Search
Not Logged In
0
Your Username:
Your Password:

[ sign up | recover ]

Discussion Forums » General Discussion
Page:  1  2 
Paris, France Anniversary
0 likes [|reply]
14 Jun 2009, 19:02
queenbutterfly
Post Count: 425
So, I need some help from my friends on the other side of the ocean! ;-D

Brian and I want to take our first year anniversary and go to Paris! We want to stay some where near there, or possibly even travel throughout our week stay over there in Europe!

Give me some tips! How much should we save? Where are the best deals and prices for hotels? And someone please explain the currency different. How is an american dollar worth over there?
0 likes [|reply]
14 Jun 2009, 20:06
Acid Fairy
Post Count: 1849
I haven't been to Paris in a few years but it is VERY expensive. I'd recommend you to not go to cafes/restaurants on the main tourist drag; do some research into the smaller ones. Not only will these be cheaper but they will also be more authentic and less geared towards the tourist.

My friend and her ex went to Paris for Valentine's day and because of the cost, had to get a hotel in the red light district ;D but they loved it!

The current exchange rate is 1 dollar = 0.71 Euros. Just google 'currency converter' nearer the time.

If you want to travel through Europe, you can get good deals with InterRail - http://www.interrail.net/

You can also pop on the Eurostar to either Belgium (which I recommend wholeheartedly) or London.

Bear in mind, however, that all my friends always say how cheap America is compared to the UK and then how expensive Paris is. It will drain your cash reserves like a bitch.
0 likes [|reply]
14 Jun 2009, 22:07
Lady Elphaba
Post Count: 386
I love the authentic places :) where it's traditional and well pretty!!
0 likes [|reply]
14 Jun 2009, 20:14
Super Logica
Post Count: 148
Bonjour! Hehe, Ok I can't help with places to stay since I am half-French and thus stay with relatives - other than to say that it may be cheaper to stay in one of the suburbs surrounding Paris and getting the train in when you want to go? The underground there (the Metro) goes to the suburbs so it would be easier to find somewhere on the outskirts if you wanted.

Agree with Acid Fairy that Paris is expensive for Brits, and the U.S is uber cheap compared to Britain so I imagine the prices will come as a shock to you!

Anyway, in Paris, apart from the obvious things (Notre Dame, Tour Eiffel etc.,) I would recommend you take some time to see some of the cute streety places. Get a feel for "real Paris". I would heartily recommend having a stroll along Boulevard Saint-Michel. It's a quite studenty area and it's fun to people-watch on!

Also you have to get some proper blackcurrant sorbet from one of the street cafes while you are there! It's just not the same anywhere else!!
0 likes [|reply]
14 Jun 2009, 20:58
queenbutterfly
Post Count: 425
So how much should I look at saving? We were going to start now; which would give us a little less than two years to save!

What is the red light district? I am taking it like it's a bad area?

And is just traveling around the Europe area and not necessarily staying in Paris the entire time cheaper?
0 likes [|reply]
14 Jun 2009, 21:16
Acid Fairy
Post Count: 1849
The red light district is a name given to areas where brothels abound! Haha. I don't know what it's like in Paris but I know in Amsterdam it's pretty safe.

I just found this site about prices and it includes a search engine for hotels, it seems rather helpful: http://en.parisinfo.com/guide-paris/money/prices-and-spending/
0 likes [|reply]
14 Jun 2009, 22:08
Lady Elphaba
Post Count: 386
Lol! Red light district is like London's Soho :P well.. back in the day when Soho was all raunchy, yo!!
0 likes [|reply]
14 Jun 2009, 21:24
Kate.Monster
Post Count: 113
Your christian values will probably not appreciate the red light district.

When I went to Paris, it was porn store after porn store...and then a McDonalds, porn store, porn store, metro.
But the Moulin Rouge is there! Which is kind of exciting! And it's right down the hill from the Cafe where Amelie was filmed, and the artists quarter/Mont Martre, which is my favorite part of Paris!
0 likes [|reply]
14 Jun 2009, 21:41
~RedFraggle~
Post Count: 2651
Europe is rather big! If you've only got a week, I don't think you'll manage to travel far, outwith France or the neighbouring countries. I agree with Lady Acid Fairy though, the Eurostar goes direct to London, and Brussels (I think), so that would be well worth doing for a couple of days if you want to see more than one country.

Or you could start in London, spend a couple of days there, then a few days in Paris and then a couple of days in Brussels and fly out from there.

Do Americans not use the term 'red light district'?
0 likes [|reply]
14 Jun 2009, 21:49
[mandie knickers]
Post Count: 157
lmao. we don't.

then again, we really don't have brothels or anything like that.

usually we just call things the ghetto or a whore house.

haha.

we're pretty crude about it.
0 likes [|reply]
14 Jun 2009, 22:12
Lady Elphaba
Post Count: 386
Yeah.. From London, you can travel to Paris, Lille (also in France) and Brussels by EuroStar :)
0 likes [|reply]
16 Jun 2009, 03:55
.Amber.
Post Count: 260
I've used the tern red light district.

Maybe most Americans just don't know what it is? (I'm American, but I still reference the 'red light district' as the less morale areas in Detroit heh)
0 likes [|reply]
16 Jun 2009, 04:45
Jessica [Private]
Post Count: 1751
Hehe, no we don't.
I thought the red light district was just in Amsterdam ;D
I didn't know it was a term for parts of a city :-o
0 likes [|reply]
16 Jun 2009, 12:24
Transit
Post Count: 1096
It is just anywhere where you find prostitutes.
0 likes [|reply]
14 Jun 2009, 21:48
~RedFraggle~
Post Count: 2651
And at the moment (although obviously changing all the time) the exchange rate:

$1 = 0.72 euros (France/Belgium) = £0.61 (UK)

How much you'll need to save will very much depend on how much travelling you plan on doing and where you'll be staying. I don't know where in the US you live, but flights between the UK and the US are roughly £300 - £550 (depending where in the US you are) return. Which works out at about $575 - $820ish. Look on expedia.com to find the cheapest flights once you know the dates, and then book directly through the airline's own website (cheaper than using an online booker like expedia, and far cheaper than using a travel agent). Expedia are quite good for hotel deals though. If you look on there, it'll give you an idea of price too.
0 likes [|reply]
14 Jun 2009, 22:00
queenbutterfly
Post Count: 425
No we don't use the term Red Light District. We honestly use the term ghetto; or poor area.

And like the above noter said, we just say it like, "Whore house, or porn shop, or whatever."

We want to do something different. I've never been away from NC where we live, and we want to start exploring the country. On top of that, I have such a heart for missions and I feel like going over and seeing these places first and exploring them on my own without a mission team will get me more prepared for when I do go on missions trips.

My friend Gwen is about to move to China to be a teacher there. I'm pretty jealous. ha ha.
0 likes [|reply]
14 Jun 2009, 22:05
Acid Fairy
Post Count: 1849
Red light districts aren't really poor areas; they're just places with looser morals than the rest of the city ;D And indeed, the Moulin Rouge is there haha!

Do you intend to do missions in France? Because honestly, French people are rude and they probably wouldn't take too kindly to it haha.
0 likes [|reply]
14 Jun 2009, 22:13
Lady Elphaba
Post Count: 386
Ooh, where in China?
0 likes [|reply]
15 Jun 2009, 01:52
RealLifeComics
Post Count: 571
I went to Paris for my honeymoon, it was awesome!! we took about $2000 Euros, we only stayed about 4 days. Things are expensive.
Take the Double Decker Red bus, theres a stop for one pretty much everywhere, you can get a 2 day ticket for about 25Euros per person and they speak lots of languages. That takes you to the popoular sites. You HAVE to take a walk through the small streets and eat at the Cafes.

When we went through the Red Light district (not far from Moulin Rouge) I was pulled by a woman (quite forcefully) and asked to come in to the club and check out 10 year old girls. In front of my wife!!!! it was Mid day!! Gross.

I suggest you get a Tourist book for Paris, can get them in any bookstore. Theres heaps of information in those things.

We stayed at Hotel Royal Opera, it was a small place but had descent prices, and it was quite central to the main sites.

This was about 4 years ago.
0 likes [|reply]
15 Jun 2009, 03:58
queenbutterfly
Post Count: 425
I will definitely have to keep all of this in mind! These are great suggestions!
0 likes [|reply]
14 Jun 2009, 22:24
queenbutterfly
Post Count: 425
I'm not quite sure yet. I know she is going to be an english teacher at one of the schools there. She is huge into missions like me and visited China like three weeks ago for two weeks. She fell in love with the people and came back and told me she had signed a teaching contract! :-D
0 likes [|reply]
15 Jun 2009, 17:29
Transit
Post Count: 1096
My Aunt and Uncle went to Paris fairly recently, they didn't enjoy it as the city was dirty and had very little character.
0 likes [|reply]
15 Jun 2009, 20:11
Madeline Rain
Post Count: 151
How long are you staying? My husband and I went to Paris a couple of years ago and loved it. We stayed for four days, which is more than enough time to see the touristy stuff and get a general feel for the city. Amongst the things you absolutely have to do: Visit the Louvre, the top of the Eiffel Tower, Arc du Triomphe, Champs Elisees, the big Ferris Wheel, Monmartre, and make sure you check one of the shows at the cabarets. We’ve seen the one at the Lido and the Paradis Latin and loved them both. As far as money goes, we are from New York City and thought Paris was expensive, so I would budget a minimum of $300 per day you’re there. That should cover admissions, as well as food for you and your husband. The only cheap thing there is wine. You can buy a bottle of nice Bordeaux for about E$3, which is nice.
0 likes [|reply]
16 Jun 2009, 01:55
queenbutterfly
Post Count: 425
So where did you stay and how much did you pay for that? With the budgeting of $300 that gives me a pretty good idea of what we need to stay. We wanted to stay like three or four days as well. Like leave Thursday and get back Monday type deal. Or Sunday. :)
0 likes [|reply]
16 Jun 2009, 14:13
Madeline Rain
Post Count: 151
We stayed at the Astor St. Honore, which is a 4 star hotel and according to Expedia, goes for about $220 a night. It was a nice hotel, close to a metro stop and a nice grocery store where we bought wine and cheese every day (cuts the cost of eating out all the time). Their staff spoke English pretty well and were able to book certain attractions for us. I think the main thing you need to look for is accessibility to public transportation, since Paris is a huge city and their transit system makes the NYC subways look small.
Post Reply
This thread is locked, unable to reply
Online Friends
Offline Friends