I just booked a flight to France, what do I do?

[fa63]

Let me add one more suggestion: you can rent a car and drive out to Flanders, and do some of the RvV route. It was definitely one of the best things I did while there.

If you do rent a car, just make sure you obey the posted speed limits, they have speed cameras everywhere :-)

[yngpunk]

Originally Posted by Veloo

Just be a bit wary of folks that approach you with a scam.

If someone asks you to sign a petition with a bunch of personal info, just keep walking.

One lady came up to us and offered us a necklace. Then asked if we could spare some change. We gave her the necklace.

These are know as the "petition scam" and "gold ring" scam.

https://europeforvisitors.com/paris/...-ring-scam.htm

If someone offers you a gold ring they "just found", perhaps reply with "nous devrions le prendre à la police" or toss it in the Seine, since this seems where they congregate.

[charliedid]

[jwalther]

For wherever you go and whatever you do in Europe. https://www.ricksteves.com/

[572cv]

Weisan, you have picked a good time of year to go to France, both from a weather perspective and a travel cost perspective. There are kind of two parts of France... Paris, and everything else. A quick exit from Paris/CDG is a good strategy if you want to ride and tour. It sounds like you are not planning to rent a car, just cycle. I'd get out of town on a train to a good cycling destination. This summer I threw out the suggestion of Annecy as a destination for another Paceliner planning a September trip with his wife, and he was good enough to let me know he had a great cycling experience there.

My wife and I have written up some of our thoughts about our travel experiences cycling in France over the last two decades. It is a truly wonderful place to ride a bike, but like any travel experience, a trip can be made more fun by taking advantage of others' experience. I'll send you the document via the email tab.

While we have settled into having the village of Turenne in the Correze as our base, a lot of our collected experience might be helpful, I hope.

[weisan]

Five-seven-two pal, much appreciated, I look forward to receiving your email.

[Elefantino]

I'm going to buck the tide here and say DO ride in Paris. And early-morning (particularly) weekend ride on the Champs d'Elysees is a must, from the Arc de Triomphe to the obelisk and back again. Just to say you've done it.

Also, the afternoons at the Bois de Boulougne riding around the Longchamps race course is a ton of fun because you will see everything from neopros on carbon race bikes to old (really old; older than me) men on 70s Peugeots. You can spend many minutes just riding around the track saying "bonjour" to the different groups.

Then catch a TGV for Avignon and go ride MV. You will not forget, or regret.

Have fun, mon pal!

[weisan]

.

[mattsurf]

France has so many great cycling options, you can take the train to the alps, or head to the south coast... however, I would not take the train, I would follow this route from Paris to Bordeaux

http://www.adventure-cafe.com/Advent...Bike-Challenge

At Bordeaux, I would head east to Vichy, if you have time and enjoy climbing head into the Massive Central and Puy De Dome (Extinct Volcanoes where Vichy and Volvic water come from), Then head North on very flat terrain back to Paris

Can you carry a light tent? Municipal campsites are very frequent, just find one when you are ready to stop. I cycled through France with my Brother, we did around 50 miles in the morning, stopped in any nice looking town and had a sleep on a bench in the town square, cycled another 50 miles in the afternoon and found a campsite. Probably the cheapest holiday I ever took

[weisan]

.Can you carry a light tent?

Yes.


Interesting idea, matt pal.

I wouldn't mind doing it but probably better if I have a companion like you do.

[jlwdm]

I have been to Paris more than 10 times in the last 20 years and have never had any problems getting by with English. Not just in the main tourist areas but when we have stayed in apartments in residential areas of Paris. Just be polite and don't wear a fanny pack.

Paris is a beautiful city.

I have not found it difficult in the country either. My best trip away from Paris was the last 14 days of the 2001 TDF on a trip where we rode parts of the course daily.

Jeff

[Octave]

Originally Posted by jlwdm

I have been to Paris more than 10 times in the last 20 years and have never had any problems getting by with English. Not just in the main tourist areas but when we have stayed in apartments in residential areas of Paris. Just be polite and don't wear a fanny pack.

Haha, fanny packs are very popular here in France. Walk around any youthful quartier in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux...etc. and you'll see them everywhere.

Tourists generally make themselves obvious by a) speaking very loudly (American) or b) wearing shorts anytime it's less than 30C (German).

But being a tourist isn't anything to be ashamed of - the French in general are very welcoming if you make even the slightest effort to communicate in their language, even if that just means saying, "je ne parle pas Français.." As with everywhere you travel, try to learn some really basic phrases. Regardless of the country (and I travel a fair bit by bike to places that don't speak French or English) I always try to learn the following (I'll give you the French)

Hello - Bonjour (or Salut, if you're being familiar)
Goodbye - Au revoir (or Ciao, if you're being familiar)
Thank you - Merci
You're welcome - De rien (or t'en pris, if you're being familiar)
Do you speak (English) - Parlez-vous Anglais?
Excuse me - Excusez-moi/Pardon
How much does this cost? - Ça coute combien?
Where is the bathroom? - Où se trouve les toilettes?

And if you're cycling (especially in Paris), you'll want to learn some cuss words as well...

[weisan]

Thanks again to everyone with their excellent suggestions.

The trip is still quite some time away (next Sept), I will just let it sit for a while, see what comes up as the date draws near.

By keeping an open book and a relaxed attitude, I have been pleasantly surprised by the people I met on my trips, things I encountered - they always turn out better than I could ever plan or hope for...ALWAYS!

Whatever will be, will be.

[poff]

Lyon is my favorite city in France - my favorite food and the Alps are nearby.

[plsnobugs]

I understand that you do not have much time. To solve the housing problem in France a few years ago, I spent a lot of time, because I was afraid to book an apartment in advance, only from the photo. But today, this problem is already solved in a few minutes by going to https://www.glamourapartments.com . I’ve been using the resource for 3 years and I’m happy with everything. The main thing is that the photo is the housing for which you pay.