I spent 5 days in Paris (Sept 2008), my first visit since 1975. These comments actually apply, not just to Paris but to most of France (I drove over 3000kms from Paris to Champagne, Alsace, Montreux, Chamonix, Gstaad, Grenoble, Grasse, Nice, Avignon, around Provence and Rousillon, through Burgundy, Lyon, Dijon, Auxerre and back to Paris).
In the 70%26#39;s I was young and too awestruck to be critical, but this time, as a well travelled person, I was exposed to some downsides, principally the proliferation of dog faeces on pavements and the refusal of French town planners to provide public toilets. Its as if French people don%26#39;t ever need to %26quot;go%26quot;, and the toilets that do exist are either filthy or expensive, or both. I was charged half a Euro to urinate in the only toilet at the Gare du Nord (the largest Metro/Rail station in Paris?).
For God%26#39;s sake, using a toilet is not a privilege it%26#39;s a human right! The French should pay for the cleaners wages from the taxes they earn by the millions from the tourists. And tehy should BUILD MORE TOILETS!!!! At night, one%26#39;s wonderful dinner can be brought to the verge of re-appearing by the stench from alleyways, dark corners and shop doorways that have been used as urinals, or worse, by impatient and uncaring drinkers. And most of the evidence is still visible the next day.
Tourists not used to the absence of public toilets, don%26#39;t want to have to spend 3 or 4 euros for an unwanted coffee or soft drink just to use the cafe toilet.
Considering the French believe themselves to be leaders in sophistication and civilisation, the toilet scene is a disgrace. One would expect them to have learned how it should be done from their German and Swiss neighbours. Even Britain is better at providing public toilets.
It really is time France matched their recent %26quot;no smoking in buildings%26quot; law with a %26quot;clean up after your dog%26quot; law. I thought the Brits were loony when it came to dogs, but te French are much worse, allowing them in shops, hotels and RESTAURANTS!!! Can you believe it?
The Metro is showing its age! There are very few esalators, mostly stairs and very few stations have lifts so disabled or partially disabled people like me will find it easier to use buses. But beware, the buses don%26#39;t run late at night and I found it almost imposssible to hail a taxi late at night.
When using the Metro, line directions are described only by naming the termini (the stations at either end of the line). There are no maps on the walls of stations like on the London Underground, so it is best to have a small pocket map of the Metro with you so you can determine which platform is going the way you want to go.
Tickets for Metro, RER (a modern faster version of Metro with separate routes), bus or river ferry cost just over 1 euro and are cheaper if you buy 10 at once. Each ticket allows you to transfer from one route or transport mode, to another, within 90 minutes of first use.
Don%26#39;t get me wrong, Paris is beautiful and so are many other parts of France. Just be warned and be prepared. As well as learning some rudimentary French, practice your pelvic floor exercises and train your nose to be less sensitive!
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Not sure these are tips about Paris as much as a general rant about France with some side swipes at Britain. Just to reassure first time visitors that I certainly don%26#39;t recognise this description of France, or Paris. I hope you enjoyed yourself despite these problems.
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Ah..... if only you had done your homework and a search on this board, you could have printed the list of the 400 free public toilets in Paris:
paris.fr/portail/Environnement/Portal.lut…
BTW, last time I was in Zurich, I had to pay either 1 SF or 1€ to use a public toilet. Talk about good exchange rates .......You were luckt at Gare du Nord !
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Hi --
I don%26#39;t mind French dogs in restaurants or anywhere else. They%26#39;re very well behaved.
On the other hand, I have always believed that the reason Parisians go on vacation in August is that they can%26#39;t the stench from the dog feces once the temperature rises. I travel there in October and November so as to avoid the problem.
As far as the metro goes, I%26#39;ve never found it difficult to ascertain which direction I%26#39;m going to go, and on which route by using the large Metro maps in the various stations.
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Hi Bulldog !!
I just couldn%26#39;t pass up this post.
I%26#39;m a 64 yr old young man, and as they say here in NYC, %26quot; When you hit 60, you can%26#39;t pass a bathroom without using it %26quot;.
There are numerous hotel lobbies, restaurants, parks and large trees to take care of anything.
When in France, do as the French !!
I can%26#39;t get younger, so I look for trees.
Happy Travelling !!
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You seem rather obsessed over toilets.
Perhaps you didn%26#39;t realize what you were looking at
but Paris has FREE public toilets all over town...
those little cabins on sidwalks known as Sanisettes.
And before you complain too much about the metro...
just how many subways do you have in NZ? ;^)
The Paris metro worked fine for us the last 2 summers.
As far as the dog feces on sidewalks, we walked MILES in Paris on visits the last 2 summers and just don%26#39;t see what all the complaining is about.
Anyway, I hope you can relax and enjoy your next trip
more.
Rob
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I generally ignore these types of posts, as they serve no purpose to anyone other then a good vent of the spleen for the OP. But this is beyond ridiculous.
I%26#39;ve been to Paris no less than 11 times in the past ten years and have never...EVER...noticed an abundance of dog feces anywhere in the city. I think some people hear sterotypical stories and then go looking for it.
In my experience, having used the metro system extensively, there is a map of the metro system in almost every station. Anyone with a half a brain can use the system without problem.
As someone born with a bladder the approximate size of a peanut, I am especially qualified to speak to the public restroom whine. I have never had a problem ducking into a museum, McDonald%26#39;s or hotel lobby when the need arises.
I wish people like this OP would just stay home where things are apparently more to their liking.
Sorry, but you just asked for this.
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I spent 9 months living in Paris and I can certainly sympathise with the OP%26#39;s comments concerning dog mess. I (along with all Parisiens) simply learned to walk with one eye on the beautiul surroundings and one eye on the pavement. It is revolting and I wish something would be done about it. %26quot;Clean up after your dog%26quot; campaigns have certainly worked here in Britain.
As for the toilet situation, it%26#39;s a shame that you didn%26#39;t realise that in all but the snootiest cafes you are free to simply march in and use the toilet - it%26#39;s certainly what the French do. If you are challenged (perhaps on your way out) feign ignorance. In addition, most monuments will have suitable facilities.
The Metro system is indeed antiquated, but it is great for getting around and a great deal cheaper than the Tube in London. If you intend to use the Metro a lot, a Carte Orange (weekly pass) makes the journeys even cheaper, even if you are only there for a few days. Remember that Paris really is tiny and the system built a long time ago, so there is literally no space to install lifts etc. To do so would also be incredibly disruptive to the passengers during the works.
Buses do indeed run at night (look for %26quot;Bus Noctilien%26quot;) and all metro stations have a map in them. Besides, I tend to work out where I am going and how to get there before I set off. Helps me look more native!
As for taxis, many people don%26#39;t realise that you must wait at a taxi rank to hail a taxi, unlike is most other countries. Once I worked that out, I was fine.
It would seem that the OP was so concerned to avoid the dogs mess and by the needs of their bladder to notice these things. I point them out here, so that others are reassured and have a similarly disappointing trip.
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Of course I meant so that others DO NOT have a similarly disappointing trip!
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I%26#39;m with you Happygoin and I have to comment as well. My first time to Paris was in 1983. The difference between then and now is fairly astounding; the city is so much cleaner. At that time you really did have to keep an eye out for dog mess and time your trips to the w.c. with cafe stops. Metro had its own aroma. The city was cleaned up significantly in 1989 and since then metro has continued to be cleaner, the streets fairly clear of dog mess and the public toilets are seemingly everywhere. I think our New Zealand poster was indeed awestruck in 1975 to have not noticed a difference between then and now.
The one tip I see above about buy 10 metro tickets at once, a carnet, is a good one.
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One of my sad realizations as I%26#39;ve travelled to Paris over the last 10 years is the decline in pooches. I%26#39;m afraid many parisians can no longer afford the luxury.
My kids were amazed at their first visit to see dogs sitting in a chair at a cafe or ensconced under a table in a restaurant. And I miss that bit of Paris past.
As a student living in Aix-en-Provence in 1982, we too mastered the two-eyed walk, as there was always another bomb awaitng the unattentive.
Ah the memories....
p.s. I live in NYC and despite efforts, there are still moments when the subway can give off an aroma that is just to dreadful to believe. Ugh.
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