club level rooms

does anyone have a list of hotels in paris that have a club/executive level?

thanks

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We stayed at the Hilton Arc de Triomphe and they had an executive level and a great lounge with food, snacks, drinks etc. I%26#39;m not sure if it is only for Hilton Gold card members though.

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Marriott Champs Elysees has an executive lounge that you can upgrade to.

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thanks for the responses.

I was aware of the Hilton but hadn%26#39;t thought of the Marriott. I%26#39;ll check the website and the reviews here on TA.

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Hi --

I think you%26#39;ll find those floors only in the Big American chains

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Removed on: 10:16 pm, September 23, 2009

driving through the alps in may!!

My husband and I are planning to drive via %26quot;la route des alpes%26quot;. Apparently, many of the passes are closed till early June??

Does that mean that the drive is not possible? Alternatives? Would appreciate any advice.

Thanks

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The phrase %26quot;the pass is closed%26quot; means that the road through the pass is closed. This is not unusual in mountainous areas. You will have to find a different route at lower elevations, or travel in a different month.

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This sounds like fun, but yes, May is too early too drive the complete route.

First stop, if you haven%26#39;t already, check out the website: http://www.routedesgrandesalpes.com and on the English version, then click on the +info in the middle - the site gives lots of useful information.

The pass the I would think will definitely be closed (the highest in Europe I think) is the Col de l%26#39;Iseran above Val D%26#39;Isère - I drove it in mid-June a couple of years back and it was only just open and you could see snow all around.

It depends where you want to end up as to how to avoid it, but you may well have to go via motorway from Albertville to the Maurienne area (or vica versa if you are coming up from the south) - this means you will also miss out on the Cornet de Roselend.

Be warned also that in many of the mountain villages, there are only a few restaurants/shops open in May, or none in the smaller ones as it is out of season. La Clusaz, which I know well, is pretty dead (or beautifully quiet - depending which way you view it) at that time, but there%26#39;s always something open there.

Good luck - you will be driving through beautiful countryside whatever route you take between Lake Geneva and the Mediterranean.

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PS: sorry just realized it also goes over the Col de la Colombière near Le Grand Bornand - this is always closed until the end of May - to avoid it, if coming from Morzine, you will have to drive up to La Clusaz from Cluses/Bonneville (A40 motorway).

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Removed on: 10:18 pm, September 23, 2009

Paris Museum Pass

Do it. We questioned the worth before going but couldnt have been happier with the 4 day 45 Euro pass we bought. We definitely saved a bit of money but that was marginal compared to the ancillary benefits. On a cold and rainy Easter wknd we skipped lines at every place (except Saint Chapelle bc of security). Also we stopped in museums for a half hour or so that we wouldnt have waited to see (such as the Picasso Museum and L%26#39;Orangerie).

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Yes, one of the great benefits to the MP is the convenience of skipping the lines.

You really DO skip the lines at St. Chapelle, the line you encountered was the security line to get past the secure area surrounding St. Chapelle. Some genius(es) decided to build some important government buildings around St. Chapelle, requiring you to pass through them first before you get to St. Chapelle itself.

Also, I am not sure if the MP allows you to skip the lines to go up the towers of Notre Dame. Can anyone else confirm?

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I had the pass last year and it didn%26#39;t allow me to skip the line. I went early so I only waited about 20 minutes.

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i%26#39;ve been on the fence about buying the MP, but we%26#39;re only in paris for such a short time (4 days) i think it%26#39;ll be worth it to skip lines. can this be purchased prior to leaving the states (via a website?) or should i wait. if i wait, where do i buy it? thanks.

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We were on the fence about purchasing it as well, but because we were in Paris for only 4 days, we thought it was worth it to be able to cut in line. One of the best purchases we made.

We bought ours at the Lourve, since that was the first place we went that sold it. It was a mad house at the Lourve, we went into a small room, bought it and walked upstairs and went right in.

It does not allow you to cut in line at ND, but you don%26#39;t have to pay additional once you go through the line.

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You can buy it ahead of time, but it will cost you about a 12 euro premium. IMO this is not necessary.

The Museum Pass website has a complete list of places you can buy it.

www.parismuseumpass.com/en/pass_points.php

I buy it at one of the less crowded museums, so I don%26#39;t have to wait in line to make the purchase.

I%26#39;ve bought it without waiting at:

Conciergerie (close to St. Chapelle)

Musee de l%26#39;Armee/Napoleon%26#39;s Tomb

Cluny Museum

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Can someone tell me if the pass is worth it if you%26#39;re eligible for the many under 26 discounts paris attractions seem to have?

Thanks.

Link to my original thread:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187147-i14-k18534…

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I bought it right after I arrived at CDG (see the PMP website) at the visitor info booth. No extra fee, used credit card.

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Removed on: 1:27 am, September 24, 2009

Distance from Amiens rail station to downtown Amiens

Hi everyone

We will be arriving in Amiens in early May at the Amiens railway station and will be picking up a car at Europcar at Rue de l%26#39;ile Mysterieuse. Can anybody tell me how far this is as I can%26#39;t seem to locate a detailed map of the Amiens area.

Thanks

Jan

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5.7 kms between the 2 locations, the rail station is city centre and the location of Europcar is in Boves on the extreme outskirts of the town close to the airport

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Hi

Because the office is near the airport, send a message and ask if they have a shuttle bus from the airport to their location. It%26#39;s always easy to get to the airport, and if they have a shuttle as well, your transportation problem is solved.

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Many thanks for the information - it gives me a couple of alternatives :-)

Jan Sydney Oz

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Removed on: 12:28 am, September 24, 2009

Travel from nice airport to St.Raphael station

hi i am going to a holiday camp 8km from St.Raphael train station.I need some info on how to get from nice airport to st.raphael?Anybody know?

Also i need to know of some great days out ideal for a 3 year old.I know of the zoo and a marine show place any other places?

Also i heard it is a bit pricey in the south of france is this true are there any pointers on how to keep things cheap as im on a budget.

Im going in May

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Take a bus or taxi to Nice Station. I t won%26#39;t take long. The trip to St Raphael by rail is easy and beautiful.

Details of buses can be found on the Nice Airport website:-

http://www.nice.aerport.fr/access

Not being the owner of children, I cannot make any suggestions but try looking on the tourist info website for St Raphael.

Incidentally, if you would like a lovely, unspoilt, and relatively quiet beach, head eastwards out of St Raphael on the N98 towards Agay. Before you reach Agay, just the east side of Boulouris, is a beach variously called Camp Long, or Tiki Plage, at Cap du Dramont. It is a lovely little bay with fresh water showers, a cafe, and a lovely walk around the headland with spectacular views. The beach is very sandy and shelves about a foot or so but then is level, so should be ok for a 3 year old, with supervision. The beach is public, so there is no charge. You might see a few topless grannies among others, but this should not faze a 3-year old. It is not a St Tropez style parade, but is a family beach, popular with snorkellers and divers. Your child will be thrilled at the fish swimming in the shallow water around your feet. I guess you could reach it by coastal bus in about 20 minutes from St R. Go onto Google Earth and look for Plage de Camp Long, St Raphael, France.In May the water will be cool but you will soon warm up and get dry in the sun and of course the Med is so buoyant.

Personally I think it is a fallacy that the south of France is expensive. It depends what you choose to do and where you go to eat. I have found that food (and clothes) at the markets (and St R has several, as does Frejus which is right next to it)is very reasonable and we have picnic lunches made from the market produce: bread, salad, cooked chicken/ham from the rotisseries, fruit etc. prepared in the morning. All cafes/restaurants have menus posted outside so you can judge your budget accordingly.

Frejus has a number of Roman ruins.

Boat trips would be fun for your child.

Have a lovely holiday but please don%26#39;t tell too many people though about the beach.

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Hi

Thanks for the info i will let you know how i get on

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Hi .... yes, you can take bus, just outside the terminal the railway station (around 4 euro). Dont take a taxi.

But I know you also can take a direct bus to Saint Rahael at 900, 12.30, 15.45 and 19.30 at same spot, just outside the terminal. (around 21 euro)

There%26#39;s also another bus to Saint Rahael, but over Cannes.

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Not sure which holiday camp you%26#39;ll be staying in, but the beach in May is usually a winner for young kids.

As BarbaryCoaster mentioned, the Camp Long beach is nice. In fact, I posted a slide show about it here on TripAdvisor (under Video) - primitive video, but it shows you the sites. The beach is especially great for kids because it is very sheltered, it rents pedalos on warmer days and it has a very nice little restaurant right on the beach (plus snack next door).

Other fun things for kids in the area are pony rides in the Esterel (Les 3 Fers at Cap Esterel used to have them for 2-4 years-old, check their site/email for latest info), easy walks in the Esterel (I write guidebooks about gentle hikes on the Cote d%26#39;Azur, so I have a bunch of recommendations there).

St Raphael has some nice old merry-go-rounds (right on the seaside promenade), a playground that overlooks the bay (above Parking Bonaparte), a mini-golf by the sea.

I also enjoy the Parc Phoenix in Nice for little kids - they have a huge tropical greenhouse, lots of room to play among the flowered park. It%26#39;s close to the Nice airport, not too expensive.

As for keeping expenses down, if you buy local produce from the marchés, you%26#39;ll get not only fresh food but you%26#39;ll save on restaurant costs. St Raphael has a quiet local fish market every morning by the old port. Not exactly inexpensive, but they%26#39;re only allowed to sell freshly caught local fish. It%26#39;s interesting to see what%26#39;s caught out there.

Have fun!

AzurAlive.com

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Removed on: 3:19 am, September 24, 2009

In Cannes for 11 hours....what to do?

Hello Everyone,

We will be arriving in Cannes June/08 for approximately 11 hours and want to know if anyone has any suggestions on what to do.

We thought we may take the train to Monaco and then on the way back stop in Antibes.

Would we have enough time to just wander around both and find a place to have a glass or two of wine with a meal?

Do you recommend other stops to make?

How reliable are the trains? Can you buy a ticket to Monaco and stop where you want or do you have to buy a ticket for each stop that you may want to make?

Thank you in advance,

sabi

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You could just stroll around Cannes%26#39; Croisette promenade, with its tall palm trees, its long beach with parcels of private restaurants and beach chairs and its grand hotels on the other side.

Good shopping on rue d%26#39;Antibes and vicinity.

Check out the old part of town in the Suquet and the Musée de la Castre, for the views from above town.

If you%26#39;re not into shopping but prefer nature/beaches, hop on to the Lerins islands - 15 min away by ferry and fun to walk around.

Everything is easily accessed on foot in Cannes, including the train station and its schedules. I wouldn%26#39;t bother spending time in transportation to Monaco or elsewhere if you have just 11 hours.

Enjoy!

AzurAlive.com

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Removed on: 3:21 am, September 24, 2009

If you had to choose between the Somme and Loire Valley...

We have three and a half days to see these 2 areas and then we are heading to Paris for a week where we have an apartment booked. We will have a car but dropping it off once we get to Paris.

I%26#39;m thinking we might be better to just do one area rather than trying to squeeze in both but which one?

I know it is possible to do a day trip to Amiens once we are in Paris for a WW1 battlefield tour (our main reason for seeing the Somme) but the Somme area also looks very beautiful. I am worried we will regret not staying longer in the Somme area.

Any suggestions. Please share your thoughts. I%26#39;m a big fan of TA. It is a blessing!

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We stayed in Azay-Le-Rideau near the Loire which is south west of Tours about 5 years ago. We had 4 nights in October and found plenty to do. There are very many Chateaux along the banks of the Loire and it%26#39;s tributaries east and west of Tours. If you are interested in Chateaux, Michelin do a series of books called %26quot;The Green Guide%26quot; and there is a very good one %26quot;Chateaux of the Loire%26quot;. The scenery in the area is very picturesque with meandering streams and rivers with Troglydite caves along it%26#39;s river valleys.

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I would have to say the Loire for interesting countryside and things to see, if aim to fill 3 days. The landscape to the north of Paris is flat, and therefore somewhat uninteresting, for touring by car.

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Thanks for that. So where would be a good place to base ourselves in the Loire Valley? I have been looking at Blois but I am wondering if it is a little too quiet at night from the point of view of restaurants and entertainment. Any ideas?

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I am from the Somme (although, having no car, i have never toured the WWI cemeteries), and i wouldn%26#39;t choose the Somme over the Loire Valley. I don%26#39;t think you will regret spending more time in the Loire Valley. The Somme is very flat, so i just say do the day tour, visit the Cathedral in Amiens (and if you can, the quartier St Leu to the left of the cathedral)

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If you have decided on the Loire and you think Blois will be too quiet for you, Tours is the place to be. I suggest you post further questions on the Loire forum for more local knowledge.

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Blois would be an excellent choice as your base on the Loire Valley.

There is always something going on in the evenings , especially in the summer months, and there are many very nice restaurants within the city center.

Within 30 mins of Blois you have many of the more famous Chateau, including Blois, Chenonceau and Chambord.

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Removed on: 4:19 am, September 24, 2009