I just found some great prices for tickets to Paris, 2/12-2/20. We haven't taken a real trip in a while and France is on our list. First off, how is it out there that time of year? We speak NO French at all, is that going to be a serious problem? How much time do you need to see the major attractions of Paris? I'm thinking of spending the 13th-17th in Paris, and then the last night, with the other days for trips to the Rhone? Any hotel recs in Paris or elsewhere? What is the best area to stay in Paris?

The Lancaster in Paris.

Paris will be chilly that time of year.

I speak a little more than tourist French, and I have had few problems. Mostly, it's the "thanks for trying" look, and then they speak English back. Once in a great while, I get the "who are you to butcher our language so?" look, and then they speak English back. Occasionally, I've actually had conversations in French with French people. I've never tried starting out in English to see what would happen. I think if you're suitably apologetic about not speaking the language, you're OK in Paris. They still want your tourist dollars, after all.

Paris???

http://frommers.com/cgi-bin/WebX?13@171.s5DIakIqJQC^1@.ef31cf7

piece of cake, lots of good advice there

The Rhone is too far for a day trip from Paris IMHO. Champagne and/or the Loire is a shorter trip if you like the wines.

The Rhone is WAY, way too far for a day trip! Go to Champagne, you absolutely will not be disappointed! Loire is also a great option, but if your time is limited my money is on Champagne - and I'm not a Champagne slut! Easy, short drive from Paris, plenty to see and do, you just can't do any better imo.

We have always enjoyed staying on the Ile St. Louis.
It is affordable, charming, and very fairly priced and strategically located.
We likeHotel Lutece.

We liked being on the river/next to the Latin Quarter/Notre Dame area so we stayed at Rives de Notre Dame. Nice little boutique place.

In February, Paris will likely be cold, damp and grey. You won't find many tables on the sidewalk, and if you do, you'll probably want to sit inside anyway. But, the upside is you'll be in Paris, and I'll always take a dreary day in Paris over a beautiful day anywhere else.

I agree with the comments about visiting the Rhone. For an eight day trip, I'd concentrate on Paris and the nearby areas - like Champagne (1 hour by car) and Loire (2 hours by car). The Rhone is only about 3-4 hours by train - but when you factor the time spent checking out and hiking to the train station, you pretty much lose most of the day.

As for places to stay, because money is an issue for me, I'd concentrate on location, rather than a specific hotel. My preference is for a small (3 or 4 star) place in St. Germain (in the 6th), or near Rue Cler (in the 7th). For me, I really like these neighborhood - classic Parisian and close to almost everything you want to see. If you want something more upscale, then pick a hotel in the 8th. (As a tourist, I prefer the 6th, 7th, and 8th Arrondissements because I think its more convenient to Metro, the tourist sites, and restaurants.) If you have some places in mind and want an opinion about the location, please feel free to PM me.

To help ensure you have a smooth stay, I'd recommend following up with the hotel by email confirming the details of your reservation - like date and price. I thought that was silly advice before, but it has helped me more than once.

If there are some restaurants you definitely want to try, you should call now. The 2 and 3 star places are usually fully booked weeks in advance. (If you want a "sure thing," you can almost always get a reservation at L'Atelier - Joel Robuchon's popular restaurant in the 7th. They only take reservations for the 6:30 pm seating. Since the French never eat that early, even though it is a very popular restaurant, I've always been able to get a reservation by calling the day before.)

If you plan to visit the museums in Paris, I'd definitely recommend investing in a museum "Pass." These are multi-day passes and are a little pricey; however, you can bypass the long ticket lines. The time saved by avoiding the long lines is worth the extra cost.

My advice is to maybe pick maybe three “attractions” during your stay and leave the rest of the time to just walk around and discover Paris on your own. One of my favourite spots is the Passages Couverts/Jouffroy of the Montmartre Boulevard. Nice indoor (it’s February) gallery with old fashion shops from 1799.

What we have done in a few major cities is take a bus tour the first day, hit the highlights. Then go back and hit the places you would like to spend more time at, or just wander the city.

As for Paris cab drivers, they are the worst, and real crooks on the fare. Try to have EXACT Euros for fares, as they will never give any change back except under duress.

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As for Paris cab drivers, they are the worst, and real crooks on the fare. Try to have EXACT Euros for fares, as they will never give any change back except under duress.

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I've never had a single bad experience in a Parisian cab. I've taken my share of cabs - and have never felt as if I was being taken for a ride or stiffed on change. (My only complaints were that they gave attitude if we had 4 people, charged double if we had 5 people, and wouldn't let my labrador in the cab.)

Nonetheless, I still prefer the metro and walking. IMO, Paris is the best "walking" city in the world.

We also prefer the Left Bank and the 6th. I recommend the **** art deco Hotel Lutecia (ask for an upper floor streetview room for a view of the Eiffel Tower) and the *** Hotel du Danube depending on your budget. Both are very well located. I've booked both of these hotels over the internet with both corresponding with me in English.

Hotel Lutecia:http://www.lutetia-paris.com/index_f.html
Hotel Danube:http://www.hoteldanube.fr/

Other tips:

- Make sure to bring 100 or so Euro with you for your arrival at Charles de Gaulle. The lines at the exchange window there can be outrageously long. You'll need 50-70 euro for a cab into the center of Paris.

- Along the same lines, leave the travelers checks at home. Money machines are located on just about every block in Paris and will allow you to withdraw euros on your debit card or credit card.

- Buy the 7 day Metro pass and forget about taxis. The Metro is a breeze to use to get anywhere in town and enjoyable to boot.

- Use your hotel concierge to make your dinner reservations if you're serious about getting in the better restaurants. Ask him or her to make your dinner reservations when you book your room.

- Speaking even the most basic French with a smile can be a great help, even if it is just "bon jour, monsieur" followed up by "parlez vous Anglais?" Most Parisiens, especially those in the hospitality/service industry will respond in English. And despite those old movies, don't call out "garcon" to get your waiter's attention. It means "boy" and will likely only piss him off.

Other cool Paris websites:

Interactive map of Paris:http://www.hot-maps.de/europe/france/paris/homeen.html
Pictures of all Paris buildings by street address:http://photos.pagesjaunes.fr/
A cool French photographer's wine website with articles on Paris wine bars:http://www.wineterroirs.com/

My parents stayed at the Hotel Odeon, which is near the Jardins du Luxembourg, Notre Dame, St. Germain, etc., when I was in college and took a semester in Paris - that was more than 20 yrs. ago. It's basic and clean and well-located. Don't know about now, but pictures on the internet look pretty good. Yahoo travel has it now at $168.

Everyone, thanks for the great ideas. We are debating between Paris and somewhere warm. Although anywhere sounds warm when compared tothis !!! Who wants to come visit this weekend?

Thanks for the offer but I'll pass. Paris in comparison over the next few days looks downright balmy:http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/07157.html