Where can I find a Barber Shop in Paris?

08/23/23 by Paris-Travel | Barber, Blog, Nail salon, Paris France, Paris Shopping, Q and A, Shopping | Comments Off on Where can I find a Barber Shop in Paris?

Wondering where to find a Barber Shop in Paris?

Your search to find a barber shop in Paris is over! This one has 3 barber shops, view locations on the map above.
Read more →

Checklist for Paris France

05/29/20 by Paris-Travel | Blog, Packing Tips, Q and A, Tips on Paris, Videos | Comments Off on Checklist for Paris France

Wondering what to do/arrange/pack for your trip? Here is my …

Checklist for Paris France – to get you started :-)

Are you planning a trip to Paris? People ask, “What do I need?” “What should I take with me?”

The video is 1:58 mins long, and the transcript is below:

Here is a list of some of the things I like to recommend:

• two to four months ahead of time — organise your airport bus pick-up, flight paid for, and accommodation arranged
• important documents to think about: passport validity with a long expiry date, arrange an Entry Visa if required for your country
• one to two months ahead — arrange for your mail to be held at the post office, organise pet boarding and French lessons
• list your clothing to take, and another list of small items like smart phone and camera, plugs and cables, voltage converters if required
• if you’re taking a laptop or ipad — take USB plugs, power cords, battery charger, back-up drive  — and leave a full back-up AT HOME for your return – just in case :-)
• if you need medical stuff, take prescriptions for eye glasses and medications with you, buy extra meds to take with you just in case
• other stuff — a French phrase book, mini Paris pocket street directory (called Plan de Paris, it’s red)

Has this Checklist for Paris France helped?

Please do let me know if you have any questions or feel like a chat.

Please do :

• post a Comment below
• or send me an email
• or post a message on Facebook
• or connect with me on YouTube.

Enjoy your armchair travel in Paris via my website, or if you’re planning your trip or are already there — have a fabulous time!

I love Paris! XOXOX

Teena Hughes

Where can I find coats in a hurry for winter in Paris?

10/13/13 by Paris-Travel | Q and A, Shopping | Comments Off on Where can I find coats in a hurry for winter in Paris?

One of my favourite pastimes in Paris – drinking hot chocolate in a cosy café on a winter’s day!

I recently received an email from a delightful lady named Kara – here is her question (“Where can I find coats in a hurry for winter in Paris?”), my answer, and her lovely response:

Hello Teena!

Lovely blog — thanks for posting so many tips! I’m writing because my husband received a rather abrupt (but happy!) job transfer to Paris and we are to move in two weeks. Since we’ve been living in the southern U.S. for a few years now, we no longer own coats and, furthermore, they’re very hard to find down here where it seldom drops below 15C or so degrees. I’ve tried ordering online, but with poor results.

With only two weeks to pull everything together, I’m getting nervous that we will just have to board the plane coatless and freeze on arrival. Which brings me to you–do you think it’s possible to find a U.S. size 14 coat somewhere in Paris? I’m just imagining department stores full of coats for skinny Parisian women without a stitch to spare for more rounded out shapes.

Merci for your help!  Peace, Kara

Teena’s Answer for winter in Paris

Kara, hello!!

First of all – have no fear!  You’re going to need thermal underwear for winter, so if you can find a place like DAMART locally or online, buy yourself leggings and a long-sleeve top to go under a shirt etc.  That will keep the winter chill away until you can find a coat.

I’ve just looked at the temps in Paris, and the highs are around 17-18 degrees Celcius for the next week, so not freezing, but getting cooler.

If you don’t have overcoats before you leave, you can definitely find them on arrival.

You no doubt have somewhere to stay as soon as you land, so if you DO find anything online, you can have it shipped to your accommodation for the day you arrive (if you don’t have time to get it delivered before you leave the USA).

You’re probably better off waiting till you get there before spending too much money, as you’ll have a wider selection and you’ll be able to try things on rather than impulse-buy online.

For plus-size coats, you’re in luck!  There are BEAUTIFUL fashions in Paris for plus-size beauties, and I host shopping tours to a lot of these stores in summer-time.

I have a list of plus size clothes on my website (it may be a year or two out of date, but it’s a start):

• https://a-night-in-paris.com/plus-size-woman-clothing.html

Have a look at Ulla Popken (one of my faves), a very reasonably priced store a block from the Galleries Lafayette, which always has a great selection of clothes:

• http://www.ullapopken.fr
• look for “manteaux” which means “coats”

Check out Jean-Marc Philippe with stores all over Paris:

• http://jeanmarcphilippe-eshop.com/

To travel on the plane, wear a few layers with long sleeves, find yourself a large shawl or scarf you can drape around yourself, add a jaunty scarf around the neck, and you’ll be fine till you get to your accommodation and can go shopping.

OOOooohhhh what a lucky possum you are! You two will have the best fun, and I’d love to hear from you to see what you end up doing and buying.

Best of luck, keep an eye out for the word “SOLDES” which means ‘SALE!” twice a year (it is extremely regulated and all stores have sales at exactly the same time each year).

Ciao for now
Teena!!

Hope your move up the coast went well and that you love your new home. Thanks again for all your help! Take care.

Peace,
Kara

—

I was so pleased to be able to help Kara – if you have a question, please do let me know and I’ll do my best to answer it, just like this one about winter in Paris :-)

cheers

Teena

How can I fix a Visa card problem in Paris?

08/03/13 by Paris-Travel | Q and A, Shopping, visa, Website | 2 Comments »

Lynne wrote to me recently asking if I had any suggestions for her daughter’s Visa card problem in Paris.

Teena,

My daughter is currently studying abroad in Paris. She is having trouble with many of the merchants not accepting her American Visa credit card.

Do you know of a prepay loadable card that she can easily put money on to use? or do you have another solution than her hitting the ATM and carrying Euros everywhere?

Lyn

Teena’s reply to “Visa card problem in Paris”

I’m sorry to hear your daughter’s had problems.  I was in Paris a year ago with my Australian Visa card and didn’t have any problems, but to avoid lots of fees I also made sure to have 100-200 euro on me in cash at all times.

I did go to my bank before I left Australia and tried a pre-paid debit card which could be used as a credit card too — that worked out well, but the fees were quite high.

Just a thought — smaller merchants might have to pay high fees to accept credit cards, so they probably only accept cash.

If your daughter doesn’t like to carry much cash, perhaps she could try Traveller’s Cheques / Travelers’ Checks, but to be honest I haven’t used those for year, and she may have the same problems trying to cash them with smaller merchants.

Has your daughter met any other girls her age living in Paris who might offer suggestions for her?

Finding out how others cope in the same situation might be helpful.

As long as your daughter is careful not to flash her open wallet around, and keeps it in her handbag in FRONT of her as she walks along the streets, she shouldn’t experience any difficulties with cash.

I’m sorry I don’t have any other solution for you, but do let me know how she gets on, if she tries one of these suggestions or comes up with a much better one.

What a wonderful adventure for her to have – wouldn’t it be lovely if we could all meet up for a latte in Paris one afternoon? Ahhhhh bliss!

Ciao for now, best of luck!
Teena

Your Say

I hope Lynne’s daughter has now solved this tricky issue when shopping in Paris.

Have you ever had a Visa card problem in Paris? I’d love to hear from you if you have any tips or suggestions. Thanks!

Teena

How do I buy cheese in Paris?

06/20/13 by Paris-Travel | Food, Q and A, Website | Comments Off on How do I buy cheese in Paris?

Chatelle’s question:  “How do I buy cheese in Paris?”

When Chatelle wrote and asked me about buying cheese, it brought back memories of  the markets and the Fromageries (cheese shops) in Paris.

Teena, finally June 2013 has arrived and in 2 weeks I head for Paris. Cannot wait.

I do have, I suppose, a silly question: I will be wanting to purchase Baguettes and cheese.

How do I buy the cheese? do I ask for a portion, slice, or what.

Here in the USA I can order several at 1/4 to 1/2 pound. Pounds aren’t in France LOL.

Any suggestions?

Thanks for your reply! Chatelle

 Teena’s answer

Hi there Chatelle,

OOOOooohhh how exciting! You’re almost in Paris!

Excellent question – (never silly!) and as with everything, there are several ways to do this.

One pound converts to 453 grams, but I take that up to 500 grams just to make it easy when I’m trying to calculate it in my head whilst shopping.

Roughly speaking:

• 2 pounds in weight is 907 grams, so close enough to one kilo
• 1 pound in weight is about half a kilo (500 grams)
• half a pound is about a quarter of a kilo (250 gm)

If you’re comfortable with trying to speak French, here are some suggestions.

Your questions could be:

Converting as you go:

• “A pound of cheese please (approximately 500 grams).” = “Cinq cent (500) grammes de fromage, s’il vous plait.”
• “Half a pound of cheese please (250 grams).” = “Deux cent cinquant (250) grammes de fromage, s’il vous plait.”
• “Quarter of a pound of cheese please (125 grams).” = “Cent vingt-cinq (125) grammes de fromage, s’il vous plait.”

If you’re not too comfortable speaking French, you could create some cards for your wallet, and write in thick marker pen, the amounts in grams, e.g. 100 grams, 200 grams etc.

Show these to the shopkeeper and point to the cheese (fromage) of your choice. You can also say the name if you can read it, and if you’re ok with that – Camembert, Brie, etc – they should all have their names written on them in the window etc.

I do hope this helps!  I’m looking forward to hearing from you about all the things you love about Paris — wave to the Eiffel Tower and say hello from me, OK?

Bon voyage! Have a great trip!
Teena

Your Say

Got any tips of your own for the question, “How do I buy cheese in Paris?” Feel free to share – I’d love to hear from you :-)

Where’s the best place to stay in Paris for our first visit?

03/25/12 by Paris-France | Q and A | Comments Off on Where’s the best place to stay in Paris for our first visit?

Looking for the best place to stay in Paris

Finding the best place to stay in Paris could include apartments to rent

Hi Rob,

Hi Teena, I will be staying in Paris in late June for 11 days with my wife and two late-teen daughters. We need accommodation and think an apartment would be best for that length of stay. We wish to do the usual central Paris highlights (Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, tour of the Seine etc). Can you recommend whether an apartment is the way to go and which part of Paris would be best for our stay to get a first sample of Paris life; markets, shops, events etc. Any particular things to look for in regard to accommodation amenities would be appreciated. Thank you.

Rob

You’ll be in Paris at the same time as me, a lovely time of year :-)

Yes an apartment will be a wonderful solution, rather than a hotel. There are many apartment rental websites for Paris, and a few questions to ask and to look out for might be:

For the best place to stay in Paris

I’d avoid staying out on the edges of the city (called the “Peripherique”, which is like a “belt” [“ceinture”] around the 20 suburbs/districts/arrondissements) mostly because it will take longer to get into the heart of Paris and easily come and go to your apartment. There are so so many fabulous districts to stay in, it’s too hard to list them all. As long as read the Reviews on the apartment websites, you’ll see what other folks have said about the location, cleanliness etc.

If you might enjoy being near the markets, here is a list:

• https://a-night-in-paris.com/paris-market.html

When you look at a map of Paris, I could easily say the Arrondissements 1 through to 11 would be perfect, and the outer ones maybe not. But then there are fabulous little pockets of Parisian life everywhere, and if you’re there for 11 days, you might not need to be right in the thick of things – here is a map which shows the 20 arrondissements (numbered from 74001 to 75020, which is the actual postcode of each of the 20 suburbs).

• https://a-night-in-paris.com/paris-city-map-75004-map-of-paris-france.html

I hope this has been of some help, bon voyage and good luck finding the best place to stay in Paris!!!

Cheers

Teena

Can you identify this part of Paris?

03/16/12 by Paris-Travel | Q and A | 2 Comments »

John and I have corresponded in the past, and this question – “Can you identify this part of Paris?” – proved to be a bit harder to answer.

Teena,

You were very helpful in the past with regards to certain places in Paris and I am very grateful

However, I am having some difficulty with the attached picture and seeking its location – your help would be very much appreciated

John

To which I’ve replied:

Hi John,

(Email 1) Lovely to hear from you after all this time :-)

I’m not familiar with that image, but I’ll do some research and let you know what I find.

and (Email 2) I did send your photo to a group of people I know living in Paris, but no-one was familiar with it.

It looks like the words “Rue Dames” under the “Confection” name, but I can’t be sure. There is a rue des Dames near Metro Rome in the 17th arrondissement.

There is a Café de Paris at 10 Rue Buci, 75006 Paris, which I found on Google maps.

Depending on when that painting was done, the buildings could have been renovated, and the shops could all be different now.

Sorry I can’t offer much more help from my desk in Sydney, but do take a print of your placemat with you to Paris on your visit in June, and possibly even go to the Café de Paris and ask them – perhaps they can help. Another possibility is to go to the tourist office. Also, if you ask people in cafes or on the street, it might be the older generation who can help.

Have fun on your adventure in Paris!

So, to all you super Sleuths out there – do you know which part of Paris these shops can be found? Do please post a comment below to help John – thanks in advance!

Fingers’ crossed someone can answer John’s question, “”Can you identify this part of Paris?”

Is there a lost and found in Paris?

12/24/10 by Paris-France | Blog, Q and A | Comments Off on Is there a lost and found in Paris?

How can Ramy find his camera which was lost in Paris?
Hello I am Ramy from Egypt and I spent my honey moon in paris during the last two weeks of November…i was really fantastic..but we lost our camera in the bus number 70 that goes to place de clichy and we could reach it before we return back to Egypt…can any one help or guide to reach it again.

Teena says …

Hi Ramy,

Thanks for visiting my Paris website, and congratulations on your marriage.

What a shame you left your camera on the bus in Paris.

The first thing to do immediately you lose something on a bus is to contact the bus company.

If you lost your camera almost a month ago, it’s unlikely that you will ever get it back.

You can still try by contacting the Department of Lost and Found in Paris:

The Department of Lost and Found Police Headquarters,
36 rue des Morillons,
75015 Paris
Metro: Convention.
Tel: 0.821.00.25.25

Open from Monday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

This group is responsible for collecting items gathered in Paris, in the three surburb departments and the Roissy and Orly airports.

Each day, 600-700 lost items end up in this service which have been gathered from from individuals, the RATP, department stores, museums, taxis and other departments of the inner suburbs (92, 93 and 94).

Before going to the Lost and Found Department, try to remember the exact location of the loss and try to get there.

If you have lost something in the street within five days, contact the nearest police station.

If you’ve lost something in the metro or bus within 24 hours, ask at the metro station.

If you have lost something in a taxi, try to call the taxi (by finding the phone and identification number of the taxi on the bill).

Another option is to try to contact “les objets trouvés” in Paris

email:  servicedesobjetstrouves-paris@interieur.gouv.fr
Tél. 01 55 76 20 20 or 08 21 00 25 25
36, rue des Morillons
75015 Paris

Best of luck, and Season’s Greetings!
Teena

Teena Hughes
http://A-Night-in-Paris.com
Read along on my website as I take you
to my favourite streets, cafes, chocolate
shops, River Seine, and much, much more!

Join me for an ADVENTURE in Paris!
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Vallée de Chevreuse – 1 hour from Paris

11/28/10 by Paris-France | Blog, Q and A | Comments Off on Vallée de Chevreuse – 1 hour from Paris

Vallée de Chevreuse – 1 hour from Paris

Question:

Hello! I’m reading your article on 10 day trips from Paris and am very intrigued by the Vallée de Chevreuse. I’m curious how you recommend getting from farm to farm once we get off the train, as well as if you can recommend certain farms to visit and others to skip. My wife and I will be in Paris the week between Christmas and New Years, so trying to get in a rural foodie trip if we can.
I very much appreciate your guidance and writing.
Best,
Stuart

Teena says:

Hi there Stuart! Thanks for dropping by my site :-)

Here’s what I wrote on 10 day trips from Paris :

Although I haven’t gone “from farm to farm” in this area, the website gives lots of great information in English:

http://www.parc-naturel-chevreuse.fr/en/accueil.html

I think it’s a great idea to plan ahead – contact the local Office de Tourisme, or Office d’Informations via email in advance. You don’t need to speak French, and you can use http://translate.google.com to write your questions in English, translate to French, and then email them.

You will also be able to go to their office and ask questions on arrival.

Here is a link to the Tourism Office which I’ve translated to English:
http://www.vallee-de-chevreuse.com/les_offices_du_tourisme.htm

If the link doesn’t work, go to google.com and search for

http://www.vallee-de-chevreuse.com/les_offices_du_tourisme.htm

When the results appear, click the TRANSLATE link next to the resulting links to read the pages in English.

Although you’ll be there in mid-winter, during May to October, taking the Baladobus on arrival is a good option:

http://www.parc-naturel-chevreuse.fr/en/baladobus-vallee-de-chevreuse.html

A local farm to visit – http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.vallee-de-chevreuse.com/les_offices_du_tourisme.htm&ei=RcfyTKi-DZGavAOv-6D8DQ&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDAQ7gEwAg&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%2522Vall%25C3%25A9e%2Bde%2BChevreuse%2522%2Btourism%2Boffice%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3DekU%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26prmd%3Div :

Ferme de Coubertin – 78470 Saint Rémy lès Chevreuse – Tél. Ferme de Coubertin – 78470 Saint Rémy lès Chevreuse – Tel. 01 30 52 00 19 – info@ferme-de-coubertin.fr 01 30 52 00 19 – info@ferme-de-coubertin.fr

Fromages et produits laitiers Cheese and dairy products

Exploitation familiale d’élevage vaches laitières – Chèvres Family farm breeding dairy cows – Goats

Ouverture du point de vente tous les jours . Opening of the shop every day.

ETE : de 9h à 10h30 et de 16h30 à 19h – HIVER de 9h à 10h30 et de 16h30 à 18h30 – En juillet et Aout de 16h30 à 19h WAS: 9am to 10:30 and from 16:30 to 19h – WINTER from 9 to 10:30 and 16:30 to 18:30 – In July and August from 16:30 to 19h

Fermé les lundis matins, mardis matins et dimanches matins Closed on Monday mornings, Tuesday mornings and Sunday mornings

Have fun researching this lovely area!

and Bonnes Vacances, Bon Voyage!

Cheers
Teena

How cold is Paris in November?

06/28/10 by Paris-France | Blog, Q and A | 2 Comments »

How cold is Paris in November? Is it too cold to visit?

Do you think I should visit Paris in November or will it be too cold to enjoy, this is my 2nd visit to Paris.

Fadi, Palestine

Teena says …

Hi there Fadi,

Thanks for dropping by my website!

The approximate temperature in Paris in November is:

Highs = 49 deg F / 9 deg C

Lows = 39 deg F / 3 deg C

As I don’t know which temperatures you’re used to, I can’t say if this is too cold for you, but hopefully you can work this out :-)

It will be winter and you’ll need hat, gloves, scarves, coats and plenty of warm clothes. Here is an overview of the annual temperatures to help you decide when to visit Paris:

In this chart above, the hottest temperatures are generally July and August (summer) with June and October almost as warm.

The coldest months are around November, December, January, February, March and April.

I do hope this helps, and I’m sure if you’re prepared with the right clothes for the right season, you’ll have a simply marvellous time! Don’t forget to visit this page: What can I do in Paris in November?

There are so many wonderful things to do in Paris at any time of year, so if you do decide to go in November, you won’t be disappointed :-)

Write back after your trip to Paris and let me know what you enjoyed most :-) You can click the Add A Comment link below.

Bon voyage!

Teena

Related pages:

What can I do in Paris in November?

Learning French & where to sleep?

04/26/10 by Paris-France | Blog, Q and A | Comments Off on Learning French & where to sleep?

James wants to learn French & visit Paris.

Hi,

Thanks for this website it is very useful.

I am going to France for a holiday in 2 months and i have been learning french privately for about 3 months. i hope to study french in paris after my holiday.

i was looking for a school that is not too expensive. most schools do 4 – 8 weeks and are so expensive that it is not an option.

Did you ever come across a cheaper school when you were there ?

Did you learn much in your course? It sounds like you did and had fun meeting people which is my aim.

i’d like to learn a lot while i am there. I have an EU passport, so i was wondering if that would make my accommodation cheaper or is it best to stay with a host. Where did you stay and with who?

Sorry for all these questions. I am excited about going as you were when you first went over there.

Thank you for any help you can give me as I am isolated over here in australia from too much information about paris and people that have been studying there.

Thanks again,

James

Teena replies …

Hi James,

Let’s see if I can answer your questions – I do hope I can help you.

I am so pleased you enjoyed my website, and that you are are excitedly looking forward to your trip to Paris which must be very soon.

In regard to learning French in Paris, there are so many different language schools and types of language classes to choose from. The only way to work out what you can afford is to go to the websites and see what they offer, and how much it costs

You might also consider going to a couple of French expat forums for Paris, and ask people how they learned French in Paris, and ask for suggestions.

For example, you could search, or sign up at these forums in order to ask questions:

http://iledefrance.franglo.com

http://paris.angloinfo.com/forum/

I hope this helps.

In regard to accommodation, I’m not sure how long you’ll be there, or whether you’re willing to stay in hostels or hotels, or find share accommodation.

You could check out Craigslist – you can read about this on my site, as well as other types of accommodation:

• Craigslist Paris – Craigslist Paris
• Where to Sleep – Where to Sleep
• Short rental in Paris – Short rental in Paris
• Furnished Paris Studios – Furnished Paris Studios
• Youth Hostel Paris France – Youth Hostel Paris France

If you’d like to use an accommodation Search Engine, pop over to this page and type in your dates:

https://www.a-night-in-paris.com/book-hotels-in-paris.html

Once you’ve searched for dates, you can SORT the list according to price for single (or double) occupancy.

You might be surprised to find that some accommodation is as low as 30 euro per night.

I did a search for mid-May, and sorted the results by price for single room, just click this link to have a look:

http://ow.ly/1B7Ld

PS – you asked where I stayed in Paris when I first lived there – I lived with my boyfriend so I didn’t have to worry about finding somewhere to stay, thank heavens. It’s so much easier now.

If you’ve already booked everything, bravo! Now you just have to count the sleeps until you go on holidays :-)

Bon voyage, have a fabulous time!
Cheers
Teena

Is it easy to buy food near my accommodation?

01/05/10 by Paris-France | Blog, Q and A | Comments Off on Is it easy to buy food near my accommodation?

Have you asked this question when you book your accommodation?

A friend of mine’s on holidays in Australia at the moment, and visiting one of our beautiful mountain areas. Something she said made me think about writing this, and it may not happen to folks staying in the heart of Paris, but it’s certainly worth considering whenever you travel.

My friend needed to get a taxi to her accommodation as there was no public transport, and it wasn’t until the first evening that she realised there was no-where within walking distance where she could have dinner.

The thought of paying for a taxi both ways to the nearest café or restaurant didn’t make financial sense, so instead she needed to buy snacks while out on tours, and make those do for dinner.

Within Paris you’re never more than a block away from food no matter which arrondissement you’re in, but outside Paris and perhaps in some parts of France, there may be locations just like this where you need to know in advance what the food arrangements are.

When you’re making your reservations for your accommodation, check the website about the availability of cafés and restaurants close by, and if you can’t find this information, send off an email to make sure before you go.

It’s a simple little thing to find out, and may be the thing which tips the balance as to which place to stay at.

Have a great trip, wherever you’re off to, whatever time of year!

Cheer
Teena :-)