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  • Originally posted by Moliere View Post
    I just checked my tickets today. I originally had an outgoing flight with a 4 hour layover in Cincinnati. Delta cancelled all flights to Cincinnati except for one that lands at 9pm that night, which is a problem since we are supposed to take off from Cincinnati at 6pm.

    I called their reservations number hoping they had an earlier flight. The rep on the line couldn’t find one so he offered to put us on a direct flight that lands pretty much at the same time. So now I have a direct flight out and back and only paid the original $505 for tickets.
    Seems like a great time to visit France! Be sure to pack your yellow vest.

    "If there is one thing I am, it's always right." -Ted Nugent.
    "I honestly believe saying someone is a smart lawyer is damning with faint praise. The smartest people become engineers and scientists." -SU.
    "Yet I still see wisdom in that which Uncle Ted posts." -creek.
    GIVE 'EM HELL, BRIGHAM!

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    • Originally posted by Uncle Ted View Post
      Seems like a great time to visit France! Be sure to pack your yellow vest.

      It’s their annual protest. It’ll be nice to get it over with now so things will be good in the spring.
      "Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessing of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, “spectator discipleship” is a preferred if not primary way of worshipping." -Pres. Uchtdorf

      Comment


      • Going there in a few months with my sisters. Sorry I havent read through the entire thread, but I could use some advice on a few things:

        Regarding transport, we are staying in the 1 arondisement so walking a lot and will only be leaving city center for our trip from CDG Airport, and another day to Versailles. I'd like to try and save money, so would like to skip the Visite Card and just buy those carnets of 10 trips for 14,50. They are good anywhere in zones 1-3 on metro or tram, bus, etc. Are the tickets good for any continual distance? (Do they include transfers? Or are they good from when you trip the turnstile in to when you exit the station?)

        I have been to the top of the Eiffel Tower before, but Ive talked my sisters out of it. It is super crowded and you dont really get a good shot from the top due to all the bars and the crowds. I am thinking of going to the Montparnasse Tower instead, which has floor to ceiling glass walls, and is not crowded. Plus it looks like I can get a great shot of the Eiffel Tower from there. Has anyone done this? What is your opinion?

        We are going on a 6-hour food porn tour whereinwhich you bicycle around the city and stop and eat at multiple specialty places. Has anyone tried this? Opinions?
        Last edited by Katy Lied; 01-27-2019, 10:55 PM.

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        • Originally posted by Katy Lied View Post
          Going there in a few months with my sisters. Sorry I havent read through the entire thread, but I could use some advice on a few things:

          Regarding transport, we are staying in the 1 arondisement so walking a lot and will only be leaving city center for our trip from CDG Airport, and another day to Versailles. I'd like to try and save money, so would like to skip the Visite Card and just buy those carnets of 10 trips for 14,50. They are good anywhere in zones 1-3 on metro or tram, bus, etc. Are the tickets good for any continual distance? (Do they include transfers? Or are they good from when you trip the turnstile in to when you exit the station?)

          I have been to the top of the Eiffel Tower before, but Ive talked my sisters out of it. It is super crowded and you dont really get a good shot from the top due to all the bars and the crowds. I am thinking of going to the Montparnasse Tower instead, which has floor to ceiling glass walls, and is not crowded. Plus it looks like I can get a great shot of the Eiffel Tower from there. Has anyone done this? What is your opinion?

          We are going on a 6-hour food porn tour whereinwhich you bicycle around the city and stop and eat at multiple specialty places. Has anyone tried this? Opinions?
          I was there in July of last summer. We had the 1 week pass that is included in the Paris Pass for the Metro so I can't help you on that question. We did not go to the top of the Eiffel Tower (wife was healing from a foot fracture and was in a boot) and did not feel we missed out at all. Not sure if you've been since the terror attacks, but security measures slow things down at all the major sites now. We did do Montparnasse and really liked it. There are two spots to get great views and pictures. We thought we were at the top in a glass room with 360 views, but you can actually climb up one more floor to the roof where there are couches, overpriced food and drink and even better views. We went up in the day but I'd love to see that same view at night (not sure if that's even an option but it would be cool).

          Edit: Here’s a pic of the tower from Montparnasse. I have no idea why pics get so distorted when I post from my phone these days.
          5EAB8D94-DCA6-486B-99CC-B9CB01ADA306.jpg
          Last edited by SteelBlue; 01-28-2019, 07:12 AM.

          Comment


          • Originally posted by SteelBlue View Post
            I was there in July of last summer. We had the 1 week pass that is included in the Paris Pass for the Metro so I can't help you on that question. We did not go to the top of the Eiffel Tower (wife was healing from a foot fracture and was in a boot) and did not feel we missed out at all. Not sure if you've been since the terror attacks, but security measures slow things down at all the major sites now. We did do Montparnasse and really liked it. There are two spots to get great views and pictures. We thought we were at the top in a glass room with 360 views, but you can actually climb up one more floor to the roof where there are couches, overpriced food and drink and even better views. We went up in the day but I'd love to see that same view at night (not sure if that's even an option but it would be cool).

            Edit: Here’s a pic of the tower from Montparnasse. I have no idea why pics get so distorted when I post from my phone these days.
            [ATTACH]9352[/ATTACH]
            My parents claim that the Parisians say that the best views of paris are from Monparnasse, but only because you can't see the montparnasse tower from there. That and sacre coeur do have the best views.

            Originally posted by Katy Lied View Post
            Going there in a few months with my sisters. Sorry I havent read through the entire thread, but I could use some advice on a few things:

            Regarding transport, we are staying in the 1 arondisement so walking a lot and will only be leaving city center for our trip from CDG Airport, and another day to Versailles. I'd like to try and save money, so would like to skip the Visite Card and just buy those carnets of 10 trips for 14,50. They are good anywhere in zones 1-3 on metro or tram, bus, etc. Are the tickets good for any continual distance? (Do they include transfers? Or are they good from when you trip the turnstile in to when you exit the station?)
            When I was there last spring, we got the Navigo pass. https://www.ratp.fr/en/titres-et-tar...-travel-passes

            This is the best deal and it gives you freedom to get around and covers versilles. Only issue is that the week goes from monday morning to Sat midnight, so take that into account, but it looks like if you have a pass it covers every weekend.

            you only need a smaller than passport picture and can get it at pretty much any station.

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            • There is a Day-and-Night ticket for the Montparnasse Tower; it's 5 euros more than the one time pass. You can go to the tower 2 times in a 48-hour span, designed to catch day and night.

              I read that the Navigo pass is really designed for locals and they want the tourists to pay for the overpriced visite pass. They can't keep tourists from buying a Navigo, but they hassle them enough to discourage tourists from using these passes, especially if not fluent in french...

              Anyone else know about the ten carnet paper booklet? sometimes called t-1 tickets?

              Comment


              • Originally posted by Katy Lied View Post
                Going there in a few months with my sisters. Sorry I havent read through the entire thread, but I could use some advice on a few things:

                Regarding transport, we are staying in the 1 arondisement so walking a lot and will only be leaving city center for our trip from CDG Airport, and another day to Versailles. I'd like to try and save money, so would like to skip the Visite Card and just buy those carnets of 10 trips for 14,50. They are good anywhere in zones 1-3 on metro or tram, bus, etc. Are the tickets good for any continual distance? (Do they include transfers? Or are they good from when you trip the turnstile in to when you exit the station?)

                I have been to the top of the Eiffel Tower before, but Ive talked my sisters out of it. It is super crowded and you dont really get a good shot from the top due to all the bars and the crowds. I am thinking of going to the Montparnasse Tower instead, which has floor to ceiling glass walls, and is not crowded. Plus it looks like I can get a great shot of the Eiffel Tower from there. Has anyone done this? What is your opinion?

                We are going on a 6-hour food porn tour whereinwhich you bicycle around the city and stop and eat at multiple specialty places. Has anyone tried this? Opinions?
                I'd just buy the carnets of 10 trips if it were me. If one of your travellers has never been in the Louvre then you have to got to the Louvre, but for my money and time I prefer the Musée d'Orsay: you can go to the top floor, to the cafeteria and then out on the roof. You get a spectacular view of the Seine, and the city from there.

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                • Come on, KL. Everyone should get the chance to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower once.
                  "There is no creature more arrogant than a self-righteous libertarian on the web, am I right? Those folks are just intolerable."
                  "It's no secret that the great American pastime is no longer baseball. Now it's sanctimony." -- Guy Periwinkle, The Nix.
                  "Juilliardk N I ibuprofen Hyu I U unhurt u" - creekster

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                  • It was too cold for bike tours when we were there. The 10 tickets ended up being a great deal. If you take the train to Versailles, you have to buy another ticket, but all in, it’s like 4 euro to get to the palace.

                    My wife was 7 months pregnant, so w eu weed a lot when we first got there, but google maps ended up making using the Metro super easy.

                    My favorite was the Cathedral of Notre Dame. We had a 1 hour tour, but I wish I would have done a better tour.
                    Jesus wants me for a sunbeam.

                    "Cog dis is a bitch." -James Patterson

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                    • The best views of Paris are from the top of Notre Dame. The views from Sacre Coeur are nice but you are far away from the center and there’s always trees in the way,
                      At least from the steps.

                      Montparnasse tower has great views but you are fairly high up. It makes for a nice view at sunset, though. Le Ciel is the restaurant on the top of the tower and if you aren’t on a budget, it’s nice to sit next to the window and watch the sunset on the Eiffel Tower as you eat creme brulee.

                      The 10 carnet packet is great for getting around if you aren’t going to take a bunch of separate trips. Once you are in the metro turnstile, you can go anywhere on the metro without exiting the turnstile. I’m not sure if you can use the same ticket to then hop on a bus, but no one takes the busses in Paris because the metro is so easy. The Navigo option is better, IMO. You should be able to buy them from a machine (these machines are all over in the major stations), thus eliminating the annoyance of buying from a ticket agent.
                      "Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessing of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, “spectator discipleship” is a preferred if not primary way of worshipping." -Pres. Uchtdorf

                      Comment


                      • Prepare for rail strikes!
                        "There is no creature more arrogant than a self-righteous libertarian on the web, am I right? Those folks are just intolerable."
                        "It's no secret that the great American pastime is no longer baseball. Now it's sanctimony." -- Guy Periwinkle, The Nix.
                        "Juilliardk N I ibuprofen Hyu I U unhurt u" - creekster

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by Jeff Lebowski View Post
                          Prepare for rail strikes!
                          not just rail, but metro too.

                          My parents and my in-laws were going to the Rodin museum on saturday and had to get off the metro on the champs by l'etoile due to the yellow vests. They ended up having to walk to the museum form there. No big deal really. What they said was cool was that the champs was closed off due to the protests, so they were able to take a great picture of the arc de triomphe from the middle of the road without the fear of being hit by a car.

                          Comment


                          • Originally posted by Katy Lied View Post
                            There is a Day-and-Night ticket for the Montparnasse Tower; it's 5 euros more than the one time pass. You can go to the tower 2 times in a 48-hour span, designed to catch day and night.

                            I read that the Navigo pass is really designed for locals and they want the tourists to pay for the overpriced visite pass. They can't keep tourists from buying a Navigo, but they hassle them enough to discourage tourists from using these passes, especially if not fluent in french...

                            Anyone else know about the ten carnet paper booklet? sometimes called t-1 tickets?
                            We also used the batobus on the Seine. It was a nice way to hop on/off at the key tourist attractions near the river for a day.

                            I bought the ten-pack metro tickets at the electronic kiosk in every metro station. It looks like an ATM machine. My only word of advice is to use cash at the kiosk. I tried using my credit card, and it asked me for my credit card's pin number (I didn't know my CC had a pin), so I had to use cash.

                            Assuming the metro is open and working, there's no reason no to use it to get around.
                            Jesus wants me for a sunbeam.

                            "Cog dis is a bitch." -James Patterson

                            Comment


                            • Originally posted by Green Monstah View Post
                              We also used the batobus on the Seine. It was a nice way to hop on/off at the key tourist attractions near the river for a day.

                              I bought the ten-pack metro tickets at the electronic kiosk in every metro station. It looks like an ATM machine. My only word of advice is to use cash at the kiosk. I tried using my credit card, and it asked me for my credit card's pin number (I didn't know my CC had a pin), so I had to use cash.

                              Assuming the metro is open and working, there's no reason no to use it to get around.
                              I wonder if this is a European thing, and maybe it's a good idea to establish/memorize your credit card pins before travelling there, just in case you run into that.

                              Comment


                              • Originally posted by Bo Diddley View Post
                                I wonder if this is a European thing, and maybe it's a good idea to establish/memorize your credit card pins before travelling there, just in case you run into that.
                                Yup. Europe, and basically the rest of the world, do "chip and PIN" while the US is still stuck on "mag stripe and signature", although we're slowly upgrading to "chip and signature". The entire signature thing is so stupid. Nobody validates it, nobody looks at, it offers no security at all and is basically just a big stupid wasteful hassle that we in the US continue out of "tradition". (The USA-hater Walter Sobchak should focus his ire on our country's electronic payment industry, then he would really have a legitimate beef)

                                When I go out of the country I always make sure I use my credit cards with no foreign transaction fees and that I know the PIN for them.

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