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FAQ for the Paris Apartment:

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When preparing for the trip.
Make a zerox copy of all your credit cards you plan to take with you (front and back) and of your passport (photo/information page) and your driver's license.

Credit cards-
I recommend calling your credit card company(s) and your ATM card bank to tell them you are leaving for an extended trip to Europe so to expect charges from the places you will be visiting. I always call them when I'm leaving for an extended trip now because in the past they have cut off my credit card when they see charges coming in from abroad (even though I was an international flight attendant!).Just this past trip I forgot to call BofA about my Versa teller card. I tried to get money from the ATM machine and it denied the request. I had to call them from Paris and ask them to release the block on my ATM card.   I would also tell them there should not be any charges from the US while you are away.  Definitely ask them what number you should call if your credit card is stolen. When my purse was stolen in a restaurant just off the Champs Elysees summer of 2004, I looked at the Xeroxed copies I had made of all my credit cards, front and back, and found all my credit cards had 800 numbers on the back of them which do not work from France. It was a real hassle. I ended up calling my mother who called all the 800 numbers and got numbers I could call from Paris. Better to ask them now for a regular phone number, not an 800 number and ask if you can call collect.

If you do have to make a lot of calls back to the states for that purpose, God forbid, at least I have unlimited FREE calling to the USA and Canada, not to mention throughout France and the rest of Europe. 

ATM Machines-
Call your bank and ask them if they have an agreement with any banks in Paris (BofA has an agreement with BNP, Bank National de Paris) so you can get money out of their ATMs without the service fee which often runs $5.00 these days, no matter what amount you take out. Most ATM machines limit you to 300 Euros but at BNP I can withdraw up to 750 Euros ($1000) at once, without any fee. I don't recommend carrying much more than you need. Leave the rest in the safe, along with your passport, which you are NOT required to carry, inside the apartment.

Q. Who do I call if there is an emergency since you, Nancy, are in San Diego?
A. Call my housekeepers/handyman, Edna and Anthony Estayo. They are Philippino, speak English very well but are a little shy. They have been working for me for about 7 years and for some of my friends even longer. Their phone number is on the desk under glass and I also send it in the directions to the Apartment.

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Q. How can I call home? I'm assuming the telephone is limited to local calls, but is there a way to make a credit card call?  (Doubt I could use my AT&T calling card...)  Or, is it just better to go buy a telecarte and use a public phone for international calls?
A. I have FREE unlimited calls to the USA and Canada, not to mention throughout France and the rest of Europe. I am charged for calls to cell phones in France and Europe but not to land lines. You might want to pick up an international calling card like the MCI cards from Costco if you will be staying in other places besides my apartment. And don't forget to bring along the France toll-free number you dial to get an MCI operator. By the way, you can use your AT&T phone card here. The number to get an AT&T operator is 0800.99.00.11.

Calling the Paris Apartment
Nancy's Paris apartment- 01.77.11.67.93 (the first 1 is for a home phone in Paris)
If you call from the states you dial 011 then 33 (France) then 1 for Paris (or 2 for the Loire Valley or 6 for any mobile phone) and then the 8 digit phone number.  From inside France you dial 01 or 02 or 06 and then the 8 digit phone number. There is a 9 hour time difference (time zones of the world) between France and California so at 11PM in California its 7AM in Paris or at 2PM in California its 11 PM in Paris (both are good times to reach someone playing tourist in Paris).

Q. Since we're there for a while, we'll have to think about trash pickup/disposal.  Like, where to put it and on what days. I'm also assuming that the apartment is cleaned between guests, but that we'll be on our own, cleaning-wise, for our stay?
A. There is a trash chute right in the kitchen. Bottles should be taken down when you go out and put in one of the big round bright green recycle bins on Ave des Ternes. You'll see them. They are big on recycling in France. Or there is a door across from the Guardien's office and if you open it, you will see some trash cans where you can put bottles and big items that won't fit into the trash chute in the kitchen. Please make sure anything messy goes into a plastic bag first so it doesn't get the trash chute all smelly and dirty and remember that anything noisy is going to make noise all the way down through the kitchens of everyone below so be considerate of the hours you dispose of things.
You can schedule Anthony or Edna to clean during your stay, if you like. It's 55 Euros a visit and 15 Euros more if he does laundry, too. 

Q. I'm assuming that Anthony has access to the apartment.  Will anyone else? I'm glad to hear that there's a safe and we'll be sure to keep really important stuff there, but will it be OK to leave other things lying around (like camera, laptop, etc.)?
A. My best friend, Veronica, has a key. She lives in Amboise in the Loire Valley (and has two fabulous rentals there listed on VRBO). She stays in the Paris Apt. occasionally, when it's not occupied and waters/trims my flowers and collects my mail. (Please water the flowers on the balcony while you are there.) The apartment building has a security door system and a Guardian and I think it's very safe. You'll see. I've never had any problems in the 7 years I've been there, nor have I heard of any but I would, nevertheless, always use the deadbolt, when you are in and always when you go out. 

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Q. We'll be doing laundry there.  Are small sized boxes/bottles of detergent and softeners readily available in the stores, or should we pack some from home?
A. I try to keep laundry detergent there but if it's empty, you can buy it at Champion across the street or Ed's around the corner (two quick right turns). I certainly wouldn't carry it across the Atlantic!  

Q. We want to cook in the apartment, just like we live there.  Are there grocery stores nearby? 
A. Yes, there are about 4 grocery stores within a 4-block radius. Champion is right across the street and a little to the right. If you buy fruit or vegetables in the grocery store, you have to weigh them yourself. Just put them on the scale and touch the appropriate photo of what you are buying and it will spit out a label with the price that you can attach to your plastic bag. You are expected to bag your own groceries also, so don't wait for someone to do it for you or you'll wait all day. There are two folding carts with wheels in the hall closet. I suggest you take one or two as you always seem to end up buying more than you expect to.  Most grocery stores close about 2PM on Saturday and are closed on Sundays.  Galleries Gourmand is a wonderful American-style grocery store in the basement of the Hotel Concorde La Fayette, bottom floor, far corner. It's open until 8PM even on Sundays and even most holidays! 

You can see the Hotel Concord La Fayette from my living room. You can also go French and do your shopping at Poncillet, the big daily outdoor market behind FNAC Department Store near Ave des Ternes and MacMahon, about 4 blocks away (turn right out the door).  One of the best boulangeries in Paris (owned by an American with a French husband) is close by on Ave des Ternes about two blocks to the right (sign her guest book!) It’s just past the Italian Deli where you can buy roasted chickens for 10 Euros but it's best to pay early to reserve one as they usually run out.

Q. Can I drink the water in Paris?
A. Yes, contrary to the French custom of always drinking bottled water, you CAN drink the water in Paris. It's fine to drink, even unfiltered. It’s a little high in Calcium but it won’t hurt you to drink it for a few weeks. I have one English friend who lives in Paris and she has been drinking it since she arrived here 50 years ago and she is over 80 years old now. I have a water filter in the apartment so you don't need to buy a bunch of water and lug it back unless you want to. You will save a lot of money if you ask for a "carafe d'eau" (pronounced “carafe doe”) in restaurants. Otherwise they bring you bottled water automatically when you ask for water and, of course, add it to your bill and its not cheap!

Q. What are the tipping rules in France?
A. In restaurants, a 15% tip is already included in your bill so only leave some if you want to tip more than 15%. They don't expect it except in really nice restaurants where the waiters put on a bit of a show as they serve your meals and they expect 5% extra.  You tip hairdressers and coat check people and taxi drivers but 10% is sufficient. Taxis charge a little extra (handling fee) for every bag they put in the trunk and for working late hours.

Is there a restaurant nearby where we can feel comfortable taking our kids? 
One of my favorite restaurants is Leon de Bruxelles, near the Meridian Hotel and across from the Hotel Concord LaFayette, which you can see from my living room. Try the Moules Curry! It's a pot of hot steaming mussels in curried broth. Dip some French bread in that and you will think you are in heaven! They have serious non-smoking areas (unlike most restaurants there) and they welcome children!

Q. Should I bring cash or travelers checks?
A. Don't bring US cash.  You get the best exchange rate by using the ATM machines. There are several on Ave des Ternes. You can get money right in the airport from the ATM machine when you exit customs. If you do bring cash and want to change it, the best deal I have found (besides the ATM machines) is the moneychanger in the basement of the Hotel Concorde La Fayette on the A floor, Paris side.

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Q. How and when do I get the keys?
A. I send the keys via USPS Priority Mail with tracking about two weeks before you are scheduled to leave home so be sure to tell me if you will be traveling around before arriving in Paris. They come in one of those 8.5X11 cardboard flat envelopes like Fed Ex. You may need to sign for them since I insure them.  I send the directions separately in case the keys should fall into the wrong hands. Don't forget to bring them with you! Put them with your passport! And don't lose them. They cost about $175 a set to duplicate (you will understand when you see them) and that will come out of your security deposit. There is always a second set in the apartment on the entry table. Leave that set there when you leave, use your keys to lock up and mail then back to me when you get home. When returning keys to me, I suggest you insure them for their value of $200.

Q.  If I bring my laptop, can I access the internet while I'm there?
A. Yes, I have High-Speed cable Internet. Laptops are made for world travel and I've never seen one yet that didn't have a built in transformer (but double check to be sure). The plugs are different but I have converter plugs literally all over the apartment and extras in the drawer right below the maps.  If you already have a high-speed internet connection at home, your computer is most likely ready to plug in and start surfing or checking your email. Actually you don’t even need to plug in because I have wireless so if you each bring your own laptops, like Brian and me, you don’t have to fight over the desk.  If you are used to using dial up, you will probably have to change your internet option settings (go to start menu, settings, control panel, internet options, connections, and check to see if the dot is selected that says "Always dial my default connection"  If it is, then change it to "dial only if a network connection is not present." You can also use the phone line to connect if you have a world-wide ISP like AOL or Compuserve. You just need the Paris access number, which is in my personal phone directory in the apartment, under AOL or Compuserve. They charge an extra fee for connecting by phone overseas. There is no charge if you connect via cable internet because they don't know where you are. There is also an HP DeskJet 970 CSE printer there if your computer can locate the software interface for it or if you download the software from the HP website.

Q. Can I use my battery charger for my digital camera and phone while I'm there? 
A. You have to check each appliance to see if it's rated to handle from 100 (Japan) to 240 Europe. My Sony digital camera battery charger and my cell phone charger can both handle the 240 current without any transformer. I just need to use a plug converter to change the two skinny prongs into two fat round prongs so it can fit into the wall socket.  Hair dryers often have a place that you turn with a coin from 110 to 240 which actually just cuts the power in half so they don't dry as well. I have a French hairdryer in the bathroom. Any appliance you wish to plug in that will only take 110, you have to plug into a transformer first or you will melt it. I lived there for 5 years and didn't take anything back with me so I'm pretty sure you will find everything there that you will need.

Q. Sometimes I can receive mail but I can seem to send when I'm traveling.
A. If you use Outlook Express (or one of those mail handling programs like that) and find you can receive your email but are having a problem sending email, in Outlook express, go to tools/accounts/mail/add mail and make a new account, naming it something like "email from Paris." Use your regular incoming mail server as your incoming mail server but change the outgoing mail server to mail.noos.fr if you are using my cable connection. Then you shouldn't have a problem. Make it your default mail account while you are in Paris. Another thing that makes emailing while traveling much easier is to use a webmail address such as Yahoo mail, Gmail, or hotmail or see if your service provider has a webmail page. If you would like a Gmail account let me know and I will send you an invitation.

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Some suggestions from Nancy...
I love the bakery that is about 2 blocks to the right as you exit the apartment building. It's owned by an American with her French husband and my French friends agree that it's one of the best in Paris. On the way is an Italian deli that does roast chickens every day. You should reserve and pay for one early in the day and then go back to get it when it's done about 6 or 7PM. If you wait, they may all be reserved and you won't get one. Then you can shop at the open street market for your vegetables and fruits. It's about 2 more blocks farther down Ave des Ternes behind the FNAC department store. Open daily. I prefer eating at home to going out all the time but when I do go out, I enjoy the menus at any of the Guy Savoy restaurants. They all have chefs trained by Guy Savoy but they all have their own personalities and menus.  There are several in the neighborhood around the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. It's always best to call for a reservation. They seem to treat you better if you have a reservation rather than just walking in. There are lots of books and magazines in the apartment about "dining in Paris."

I love Leon de Bruxelles which is across the street from the Palais de Congres (convention center) which is next to the tall hotel you can see from my living room, the Hotel Concorde La Fayette. It’s a chain restaurant, they are all over Paris and they specialize in steamed mussels and fries (I don't eat the fries, I prefer the French bread dipped in the delicious broth that they steam the mussels in.) I like the "Curried Moules" the best but you may prefer the traditional broth with white wine, shallots and celery or one of the other 10 or so flavors. It has a large no smoking section and they love kids!!!

There is also a card under glass on the desk for a restaurant in the 7th district called Le Pied de Fouet. (The tail of the Whip). It's a small restaurant, not many things on the menu each night but all of them are fabulous and not too expensive. Upstairs is quaint but smoking so I usually sit downstairs at the family-style tables and strike up conversations with the other International people from all over who are dining there. They don't take reservations.

I have tried most of the restaurants on Ave des Ternes and they are all excellent. It's hard to get a bad meal in Paris, except in the Latin Quarter which the French call "Bacteria Alley" but the tourists seem to like it, especially the young people. The falafel sandwiches are great there.

If you want a real treat, go to Angeline's Tea Salon across from the Louvre on Rue de Revoli. It's been there since the 1700s and they serve "Chocolate Africanne" which is dark semi-sweet hot chocolate that is so thick it will barely pour out of the pitcher. They give you whipped cream to mix it with so you can drink it.  Not for those on a low fat diet but an interesting experience. I haven't seen anything like it anywhere else.

I would stay away from the obvious expensive tourist places like the Jules Verne Restaurant up in the Eiffel Tower. I have stories from my customers of being ripped off there by the waiters who tell them the tip is not included (15% is always included in France)  and even though they were pretty sure the tip was included, they were intimidated into leaving an additional 20%. If you had exceptional service, you can leave an additional 5% making a total of 20% if you like and they rather expect it in very nice restaurants.

The cafes have three prices depending if you stand at the bar to drink your coffee, sit inside or sit outside. Basically, the farther the waiter has to walk (and the more time they figure you are going to take i.e.: people who sit outside tend to want to linger there but people who stand at the bar are in and out quickly), the more expensive your beverage becomes.

The top of the Hotel Concorde La Fayette has a nice view but it also has a hefty minimum cover charge for the music and atmosphere so you will pay $50 whether you get two 7ups or two glasses of nice champagne.

Always remember to greet people first before asking for anything. "Bonjour Madam" or Bonjour Monsieur" is very important. If you don't greet them first, they will think you are rude and they will most likely treat you rudely in return or remind you of your manners by ignoring your question and greeting you with a "Bonjour Madam" at which point you can greet her back and start all over with your question. It's really very important to the French to be recognized as a human being even if they are standing at an "information desk" and you think that answering questions is their job.  I'm convinced that this simple gesture is at the bottom of most of the misunderstandings the Americans have about the French being "rude," which they are not if you treat them respectfully.

ATM machines are the best place to get money. Best exchange rate and you can get Euros as you need them.  The metros are a fast and efficient way to travel all over the city. Buy a book of 10 tickets at a time, It's called a carnet so you would ask for "unh carnay see voo play. A carnet costs about 11 Euros if I remember correctly. I'm not sure if they have carnets for kids at half price but worth asking! You buy them in the metros and they are good for the metro, the RER trains or the busses. No transfers on the bus. You have to use another ticket each time you change busses. Not so on the metro. You can ride all day on one ticket as long as you don't come up into the daylight.

Take a look at this website  www.paris-walks.com.  I love these walks and go on them as often as possible. A very nice English couple, Peter and Oriel Caine, started the company and have done quite well with it.  No reservations are necessary.  You just show up at the designated metro entrance. I'm sure you would really enjoy them.  Be sure to check the website within two months of your trip as they add "special" walks and occasional bus trips to places on the outskirts of Paris.  You do need a reservation for the bus tours.

This is temporarily closed for a few years for remodeling----If I haven't mentioned it before, one of my very favorite places is the top of  La Samaritaine department store (Metro Pont Neuf) near Notre Dame. I would make this one of my first outings as it gives you a good orientation to the city.  Take the elevator up to the top(9th) floor and then walk up one flight of stairs.  Find the crow's nest type spiral stairs up to the very top.  It's a circular viewing platform with a circular enameled map painted in 1928, I believe (so it does not have modern buildings like the George Pompidou Museum, Tour Montparnasse or the Grande Arch of La Defense). It shows all the historical buildings with their names so all you have to do is look out in the same direction and find the building of the same shape. You can see right down the Champs Elysees from the 3,300 year old Obelisk brought here from Egypt in the 1800's at Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe and beyond to the Grand Arch of La Defense; the Seine snaking through the city with all the lovely buildings that line it's banks, Notre Dame on the Isle de la Cite, the Pantheon, the Eiffel Tower, Opera Garnier, Hotel des Invalides with it's beautiful gold dome (where Napoleon is entombed), the Louvre, etc.  The best part is that it's free!  Be sure to take a look at the diorama on the 9th floor depicting the life of the proprietor of  La Samaritaine Department Store.

Even though it seems very touristy, be sure to go on the large tourist boats that run down the Siene.  Go on the ones that leave from Pont d'Iena (bateau Mouche) as those are the only ones that go to the original model for our Statue of Liberty, sitting in the middle of the Seine. I've been on the boats about a dozen times and still enjoy it.  Consider going after dinner, also, as the lights on the buildings and bridges are especially lovely.

You can get a unique view of Paris from the top of the double decker busses (The Red Bus and there is a yellow one too) if you get a nice day.  You can concentrate on the fabulous architecture of the buildings where the beauty really starts, one floor up, without worrying about where you are walking, getting run over or stepping in dog-doo.  I probably would have never discovered this if my friends hadn't come to visit with their one year-old daughter.  It was the easiest way to see the city with her and we all found it surprisingly delightful.

The big Paris Tourist Information Office on the Champs Elysees closed and not there are smaller kiosks all over Paris.

There is an all-night drugstore open should you need it on the Champs Elysees right at the Arc de Triomphe, called Publix.

Just a reminder.  The current here is 220 not 110 so US appliances require a transformer and adapter plug.  I have about a dozen adapter plugs here and a French hair dryer so no need to pack them unless this apartment is only one of the stops you are making in your travels abroad.  There is an iron and ironing board and washer/dryer here too.  There are lots of umbrellas too but if the forecast calls for rain when you arrive or depart, it could be a long 4 block walk from the bus to the apartment without one.

I have CNN and BBC so you can keep up with the current events (if you want to) and also cable/wireless internet if you have an Ethernet card in your computer. I have never seen a laptop that requires a transformer yet.  They are all made to handle world travel.  You just need to plug into the French adapter plug that is in the apartment already.

There are LOTS of Paris tour books and maps in the apartment and also books on French culture and language, books on Monet, Van Gough, the Opera House, Versaille, Vaux le Vicomte (my favorite castle).

TRANSPORTATION. 
The Air France bus goes directly from CDG to Port Maillot nonstop (4 flat blocks to the apartment) and then on to Charles de Gaulle Etoile (the Arc de Triomphe) which is also 4 downhill blocks to the apartment.  It runs every 15 minutes and costs about $15 or 12 Euros. You get a 15% discount when you purchase a round trip ticket (ask for "allez-retour"). That is one of the reasons I chose this area, for it's ease of access to and from the airport.  Taxis cost about $55-65 (40-50 Euros) if there is no traffic and the queue is usually pretty long to get one.  I always take the Air France bus or "luxury coaches," as they like to call them.

Parking in Paris is rarely easy and can often be quite a headache. To park your car, you have the choice between parking on the street or in an underground car park, between the cheaper peripheral "arrondissements" or the city centre. It is strictly prohibited to double park, to park in no-stopping zones ("axes rouges"), and in spaces reserved for the disabled or for deliveries.

If you decide to park in the street, please note that as a general rule it is payable from Monday to Saturday, 9am to 7pm. Night time and Sundays are free. On public holidays and during the month of August you can sometimes park free of charge in certain streets: this is indicated by a yellow sticker placed on the parking meter.

Tariffs are divided into 3 zones, ranging from an hourly rate of €3 in the centre of Paris, to €1 per hour on the outskirts. Parking meters do not accept coins and only take the "Paris Carte" card, available in tobacconists for €10 to €30. The machine will give you a ticket in exchange, which should be placed behind your windshield, clearly visible from the outside. Street parking is limited to 2 hours.

Hope this helps with your planning.

Date last updated- 11/25/2008
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