Forum Thermomix
Welcoming Center, Management and General Chat => Chit Chat => Topic started by: meganjane on January 18, 2013, 06:54:37 am
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I'm afraid a look at my finances has told me that I will have to give this a miss. I'm going to Paris in April 2014, so must pull my head in and stop spending!!
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Sorry to hear that MJ but wow, you do have something else to look forward to ;)
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paris sounds fun
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You will love paris in spring mj.. Have you been to monets gardens?? Plus all the chateaux especially around tours are pretty whenthe gardens are in bloom.. So many tours from paris and the chateau de villandry are well k own for their gardens..how long will you be there for?
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Frozzie you have just transported me back to Giverny to Monets amazing gardens..... Stunning I could spend the entire day there.
MJ you will love Paris so much to see and do. I love Ile Saint Louis which is a minute away from Notre Dame. Lovely cafes,shops and the famous Berthillon ice cream. What a wonderful city :D I bet you can't wait MJ
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I love paris.. You could spend years there and not discover it all.. Yes monets gardens are lovely but in spring.. Took someone there off season and it just did,t have the same charm as when everything is in bloom.. I often wandered around paris with friends and always saw something new.. Gorgeous city.. Miss it, france, paris ex home :(
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I love Paris too Frozzie and never tire of it, was 14 the first time I went there and find something new every visit :)
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....count me in that number - I soaked up the atmosphere of the amazing city, could have spent months instead of weeks - DH not so much :) :)
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Frozzie, I'm going for 3 nights in late May with DH for my very first time to Europe. What would be your top 5 things to do? (Or more if they are little things like grabbing a baguette and cheese and eating by the river type thing)
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Cp you def have to go to the supermarket and get some meats and cheeses and wine yes sold in supermarkets.. Heps cheaper than oz nd the variety will blow you away then grab a baguette from a boulangere and eat wherever doesnt matter .. They sell them in supermarket but not as good as boulangerie. There are several parks which are nice o sit in but some dont want you on grass lol. Wouldnt eat along the river.. Not so clean imo but could also be in your hotel room with a few bottles of gorgeous french wine... With wine As there are so many to choose from go for ones with medals.. Usually a good guide when its all too much.. My fav wines are graves in white or black and saint emillion.. Now thats food out of the way well no actually you have to find a decent patissierie.. Just avoid tourist zones and if it looks good it generally is.. Go with your gut ...you could also go with some famous patisseries but honestly you dont need to.. If is your first time in paris you will want to do the classics... Champs elysees, arch de triomphe, eiffel tower, catacombes, the louvre and some other major museums if thats your thing, moulin rouge, the bateaux mouches (barge boats on the river seine)... They do short cruises, evening ones or meal time etc.. Very well known, pere lachaise cemetary.. Jim morrison, oscar wilde, edith paf etc amongst many others buried there and its interesting to visit..as well as some day trips just out of paris are monets garden and chateau de versailles... Pm me if you want any specific info.. Paris is a city to wander around in.. Lots of knooks znd crannies.. Oh also notre dame cathedral but be careful of pic pokets and between notre dame and the louvre along the seine are the bookinistes.. (Little venders selling books and french cards and posters etc.. Also a parisien icon and worth a wander.. Oh so jealous!! Paris is a gorgeous city..
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Top 5 would be eiffel tower, bateau mouche, montmarte (yep forgot to mention that one lol), the louvre et notre dame
If possible monets garden and versaille..but they are out of paris..
How long will you be in paris/france?
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CP, your time in Paris will just fly!!!!! We have been there twice and still not seen everything we want to. But do yourself a favour and go and see Sainte-Chapelle. This little chapel was built between 1246 and 1248 and houses fifteen 50 foot high stained glass windows illustrating the Old and New Testaments. It is often missed by tourists but is quite close to Notre-Dame Cathedral but remember to climb the stairs as there is more to see up there!!!!~ Also make the time to see Versailles. It is easy to reach by local train and free if you have a Paris Pass although you will have to pay to see the gardens/fountains. Try and go on a day when the fountains are working and if possible don't take a tour as then you only get to spend a couple of hours there and it's not enough. We spent three weeks in Paris last year and if you want any more info lets know.
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CP you will love Paris. You will be frustrated that you can't see more and stay longer. We have been there several times and although we have seen most of the things that Frozzie has mentioned, we now like to wander through the not so touristy streets and just look in the shops and at the people. If you are buying food, don't buy too much at one time. The markets are worth visiting. I have a book on the Markets of Paris and if you tell me which days and where you are staying , I can look up what is available.
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Need to mention that DH just loved Claude Monet's Garden. We trained from Paris to Vernon and then the bus to Giverny. The colours were too fantastic to describe (reminded us of the garden at Butchart Gardens in Victoria, Canada). Despite the huge number of visitors, the water lily pond with the bridge was so peaceful. So exciting for both MJ and CP :) :)
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Sit in a cafe in Montemarte and people watch and the Moulin Rouge is a must :D so much to see and do.....
My DS proposed to his now wife on the Eiffel tower. She was traveling with friends and he flew there and surprised her.
What a romantic city :D
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Ooh thank you so much :-* :-* :-* only 3 days, but we can always stay longer another time. With this info under our belt we'll be set. Is the perfume cheaper or just the same price duty free?
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I didnt look at perfume to be honest but everything else was cheaper than here due to our strong dollar.
I bought sunglasses, bags ,shoes and boots. DH bought shirts and pants. All good quality. Oh you will love it CP :D
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Bought kitchen stuff and posted it home. Silicon mats, beautiful very French baking dish and serviettes and jam labels. I feel very excited just thinking about you both going to Paris.
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Oh the shoes I bought in Paris last year!!!! DH says every second shop is a shoe shop!!! And he is right. Makes me excited to think about it and the shoes are just absolutely gobsmackingly glorious! I bought lots :) I don't really buy clothes though when on holiday.
Definitely go to Monets garden and Fontainebleau both short distances from Paris. Le Louvre and Musee d'Orsay. I think all the museums are free on the first Sunday of the month. Night boat trip up the Seine is beautiful. Street markets always good. Luxembourg gardens very nice. Just behind Notre Dame is a resistance museum and memorial... Very moving. Definitely the Champs d'elysees. I have a funny photo of DH swamped in shopping bags on the street there - haha! So many places can't think of them all. Spent a lot of time sitting in cafes watching the world go by in a nice wine induced haze :) stayed in st germain where they have the famous cafes hemmingway etc frequented. Nice area . try and stay anywhere between the eiffel tower and lle louvre. We try do something's different each time. Louvre last year, d'Orsay this year.
This May/June we are doing the basque region of France and Spain and of course a few days in lovely Paris!
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Oh and bought perfume and lots of Sisley makeup - better selection and prices!
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CP, I meant to also say that seeing you will only be there a short while and time is precious buy as many passes before you go. Last year we didn't and wasted hours in queues. Also the Musee d'Orsay is opened late one night a week - used to be Thurs to 9.45 but check before you go. If you wish to go to the Louvre, then go on line and plan your visit before you get there as it's broken up into wings. This saves you so much time and then you can group things like the Mona Lisa, Napoleons appartments ect but it's a huge place and you won't have time to see everything!!!! You can even prebook your trip up the Eiffel Tower to save the wait!!!
Planning is half the fun!!!! Where do you go after Paris?
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Ow very exciting and what a mine of info on here.
DH has been and promised to take me one day, sigh.....
Enjoy MJ and CP.
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Thx Trudy for good advice about prebooking to save waiting in queues. My DH will be amazed at all this info :D
First we go to Paris for 3 nights, then on to Croatia for about 2.5 weeks, then on to London for prob 5 nights
Have paid deposit last week for flights, but haven't studied fine details yet. DH family have a house about 50m away from the Adriatic in Podgera. I think we will do abit of a trip around some islands and then possibly a ferry ride to Italy (Pescia or something) for a couple of nights. Its going to go very quickly.
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I pre book my tours on Viator and always find them well priced and extremely reliable.
They offer good deals regularily.
We did Monets house and gardens with them and we stopped at a beautiful old mill house for lunch on the way back and then to Versailles.
We prebooked Eiffel tower with dinner followed bt a cruise along the seine which was nice although we could have missed the cruise as we walked along the seine every day and evening as our hotel was on Ils Saint-Louis which is a fabulous area to stay. We walked everywhere from there. You will love Paris CP :D
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Cp, your trip sounds exciting and wonderful.
Marie
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We have done some tours in buses . The best part is sitting up high and looking into the back yards as you drive around.
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Really Chookie, why - what do you see?
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Judy, you see how the people live. Veggie gardens , washing on the line, tables and chairs in the back yards. Just like us. Love the French country side. Fields of sun flowers and corn, avenues of trees along the road sides. Different to ours. Small villages with old buildings usually made of stone. And streets that wind through Unlike anything here. Old churches. In the country villages the people are so nice. They have tried to help us buy bread and Pâté for our lunch. With every one saying , you must try this. THIS is special to this area.
We usually have enough to feed an army. I will try and post a photo of our first meal in Paris, last time we were there.
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Thanks for the explanation Chookie.
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(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/21/a5ebu9ug.jpg)
Duck and peach salad, Paris
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Cp your only there for 3 nights so pick what you want to see... Chookie is right paris is a great city to wander around in and discover however even locals dont see all of paris and in a couple of days you wont have time parisiens walk alot, actually most french people walk everywhere or jump on the metro from one place to another.... I would suggest visiting a couple of your preferred sites as otherwise you may regret it.. Understand before you go that you will not see anywhere near what you want to so you wont be disappointed.. I would only do one museum on this trip... I doubt you will spend that much time in queues in spring.. Its not peak season but better to prebook if you can..
Be careful of tourist trap restaurants they are everywhere and the food is not so lovely... Problem is most ppl are drawn to them ...
This site may help http://www.bestrestaurantsparis.com/en/
It sorts restaurants by budget and type as well as which district you are in and also tells you abut the restaurant and gives menu prices.. Once you find a restaurant you like you can check on trip advisor what others thought about it for example.. There are so many restaurants to choose from and its best to have some idea.. We often wander around until we find something we like..or go with friends to their local haunts which are mostly out of the city... Everytime somewhere different..
Perfume is no cheaper.. I can get it heaps cheaper in oz.. I would shop more for things you might not see at home.. Heaps of shops ... So jealous.. We will have to go back for hols to see friends and rels soon... Missing it all :(. Enjoy enjoy!!
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Kim, when we were there last year we had to queue four hours for the louve, because Neil & Wayne decided not to get tickets and we waited another 3 hours for the Eiffel Tower only to be told when we got to the ticket office that we couldn't ride to the top as it wasn't working!!!!! We found that the crowds in April and May were bigger than when we had been before in Sept.
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I agree with you Trudy as we found April and may much busier than September. Definately prebook CP as you don't want to spend precious time in long queues. As far as restaurants go its like any other city with very good and very bad and a lot of mediocre places. With only 3 days you will not want to travel to the outer areas to look for food as you will most likely be in the 'tourist ' areas. I use trip advisor to source restaurants before I go or go into restaurants that are busy. Even a baguette and a nice bottle of wine outside by the river is lovely, just soak up the ambience and enjoy being in Paris as you will love it.
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There is no way DH would stay in a queue for 3 hrs, as he gets a bit stir crazy after 10 mins. I'll definitely prebook. I thought it was 3 days buts its 5 so that's good we can fit a bit more in. Good to know not to waste my time looking at perfume.
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That's great that you have 5 days CP ;D
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Oh yes, 5 days anywhere is better than 3. Glad you don't have to bore DH by looking at perfume, that must be like watching paint dry for men :D
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He is not one to hang around shops. If he's not going 100mph he's asleep. What normally happens is he gets up early about 5am and goes for a run checking out all the sights to see. Then when I get out of bed he's already got the days agenda planned :D its a shame we're not going with friends cos its nice to palm him off for a couple of hours as he is hard to keep up with sometimes. I know we'll probably see twice as much as most people see in that time :D
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CP I'm so glad that you will be there for 5 days instead of three. Get a good guide book and start planning!!!!
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Wow really trudy.. Ive Rarely had to queue for the Louvre for more than10/15 mins and def never for hours wow!! The Eiffel tower yes.. Nearly everytime you Will wait forever..i know you do in summer but never had ŕ prob in spring... In any case cp it would be better to prebook whatever you CAN to save as much time as you CAN..jam pack those 5 days..!!
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Yes Kim, we just couldn't believe how busy everything was. Said we would never go back at that time of the year again- although saying that we would, but would make sure to prebook anything that we felt we may have to queue for. As you know we also had bad weather so perhaps everyone wanted to be inside!!!!!
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I actually thought Monet's Garden was over rated. Much smaller than I had expected. Versailles, however, that was magnificent. All the chateaux's in the Loire Valley were good too and the gardens around the Lourve were fab.
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Oh wow, just catching up with this topic!
Kim, your info is invaluable. What time of the year would you recommend to miss the high season and crowds, but still have nice weather?
We had planned April/May which doesn't suit me as that's a busy time for us on the farm. Definitely can't go June, July or August either.
I will make sure we pre book everything such as the Louvre and other popular places.
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Usually September and October are still ok weather wise Megan. I have been in December/ January and we were lucky as it was dry and not too cold at all. Also it wasnt so busy but still advise pre booking as its hassle free. Nothing can be guaranteed as the world weather is so changeable :( Each season has its own qualities but I still prefer springtime in Europe. In saying that we are going August/ September this year . Whatever time of year you go you will love it :D
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Megan, I agree that each season has it's merits and you can never be sure of the weather. Last year we were there April/May and early June and we had rain, rain and more rain as Europe decided to have it's wettest Spring and early summer since 1941 so you can be unlucky!!!! We usually go late August/ September and have only had great weather with just an odd showery day but when ever you go there is so much to see even on the wet days.
I love Monet's gardens. Have been there twice during two different seasons and if I go back will visit again. The little village there is also nice to walk around and the cafe down the lane from the entrance is also nice to just spend some time in before you catch the bus back to meet your train back to Paris.
The main thing Meagan is to do your research. Read, read, read, I also print off opening times and directions from the web and guide books give you great hints which a write down in a note pad i.e what station to catch the train to Vernon. Make sure you have a bag that you can turn onto your chest and hold in the metro, stations ect as there are pickpockets and never carry your passport in it. Have that on your body not only in a bag but pinned with nappy pins as well to your clothing. Make sure your Husband doesn't have his wallet in his back pocket and that he is only carrying enough cash for the day in it. My Husband also has some cash in his shirt pocket i.e about 20 euros just incase!!!!
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Megan definately september if you cant do any of the other months as oct is starting to cool down and some things dont have so much on offer once school goes back and the weather cools down....september most years still has lovely weather.. School starts back sept in france so you wont be bombarded with kids and local tourists everywhere either..you will always have to line up for the eiffel tower its just one of those things that everyone wants to see when they go to paris..
Trudy i think you must have been unlucky to queue so long but as i said before for anyone visiting parisien sites its always better to prebook when you can as any day is unpredictable!! We had the same issue in italy.. We had prebooked and some poor ppl waited all day to get into museums and some didnt even get in then.. :(
Monets garden i love .. But i love monet and his house gardens and history interested me.. You must go there in spring though.. Have been at other times and it just didnt have the same charm as when the gardens are in full bloom.. Chateau de versailles is impressive as are several of the chateaux.. They each have their history and stories attached although im no history buff lol just ask trudy!! Its like days of our lives meets dallas keeping up with who was in which chateau with whom at a given date lol...
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We will most likely be going in April as my sister is organising it. It's just us three girls going. This is our 5 yearly overseas trip - the first to a non Asian country!
We began in Bali, when my youngest daughter was only a 3. I had to get a housekeeper in to look after the children and DH. Then went to Thailand, north only, then Melbourne (for a change), Vietnam and now Paris!
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Meagan you will have such a wonderful time with your family. Such great memories that you will be able to treasure always.
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Have a great time MJ I would love to have a sister
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Same Yvette I would love to have a sister too.
So glad I have my 2 daughters and 2 lovely DIL's :D
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I don't have a sister or daughter. I have a great sister in law and 4 best friends I love like sisters.
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Sounds lovely megan.. What a great idea! I thought april was out which is whyi said sept.. You will love paris. Has a charm not manyother cities possess imo..
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The present backpacker barmaid in Nyabing is from France, so I'll be picking her brains!
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Where abouts is she from? Hope she is from Paris .. That would be perfect to pick her brains..!
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Have a macaroon for me! ;)
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lucky you Megan
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Where abouts is she from? Hope she is from Paris .. That would be perfect to pick her brains..!
no, unfortunately, northern France.
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Oh well.. Do you know where in the north.. Lille, Amiens , compiegne?? We lived near Amiens for a few years.. I taught at local schools in the area .. ;)
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I'll check Frozzie.
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Would be interested to know.. I lived up that way for 6 years so know it well from lille to paris :)
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I keep forgetting to ask her. Will do so tomorrow.
I have a year to save up for the trip!
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We've booked an apartment in St Germain for 2 weeks!! We're starting with the Normandy region and staying in a little villa in Bayeux, then on to Paris.
We'll be in Normandy for ANZAC day, so hopefully will be able to attend a service there. In Paris, we've planned to go to Monet's garden, the Louvre, a day trip to Villers-Bretonneux and a few other small group tours. Can't book flights yet as they only have dates for up to March '14 at this stage. Getting excited now!!
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I used to live at one stage 30 mins from villers bretonneux.. Pity your not there for anzac today.. Every year they do a service at the australian war memorial ...its one of the more impressivewar memorials on the western front..
Sounds like youwill have a lovelytrip...
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Yes, Frozzie, it just didn't work out that way. We booked the apartment before we realised that ANZAC Day was the week before.
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Normandy will still be lovely on anzac day.. The aussies are wellrespected and received up nth ..
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Yes, I've heard that Aussies are well respected. I'm going to make sure I take my Aussie shoulder bag. I took it to Vietnam too as we didn't want to be mistaken for Yanks. They're not too popular anywhere.... :-X
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Make sure they know you are australian yes as both american and the english arent well respected unfortunately but that goes both ways .. When my husband was in England for work and younger there was even a local pub that had a sign no dogs and no french 😳😳 amd was far from the only business that thought that way.. :(
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Am off to Paris / Europe at the end of May. I'm so excited!
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Will be very jealous.. Dh is heading back for a short trip end of may :(((( no fair lol
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Have you considered visiting Versailles Megan? It is spectacular and only a short train ride out of Paris.
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It's on our list, MEP!
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You didn't mention so I thought I would ask. It really is beautiful...and huge.
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Reading this post has really made me think - we are off to Budapest in two weeks and I haven't done any 'homework' on it yet. It's part business / part pleasure and I know there are some activities planned for spouses but I am sure there is a lot I would like to see - must also get some sort of phrase book. Does anyone know of a good guide for Android / Samsung phones?
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We are off next week but into Spain first and finishing with a week in Paris. Going to visit Caterpillar Valley in the Somme as well and fit in a few days in the Champagne region before the Paris part. Our aim this time is to get to know the Basque region, which is Spain and France. Each year we usually pick an area we haven't explored as well as an area we want to go back to. Last year though was no new area but back to Provence, stayed in St Remy and Avignon and back to the Loire Valley and Paris. This year Champagne and Basque regions are new to us.
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Enjoy yourself Jude, sounds like a wonderful holiday :)
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It sounds like some great holidays coming up for forum members - have a great time girls!
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Lovely holidays. Don't forget to share photos etc. :)
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Marina, there is a market on the bridge over the river. We missed it but is said to be well worth visiting. Will look up some other info for you.
Jude, we are going to southern Spain in September. Any suggestions would be most welcome. Need to do some reading. Prior to this, 4 weeks in Turkey, 3 weeks on Captains Choice Tour and then 1 week with a private guide. Would happily go back to France, but think we should see other places before it is too late , for us.
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Jude you will love both those regions... We have a few very close friends in bayonne and dax.. Spent alot of time down that way.. I loved st jean de luz , kids loved la petit rhune, hondarribia on the border and san sebastien of course but dont go to spain early as nothing opens before about 11am.. We found that out the hard way years ago.. Heaps of little villages.. Very cute in the area.. Dont know spain that well .. Only ever visited thzt sw corner.. Have a lovely time..
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Hope you all have a wonderful time.
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Marina, there is a market on the bridge over the river. We missed it but is said to be well worth visiting. Will look up some other info for you.
Jude, we are going to southern Spain in September. Any suggestions would be most welcome. Need to do some reading. Prior to this, 4 weeks in Turkey, 3 weeks on Captains Choice Tour and then 1 week with a private guide. Would happily go back to France, but think we should see other places before it is too late , for us.
Thanks, Chookie, your suggestions will be greatly appreciated. We were in Budapest very briefly about 25 years ago but I have forgotten more than I can remember about it, unfortunately.
What a trip you've got planned for later in the year. My sister is doing a river trip late in June and is looking forward to it very much and I would love to go to Turkey as well.
Looking forward to hearing how everyone gets on with their travels.
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Frozzie so pleased to hear you loved st jean de luz! We are staying there for a week and at San Sebastián for a week. Three days in Barcelona. I shoud imagine that when we get to champagne it will be quite different. We have an apartment in Paris right next to the Luxembourg gardens, which sounds lovely. We love France. First time for Spain so thanks for the advice re 11:00 am opening!!!
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Jude your staying in san sebastien but we only did day trips.. Left early and got caught out.. They are late starters in spain lol... Will be interested what you think actually staying there...
Champagne region is lovely but yes totally different.. Your obviousmy visiting epernay and reims pronounced runse.. Lovely area too and there are many tours in english through the main champagne houses... I prefer the smaller producers. But unfortunately alot of their visits or tours/tastings are in french only..and are more history and production focused where as the english tours are usually a quick run through then tastingstaking up a larger part of the tour as thats what is demanded by tourists unfortunately...
You will have a great time in those areas and paris is always a fav...
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Haha. My husband says I must have Spanish ancestors because I don't get going till about 11:00 am :). I work a few hours a day for him in his office but don't turn up till 11:00...... Seems a tolerable time to start the day to me! Think I'm going to like Spain. Apparently the Basque region is the birth place of those with rh- blood groups, which is also me so between that and the 11:00 am day start - I'm going to be at home!
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sounds fun Jude :) 11am start is great..
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leaving tomorrow - early early! will be back on the forum when I can. to Dubai airport, then Paris here we come 8)
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leaving tomorrow - early early! will be back on the forum when I can. to Dubai airport, then Paris here we come 8)
Pack your umbrella CP :D
Have a fabulous time :-* :-*
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leaving tomorrow - early early! will be back on the forum when I can. to Dubai airport, then Paris here we come 8)
Pack your umbrella CP :D
Have a fabulous time :-* :-*
Umbrella? Its meant to be summer ???
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Have fun cp
They are having bad weather.. Friends in paris restarted their heating.. Hope it turns around and heats up for your hols x
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CP,, have a great time. Enjoy every minute.
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cp you lucky thing have a wonderful and safe trip;D;D
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Happy holiday CP, I hope the weather changes and doesn't spoil things for you.
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Have a wonderful holiday CP.
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Have a great time CP! :D
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Bag packed full of summer clothes >:(
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Itmay turn around... Weird weather.. So glad im missing it ...
Hope you enjoy your time cp.. Check the weather forecast for the time your there..
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Enjoy, excitement plus CP.
xx
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Wish I was going with you ;)
Have a fabulous time and have a pain Au chocolate for me.
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CP have a great trip...
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CP have a great trip and be a good girl :o :o
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It is 4 degrees this morning in paris.. Friend just told me as its driving her nuts.. Hope cp packed at least a jumper!!
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if not Kim a good excuse to go shopping ;D;D
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True although not much winter gear in the shops coming into summer.. Dh said they had snow yesterday lol.. Wacky.. Have to say much prefer the cooler weather here !!
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ha never thought of that Kim I just presumed the shops would keep winter gear in considering the unpredictable weather ;D;D
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It's been cool here in Spain too. Not so bad in Barcelona but San Sebastián was 14 today. However, sunny and not letting it get in our way. Adore this place and will be making it a regular. Things really do not get going till at least 11:00am as Frozzie said but it keeps going quite late. Loving the pintxos and all the other wonderful food here too!!! People very easy to get along with and the wine is all beautiful and soooo reasonably priced :) we are in Paris in a couple of weeks. Hope the weather does come right soon for CP and us!
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Glad your loving it jude.... Im sure paris will warm up.. Has to eventually.. Meanwhile our friends in france are all a bit down as the sun and warmth seems to have gone on holiday !!
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CP have a wonderful time and really enjoy your trip ;D
Jude, glad you are enjoying Spain ;D
Marie
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Mona Lisa and Moi, in Paris at the Lourve. Spot the tourist with a very thin cardigan - that's me. Having a fabulous time and enjoying the magnificent statues, architecture, and culture. Salut!
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Evening CP.Lovely to hear you are enjoying yourself ;D
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Good to hear from you CP :D You may have to do some shopping for warmer clothes.
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CP! Bonjour Madame!! Great photo - hope you're keeping warm!! :D
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Good excuse to shop in gay paris.
Enjoy :)
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That was quick CP! I do hope it warms up for you though or you can find a place to buy a jacket or something. Xxx
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Great pics CP I have enjoyed looking at your pics on facebook brings back lots of memories :) keep warm ;D
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CP, you look like you are enjoying yourself. Very envious here. Have fun.
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I've been following you on FB! Mostly food photos, I notice!! ;D
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MJ, I just checked out my photos from our last trip to Paris. Guess what ??? Mostly food photos. What a beautiful city. Will post my fav. Photo of our first lunch . Duck and peach salad.
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(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/05/28/2a6ese9a.jpg)
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Looks delish Chookie
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Oh Chookie - that salad looks an absolutely TDF dish!! :D
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Hello CP, glad you are enjoying yourself, thanks for the photo
Marie
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Chookie, that dish looks delicous. ;D
Marie
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(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/05/28/7y2apeme.jpg)
Joan of Arc. My favorite statue in Paris. Sorry about poor photo.
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Last couple of days we have just been going flat out. Have barely been˙ in our room, and when we do we are completely zonked. Because it doesnt get dark til abou 10pm it means that we can do lots in a day. Done most things but need to come back again to do some more and go down south. Off to Croatia tomorrow morning which we are looking forward to.
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Good to hear you are still having a great time CP.Enjoy Croatia ;D
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Sounds wonderful CP, hope the weather is being kind to you ;D Looking forward to hearing all about Croatia.
Marie
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Are you warm yet CP?
Have fun in Croatia
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Well the weather has been very mixed. A couple of days ago it was fine and sunny when we went to Euro Disney, just gorgeous. Yesterday we went to Versailles for a bike rode around the palace gardens and there were light showers. the gardens are beautiful and very peaceful. Amazing to think we we were walking around the Kings gardens and allowed to stroll through his palace. were meant to have a picnic by the river but unfortunately it was raining so we were undercover at the cafe. Mostly the females said they were freezing but I figured I have been colder so it wasn't too bad considering. Made sure I just kept moving. Have had a wonderful time here and want to come back next year. Off soon to the airport for Croatia. Saluit.
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Lovely to hear from you CP and Jude. I'm glad you are both enjoying yourselves.
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Thanks for the update CP glad you are having a good time
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Lovely to hear about your travels CP, Kings gardens sound wonderful. Enjoy Croatia
Marie
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CP and Jude, lovely to hear from you. Don't let the weather get in the way of having a great time.
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Managed to get a few minutes on the computer at our hotel in Budapest and doing a quick catch up - 2 minutes to go until I run out of time! Weather variable, but generally not too bad - certainly not summery yet, though.
Sunday in Stirling was lovely - drove around Loch Lomond and through the Trossachs, then Monday in Glasgow was abysmal.
Two days left here in Hungary then back to Melbourne.
Chookie - I found the market - it is, indeed, wonderful. Very hard not to spend loads of dollars (forints), but determined not to buy yet another suitcase so am behaving!
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Leaving St Jean de Luz tomorrow for Champagne. Weather has been terrible this week but we have been out and about a little. Actually enjoying a bit of down time reading Paris by Edward Rutherfurd and painting the poor little cat waifs that begged me for food in Barcelona. Bought a packet of cat food and fed them. Oh my, their begging eyes were something to never forget! Out for dinner (in the cold rain) tonight. Michelin star restaurant that's looking interesting :)
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Love reading all about your travels ladies.
Big thank you CP, Cuilidh & Jude59
Marie
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holidays sound so much fun, enjoy ;)
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Its a pity about the weather.. Alot of the locals are fed up,too.. No summer in sight and the economy in dire straights.. Not a good combo.. Glzd we are here.. Syd weather has been lovely.. :). Hope everyone enjoys their hols wherever you are..
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Glad you are all enjoying your holidays. Hopefully the weather will get a little better for you but come what may, just have a great time!!!
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It's so lovely to hear from you all and read about your adventures. Thanks for taking the time to share.
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Locals say they have had 170ml in 7 days. Not too bad tho cos in the arvo it clears up. Tomorrow we hope to go for a bike ride along the coastline.
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In Paris at Gare de L'Est waiting for train to Champagne and guess what! Warm and sunny :)
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Nice to hear from you CP and Jude. ;D
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Had a lovely day doing a Champagne crawl from place to place and mostly sunny. 8 hours out and about and a lot of climbing up and down in and out of champagne caves. 20 metres underground at Taittenger! Fascinating. Drank a lot of champagne but walked it off. Told dh whilst here I'm only drinking champagne:) ......maybe a little water and coffee if necessary......
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What a great way to spend you day drinking Champagne Jude :D
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Jude, lucky you. ;D
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What a brilliant day Jude.
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Glad you are having fun Jude and CP
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Lucky you Jude :)
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Enjoy jude.. Always enjoyed the area when we were there.. Try some of the boutique champagne houses too.. I find them better .. Not just the big houses that most ppl run to.. Have fun xx
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Yes did that today Frozzie. Went out to the villages. Great day.
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Sounds like a fun day for you Jude ;D
Marie
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😁.. A little bit jealous that home or my second home is now so far away.. Missing the food in France NOT the climate though..
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The weather in Spain and France was definitely not what we have had on previous visits. But the past week in Paris has been sunny and lovely. Left yesterday even though there was an air controller strike. Most long haul flights still leaving, although I told dh I was hoping our flight wasn't leaving as we were having a ball. In Singapore for a couple of days now and then back home to cats, rats, kids and grand kids and very importantly my TMX!
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It's good to hear you had some nice weather Jude and that you have thoroughly enjoyed your holiday. All good things come to an end though and it will be nice to come home to see your family and get into the kitchen with your Thermomix.
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Judy I'm glad that the Paris put on a good show for your last week. We were over there this time last year and had quite a lot of rain. Spoke to a friend who lives in Tuscany at the weekend. It's very cold there with lots of rain which is very unusual as by now it should be quite warm. Have a safe flight home!!!
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Looking forward to seeing my kitchen again Judy :) Trudy, I think most of Europe seems to be having unseasonal weather...... A lot of the time Melbourne (home), temps were better than we were getting!!!
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Sounds like you had a wonderful trip Jude. :)
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Jude I am sure you will be happy to be home and see everyone and of course all those lovely memories you have created.
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So glad the weather was nice for your stay in Paris, sounds like you have had a wonderful time. Thank you for sharing your holiday.
Marie
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Accommodation is booked - two weeks in Paris in a gorgeous apartment in St Germain. Prior to Paris, we'll do Normandy for a few days and spend ANZAC day there.
My middle sister has been working (she's actually retired, but is such a great teacher, they keep asking her back) and is upgrading us to Business Class on the flight to Paris. Soooo lucky! Qantas lounge, Veuve Clicquot, here we come!
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Lucky you MJ, only way to go. Nice sister you have there ;)
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Lucky you MJ :) :)
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Sounds excellent MJ. I've only ever flown economy can only imagine how nice business class would be.
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You will love it mj.. Flew business class to France when ds was little .. A godsend .. Huge difference on long haul flights and the staff are amazing.. Enjoy! What airline?? We nearly always fly singapore airlines.. Never been disappointed with them x
Lol just read up .. Qantas.. Hope its ok.. Im not a fan !
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No, not Qantas now, Finnair. Changed our mind about Normandy too, think we'll do Avignon.
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Thats a nice area mj... The famous bridge in avignon, we stayed in uzes (west of avignon) which is a nice village and the home of the Haribo lollie factory.. Big in france... There is la grande motte a huge holiday area.. Not a whole lot there though..le pont du gard is lovely and nice to walk around.. There is a restaurant there which was quite nice but they were under renovations last time we were there, aigues mortes is a walled city lovely to wander around.. All this is only possible to visit if you have a car..however lots to see and love montpellier which is a great city imo..also not to far from aix en provencein the other direction se of avignon.. You are probably just staying in the avignon area.. Popes palace etc.. Lots of lovely markets :)
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Avignon is lovely MJ lots to see and do in the area. We spent some time there last time in France and enjoyed it very much.
Love France and spent lots of time there when single and of course since then as well.Lucky you business class but its a great way to travel long distances. Have flown business with with a few different airlines and not much difference in that class although at the moment I would say Emirates from Australia have the best business cabins. Qantas good too on long haul. No matter what you will enjoy it and enjoy France and other European destinations. The world is an amazing place and we are all so lucky to live in this age of world travel. :D
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MJ, we usually travel Business Class, , Emirates. You have a very generous sister. Even travelled first class a couple of years ago. It happened to be on DH's birthday and they presented him with a cake. I am not a good traveller, so would rather go less often and do the Business Class thing. Don't like BC on British new big planes as they have a strange configuration of seats.
Avignon is a great city. You will love it. You can buy fabric by the length to make table cloths. Lots of cafe and shops. I love all things French and last time had a car and stayed in B and B. People lovely. Have a great time.
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One of the most memorable meals I have had in nearly 70 years was in Avignon. It was so wonderful we extended our stay by three nights so we could experience EVERTHING on the menu. The cheese offering was one of the most amazing thing I have seen in my lifetime. Slept all day though. LOL! We stayed in a turret on a side street where the restaurant was . The B & B was run by a a Frozzie much to our delight and surprise .
Gert
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Paris is beautiful! I am so jealous...
Hope you have an absolutely amazing time!
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I have so many memorable meals and food moments.. France in general is a delight to the senses.. Missing it... :(
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We've booked our accommodation in Avignon and it looks lovely! Marie and Pierre are the hosts. They've responded via their website to our booking and sound really lovely. Some great comments from other guests.
Getting very excited now!!
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We look forward to hearing about it! Enjoy!
What a great sister! ;D
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Flights are now booked. Cattle class to Singapore, then Business for the long haul!
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So exciting!!!!!
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You will enjoy the second leg of your flight xx enjoy... They are having good weather at the moment too..
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L'Orangerie in the Jardin des Tuilleries is unmissable for large, curved Monets and a great range of other great artists as well. Enjoy!
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Must book some tours soon. I ended up paying for the Business Class flights myself. I couldn't let my sis pay for me. She paid for our older sister who's retired.
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Just discovered this thread, how wonderful! I will have to take some time to read every post with a notebook. My BF and I are going to Paris in July for 6 nights! We will be in Portugal for a wedding for a week, and then back to Paris for another week. I was there once when I was about 15 but I remember spending a lot of time wanting to go to the Disney store. Needless to say, my priorities have changed! I will definitely have Versailles on the list, as well as Musee D'Orsey, Saint-Chapelle, Montmartre, LesInvalides, a boat cruise on the river and just walking walking walking. My BF has never been so I'm sure the Eiffel tower will be on the list too.
In preparation for my trip, I'm reading Edward Rutherfurd's book "Paris". If you're a reader at ALL, I would highly recommend it. It tracks the history of Paris through the stories of a few families over the centuries, from the Roman times to the 1960s. It's in novel form, not a dull history book. For example, telling of the love troubles of a worker on the Eiffel Tower. It is AMAZING and I'm hoping will give me a whole new perspective on Paris once I'm there!
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That book sounds good Laura.
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Sounds like a good book. I'm studying and have so much reading to do that I've not read a novel for 6 months!
Lots of tours booked. Getting excited!
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I've actually been listening to it as an audiobook in the car since I have to do a lot of driving for work. Sometimes I find myself sitting in my parking garage for an extra 15 minutes because I don't want to stop listening!
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Laura we really enjoyed seeing Versailles with the fat tyre bike company. If you want to go to Euro Disney you can catch a train rather than going with a tour company and paying a fortune. Loved euro Disney, and I have a little mini mouse bowl with red polka dots that I pull out often and have a silent reminisce. When we were there it didn't get dark until 10pm. I think I'd love to go live in either Paris or London to get to know it better. This year we're off to Barcelona, Croatia, and Prague. Any tips for these destinations will always be well received :-*
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Oh wow, that sounds like a great trip to Versailles, we will definitely try that. Not really Disney people though, and we don't have kids, so we'll probably take a pass on that. Enjoy your Europe trip, I loved Prague! I would suggest a day in nearby cesky krumlov if you can spare the time.
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Well, it's only 11 days until my sisters and I fly out to Paris via KL! So busy lately, no time to even think about it! DD has had her baby (another post all about this) and I'm madly cooking and freezing food for DH.
We have lots of tours booked, but I can't remember where we're going. I'll just leave it to my big sis to tell me what I'm doing each day!
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That's exactly what I like to do Meagan, follow the leader - have had to make too many decisions for too many people over the years so I like being told what we are doing today if I can get away with it. Have a wonderful holiday, you will want to hurry back to see how the new grandson is going. What did they call him?
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He's Spencer Leigh, Judy. I love the name.
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I like it too MJ.
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Have a great trip MJ :)
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Have a wonderful trip mj :). We are going 'home' for christmas so cant wait for that ..!!
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Have a safe trip Meagan. I know you will all have a fabulous time and come home with wonderful memories.
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Wishing you a lovely holiday Megan.
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Have a great time and try not to miss your Grand baby too much.
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Thanks all! If I get a chance, I'll report in! ;D
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Wishing you safe travels and have a wonderful time Megan.
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Arrived in Paris this morning after a fabulous flight in luxury business class, Malaysia Airlines. Got lost doing a bit of grocery shopping and spent two hours wandering the streets!
Tomorrow is a lay day for us and we plan to get our bearings and plan the rest of our days here. Monday is Fontainbleau and Vaux Le Vicompte Chateaux.
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So glad to hear you had a good flight MJ.Enjoy the rest of your stay. :)
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Good to hear that you arrived safely. Sounds wonderful MJ.
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Glad you arrived safely, Enjoy your holiday :)
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Wow! I love Paris! We are in St Germain, an arty area with lots of lovely little shops. Our apartment is very generous by Paris standards. We've visited Musee D'Orsay, Chateaux Fountainbleau and Veux Le Vicompte. We've just returned from a two day bus tour of Normandy and Brittany. Blah! Bus tours are awful, but we got to see some beautiful countryside. Unfortunately, the Abbey at Mont St Michel was closed as they were on strike! But, we enjoyed meeting some lovely people from all over the world.
I wish we could have stopped to photograph some of the villages in the countryside, they were so beautiful. Lots of flowering canola out at the moment.
Coquilles St Jacques for lunch today followed by Crepes with Salted Caramel Sauce.
Lay day tomorrow and Sunday. I'm going to catch up with a young girl who backpacked in Australia and befriended one of my sons as she lives in Paris.
Au revoir mes amis en ligne.
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Thanks for popping in MJ, it all sounds wonderful to me.
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Sounds like you are having a wonderful trip MJ. :D Glad you are enjoying the beautiful country side.
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MJ - it sounds as though you're having a fabulous time! There's always so much to see and do. . and never enough time to fit it all in. Lovely that you're meeting up with the young backpacker.
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Super to hear from you MJ.Enjoy the rest of your holiday. :)
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Sounds like you are having a wonderful trip MJ. :)
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Great to hear from you MJ, glad you are having a great time :)
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Lucky you MJ, enjoy yourself.
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It sounds as though you are thoroughly enjoying yourself MJ.
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Hi MJ, glad you had a safe flight. Sounds like you are having a wonderful time and seeing some amazing things!!
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Home now after a fantastic trip!
The only things we hated were the train stations and the airports. Dealing with huge airports with no English signs and then a bomb scare at CDG Airport because some idiot left their suitcase near one of the cafes was a pain. The army were there with their AK47's not letting anyone up or down the stairs or elevators. We couldn't get upstairs to get into the check in line and ended up being way back in the line and waiting for ž of an hour!
We loved the Avignon Wine Tour and learned so much about wine! Beautiful scenery, gorgeous food, fabulous sights. Prices were on the expensive side for everything in Paris, whereas Avignon was much more reasonable. Clothing very expensive. I didn't buy anything except gifts from the tourist stores like lovely scarves and woollen hats.
Loved the Fragonard Perfume Factory and bought some perfume there. Loved visiting Nice and Monaco. Funniest thing happened just out of Monaco - car tyre blew out and we had to sit on the side of the road for an hour and a half. Our driver was waiting for the company to let him know what to do. No spare, of course. Finally, they organised a tow truck. We had to get into the car which was then winched on to the tow truck!! Drove for ž of an hour like that - great view of the countryside. Finally got a hire car and while the driver was sorting the paperwork, we went to a pizza place and had the best pizza ever plus a bottle of delicious rose wine out of plastic cups. Travelled home via Marseilles and Aux en Provence and numerous other towns in the Provence region to eventually arrive back at our apartment at 10.30 at night, totally wiped out!
Home now and catching up with everything including my little grandson who smiles and 'talks' to me. He's put on 2 kilos in 4 weeks!
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It sounds lovely MJ. Any photos to share?
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Glad you had such a wonderful time MJ. :D Must be so good to see your grandson after 4 weeks away.
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So pleased to hear you had a fabulous time and arrived home safe and sound MJ :)
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MJ, sounds wonderful with lots of adventure. Nice to have something even more wonderful to come home to.
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Welcome home MJ, holidays go so quickly. Now to enjoy some time with your grandson ;D
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Welcome home & it does only seem like yesterday you left
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Welcome home! Makes me really excited to get to Paris in July! Any Paris-specific recommendations other than don't leave my suitcase lying around in the airport? ;)
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Welcome home MJ. That went quickly. Sounds like a wonderful adventure.
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Welcome home Megan. So glad you and your sisters had a wonderful time. Bet the family were glad to have you back!!!
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Haha! Laura, we were in St Germain which is a lovely area. Are you in an apartment?
Shopping is cheapest at Carrefour supermarkets. They have everything food wise, including wine at good prices. Wines are sold by region, not grape variety. The mid range ones are AOP Luberon, Cotes Du Rone, Cotieres de Nimes and Baux de Provence.
You must remember to greet everyone you meet with a "Bonjour Monsieur or Madam". The French are extremely polite people. If you learn a few words, people will appreciate it. If you go to the Louvre or Musee D'Orsay, get there around 8.30 am. The queues can get very long! We used the Metro to get anywhere, you just need to know the end of the line for your stop to know which one to catch. Buy 10 tickets at a time, around 13 Euro at the machines.
If you go to Monet's Garden in Giverne, you need to catch the Metro, then RER, then a bus. We used the iPad app, Paris Metro which was really good. The weather should be warmer for you, it was still a bit chilly when we were there. You will probably still need an umbrella, though!
Enjoy! You'll love the place.
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Fantastic tips! Yes, we've rented a teeny apartment in st germain, right near the river. Was the trip to monet's garden worth that complicated trip?
I'll download the metro app now. Good idea!
Any tours you would definitely recommend to book in advance? We are more "wander around" people ourselves, but if there's anything must-do.,,
Getting so excited!!
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Monet garden is wonderful Laura.The day we went we didn't have to queue for too long.
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Monet's Garden was well worth the trip. It wasn't too complicated, you just need to work it all out before you go. The RER and the bus work together, so when you arrive in ....... (agh! can't remember name of town), the bus will be there to take you to Giverne.
If you stay in Avignon at all, I recommend the Avignon Wine Tour. Francois is fantastic!! Though, you may find it's already booked out.
Musee D'Orsay is wonderful. I'd go to Fountainbluea and Veux Le Vicompte instead of Versailles. Crowds are huge at Versailles.
Do a River Cruise and you'll go past Le Tour Eiffel at night.
We're into wandering on our own, too. We just told our driver that's what we wanted to do. It worked well as we were on small group tours. We did an overnighter on a tour bus to Normandy and Brittany and it was horrible. I'd just hire a private taxi next time.
Enjoy your planning!!
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We booked a small group tour of the louvre and highly recommend it. No queuing for tickets and no aimlessly wandering. Nice to be enlightened with the arty knowledge also.
I loved our cooking class also, it was in a ladies apartment. Can find her details if you are interested.
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Ooh, I really wanted to do a cooking class, but one of my sisters wasn't interested, so we didn't. :-\ Small group tour of the Louvre would be excellent.
I wouldn't book tours through Viator, one of our tours didn't even cover the three towns we were supposed to go to! Check Trip Advisor for reviews of tours.
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We hired a car and visited Monet's garden. Very memorable. Loved his house.
Have done 2 cooking classes in Paris, neither good. Last one was with Susan Loomis, whose books I love but class not good. She really wasn't interested in what she was showing us. Very expensive also.
First one was years ago at the Ritz, class was all Americans and me. The Chef refused to speak English, although he could.
Have done several day tours, all have been good. Sorry, can't remember who with.
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Were the small group tours booked through the louvre or a tour agency? That sounds like a good option for my bf who hates lines!
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I used viator with no regrets for the louvre, about 10 in our group. Was very nice skipping the big queue and not missing special pieces. But also gave us detailed information about the art and the symbolism.
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Loved Paris MO2! We had a lovely apartment in St Germain, a fairly classy area close to everything. Eiffel Tower was incredible as was the Louvre, Musee Dorsay, Fountainbleux, Veux Le Vicompte and many other wonders.
Also enjoyed the south, especially our Avignon Wine Tour and Monet's Garden.
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I leave tomorrow for Portugal for the first week and then Paris!!!
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Have a wonderful holiday Laura.
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Enjoy your holiday Laura. :)
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How wonderful Laura. If you can please share a bit of your holiday with us "stay at homes". We love to travel. Enjoy.
Gretchen
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Have a wonderful holiday Laura, yes please, to photos or updates on your trip if you can. Would love to hear all about it. Take care and enjoy :)
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Lucky you Laura, have a wonderful time. Yes if possible please share a photo.
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Thanks so much, I'm looking forward to eating and drinking my face off! My boyfriend just asked me how I'm going to survive 2 weeks with no TM. Good point!