Paris Summary Guide

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Paris Summary Guide - H-M

Updated January 21 2003

The following prices below are in Euros, and will give you an idea of costs during your visit to Paris. However these are approximate. Please use the prices as a guide only.

Presently the Euro is pretty much in line with the US dollar.

Hotels

Desiree's Paris Hotel Star Guide

do not go under 55-60 Euros that is the lowest price that you may be able to live with, and you will get what you pay for at that rate. Do not expect anything lower to have a bathroom/toliet in the room. ( If it does great!) You will have one, but it will be down the hall.

low	55 euro
med	100-125euro
Med-high	150-200
high	250+
delixe	300 on up

Hospitals

Two private hospitals serve the Anglo-American community;

American Hospital of Paris

63, Bd Victor- Hugo,

92202 Neuilly

tel. (1) 46 41 25 25

Hopital Franc- Britannique

3, Rue Barbes

92300 Levallois- Perret

tel. (1) 46 39 22 22

Chemist shops (pharmacies) are identified by the green cross they display. They are helpful in dealing with minor ailments and can recommend a nurse (infirmiere) if you need injections or special care. There 's always a chemist on night -duty ( service de garde) and its name and address is displayed in the window of other pharmacies.

Holidays

Public Holidays

1 January	New Years Day
1 May	Labour Day
8 May	Victory Day
14 July	Bastille Day
15 August	Assumption Day
1 November	All Saints Day
11 November	Armistice Day
25 December	Christmas Day

Moveable Dates

Easter Monday

Ascension Whit Monday

Language

Even if your French isn't perfect; it's better to make an effort. Never assume that people will speak English.

Polite Essentials

English	French	Sounds like

good morning/day	bonjour	bohn-zhoor
good evening	bosoir	bohn-swahr
good night	bonne nuit	bun nwee
hello	salut or allo	sah lew / ahh low
please	s'il vous plait	seel voo play ( or think- Sea-food-plate)
thank you	merci	mar see
you're welcome	de rien	duh rya n
excuse me	pardon excusez- moi	par doh n ek skee zay mwah
I'm sorry	Je suis desole	zhuh swee day zoh lay
yes	oui	wee
My name is	je m' appelle...	zhuh mah pel
I would like...	je voudrais...	zhuh voo dray
I have	j'ai...	zhay
I do not understand	je ne comprends pas	zhuh nuh koh prah pah

Lost Property

Lost Property may turn up at:

The Bureau des Objets Trouves,

36 Rue des Morillons, 75015 Paris.

If you have lost a pass port, check first with your embassy as the Bureau would transfer it there.

Metro

The Metro

is the least expensive. You get ten journeys for the price of six if you invest in a carnet ( book) of tickets, also valid for the bus network and for the RER provided that you stay within Paris and don't go to the outer suburbs.

A special ticket called Paris Visite, valid for three or five days allows unlimited travel on the bus or metro, and reductions on entrance fees to various attractions.

A "Day Ticket" (formule 1) , is valid for metro RER, buses, suburban trains and airport buses.

For longer stays , the best bet is a weekly ticket ( coupon Hebdomadaire): note the validity runs from each Monday to Sundy. Be sure to ask for the carte orange to go with it - and have a passport photo ready to stick to the carte orange.

Whatever your ticket, remember to collect it after putting it through the machine at the metro entrance gates. ( Although most of the gates won't open until you do).

Metro services start at 5.30am and finishes at around 1am .

Museums

are open 10am-5pm, 5.30 pr 6pm (variable). Some including the Louvre, are closed on Tuesdays: others close on Mondays. Major national monuments including the Arc de Triomphe, Pantheon and Sainte- Chaleppe are open daily, except certain public holidays.

Medical Care

Make sure your health insurance policy covers any illness or accident while on holiday.

Most bigger hotels or the consulates have a list of English- specking doctors and dentists. Doctors who belong to the French social security system ( medecins conventionnes) charge the minimum.

Two private hospitals serve the Anglo-American community;

American Hospital of Paris

63, Bd Victor- Hugo,

92202 Neuilly

tel. (1) 46 41 25 25

Hopital Franc- Britannique

3, Rue Barbes

92300 Levallois- Perret

tel. (1) 46 39 22 22

The Pharmacie Dhery

84 Ave. des Champs-Elysees

tel. (1) 45 62 02 41

is open 24 hours a day

(metro: George V)

Mail

If you don't know ahead of time where you will be staying, you can have your mail addressed to you at :

poste restante( general delivery)

c/o Poste restante, 52 Rue du Lourve

75001 Paris (always open).

You can collect it for a small fee on presentation of your passpost.

American Express at:

11 RueScribe, 75009 Paris, performs the same service

Money Matters

Banks and currency exchange office ( banque; bureau de change) Always take your passport when you go to change money or traveller's cheques. Your hotel may also offer an exchange service. But keep in mind there will usually be a service fee tacked on. Your best bet is to use your credit card and the ATMs for the best and most current rates of exchange.

Credit Cards

are widly accepted in hotels, restaurants, shops, and gas stations. You may be able to use your card to withdraw cash from automatic teller machines, but be aware that some machines only respond to French -issued "smart"cards. If your card is rejected by the machine, you can go to a bank exchange counter to obtain cash with it. Or just walk to another ATM machine.

I have had very few problems using my credit cards. Most ATM machines are very user friendly. They all have instructions in French , and English.