Travel Tips: Paris in December

[CloudDancing]

Dear friends, I know I haven't been around, just watching from afar. I've been getting my real life together. Got a decent job and I'm moving into my own historic apartment next week. Then i'm setting up a few home business, like renting out my hardwood floored, naturally lit living room for fetish photoshoots, selling clubwear, and doing interactive counselling sessions.

Anyhow.

My birthday is coming up in December and I want to go to Europe. I've never been anywhere off the North American continent and it is about freaking time I did so. I've long been a fan of nearly everything French in film, music, art, and so forth. I was even married to a brutish lout of French descent briefly. So i'd like to go to Paris. Plus flights are cheap and easy for me to get to Chicago and then fly directly to Paris.

I have four-five days to spend outside of the flight days.

I just wondered if anyone had any tips as I am trying to come up with a budget? Or anything delightful I should look out for? Anything dangerous?

It was not long ago Boom scared me with his 18.00 a coca cola comment about Sweden, so I am not quite sure what to expect.

Thank you.

Ps. I know this is all available in various forms on the internet, but I think people who actually live in Europe and people who are nerdy/geeky/intelligent might have much better thoughts on the subject entirely.

[Rumple C]

I hope you like garlic and berets.

[Veilan]

I liked Père Lachaise (the cemetary) and tube (they call it métro) line 14 (fully automated! get in at the end of the line, into the front of the first waggon for an epic ride) best about Paris.

As for budget, go get some Döner Kebap for food. Always a treat, and you can even talk in German about Kreuzberg with Turkish shop-owners and patrons...

[boombrakh]

It was not long ago Boom scared me with his 18.00 a coca cola comment about Sweden, so I am not quite sure what to expect.

Long enough to not have any idea what you(me) is talking about

[Rumple C]

The correct greeting for the first gendarme (policeman) you meet are....

"Bonjour - Je suis Anglais, Je suis venus pour joindre La Legion Etrangere".

[CloudDancing]

Very funny. It probably pays more than my current job.

There is actually a fetish ball that weekend going off that is affordable (still 500 fetish people all in one venue!).

So then it works out to something like 1300 for tickets and the prospect of toting my smallest corset and boots around in my one bag. Then it is hostel OR economy hotel. And of course walking and the underground/train for transportation.

So after that, just need to have enough funds for food, museums, warm clothes, and a warm place to sleep for the nights.

[Zelknolf]

Pretty sure that the French foreign legion only takes men.

And no matter how grumpily we might say that they deserve a swift kick right between the frog legs for it, I suspect they won't be changing that any time soon.

[Hialmar]

Sadly (for you but not for me ) I don't live in Paris so I cannot host you.

If you are on a budget the best would be couch surfing or things like that. Hotels in Paris are quite expensive and not always very clean (but that's a French quirk anyway).

Be careful with pickpockets. They are everywhere in Paris.

I second Veilan about the Père Lachaise cemetery.

The Louvres is quite good but quite expensive and you got to wake up early if you want to see more than a glimpse of Mona Lisa.

If you want to climb the Eiffel Tower it's best to use the stairs (less people and less expensive albeit not free ) to reach the first level and then buy a ticket for the elevator to the second floor.
You can also climb in one of the towers of Notre Dame. I never did it but my wife and daughter told me it was very good.
As for churches I like the Sacré Coeur de Montmartre best. The architecture is very strange and if the weather is good you have a very nice view from the top of Montmartre hill.

If I think of something else I'll complete my post.

[Rumple C]

Pretty sure that the French foreign legion only takes men.

There is a reason for this. Two rather.

Boobs.

[Rumple C]

Anyhow, back to the general advice.

Travel light. It keeps you mobile. Much easier to carry a knapsack than a suitcase while chasing after a pickpocket.
Try new foods. You only live once. Why waste it putting boring things in your mouth?
Pack emergency supply of toilet paper and/or extra socks. See above.
Don't trust anyone who approaches you on the street. They know you're a vulnerable tourist.
Plan what you want to see beforehand, and how you're going to get there. In the past i've just got a guide book from the library and scanned through looking for p.o.i.

Don't let any mimes trap you in the invisible box.

And since you are from a country that tips... (ridiculous concept) http://www.coolstuffinparis.com/tipping ... france.php

[Zelknolf]

Pretty sure that the French foreign legion only takes men.

There is a reason for this. Two rather.

Boobs.

And one target for said swift kick per reason. Such poetic symmetry.

[Heero]

My advice: go to Italy instead.

[CloudDancing]

for an extra 2600, I could ride the Orient Express from Venice to Paris

My sister also showed me this: https://www.airbnb.com
I can get a nice bedroom by the Louvre for 50 a night.

[Rumple C]

Pretty sure that the French foreign legion only takes men.

There is a reason for this. Two rather.

Boobs.

And one target for said swift kick per reason. Such poetic symmetry.

This is why they'll never let you lace up those combat boots.

[Rumple C]

Pretty sure that the French foreign legion only takes men.

There is a reason for this. Two rather.

Boobs.

And one target for said swift kick per reason. Such poetic symmetry.

This is why they'll never let you lace up those combat boots.