This Over 40s Lazy Adventure in Paris is for people who don’t want to rush around Paris like mad tourists — hot, tired, exhausted – and looking to get away from other tourists.
2024 — Dates: September – October (to be confirmed)
Here’s the scenario:
You want to visit Paris but you don’t feel like buzzing from tourist attraction to tourist attraction, constantly travelling on public transport, getting sore feet with all the constant walking, getting jostled in the crowds, perhaps even feeling out of place.
This is my daydream of being in Paris, spanning a couple of days:
be met by a mini-bus at the airport who’ll take you to your hotel
enjoy a Champagne Cruise on the River Seine the first night, and a Welcome Dinner in a delightful restaurant
have late breakfasts
do a bit of shopping
have morning and afternoon teas in cute French tea salons
maybe see a movie or wander down a delightful street in “hidden Paris” far from the tourist crowd
take a barge cruise under and around Paris for a couple of hours
drop into a pub you’ve walking past in the afternoons for a refreshing beer, glass of wine or a cocktail
and then have a lovely dinner with lots of laughter whilst getting to know the other people sharing the same adventure
on the last evening we’ll have a celebratory Farewell Dinner
after breakfast the next morning, you’re free to use the Airport Bus already arranged for you, or head off to more adventures of your own.
Sound like the type of relaxing break you’d like?
We’ll do a smaller version of this dream :-)
Please note:
there will be no visits to the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre or any other tourist destination
there will be no standing in queues for any touristy thing – ever, ok?
there will be no running, rushing or being out of breath
there will be no stressful metro, instead we’ll use buses and taxis, barges and boats
there will be lazy walking, strolling, sitting in lots of cafes and restaurants, enjoyable laughter and a general sense of well-being all-round – are you ready for that?
Good, now let’s have some lazy fun!
What’s included in this One Day Adventure?
There are a variety of ways to fill our day, please choose one of these potential settings:
Meet and greet coffee or tea is included in a delightful Paris cafe
3 hours on a Barge Cruise which goes around and UNDER Paris
having fun whilst exploring the hidden Paris
visiting several of the ancient covered Passages
having an adventure in a classic French car, the 2CV (Deux Chevaux, 2 Horse)
Price for 2024 … $US (to be confirmed shortly)
The Lazy Paris Adventure lasts for one Day, and the choice of Settings will be decidedd before we meet.
Dates: September – October (to be confirmed shortly)
What’s not included?
Your expenses in getting to Paris.
Accommodation in a Paris hotel (which may include breakfasts at the hotel)
Meals, drinks and all other expenses not included above.
Want to know more about the Over 40s Lazy Adventure in Paris?
If you’re interested in this lazy relaxing way to see just a little bit of Paris, please do contact me today – ask me your questions, and join in the Adventure!
Want to see the other Adventures I host while I’m in Paris? Pop over to the Adventures page >>
I look forward to hanging around and taking it easy with you :-)
Above: the Lazy Paris Barge Cruise
If you enjoyed this, please feel free to share on Twitter, Facebook or anywhere you like (click one of the little icons on this page). PS — I’d love to hear from you!
Every now and then I receive emails from people who’ve been to Paris with a friend, family member or loved one, and ended up having a terrible holiday.
For some, this trip might be the dream of a lifetime, they’ve saved up for years, then they encourage, cajole or convince someone to go with them, and that person has no plan to do ANYthing in Paris, or is just a royal pain in the backside!
Have a chat with your friend / significant other / travel companion BEFORE you go! Talk about what YOU want to do whilst in Paris, and ask THEM what they plan to do.
Write it all down, discuss each point until you’re both happy with the outcome.
Make sure to be clear you do NOT need to be together 24/7– have a day or a few hours apart often, and meet up in a cafe / bar in the afternoon for an aperitif or coffee to chat and share you day’s adventures! This can be so much fun and so rewarding for you both, as you won’t be getting on each others’ nerves :D
When one of you is unhappy and won’t tell the other
For a lot of people, they may feel extremely disappointed once they’re there (for any number of reasons), and many of them will not even tell the other person how unhappy they are.
OK – that can happen – honestly – so don’t sulk, pout or seethe silently.
Remember … it’s a new situation for you both in a foreign city
Getting along great with someone in your home town might be easy, but travelling overseas has all kinds of other situations you both might not have thought about.
Talk to them – ask them if they’d be OK to spend a few hours on their own, or even a day, take a tour on their own, and meet up later to share adventure stories.
Are you or they an early riser? Talk about how to deal with that.
Do either of you like “quiet” time to write a journal or read a book? Discuss how to manage that. Can one of you go to a cafe to leave the other in peace?
If either of you makes new friends, are you both happy to have them come back to your shared room to visit?
Speak of sharing a room … Set some boundaries BEFORE you leave home so you don’t drive each other crazy. Before you go, talk about:
phones, chargers etc
alarm clocks – who loves or hates them? are they necessary? I use my iPhone
snoring or just noisy
untidiness
suitcases overflowing on the floor and the bed
food in the room – and scraps
having a radio or music going all night to help YOU sleep all night, but which BUGS the other person.
Now honestly – do you still want to SHARE a room? I suggest you find the budget to each have your own room, or rent an Airbnb apartment with 2 bedrooms, which is something I can highly recommend :-)
If you can’t salvage the trip, SMILE, stop sulking and start planning
And by that I mean PLAN ANOTHER trip as soon as possible, and do ALL the things you wanted to do the first time round!
I also mean PLAN to talk to your travelling companion right now, so the rest of the trip can be less stressful for both of you.
Here are some of the questions I’ve heard from nervous travellers:
is it safe to travel to Paris on my own? YES
how will I manage on my own? QUITE WELL if you plan in advance
I’ve never travelled alone – how can I do this? WITH CONFIDENCE
I’m afraid to be on my own. A WONDERFUL ADVENTURE AWAITS!
I’m sure I’ll be so lonely I’ll have an awful time! IF YOU DECIDE to have a GREAT TIME instead, YOU WILL :D
These are just some of things people have written to me.
So – here are a few tips I’ve shared over the years, which might help you to plan a trip on your own to the City of Love and Light!
Have you heard that Paris is for lovers?
Well, yes, it is.
But it’s also for lovers of LIFE, enjoyment, adventure!
You don’t have to be with someone to fall in love with Paris, when you’re IN Paris :-)
A few suggestions on how to fall in love with Paris a second time!
I’ve spoken to many women over the years who have had similar experiences to the ones I mention above — I know this won’t make it any better for you if that’s what you’re going through or have just been through — but it saddens my heart that when we travel with our dearly loved partner they become selfish and think only of themselves.
My suggestion is always — go again, and go alone!
Now you’ve been once — you’ve been in arm’s reach of amazing sights and sounds, and you know enough about Paris to go again — or with a carefully-selected, well-screened friend — and enjoy absolutely every minute of every day!
I’m not sure of your age, but when I divorced in Australia and ended up in Paris — I fell in love with her, the City of Love and Light, and I ended up staying for about three years that first time (before I was offered a new adventure in Greece!). I did go back to Paris and stay for many months at a time, and continue to revisit friends and places I love.
Back then – newly single, I didn’t speak more than a few sentences in French, but I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and willing to learn, knowing there was always going to be a new adventure around every corner if I could speak a bit of the language!
Do mini “practice trips” before you go to Paris
If you think you’d be nervous going on your own, do what I recommend to friends — go to a town or district a small distance from where you live, just for the day, or even a few days if you can.
BE A TOURIST
go to the Visitor Information office
get maps
go on a sightseeing tour
eat out in cafes and restaurants on your own
take books (about Paris!) and a notebook
enjoy the time on your own.
Treat it like you would if you were in Paris – explore and have adventures!
Talk to strangers :-)
In fact, the best thing I ever could have done when I arrived in Paris was to sign up for a language class. You could do this near your home!
5 days a week, 8 hours a day for a total of 4 weeks I learnt enough French to survive, and my whole Parisian world opened up :-)
In fact, the people I met at the school became my friends, and that made it even more fun to meet them in cafes and chat outside school hours.
That was 30 years ago, and one of those people (a gorgeous Italian woman with a great sense of humour) is still a close friend today!
These days the younger French generations are happy to speak English, but it’s ever so helpful to know a bit of French.
Today I use the Duolingo App every day to practice 5-10 minutes of verbal and written French — it’s such a great easy-to-use program!
I think if you try some of these things, you will understand that Paris isn’t “over” — it’s really just beginning. And your next adventure is ahead of you, beckoning you with open arms, to come and explore on your own, without any negativity from a travel friend.
And if you’d ever like to talk about Paris, I’d love to Zoom (or Skype) with you — we can work out a time to suit us both, and we can chat about the things you LOVED about Paris! I’d love that if you’re up for it!
To answer the questions I’ve received:
Paris is for lovers of life!
If you have any other questions, please do get in touch (by email or on Facebook) so we can chat further.
This Over 40s Lazy Adventure in Paris is for people who don’t want to rush around Paris like mad tourists, — hot, tired, exhausted – and looking to get away from other tourists.
Option 1 — Dates: September 2018 (to be confirmed)
Here’s the scenario:
You want to visit Paris but you don’t feel like buzzing from tourist attraction to tourist attraction, constantly travelling on public transport, getting sore feet with all the constant walking.
You’d really prefer to take it easy, perhaps along these lines:
be met by a mini-bus at the airport who’ll take you to your hotel
enjoy a Champagne Cruise on the River Seine the first night, and a Welcome Dinner in a delightful restaurant
have late breakfasts
do a bit of shopping
have morning and afternoon teas in cute French tea salons
maybe see a movie or wander down a delightful street in “hidden Paris” far from the tourist crowd
take a barge cruise under and around Paris for a couple of hours
drop into a pub we’re walking past in the afternoons for a refreshing beer, glass of wine or a cocktail
and then have a lovely dinner with lots of laughter whilst getting to know the other people sharing the same adventure
on the last evening we’ll have a celebratory Farewell Dinner
after breakfast the next morning, you’re free to use the Airport Bus already arranged for you, or head off to more adventures of your own.
Sound like you?
Spend 3 days and 2 nights where you can be lazy in Paris, and enjoy yourself totally with like-minded travellers. Couples welcome.
Please note:
there will be no visits to the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre or any other tourist destination
there will be no standing in queues for any touristy thing – ever, ok?
there will be no running, rushing or being out of breath
there will be lazy walking, strolling, sitting in lots of cafes and restaurants, lazy laughter and a general sense of all-round well-being – you ready for that?
Good, now let’s have some lazy fun!
What’s included in this Adventure?
airport pickup and drop-off in Paris (at a hotel of your choice or let me know if you need help with this)
surprise Welcome Gift :-)
fabulous Champagne Cruise on the River Seine at dusk on your first day
Day 1 Welcome Dinner
Final Night Farewell Dinner
metro/bus tickets for getting to/from our destinations
Barge Cruise
having fun whilst exploring the hidden Paris for 3 days and 2 nights.
Price for 2018 … $US (to be confirmed shortly)
The Lazy Paris Adventure lasts for 3 Days / 2 Nights
Dates: September 2018 (to be confirmed shortly)
What’s not included?
Your expenses in getting to Paris.
Accommodation in a Paris hotel (which may include breakfasts at the hotel)
Meals, drinks and all other expenses not included above.
Option 2 – Don’t have 3 days to spare?
Spend one lazy day with me in Paris for $US (to be confirmed shortly)
Meet and greet coffee or tea is included.
Want to know more about the Over 40s Lazy Adventure in Paris?
If you’re interested in this lazy relaxing way to see just a little bit of Paris, please do contact me today – ask me your questions, and join in the Adventure!
Want to see the other Adventures I host while I’m in Paris? Pop over to the Adventures page >>
I look forward to hanging around and taking it easy with you :-)
Above: the Lazy Paris Barge Cruise
If you enjoyed this, please feel free to share on Twitter, Facebook or anywhere you like (click one of the little icons on this page). PS — I’d love to hear from you!
Today I have been printing off my e-ticket to fly from Brisbane to Paris via Dubai, airport bus pick-up vouchers at both ends of the journey, access info for my rented apartment, sticky labels for the postcards and cards I’ll send to friends from gay Paree —
Only got time for a coffee or a cocktail? Get in touch and see what we can work out :-)
Q & A • Question about Paris September 2015
A question from Sylvia:
“Hi Teena, how long will it take for you to get to Paris this year?”
Excellent question, Sylvia! This year I decided to pay a bit more for my airline tickets in order to reduce the waiting time inbetween flights, and I’m so pleased!
In the past I’ve had layovers in Guangzhou (pronounced “Gwang-joe”, China), Abu Dhabi, Singapore and this time the layover will be in Dubai.
Some of those layovers have been horrendous, time-wise, facilities, and many other factors. In Abu Dhabi one year there were hundreds of us transit passengers who had to sit on the floor of the airport, in corridors, because the management refused to open the Translit Lounge until the flight was ready for boarding. Was it five hours, six or even seven? More? Thank heavens I’ve blocked the details from my brain, but take it from me — sitting on a floor for all those hours with so many rules and regulations about what we weren’t allowed to do, did NOT make for a fun time. Nerves were frayed, everyone was exhausted, we felt like cattle. Not a happy time.
Jumping forward to NOW, I am thrilled to say I will only have a 2 hour layover in Dubai, making the whole journey so much easier!
Here’s how it’ll work for me tonight:
catch a ferry to the mainland
airport bus pickup about 10pm, drive for about an hour to the airport
three and a half hours waiting for the flight to depart at 2:30am
fly to Dubai — 16.25 hours in the air
then a two hour layover
fly Dubai to Paris for 7.15 hours
45 minute wait for scheduled airport bus pick-up
about an hour to drive in Paris
total travelling time approximately 32 hours all up.
And THAT’S why I stay for 4 weeks — if it was only 10-15 hours away, I’d be flying to Paris ALL the time :-)
One of the very first things I love to do after arriving in Paris — generally AFTER I’ve had my first croissant :-) — is to take a barge cruise on the outskirts of the River Seine, to reacquaint myself with the outer suburbs and the fascinating history (as told by the Barge storyteller). For two and a half hours I soak up the Parisian atmosphere without having to plan anything — I wave to the folks on the banks and on the little bridges which go across the river in its narrower parts. When the barge navigates down the locks of different heights, it’s a great way to be reminded about nature. We then slowly venture UNDER Paris, and when we get to the bit under the Bastille monument (in the 4th arrondissement), I heave a sigh of ‘history’, remembering what happened here (storming of the Bastille).
I’m also remembering the wonderful years I spent living just a few steps from this majestic Paris icon. OK – that’s enough waxing lyrical :-)
Here’s a bit more about it, with some of my photos:
Want to know more about the Over 40s Lazy Adventure in Paris?
Want to know more about the Over 40s Lazy Adventure in Paris?
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