Help me plan my French vacation?

Question

Help me plan my trip to France? I travel to Europe frequently, but have not been to France since I was a very small child. I speak a little French, and my knowledge of other similar languages helps me understand the things I have not learned.

I would like advice on traveling to France: Where should I go? What, and where should I eat? What are some tips? I know nothing about traveling in this country.

Answer 1

The others gave you great advice on what to see.  It is great that you speak some French, the people will appreciate it if you try to speak in their language.  Food is more expensive that most US cities, but there are tons of great restaurants everywhere in Paris.  

I went to Paris during the winter so I'll give you my style tips.

Wear comfortable shoes.  This is so important, I managed to sprain my ankle when I was there, and if I hadn't a pair of walking shoes with me I wouldn't have made it.  You will probably want to do a lot of walking, so make sure that you get shoes that don't hurt your feet.  Mine had thick rubber soles, and inserts and they helped so much.  You can bring cute heels or whatever to wear when you go out, but something comfortable for walking will help you a lot.  If you must, you can wear tennis shoes to some tourist sites, but you won't look as nice.  I got some aerosoles flats that are great for walking and don't give me blisters.  You could try something like that.

Remember that in the city most ladies stick to black and neutral colors.  If you don't like black, that is okay, but the French are pretty sophisticated in terms of fashion, and they'll be nicer to you if you wear simple, tasteful clothes.  I only saw ladies dressed up in designer stuff right near the boutiques, but overall everyone dressed better that most people do in my home town (Los Angeles).  For instance teens wore jeans, but they were more fitted and conservative with button down shirts, not the baggy stuff I see at home.  I wore jeans and a nice sweater to the Louvre, and that is okay.  You can wear a lime and hot pink track suit in your hotel room, but it is disrespectful to wear that or a mini or shorts to tour a church.

You will probably encounter some rain in winter, and so a rain coat is a good idea.  I brought two with me, a dressy black microfiber one and a pink one.  The pink one got "comments" from guys.  Stick to safer colors unless you want a lot of male attention.

I also noticed that when it was cold I didn't see many ladies in dresses.  Maybe they wear them in Spring and Summer?  I brought nice wool slacks in colors like grey and black.  They were super comfy, warm and I actually got mistaken for a native on my way to work.  

Have a great trip and do try to visit Paris.  It is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Answer 2

Museums: Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, Musee Jacquemart-Andre, Pompidou

Attractions: Tour Eiffel, Arc de Triomphe, River Seine (for cruise try www.bateaux-parisiens.com), Place du Tertre, Sacre-Coeur (in Montmartre), Place des Vosges, Cathedrale de Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chappelle, Versailles (take RER from Paris), Pont Neuf, Invalides, Eglise du Dome (Napoleon's tomb), Pantheon, Place Concorde

Shopping: Champs-Elysees, St Germain des Pres, Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, Le Bon Marche

Food: Le Bon Marche (La Grande Epicerie), Pierre Herme, Sadaharu Aoki, Mariage Freres (famous for tea), various markets (eg. Richard Lenoir market in Marais)

Your best bet would be to get a guide book, I use the Rough Guide to Paris. Other choices are TimeOut Paris, Lonely Planet Paris.

As for eating, check out www.davidlebovitz.com, www.chocolateandzucchini.com. The former is a food blog of an American living in Paris, and the latter is a food blog of a Parisien.

Answer 3

I just gotback from Paris  last week, and i loved it.  It was very cold and it rained a lot too.  So dress warm if you go there.  Wear comfortable walking shoes as you will be walking a lot.

The eiffel tower was by far my favorite, and you should see it in the day time and at night as well.  i liked it at night better.  Theres the Champs elyeese and the Arc de triomphe, the louvre, the invalides, sacre coeur, Notre Dame, and a boat cruise that takles you along the river.

Eating is fine anywhere, since there are restaraunts all over the place.  i just stopped into any place that looked good.  they all have similar food, and most are prix fix menus...

if you go somewhere else in france, go to nice.  its southern france.  i wanna go there next time.  or even maybe saint tropez

Answer 4

I think you have to tell us how long time you will stay and what kind of things you want to see.

France is of course a smaller country than USA, but there are many different kind of landscape and many things to do.

As a parisian man, I would like to tell you that you have to spend one week in Paris to see the main things :

- Champs Elysées

- Tour Eiffel

- a tour on boat on the Seine river.

- Montmartre

- Louvre

- Musée d'Orsay

- shopping

- Paris by night

- Marais (the old Paris)

and 1 day in Versailles not far from Paris

And then  you have many options :

- castles alonside the Loire river

- going in Normandy and see the D-Day beaches

- going in Lyon to visit another big french town where you eat especially well

- going 1 week in the Alps to ski..

It's only some examples among many others ...

Anywher you go, don't worry, you can eat well in France ;)

If you have some further questions, you can write to me a private message.

Answer 5

This place is beautiful I've been there a lot since I was small and I recently went bout 3 or 4 months ago...of course it's a must to see the eiffel tower!! It's stunning. Eat at any plae where I went it was good nothing specifical though I dnt remember the names. But all the restaurants have good french food; at least the ones I went to. The People I know from france are REALLY nice and wen I met them they are willing to help. Have a super cool trip I kno you'll love it. If you don't want to look like a tourist then just wear something simple: tank top w/ some jeans and cute shoes or anything else. If you have a crazy fashion u'll be labeled as a tourist. No one will say anything tho. Merry xmas and good triP!!!

Answer 6

it really depends on what you want to see... Paris, other cities, countryside, mountain, seashore... there are a lot of things to see... and I hate Paris so I can't give you the advice to go there... so let us know what you want and then we can help !