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[expatinuk]

Before yesterday I'd never been to Paris. It's weird. I've been all over the world but never really been to Paris. I've changed planes at CDG, a lot... but never been to the city.

I arrived yesterday, and I'm not sure that I really ever want to come back.

First of all, I'm out in the total boonies in an industrial area. This MAY have a lot to do with why I HATE IT HERE! I'm here because the meetings that are scheduled for all day on Friday and Saturday are in this area.

I HATE IT HERE because:

1. Get into a taxi at CDG... it takes off then pulls into a petrol station to fill up. WITH THE METER RUNNING! I demanded to be taken back to the airport when I discovered that he wasn't a REAL TAXI.

2. Get into taxi two... who was a REAL TAXI... but who kept driving around and around slowly while he tried to figure out how to work the GPS to get to my hotel IN THE BOONIES.

3. A taxi ride that should have cost 40-50 Euro ended up costing 80 Euro.

4. My hotel couldn't find my reservation and the hotel is full.

5. They FINALLY found it... they'd put the reservation under my secretary's name.

6. Colleagues arriving from Romania at 10:00 p.m. got stranded at CDG when there was a bus strike. They took a train into the city... and another train to the BOONIES. They then got stranded at the train station because there were no taxis.

7. A kind lady at the station gave them a ride to their hotel (not the same as mine)

8. It was closed and the registration number that they'd been given to open the door wouldn't work.

9. Of course they kept calling me asking for help.... WHAT THE HECK CAN I DO??

10. I asked my hotel if they could stay in my room until morning... they refused. (by this time it's 2:00 a.m.)

11. Finally telephoned one of the people we're scheduled to meet on Friday... he telephoned the police... they telephoned the hotel owner (not my hotel but the hotel that had locked them out) and the hotel owner arrived to let them in the hotel.

12. So, by 3:00 a.m. they are in their room...and I'm awake.

13. There's no toilet paper in my room.

We're going sightseeing in a couple of hours.... I'm taking tissues with me incase the lack of toilet paper is a French thing (I've discovered that it's an Italian thing)

[science_expat]

Sounds like a nightmare, ExPat.

I've been to Paris a couple of times for meetings and never had any real problems but always stayed centrally and got to my hotel via the metro. (Although CDG must be the world's worst airport!)

Hope today is enjoyable,

SE

[bibliothecula]

ExPat, what an awful introduction to a great city. With a few coffees, pastries, gorgeous views and visits to cool places, your CDG and hotel nightmares will begin to fade....I hope. I have experienced the same thing in Paris and Rome--terrible first days with airports and lodging--but all has worked out well in the end. Sugary sweets are recommended, as is caffeine and lunch on the Ile St Louis, followed by a visit to the Musee d'Orsay's incredible sculpture gallery.

[francie_]

Nope, nothing you've described surprises me, including the fake taxi and the lack of TP in hotel room.

I do hope your visit improves however.  Unless there's a strike, use the RER and Metro to get around.  Just a stroll along the Seine will work miracles.

You and Hubba Bubba need to go there on your next vacation, fewer mosquitos to contend with too!

[tamiam]

Expat, sounds like you should lay off the travel for a while. You're jinxed.

[science_expat]

Expat, sounds like you should lay off the travel for a while. You're jinxed.

True. ExPat, you wouldn't post a list of airports and times so we know the places to avoid? ;-)

[expatinuk]

I spent a day as a tourist in Paris yesterday and got to enjoy the delights of spending 6.50 euro for a diet coke.

And spending 60 euro for a 7 day wifi conection that wouldn't let me log on the second day... so I had to spend another 10 euro to get a connection to complain about not getting the connection the second day.

Oh... I tried to telephone the 24/7 bilingual help line... only to get a recorded message in French. After 5 such calls I finally managed to understand the message.

The 24/7 help line is closed today because of a strike.

France is ok... the French? HA!

[schoolmarm]

Expat, I share your disdain for Paris.  I thought that I was the only one on the planet that didn't like Paris.

Using the subway is like descending into hell.  Then going through the sewer system.  Don't try it with luggage.

I did find a really great music shop.  Didn't find many concerts.  Food...SIGH.  I hear you with the 6 Euro coke.

Hang in there!

(I'll be in Cologne during our Thanksgiving...no chance for turkey there!)

[sunny_side_up]

You remind me why Americans are so popular all over the world.... Some people should just stay at home!

[historydude]

A couple of tips that can help in the city of lights and dogs**t.
1) To avoid the 6 euro Coke, order and drink standing at the bar in a cafe; the price always goes way up if you sit down inside, it rises even more if you sit outside.
2) If there's a weekend coming up with good weather forecast, you can bet someone's going on strike on Friday (or Monday).  And probably the transport services will strike in sympathy.
3) Take buses.  It's a great way to see the city and they (usually) don't stink of the "eau de urine" you get in the metro stations.  (Obviously don't try with luggage though).
4) France Telecom bites the big one.  Never call from a hotel.  But if you want people to call you, remember to have the front desk turn on your line (I know, I know...).  Get a phone card and call from booths or internet cafes that have private phone booths.
5) Drink heavily.  The wine's cheap; beer, not so much.  But you can drink in public, so grab a bottle and some plastic cups and sit by the Seine - a lovely way to pass an evening.  If you long to hear English, go to one of the many Irish pubs in town.
6) Do the full 3-course menu thing for dinner.  At lunch, eat on the streets - good cheap crepes, panini, and Grec-frites can be found all over for less than 5 euros.
7) And always always always, watch where you're walking.

[starfleet_grad]

Check out the link below, and you will see that there is almost universal consensus that CDG is one hellhole of an airport. I have my own horror story to tell, and my wife said she'd rather swim next time than fly through Paris again.

http://www.airlinequality.com/Airports/Airport_forum/cdg.htm

[sunny_side_up]

I always try to go through Paris if I can. There are few airports with such short distances as CDG, if you have a longer layover you can get into city center in 15 minutes (it's worth it even if you just have time to drink a coffee or a wine at the Eiffel tower), you always get great coffee (that is coffee that actually contains coffee for the Starbuck generation!) and something decent to eat at the airport. Why would you want to drink diet coke in Paris???

[expatinuk]

First of all... sunny_side_up... I live in Europe so your comments about why Americans are hated the world over seems a tad odd to me. Most of my negative comments about Paris aren't about Paris... but about travel. I travel, A lot... too freaking much. And it's ALWAYS a pain.

Flying THROUGH CDG is not the same as actually landing there.  I found this out on this trip. I've flown through CDG more times than I can count, but this was my first actual trip to Paris. I don't think that CDG is the worst airport I've been to.... I reserve that honor for Seatac. (Now I'll be bashed by all the Pacific Northwest folk)

Why would I want a Diet Coke in Paris? erm... for the same reason I'd want a Diet Coke in Athens, Prague, London, New York (pick a city)... I like it and that's what I want to drink with my lunch. I don't like French coffee or Italian coffee because I like to sleep at night. And even though I like French wine (I lugged back four bottles from Paris) I don't want to drink wine at lunch.

Most of my complaints about Paris would have been said about any large city... I find that the inconvenience associated with a large city far outweighs any benefit that I get. Your mileage may differ... this is what makes the world round.

I have lived and worked in New York and London and have visited most major US and European cities so I do know what I'm talking about in terms of traffic, noise, people, and just plain dirt. Those are not the things that I like dealing with, so in my every day life I don't.

Just to set everyones minds at rest (as if you really were concerned) Hubby Bubba and I will be visiting Paris again after Christmas. It will be a pleasure trip instead of a business one. We're going to Paris, Venice and then down to Athens. I lived in Athens 25 odd years ago and haven't really been back so I'm looking forward to seeing how the city has changed. Venice is Hubby Bubba's fave city and he's looking forward to introducing it to me (I've never been).

Next week we're off to the States.... where I'm sure that Hubby Bubba will have difficulty with US emigration (he always does!) They don't seem to understand just WHY a Brit married to an American hasn't MOVED TO THE US... WHY??? What's wrong with the US??? WHY DOESN'T HE WANT A GREEN CARD!!!!

[francie_]

Next week we're off to the States.... where I'm sure that Hubby Bubba will have difficulty with US emigration (he always does!) They don't seem to understand just WHY a Brit married to an American hasn't MOVED TO THE US... WHY??? What's wrong with the US??? WHY DOESN'T HE WANT A GREEN CARD!!!!

I guess you need to put this in your "Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don't" file, ExPat.

Happy Trails!  And don't stop traveling.  Your stories are great!

[goldenapple]

I'm now living and working about 2 hours from Paris and am planning to go there this weekend. I usually take the train, though last time I did, the SNCF was having one of their strikes. Well, it wasn't a real strike, just a strike by the conducters who check your tickets on the train, and it was causing "perturbations" in the schedule.  Funnily enough, the conducters on our local tram line were also on strike, and today some of the postal workers are sort of having a strike. It's one of those French potluck strikes -- everybody pitches in a little something. And have you ever gone out to the airport on the RER and then discovered that the machines at the exits couldn't read the perfectly correct RER ticket (purchased from one of the machines that only take the Carte Bleu or correct change -- so convenient for the foreign traveler -- and that work . . . frequently) you'd used to enter the system in the city? And that there was no one around to fix the machine or open the gate? Oh, if you haven't climbed over the gates at CDG, you haven't really lived.

Seriously, folks, I enjoy living in France and I don't know any more jerks here than I did when I lived in the U.S. or Germany, but if you don't occasionally get really irritated when you're trying to get around in Paris -- well, you should bottle some of your zen calm and sell it to the rest of us. I'd buy it by the case.