"Paris" a Paris Travel Page by grasshopper_6

What can I say about the trip to Paris? It was everything I expected and more. Since returning home, many people have asked what we did, what was our favorite thing etc. Here are my answers to the most frequent questions...

The French People

1. Were the people nice?, Yes, nearly everyone we encoutered was extremely nice, helpful and hospitable.

2. Did you have trouble communicating? Not at all. I am maybe a level 2 french student and was able to get by most of the time, but English is widely spoken if you need some help. Just remember, at least make an effort to speak French. Always start a conversation with a polite "bonjour" or "bonsoir" before getting down to business.

3. Did you find anyone gave you a hard time because you are an "American"? No. The French seem to do a better job than most when it comes to separating the people of a country from that country's government. Some were interested in talking politics, but the conversations were civil, interesting and never once turned ugly.

4. Did you wear sneakers/blue jeans and if so did they make you stand out? Some of our group asked this question themselves. They were told " Don't worry about looking like a tourist, be comfortable". Good advice. There are I believe more visitors than native Parisians in the tourist areas , so we saw lots of people wearing sneakers and jeans. It will be obvious that you are a tourist regardless of what you wear. Don't worry. Embrace it and just behave as a respectful visitor in a foreign country should.

5. How was the weather? Should I pack a jacket/sweater/umbrella? Yes to all the above. The weather in late May was crazy - changing all the time weather. Sunny and 70 deg. f one day, rainy and 40 the next. We got caught in the rain at some point nearly every time we went out for the day.

6. What activites do you recommend? definitely the sightseeing boat because it gives one an overview of the many buildings monuments etc.

7. What was your favorite thing? Hard to say really. Everything about Paris was just so awesome. There are many buidings and monuments worth seeing. One wouldn't want to miss the Louvre and other fine museums,and the food is second to none.But I think the best times were when we just headed out into the streets, walking around and meeting people.

So there you have it. I you're planning a trip to Paris I hope you have found something useful here. Please have a browse and look over my Paris tips.