Return to France

Paris, the "City of Light!"  

Champs-Elysees offers monthly French audio magazines for the intermediate to advanced speaker designed to take their speaking and listening comprehension to the next level. Every issue takes the form of an hour long radio broadcast featuring interviews with French celebrities as well as up to date news from the worlds of art, business, literature, politics etc. Previous guests on the programs include Brigitte Bardot, Francois Mitterand, Juliette Binoche and Jacques Chirac. Each magazine comes with a complete transcript and a comprehensive glossary together with optional linguistic exercises. The magazine is available on both CD and cassette.  I have found that being able to speak at least some of the language really helps you enjoy your visit to a foreign country more.  Check Champs-Elysees and see how you can become more familiar with the French language and people.  Jim.

Paris Visite

A French Affair  Few people know more about Paris than Mary Blume who, for more than 30 years, has been writing about this wonderful city.  A French Affair is a wonderful collection of her essays examining everything from window-shopping to a look at the French "sense of class."

Paris a Pied Walking tours of Paris.

If you want to see Paris and have little time in which to do so. Or if you would like some interesting suggestions for things to see and do in Paris, just click on Doing Paris In A Day. However, even following the "tour" you will find there you will find that it is impossible to enjoy this city in a day!

The Paris Guide by SmartWeb!

When visiting Paris you might want to get into the countryside a bit and see some of the "sights" outside of Paris. If so, just click on Day Trips From Paris and enjoy the countryside surrounding this magnificent city.

Pariscope!

I am often asked if it is possible to see the Louvre in a few hours. Well, the answer is no. However, as many people only have a few hours to see this great museum, I have put together a tour that attempts to get your through the Louvre in about three hours. If you are interested, click on A Three Hour Tour of the Louvre! as it will at least get you pretty quickly to some of the high spots. And then, when you have more time, you can go back and get to the heart and soul of the Louvre.
Parisvoice!

La Conciergerie! Let your personal La Concergerie get your Metro, museum passes, and more!

For an excellent guide to Paris, click on Paris City Guide!

Ready for Romance? Then vacation in France!

The Riches of Paris 

Here is a great site with dozens of good links for things to see and do in Paris.  Sonaco City Guide!

Get more out of your vacation to France. Book tours, attractions and activities in advance at Viator.com.
 
Find and book Paris tours and activities on Viator.com. Book ahead to save time and money!

Restaurants in Paris

Please some restaurant suggestions, you know, some of your favorites, so that I may post them in this area and share them with others. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com


Getting To and Around Paris

British Airways (ba.com) flies between Basel, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marcella, Nice, Paris, Toulouse, and London.

From the airports to Paris...There is an efficient shuttle service that operates from both Orly and Charles de Gaulle. The shuttle is operated by Air France and operates about every 12 minutes from 5:50 a.m. to 11:10 p.m. From Orly Airport (Exit 1) buses disembark at Place Denfert-Rochereau Station and from Charles de Gaulle Airport the drop-off is at the Place de l'Opera.

You can also take the taxi (This is good if you have a lot of luggage and would therefore like to go right to your hotel.), but the prices from Orly Airport will run between $25 and $20. A taxi from Charles de Gaulle Airport will be about $35.

Bus service from Orly Airport is about $7 and bus service from Charles de Gaulle Airport is about $10.

Train service from Orly Airport is about $6 and from Charles de Gaulle about $11.

Getting around Paris...Although the best way to get around this wonderful city is on foot, this is not always possible for some. However, you should know that this is one of the most easily walked city in Europe.

You will find that the taxi can be pretty quick, especially if you need to go from door-to-door, but I find the bus and Metro (subway) to be much more economical and would recommend that you stay with public transportation as much as possible. For a listing of the bus numbers to take you to the major attractions of paris, just click on Paris By Bus and Metro!. You may also want to check out this site: Paris Bus Map

The best way to get around the city is on the Paris Metro. There are 13 extensive lines and may be the most efficient and user-friendly system anywhere. After just a few trips you will become familiar with the system. I find that it is best to have both a Paris map and a Metro map and use them to make sure you are going in the right direction. There is a sign on each platform with the line printed on it and the names of all of the stations. Just look for the name of the station you are in and the station at the end of the line and if the station you want is in between - you area on the right platform! There is also a push-button wall map in the stations where you can push buttons for suggested routings.

Tickets on the Metro cost #1.10. However, I would recommend you purchase a carnet, which is a booklet of ten tickets as the cost is only about $7 and you save quite a bit of money. The RER trains are interconnected with the Paris Metro and provide fast service in the city and to many ares outside of Paris. You can purchase the Formule 1 (first class ticket) or a Paris Visite (second class and what I would recommend) which are discount tickets for various lengths of time and prices.
Charles de Gaulle Airport
Airport Shuttle Service

Paris-Shuttle.com is the French leading provider of pre-bookable airport transfers in Paris. Low cost shuttles are available on our user friendly & secured website - Most transfers are booked and confirmed immediately. Our prices include all taxes & service charges. No hidden extra charge. We provide a door-to-door service so you are assured of a great start and end to your holiday. Book online and get better quality accommodation at 50% off the traditional Tour Operator rates.

For additional information on getting around in Paris, click on Sonaco Travel Club.

 

Affiliate Car Rental in France - Our vehicles are provided by major global suppliers, Alamo, Dollar, National, Eurocar, Budget and Hertz to name a few. We belong to a large buying group, so we can offer our customers the substantial car rental discounts you'd expect from a large multi-national organization. You can rent your vehicle from Affiliate Car Rental with the minimum of fuss, just choose a destination from the drop down box above, fill in the times and dates to receive a comprehensive fully inclusive rental quote. Click on Affiliate Car Rental or the banner for all of the details.

Additional Paris Links:
Get Metro/Museum passes and more at La Conciergerie !

I love going to the theatre, shows, and other special events.  Especially when I am in some distant location, such as Paris.  However, sometimes it is difficult to find the ticket you need.  If you are looking for something to do in Paris, I recommend that, if you do not want to try and purchase your tickets after you arrive in Paris, you check out Latest Events.

A La Carte France Tours - Luxury guided tours in France with your own personal driver-guide. Boutique hotel accommodation and fine cuisine restaurants.

Click on Latest Events for tickets and packages to concerts in London, Paris and Amsterdam. Their experienced team make sure you have the best tickets possible and an entertainment experience you will remember for years to come!

 

Paris France Hotels - Discount hotel rooms in Paris. Visit www.allhotelsparis.net for additional information.

Apartment-In-France
Romantic apartments in central Paris near the Eiffel Tower. You rent directly from the owner. Visit www.apartment-in-france.com for all of the information about these apartments in Paris are just steps away from the Eiffel Tower, and 5 minutes away (by metro) from the Champs Elysées. These exceptionally well located apartments are right on the bank of the Seine, with a beautiful view over la Seine and the Trocadero. Also available is an apartment in central Cannes just minutes away from the Palais du Festival and one in Florence, Italy that is located on the top floor of an  unassuming 12th century palazzo in the historical center of Florence.

Click here for language helps, dictionaries, electronic translators, language software and other helps for learning a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip more. Jim.

Paris Hotels - Make your reservations in a great hotel in Paris today and, even better, get great discounts by reserving through Getting Away! Click here for hotels in selected other European cities.