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Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Belated postcard from France
When I opened my mailbox today, I was surprised to find a postcard that I wrote three months ago! It was addressed to my Hubby and my youngest child, who my two older kids and I abandoned in the States while we were on a two-week trip to France.
Three months? You read that right. My friend and tour guide Dr. Kirsten Halling trekked up the Eiffel Tower to mail all of our group’s postcards so they’d get the special Tour Eiffel postmark. The group had already been to the top the night before, but persistent K wanted us to have that postmark. But in three months, she could have walked the postcard back to Dayton herself.
The card’s image of Notre Dame at night brought memories of the trip flooding back. Here’s how it read:
“Bonjour! Second day: So far we’ve seen the Louvre, Sainte-Chappelle, boat ride on the Seine, La Conciergerie, the Latin Quarter. Tonight, Eiffel Tower. I’m drinking a cafe creme right now and started off lunch with a Ricard. So Nice! Miss you — Me.
“P.S. Kids are being Very Good.
“P.P.S. Hostel is atrocious!”
This gives you a pretty good idea of the pace we were keeping. I never thought I could walk so far so fast.
But K had an awesome itinerary planned out for us, and our group of five adults and seven children trooped along behind her quick little legs as best we could. (I perpetually brought up the rear, willing my aching feet to take each step.)
Being a professor who has led umpteen student tours to France, Kirsten carried along her “little black book” of lecture material. At every single stop, she had a prepared quickie history lesson at her fingertips. And being a mom of two tweens, she knew just how to spark the interest and imagination of our young travelers.
K had hosted mini-French lessons for two hours each Saturday for a month before our departure. We learned the alphabet sounds, calendar terms, counting, simple questions like “How much does it cost?” and how to order from a French menu in French.
Also, we learned streetwise tips like how to deal with gypsies (say ‘no’ forcefully and walk away, no matter how plaintive the story or sorrowful the eyes), to never order coffee with dinner (wait till afterward, you stupid American), and to act casual and not point and stare at topless sunbathers (especially pointed advice for our young male globe-trotters).
We also learned that if you don’t speak the language but make an effort anyway, however bad, the French will respect you for trying and will usually cut you a break, especially if you use your bad French while wearing a slightly scared and helpless expression.
The most important lesson of all was to use “s’il vous plait” and “merci” incessantly.
In short, if you want to have a fabulous time in France, make nice with a French professor and let her plan your trip.
Here are some tips on getting around Paris:
— Passports: Every traveler obviously needs one. Keep them with you at all times (I carried mine and my kids’ in a travel wallet). Apply for them at the post office no later than eight weeks before your trip, to be on the safe side. These cost about $100 for adults, half that for kids. They’re valid for 10 years for those over age 16, but children must have them renewed every five years.
— Footwear: Bring two pairs of comfortable walking shoes. The French don’t usually wear tennis shoes as streetwear, and if you do, you’ll stick out like a sore toe. I brought Keens and two pairs of comfy, well broken-in sandals. Kids, however, are free to wear tennies or Crocs as they please.
And for the love of God, bring flip-flops for the shower! We NEVER went barefoot anywhere but in the ocean. I bought us each a pair of flips from Dollar Tree and tossed them in the trash when we were packing for home.
— Banking: Check with your bank before you go to make sure your ATM card will work in Europe. I used my Visa debit card everywhere with total success, much to the dismay of my Hubby at home. (Travelers checks are outdated: You have to search high and low for a bank that will exchange them, and you are scrutinized like you’re trying to steal the crown jewels. Also, most storefront exchange spots are a rip-off. Stick with the plastic, my friends.)
— Phones: Check with your cell phone company well in advance to make sure your phone will function properly overseas. I had to get a rental from Verizon which allowed our group to stay in contact by texting. Phone calls were too expensive, something like 50 cents a minute.
— Guidebooks and maps: Borrow the latest Fodor’s or Frommer’s or Let’s Go from your local library, read it and take notes in a small reporter’s notebook (and no, I didn’t use company property!), take the street map out of the back, but leave the book at home. (They’re too heavy to lug around — trust me!) My husband and I got some great tips from “Cheap Eats Paris.”
— Transportation: Bring small headshot or school picture-type photographs of each member of your party — about 1 1/2 inches by 1 1/2 inches — so you can buy a Carte Orange for the week or a multi-day Paris Visite pass at the rail or RER station at the airport. You need to show your passport to the friendly clerks, and they’ll make you up a little wallet for your tickets. (Kids love these things.) The tickets are good for the train, bus or Metro, which is the subway that snakes under Paris. Children 4 to 11 are half price (yay!).
Kids under 4 travel free, but here’s the part where I warn you that getting around Paris with a toddler is something that I wouldn’t try. Wait a few years so they’ll remember the trip.
A single Metro ticket is 1.5 euros and it includes all transfers within an hour-and-a-half of first stamp to anywhere in Paris. A carnet of 10 tickets is very useful and can be purchased at machines in Metro stations with a bank card. If your credit card doesn’t work, go to the ticket window. And don’t forget your manners.
Use the Metro! Get yourself a Metro map, or just study the maps posted on every underground wall. Once you familiarize yourself with the color-coded lines and figure out the end of the line for each route you want to take, you’ll be able to travel the city with ease. (If I can do it, anyone can.) And each Metro stop has it’s own style, so that’s interesting in itself.
Two safety tips: beware of pickpockets, and step lively when entering or exiting the Metro or train cars.
— Buy a Paris Museum Pass for every adult in your party. It’s the cheapest way to see all the wonders of Paris, and it cuts line waits down considerably. We bought ours at the Louvre. A four-day pass is 45 euros. Here’s the best part: Children under 18 don’t need a pass, and they get in all Paris museums free of charge. That’s what I said: FREE!
More on what to pack, where to eat and where not to stay later.
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