Paris1972-Versailles2003

On a gray rainy day in Brittany I write to you about France, and of course Paris too, hehehe!!! Well , I will be in Versailles next week and visiting Paris too as finally my permanent move here will be done. Got my moving truck reserve, and the gang is ready to load. Lots of memories in Versailles, they will never be forgotten and only 3+ hours by train and 5,5 hrs by car it will be without saying that I will be back !!)

Now let talk about the CDG and Orly Paris airports, you know the ones, they have a site ,even translated to English and other places like CDGEasy or facile but people always keep asking about things there…. CDG 1 as in terminal even has a bank by the TGV level and wifi coverage, ATM machines and post office, childrens area on the departure hallways with PS3 games,even a pharmacy by the CDGVal level. Restaurants from Brioche Dorée to caffe  Ritazza, McDonalds (lol!!),and Starbucks (oh nooo them too!) past customs you have La Terrase.

CDG2 or terminal 2 is huge. you hve exchange bureau,ATM machines, post office,WIFI services, Childrens areas, 2A,2C departure levels. You have scales to weight your bags or you! (dont eat too mmuch in France lol!!) Terminal A by porte 9; Terminal B by porte 10, Terminal C by porte 6 and near porte 4P441 entry to gare TGV trains. pharmacy, and plenty of restaurants my favorites are Les Marchés de Paris, CAfé Select,  at terminal E there is Restaurant Paul, Columbus cafe,and restaurant maxim’s.

To get from CDG to Paris the usual train RER B, every 12 minutes,and from 4h56 to 23h40 cost is about 9 euros something, never take it, its crowded and even if underground goes by not so good areas of the north of Paris.  Then, there is the bus, Roissybus, is great leaves you off at corner of rue Auber and rue Scribe near the Opera, every 20 minutes, from 5h45 to 23h cost is about 14 euros, leaves CDG 1 arrivals porte 8, T2A and 2C porte A9, 2B and 2D porte D11, 2E and F, porte 5 galerie connector and TE arrivals.

If you happened to be at night no problems the owls will get you in that is the Noctilien, from 0h30 to 5h30, never taken it, but it drops off at Chatelet, gare de Lyon, gare montparnasse, gare de l’Est,gare du nord,and gare Saint Lazare train stations.  www.noctilien.fr   Taxi are easy and convenience at a price, you figure paying about 50 Euros to get you central Paris. They are metered and the best names are Alpha-Taxis, Les taxis bleus,Taxi G7,and Taxis 7000. They have webpages so check them out,you can even book then ahead.

My favorite is by car ho ho ho, yes love it ,driving its a thrill if you learned to drive in NYC you can do it anywhere lol!  You get into the city by the A1 at porte de la Chapelle, A3 by the porte de Bagnolet, and then A1 on the right lane; parking in the airport is available of course, and even have a pre book service that I use very convenient to park close to the terminals preferential spaces. http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/en-GB/Passagers/Access-maps-car-parks/Paris-CDG/Car-parks/Car-park-maps-rates/maps-and-rates-of-car-parks-at-paris-charles-de-gaulle.htm

Then you have the shopping, well so many stores, and prices dont know, I get nothing here as I live here, but duty free are usually good bargains.  Here is the shopping page at official webpage http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/en-GB/Passagers/shops-services/

Orly took it once, and the first time I came to France by plane was 1990 (1972 the very first time was by train from Madrid). they have wifi access, public info at porte G arrivals 1, post office, SNCF train counters,and RATP counters for metro bus etc as well. ATM at ground floor Porte G, and level 1,hall B near gate 20. I have done Paul for coffees here. You get to Paris (Orly is not neither is CDG) by the train RER B and then OrlyVal correspondance at Antony for the ouest /west or sud/south terminals. To come back you stop at Orly Sud, orlyval exit or sortie K, Orly OUest or west, exit or sortie A at departure level. every 4-8 minutes. You also can make on the RER C and navette bus. you make correspondance at pont de Rungis,then bus to ouest or sud terminal. You have a bus OrlyBus from Place Denfert-Rochereau in front of gare RER, every 15-20 minutes, you leave from Orly Sud at sortie H and Orly Ouest at arrival level, porte D,quai B. they run pretty much from 6h to 23h30.

Taxis there are Alpha-Taxis, Taxi Bleus,Taxi G7,and TAxi 7000 as well. By car and this is how I took my only flight out of there, took my father to visit sister in Florida, USA ,its take the A6 by the porte d’Orleans in Paris marked A6a, or by the porte de Gentilly A6b, then the A105 all the way to airport. Parkings have navettes that brings you to terminals

If you need to connect from Orly airport to CDG airport, take the RER B to Antony, then OrlyVal.

Now if you have a modern passport French that is you can do the security line quicker, many countries have it, as well as USA. Here in France its call the Parafe, here is the site with info in English too, http://www.parafe.gouv.fr/en/

Musée Rodin until march 2013, great expo on marble, terracotas, and plasters. http://www.musee-rodin.fr/fr/exposition/rodin-la-chair-le-marbre/

A great cozy place to eat in Paris, known to business circles but will pass on to all my readers, L’Arc Paris, 12 rue de Presbourg, just behind the Arc de Triomphe, a terrace marble overlooking the great monument, menus at around 70 euros, classic chic trés parisien, webpage http://larc-paris.com/

Another jewel if into beef as I am , is the Classico Argentino ,yes an Argentinian restaurant with the best beef from the Pampas at a grand location. 217 ave du Faubourg-Saint-Antoine, empanadas from four euros and ice creams from 7-9 euros. you will love the beef, see it at http://www.clasico-argentino.com/fr/les-restaurants/paris-XI

And if need to stay ,why not a boutique hotel with class and parisien panach, at Hotel Daniel, 6-8 ure Fréderic Bastiat; lovely area and great still like Paris hotel, try it, webpage http://www.hoteldanielparis.com/

And for the road or the sitting is the CRAZY HORSE PARIS, with new shows very feminin, by one of my fab areas in Paris, ave George V, see it to believe, right in the center of it all; http://www.lecrazyhorseparis.com/en/spectacle-cabaret-desir-en/

Until next time, and should be this weekend from Breton lands, and then next week Versailles/Paris. Salut  AND HAPPY 4TH OF JULY TO ALL MY AMERICANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!