If I just flew to Paris from Seattle, say today, frequent flyer?

Question

and landed, just for sightseeing, and knew no one and had never been there...

could I get a reasonable hotel and transportation arranged from the airport, is there help there, or would I get unaffordable rates on everything, and is it better to speak broken French or just admit you don't speak it well at all---are Americans discriminated against there? Should I say I'm from Canada? Merci!

Answer 1

Hi, I'm French so I can give you some advices.

Firstly, you should better find an hotel on the net to have the best price. Hotel are expensive in Paris.

For transportation, the cheaper way is the suburb train called RER. Don't loose time in the "gare du Nord" station, it's not a great place. For downtown, use subway called "metro" or the buses. For all information about RER and metro, check website www.ratp.fr in English.

In the subway, you will feel unsafe because there are many people and from a lot of origin. But in fact, it's quite safe. Just be careful with the pickpockets. At this moment, don't show you are a tourist.

You can tell you are American. We don't have any problem with that.

People will appreciate if you try to speak French. In France, we aren't great in English but everybody learn it at school. They will certainly understand you a bit (speaking slowly without slang) but they will have some difficulties to answer you. To have more chances, ask people under 30 years old.

One last thing. About Paris, French people tell that people are not very sympathic there.

Good trip.