Nous avons fait, durant ces vacances de printemps, une petite escapade parisienne avec Philippe, notre aîné (18 ans bientôt)….le cadet, Benoît (presque 16 ans) étant à Vancouver (échange scolaire) On avait la chance d’être hébergé chez des amis……c’est bien agréable, pas de souci de repas du soir. Le but du voyage était de faire du culturel…on aime tous ça et on en a bien profité (d’autant plus qu’on a eu beau temps). Je vous livre donc nos impressions sur les expositions visitées…..c’est un point de vue personnel. Petite précision : on avait réservé avant de partir les entrées (coupe file)…..ça fait gagner du temps.

Babylone (Louvre) Rassemblant des objets venant du monde entier, cette expo souhaite réconcilier l’histoire et la légende de Babylone. Les grandes étapes de la civilisation babylonienne sont rappelées en s’appuyant sur la présentation de stèles (Hammurabi), de statues, d’objets précieux, de tablettes…. Beaucoup de monde mais c’est intéressant (on a pris l’audio guide : 5€)

Vlaminck – un instinct fauve (Musée du Luxembourg) Petite expo (il faut 3 /4 heure pour tout voir) bien sympa. Artiste peu connu (du moins par nous !!). Des couleurs très prononcées. Magnifiques paysages des bords de Seine : Chatou, Malmaison, Nanterre... …Un des rares peintres de l’époque (début du XXème siècle) ayant peu peint le sud de la France. On a moins aimé ses portraits et natures mortes.

Camille Claudel : une femme, une artiste (Musée Rodin) Exposition qui vient juste de débuter. 80 sculptures en marbre, terre cuite, plâtre, onyx et bronze sont installées dans la salle de l’ancienne chapelle, à l’extérieur de l’hôtel Biron. Parcours chronologique et sans effet autre que ceux servant les objets….Magnifique…. !! Par contre, quel contraste, quand on visite ensuite le musée proprement dit : c’est vieillot, poussiéreux… Je ne saurai trop conseiller de se « contenter » de l’expo et de faire ensuite un tour dans le jardin : œuvres de Rodin (le Penseur, les Bourgeois de Calais, Balzac…)

Les soldats de l’éternité (Pinacothèque) Ouvert depuis peu de temps, ce musée (installé dans un ancien magasin Fauchon) présente plusieurs expos. Les affiches laissent penser qu’on va y voir une grande partie de l’armée de terre de Xian. En fait, ils ne sont qu’une vingtaine : fantassin, officier, cavalier (avec son cheval), arbalétriers……certains mesurent pas loin de 2 mètres. Mais avant de les voir, on découvre l’environnement Qin. Les objets contenus dans sa tombe (il est mort en 210 avant notre ère) sont présentés : grenier à grains, cloches… C’est à faire…malgré le prix et surtout la publicité quelque peu « orientée »

Musée du Quai Branly Je l’avais déjà visité l’an dernier avec l’aide d’un audio guide (à déconseiller…les explications sont très longues !! Je conseille de se contenter d’un seul continent…tellement c’est dense.) Mes hommes l'ont fait, moi je me suis contentée des expositions. Il y a deux sortes d’expositions temporaires : - Celles accessibles avec le billet d’entrée (8€50), soit en ce moment les Batak (ils vivent au nord de l’île de Sumatra. Sont présentés des objets de la vie quotidienne) et les Ivoires d’Afrique (une vingtaine des plus anciens objets africains collectés par les Européens) - Celles donnant lieu à un billet spécifique (8€50 encore !!) dont Paracas : trésors inédits du Pérou ancien. Importante série de textiles exhumés dans la nécropole de Wari Kayan. Fabuleux !!

La Méditerranée des Phéniciens (Institut du Monde Arabe) Navigateurs et marchands habiles, les Phéniciens sont aussi réputés pour avoir diffusé l’alphabet et donné naissance à de grandes figures de la mythologie : Cadmos, Europe, Adonis… Plusieurs parties, avec des pièces exceptionnelles, consacrées à l’écriture, la religion, au commerce, l’artisanat…. Comme toujours à l’IMA, c’est très intéressant, dense et pédagogique (Audio guide conseillé)

Voilà pour la partie culturelle, sinon on a pris le temps de flâner dans les rues…de faire du Velib (long circuit de 2 heures…mais les pistes cyclables sont rares…donc il faut être très prudent. Pour louer plusieurs vélos en même temps, c’est un peu compliqué…il faut répéter la démarche autant de fois)

Paris est sinistre, Paris est pollué, Paris est gris, Les parisiens sont agressifs, pas aimables, tristes, Combien de fois ai-je entendu ou lu ces réflexions ? Y compris sur VF ? Alors j'ai envie de dire : A Paris, le ciel n'est peut-être pas aussi bleu qu'ailleurs, A Paris, le soleil ne brille peut-être pas autant qu'ailleurs, A Paris, les gens peuvent sembler indifférents ou fermés,

Mais je vous assure qu'à Paris, on peut aussi rencontrer de très jolis sourires sur les lèvres et dans les regards...

Dolma

Hi,

I just checked the flight ticket prices for returning to France in the coming days from Southeast Asia, without going through the Gulf. I can see why some prefer to wait it out where they are, at least for now. One-way economy class prices.

Hello,

I’d like to do the 550 km Grand Tour of Paris around June 21st—it’s the GR1 trail. I plan to return to Paris each day so I don’t have to carry a heavy pack, and I want to take my time exploring the city as well. I’m looking for a travel companion who’s in good physical shape and loves hiking. I’m 68, a semi-retired teacher (I still enjoy teaching), an international traveler who’s already done a round-the-world trip and wants to do more… Looking forward to getting to know you! Jean Marie

Hi, I saw that the first tram from Pont du Garigliano leaves at 5:15 AM, and by taking the RER B at Cité Universitaire afterward, I’d arrive at Roissy at 6:30 AM—2 hours before my international flight. Is this doable, or not? If anyone’s done this before, I’d love to hear about it. Thanks

Hi there,

I’m traveling alone from my remote Pyrenees home to Roissy Airport, arriving at Austerlitz Station. I’m a bit nervous about getting to the airport—could you suggest a route?

While you’re at it, maybe you could recommend a budget hotel near the airport?

Thanks so much for your help!

Best to you all

Hi everyone,

I’m looking into a trip to Paris around mid-February. I’d love to know more about the temperature (weather) in Paris, museum access (closures or anything else), how easy it is to get around on foot (slippery due to ice?), public transport, etc.

Also, are there any events or activities I absolutely shouldn’t miss? I could adjust my dates based on what you know.

On another note, I’d love to catch a hockey game. Are there any around Paris? I’m happy to watch a few games no matter the level 🏒🥅

FYI, I’m not afraid of the cold since I’m from Quebec 😁😆😆🧑‍🌾

Thanks in advance for your help! 👍😊❤️❤️

How do I get to ibis budget coeur orly from the Metro Line 14 Orly station on foot

Hi everyone,

I’d love to get your thoughts on these two routes I’ve planned to see the highlights of Paris in two days.

I don’t want to take any transportation.

I’ll arrive at the hotel by car on Saturday around noon and won’t pick it up again until the next evening to leave.

**First day:** I’m thinking of starting from the hotel, then heading to the Eiffel Tower - Trocadéro - Galeries Lafayette - Élysée Palace - Tuileries Garden - the Louvre (outside only) and finishing at Les Invalides.

12 km



(The route on the map is just for reference to show the places we’ll visit—it might vary by a hundred meters or so.)

**Second day:** Starting from the hotel, we’ll go to Montmartre - Sacré-Cœur Basilica - Pigalle - Notre-Dame Cathedral - Panthéon - Luxembourg Garden.



What do you think? Am I missing out on anything great with this route?

Since I’m traveling with two kids, do you see any spots on these routes that might be a bit risky safety-wise? 🏴‍☠️

We’re not big museum fans, so we’re not planning to visit any—unless it rains, of course! 😄

One last little question: are there any protests planned in Paris on the weekend of August 16-17? 🙂 Thanks for reading! 😎

Hi everyone, I’m arriving on a long trip at Charles de Gaulle Terminal 2 and would love to take a shower. I’ve already contacted the airport hotels, but they only offer day rates starting at 10 AM, and I land at 5:30 AM... The Yotel capsules are only accessible if you have a ticket for Terminal 2E. And airline lounges without a loyalty program charge at least **115 €** for access that includes a shower 😩. Is there another option? Thanks for your help!

Hey friends! To celebrate their 25th anniversary, the group Fanna-Fi-Allah will be performing a concert at the theater in Paris on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at 7 PM at the Théâtre du Gymnase Marie Bell. If you'd like to join, here are the details:

Practical info: Artists: Fanna-Fi-Allah – Traditional Sufi Qawwali Date: Sunday, July 13, 2025 – 7 PM Venue: Théâtre du Gymnase, 38 Bd de Bonne Nouvelle, Paris 10th Tickets: https://www.helloasso.com/associations/my-media/evenements/soiree-soufie-qawwali-fanna-fi-allah Promo Code: FANNA15

Thanks, everyone

Starting July 5, 2025, swimming will be allowed in the Seine in Paris for the first time since 1923. Three free sites will open: Bercy (12th arrondissement), Grenelle (15th arrondissement), and Bras Marie (4th arrondissement).

These areas will be monitored and may temporarily close in case of pollution or unfavorable weather conditions.

Opening hours and access conditions will be updated daily on the paris.fr website.

This project is part of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games legacy and aims to provide new relaxation spaces for Parisians and visitors.

Would you be up for giving it a try?

Read the article

Hi everyone, I’d like to suggest a restaurant meet-up around the theme of home exchanges—a concept I’ve been practicing for a year now, and I’m thrilled with it. I’ll share some insights about home swapping. The meet-up is at **Au bon couscous** on Sunday, June 8th at 1 PM, with a max of 12 people and several associations involved. Everyone pays for their own meal—it’s really good and affordable. My aunt’s been doing this for 20 years, and my sister too. I’m totally sold on this way of vacationing: it’s more social, super budget-friendly, and all about sharing.

I’ll reserve a specific number of spots at the restaurant, so please only come if you’ve signed up.

After the meal, I’m also proposing an optional relaxed walk from Saint-Michel to Gare de Lyon. Looking forward to meeting you! Giant Tortoise Sofi

Hi everyone, We’re organizing a week-long bike trip for a group of scouts. I’ve already mapped out a route using Géovélo (travel option). The teens will take the train to Nemours (or a bit beyond) and then follow the Loire à Vélo route for a good stretch (until Nevers, which they’ll bypass to the west). After Nevers, things get a bit trickier. I also wanted to avoid Moulins, so I planned for them to follow the Allier’s west bank and cross near Châtel-de-Neuvre. I’m having some doubts about the route and really want to steer clear of busy main roads as much as possible. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the route I’ve chosen, plus any tips you might have. I saw there’s the V70 veloroute, but I decided against it after hearing it has some *very* road-heavy sections.

We’re a family of 7 arriving from Montreal at Charles de Gaulle in August 2025. We’re looking for transport to get to our rental. Any tips? Thanks

we’ve got a 1.5-hour layover in Paris—we’re arriving by TGV and then catching an Air France flight to MONTREAL

At the Louvre, after visiting the "Revisiting Cimabue" exhibition...

Hi everyone,

I’m trying to figure out how to get from Paris to Marseille or Montpellier with non-disassembled bikes by train in early July 2025... and it’s a total flop!!! Can’t find any trains that offer the bike-on-board option! It’s so complicated between SNCF-CONNECT, OUIGO, and TER INTERCITÉS!!! Nothing’s simple! I want to take my teens and their cousins on a bike trip to the Camargue, but I’ll have to start planning way ahead to sort out bike transport!!! So glad I found VoyageForum for tips! !

Hi,

I'm looking for a train to get to Orly Terminal 4—I'm leaving from Charleroi in Belgium.

Does it seem complicated?

Hi there,

I’m Belgian with three kids, and I’m looking for a neighborhood in Paris where we could spend two nights that has the following advantages:

quiet in the evening as central as possible in relation to the main tourist spots safety

Which neighborhood could we stay in to do as much as possible on foot?

We’ll be arriving in Paris by train.

Thanks!

Hi there!

After a few years abroad, I’m spending 3 months vacationing in Europe, starting in Paris. I’d like to buy a SIM card mainly for sending texts and a bit of calling—what do you recommend? Orange or Bouygues Telecom?

Thanks!

Hello, We’d like to stay in PARIS for 4 or 5 days next April or May. (Two adults.)

To avoid renting through AIRBNB, I was thinking of a small hotel near the metro so we can get around easily (see Notre Dame after its restoration, the Musée d'Orsay, the Institut du Monde Arabe if there’s an interesting exhibit, the Maison de la Radio, etc.).

The exact location doesn’t matter—what I’m looking for is a reasonably priced place. (If I say 90 to 100 € per day including breakfast and one meal, does that sound about right?)

Thanks for your insights! (By the way, why is Paris called the CITY OF LIGHTS?)

Hi everyone, I have to leave for Canada and I’ve got a layover at Paris CDG. A friend of mine will be at the airport to see me. What are the options for us to meet up? Can she access my terminal (T2E), or can I leave the international zone?

Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris will reopen to the public on December 8th after five years of intensive restoration. The announcement has already sparked significant interest among both international tourists and French visitors.

Before the tragic fire on April 15, 2019—which deeply moved people and mobilized numerous patrons—Notre-Dame was one of Paris’s most iconic sites. With 12 million annual visitors, according to data from the Parisian Tourism Economic Observatory, it was the capital’s most popular cultural attraction, even outranking prestigious landmarks like the Louvre Museum.

The reopening of this Gothic masterpiece could mark a new chapter in Paris’s tourist appeal. Read more...

Monday, August 21, 2023 - Rochefort - Marans

No journal for the first two days. Day 1 - CARCANS-ROYAN Day 2 - ROYAN - ROCHEFORT Tonight I'm in MARANS in the "dry marsh" according to the campsite manager—it’s the first time I’ve heard of a "dry marsh"?!

Photos from the first two days

My gear



The Landes region—nothing extraordinary, but the calm and serenity are nice.



Le Verdon



The wild coast



This marsh isn’t dry, though.

Today is the third day of my trip, and I’m writing to you from a campsite in Marans. I’ve set out to bike from Carcans Maubuisson back to Plaisir. Why Carcans? Because we spent a week there as a family—a great week that lets everyone reconnect for a long stretch. Also, on Saturday, we all headed home—some by car, and me by bike. This journey is about 850 km via bike paths and small cycling roads. It’s not a sporting feat, just a nice long ride for fun. As the old Chinese sage says, "The destination doesn’t matter—it’s the journey that counts." But he also told me, "Traveling is great, but what’s the point if you don’t share it?" You see, this old sage has told me a lot of things—he often keeps me company when I’m biking. Of course, he doesn’t pedal, but we travel in harmony. Sure, he can be a bit annoying sometimes, but we still get along. All this to say I’ve created a group to share my story. I’d be happy to share this experience with you—it’s an adventure for me. On Saturday, I wasn’t sure I’d even leave because I’d been dealing with sciatica for days. Luckily, Juliette, a friend of the old Chinese sage, recommended a lifesaving remedy: Alternately stretching your legs with an elastic band under your foot. Obviously, a jam jar rubber band won’t cut it.

From Marans - The mosquitoes are attacking; time to head back to shelter.

The first two legs took me to Royan and then Rochefort. The Sèvre Niortaise flows nearby, and I followed a canal from La Rochelle. You could say the area is as dry as the marsh, judging by the state of the crops.



As I mentioned, it’s the third day, and if Jesus rose again on this day, for me it was more like the crucifixion. The scorching heat—only bearable when you’re moving—combined with rough trail conditions, and the old Chinese sage says, "Terrible roads, slow speed, and watch your limbs." I set out to do 60 km but ended up doing 80, and the last 20 were tough. I kept checking the GPS to see how much farther until the campsite. Today: Rochefort to Marans, sticking to the coast until La Rochelle, then no notable towns after that—just a constant canal. But since the sky isn’t too low, it hasn’t gotten lost. I’ve still got plenty of anecdotes to share, but it’s pitch black out, and the mosquitoes are still around. This morning, I counted ten in my tent, all full of my blood. Yesterday, at the end of the leg to Rochefort, I was really looking forward to crossing the Charente using the transporter bridge, but a sneaky GPS conspiracy led me far from it. I ended up crossing the Charente on a completely ordinary bridge, watching the transporter bridge in the distance with disappointment.

End of the first episode. Until tomorrow, if you’d like!

I’m about to land at Beauvais Airport for my first visit to the capital, and I’ll admit I’m a bit lost about the transport options to get to central Paris. Any tips on the best deals for the trip? 🚌🚇

I’d also love to discover some lesser-known spots beyond the must-sees like the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, and the Louvre. Any suggestions for cool places to visit? 😍

And if I decide to go to Disneyland, do you know if there are any convenient and budget-friendly shared shuttles from the city center? 🎢✨

Thanks in advance for all your tips! 🙏

Hi everyone. I’m planning to spend a few days in Paris with my husband and son for the Agriculture Show in Feb 2025. We’d also like to visit some of the classic sights—Eiffel Tower, Champs-Élysées, Notre-Dame.

I have no idea where to look for an affordable Airbnb or aparthotel in a nice neighborhood. Any tips? Thanks in advance

Hi, I need your advice. I’m heading to Drancy in the Paris region this Friday, on Auguste Blanqui Street—apparently it’s next to a police station. I’d like to get from there to the Grévin Museum, but I’m not sure how: should I take the bus, RER, tram, or metro? If a kind soul could point me in the right direction and explain what type of transport ticket I need, that’d be great. I’m new to getting around Paris—I’m from the north and not used to it. Thanks in advance!

En décembre la low cost irlandaise ouvrira une nouvelle base à l'aéroport Paris-Beauvais et proposera ainsi 32 liaisons pour 105 vols hebdomadaires entre Beauvais et 13 pays européens. Lire la suite...

"La Tribune":

En pleine crise du transport aérien, la filiale low-cost du groupe IAG va ouvrir le 16 octobre les lignes Orly-Marseille, Orly-Brest et Orly-Montpellier; ces deux dernières lignes étant identifiées par Transavia. Cette offre attractive avec des billets à 29 euros TTC reste cantonnée aux week-ends.

Pas sûr qu'Air France et de Transavia aient vu venir le coup. Alors, que le groupe français a décidé de lancer sa filiale low-cost sur le réseau domestique pour remplacer une partie de l'activité de HOP et d'Air France, Vueling, la filiale à bas coûts du groupe IAG, lance cet hiver de nouvelles lignes domestiques au départ de Paris.

Dès ce mardi 22 septembre, les billets seront mis en vente à partir de 29 euros l’aller simple du 16 octobre 2020 à mars 2021. Chaque vol sera direct et les lignes proposeront 2 vols hebdomadaires, les vendredis et dimanches.

« Nous sommes très heureux d’annoncer le lancement de vols domestiques directs reliant Paris-Orly à Montpellier, Marseille et Brest. Cela reflète l’engagement de Vueling en France et l’envie de la compagnie aérienne de répondre à la demande des clients français pour des destinations intra-françaises », a déclaré Charlotte Dumesnil, directrice du développement commercial de Vueling.