Paris Around

Posts Tagged ‘France’

Before you think to travel to Paris, Switzerland, Bordeaux or Quebec, you absolutely need to learn basic French phrases. Without these common sentences and words, you will be lost and frustrated.

There are sentences and words that you will use every single day. Let’s start to learn them, because life will be extremely hard if you chose to ignore this lesson and travel to a French speaking country.

We will start with the most common words because it’s easier, and then, we will learn basic French phrases…

1. Most common words in French (and any other foreign language)

Note: I will write the English word first, and then, translate it in French.

1 – Yes = Oui
2 – No = Non
3 – Ok = D’accord (Note that French say OK as well!)
4 – Why = Pourquoi
5 – Where = Ou
6 – How = Comment
7 – Thanks = Merci
8 – How much = Combien
9 – Hotel = Hotel
10 – Room = Chambre

2. Three Must Know French Phrases

Note: I will write the English word first, and then, translate it in French.

These are four sentences that you will use every single day.

1 – Good Morning! How are you? = Bonjour! Comment allez – vous?

2 – I’m fine thank you = Je vais bien, merci.

3 – Do you speak French? = Parlez-vous Français?

4 – Where are you from? = De quel pays venez vous?

As you can see, these French words and sentences are essential if you want to travel to France or any other French speaking country. No need to say that you will not be able to live in France without those…

To learn basic French phrases with a French native speaker is your best option. However, there is no harm to learn with a Canadian or even a English native if he is fluent.

Learning from home is another option, and after all, you can quickly learn these essential sentences before you decide to travel to Paris!

In France people always drive in the right lane.
Driving without a driver’s license is against the law, make sure that all the documents and insurance papers are always with you. The international driver’s license in France is valid in the age of 18 and for a period of 12 months.

Speed limits on roads in France do not depend on the type of road and sometimes the speed can be lower in case of rainy weather.
Urban area – 50 mph

Major roads outside cities – 90 mph in dry weather and 80 mph in rain.
Speedway – 110-130 mph in dry weather and 100 miles per hour in the rain.

You should also pay attention to the Police that sometimes ambushes and use laser gun, especially in the most touristic places like when you rent a car in Paris. Please notice that the alcohol limit in France is 50 mg per 100 ml of blood.                                                 You must remember that when you get to a traffic light, the light changes from red to green without a yellow light in between, the yellow light appears only when the light changes from green to red, so do not be surprised.

Mobile phones are forbidden while driving at all times!
It is also forbidden for children under the age of 10 to sit in the passenger seat. It is possible to put babies under the age of 9 months in the passenger seat, if they are sitting in a safety seat especially for infants facing the back seat.

Many highways in France are fee roads, the price of their use changes from one to another. These roads are very common in France, and it is a good solution for people who are renting a car in Paris and in France, these roads allow you to drive smoothly, without traffic, and it allows you to get to where ever you want in the fastest way.

When you rent a car in Paris and in France you should be aware that tourists can pay fines on the spot. The Police won’t receive a check or credit card. if you do not have enough cash, the police will accompany you to the ATM nearby. The Police also have the authority to confiscate your car if they consider it necessary. Do not forget that you also must wear seat belts front and back.  Read more...

If you are traveling in Paris you may want to look into a car rental to get you from place to place. Paris is the capital city of France and is located in northern France. The estimated population of Paris in 2005 is 2,153,600 residents. Paris is a very popular vacation spot, with over 30 million visitors per year. A few of the attractions the people go to see in Paris include a twelfth century cathedral called Notre Dame de Paris, The Napoleonic Arc de Triomphe and of course the nineteenth century Eiffel Tower. Any of these attractions would be a beautiful site to see for anybody.

The cathedral Notre Dame de Paris is found on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité and is easily considered one of the best examples of French Gothic architecture. Notre Dame is translated into “Our Lady” from French. The Notre Dame was one of the first buildings in the whole world to use arc-boutant. The cathedral started being built in 1163 and was completely finished in 1250-1345.

The Arc de Triomphe stands at the western end of the Champs-…lysées and honours the soldiers who fought for france, particularly in the Napoleonic Wars. The arch is over 165 ft (51 meters) in height and is 145 ft (45 meters) wide. It is the second largest triumphal arch in all of the world. The Eiffel Tower, built in the 19th century is the tallest structure in paris and one of the most notable attractions of the world.

The iron tower was visited by 6,428,441 people and more than 200,000,000 in its entire lifetime. The entire structure towers over the city with the height of 1,063 ft (324 meters). In 1887 the tower was named the tallest structure in the world and held its title until 1930. Any of these monuments would be absolutely wonderful to see and you should definitely experience them. Wherever you decide to go in Paris you should make sure you have a source of transportation. Make sure to look into car rentals to help get you where you need to go.

No matter where you go in Paris, France, you will find something to do every weekend as well as every day. Paris, France events are rife throughout the city, especially on the weekends. Whether you are interested in culture, shopping, history, politics or sports, you can find just about anything that you want when looking around Paris for Paris, France events. Some of the Paris, France events that you will not want to miss are the Art Festival at Montparnasse, Freedom Celebration at the Place de la Bastille, Shopping Sales at the Champs-Elysees and the Taste of Paris that takes place each year in Le Marais.

Art Festival at Montparnasse

Montparnasse has traditionally been the art center of Paris and holds several art festivals each year, most of which celebrate the art of local artisans. If you want to visit Paris in May, you will be able to see the Spring Art Festival at Monteparnasse. While you can see art in this district of Paris throughout the year, this is the best time to really see works of the newest artists. You never know, you may end up discovering a fresh new talent when you visit the Art Festival at Montparnasse.

Freedom Celebration at the Place de la Bastille

If you want to learn about history as well as celebrate French history, you should go to the Freedom Celebration at the Place de la Bastille. This takes place throughout the year as this area is open to the public and consists of many historic sits. If you visit in March, you can enjoy some celebrations and parades that celebrate French independence.

Champs-Elysees

When you want to do some true Parisian shopping, you should visit Champs-Elysees. This is an area of Paris that is known for the shopping and the designer houses of Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton, all of which are located in this fashionable district. Shopping at Champs-Elysees as well the Avenue Montaigne is something that you will especially enjoy if you visit in the Fall, when many of the fashion houses are hosting a sale. There are sidewalk sales each autumn on these fashionable streets that boast of the top names in Paris fashion. Travel to Paris in the autumn to take advantage of the best fashion events.

Le Marais Taste of Paris  Read more...

There are numerous different hotels in Paris to choose from that cater for all budgets and you will spend a lot of time deciding which one is best for you, so from people’s experiences, thought we would provide some ideas.

1 Star Hotels

One star hotels in Paris are generally for those wishing to stay in the capital on a budget and some rooms within the hotels will have their own private bathroom facilities like the Hotel Amarys Simart whereas others will also offer rooms with shared facilities such as the Port-Royal Hotel and the Hotel des Allies.

Not all budget hotels provide breakfast, so this is something else you may wish to check into prior to booking, but there are also places you can stay that have proper cooking facilities, known as a studio room, and one such hotel is called the Residence Hotel Pacific.

2 Star Hotels

There are quite a few different types of two star hotel that range in price depending upon where they are situated and the type of facilities they have on offer and one particular hotel called the Kyriad Hotel has business facilities, meeting rooms, free WiFi and even a restaurant, whereas the Delos Vaugirard has its own parking facilities.

You may like the idea of being within walking distance of the famous Paris landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and if that is the case, then the Hotel de la Motte Picquet is a great choice, or perhaps you are travelling to Paris as a family and therefore the Hotel Cactus could be an option as they have a family suite for up to six people.

Paris is a very historical city with many old buildings and lots have been converted into hotels, yet some have been fully renovated to include lifts for those that are less able, or of course those that are just plain lazy to negotiate flights of stairs!!  But there are also hotels that have rooms dedicated for the disabled such as the Hotel de la Paix Tour Eiffel.

3 Star Hotels

Incredibly there are actually more three star hotels in Paris than any other category and again, these range in price depending upon their location and the facilities they have to offer.  Read more...