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Post by sistereurope on Jul 10, 2007 12:17:52 GMT -5
That's what we're here for, A (LG) C ;D
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jul 10, 2007 12:18:09 GMT -5
Congratulations on the successful search! Now, on to the really important planning -- where will you eat?? ;D
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Post by arrowcapet on Jul 10, 2007 12:33:29 GMT -5
Thankfully, Becky, eating is the easy part. The first two days I will still be with the folks I'm going to Italy with, so Saturday will be Le Petit Prince and Sunday will be the Rotisserie du Beaujolais. Thankfully, this apartment will be close to Pizza Enio, where a decent size pizza (that's actually pretty darn tasty) with a glass of wine is just 9,90€. For the most part, when I travel alone, I pretty much stick to cafes where I feel more comfortable dining by myself. But there are tons of little places in the Marais, my favorite haunt Le Depart St Michel, Le Durer in Montmartre, Chez Eugene at Place du Tertre, a couple of favorite crepe stands, plenty of places on Rue Montorgueil (just around the corner), and of course, my fridge and toaster oven!!!! Oh...I hope the place has a coffee maker.......
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Post by GitteK on Jul 10, 2007 12:37:10 GMT -5
>>Minuses: It's on the 6th floor of a walk-up<< NEVER DO THAT ! No matter how fit you are, after a long day of walking maybe 6-8 kilometers, 6 floors will kill you. Just imagine the stairs of metro Abbesses PLUS one more floor. Ground floor I would NEVER do that either - I am too paranoid for ground floor. I would not feel safe leaving the window open at night - nor when I left the apt. And what's all that transport nonsense about Montmartre ? There are several busses going to Place de Clichy - and to Pigalle also (but that's in the other end of the neighbourhood). Check out www.ratp.fr and take a look at the interactive map for the buslines. But - summa summarum: I would choose neither, even though I also love the 2nd arr. around les Grands Boulevards and the Montorgeuil-area.
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Post by Happygoin on Jul 10, 2007 12:57:47 GMT -5
Arrow, I just hopped in to see what's going on this afternoon and am too late to offer an opinion...(I'd have agreed with the location people)...but I'm glad you found something to your liking. As far as the coffee maker goes, the one in the apt that I rented last February was NASTY (can't complain, it was the only nasty thing in the place). I went to my local A Simon store and purchased a nifty little stovetop espresso maker. Stopped at the market and picked up a nice tin of Lavazza and off I went. Now I have a souvenir of Paris that I use daily. So, not to worry on that score.
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jul 10, 2007 13:13:55 GMT -5
The coffee maker part is easy -- I always take a Melitta filter top and some filters (also I usually take a pound of my favorite ground coffee, but that's because I generally don't like "regular" French cofee and as of my last trip I had not yet heard of Comptoir Richard, recommended by wise coffee drinkers on this very forum, as a local source for good coffee).
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Post by arrowcapet on Jul 10, 2007 13:37:12 GMT -5
Well...it appears that there is a coffee maker on the inventory sheet...LOL. (They're very exact with their inventory sheets...right down to which drawer the spatulas are in!!)...so that won't be a problem, thank goodness, and there's a Monoprix right around the corner so I'll pick up some Carte Noire, some milk and a few other things and I'll be all set. GitteK...oh my! I'm speechless. I feel thoroughly rebuked. Ah, but nonetheless, this new find seems to have answered all those concerns. It's on the 1er etage, so no worries about walking up too many flights or leaving the windows open on the street. And, FTR, transportation options have never been the issue....it's having to take transportation at all that gets on my nerves. I do not like spending two hours a day on any form of transportation. I think if I liked spending more time in those neighborhoods, or I didn't plan to spend so much time in the Marais and QL it would be different. But to have to spend 30 minutes coming in, 30 going back, 30 coming back for dinner and then a another 30 after dinner is just too much for me. I discovered that last year when I stayed in Montmartre, and I've already written about it too many times to count, so I won't bore anyone with the details again. It's just not my "hood," and I want to stay nearer to the Marais or QL. On a ten day trip, I would typically spend one day in Montmartre, so it just doesn't seem to make sense to me to stay there. That's all. Not trying to dis' one of your favorite areas.
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Post by Shoesy on Jul 10, 2007 13:55:18 GMT -5
Arrow - I'm so glad you found another apt. I was very unhappy with the first two choices.
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Post by GitteK on Jul 10, 2007 14:02:09 GMT -5
Arrow - congratulations on your new find ! I hope you will have a very happy stay there. I understand that you find the transportation to/from "lower Paris" a bit too much if you also go down there for dinner ? I usually take my Big Meal for lunch around 14:30-15:00, so I have no need for a big dinner after that.
Isn't it funny how different we are ? To me riding the metro or the bus is so much a part of being in Paris that I deeply enjoy these rides. I look at people plus do some reading and relax my weary feet.
I am not necessarily a through-and-through Montmartre girl - but I am certainly a 100% Rive Droite girl, I never really got used to Quartier Latin or Saint Germain. Give me the 9th, 11th, 17th and 18th arr. anytime.
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jul 10, 2007 14:09:07 GMT -5
I must be a "bridge the gap" person - I would choose Ile St Louis any day, over any other location!
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Post by Shoesy on Jul 10, 2007 14:32:27 GMT -5
I'm a "stay near the Seine" girl, and I also prefer the Right Bank.
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Post by greyghost1 on Jul 10, 2007 15:55:28 GMT -5
I don't know AC....you really did rant on TA about the poor location of your last apartment. Perhaps you should re-read that post and it might help your decision?
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Post by geordy on Jul 10, 2007 16:44:46 GMT -5
Arrow, So glad you found something you are happy with! The part that bothered me most about one of the others was the not available all the days. Once I get to Paris I just want to unpack and make it mine for the duration! Esp. as you said you'll be doing a few hotels prior! I'm staying at a hotel in the 9th close to the 2nd. Good price, A/C, what more could one ask for, well I told S/O to ask for street view and bathtub..as if he doesn't know!!
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Post by terezacz on Jul 12, 2007 4:28:37 GMT -5
Near the Seine, street view, bathtub ... your worries on my head ;D
Going to Paris BY CAR the most difficult part of finding a place to sleep was a proximity to garage that is LESS than 30E/night! ;D
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Post by geordy on Jul 12, 2007 9:55:46 GMT -5
"your worries on my head"? not quite heard that before? Like "I should have your problems?" I know its tough! There is a little spring in my step since I made the definate plan! But think...you don't have to deal with jet lag...or the airfare!!! Yes I know the GAS!!! or petrol, whatever!
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Post by terezacz on Jul 13, 2007 2:23:15 GMT -5
geordy, this is how we say it, but you decoded it succesfully! ;D
I know, there are always pros and cons ... I just hope we will make it, it´s over 1000 km, god bless the GPS technology!
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jul 13, 2007 7:58:37 GMT -5
Tereza, what GPS system do you use? Does it work well on small secondary roads, or is it more for the large tollways?
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Post by terezacz on Jul 13, 2007 8:08:54 GMT -5
Becky, we use TomTom, portable GPS car navigation system, and I can tell you that it´s really great. All you need to do is to get (download) the latest map version and you can go anywhere, highways, secondary roads, cities, no matter what and where.
The only problem are tunnels (you lose the signal) and that it doesn´t take one-ways into account so you have to pay attention to the signs!
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Post by Becky (Berkeleytravelers) on Jul 13, 2007 8:10:37 GMT -5
Thanks Tereza -- is there an English language option?
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Post by terezacz on Jul 13, 2007 8:30:35 GMT -5
Becky, of course, all languages you can imagine, even Czech www.tomtom.com/
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