France!!!!!?

Question

I am going to France (i think the west) this year with my school. We are staying for 2 weeks and going to lots of places. some of them are: Eiffel tower, parc asterix, euro disney, arc de triomphe, the gardens of monet, the louvre gallery and heaps more.

Can you please tell me about some of these places.

Oh, and i am flying on emirates in economy and stopping at dubai on the way.

If you have been on the airline please tell me what the airline is like.

Im also staying with a host family for 9 days. Has anyone done this before? whats it like?

THANKS!!

Answer 1

Dear, that's a long list of things!

Here's my personal take:

Eiffel Tower: great. You have to go to the second floor, and bring your camera because you'll make fantastic pictures of Paris.

Parc Asterix: nice but forgettable.

Euro Disney: cool, but crowded, and not always sunny (which can ruin the day if it's raining and cold).

Arc de Triomphe: great place. If you visit inside, use the staircase, and take picture of both the intermediate hall inside, and the terrasse atop the structure - great view of several avenues there, do not forget to bring your camera.

Gardens of Monet at Giverny: a gorgeous place with a really quaint house, and fantastic flowers/vegetation. Giverny is a small town outside Paris. The gardens are well maintained, and it's really a pleasure to stroll around.

Louvre: You won't have time to visit the entire museum. You'll enter through the glass pyramid, in itself a point of interest. When inside the pyramid, take a photo of the inverted tip of the pyramid. You can also take photos of the foundations of the old city ramparts (13th century). Inside the museum, you may not take photos. I hope you'll be able to visit the sculpture galleries, and the Egyptian and Greek antiquity galleries. There are so many things to see, it's overwhelming.

Orsay museum: it's not on your list but if you have any possibility to see this, it's "the" place to see impressionist paintings.

Other points of interest: please ask your teacher to visit the Ile St Louis (St Louis Island) -- firstly because that's an interesting place, and secondly because this is the home of Berthillon (famous ice cream maker) -- you don't want to miss the opportunity to taste one of their fruit sorbets.

Shopping: If you have a bit of pocket money, you'll want to shop. Avoid the large expensive department stores (Printemps, Galeries Lafayette, Bon Marché), and the money traps (Champs Elysées avenue, for instance). Rather, try to shop on Rue de Rennes and in the neighboring streets of the St Sulpice metro station. This is a student area, and the shops there cater to this type of clients (and their thin wallets). Though shopkeepers don't really like to bargain, they will if your offer is reasonable: -10% is very doable most of the time. If you go in June, this is the sales season and you'll get great discounts.

Host families: can be perfect, can be dreadful. Depending on your host family. Write them ahead of your trip. Make friends with them. Don't impose on them, or they may resent it (i.e. don't require to do this, and do that, and this, and that, etc.). Rather, ask them what in their opinion you should absolutely do in Paris. They'll be glad to advise, and if they are really cool, they will prepare your trip with you and make sure you have a positive opinion of them and of Paris.

I wish you a great visit, and great time, and loads of fun!

Answer 2

Your question is so general that it cannot be answered short of writing a book. Please be more specific.