Places to Go in France

So it’s been almost a year, and I’m reflecting back on trips I took, things I loved to do, and places which stick out in my mind.  One of the things that sticks out to me, after travelling with my American friends in Europe, is how much people leave France to see other countries nearby:  Germany, Luxemborg, Italy, etc.  The fact is that there are some absolutely stunning places in France which you should not miss.  I did not get too see everything I wanted to see, but I can give recounts of where I went, as well as some suggestions based on what I heard from other people.

The first place in France that you absolutely must see is Paris.  Many people really don’t like Paris that much, and I’d say that if you just go visit the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysee, that’s completely understandable.  Maybe you won’t like it even after you tramp around and see everything.  However, Paris really is a city you NEED to see.  My suggestions:

1. See the museums.  Figure out what type of art you like, and go explore!  The Louvre is amazing, and if you like painting than the Musee D’Orsay is also cool.  There are many, many others, such as the Rodin museum and the Musee Branly.  Don’t go see what you don’t want to: if you have specific tastes, go find them!  If you don’t know what you like, then go to the Louvre and find out.
2. Eat.  A lot.  But, DON’T go just anywhere.  Use guidebooks and websites to find legitimately good food.  In Paris, it’s very easy to go somewhere expensive and crappy.  The worst meals I had while in Paris were when my friends and I just decided to walk and find somewhere to eat.
3. Wake up early (at least by 8am) and go get bread.  The Boulangeries are amazing.  I can guarantee you that you will eat some of the best bread you have ever–and probably will ever–eat.
4. The gardens are also amazing.  Tuileries near the Louvre is pretty amazing, as are many others around the city.
5. Finally, go find random cool things to see!  There is one of the oldest and best Taxidermy shops in Paris, as well as a pastry maker called La Duree which makes the world’s best Macarons.  Go find something you’d want to see, and go see it

The second place I’d say is a must-see is Normandy.  This part of France is beautiful, resembling the Northeast of the United States.  They make amazing hard cider, and the food and crepes are delicious.  But, most importantly, you can go see the World War II landing sites and the US gravesite at Omaha Beach.  It’s a powerful scene, and an experience that all Americans who get a chance should have.  I’d highly suggest renting a car, because there are no metro stations and the buses stop around 5:30.  You can stay in Caen or Bayeux.  We found a hostel in Ouistreham which was cheap and close to the beaches (actually located on Juno beach), but was far away from anything else.

The third place you should see is the Loire Valley chateaux.  Chenonceau is beautiful, spanning a small stream, and Chambord is huge and magestic.  The gardens are also spectacular if they’re in bloom.  Finally, many of the small villages are really cool to walk around.  If you’re feeling athletic, you can rent bicycles at many of the towns near the chateaux, which a friend of mine and I did.  The rides are beautiful, on back roads through fields and past vineyards.

As honorable mention (aka places I did not get to see personally), Aix En Provence is supposedly very beautiful.  It’s the small village in the south of France where all the rich Paresians go for the summer.  Also consider Toulouse and Marseille.  Finally, we travelled to Lyon and it was a great city, easy to get to and very easy to walk.  Plus, Lyon is supposedly the gastronomic capitol of France.

That’s it for my “places to see in France.”  I’m sure there are many more.

Money

Be prepared: GT does not do a very good job reflecting how much Europe really costs. The Euro/Dollar conversion is very painful, and things in France tend to cost more anyways. Eating out will cost more than in the US, travel is more expensive than you’d think, and housing while traveling can be costly! Be prepared to spend at least the equivalent of the price of a Eurail pass on travel, and a good amount on food. Also, people tend to travel most weekends, and if you do this as well you will find yourself spending a good amount. Just be prepared.

A good way to get money in Europe is through debit cards and credit cards. Most ATM’s will take your American debit card. However, many places which would take your card in the States, such as stores and ticket machines, will not take it in France. Cash is much better to carry. Also, French cards have chips in them which allow them to “scan” without swiping, and the SNCF machines and metro machines will only take these type of cards. If you ask your American bank about getting a card like that, they most likely won’t know what you’re talking about. So, carry cash.

French ATM’s will not charge you for using them. Visa charges a 1% fee for overseas use, but they give the best exchange rate. American Express usually will not work in Europe, so try to switch to Visa or Mastercard. Ask your bank about fees they charge: mine didn’t charge anything, but some people had a $5 fee every time they made a transaction! Checks work, but are not accepted at many places. Again, it’s easiest and best to carry cash.

As for expenses, expect to spend around 15 euros a night for a hostel (you can get it for cheaper, but this is probably average), 3 euros for TGV reservations, and around 20 euros a day for food unless you eat out. Also, museums can be around 5 euros to get in, and transportation to and from the train station can be a few euros each way.

Eurail Passes

After not having a Eurail pass for the beginning of the semester and traveling by purchasing separate tickets, I have to say that it is very much worth it to invest in a pass. Metz is a very nice city, but it’s not a place you’ll want to spend a lot of weekends while you’re in France. It has been my experience that most people travel every weekend, and the Eurail will save you a LOT of money, as well as provide you with a good amount of flexibility in your travels. It allows you to get on any train on a given day, so if you miss the first one you’re not out the price of a ticket. Also, you can travel virtually anywhere you’d like to using your pass, and it can give discounts on other things as well, although I’ve never used it this way. The website, http://www.eurail.com/ , contains all of the information you need.

I would suggest getting a Global Pass: it allows you to do an unlimited amount of travel in a certain time period, as well as letting you travel to any country you’d like. However, it is on the more expensive side, with a Global 3-month unlimited coming in at around $1600 dollars. You will still save money, however, if you travel most weekends. I would suggest not getting an “X days in Y months” global pass: if that’s what you want, buy a select pass.

If you feel that that is too much money, you can get a Select Pass for significantly less. The down side is that it cannot offer unlimited travel in a certain amount of time: you get a certain number of “days” to travel to some select countries. I bought the 4-country select pass for 10 days in 2 months, and it was very good for me. Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxemborg all count as one country, and you will probably want to travel to Belgium, so it can be a good choice. Note that you can write down the next day if you’re travelling overnight, allowing you to use the same day for your following trains, as long as you leave after 7:00pm.

After you get your Eurail pass, it will be valid for X number of months after you “validate” it at the train station. Just go to a desk and ask them to validate it for you, and then you’re ready to use it.  Another helpful fact: you can purchase reservations for trains on the trains!  If you really have to get somewhere on a certain train, and the people at SNCF won’t give you a reservation for your Eurail, get on the train, find a conductor, and tell him that you don’t have a reservation yet and that you’d like to buy one.  They are 15 euros instead of 3, but at least you get where you need to go.

Don’t travel without a reservation for the TGV, since you’ll likely incur a heavy fine.  While they don’t always check tickets on some other lines, they almost ALWAYS check tickets on the TGV.

Getting to Metz

Getting to Metz can be a hassle. When you prepare to leave the US, taking 2 checked bags and 2 carry-ons from Charles De Gaulle airport to the Gare de L’Est train station, catching the TGV, and getting to Metz seems like no problem. The fact is, arriving in France is stressful, especially if you don’t speak the language and have heavy bags to tote around. Here are some suggestions as to the best way to get from the good ol’ USA to Metz, France:

Fly Into Luxemborg

This is the easiest way to get to Metz. The airport is smaller than CDG and Frankfurt, and only 45 minutes by train from Metz. More information to come in the future.

Fly into Frankfurt

From other people’s experiences, it is a little easier than CDG and the German train system is nicer than the French system.

Fly into Paris (CDG)

This is probably the most difficult of the three airports mentioned here at which to arrive, but it is also usually the cheapest. After arriving in CDG, you will go through passport control and customs, although when I arrived customs was not checking anybody. After clearing both, you will need to get to Gare de L’Est, the train station to Metz. DO NOT take a taxi from someone who walks up to you and offers. It is ILLEGAL in France to solicit people for taxis, and these people will overcharge you by a lot for taxis to and from the airport. Expect to pay around 40-60 euros, depending on baggage and time of arrival, for a real taxi. After arriving in Gare de L’Est, buy a ticket to Metz, France for around 50 euros (unless you have a Eurail pass already). After around 1:30 on the train, you will arrive in Metz.

Getting from the Train Station to the Dorms

Bus: Take the 8, 11, or U bus from the stop in front of the station to the Technopole. The U is the easiest; push the button for a stop right after the turning circle with the Technopole sign, and walk around the lake to the Supelec dorm. The bus is 1.2 euros 1 way, 2.2 for a “deux voyages”.
Taxi: Pick up a taxi from the station in front of the train station (it’s to the left as you exit the big doors). It will be around 15-20 euros. Ask to go to the Technopole, rue Edouard Branly. If the driver doesn’t know about that street, say the Supelec dorms and he’ll know where they are. If he still doesn’t know, it’s the 2nd right after the turning circle which says “Technopole” on a sign.