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Hotels,
B&Bs and Châteaux: Whether
it is in Paris or Nice, there are many selections for you to
choose from. It may be the traditional hotel, a B&B
[called a 'gite' 'or maison d'hote' in French] or
camping. How about camping with the rich and famous? Yes,
they have that in France. The following links will give you
great many selections to choose from around France. Please
remember to book your reservations ahead, especially in
Paris, the
hotels and restaurants
stay booked, since Paris is the number one travel
destination in the world. It is very easy to book with
these accommodation sites:
For more information on local
hotels, check with the Region of your choice [Centre,
Île-de-France, Bretagne, etc.] click on the
Regions of France. You can easily organize and book your
transportation and lodging if it is a simple round trip to a
particular destination. If you have special needs or
requests beyond that, or do not have the time, then you
definitely should contact a travel agency for your travel
needs.
If
you’re going to be spending at least a week in any one town,
you might look into renting a furnished apartment. It may
cost as much as a hotel, but it will be more comfortable in
terms of space and being able to fix some of your own
meals. Each major city will have a publication, that you
can buy at any newsstand, that will provide you with a sizable list of
furnished apartments for rent under the heading of
‘apartements à louer’, together with a list of movies and
other local entertainment. You can also check our Paris
pages for
apartment information in Paris, click here.
Packing: Your trip is going to start soon. It
doesn't matter what time of the year it is, you should check
the weather each day for a few days prior to leaving [to see
the current and projected forecasts]. The best source is
Meteo France [for all of Europe].
You should
be familiar with what the weather is doing in France in
order to determine what clothing you will need to take with
you. Pack lightly! Make
a list of things that you plan to take with you and keep
this list with you should your baggage get stolen [hopefully
not!].
If this is a casual spring, summer or fall vacation, take
jeans, khakis and shorts, and shirts/blouses. Ladies should
pack a non wrinkle type dress. Men should include a sports
jacket. Mix and match. You are not going to see the same
people day after day. Always carry a sweater or jacket and
a small packable umbrella, you will need these items. Carry
a pair of sneakers/tennis shoes, a dress and casual pair of
shoes [sandals]. For winter travel take a heavy coat,
gloves and scarves, the umbrella again and layer your
clothing as you would at home. Try to pack as lightly as
you can.
If you're going to a convention or seminar, etc., then you
will have to be more conscious of your needs. Mix and
match, even for a business or dress look. Stick with basic
color schemes. Lay your clothes out for your trip a day or
two before you leave. This way, you can check everything
over, make changes, then decide what items that you really
don't need and put them back in the closet or drawers. If
you going by plane or train, wear clothing that is
comfortable because of tight seating arrangements.
A friend told me years ago about putting everything hanging
in plastic bags. This works well with items such as suits,
dresses, evening clothes that normally wrinkle easily. The
plastic bags work well, and also keep these clothes on a
hanger so you can immediately unpack and hang them up.
Since we all like to shop while we're on a trip, especially
overseas, be sure and take a foldable or collapsible tote or
duffle bag to carry your gifts back home in. Then, just
sort of follow these simple steps;
●
Pack Lightly, because you'll
be toting your luggage.
● Pack an empty collapsible tote or
duffle bag for
all those gifts you buy on
vacation, in the bottom of your suitcase..
● One of the most important things to take with you
is the power converter
adapter [from 110 - 220 Volts] to use with any small electrical
appliance that
you take,
you can purchase one here.
●
Then start packing heavier
objects or objects that won't wrinkle easily
of the
empty tote bag.
●
For clothes that you don't
have to worry about wrinkling or that are wrinkle free
roll
them up fairly tightly to tuck into those small spaces. Click
for
compressed clothes packs, travel bottle sets and more.
●
For clothes in plastic bags,
crisscross them in the suitcase [long dresses,
coat, etc.
the length of the suitcase, then shorter items crossways.
● Pack your shoes, and other heavy objects in
side zip pockets.
● Don't bother locking your suitcases until
you've gone through security. They
make you open them now, so don't lock them until they've checked all
of your
baggage. Unless you have the
special security Lock or Locking
Strap
that
the TSA can access, [this is an unique lock that only
airport
security can open and
relock your bag, and keeps everyone else out! You can
purchase those on our accessory
page -
click here.
● Take a money belt, waist pack or neck pouch
for your passport,
money/travelers checks and other valuables [that are worn under pants,
slacks, shirts or
dresses, etc.] for assorted
secure belts and
pouches
● Don't put scissors, metal nail files, any
sharp metal object, metal
pens/pencils, tweezers or anything other sharp metal objects, that might
look
dangerous or ominous going through a security check, in your carry-on, in
your briefcase, in
your purse or in your pockets. They will be confiscated,
and not returned. Pack these
items in the stowaway luggage.
● Buy Travel
Insurance - this is a must today!
PLEASE review the
information
as to why you should buy
travel insurance, it is an eye opener!
Pack lightly, as I mentioned
before, as you will most likely be carrying your luggage!
If you don't have luggage with wheels and a pull handle,
invest in some. It will be worth it's weight in gold. When
you have to do all your luggage handling for long distances,
these suitcases will save you time, and will eliminate sore
arms, backs and exhaustion. Porters are not readily
available to assist you in Europe as they are in the
States. If you need a travel bag on wheels, there are
dozens of different wheeled luggage items,
check out these options.
Always take a carry-on bag on board. Since luggage gets
lost, it is most important to have a change of clothes,
toothbrush and toothpaste, hair comb/brush, 1/2 of each of
your medications, with you. The airline usually finds it,
but it will take several days to get it to you. Make sure
all medicines are in their prescription bottles or you could
have a really big problem! If you are traveling with
someone, divide your medications equally between you and do
not pack them in the stowed luggage. Airport security uses
Drug Sniffing Dogs in France, so don't mess with your
prescription drugs in unmarked containers.
And, speaking of medications, you might bring prescriptions
for the more expensive ones. As a general rule of thumb,
French medications cost about 10% of what the comparable
drug costs in the States. And, you may be surprised to find
that a French company makes the medication you use at home.
With your prescription, you shouldn’t have any problem
buying what you need. You might even consider bringing back
a year’s supply…it might go a long ways toward paying for
your trip
Now for the important stuff. Most people forget those
simple little incidentals like a toothbrush, toothpaste, a
hair brush or comb, medications, etc. so here is a
guideline. Note them on a stick-um and put on your mirror a
couple days before your trip.
PLEASE READ THIS SECURITY INFORMATION
ON AIR TRAVEL
The following information link is a must for you to
visit to find all the latest security information for air
travel, requirements, what you can carry on-board with you
and things that must be packed in your stowaway luggage.
http://www.tsa.gov/
This in turn will make a difference as to
where you pack your items for carry-on and or stowed in the baggage
department.
Ladies & Men's Items:
●
Medicines - be sure to check the TSA approved medicines to carry on
board.
● Toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss/picks
● Hair combs, brushes, shampoos,
hairspray, gels, etc.
● Cotton Swabs
● Small sewing kit, and safety pins [you never
know when you'll have to repair
something!]
Ladies items and helpful hints: Make-up items [also
cleansers, moisturizers, etc.], nail buffers and paper nail
files, polishes, etc. and feminine items, puffs/make-up
remover pads. Buy small plastic bottles in the drugstore to
store each of your items in for the duration of your trip.
Don't take your whole make-up collection with you. Be sure
and buy these articles in the Duty Free shops at the airport
before returning home. You'll save a considerable amount of
money.
Always carry small and large
plastic bags with you [take them out of the box, and store
them loose] as you never know when you might need them.
Also, wrap each bottle of nail polish or remover, liquid
medicines, etc. in a baggie. Should they get broken, they
won't leak and ruin everything else in your
bag.
Men's items: Shaver/razor, shave cream/gel, etc.
after shaves and colognes [put in the baggies]. Most shavers
have dual voltage [but check to make sure]. And, you're now
ready to go fellas!
Other things to take with you [besides work] a
book or magazine to read, a snack or two, a tissue pack, eye
drops, possibly an allergy medication [there is a lot of
pollution and a different environment], study some
French on you trip there, and take about $100.00 in Euros for your arrival [don't take travelers checks - they
can become a hassle]. Only Visa and MasterCard are widely
accepted in France.
After you arrive in France, use bank ATMs. You get
the best exchange rate and you can find most
French bank ATMs here. Most ATMs don't accept American
Express cards, and Amex cards are pretty much accepted only
at some of the nicer hotels and restaurants. Try and use
only one credit card to help you keep track of your
expenses.
Travel point of departure: Again, plan ahead. Don't
wait until the last minute. Find a friend to take you to
your travel point of departure if possible. Or, if you're
driving, plan enough time to park and get to the plane,
train or ship. Or, make arrangements ahead of time for a
shuttle or taxi. Do the same thing for your return trip
from France.
In Paris,
you will find excellent
shuttle services that will pick you up at the front door
of your hotel, or apartment, and take you to the right air
terminal. It is usually much cheaper than a taxi, or the
airport limousine, and the driver will help you with your
baggage.
If there are rumors of an impending transportation strike,
take a room at one of the many hotels at Roissie near
Charles de Gaulle Airport or near Orly. You can’t imagine
how Parisian traffic turns into a great big parking lot at
these times. I’ve done this on several occasions and have
saved myself a lot of grief.
If you're leaving Paris on a Friday afternoon, be
prepared to leave at least three hours prior to your
flight. Paris escapes to the countryside on Friday, and or
people going home for the weekend. It's a mass exodus!
Remember International Flights require more time for
security checks.
Please arrive at the airport anywhere from two to three
hours ahead of your flight. This depends completely on your
local departure airport. Call your airline, in advance, to
check out this information [for both your home airport and
your international departure airport]. If you don’t allow
enough time, you may well miss your flight!
Last but MOST Important:
Do a last minute check to make sure you have everything:
●
Your Passport [Visa or Other
Documents]
●
Your Airline [Ship or Train]
Ticket
●
Your purse or wallet [ladies
put your purse in your carry on tote]
●
Your Secure Money belt -
neck pouch or whatever secure holder
●
Contact information for the
American Embassy or Passport Office
●
Be sure to buy Travel Insurance
- a must today
●
Your carry on bag
●
Your Baggage
●
Your Power Converter
●
About 100 Euros then use ATM
machines
JOT these reminders down an a stick-um, and stick it
on your bathroom mirror! Don't laugh, it works.
You're ready to leave:
Now wasn't that easy?
Yes, but there is one more thing: You! When you go
through security take your watches & jewelry off [have them
ready to put into a security container], take any loose
change out of your purse, bag or pocket, any metal objects
that you may have on you, or your going to get checked
thoroughly. Automatically remove your shoes, it's pretty
much mandatory, so don't wait, just do it. This is also
being considerate of everyone around you as well, and to
keep the line moving. Be prepared and Bon Voyage!
Enjoy your trip,
Sharon
© Copyright 2003-2005 by Sharon Atchley, all rights reserved. Should you be interested
in making copies, or sending this article to your clients,
please contact:
Sharon
Atchley
www.french-at-a-touch.com
Email:
Sharon@french-at-a-touch.com
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