Paris Packing List Tips by thinking

Bring ZIPLOCK BAGS, KNIVE, MEASURING CUPS etc.

Luggage and bags: Here you pay when you check out in a food store for a sack.
Bring the free ones you have collected at home, or better yet, bring a shopping bag.
You will need it here just to carry your purchases.
Bring different sizes of ziplock bags which can be used to preserve your foods.
If you are coming during the hot season, bring an insulated sack to keep your frozen things frozen.
A serrated edged knive is very useful too, so bring that. You can buy a baguette for around 1 euro, and cut it
in two for the beginnings of a great sandwich. Take a look around Paul's or other shops for your luncheon
inspiration. Napkins are also a good idea if you are going to eat your picnic properly. Many of these items
can also be purchased at the market.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: The weather in Paris changes rapidly! Bring a small weightless umbrella that provides coverage from the sun as well
as the rain, and a lite weight jacket in the summer.
July was hot this year, but August is very cool, just like late fall!

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Do not rely on buying anything here that you really use and need.
Often, the store hours are short and the vacation periods long!
To adjust to their hours is stressful if you are used to a 24/7 city.
Vitamens, contact lense solution are very costly here.

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: If you are going to stay here for some months or more, do bring your own measuring cups and
coookbooks. You can always translate the English/US system into the metric, but in the beginning, it is just too stressful with so much adaptation taking place.

Miscellaneous: Bring essential ingredients for your favorite ethnic foods.
For example:
Jalapeno peppers in a can are not sold here.
They are essential to making guacamole, which I love to prepare for guests.

There are no sweet pickles or sweet pickle relish is France. There are also no dill pickles here. (La russe doux is not sweet pickles, but it is the only sweet pickle in France!

Lastly, bring your own organic regular oatmeal. They only have quick cooking oats in 500 gram packages!
Since the days of being a professional model and a lover of good nutrition, I eat the stuff everyday-not croissants.
I do not intend to change this habit to one of a quick expresso and pastry. I love myself too much for that!
The best price for the oatmeal (.85 cents) is at FranPrix, and the worst price (2.75 euros) is at Monoprix and
everywhere else that I have shopped. They have no regular cooking oats in France, just the quick cooking ones.
Why?Because they don't eat a hearty breakfast here.

BRING WHAT PARIS DOESN'T HAVE

Luggage and bags: Baggalini sells a fold up shopping bag that is lightweight and very useful.
They also sell a coinpurse with 5 different zippers for all that foreign currency you will be getting.
I also use their purse which I have included in one of the photos.
See http://www.baggageforless.com/proddetail.asp?prod=bagWBL149%2D150

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: I bring "Finn Comfort" shoes to walk in. See http://www.finncomfort.com/Contact/index.cfm
They are comfortable leather shoes, and are handsewn and made in Germany.
If interested to know more, contact me for advice. I am posting a photo for you too.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Many vitamens here are only by prescripton in addition to 2% VAT taxes.
Bring the ones you bought on sale in the USA, as they will be much, much cheaper.

Photo Equipment: All electronic equipment in the USA is cheaper than in France.

Miscellaneous: If you want to make yourself some guacamole in Paris during your six month vacation, bring your own cans of El Paso chopped jalapeno peppers. Jalapeno peppers are a rarity here, and without that, there will be no guacamole as a welcomed break from all that cheese, wine and baguette.
Also, if you use sweet pickles or sweet pickle relish in any of your receipes, bring it, as it isn't sold here.
If you are pregnant and love dill pickles, bring that too! Parisians don't have any of that either.

PlAN DE PARIS MAP IS THE BEST!

Miscellaneous: This is a magical little map book, sort of like a teeny-tiny Mapsco of Paris. Each page has ALL the streets of each arrondissement, which number 1 through 20. You have an index of streets as well as metro, bus and some suburban train maps, too. You'll probably have several sizes/versions to chose from. Pick one up at your neighborhood newsstand or Monoprix for about 4-7 euros ($5-$9).