The restaurant in the Eiffel Tower is EXTREMELY expensive. I would not eat there unless you expect to spend a ton of money. (I'm not sure how to convert the cost for you) but I think it was about 75-100 dollars a plate. Hotels will vary depending on when you go and where. If you stay outside the city, it will cost less and stay in a big chain hotel like Holiday Inn or something. The Paris Chateau's are beautiful but they cost a ton! August is the most expensive month to go. Prices will double in August because Paris becomes the number 1 tourist spot for Europe.
I'm sorry I don't have a direct price for you, but hopefully these tips will give you an idea of what you need to do to save money.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Why don't people in Paris talk back?
Hi, I'm 28
I've lived in 9 countries because my job makes me move every year (Also I have been an student exchangee 3 times).
- Canada
- Mexico
- U.S.
- Turkey
- Spain
- China
- India
- Chile
- Ukraine
In that order.
I left Ukraine 2 weeks ago
It's a habit for me to meet new people while I'm taking the bus or the train or just walking in the street. I talk to random strangers and I've made very interesting friends. Even lifetime friendships. I've even dated one chick or two.
But in Paris, when I try to talk to random strangers; very, very few people have answered back. Most of them look at me like trying to say: "You don't deserve to talk to me. Get out, moron."
This has happened to me before, but it wasn't the norm until now.
I wonder what are they thinking. What makes them give such a distasteful answer? Is it excessive shyness? Are they snobs? Do they not trust strangers?
How to meet new people in Paris?
As Wise Owl said you are in fact being rude to the French. They are not saying 'you don't deserve to talk to me' but 'you have no right to intrude in my private space'.
French people are extremely reserved, there's a clear separation between private life, which includes chatting, laughing with people, and public life which includes going around in a city without engaging in other than formal exchanges with people who are not part of their private circle.
Add that cultural rule to the fact that Paris is one of the most densely crowded capital city in the world and you can understand that this makes people there in no hurry to engage conversation with total strangers. If you don't want to blow your top being regularly crushed in with other people you need to have a mental privacy bubble to help you ignore the overcrowding. By talking to people you breach that bubble. You might have more chances striking a conversation in a smaller less crowded space which is not overrun by tourists.
You can also try that around where you live, in your building, the shops you go to, people who have seen you around will be more likely to stop and answer, if they understand you.
I've lived in 9 countries because my job makes me move every year (Also I have been an student exchangee 3 times).
- Canada
- Mexico
- U.S.
- Turkey
- Spain
- China
- India
- Chile
- Ukraine
In that order.
I left Ukraine 2 weeks ago
It's a habit for me to meet new people while I'm taking the bus or the train or just walking in the street. I talk to random strangers and I've made very interesting friends. Even lifetime friendships. I've even dated one chick or two.
But in Paris, when I try to talk to random strangers; very, very few people have answered back. Most of them look at me like trying to say: "You don't deserve to talk to me. Get out, moron."
This has happened to me before, but it wasn't the norm until now.
I wonder what are they thinking. What makes them give such a distasteful answer? Is it excessive shyness? Are they snobs? Do they not trust strangers?
How to meet new people in Paris?
As Wise Owl said you are in fact being rude to the French. They are not saying 'you don't deserve to talk to me' but 'you have no right to intrude in my private space'.
French people are extremely reserved, there's a clear separation between private life, which includes chatting, laughing with people, and public life which includes going around in a city without engaging in other than formal exchanges with people who are not part of their private circle.
Add that cultural rule to the fact that Paris is one of the most densely crowded capital city in the world and you can understand that this makes people there in no hurry to engage conversation with total strangers. If you don't want to blow your top being regularly crushed in with other people you need to have a mental privacy bubble to help you ignore the overcrowding. By talking to people you breach that bubble. You might have more chances striking a conversation in a smaller less crowded space which is not overrun by tourists.
You can also try that around where you live, in your building, the shops you go to, people who have seen you around will be more likely to stop and answer, if they understand you.
Would I be able to stay in Paris for 10 days off of $2 500?
So it would just be me, I intend to use it as more of sightseeing and immersion of culture than a vacation. I plan to stay in a cheap hostel, and the plane is $1 200 round trip. The hostel has free breakfast and other small amenities. Would I be able to pass by with this and enjoy myself, even if I was living light?
Here is the financial breakdown, based off data but only approximate numbers:
Flight - $1 200
Hostel - $590
Eating Out - $270
Transport (Public) - $108
Transport (Airport to City) - $30
Recreational Money - $200
Leftover - $102
*Total*: $2 500
You can probably get away with it. The above budget should allow you to do stay and get around Paris, not starve to death, and visit the city's various high points. If possibly I'd suggest getting more than $2,500-- on that amount you'll be able to visit the big museums, but I doubt you'll be able to splurge much, and it's amazing how often trips cost more than you intend (especially if you drink at all...)
You might check out hostelworld.com and/or hostelbookers.com--you might be able to find cheaper accommodation if you're willing to stay in a dorm room with other people. This is actually a good way to meet fellow travelers if you're going alone.
If it is ten days including your day of arrival and that of your departure, you would just about make it. There are ways of saving such as buying a Navigo card to travel about. If you are a student and can present a bona fide student card you will get reductions on entry to State owned sites and museums. If you have had a substantial breakfast at the hostel where you are staying you may only need a snack at lunch time and can carry about a bottle of water with you that you can replenish from the tap as the water is safe to drink. Some hostels provide a decent evening meal at very reasonable rates, enabling you to spend more in a restaurant now and again.
Here is the financial breakdown, based off data but only approximate numbers:
Flight - $1 200
Hostel - $590
Eating Out - $270
Transport (Public) - $108
Transport (Airport to City) - $30
Recreational Money - $200
Leftover - $102
*Total*: $2 500
You can probably get away with it. The above budget should allow you to do stay and get around Paris, not starve to death, and visit the city's various high points. If possibly I'd suggest getting more than $2,500-- on that amount you'll be able to visit the big museums, but I doubt you'll be able to splurge much, and it's amazing how often trips cost more than you intend (especially if you drink at all...)
You might check out hostelworld.com and/or hostelbookers.com--you might be able to find cheaper accommodation if you're willing to stay in a dorm room with other people. This is actually a good way to meet fellow travelers if you're going alone.
If it is ten days including your day of arrival and that of your departure, you would just about make it. There are ways of saving such as buying a Navigo card to travel about. If you are a student and can present a bona fide student card you will get reductions on entry to State owned sites and museums. If you have had a substantial breakfast at the hostel where you are staying you may only need a snack at lunch time and can carry about a bottle of water with you that you can replenish from the tap as the water is safe to drink. Some hostels provide a decent evening meal at very reasonable rates, enabling you to spend more in a restaurant now and again.
Where is central paris in viator?
I'm very confused where exactly do you meet up with your tour guide in central paris ALL IT SAYS IS CENTRAL PARIS.
Paris is a very large place and many areas could be considered as the center, so you will have to contact the tour agency and find an exact location.
Viator only works through local operators in Paris, that's why they don't mention the address where the tour starts. It's almost for sure that the local operator in Paris is Cityrama and if you look at Cityrama's website, you'll see the address.
You can call Viator, the phone number is at the link below but anyway, when they say central Paris, in the case of tour operators, in general, it means between the Louvre museum (rue de Rivoli) and place de l'Opéra (Garnier), which is very central.
Paris is a very large place and many areas could be considered as the center, so you will have to contact the tour agency and find an exact location.
Viator only works through local operators in Paris, that's why they don't mention the address where the tour starts. It's almost for sure that the local operator in Paris is Cityrama and if you look at Cityrama's website, you'll see the address.
You can call Viator, the phone number is at the link below but anyway, when they say central Paris, in the case of tour operators, in general, it means between the Louvre museum (rue de Rivoli) and place de l'Opéra (Garnier), which is very central.
What time of year is the best to go to Paris?
It's always been a dream of mine to travel to Paris . I just want to know when is it the best time to go to Paris?
Usually in end May/June, when the weather is nice and the crowd not yet too dense. However this year the weather is expected to be bad during the whole summer, getting better only in September October.
Anytime in the warm months is good as long as you avoid the school holidays. That is a general rule for all European countries, in fact, and there is some variation from country to country. You cannot have any guarantees on the weather, though. I am sitting in Bordeaux right now and it is raining and quite cool which is not seasonable.
Summer's are usually extremely expensive. Especially August. All of Europe takes off of work and school and they will travel and it's usually to Paris so the price of the flights and hotels are double and sometimes triple. Not to mention how crowded it gets! September until mid October is still somewhat expensive but not as much and the whether is perfect because it won't be as hot. May and June are also beautiful.
Usually in end May/June, when the weather is nice and the crowd not yet too dense. However this year the weather is expected to be bad during the whole summer, getting better only in September October.
Anytime in the warm months is good as long as you avoid the school holidays. That is a general rule for all European countries, in fact, and there is some variation from country to country. You cannot have any guarantees on the weather, though. I am sitting in Bordeaux right now and it is raining and quite cool which is not seasonable.
Summer's are usually extremely expensive. Especially August. All of Europe takes off of work and school and they will travel and it's usually to Paris so the price of the flights and hotels are double and sometimes triple. Not to mention how crowded it gets! September until mid October is still somewhat expensive but not as much and the whether is perfect because it won't be as hot. May and June are also beautiful.
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