Paris? Looking for American Ex-Pats Opinions (2010, apartment, how much)

[shoegal111]

My dream is to visit Paris (sometimes I actually think about moving there). I really don't want a tourist vacation but rather to live like a Parisianne (not sure if that's the correct spelling). I am looking at going in the winter or spring of 2010 and hope to get some help here to get the following questions answered:

1. Where are the best places for meals? I am looking for both moderate and high end. Price range for each meal low end and high end?
2. Should I even bother packing jeans? I'd rather blend in than stick out like a tourist and I have been told that this is not a jeans city but rather people dress up.
3. In order to experience it all, how long should my trip be?
4. How much money should I budget for my trip excluding hotel and airfare?
5. Outside of Versailles, the Arch and Eiffel Tower is there anything from a tourist perspective that is a must see?
6. When do the french boutiques put their fall/winter clothing on sale?
7. Does anyone know if there are tours given at Chanel? and if so when/how?
8. Any neighborhoods, clubs, etc. that are must sees?
and...
9. For American Ex-Pats, how much do you love liviing in Paris and how much money (US dollars please) is needed to relocate and establish a residence? What is the average monthy expense for food, rent, etc.? and if I decided to move there can I expect to maintain my current standard of living ( very comfortable with close to 6 figures US dollars salary) with a new job there?

[irman]

Originally Posted by shoegal111

if I decided to move there can I expect to maintain my current standard of living ( very comfortable with close to 6 figures US dollars salary) with a new job there?

NO .... if you were really expecting to maintain your current standard, you better be *damn good*.
Stay where you are right now.
Use your income prudently and visit Europe often,
but do not get into the habit of visiting for only two weeks at a time ....
Spend some of your funds on learning French !!!!!

What to see ?
Lots of info when you use Google,
buy travel guides and
watch the travel channel ... ???

The beauty of *visiting* ..
You can come and leave at will !!!!
Do not like what you see or experience ???
go somewhere else !
Like what you see ???
stay longer and come back often !

[irman]

I wish, one could edit his old post to add more comments or to correct but anyway ...

If you do think that you would like to *explore* Paris, and I assume you are a bit adventurous, see if you can stay at smallish hotels. Then, instead of visiting, the usual tourist things, walk thru small streets and shop at those small stores. They have these specialty stores for cheeses, breads, wines or even umpteen kinds of mustard !!! Really !!!

Dang I miss all that stuff now. Been so long ago, but I still remember !

You stated you would like to live like a true *parisienne*.
OK, then do not behave like a tourist but do the things the locals do.

I used to work/visit Paris every four years when the Paris Airshow was going on, so I could say .. been there, done that ...

Haff phun.

[Dusty Rhodes]

With the exception of the Louvre, Paris would have been nice had I enjoyed rude boorish people.

[irman]

Originally Posted by Dusty Rhodes

With the exception of the Louvre, Paris would have been nice had I enjoyed rude boorish people.

Interesting to read that ....
Some of my colleagues, I worked with in Paris also mentioned that, but then realised that they were the ones who did not speak the local languages, or had trouble with just simple phrases.

I know you can find *rude boorish people* anywhere ..

Maybe the fact that I am well versed in the major languages of Europe, and have lived AND worked there (several countries) many years, is a factor.

Even my wife says that I am easy to get along with and that I talk to anybody I meet ... and keep those, I talk to, as friends.
We are both retired now, and each summer, our house is filled with friends from all over Europe (yes, even from Paris !!) who now come to enjoy this side of the pond.
So what goes around comes around maybe ?

I am NOT native born American, I am an immigrant who loves America, which gave me a place to live *free*, and a Family I adore, but I also like to think that I am IN this world, NOT necessarily FROM this world.

So to *Shoegal*, learn some basic French NOW !. Then go and find out for yourself. If you believe *everybody*, then stay home and do not even go out the door, or you might be run over by a bus ....
Dusty does have a reason and you may find it true in some cases.
As I said above, you find people like that everywhere !
What kind of people do you have around you now ?
*Birds of a feather .... ????*

[kerouac2]

Shoegal, you need a tourist vacation before you can begin to consider living like a parisienne. Just the fact that you are asking about high end meals indicates that you want to live like a tourist.

[shoegal111]

irman- thanks for the tips. I do know a few phrases already but have my language tapes ready.

kerouac- I also asked about low end and moderate priced meals which would be the mainstay of my meals however I do plan to treat myself while I am there. I am sure there are Parisiennes who eat at high end restaurants just as it is with New Yorkers in NYC.

[chielgirl]

First suggestion is learn the language. Rosetta Stone is a good start; I'd also suggest taking community college classes and joining a french speaking group in your community. It will make all the difference in your enjoyment.

My French language skills are pretty bad, yet I get along remarkably well because I try.

I live in Europe and I rarely read novels now, I read travel books and lots of them.

I vary my reading from Lonely Planet, Moon and Rough Guides (to learn about bus routes, and living like a local), as well as Rick Steves and other travel books. I don't do the high end travel books because there's no need to spend beaucoup money just to spend beaucoup money.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by shoegal111

My dream is to visit Paris (sometimes I actually think about moving there). I really don't want a tourist vacation but rather to live like a Parisianne (not sure if that's the correct spelling). I am looking at going in the winter or spring of 2010 and hope to get some help here to get the following questions answered:

1. Where are the best places for meals? I am looking for both moderate and high end. Price range for each meal low end and high end?
2. Should I even bother packing jeans? I'd rather blend in than stick out like a tourist and I have been told that this is not a jeans city but rather people dress up.
3. In order to experience it all, how long should my trip be?
4. How much money should I budget for my trip excluding hotel and airfare?
5. Outside of Versailles, the Arch and Eiffel Tower is there anything from a tourist perspective that is a must see?
6. When do the french boutiques put their fall/winter clothing on sale?
7. Does anyone know if there are tours given at Chanel? and if so when/how?
8. Any neighborhoods, clubs, etc. that are must sees?
and...
9. For American Ex-Pats, how much do you love liviing in Paris and how much money (US dollars please) is needed to relocate and establish a residence? What is the average monthy expense for food, rent, etc.? and if I decided to move there can I expect to maintain my current standard of living ( very comfortable with close to 6 figures US dollars salary) with a new job there?

Working in the European Union has been discussed here, do a search.
You can't just up and move, you have to already have an employer sponsor you, and you must get your long-stay visa while still in the States.
Ability with language is very helpful.

As a tourist, you can't stay longer than 3 months.
You probably should also do a search in the Travel forum, Paris has been discussed extensively there in a very long thread full of information.
I'd probably skip the jeans; I tend to dress conservatively with the knowledge that the second I open my mouth and speak, I will no longer be blending in.
Here is a nice mid-range dinner place we went to last spring, young crowd:
Au Rocher de Cancale
About $30 per person.
If you can afford it, maybe you should rent an apartment in Paris for a couple weeks. Couch surfing is another (cheaper!) way to embrace the culture and get to the heart of Paris.

My kid has lived there in the past, and has just spent another year and a half north of Paris.
He loves it, but it's been tough to find an upwardly mobile job, a real career position.
He is probably going to take some time off and leave France for awhile.

[chielgirl]

The $ is .66€.
I just spent $452.56 on 300€.
Keep that in mind.