How does bike rental work in paris?
I travel to paris for a week in november. i read about a paris bike rental system. I found the web site but do not read french. how does it work? how much? are bikes safe? can i lock up when i do not ride? can i do something now to prepare to rent them? seems to have a card i can get now maybe but don't undrstand the french stuff well.
Paris - 6 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
I've read about it too... I think you sign up for a card and you can get a bike from one of the many stations in Paris... basically, you ride around and drop it off any station. I think the system is called "Velis" or something like that. You might need to check out the system more, I think its designed with city residents in mind, although you should be able to find rental places that cater to tourists.
2 :
I haven't tried it yet since it just started. The idea is simple. You buy a pass for a day a week, a month or even a year. The you just take a bike from any of the stands and return it to another when you get where you are going. The rates are set in such a way that you shouldn't just keep the bike all day but return it at the end of each trip. Apparently there is some sort of computer monitoring of each bike to know how long it is in use.
3 :
Just an anecdote heard on the French news tonite ; the system is indeed very popular in Paris but parisians use the bike rental mainly for going down hill and because most people do this, there is not enough room to leave your bike there as it is full !! and there are no bikes left at the places uphill !! So the speaker on the news asked people to be courageous and climb up hill ! lol :-) bon courage !
4 :
Hey, Guillermo--first, thanks for the 10 points, dude! Second, most of those french sites can be translated into english, if you try. Below are three sites (english) about the bikes and how it works. Enjoy your trip to Paris and have the best time ever!! Everything there is great, including the people.
5 :
i just got from paris and i saw the rental systems, although i didn't rent a bike, it seemed very simple. there is this little thing that looks somewhat like an atm, you stick your credit card or cash in it and they unlock a bike that's lined up next to it. you don't need to notify anyone that you want a bike, because it's all run mostly be machine and you just walk up to one of the places and grab a bike, and there are rental places every few blocks.
6 :
Hi. The service started on July 15. I've ridden the bikes several times since then. I took some pictures and put some basic practical info on my flickr site: This link says it all: http://www.flickr.com/photos/austinevan/887339707/ Yes, you can lock them up. They have a lock attached to the frame that you can loop around stuff. You can just pay with your credit card at the station but the coolest and easiest way is to obtain a navigo card before you arrive (www.navigo.fr), then link the navigo with a velib account (www.velib.fr). It's a bit complicated doing this (have to send 29 euros to Velib outside Paris) but the result is being able to just press your Navigo card on the bike stand and ride away! Then you don't have to mess with the interface (which is only in french still - though there are links to english but it still does not work; only displays the french). if you want, send me an ID-type photo of yourself and i will appy online and get it for you! (I've done it twice; once for myself and once for my daughter). You can also use the same navigo card on the metro and buses! (very cool system here). You can use my address in Paris and I'll mail it to you when it arrives. Also, if you are looking for a vacation rental I can help there too as I can refer you to 3 properties I have contacts with here in Paris (I own one of them). The french translation sites don't really work. You can get the gist of a web site but you won't be able to understand the actual process to do something. Better to find someone that reads french! Someday these type of sites will work well but for now they are horrible. Have fun riding and visiting France.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Will my ceramic flat iron by jilbere de paris work in europe
Will my ceramic flat iron by jilbere de paris work in europe?
I'm traveling to Europe in a month and im not sure if i will be able to straighten my hair while im over there. Can someone please help?
Other - Europe - 2 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
In my travels I have found that flat Irons work fine just make sure to bring a outlet converter... I bought mine from Wal-mart. (cheaper) Mine works in many, many countries because it has many different countries outlet prongs. On the other hand through hair dryers will need to be under a certain wattage in order not to blow a fuse with the outlet converter. Just read what voltage your converter says and don't use a hair dryer stronger then that!
2 :
If your iron works with outlets in the USA without an adapter/converter, then it will not work in Europe. You will need an adapter. You can call your hotel and see if they have loaners available or you can try and find one when you get over there (I know when I lived in Florence, they had them at what was basically a dollar store.) Your best/safest bet would be to purchase one before you go. Brookstone or Sharper Image would be good places to look here in the US - you can also search for adapters/converters on the internet. Another thing to keep in mind is that all European outlets are not alike...what works in France may not work in Italy or Germany, so make sure you get a multi country adapter/converter or several separate ones. Good luck!
I'm traveling to Europe in a month and im not sure if i will be able to straighten my hair while im over there. Can someone please help?
Other - Europe - 2 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
In my travels I have found that flat Irons work fine just make sure to bring a outlet converter... I bought mine from Wal-mart. (cheaper) Mine works in many, many countries because it has many different countries outlet prongs. On the other hand through hair dryers will need to be under a certain wattage in order not to blow a fuse with the outlet converter. Just read what voltage your converter says and don't use a hair dryer stronger then that!
2 :
If your iron works with outlets in the USA without an adapter/converter, then it will not work in Europe. You will need an adapter. You can call your hotel and see if they have loaners available or you can try and find one when you get over there (I know when I lived in Florence, they had them at what was basically a dollar store.) Your best/safest bet would be to purchase one before you go. Brookstone or Sharper Image would be good places to look here in the US - you can also search for adapters/converters on the internet. Another thing to keep in mind is that all European outlets are not alike...what works in France may not work in Italy or Germany, so make sure you get a multi country adapter/converter or several separate ones. Good luck!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
How old do you have to be to work in Paris
How old do you have to be to work in Paris?
I am from Canada and planning to move to Paris next year. Do you have to be 18 to work full-time?
Paris - 2 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Do you know that you need a work permit to work in France if you are not a citizen of the EU? You should also understand that unemployment among the young in France is VERY high.
2 :
The legal working age is 16, or 15 for co-ops and apprenticeship programs. As the other poster mentioned a visa/work permit is mandatory to work legally anywhere in the european union, unless you have a EU citizenship or a resident status. In case you dont, I think Canadians are eligible for the working holidays visa program which would allow you to work legally in France for 1 year. If you do not have a visa and wish to work illegally, be aware that all decent employers will ask for your working papers. I would not advise you to get a steady kind of job illegally unless you got your job by a friend or connections and will be employed by someone trustworthy. You will be underpaid in the best case and your employer might blackmail you by threatening to call the cops on you (though he'd be in as much trouble as you'd be). A good informal job would be to help people pack/unpack boxes and all that on fairs and markets. You can usually agree upon a fixed payment, nobody will ask any questions though the job will most likely be tough. Finding a job legally might indeed prove hard given the unemployment rate it is however far from impossible, even if you don't speak French. Paris has a strong english speaking expat community and this would be a good place to start. You might wanna look on the web. There's also a free newspaper for expats called Fusac http://www.fusac.org/ which has classifieds for jobs in paris from translations or english private lessons to full time jobs. You can also check craigslist, the paris section is becoming more and more active and you will find several offers posted everyday (though only a small percentage of them are worth looking into). Hope that helps and have a great time in Paris.
I am from Canada and planning to move to Paris next year. Do you have to be 18 to work full-time?
Paris - 2 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Do you know that you need a work permit to work in France if you are not a citizen of the EU? You should also understand that unemployment among the young in France is VERY high.
2 :
The legal working age is 16, or 15 for co-ops and apprenticeship programs. As the other poster mentioned a visa/work permit is mandatory to work legally anywhere in the european union, unless you have a EU citizenship or a resident status. In case you dont, I think Canadians are eligible for the working holidays visa program which would allow you to work legally in France for 1 year. If you do not have a visa and wish to work illegally, be aware that all decent employers will ask for your working papers. I would not advise you to get a steady kind of job illegally unless you got your job by a friend or connections and will be employed by someone trustworthy. You will be underpaid in the best case and your employer might blackmail you by threatening to call the cops on you (though he'd be in as much trouble as you'd be). A good informal job would be to help people pack/unpack boxes and all that on fairs and markets. You can usually agree upon a fixed payment, nobody will ask any questions though the job will most likely be tough. Finding a job legally might indeed prove hard given the unemployment rate it is however far from impossible, even if you don't speak French. Paris has a strong english speaking expat community and this would be a good place to start. You might wanna look on the web. There's also a free newspaper for expats called Fusac http://www.fusac.org/ which has classifieds for jobs in paris from translations or english private lessons to full time jobs. You can also check craigslist, the paris section is becoming more and more active and you will find several offers posted everyday (though only a small percentage of them are worth looking into). Hope that helps and have a great time in Paris.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
How do the rates for hostels in Paris work
How do the rates for hostels in Paris work?
Im staying in a hostel for about a week in Paris. Im trying to reserve a room for me and two friends. Most of the hostels dont have dorm rooms like they do in other parts of the world, so I figured a triple room would be fine. Most are lsited close to 100 euros. Is this cost per person or for the whole room? Im pretty sur eits for the entire room. I just want to be sure so we dont get jipped
Paris - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Do yourself a favor and look at websites like www.hostels.com and www.hostelz.com and read lots of reviews. I've read lots of scary stuff about some of the Paris hostels. They seem to be pretty disgusting in general and I think you pay per person. Not sure though.
2 :
It would be fine staying in Hostel in Europe, been travelling around Europe and staying in Paris for 6mths..It's fun and most importantly budget!!Well..I think 100 Euro is for a room, even room are pretty expensive..You can try going to http://www.hostelworld.com/ and check, they provide rating, reviews, maps, and much more information on the webby..I been using this website to get my hostel when I'm travelling around Europe..How it works, is depending on whether are you willing to share the room with others whom you don't know or you prefer a private room of yourselves..It would cost more if u wanna get a private room but safer..Well, I used to stay in hostel room with some others people whom I don't know too..It depends on your luck too, on your room mates, so far, people I met are fun and happening people..Oh yeah,so hostel has Pub, it would be free for guests to enter and have a drink..Oh..About bathroom too..If you prefer to have a bathroom in your room, it would cost more expensive too..But if the bathroom is round the corner and shared among the whole level, your rental would be pretty budget..There is not problem sharing bathroom,as it would be seperated by gender..As for the shared room, you can choose between Only Male, Only Female or Mixed..Which ever you feel comfortable with.. In order not to get cheated check the prices with other hostel and compare with hotel, because at times, hotel might have discount prices..
3 :
It's for the room. But do check different internet services, sometimes the same hotel has different prices depending from where you do the reservation... Alternatively, for cheaper places, try to find "auberge de jeunesse" (youth hostel), but be careful: in this later case, the price is usually by person and you might have to share the room with strangers... Check here, they have beds for around 20euro/person. http://www.fuaj.org/fra/information/ibn.php
4 :
Comparied to other hostels in Europe, hostels in Paris are not all that great. I would suggest a 2 star hotel. There are lots of them, and you can find them in better areas than most of the hostels in Paris. We stayed at Hotel Montebello near the Metro stop Duroc and it turned out to be 45 Euro a night (for 2 people), which was about equal to hostel prices---plus we got our own room and own bathroom and better location.
5 :
Go to Twizi.com, they list and map dozens of Paris hostels and budget hotel for people just in your situation.
Im staying in a hostel for about a week in Paris. Im trying to reserve a room for me and two friends. Most of the hostels dont have dorm rooms like they do in other parts of the world, so I figured a triple room would be fine. Most are lsited close to 100 euros. Is this cost per person or for the whole room? Im pretty sur eits for the entire room. I just want to be sure so we dont get jipped
Paris - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Do yourself a favor and look at websites like www.hostels.com and www.hostelz.com and read lots of reviews. I've read lots of scary stuff about some of the Paris hostels. They seem to be pretty disgusting in general and I think you pay per person. Not sure though.
2 :
It would be fine staying in Hostel in Europe, been travelling around Europe and staying in Paris for 6mths..It's fun and most importantly budget!!Well..I think 100 Euro is for a room, even room are pretty expensive..You can try going to http://www.hostelworld.com/ and check, they provide rating, reviews, maps, and much more information on the webby..I been using this website to get my hostel when I'm travelling around Europe..How it works, is depending on whether are you willing to share the room with others whom you don't know or you prefer a private room of yourselves..It would cost more if u wanna get a private room but safer..Well, I used to stay in hostel room with some others people whom I don't know too..It depends on your luck too, on your room mates, so far, people I met are fun and happening people..Oh yeah,so hostel has Pub, it would be free for guests to enter and have a drink..Oh..About bathroom too..If you prefer to have a bathroom in your room, it would cost more expensive too..But if the bathroom is round the corner and shared among the whole level, your rental would be pretty budget..There is not problem sharing bathroom,as it would be seperated by gender..As for the shared room, you can choose between Only Male, Only Female or Mixed..Which ever you feel comfortable with.. In order not to get cheated check the prices with other hostel and compare with hotel, because at times, hotel might have discount prices..
3 :
It's for the room. But do check different internet services, sometimes the same hotel has different prices depending from where you do the reservation... Alternatively, for cheaper places, try to find "auberge de jeunesse" (youth hostel), but be careful: in this later case, the price is usually by person and you might have to share the room with strangers... Check here, they have beds for around 20euro/person. http://www.fuaj.org/fra/information/ibn.php
4 :
Comparied to other hostels in Europe, hostels in Paris are not all that great. I would suggest a 2 star hotel. There are lots of them, and you can find them in better areas than most of the hostels in Paris. We stayed at Hotel Montebello near the Metro stop Duroc and it turned out to be 45 Euro a night (for 2 people), which was about equal to hostel prices---plus we got our own room and own bathroom and better location.
5 :
Go to Twizi.com, they list and map dozens of Paris hostels and budget hotel for people just in your situation.
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