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You can buy a prepaid Orange for you phone; I guess the shortest time period of activation is about 2 weeks - that costs about 10 Euros, but if you know you will speak more, you can spend more (the availability will increase, but you won't care since since you spend the entire fare in your one week.)
I will send you via PM a great link that will help you find your way through Paris. You just have to write the name of the station that you leave from (or the street address) and the name of the station or address you need to get to; you add the date and the estimated time you want to leave or arrive and you are all set: you will have a detailed timetable of the RERs and what you need to to do get faster where you wanna go.
The site is in french, but it is fairly easy to navigate through it.
I hope it helps.
regardless of the sterotype that the french are rude, they are actually one of the most non anti-american countries currently. And when I visited there a few years ago I didn't encounter one rude person.
Croissants
Baguettes
Wine
Cheese
Overpriced coffee
Pollution
Tourists
Accordion music
Cafes
Being gypped
French people
Rude people
Lack of hygiene
Men running around in gay Speedos
Women running around topless (ick)
Lots of immigrants from Morocco and Algeria
Racism
Lack of fashion sense
Creeps
Ugly accents
Even though you cannot speak French, DO NOT just address everybody you meet in English, this is considered extremely impolite in France, and if you have absolutely no French at all you should learn at least the very basic phrases, eg:
Bonjour
Bonsoir
Merci
and the most important if you're a non-French speaker:
Pardon, je ne parle pas français (Sorry, I don't speak French) Excusez-moi, parlez-vous anglais? (Excuse me, do you speak English?)
It will take you five minutes to memorise these, and it will make your stay 100% more pleasant. After either of these two magic phrases, chances are the person you are addressing will happily switch straight to English. Many people - particularly the young - in Paris at least - speak really good English, and are only to glad to use it so long as you give them the common courtesy of starting first in French.
Americans/Britons who bark loudly in English before even enquiring as to the person's English abilities are considered the height of rudeness - and are probably the reason why Parisians have acquired an unfair reputation as being standoffish in the English-speaking world.
Croissants
Baguettes
Wine
Cheese
Overpriced coffee
Pollution
Tourists
Accordion music
Cafes
Being gypped
French people
Rude people
Lack of hygiene
Men running around in gay Speedos
Women running around topless (ick)
Lots of immigrants from Morocco and Algeria
Racism
Lack of fashion sense
Creeps
Ugly accents
Ouch.
I would hazard that this poster was pontificating in nasal American the entire time - and therefore got absolutely nothing out of her trip to France.
To the OP, avoid associating yourself with her ilk, and you'll have a great time. Paris is one of the most incredible and invigorating cities on earth.
Croissants
Baguettes
Wine
Cheese
Overpriced coffee
Pollution
Tourists
Accordion music
Cafes
Being gypped
French people
Rude people
Lack of hygiene
Men running around in gay Speedos
Women running around topless (ick)
Lots of immigrants from Morocco and Algeria
Racism
Lack of fashion sense
Creeps
Ugly accents
Not my experience.
Then again, I'm not one of those ugly americans.
I'd add one thing to the language.
Before you start any conversation, it's polite to say the Bonjour (good day) or Bonsoir (good evening).
That opens up the conversation.
Don't start with the excusez-moi or pardonnez-moi.
Start with the bonjour or bonsoir, that will get the attention of the person you're speaking to, then proceed to the question.
To the OP, expect some sore feet from walking around.
Enjoy yourself.
Last edited by chielgirl; 08-15-2012 at 02:53 AM..
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