Don't forget the ticket and other Paris, France Warning Or Danger Tips

Whenever you push your metro ticket (or any other point to point ticket) through the turnstile, don't forget to take it back and to keep it until you exit your arrival station.

You will have to present it if a control occurs (and to be fined is not fine).

Oh! and an another "risk" for your beloved transport pass : when taking the bus, you have to punch the metro ticket/ticket t/Optile ticket (all the point to point tickets), but don't punch your pass (Paris Visite, Mobilis, Carte Orange, ...) as it won't work anymore then (just present it to the bus driver).

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Website: www.ratp.fr

Cobblestones have ever been a weapon of choice during parisans revolts and revolutions.

Nowadays, you may not risk to get one of them thrown on your head (the last "flying" cobblestones are dated 1968), but beware :
they are still among the most perfid ennemies for unsuspecting tourists .

They may dammage your shoes heels and even your ankles; once wet, they are highly slippery; and they are not alone, the central heating grates are their accomplices.

Be ready : good shoes (break them before you come) and flat heels are mandatory if you want to fully enjoy Paris, this city has been made for walking.

Bonne promenade !

(Oh ! And, since you can walk as much as you want, don't forget the blisters aids).

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In the Champ de Mars neighbourhood, the Segways (those strange looking electric push bike type thingies) have become a locals' nightmare.

Since a couple of years - an american based - company proposes guided tours (in english only) by Segways (for those unable to walk more than 500 meters ?)
Good intention, sure !

But...
Those tours are organized ON THE SIDEWALKS : just imagine rather large groups (20-25 units) of electric -motorized push bikes, handled by unexperimented - wearing audio guide on their ears - wanabee pilots on the loose.

While the proposed itineraries are limited to loops around the Champ de Mars (relatively flat and broad), the company operating them claims to have not more than 3 accidents a week - this may sound few to visitors, but for those living in the area that's 3 accidents a week (generally involving old people, small kids or dogs).

Petitions have been sent to the townhouse to have those tours forbidden (in Nice the locals have succeded in it) but - in Paris - the Segways have been declared disabled peoples' vehicles and thus are nearly impossible to eliminate (and with 70 Euros/person minimum for a 2 hours tour, the operator choses to pay the fines).

The fact that the company (formerly known as Fat Tire Bike Tours - they had to close once but reappeared under an other name) doesn't offer tours in French (English only) and doesn't rent locally doesn't make for a better ambiance.

So, if you intend to have one of those tours (i have nothing against their bike - on the streets- or walking tours) PLEASE ,think about us, the locals, and take care (and wear your helmet, it may look dumb on the photos, but please - again - we are fed up with callling the 112).

Paris Segway Tours
24, rue Edgar Faure
75015 Paris

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Phone: 01-56-58-10-54 (english only)
Website: http://www.citysegwaytours.com/paris/segway-tour/
Other Contact: Paris@CitySegwayTours.com

If you happen to walk in front of the Vuitton main shop 22, avenue Montaigne (or its temporary relay 38 avenue George V), you may be approached by Asian tourists(?) (generally a couple or two young women) asking "Do you speak English ? Can you help us ?"

If you say yes, they will take you on the other side of the street (or around the corner), present you with a large amount of cash and show you a page of a Louis Vuitton catalog.
They will then ask you to go enter the shop and to buy them one or two bags, explaining that LV would only sell one or two item(s) to a customer and that they really need to bring this present home .

It is not really a scam but a bit of a grey zone: it happens that the LV products are highly in favour in their country where the official store sells them a higher price than in Paris (and if they are bought in France the VAT can be claimed back at customs by private buyers).

A "traffic" has thus been organized (buy in France, resell in xxx at an intermediate price), in order to reduce this, LV has limited the number of items private people are allowed to buy.
In order to go around the restriction, some (and it has become an organised activity) have taken to ask other tourists to purchase the so-conveted bags for them (in order to be still able to supply their buyers home at a 'good price)'.

It is not absolutely illegal (they pay the bags, it's not 'dirty' money (the bags are pre-purchased by the final buyers), i never heard about the police called (after them telling YOU stole the money).
So why do they only ask tourists ? Because they are less likely to call the police ? Perhaps, but more likely because no respectable Parisian would be caught dead with a Vuitton bag (they are considered ugly, pretentious ("nouveau riche") and vulgar and LV shop assistants know this.

At any rate, better not tempt the devil and say politely NO.

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Phone: 0 810 810 010
Website: http://www.vuitton.com/fr/pagesjaunes.jhtml