Let’s suppose, for the next few posts, I’m sitting in an imaginary time machine and have set the dial to the summer of 2010. At this moment, we don’t have a blog, zero trip planning/travel experience, and butterflies in our stomachs. What we do have is two weeks of precious leave, an opportunity to discover four fabulous European cities, and our restless feet with us. Our plan is to head to Paris – then take the Euro-rail to Amsterdam – hop on a night train to Venice – before flying to Rome.
Isn’t there too much already written about Paris? You understand my predicament. So, here’s what I thought. I’ll address the rookie traveller who dreams of discovering one of Europe’s finest cities. Our take might not be the best route to follow. However, hopefully, you would a point of reference on what not to do. And, if you’re a seasoned Euro traveller/backpacker, this post might be a good way to relive that first trip.
Rulebook to Surviving Day-1 in Paris
1. Study your map before arriving at Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport. Especially, if you’ve almost missed your connecting flight, are horribly jet-lagged, and had to smile repeatedly at the rude immigration officer. The last thing on your mind should be how to figure the route out of the airport.
2. Do not depend on your high school French to communicate. It’s an added advantage, but people do speak English. Lace your question with a smile and luck will shine on you. Sometimes, you may get a polite head shake. Sometimes, people may help you without you having to ask for help.
3. The Paris Metro is the most convenient and budget friendly way to travel around the city. You could buy a billet book or a pass. Once you’ve figured the map, your life will be much simpler. It will be a miracle if your jet-lagged eyes would understand where the pink lines cross the green on the map.
4. Travel light. I guess that’s where the term backpacking comes from. If figuring the metro system is complicated, imagine lugging a suitcase across a flight of stairs and into a crowded train.
5. Book your hotel near the places of interest you’d want to see. After walking, wandering, occasionally getting lost finding the metro entrance; the last thing you’d want to do is keep changing trains to reach your hotel.
6. Your hotel might be closer than you expected it to be. Consider the possibility that you were going round in circles to ask for directions.
7. When hunger calls, be open to food you’ve not heard of. Who knows, you could get rewarded.
8. Do not make the mistake of sleeping after check-in. If you do, put the alarm on or you will get up shortly before dark.
9. If you made a mistake by booking your hotel in the outskirts of the city, chances are that everything shuts by 6:00 pm. Make sure you carry food back or have your dinner before heading back. Budget hotels may only serve coffee and a snack in the evening.
10. However tired you may be, do not forget that you’re in Paris – home to fine chocolate croissants, desserts, and wine.
The Cheat Sheet:
Train: EuRail ; RailEurope
Accommodation: airbnb ; Accor ; Hostels.com
Paris Tourism: Parisinfo
Now I want to go to Paris. Thank you for this post. 🙂 (I am all about the wine but I am allergic to chocolate).
Hi Eileen! Paris is so wonderful and lives up to the hype. I’m not sure if it’s still the same, but you must visit at least once in your lifetime.
Thanks for the tips.
Hope they help! 🙂
I’ve been to Paris a couple of times and definitely agree with this list. Oh the memories 🙂
Kendra, I envy you! 🙂 We wanted to re-visit Paris on our second Euro trip, but didn’t have many days in hand. There are too many countries to visit in Europe! Sigh!
I know! Travel is like this bottomless pit – it’s awesome but sometimes it makes me sad I won’t ever see it ALL
Great tips! especially #8…I wonder how many of us that has happened to. Haha. But wow…4 cities in 2 weeks! Ambitious! 🙂
Thanks Shelley! No. 8 really knocked us out. And we repeated it in Japan as well. 🙂 I know, it was too ambitious a plan. In hindsight, I’d never recommend it to anyone!
Great advice! Beautiful photos! Wish you had posted this before I visited Paris! Anyway getting lost there is part of the fun. 🙂
Haha! Helene, I procrastinate a lot. You might have noticed that by the frequency of my posts. 🙂 When did you go to Paris?
While I was a student in Cardiff University, Wales, I hitch-hiked to Paris twice. Five years ago, I did my third trip to Paris with an office colleague and last year with my husband and daughter. I still managed to get lost in the city all 4 times! 🙂
I wish I could have gone again. I guess the best part of getting lost is that you’ll discover something new. 🙂
Exactly! Even if it is only to discover a new way out! 🙂
I’ve been to paris several time, and unfortunately, I always ended up in very dodgy budget accommodation. How about you ? were you happy by your choice ?
Hmm… I won’t call ‘Ibis’ dodgy. 🙂 It’s definitely budget, but had a clean bed, bath and a room with a view. The room was small, but I guess one can’t complain with that in Paris. The only problem was its location. We were somewhere near the north east end of Paris and after a long day of walking, changing trains was a pain.
I think in Paris, you have to put a certain price, otherwise, you end up in really scary places. Mine was full of bugs, the bed sheets were cut (blad cuts ?). Everything was falling apart. The other time, the police was there, and I heard an employee saying to a cleaning lady they will have to burn the sheets (whaaaat ?!). Ibis is good, I’ve been there once and I had a good memory. Sometimes you can get deals… but it’s so popular they don’t need to do that.
“Burn the sheets”! Wow! What a heck of an experience it must have been. I must confess, I’m wary of dodgy hotels, although, I’ve stayed in a few of them myself. 🙂 Can’t complain much when one wants to see places.
It was 10 years ago, I was still a student, and if I had the money, I think I would have gone to another place straight away 😉
We’re not students (secretly hope we were) and yet fall into the dodgy hotel trap. 🙂 This post has become a nostalgia trip! It’s fun reading all the responses, especially yours!
haha, yes, very nostalgic indeed, I haven’t thought about that for a very long time 😉
Great tips! I will be visiting Paris in a few months. My first trip there since my husband died. It will be bittersweet as we enjoyed Paris (and all of Europe) but especially Paris so much!
I’m so sorry for your loss. Basil and I had a wonderful time in Paris. I can relate to why you would like Paris the most. 🙂 Hope you have a good trip! Will look forward to reading your posts.
Thank you for your good thoughts. I am really excited to go. Posts & pictures to follow.
Would love to go on a virtual tour of Paris. 🙂 Have a great trip!