alarming a 15 year-old policeman (yes, they get younger in France every year too) by having left 20c in one pocket which set his alarm of.. The underwire in ladies%26#39; underwear tends to do that too but he looked too young to talk bras to. The a queue of none to buy the ticket and into the chapel. I thought it was beautiful, loved the colours and shapes, and bought a guide book to take home and read afterwards. The spiral staircase up was easy - because there%26#39;s a separate down staircase, so there was no squeezing past each other on narrow treads. The upper chapel was even more beautiful, I loved the stained glass. Then when I turned round to go back and saw the amazing rose window, it was another bursting into smiles day.

On to ND, still on schedule, to hear a school choir from England sing. An amazing, amazing acoustic, you could almost see the sound roll around above their heads. I only stayed for one piece - I can hear English choirs in England - and headed off to the hoho bus, which I finally cornered and mounted; er, boarded. I took the whole of the green line trip, and I can thoroughly recommend it as an introduction to the major sights of this amazing city. I enjoyed the commentary and even the kitschy music in between was fun. The bus was quite empty and I got lots and lots and LOTS of photos. The place that tempted me most was the Louvre and all the complex of buildings and gardens that go with it. I will definitely return to explore that area.

Back to ND and I swapped to the Blue line to take me home to the Bastille. It took me a couple of buses to realize that the colour of the line is displayed in a square in the front left window (left as you look at it) - logical when you know, hard to spot when you don%26#39;t. The downside of the buses is that it gets very, very cold up there and I didn%26#39;t have enough layers on, I began to develop a permanent shiver. I stopped at the Cafe Opera, where I%26#39;d eaten on my first evening, for a wonderful hot chocolate: no bells and whistles and fanciness, just delightful, silky, creamy, HOT chocolate.

I need someone to point me to the thread about cafes and restaurants and what one might order where. I wasn%26#39;t sure if I could go into a cafe around the lunch period and have just one dish, or a hot drink; and whether tables that are set are available or only for food and so on and so on. While trying to find an eatery that I felt comfortable with, I found a small supermarket and bought rye bread, a charcuterie selection, some butter and blue cheese, a 6-pack of small waters and toted that back to the hotel. That made the rest of my meals, breakfasts included for the rest of my stay. Given that I really wasn%26#39;t up to large meals, all I needed was sustaining food and this was definitely that, and tasty.

Time was wearing on after my room-picnic, and I got back on the Blue line for the 2nd half of that tour, round past the Institut du Monde Arabe, the canal St. Martin, the Library etc. I%26#39;d added 2 extra layers and one of the Richard Lenoir shawls - they%26#39;re good and warm!, but it was still getting chill.

I%26#39;d noticed on this leg how close my hotel was to the Promenade Plantee on the Viaduc des Arts, so when we got back to the Bastille I set off and walked about a mile and a half of it. It was dusking and glowing and beautiful, I could have walked a lot further but had to turn back to get ready for the opera.

The Opera Bastille was well layed out and the staffing was very good. I had a mid-price ticket up on the 2nd balcony, level 6 in the lift, and I was surprised just how good it was. The sight lines were excellent, the seats comfortable and very well raked: I often suffer in older theatres because I%26#39;m short and it%26#39;s often hard to see but this was very good indeed. Speaking to a Parisian the following day, who was not a great fan of the building, I had to agree that maybe the house was just a bit big for the production I%26#39;d seen, die tote Statdt. The action all takes place in someone%26#39;s claustrophobic sitting room, so perhaps a smaller, more intimate theatre would have been better for emphasising the claustrophobia. The music was great, the orchestra was excellent, the singers great singers but not terribly good actors, it should have been a lot more intense than they were. It didn%26#39;t help that I got it into my head from Act 1 Scene 1 that the hero looked like Ricky Gervaise from behind and the opera was not a comedy.

The Bastille area felt perfectly fine to be sauntering around at this time of night, around 10:30 - 11:00 when we got out - lots of activity but, as far as I could tell, a lot of the activity was being done by local Parisians, so there was no sense of tourist trap. It was nice to be home in 90 seconds though. Once again I opened the windows - Paris seemed to warm up slightly in the evenings - and looked at the passing traffic while finishing the last of the minibar wine.

And so to bed.

I realized half way through the opera that I wouldn%26#39;t be able to retrieve the Jacquemart Andre Museum, which I%26#39;d missed today but could fit in tomorrow, because my prepaid ticket was date and time specific. Yes, I know I could queue up and pay again - but I could also choose to reserve that for my next visit (March, God willing, I%26#39;m planning it even now) and take myself off to the Louvre. Not only did I want to explore all around but I wanted some of those cheapo T. Eiffel keyrings from the traders. Kitsch but purposely kitsch.

So that was the plan for tomorrow but come tomorrow ........ to be continued..

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another lovely and amusing report we stay right where St Antoine turns into Rue Rivoli so know the area keep up the good work

cheers

jim

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Aildih, are you sure it was Paris warming up at night while you were drinking your wine??????

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I love your style! I can%26#39;t wait to read more.

%26gt;%26gt;They smiled back. Then they drove off.%26lt;%26lt;

You got me laughing so hard with that one! I could see the three of them turning their heads to you simultanuously, breaking into a big smile, and scroll away!

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Yes, doc, I agree. I feel as though I%26#39;m watching a BBC comedy sketch :)

directions please..

from Gare du Lyon to Disney Paris on public transport

thanks

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As simple as going down the the RER portion of the Gare de Lyon station compex...looking for the signage to the RER %26#39;A%26#39; ligne trains (a bit like the regular Métro...but for %26#39;suburban%26#39; destinations) and taking the RER %26#39;A-4%26#39; ligne train (heading in the direction of Marne La Vallée-Chessy-DisneyLand Paris...and %26#39;A%26#39; train with a four-letter %26#39;..Qxxx..%26#39; designation...frequency 1-train-every-10-minutes)...take a seat...enjoy the ride for the next 35 minutes, to the end-of-the-ligne at MARNE LA VALLÉE-CHESSY-DLP station...then get up exit the train...and walk the 100 meters or so from the station exit to the main entrance to DLP.

The regular round-trip fare is 13,10€...but your best bet will be to purchase a one-calendar-day MOBILIS ZONE 1-5 transportation pass for 13,20€...which covers your round-trip travel between Paris and DLP and all other public transportation fares withing Zones 1-5 for the rest of the day.

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Take RER A (A4, direction Marne de la Vallée-Chessy, but you%26#39;ll see Mickey logos on the signs anyway), and get off at the terminus.

Don%26#39;t worry, Disney won%26#39;t let you get lost on your way to the ticket booths.

It%26#39;s a special tarification, you need to buy a special ticket to get to an RER station outside Paris. A regular ticket will get you on the RER A, but you wouldn%26#39;t be able to get off at Marne la Vallée - Chessy.

In the metro they also sell round trip + entrance tickets to Disneyland. I don%26#39;t know if it%26#39;s cheaper, but it could save you some time at the park.

(I guess 20 people have answered the question while I typed that, but whatever)

cheap accomodation in La Tania

is there such a thing hoping to go over in january to visit a mate that plays in a band but would like somewhere to stay even its very basic / rough but all i can find are expensive hotels and appartments anyone any ideas

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Hello, you should be posting in Savoie and not Alpes de Haute Provence. However, the answer is most likely no: this is Courchevel after all and since when is there cheap accomodation there? I understand La Tania is a very recently developed resort so chances of finding something right there are slim to none. Maybe if you widen your search area, thus accepting some sort of public transportation if it exists (I do not know the area) you will find something cheap.

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Hi I suggest posting your question in the Courchevel or Savoie forums

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I did some digging on internet, hope you master some French!

tourisme-savoie.com/…550.html

My apologies for the exchange rate

I started thinking that we might go to Paris in the spring and of course the exchange rate goes up. Sorry to all you who might go too!

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Oh! You%26#39;re the culprit!

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The exchange went up for current travelers, you%26#39;re probably %26#39;safe%26#39; for spring. Of course, you might be driving up airfares!

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I checked and it was $1.58 during our last trip in April 08 so i guess it could be worse.

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You%26#39;re forgiven, but please cut it out. :)

Are you messing with the british pound also?

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1.38, 1.63 and 1.43...so, todays 1.50 is about near the average of my last three trips but a far cry from getting 1.1E for every dollar like a decade ago. However, we have gotten good enough deals on air and hotel to make a trips worthwhile.

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Kind: No no I would never mess with the pound--my English cousins would be furious!

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in the last 8years have paid a low of1.47 to a high of 1.71 canadian never stopped me from going just had to adjust my wine intake (sure you did foss)

cheers

jim

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There was a short but blissful period when the value of the €uro fell to below $0.90 US. Those were the days, my friend...

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amen to that rover

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Yup. I remember it well. It made the mental calculations at a shop a breeze, as I recall.

24 Hour layover in Paris

Will be arriving in CDG around 11.am and leave the next day around the same time. Planning to stay at the hilton paris. Will be by msyelf. Have visited Paris before with the family. Dont think I want to buy tickets to go back to see the sights. I think I would like to take a long walk around the city to refresh my memories.

Want to know the best way to get to town and best route to take a walk. Plan to be back at my hotel near the airport latest by 9.00 pm

Would be great if you can give me some directions.

Thanks a lot,

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Pick your favorite : Canal St Martin, left banks of the seine, or rue de Rivoli/les Champs. You can also try¨Périphérique nord but it%26#39;s all that good.

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I meant %26quot;not all that good%26quot; of course. The unability to edit is tiresome.

Activities In Tignes Summertime

My boyfriend is coming on holiday with me and my family and it%26#39;s his birthday whilst away and other than the obvious - a restaurant, what is there that i can do for him?

I%26#39;m 18 so my budget is fairly modest.

Any ideas or reccomendations of good restaurants in the Val Claret area would be much appreciated, thanks

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Hi,

Not sure if all these would be open in the summer but Couloir, St Jacques and the Le Caveau are all good restaurants in Val Claret.

If your boyfriend%26#39;s in to adventurous activities then you should be able to find something to treat him to - parapenting, mountain biking, giant slide into the lake, climbing, rafting (down in the valley), that kind of thing. Maybe something ski/board related.

Cheers,

Matt

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i apreciate this post is a little old now , but just for information Tignes this summer offered a %26quot;sport tignes pass%26quot; , which meant that wneh you booked with an affiliated apartment owner or hotel/tour operator you received a pass that allowed you certain sports activities for free .

It was a huge succes this summer and well worth looking out for next year

low cost flights from Paris to Corsica

Does anyone know of low cost airlines that fly from Paris to Corsica? We%26#39;re a family of 5 going in August and the Air France flights are already quite expensive. Thanks for the help.

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EasyJet is probably your best bet but try whichbudget.com for other possibilities.

The LCCs flying to Corsica are unlikely to have published their summer timetables yet. In addition there may be airlines that only fly the route in the summer and that may therefore not even appear on a site such as whichbudget at this time of year.

I wouldn%26#39;t get too excited about booking your flights until after the holidays.

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thank you!

Alpine elements experience, chalet Neve, Tignes

Having just recovered from our stay in Chalet Neve, our little crew regrets to inform you that Alpine Elements have really disappointed us and now emptied our pockets for the rest of this year.

Despite a friendly chalet staff, the chalet itself was RUBBISH. Our room was advertised as a %26#39; family room. %26#39; The family room was tiny, dark and with a lovely view of a brick wall. We had to take shifts mornings and evenings to get showered and changed as the room was too small for three of us ( 2 adults and one child ) . However the shower did not provide any hot water for two days and the story of the plumber driving down from Paris just for us was fairly hard to swallow funny enough he never arrived.

Also to complete the picture, us two adults had to sleep on a bunk bed ( top part ) with our child on a single bed underneath us. Sleep is actually an ambitious word as the room was boiling hot and we were told on the first night we were NOT allowed to turn the heating off. Some guests even claimed they could not turn radiators off even though they tried . ?????

Oh by the way and our door opened straight into the kitchen and dining room. Privacy non existant and with other guests talking around tables into the night very noisy.

We unfortunately paid a premium price for a budget holiday whjch has soured our view of ever booking a chalet holiday again.Please other travellers read the reviews of Alpine Elements we wish we had and dont get fooled by the glossy brochure.You have been warned!

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ANOTHER person who has made an effort to make an account for a first time report on Alpine Elements.

Whether the reviews are positive or negative, this %26#39;one time posting%26#39; thing regarding this company (which sound rubbish by the way) intrigues me.

Thank you so much.

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Dont want to get into childish slanging match with essexwanderer but myself and family had a miserable time on said holiday.Have reviewed before on site about hotel in amsterdam which had neg reviews where we had great holiday,I will give credit where credit is due.If you have had a great holiday with Alpine Elements review it as such,but one has to wonder why you are so defensive of said company? If a holiday is rubbish its rubbish!.

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As I have stated in my post, Alpine Elements sound like Rubbish!

Your thread-starter was a first time post bigchris, so what name did you post your other review under please??

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I feel compelled to reply because the Chalet Neve seems to be under fire for what is in fact quite a lovely property with character and charm.

The chalet has gained a great deal of positive feed back from past guests that appreciate it as an exceptionally well priced %26quot;virtual ski-to-door%26quot; chalet in the middle of one of France%26#39;s most expensive high altitude ski destinations.

Any bunk beds or quirky chalet features are made fully aware to all clients on booking, and prior to departure - thus I feel your reveiw is warning travellers unfairly of a chalet that is otherwise a sound, cosy and well run ski property.

We have only had 2 complaints for this chalet out of the 960 guests we have taken there in the last 2 years we have run the chalet. One of these complaints was from %26quot;bigchrislucky%26quot;, and the other was simply due water being too hot! A rare complaint for a ski chalet!

The Chalet was incidentally taken from another major Tour Operator who moved resort for logistics, and on this note - the chalet is deemed as a suitable and acceptable unit within the industry.

James Hardiman

Alpine Elements Ltd

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We too stayed in Chalet Neve in Dec 2008. It was absolutely horrendous! I would never ever recommend anyone to stay there or travel with Alpine Elements.

We also had the same room as bigchris. It was tiny, no storage space and the shower - don%26#39;t even get me started. It was freezing cold every night. There was a tiny hot water tank that provided water for it. It wasn%26#39;t even enough for one person! The shower did have a plastic clear screen but it was located in the corner of the room. If anyone else was in the room then they could watch you showering and if you were unfortunate enough for someone to open the door then the whole of the dinning area could see you too!

Our room open straight into the kitchen and dining area. We were kept awake at night by people drinking and chatting and also early in the morning when the chalet staff came to start breakfast. It was a room for 3. Luckily there was only 2 of us as I am at a loss of how 3 people were meant to fit in there. There was hardly any room and it was dark and dingy and roasting hot. we too were told not to touch the radiators. There was a double top bunk and a single bottom bunk. I know for a fact that there were men having to share beds in other rooms in the chalet! Pillows were awful and lumpy.

Alpine Elements had squeeze far too many people into the chalet and we were literally fighting for space around the table at night. If you didn%26#39;t get there quick there was no room left!

The food was also pretty horrendous. Some meals better than others.

The only good point was the staff were friendly but we also had the excuse about the plumber - so I guess that is what they roll out every season to different groups.

The saving grace was that we went the first week in the season so it was cheap and the powder on the slopes was amazing! I looked at the prices that they are still charging. Its £969 to stay there during half term. If you consider parting with that kind of money for this chalet then you are crazy!!

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I have just notice Alpine Elements response. What a load of B*****. We were certainly not made aware of any of the %26quot;quirky charms%26quot; of Chalet Neve when we booked the holiday. I don%26#39;t find most companies advertise cold showers, poor food, too many people, old heating systems, no privacy! It wouldn%26#39;t sell very well would it!

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i would say that we deal with many of alpine elements clients on the chalet night off and generally everyone seems pretty happy with the company .

It is usual to see more complaints on sites like this rather than praise , that is unfortunately the nature of the game .

Supermarkets opening times

Hi

Do the supermarkets in Bonifacio (i presume there is one) open Sunday mornings, if so what time do they close.

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When we were there late September 09, there were 2 small supermarkets in the marina almost side by side (one a Spar) and they seemed to be open until 8 pm every day. Not sure if this is a May-September thing linked to the tourist season and boaters in the port getting supplies, which month are you travelling in ?

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Sorry for late reply, we are going in May.

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With a bit of luck the 2 small supermarkets should be open in May on a Sunday, Bonifacio is very much a tourist resort and I would have thought be up and running in May. One shop had a decent bakery part, and both offered just about everything you needed to buy.

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Thanks

Bus to and from Sainte Foy

Can anyone tell me if there a any local buses which run from Sainte Foy down to Borg and where I will find times for these. We are staying in Sainte Foy New Year week and would like to visit Borg

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Hi,

Yes, there are local busses. http://www.autocars-martin.com has the details and you can also book places there, although if you%26#39;re going during the week you can probably book a day in advance with the local tourist office.

One thing to note - I%26#39;m not sure if the busses will pick you up and drop you off from Sainte Foy Station (the ski resort), or whether you%26#39;d have to get down to Sainte Foy itself (the village on the main road) - I suspect the latter, so you may need to arrange with your accomodation (or somebody) the first bit of the journey - it%26#39;s only a few miles, but not a walk I%26#39;d want to do in a snow-storm, or really at any time!

Cheers,

Matt

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Hi,

As Matt says there is autocars martin to get from Sainte Foy village to BsM ,there is also a free ski bus which transports people from the ski resort of sainte Foy to the village just down the road (it%26#39;s a white minibus with yelllow and blue writing on ,and from memory runs about every 30 - 45 minutes).

There maybe one that runs down to BsM aswell but am not 100% ,i will hopefully be going out in the next two or three weeks ,and if i get the chance will try and find out some more details for you.

jon.

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Thank you for your information which is very useful

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Hi Jon

I have read about the shuttle bus sounds very similar to the one in La Plagne area which we normally visit but this fancied a change. We are staying at the Le Monal Hotel which is believe is in the village but any info you can get for us would be appreciated

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Hi,

The Monal is located in the actual village of Sainte-Foy on the main road in the village, it has been exstensively refurbished over the last few years by the owner Yves and his family.There is usually a band on saturday evening and is a lively spot in the evening as all the locals drink there.

The white ski bus for Sainte-Foys ski area stops outside the hotel,where there is parking opposite,the hotel has a restaurant and there is also another one next door (although I have not been in there to eat for a couple of years now),but do pop in for a few beers to catch up with friends who live out there.

To get to BsM you will need the bus, as it is abou 15 - 20 minutes away by car ( if you decide to hire a car for a few days there is a Europecar shop in BsM on the left hand side of the road (as if going from Ste-Foy) just before the cross roads with the Lidl and petrol station on the otherside.

On new year there are fireworks shows both in Ste-Foy (on the opposite side of the road to the Monal ,up at Villaroger on the otherside of the valley to the Monal and also up the Sainte-Foy ski area.These kick off between 6-7 pm.

If i am out for new year I normally go up to Villaroger where they have a torchlit descent by the local school children down the road from the Le Pre just above Villaroger, then there is a torchlit descent by the local ski school instructors and pupils, once this is done there is the firework display,and then music,dancing and drinking in the village square, if you check also with the times of the firework displays of La Rosiere, and both the village and resort of Sante-Foy they can all be viewed from Villaroger,while all this is going on the local mayor and his family bring round home made cakes, biscuits and hot wine, there is also an outside bar set up.

Once the fireworks are done, there is the choice of partying the night away at the Monal ,the village square in Villaroger (it is a little bit of a walk back to the Monal ,unless you can grab a lift and would certainly be sobering) or at the bar/restaurant Le ferme in le Pre (just above Villaroger) owned by Michele and his family.

If you wish to ski in Les Arcs while you are there, you do not have to go all the way to BsM,as iyou cn get into the Les Arcs system by travelling through Villaroger and up to Le Pre and you will find chairlifts and pistes that will link you into the ski area.( I would imagine the Sainte-Foy ski bus does a drop off and pick up to there as it is covered for the day at a discount rate on your Sainte-Foy lift pass).

I hope this help and gives an idea of new year in Ste-Foy,and have a great time.

All the best

Jon.

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Hi Jon

Thanks for all that wonderful information wasnt sure if I had picked the right place to stay but sounds like I have. Can you tell me if the shuttle bus runs on an evening from the hotel up to Sainte Foy Station as that is where our daughter will be staying or can you walk it.

Regards

Margaret

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Hi, again,

Not entirely sure as to what time the shuttle bus runs to in the evening as when i have stayed at the Monal we have always had a hire car for the duration of our holidays, you will definately need transportation to travel from the Monal up to the Sainte-Foy ski area/resort as it is a few miles up the road.

In the next few weeks I will hopefully be going out to BsM to pay my Taxe D%26#39;Habitation, while I am there i will nip up to Sainte-Foy and see if I can find some more info out for you about the shuttle bus /taxis etc (the shuttle bus would be better as it will be free to travel i would think).

I will find out more and get back to you,sorry I cannot be of more help at the moment.

All the best

jon.

Help with itinerary?

A friend and I will be travelling to Paris for the first time for six (almost seven) days in february. We%26#39;ll be staying near the Eiffel Tower and I%26#39;ve began tinkering with our itinerary. It%26#39;s hard, since we%26#39;ve never been and I%26#39;m unsure how much time to give each sight and activity. I don%26#39;t want our trip to be a running spree, but still would like to cover as much as possible. I tried to combine two sights and a bit of just walking around each day. I would love any advices you guys can give. Here%26#39;s what I have in mind so far:

Day 1:

Arriving around 4pm.

Up la Tour Eiffel

Walk along the Seine, maybe a cruise

Day 2:

A few hours at the Louvre

Walk along Tuileres, Place de la Concorde, Champs Elysées

Arch de Triomphe

Day 3:

Notre Dame

Walk the isles/Quartier Latin

Musée d%26#39;Orsay

Tour Montparnasse

Day 4:

Invalides

Musée Rodin

Sacre Coeur and walk Montmartre

Day 5:

Versailles

Later in the day, Opera Garnier

A little shopping

Day 6:

George Pompideau

Walk les Halles/Marais

Maybe a farewell cruise down the Seine

Day 7:

Tour Eiffel

More shopping

Check-out and airport around 6pm.

Too much? Too little? What to change? What to keep? i%26#39;d appreciate any help. :)

Bruno Cavalcanti

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I like it.

Would add Ste-Chapelle sacred-destinations.com/france/images/paris/… it%26#39;s on Ile de la Cité.

You mention the Eiffel Tower and Seine river cruise twice, not sure about that, there is so much to see in Paris, lovely smaller museums; the Orangerie, Cluny, Carnavalet... interesting market streets; Montorgueil, Mouffetard... squares; place Vendôme, place des Vosges, place du Panthéon and so on.

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This looks like a very sound itinerary.

I only have one comment - for Day 5. we headed out to Versaille around 10:30.. expecting only to spend a few hours, then head back.

Wrong. You can quickly breeze through the palace itself, but what really takes some time (in a good way) is the Hamlet and the gardens. We had a pedometer for our trip, and logged 10.23 miles in Versailles that day.

We didn%26#39;t manage to get back to Paris until around 6:15.

sure we could have started earlier by a an hour or 2, but point being you%26#39;ll end up back in Paris late in the day, and i don%26#39;t know if you%26#39;ll be able to squeez Garnier in.

Let me also say, Garnier was an absolute highlight of our trip. It is beyond magnificent. If you can, pay for the guided tour. I believe it%26#39;s only held 2 days per week, (Wed and Fri) and it%26#39;s only done at 11:30 and 2:30pm.

Whatever you end up shuffling around, i would keep Versailles as a full day, and try your best for a guided tour at Garnier.

Here was the argument we had while at Versailles. %26#39;If we leave now, we%26#39;ll miss part of the hamlet. we%26#39;re here. we have to see it. just another few minutes....%26#39; you get my drift :)

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It is worth to buy a museum card, otherwise try to have most popular attractions in the morning (Louvre, Notre-Dame, D%26#39;Orsay).

If you wil not buy the pass for the week, but for 3-4 days, rearrange the attraction covered by pass (e.g. in 3 days).

I am personally will not miss Orangery museum, and add more shopping (and call it sightseening point on Grand Magazines, as both of them got a fantastic view from the roof).

Overall, you timetable is quite balanced for the first time visit.

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Hi.

We do intend to get a 6 day card. And I see the point that it might be better to reserve a full day to Versailles. I figured the timetable is flexibe enough that I can rearranje things as I go along. For example, to spend clear days outdoors and rainy days in museums and such.

Will definetly visit Saint Chapelle. AndI would love to go to the Cluny, Orangerie, etc. But I figured there wouldn%26#39;t be enough time and I don%26#39;t want us to go somewhere just so we can say we went. Are these museums as time consuming as a Louvre or a Orsay?

Also, are the gardens an interesting place to visit in winter? Or are they going to bee too... let%26#39;s say, gray?

Thanks.

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I haven%26#39;t been in winter but I do think they may plant some hardy varieties in the beds, but I wouldn%26#39;t expect much really. I doubt you will spend a LOT of time wandering the Versailles %26#39;back 40%26#39; in February, although the outer buildings are interesting and there is usually some conveyance to get you there to save on your walking.

I think your itinerary is very comfortable, and for the additional suggestions folks are providing, you could make a %26#39;secondary%26#39; list and insert a site if you are near it and can see your daily allotment has room for it.

Remember it will be dark by 5:30-6:00pm, so any important sites (like Ste Chapelle or any gardens) need to be viewed earlier in the day.

On your arrival day, a late evening Seine cruise might end up being a 10€ nap, so be flexible there. It is definitely a good idea to get out and walk around in fresh (bracing!) air on arrival to help you get on the current timezone.

You are good to realize you %26#39;can%26#39;t see it all%26#39; and try to avoid attempting that very thing.

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Acttualy, Paris will be the last leg of a month long trip. We%26#39;ll be arriving from Venice, not Brazil, so jetleg is not really an issue.

I%26#39;m aware of the limited daylight and plan to make the best use of it. I just can%26#39;t go into details because my friend, the one going with me, might be reading. And if, at one side, I found out I%26#39;m a compulsive planner, at the other, I%26#39;d like her to have a few surprises along the way. :)

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Acttualy, Paris will be the last leg of a month long trip. We%26#39;ll be arriving from Venice, not Brazil, so jetleg is not really an issue.

I%26#39;m aware of the limited daylight and plan to make the best use of it. I just can%26#39;t go into details because my friend, the one going with me, might be reading. And if, at one side, I found out I%26#39;m a compulsive planner, at the other, I%26#39;d like her to have a few surprises along the way. :)

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Both the Cluny and the Orangerie are much smaller than the Musée d%26#39;Orsay and minute when compared with the Louvre. You could probably have an adequate visit to either in an hour. If you do go to the Orangerie don%26#39;t miss the Walther collection as well as the Monet water-lilies. Many of the Impressionist paintings are the equal in quality of those in the Md%26#39;O and usually easier to see because there are not the same crowds straining to see them.

As long as you have a pass, you could stop in on Day 2 after you have walked the length of the Tuileries. If you are enjoying yourselves and stay so long that you miss the walk along the Champs-Élysées you will have made better use of your time IMO.

Venue Required for Business Dinner

I am arranging a business dinner for 11 people next month. Can anyone recommend an appropriate menu? We were going to go to Le Celadon in the Westminster Hotel but they are offering us a very restrictive menu. Restaurants in the vinicinity of the Intercontinental Le Grand if possible (they don%26#39;t have to be too posh, good but informal is fine. Cost no issue.

Thanks

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You are near Drouant, an excellent restaurant. And La Fontaine de Gaillan, which is equally lovely, but has the added caché of belonging to Gerard Depardieu.

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Thanks for your help. Have booked a private room at La Fontaine de Gaillon.

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Enjoy.

if you%26#39;re a cinophile, you%26#39;d want to know that Carole Bouquet did the interior decorating.

What's your favorite Winery Visit in Bordeaux

What%26#39;s your favorite Winery Visit in Bordeaux?

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While our visit last year was very unique, we got engaged in Bordeaux, our visit to Chateau Margaux was fantastic!

Gunvor was AWESOME to work with and very knowledgable.

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Haut Brion.

What to do between 6am arrival and 1pm check in at apartment

We arrive Saturday at CDG at 6am and are unable to check into our apartment until 1pm as the prior people have a late checkout.

We%26#39;re looking for suggestions as to what to do with our luggage? We know we%26#39;re going to be extremely jetlagged, as the flight is arriving at 10pm our time, so I%26#39;m assuming that we will sleep very little. It has been suggested to store our luggage at Gare du Nord and then take the metro somewhere to a cafe /park and just people watch, etc.

Before anyone suggests don%26#39;t carry luggage and just backpack, we%26#39;re heading from Paris to Ukraine and are carrying things with us for friends in Ukraine, so light luggage is just not an option.

This is my first time to Paris, and I would prefer to not do a lot of complicated metro transfers etc on no sleep.

As a side note, it is supposed to be raining all day Saturday.

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Have you contacted the agency you are renting the apartment from about this? Perhaps they can suggest a place to store your luggage. If not, then I guess you should try to take the RER from CDG to Gare du Nord and store the luggage there. If is raining then I would go to a museum. The Orsay is a nice easy museum and has a place to eat lunch. When I am jet lagged I need to keep moving. if I was to sit in one place very long I%26#39;d pass out.

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I think there might be baggage storage service at CDG. Perhaps you can look further into that option. Good luck!

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Email the apartment folks to find out if they offer a place to leave your bags until check in. It%26#39;s not an unusual request, and they may well allow you leave the bags in their office, or offer another alternative to the baggage storage at Gare du Nord. If the rain matters to your luggage, there are waterproof vinyl covers that zip on for protection. If you%26#39;re leaving for your next destination from CDG, consider splitting your luggage so you can use a smaller bag for Paris and checking your large bag at the airport. It will be safe. It%26#39;s not cheap, but it might be worth it, just for the convenience.

I want to know where so many folks get the idea that the Metro is so terribly complicated. Yes, there are some journeys that are complicated, but most are very simple and easily accomplished, and lots of us survived that first trip in from CDG on the RER and Metro with no sleep on an overnight flight and without getting confused or lost. Don%26#39;t build a mental barrier for yourself. You can do it all just fine as long as you don%26#39;t convince yourself otherwise.

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Thanks for all the quick replies, and just to let everyone know, we have contacted the apt rental agency and they are the ones who suggested the train station as they do not have a place to store bags.

I also realize the metro is supposed to be extremely easy, and the only reason I added that comment, is someone had suggested to me a trip that took 3 transfers, and that just seemed a bit much jet lagged.

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After you leave your luggage at GDN you can easily get a taxi. Not a bad idea if you are really jet lagged and new to Paris. We once had to change metro trains at Chatelet Les Halles during rush hour after an all night flight. It was really awful.

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The Metro is not all that hard.....but if you have anything more then a small carrry on roller bag and a small over the shoulder, there are some stairs involved in the CDG to Gard de Nord transfers that might make you think twice. Overall, I think I%26#39;d taxi it to the North station, then Metro a stop or two to were your apartment is. By the time you explore the neighborhood and find the market etc it%26#39;ll be time to check in and you can go get the luggage later....

Sean

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If there is a medium- to large-sized hotel within 1 block of your apt., you could take a taxi to the hotel, ask to check in your luggage (if they ask if you are checking in, just smile elegantly and say ,%26quot;Later, thank you%26quot;), give the bellboy a nice tip and come back later for your luggage. If it%26#39;s a larger hotel (and especially a chain like the Hilton etc.), they will have a trunk room and the bellboy will not mind making a little extra money for a small service. It beats leaving your bags at the train station and making the trips to pick them up.

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Forgot one more thing. If the hotel has a nice cafe or breakfast area, you can even enjoy breakfast there after you leave your bags.

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It would be a big help if we had some idea where your apartment is located. There are a lot of other places you could leave your luggage besides GduN. Two of them (Gare de Lyon and Gare Montparnasse) are actually easier to get to if you have a fair bit of luggage and don%26#39;t want to spring for a taxi. It wouldn%26#39;t make much sense to leave your luggage at one station if your apartment is right around the corner from another.

I%26#39;m not at all sure about the %26quot;Later, thank you%26quot; ploy with the hotel. I%26#39;ve never tried it and I%26#39;m not sure I would have the gall to either...

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You%26#39;re right, IrishRovr. Just because I have been successful leaving my luggage at hotels like the Sheraton, the Marriott and the Hilton doesn%26#39;t mean that this approach works for everyone. Even if you offer the bellmen a nice tip and a very nice %26quot;thank you%26quot;, there%26#39;s always the chance that they%26#39;ll say no. I guess. If there%26#39;s no train station nearby and the original poster has tried asking the apt. owner for help, then they have to decide between the possibility of being a little embarassed for a few minutes and the burden of having luggage with them for half a day.