Stevie Les Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Sorry mate. I shouldn't have came on being so negative. It's just the first place I ever been where I have not been comfortable. I just could not relax. Part of that could be down to having a scare with a with a pick pocket and part may be because it's the first time I had been away with my girlfriend. Sorta felt a bit protective/responsable of her If you know what I mean. I found the sight's themselves were brilliant, but everything in between was horrible. Agree with what was said before. Get educated before you go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seymour Skinner Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 The Champs-Élysées definately worth a wander down too if only for the chance to say "Jesus Christ....how much....for a f****g handbag.... Monsieur Vuitton... tu est merding moi" Som of the car showrooms are special...not many places in the world they'll show them off like this. Was just about to post that Take a walk around the nice shops and look at the prices. No surprises that there are usually some cracking cars outside them. Another thing to do is take a walk around all the foreign embassies. Once again, sportscars galore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBadSaint Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 A big tip though, try and shit in your hotel... Don't get caught out needing to use a cafe toilet for a shit, cause it'll likely be one of those hole in the ground jobs instead of a proper pan. (Anyone who's been to France will understand what I'm failing miserably to describe here). LOL indeed I did the old.. left a bit... right a bit...bernie the bolt, target shitting in Charles de Gaulle airport on route to India...when I visited Paris properly a few years later I had a mental picture of where I was going when I needed to pop to the loo. Turning left to where I had experienced my first Parisiene plop I was horrified on opening the cubicle door to find a similar white tray to last time but with a shower above....yes most definately a designated shower....found a toilet elsewhere but quite shook me that there was even a remote chance that I'd dropped one in a shower on my previous visit. Sure I didn't but very un-nerving experience. editted I did reassure myself some nights later as i woke with a start and said out loud ( like Dougal in Father Ted - those women were in the nip) "it bloody was a loo I know it..it had bog paper!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael W Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Paris is excellent. I was dragged there by my fiancée and expected to be bored, but I actually thought it was fantastic. We got the tour bus, which isn't cheap, but it takes you round most of the touristy places. Be prepared to stand in queues though; we didn't as they had a heatwave when we were there and couldn't be bothered boiling alive in an hour long queue. As a consequence, we didn't go to the Louvre or go to the top of the Eiffel Tour, but hey ho. You csn find restaurants with food that's very reasonably priced, but the drinks are a rip off. 3.50+ for a 330ml bottle of Coke. I personally found the Champs Elysses to be a big let down. Yes, there are some very expensive boutiques, but there are many of those elsewhere in Paris. Most of it is now your generic chain shops. If you do get caught in need, be assured that the Mcdonalds on the Champs Elysses has a normal toilet where you can take a shit the way you do at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamenitza Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Thought Paris was great. Second the suggestion to visit the Catacombs, something a bit different from the usual touristy things. http://www.parislogue.com/catacombs Also the Metro Carnet tickets is a very good idea, Before we went we found a site that did a kind of package thing for :- Meal in Eiffel Tower restaurant (optional), Evening cruise on the Siene Show at Moulin Rouge (comp bottle of champagne per table of six) and all coach transfers in between plus back to your hotel after the show. We did the cruise and show and felt it was good value, including the meal as well pricey. It helped that the others at the table, 2 Dutch couples, didn't drink so me and the Mrs, (fiance at the time) got the whole bottle of champers to ourselves. If you have time a day return on the train to Chartres for the cathedral there. It is even more impressive than Notre Dame in Paris. The stained glass windows and carvings are amazing. Whatever you end up doing you'll be wishing you had more than 5 days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillonearth Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Spend half an hour watching the traffic trying to get round the Arc de Triomphe - about a dozen streets lead to a giant roundabout around it, with no street markings or lanes. It's strangely hypnotic, and you'll be guaranteed to see at least a couple of shunts. Every other car you see in Paris has a big dunt on the passenger side wing - this place is probably why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dundee ton Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Musee D'Orsay is far superior to the Louvre. Also, you don't have to spend a whole day there to scratch the surface like the Louvre. The Rodin museum is also well worth a wander around. The Palais de Tokyo has loads of pop art and japanese modern art and is a bit unusual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SodjesSixteenIncher Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 The thing about Parisians being arseholes is bollocks, imo. They're probably rightly dismissive of the "where eez ze tube sil voo plate" mongs but if you're respectful they're sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONKMAN Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 I forgot to mention I witnessed a tramp shitting on the metro. He proceeded to wipe his arse with a bit on newspaper off the ground. Amazing place is Paris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingscot Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Been to Paris a few times, have to say not my favourite European city but it's certainly good for a visit for a few days. Expensive though. I went in November and well off season. It was great as it was so quiet meaning we got round loads, however the number of pickpockets and beggars was ridiculous around the touristy places. Keep an eye on your wallet and bags esp on the Metro as I don't think the French Police really take the problem all that seriously. Spend half an hour watching the traffic trying to get round the Arc de Triomphe - about a dozen streets lead to a giant roundabout around it, with no street markings or lanes. It's strangely hypnotic, and you'll be guaranteed to see at least a couple of shunts. Every other car you see in Paris has a big dunt on the passenger side wing - this place is probably why. The registration plates in France used to be numbered and if you saw a car with a 75 in it meant that it was a Parisian car so everyone in other parts of France would be weary of going too close such is the standard of some of the driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WILLIEA Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Been to Paris a few times, have to say not my favourite European city but it's certainly good for a visit for a few days. Expensive though. I went in November and well off season. It was great as it was so quiet meaning we got round loads, however the number of pickpockets and beggars was ridiculous around the touristy places. Keep an eye on your wallet and bags esp on the Metro as I don't think the French Police really take the problem all that seriously. The registration plates in France used to be numbered They still are. It's a bit more discreet now but the numbers are still there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tree house tam Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Paris is a great city . Metro is a bit dodgy late on , full of shady North Africans but I've never seen anyone get mugged from them so it may be that they just look shady . Eating outside restaurants is dearer than if you're eating inside and you'll need to ask for an English menu if you cannae read french , most have them . Pubs are hard to find if that's what you're into . Plenty to do and see touristy wise . Oh and you can get some high class hookers up at la defense (hard to miss this area , it's where the skyscrapers are , business district ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xbl Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Paris is dreadful. I've been to the third world and seen less deprivation and misery. Its the dirtiest, most deprived, unfriendly, hole of a place I've ever been to. Whenever someone mentions paris, I just tell them to go to Italy instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambomo Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 If you get the chance you should definitely go to Montparnasse tower. It's bigger than the Eiffel Tower and much less busy as I'm not sure many folk realise you can go up it. You get a mega-fast lift all the way to the top, then you can sit/stand on the roof for as long as you want. The view on a good day is unbelievable. It's near a very interesting cemetery and I think, though might be wrong, it is in the same area as the catacombs so you can make a day of it in the one area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spain Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 Metro is a bit dodgy late on , full of shady North Africans but I've never seen anyone get mugged from them so it may be that they just look shady . Didn't see a mugging, but late on I did get to see one of the aforementioned fellows repeatedly punching a dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HTG Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 I go to the racing at Longchamp every year and Paris is great if expensive. I never do any touristy stuff now - just wander. Big cities are brilliant to explore just meandering. We usually stay about 15 minutes walk from the Eiffel Tower. We walked from the Grenelle metro over the Seine, up through Passy to the Trocadero then on to the Arc de Triomphe and then out to Porte Maillot to pick up a shuttle to the races. French lavvies have totally caught up now. If you get caught short find a posh spot for coffee and then disappear for a while. For views, visit the Galleries Lafayette. You can laugh at the prices and then find the rooftop terrace. The tourist buses are 27 euros for a day or 31 euros for 2 days. The queues for some stuff will be unbelievable and frustrating. Enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Idiot Bástard Son Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 Whenever someone mentions paris, I just tell them to go to Italy instead. That's a really helpful suggestion for someone who wants to witness the final stage of the TdeF..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xbl Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 That's a really helpful suggestion for someone who wants to witness the final stage of the TdeF..... Go to italy, find a place with a tv. Job done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongTimeLurker Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 The thing about Parisians being arseholes is bollocks, imo. They're probably rightly dismissive of the "where eez ze tube sil voo plate" mongs but if you're respectful they're sound. If you make a genuine effort to be understood in French, they'll usually quickly switch over to English and are very friendly, in my experience. Will echo something mentioned above. I got a carte orange for the public transport system and getting around was easy and inexpensive. Much better than paying for the metro every time. The system has changed a bit since then apparently: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navigo_pass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WILLIEA Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 Paris is dreadful. I've been to the third world and seen less deprivation and misery. Its the dirtiest, most deprived, unfriendly, hole of a place I've ever been to. Whenever someone mentions paris, I just tell them to go to Italy instead. What a load of ill informed pretentious drivel from someone who obviously knows very little of Paris or Italy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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