Gregorso

We're going to Paris next week!

Will the transportation strike be a big problem? What's the best
inexpensive transportation available to get from Charles DeGaul
Airport to our hotel in the 9th Arr.? Is the Metro running next week?

Are the www.paris-walks.com tours good? Is it necessary to make
reservations for their walking tours, or just show up?

Are there boats we can take on the Seine in the evening WITHOUT
dinner? We'd rather focus on the view than eating.

Is it really crowded, as usual, this summer, or is it less busy since
Sept.11?
If Versailles is uncomfortably crowded, perhaps another palace would
be advisable to visit?

Merci!

Magda

On 10 Jun 2003 07:08:47 -0700, in rec.travel.europe, [email protected] (Gregorso)
arranged some electrons, so they looked like this :

... We're going to Paris next week!
...
... Will the transportation strike be a big problem?

In all probability, yes. It has been a problem for us these past five weeks or so.

What's the best
... inexpensive transportation available to get from Charles DeGaul
... Airport to our hotel in the 9th Arr.?

Metro.

... Is the Metro running next week?

Yes, but we don't know when or where to... ;-))

... Are there boats we can take on the Seine in the evening WITHOUT
... dinner? We'd rather focus on the view than eating.

Yes. Do it earlier in the day. Personally, I don't care for evening boat rides - you see
more and better with daylight.

... Is it really crowded, as usual, this summer, or is it less busy since
... Sept.11?

What's Sept. 11 ??

... If Versailles is uncomfortably crowded, perhaps another palace would
... be advisable to visit?

Pierrefonds, maybe ?

Frank Cascio

"Gregorso" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > We're going to Paris next week!
    > Will the transportation strike be a big problem?

Paris is going to be a living nightmare with the strike.

What's the best
    > inexpensive transportation available to get from Charles DeGaul
    > Airport to our hotel in the 9th Arr.?

There will be gypsy cabs at the airport, but the strikers will probably spit
at you or throw rocks if they see you take one. Be careful.

Is the Metro running next week?

No!

    > Are the www.paris-walks.com tours good?

No! Try www.cestsibon.fr.com instead

Is it necessary to make
    > reservations for their walking tours, or just show up?

Just show up. Few people like that tour.
    > Are there boats we can take on the Seine in the evening WITHOUT
    > dinner? We'd rather focus on the view than eating.

No. You must pay for dinner, even if you don't eat it.
    > Is it really crowded, as usual, this summer, or is it less busy since
    > Sept.11?

Paris is practically empty since 911

    > If Versailles is uncomfortably crowded, perhaps another palace would
    > be advisable to visit?

You are better off visiting the Loire valley for a day or so.
    > Merci!
Pas de quoi! Ayez un bon voyage.

Terry Richards

"Gregorso" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > We're going to Paris next week!
    > Are the www.paris-walks.com tours good? Is it necessary to make
    > reservations for their walking tours, or just show up?

We took a couple of their tours and found them quite worth the money. The
catacombs one was particularly good.

You can just show up but if you reserve and then turn up in the wrong place
they will make an attempt to find you. You don't have to pay until you get
there either way.

Terry & Kathie Richards

Mxsmanic

Gregorso writes:

    > Will the transportation strike be a big problem?

Hard to say.

    > Is the Metro running next week?

See above.

    > Are there boats we can take on the Seine in the
    > evening WITHOUT dinner?

Sure. Most of the hourly tours do not include dinner; there are only a
few dinner tours each evening.

    > Is it really crowded, as usual, this summer, or is
    > it less busy since Sept.11?

Only very slightly less busy. Paris is the world's most popular tourist
destination, though, so "less busy" won't look that way to you if you're
visiting the city for the first time.

    > If Versailles is uncomfortably crowded, perhaps
    > another palace would be advisable to visit?

The tours can be crowded; the gardens are not.

--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

Mxsmanic

Magda writes:

    > What's Sept. 11 ??

It follows Sept. 10.

--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

Mark Marinelli

PS Mxsmanic knows of which they speak.

The Pont Vedette boat (at the bottom of Pont Neuf )is our favorite boat. I
like the sunset ride(around 9:45 pm in the summer!), and the night ride is
also cool because all the monuments are flooded with light, and, well
nighttime is much more romantic.
One can often see little scenarios being played on the banks of the river,
also. I have seen people tango dancing, etc.
During the day I like the batobus which one can ride all day long for the
same price, and make stop-offs along the way.

Forget about strikes....Walk....think positively

The Blue Van airport shuttle is a great way to get to and from the airport.
For some reason I cannot access their site at the moment, but they do have
one, and one can reserve by email, using your flight #.
They know where and when to pick you up, specially on the way back to the
airport, so one doesn't have to figure it all out.

Have Fun!
MM

"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
news[email protected]...
    > Gregorso writes:
    > > Will the transportation strike be a big problem?
    > Hard to say.
    > > Is the Metro running next week?
    > See above.
    > > Are there boats we can take on the Seine in the
    > > evening WITHOUT dinner?
    > Sure. Most of the hourly tours do not include dinner; there are only a
    > few dinner tours each evening.
    > > Is it really crowded, as usual, this summer, or is
    > > it less busy since Sept.11?
    > Only very slightly less busy. Paris is the world's most popular tourist
    > destination, though, so "less busy" won't look that way to you if you're
    > visiting the city for the first time.
    > > If Versailles is uncomfortably crowded, perhaps
    > > another palace would be advisable to visit?
    > The tours can be crowded; the gardens are not.
    > --
    > Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

John Stolz

Mxsmanic wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Magda writes:
    > > What's Sept. 11 ??
    > It follows Sept. 10.
I thought 9th November followed Sep 10

John Stolz

Frank Cascio wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > "Gregorso" wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > We're going to Paris next week!
    > >
    > > Will the transportation strike be a big problem?
    > Paris is going to be a living nightmare with the strike.
    > What's the best
    > > inexpensive transportation available to get from Charles DeGaul
    > > Airport to our hotel in the 9th Arr.?
    > There will be gypsy cabs at the airport, but the strikers will probably
spit
    > at you or throw rocks if they see you take one. Be careful.
    > Is the Metro running next week?
    > No!
    > > Are the www.paris-walks.com tours good?
    > No! Try www.cestsibon.fr.com instead
    > Is it necessary to make
    > > reservations for their walking tours, or just show up?
    > Just show up. Few people like that tour.
    > >
    > > Are there boats we can take on the Seine in the evening WITHOUT
    > > dinner? We'd rather focus on the view than eating.
    > No. You must pay for dinner, even if you don't eat it.
    > >
    > > Is it really crowded, as usual, this summer, or is it less busy since
    > > Sept.11?
    > Paris is practically empty since 911
    > > If Versailles is uncomfortably crowded, perhaps another palace would
    > > be advisable to visit?
    > You are better off visiting the Loire valley for a day or so.
    > >
    > > Merci!
    > Pas de quoi! Ayez un bon voyage.
AFAIK the taxis are not on strike. The strike is of public sector workers -
granted in France that means a lot more people than in most countries, but
normal businesses shouldn't be too badly affected.

Peg

dans l'article ,
[email protected] disait...
    > We're going to Paris next week!
    >
    > Will the transportation strike be a big problem?

I don't think so.
Today only 2 lines (9 and 10) are on strike.
Traffic on those lines is about 75% of normal situation.

    > Are there boats we can take on the Seine in the evening WITHOUT
    > dinner? We'd rather focus on the view than eating.
I think you are definitly right to avoid eating there.
I went there once. Food was bad. There are plenty better restaurants in
Paris.

    > Is it really crowded, as usual, this summer, or is it less busy since
    > Sept.11?

As usual I think.

    > If Versailles is uncomfortably crowded, perhaps another palace would
    > be advisable to visit?
Versailles is often crowded.
Just an ide : try St Germain en Laye (RER A) there is a very nice
market during week end and the castle is nice to visit.

Pierre.

--
http://www.pdacool.com

Ed Krol

I think people in the US don't really understand the strikes
because as they get filtered by the news media into "general strike", it
sounds like the whole country is shut down. Quite the contrary, there is a well
orchestrated area strike which is published in the paper in France.
For example, tuesday the air traffic controllers, wednesday bus drivers,
thursday postal workers.... So people consult the schedule and plan their days
accordingly.

Also, air traffic control strikes seems to exempt intercontinental flights.
When we were there 2 weeks ago with our daughter she was flying out
on American Airlines the day ath air traffic controllers struck. They
still staffed to "minimal safety levels" which could handle 20% of the
traffic and that was virtually all overseas carriers. The only American
flight which was cancelled was one ending in Miami with the first leg to
Spain hence it was an intra EU flight to the French.
Actually for her it was more convienent because the traffic around CDG
was extremely light. The only negative were some of the coffee shops
were closed because of the dirth of business.