Has anyone been to france?

[romeosgirl]

okay I know that this has nothing to do with cruising but, I would like to know if anyone has been to france? I was thinking of going with my mom

on my birthday or some were around there. If you have any places and sites to see plz reply. restrunts and world famous musemes to see to that would be great.:)

thanks alot

romeosgirl

[rebeccalouise]

Oui, oui! I have been to France.

 

Start with Paris and bone up on French. Parisians aren't rude- but they appreciate someone making and effort to speak their language. You will be more well- received.

 

Outside of Paris- you might like the south of France- Villefranche/ Monte Carlo are very nice. Also, I have not been to Versailles but this is a short train ride from Paris. Normandy would be interesting to visit. Aix in Provence is supposedly the most sought after place for French people to live.

 

Go to France- Paris has the Louvre and Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower. It is a good place to start. Then perhaps you can take the train to some of the other places.

 

I can't imagine that you won't like France.

[Keith1010]

We have visited France several times, including Paris, and have enjoyed all of our visits.

 

You and your Mom will have quite a bit of research to do in planning a trip.

 

Keith

[Dengail]

oohhh, we would love to cruise to France, with Normandy as an excursion? Anyone done this, what ship do you recommend...we usually cruise RCCI.

[Keith1010]

oohhh, we would love to cruise to France, with Normandy as an excursion? Anyone done this, what ship do you recommend...we usually cruise RCCI.

 

We saw Normandy when we were on a cruise with Crystal Cruise Lines. We docked overnight in Rouen, France and it was about a three hour drive each way, including stops and scenic views on country roads. Seeing the Omaha Landing Beaches and the Cemetary and the other areas was very moving. The other port of call where passengers stop is Le Havre, France which also is a gateway to Normandy.

 

See if maybe Princess Cruises offers something that can get you there. Maybe others as well such as Celebrity. Not sure about RCL.

Keith

[Fogfog]

For your first trip, let me reccommend Paris (or course)

and

the Loire Valley where the chateaus of the Kings are found along the river...

 

Plan to stay in Paris a few days --try renting an apartment so you have a homey base to have breakfast and relax in the evenings,,

see the Louvre, Versailles, and the mounuments etc...

 

then take a car out to the Loire--pick on place to make your home base and day trip around to see the chateaus etc...you can also rent small apartments and homes n that region.

 

If you have more time--try the Alsace-Lorraine region--which has been both french and german--its foods and wines are a mix of those cultures..We like Strasbourg, and driving the wine route..try Colmar as well

 

Down in the south, close to Spain, the mid-eveil towns of Mirepoix, and Foix etc are interesting and very different as you approach that mountainous region...and along the coast gheading east Caracssone is interesting ...

 

As for Provence--we found it dull...but the drive around the "french grand canyon" etc was beautiful in the fall.

 

Dont forget the exchange rate is not in your favor so planning will help save your budget

and definitely learn enough polite french to make things go more smoothly...

 

good luck

[rebeccalouise]

I was going to suggest the Loire Valley. My tablemates on one of my cruises rented an apartment in a Chateau and drove around as you suggested. They really enjoyed it.

 

But this Mom and daughter might not be up to driving. I know that intimidates me.

[Yellowlily]

Yes, and I absolutely LOVE Paris! It is definitely one of those cities that you will fall in love with and want to go back as soon as you can. I would say, the Eiffell Tower, the Louvre, all the major stuff. We did a dinner cruise on the Sine River and it was lovely!! Have fun!

[nmcrzer]

There are some wonderful tour companies that do escorted, land-based vacations. Trafalgar is a good one. I really recommend the escorted tours, especially if you have not traveled extensively in Europe before. It is a nice way to get introduced to a foreign country. Escorted tours aren't for everyone, but I would love to do one with my mother. It takes a lot of the hassle out of planning and leaves more time for relaxing and site-seeing.

[GJClay]

There are some wonderful tour companies that do escorted, land-based vacations. Trafalgar is a good one. I really recommend the escorted tours, especially if you have not traveled extensively in Europe before. It is a nice way to get introduced to a foreign country. Escorted tours aren't for everyone, but I would love to do one with my mother. It takes a lot of the hassle out of planning and leaves more time for relaxing and site-seeing.

 

I also recommend a tour company for Europe and have heard good things about Trafalgar. I actually used Globus with my mother and teenaged children and loved it (especially France). All of the stress is removed due to the planning being done by the company, excellent meals, hotels, and tickets to tourist attractions are the best available.

[nybumpkin]

Start with Paris and bone up on French. Parisians aren't rude- but they appreciate someone making and effort to speak their language. You will be more well- received.

I couldn't agree more! We always made an effort to use at least a little French when touring, and were generally rewarded with a smile and a quick change to speaking English. (In the words of Henry Higgins from "My Fair Lady," "The French don't really care what you say as long as you pronounce it correctly.";)) We also toured in some areas where we found fewer bilingual people, and found that if you can point at items on a menu, master some basic phrases, and say "S'il vous plait" you can manage just fine. (At one sidewalk cafe outside Paris, we encountered two guys from California who had no knowledge of French and were annoyed that their server had no knowledge of English.:rolleyes:)

 

We toured Paris, Chartres and the Brittany region on our trip to France. Brittany is a beautiful region, and very different from other areas in France due to its Celtic heritage. The cathedral at Chartres is not to be missed.

 

As for driving - we did rent a car in Brittany, despite a not-so-great knowledge of French. It really wasn't too hard, since so many of the traffic signs are international (a stop sign is a stop sign, even if it says "Arret"). I don't think I'd drive in Paris, though.:eek:

[romeosgirl]

Thank you guys so much!!!!!!!!! I gess i have to go now because of all the advice on great places to go. We'll I think i'm going to d osome research on france before I go. It might be 1 year before i go but, I need all I can get.

thanks again

romesgirl:)

[Fogfog]

I couldn't agree more! We always made an effort to use at least a little French when touring, and were generally rewarded with a smile and a quick change to speaking English. (In the words of Henry Higgins from "My Fair Lady," "The French don't really care what you say as long as you pronounce it correctly.";)) We also toured in some areas where we found fewer bilingual people, and found that if you can point at items on a menu, master some basic phrases, and say "S'il vous plait" you can manage just fine. (At one sidewalk cafe outside Paris, we encountered two guys from California who had no knowledge of French and were annoyed that their server had no knowledge of English.:rolleyes:)

 

We toured Paris, Chartres and the Brittany region on our trip to France. Brittany is a beautiful region, and very different from other areas in France due to its Celtic heritage. The cathedral at Chartres is not to be missed.

 

As for driving - we did rent a car in Brittany, despite a not-so-great knowledge of French. It really wasn't too hard, since so many of the traffic signs are international (a stop sign is a stop sign, even if it says "Arret"). I don't think I'd drive in Paris, though.:eek:

 

 

Oh forgot that one --I second that Chartres is a MUST DO!:)

[Eclipsepearl]

Hi,

 

I've been living in France since 1996 and was a student here in 1987. I'm married to a Frenchman and my three kids were born here. I've lived in Paris, the Loire Valley and Alsace. I became a French citizen in 2002. Luckily, I can keep both... I've been to most of the major regions.

 

I love the mountain area, Haute Savoie. Lovely in summer...

 

If you have any questions, just email me with my screenname at either hotmail or gmail.

[BethCarp]

I've only been to Paris and Giverny (Monet's home). In Paris, aside from the obvious, check out the Musee d'Orsay if you like more modern art (impressionists). I enjoyed it more than the Louvre.

[kitty9]

One bit of advice---save your money. With the Euro being so high against the US dollar, everything is very expensive in Europe. Even the least expensive hotels can cost an arm and a leg. My best advice for a first timer, especially if you're trying to save a few dollars, is to go with a tour company. Everything can be included in the price and that saves a lot of money. Some tours will include all meals, tours, flights, transfers, accommodations and transportation between cities. That might be something you can look into.

[sailinglisa]

oohhh, we would love to cruise to France, with Normandy as an excursion? Anyone done this, what ship do you recommend...we usually cruise RCCI.

 

We did this just last month on the Jewel OTS Transatlantic. We were docked in Le Havre and our group arranged a private tour of Normandy.....we did Ponte du Huc, Omaha Beach, the American Cemetery at Coleville, Arromanches and a small stop in Honfleur on the way back. I absolutely loved Normandy!

[romeosgirl]

thanks for all the help!

romeosgirl

[IAO]

Before you go to Paris (if you go there), you must get the Paris Pass(http://www.parispass.org/). You can get a 2, 4, or 6 day pass and it gains you admission to over 60 attractions including: Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, Arc d'Triomphe, Crypte Archeologique (see below), Bateaux Parisien River Cruise, Versaille, Notre Dame tour, Saint Chappelle, and so much more. Plus, you don't have to wait on lines if you have the pass.

 

It doesn't include the Eiffel Tower, but that could be because there are three different levels of admission depending on how high you want to go up (and a visit to the Eiffel Tower isn't complete unless you go all the way up).

 

One of my favorite places in Paris is Saint Chappelle. The stained glass in there makes you feel like you are standing in a jewel box. And you should try to see a concert there in the evening.

 

If you go to Chartres, you MUST try to get on one Malcolm Miller's tours. He is one of the world's most foremost authorities on the Cathredral. He's been there since 1958. I had the pleasure of hearing him in 1987.

 

Another of my favorite places in Paris is the Crypte Archeologique. The entrance is located in the square across from Notre Dame. Go underground and you will see some of the earliest ruins of the city. Fascinating.

 

France is truly an amazing, beautiful country. Go and you won't be disappointed.

[notentirelynormal]

Also, look into buying a multi day train pass. If you buy it in the US before you leave its pretty cheap. I forget how much, but its a saver. We only had a week. I arrived in Paris, immediately took the train to Amsterdam, spent the night, traveled to Brussels and then back to Versailles. Toured the castle. We found a TA that knew the hotel systems in Europe and they were all prebooked with excellent results.

[nybumpkin]

If you go to Chartres, you MUST try to get on one Malcolm Miller's tours. He is one of the world's most foremost authorities on the Cathredral. He's been there since 1958. I had the pleasure of hearing him in 1987.

He is a great guide! We were fortunate enough to happen upon his tour when we arrived at Chartres (also 1987) and were able to join. He knew every inch of the cathedral.

[IAO]

The one thing I really remember was how he took our group, and showed us how to make a gothic cathedral using our bodies. How he had all of us grouped together and showed us how strong the flying buttresses were. He says he doesn't just study the Cathedral, but he "reads" it.