laundry

Yes, the French do wash their clothes at laundromats. I forget the French word, but they are around and we had no trouble finding one.

They work a little differently than U.S. ones. Most times, there is a single wall mounted payment kiosk. You punch in the ID number of the machine you use and the payment and then the machine is activated.

Of course there are laundromats, they are called laveries. Many Parisians live in small apartments so there are a lot of laundromats, in every arrondissement except for maybe in parts of the 16th. You can use the link to find one near where you are staying: http://excuseme-whereis.com/Paris_Laundromats.html

Edit: Someone was kind enough to send me a PM saying that laveries are places where you drop off cloths to be washed and a laundromat is called a laverie automatique. While I am editing, I'll add that they are also called laverie libre service. If you use the link above, the laundromats are the first set of names and then there will be a heading for dry cleaners. It also lists laundries that will pick up the clothes and places for alterations/repairs.

Actually the coin laundry facilities can be a good place to strike up a conversation with a local, if you speak enough French to get started. Many Parisians are pretty fluent in English, and the anti-American attitude of past decades is mostly gone.

On these forums someone recommended the powdered laundry soap Forever New -- you can buy it on Amazon -- and I totally love it. I use it at home too, but for travel it's better than anything I've tried. It's useful for hand washing in hotel room (Rick Steves clothesline also a life saver!) as well as putting in the washer at coin laundry. I also bring a tiny container of Woolite and a little pack of the tiny soap sheets sold for backpacking. Just make sure not to get the package wet!

Was just in Paris in May and we washed our clothes at a laundromat in the Marais neighborhood. Take lots of coins with you to feed the machine. I packed and took the TIDE capsules and they worked well.

I'm a fan of laundry detergent sheets you can get at REI. I didn't like them when I first tried them so, as a last resort, I read the directions. You take 3 or 4 sheets and mix them with a couple ounces of warm water (in a plastic cup or similar) then add it like a liquid detergent. It works fine and takes next to zero space or weight in my carry on (about the size of a box of matches).

Bonjour!

We have used self service laundries all over France and have had some interesting experiences. Meeting other Americans, French citizens or even an Aussie man whose pregnant girlfriend was at the hotel can be fun!

You can Google maps for locations for "laveries" by referencing your hotel address, ask the hotel concierge or even read through the Paris chapters in the RS books.

The "laveries" operate by using a money system located on the wall. Have plenty of coins. Each laundry is usually different. In some cases, you will look for the number of the washing machine, put in money and get a token to start the machine. In other places, you just punch in the number for the machine. You can also set the water temperature, put in soap and even use water softener. Using the washing machines has been easy. Drying my clothes as been more difficult. Some of the washing machines may be super water extractors and pull out more water than usual. Those are great. Otherwise, it will take quite a period of time to dry all your clothes. If possible, use more than one dryer so things aren't crowded and dry faster.

Before my trip, I always fill up little Baggies with dry laundry soap and take it with me. I also take a few dryer sheets and clothes pins. I don't buy any type of special soap, I just use my regular Tide soap. Some people may not want to do this because of weight restrictions but I have always done this. I use the same sack in which I keep these supplies because I also use it for laundry when traveling in the U.S.

Enjoy!

And some laundromats have automated detergent dispensers (guess they don't trust tourists not to put in too much, or the wrong type)

Yes there are many self service laundromats, don't worry about that! I've used them a few times before we started renting apartments, and never had any trouble. But this reminds me of a hilarious blog post I read a few months ago by a crazy woman who didn't shut the door of the washer all the way and had to stand leaning on the door to keep it closed the entire cycle! France on a dime, or something similar.

Detergent and fabric softener is different in France, calculated to work efficiently in water which has a ton of calcium and other minerals in it.

You should really buy the little packets sold in the "laveries", since they enable the machines to function properly - they use much less detergent and softener than US machines.
If you bring your own soap, it's likely that you'll never get the suds out of your clothes.

Thanks for the insight, chexbres! It's also easier to buy rather than pack and haul detergent.

front loading washers don't work well with high-sudsing detergent made for top loaders. Here in the US too.

We've had some of our most fun encounters in French laundromats. Or, if there's a café nearby, you can settle in with a glass of wine while your clothes get clean, then come back for another as they dry.

I find some European laundromats much higher tech that the ones at home. Besides the central payment station some machines automatically add detergent. I learned that what I thought was detergent (from the vending machine) was scented softener which led to overly fragrant luggage for the next week. You learn a lot from travel mistakes.

"lessive" is detergent
"adoucissant" is fabric softener
"eau de javel" or "javel" is bleach

Most liquid fabric softeners in Paris smell like fruit salad - so much so that flies will follow you.
If you like to use softener, bring a few of the sheets from home, instead.

Don't use hot water when washing and avoid the hottest setting for dryers - if there's a choice, use 40 C.

Merci, Chexbres about the soap information for laundries in Paris/France.

To date, I have not had a problem in using my own detergent and getting it rinsed from the clothes.

As I said in my original post, I just always take my own soap even though it weighs just a little. I want to know I have soap and not have to worry about buying it. The same thing applies for softener sheets for the dryer. There, I want to control the scent that is used.

I would never use "hot" for the water in the machines. Again, I don't know what that temperature will actually be so either warm or cold is more useful.

Actually, using the self service laundries is so easy that my husband has sometimes done the laundry. However, he also does it at home. :)

Yes, sometimes it is a hassle to find a laundry, especially in some smaller towns but as other posters have said, it can be fun talking to other people. There is also time to write in my journal, read a book or just plan the next phase of the trip.

Yes, buy your laundry supplies in Paris! Several of our landlords have specifically asked us not to use products brought from home in their machines, so that's something I'm always contentious about.

Grocery stores and small shops all sell detergent and softener. Look at: http://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/paris-a-guide-to-parisian-supermarkets.html for store names. Just buy a box, and if you do not finish it, leave it at the laundry or at the apartment. A pack of detergent opening up in your luggage is not a good thing. Believe me on this one.

If you are only going to do one or two loads of laundry, it would be more practical to just purchase the dose packs available in the "laverie". They cost about 1 EU.
If there is a manager on the premises, he will tell you not to use your own detergent, because he has to deal with cleaning the excess soap out of the machines.

If you are only going to do one or two loads of laundry, it would be more practical to just purchase the dose packs available in the "laverie". They cost about 1 EU.
If there is a manager on the premises, he will tell you not to use your own detergent, because he has to deal with cleaning the excess soap out of the machines.

I want to add a word of caution. If you use a laundromat plan on staying there the entire time to watch your clothes. On a RS tour a few years back one of our group was at a laundromat and another couple (not part of the tour) had put in their laundry and left while the washer ran. Some kids were going to help themselves to the clothes and the guy on our tour had to actually stand in front of the washer so they couldn't open it and take the clothes. From the accounts I heard it came close to a fight but in the end the kids backed down and left.

I guess anything can happen anywhere but I have done laundry all over Paris and the rest of France in laundromats and left my laundry to get coffee, etc. and never had a problem like the type described above. By the way, how did the guy who felt compelled to defend washer know that the kids were not with the people who left the laundry in the machine? Did he stay until the couple returned so that he established as fact that a group of kids tried to steal wet, used clothes?

By the way, how did the guy who felt compelled to defend washer know that the kids were not with the people who left the laundry in the machine?

He was the hero of our RS group for standing up to the kids. Him and his wife and a few other people from the tour went to do laundry and they were staying in the laundromat. As recounted by the others, a pair came in, got their laundry running, and left. Some late teen or early twenties kids who were hanging out in the laundromat as if they were doing laundry went over after they left and opened the lid to take out the laundry. Our guy went over and told them to leave it alone. He wasn't a big guy but made it clear he wasn't backing down. They got right in his face, inches away, staring at him, but he wouldn't budge. Then they left. To be honest I don't remember for sure if it was the washer or the dryer they were going to take the clothes from, it was several years ago.

edit: the kids were described as drifters looking to pick up some fresh clothes, not local kids playing a prank

Would it not be a lot easier to just drop your clothes at a laundry and pick them up the next day?
Let someone else take care of your clothes while you enjoy Paris. That's what we do.
Our hotels in Paris and Provence have confirmed nearby laundries for each weekly laundry stop.