Shopping in Paris - Find bargain price at Marchés aux Puces

Paris is famous for its Marché and Puces. Puces are flea markets and Paris boasts to be the bigger in the world. Marchés aux Puces, which have up to 3000 stalls. You can find anything here from a teddy bear missing his eyes to fur coats. Most vendors will be willing to make a deal with you, but they prefer it when you speak to them in French. The longer you chat with him and show that you have some knowledge about the products the more they willing to lower the price. Usually market open from Saturday to Monday. Best if you can go there on Monday. It is less crowded and perhaps you can get cheaper price than Saturday and Sundays cause it is the last day of their week.

Marches feature Natural products such as vegetables, flower, seafood, sausages, mushroom as well as natural talent in works such as at art, jewelery and sculptures. Due to propensity that Parisian to cook with fresh ingredient, almost every arrondissement has a marches.

Start exploring them by visiting one of these recommended markets.

Marché d'Aligre
Address: Place d'Aligre, 75012 Paris
One of the city's most interesting markets, made up of the covered Marché Beauvau (open since 1777) and an open-air market in the surrounding square with produce as well as flea-market stalls. Aligre is both well supplied and typically Parisian. It's a great place to get an insight into life in the capital, and shows off its cosmopolitan side with numerous Asian and North African shops located around the market. Don't get there too late, or you'll find all the good things have gone.
Hours: Tues. - Sat., 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 to 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Ledru Rollin (line 8)

Marché aux Puces de Montreuil
Address: avenue de la Porte de Montreuil, 75020 Paris / 93100 Montreuil-sous-Bois
Like one vast car boot sale, this market disgorges mountains of second-hand clothing, parts for cars, showers and sundry machines, and a jumble of miscellaneous rubbish from its dusty, grungy bowels. You'll find little pre-1900, but there are fun collectables like branded pastis water jugs.
Hours: Sat. - Mon., 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Porte de Montreuil (line 9)

Marché aux Puces de la Porte de Vanves
Addresses: avenue Georges Lafenestre & avenue Marc Sangnier, 75014 Paris
Phone: (+33) 06.88.64.82.77; E-mail: pucesdevanves@free.fr
Every weekend of the year, 350 stall holders await you: furniture, trinkets, paintings, fabric, glassware, time pieces, jewelry, military objects, photography, music, and curios. In the heart of Paris, an exciting place that will capture your imagination. It's the place to visit for flea market enthusiasts.
Hours: Weekends; avenue Marc Sangnier until 1 p.m.; avenue Georges Lafenestre all day.
Porte de Vanves (line 13)

Les Puces de Saint-Ouen
Address: 48, rue Jules Vallès (Marché des Antiquaires), 93400 Saint-Ouen
(between the Porte de St-Ouen and Porte de Clignancourt, just outside 18th arrondissement)
The world's biggest flea market welcomes 200,000 visitors each weekend. You name it, this place has it: furniture, pictures, new and second-hand clothes - all at rock-bottom prices (especially if you're adept at haggling). There's a jovial fairground atmosphere, with the aroma of food wafting in the air and people crowding round the stalls, hoping to pick up a 1970s leather jacket or rare Louis XV chest of drawers. Make sure to bring cash, as stallholders seldom accept credit cards and the nearest available ATM always has a line.
Hours: Sat. - Mon., 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Porte de Clignancourt (line 4), Porte de St-Ouen (line 13)

List are recommended by Discover France

Travel Insurance - Necessity or Not?

You are planning on booking a vacation and you are not sure if you need travel insurance. You have heard the warnings and you know that many travel agents suggest travel insurance as a necessity for any vacation. Since you are planning on spending a lot of money between air fares, hotel reservations, and other arrangements, you feel like it might be a good idea to insure your trip – but is it really necessary?

There are a number of unexpected circumstances that could arise prior to your trip that would make travel insurance vital to you getting your money back. Travel insurance was created to act as a saving grace to people whose trips become cancelled due to these circumstances. Whether the airline unexpectedly goes out of business a week before your trip or you become ill and are unable to travel, travel insurance ensures that your money will be refunded if the travel plans are not carried out as planned. There are a number of areas where travel insurance can help you out while on vacation.

If you are traveling abroad you might want to look into your regular insurance plan to make sure it would cover you in a foreign country. Some insurance plans will not cover medical expenses in other countries or are not accepted in other countries. If this is true of your insurance then any medical expenses or emergencies that may arise while you are away will not be covered. By purchasing travel insurance, you are guaranteed to be covered in any medical situation that may arise.

Since September 11th, break outs of terrorism have plagued not only the United States, but the globe. If a terrorist act suddenly breaks out in an area that you have booked a flight to, the airline is not required to provide you with a refund if you choose not to travel to the area because of terrorism – that is, unless you have travel insurance. Given the unpredictability of these events in today’s world, you never know where or when a troubling situation may arise.

Flights can be cancelled at any time for a number of reasons, closing of the airline, inclement weather conditions, and a number of other factors that can not be controlled. In some circumstances flights are not rescheduled and refunds are not given, which means you not only lose your flight but also the amount of money you spent to purchase the ticket. Travel insurance insures your ticket so that no matter what the reason is, for the flight not taking off, you receive your money back.

Have you ever lost your luggage? In many cases airlines find and return the missing baggage but in some cases the luggage is never found. In some other cases, it is discovered that items have been taken from luggage. In this case, travel insurance acts to insure whatever items are lost or stolen so you are able to replace your belongings. Perhaps one of the most appealing aspects of travel insurance is that it protects you from any unforeseen circumstances in your life that may prohibit you from flying. If, for any reason from sickness to a death in the family, you are unable to travel as scheduled, your money will be refunded.

If you do decide to purchase a travel insurance plan, it is important that you research a number of travel insurance companies and plans before deciding on one. Travel insurance is not only a good idea for people traveling by plane, but also on cruise lines. Be sure that the company and plan you choose is the one that best suits you and the travel plans you have made. If you travel frequently, you may want to consider a long term travel insurance policy. Year long insurance policies are available from a number of travel insurance. This provides frequent travelers with constant coverage, rather than having to purchase travel insurance every time they travel. Make sure to cover all the bases and ask plenty of questions when purchasing your travel insurance. Make sure you know that your policy will cover all unforeseen circumstances and you do not end up with a plan that only covers some situations.

France Travel Tips - What you need to know before you're going to France

About the city

The crowd is attracted to sparkling ski slopes of the Alps, sunlit vineyards and sun-baked beaches of this beautiful country. France is a country which draws more tourists than any other country. It is easy to see why this is the case given France’s great reputation for fine wines, good food, high fashion and relaxed lifestyle.

But while France is undoubtedly a place to eat and drink till your heart is content, there's much more to this fascinating country than only cutting-edge cuisines. Spring is the best time to be here, and those interested in winter sports can drop at the Alps and Pyrenees with some polar gear.

The summers are very hot and winters are moderate. An all-weather coat and pair of comfortable shoes are a must. Women, especially, should carry cocktail dresses as some of the restaurants ask for it. When visiting any religious site, refrain from wearing sleeveless shirt and shorts, as they are disliked at such places.

Culture

English is widely spoken here, although French is the official language. Handshaking is customary greeting and women should be kissed on both cheeks and should be addressed as Monsieur or Madame. French people are popularly known for their like for stylish sportswear and of course perfumes. Nudism is allowed on some beaches only. Social functions, fine restaurants, and clubs call for more formal dressing. When at a formal dinner, wait till the host gestures to start the dinner. Smoking is banned in public places.

Sight Seeing

Paris, the city of love, is a massive city with many attractions in reachable distance thanks to the highly efficient public transport system. It boasts of more than 80 museums and 200 arts galleries.

A trip to Disney land and the magnificent Eiffel tower will make the trip worthwhile.

The attractive tourists spots are the Arc de triomphe which spans over the tomb of an
unknown soldier, the forbidding gothic architecture of the Notre Dame cathedral, the picturesque Sacre Coeur, to Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the Moulin Rouge and boat tours along the Seine. Get the Carte Musees-Monuments pass, which gives access to 70 monuments and museums.


Shopping

Although service tax is included in the bill, a humble tip won’t cost much. An extra dollar can be given as tip to the waiter. A tip of $2 can be left for the bus drivers.

Electricity

220-volt, 50-cycle AC current.

Getting There

The national airline that operates here is Air France. Many low-cost airlines, too, provide services from UK. Paris-Charles de Gaulle also known as Roissy-Charles de Gaulle is the major airport of France, which is 23km away from the city. Coaches, taxis, limousines services are provided at the airport. The railway facility provided by the airport, claims to reach all the terminals within eight minutes. These trains run 24 hours. The other airports that offer flight services are Paris-Orly, Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice, Lyon and Toulouse.

Read More on Paris Airport

Ferry and cruise trips can be made from ports such as Atlantic, North Sea, Mediterranean, and Havre.


Duty Free Items

1. 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos or 250g of tobacco
2. 1liter of spirits over 22 per cent or 2liter of alcoholic beverage up to 22 per cent
3. 2liter of wine
4. 50g of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette
5. 500g of coffee or 200g of coffee extract
6. 100g of tea or 40g of tea extract

Food and agricultural products should be avoided.

Getting Around in Paris - Get some tips and information on Paris Transportation

Getting around in Paris is very easy. You can choose a range of convenient mode of transport. Paris is very friendly to tourists providing convenient, economical solutions to mass transit as well as, other modes of personal transport.

Walking

One of the cheapest mode is walking. There isn't a better place than Paris. Walking can be a pleasant and relaxing activity in Paris. You can also rent a bicycle or taxi, or choose the metro rail system to take in the sights.

Metro

The metro is the best way to travel around Paris. You will find it to be clean, safe, comfortable and very inexpensive. It also services most parts of Paris, allowing easy access to all Paris has to offer. One ticket cost €1.60. We recommend that you buy a carnet or pack of 10 tickets for €11.40 for adult and €5.70 for children aged 5 to 9 years old, at the booth in any station.

The Carte Orange is the most economical way to getting around in Paris because it is good for unlimited metro/bus usage for 7 days. And available for buy in Mon-Tue-Wed. So if you arrive on Saturday, you can buy as-you-go ticket and wait until Monday.

You will get a small ticket, a card and a plastic holder. Insert the small 1" photo (There are photo machines that available on some stations that can take 4 photo so two people can share)

Fill out the back of the card, put the photo to the card, seal it in a plastic holder and write the number on the ticket.

RATP, the Paris public transport authority, is abolishing the "Carte Orange" on August 4th,2008. It is replaced by the RFID-based "Passe Navigo". Paris visitors without a fixed address in the Île de France area should ask for a "Passe Navigo Découverte". Navigo passe, which are cards that contain a scandable chip replacing Carte Orange. The "Pass Navigo Découverte" costs €5. Weekly passes are valid from Monday start of services (approx. 5:30am) till Sunday evening last service (approx. 1:30am). While Monthly passes are valid from first till last day of the month.

Find out How to use Carte Orange

While at the Metro Station you might consider buy Paris Visite, This is good for 1 to 3 consecutive days of unlimited travel on buses, RER, SNCF, and Metro zone 1-3 and 1-5 including (Versailles, Disneyland, both airports) and works just like Carte Orange but maybe easier or less expensive depending on the day you arrive.

Important to Notice

• Sortie means Exit


• Interdit means No Entrance


• Correspondence means it is a passage way that enable you to change trains without leaving the train station


• Some trains door do not open automatically, you have to pull the handle to enter/ go out


• If your card is not validate, bring it to the ticket booth to check

These are 14 Metro Lines,

01 Chateaue Vincennes .... La Defense
02 Nation ..... Porte Dauphine
03 Gallieni .... Porte De Levallois-Becon
3b Porte de Lilas .... Gambetta
04 Porte d'Orleans ..... Porte de Clignancourt
05 Place d'Italie .... Bobigny
06 Nation .... Charles-de-Gaulie-Etolie
07 Mary d'Ivy .... La Courneuve
08 Balard ... Creteil-Prefecture
09 Porte de Sevres .... Marie de Montreuil
10 Gare de Austerlitz ... Baulogne-Pont de Saint Cloud
11 Chatelet .... Marie des lilas
12 Marie d'Issy .... Porte de la capelle
13 Saint-Denis ... Chatillon-Montrouge
14 Bibliotheque F. Mitterand .... Madeleine


Bus

Bus service is also a good option when considering how to get around in Paris. With 58 lines, bus service can get you wherever you want to go at a reasonable rate. It is a little more cumbersome to figure out than the Metro, but still a great option. Use the same tickets as Metro and Bus map are available at Metro Stations. Bus run from 6.30 am to 8.30 pm and generally require one ticket.

Balabus

Only runs Sunday and Public Holiday from Metro Station. From 12.30 to 8.30 pm. They are good and economical way to see Paris with stop along the way. They run from Gary de Lyon to Grand arches de defense on the right bank and then to the left bank. You can use your metro pass to ride this.

Taxis

Taxis can be found at the designated street and stations and usually will not stop if hailed. Be sure you have name, arrondissement number and telephone number of your destination written down. In case you have problems with translation. Taxi charge a minimum fare and by law, taxis do not allow peopla to sit in front seat.

Find out How to Getting Around in Paris on the Cheap

Dining in France - Your guide to explore Paris Restaurant

The French consider eating well are established part of their birth bright and eating out is France's most popular leisure activity. The choices of venues takes in all the options from special occasions, haute cuisine restaurant to cafes and bistros offering simple cooking and conviviality.

Restaurant
The term encompasses everything from top flight establishment, serving classical dishes and trendy modern haunts with international inspired food to simple meal eateries or seasonal places. It is, however, generally used for more formal places than bistros or brasseries.

Bistros
Bistros are the quintessential French eatery -- small and relatively informal, with tables often tightly placed together. Grader bistros may have fine table linen, simpler ones often use paper place settings and may expect you to keep your fork and knife between courses. Generally they offer good, home cooked, moderately period meals. Modern bistros may be run by chefs who have trained at top establish and there is a growing trends for bistros "annexes" of upscale restaurant.

Brasseries
Originated in Alsace or old houses with breweries attached, but are now found all over France. Usually large and busy with long opening house, they typically serve sheelfish platters, grills, they offer beer on top as well as wine.

Cafes
One part of the French way of life ranging from celebratal literary and artis's haunts to local cafe tabacs. Open as a rule from early morning to 10 pm or so, they serve breakfast, snacks, simple meals and drinks throughout the day.

Wine Bar
At wine and bar you will find a gourmet choice of wine by glasses as well as by bottles. Some double as wine merchants. Food varies from sandwiches and plates of charcuterie or local cheese to full scale bistro cooking.

Foreign Restaurant
Dining in France become more and more international. North African restaurant,s erving couscous and tagines are very popular, reflecting former colonial lines, Asian restaurant are widespread but the quality varise hugely. Japan and Italy restaurant are also plenty.