Two Brief Questions about Paris

Have you already rented your apartment? The apartment I rented in Paris had a washer & dryer. Many I considered had washers. Not as many also had a dryer. If you haven't already rented you might want to find one that provides at least a washer for you. You could always hang your clothes to dry, like the locals do. On another trip I used a laundry and luckily someone there spoke English and helped me out.

I would suggest taking your clothes with you rather than mailing them. If you want to limit yourself to only one bag you can just take a larger one that you check. I use a wheeled carry on (22") and a tote that slips over the handle, no matter how long I am gone. If I won't have a washer available I make sure that my clothes can be sink washed and hung to dry. I bring blow up hangers and some hangers with clips to hang pants from. That way I only have to do actual laundry once every couple of weeks.

A month in Paris...you are so lucky!!!

shipping clothes to Paris seems like carrying coal to Newcastle - I'd suggest a bit of shopping once you get there, instead! But if you need mare than a carryone I would check a bag rather than trying to ship. I had the same question earlier this year, when we had to bring steel-toed shoes and blue jeans for one week of our 2-week stay, and got lots of reassurance about checking. And the shipping was significantly more costly - something like $85 per bag.

We spent a month in Europe last year and visited three countries with a 22" bag. You don't need to mail clothes to Paris as others have mentioned. Seriously, we can get by with a lot less than we think.

In the laundromat there is a central pay station. You punch in the number of the machine (posted on each washer and dryer), the screen will show you how much money to deposit, then you deposit your money and the machine goes on. You need to have your clothes and soap in the machine BEFORE PAYING. The same for dryers, clothes in with door shut. For buying soap, that machine also has a number and payment works the same. In some laundromats instructions are in English as well as French.

I'm hoping you get a response on shipping clothes. I will be traveling with a bum foot in April, and would ship my suitcase to my hotel in Paris if possible. I think the airlines have programs for such a thing thru UPS or FedEx at an extra charge. But I don't know if this works for foreign travel.

Traveling with one bag has some advantages, but if you want to take more than a carry-on can handle, checking a bag or two of clothing on the plane is certainly not something terrible to be avoided at all costs.

I'm MUCH rather take my stuff with me than deal with the expense, hassle, and uncertainty of mailing it. Just plan on getting a luggage cart at the airport, if you need one, and add a couple of dollars to the tip you'd usually give the driver who loads/unloads the bags for you.

I've had stuff lost by UPS, FedEx, and the airlines, and I say it's very rare these days (barcodes). I can happen no matter how the stuff gets to Paris, but it's very unlikely you'll have any problem. Again, I'd rather have it on the plane with me.

Most of us are big proponents of carry-on mainly because we are moving around. If, however, you are going to one place for a month, then you will be better off just taking a larger suitcase with the clothes you want, and a smaller carry-on size bag for the plane.

Your only hassle is getting to and from the airport in Paris. If your bag is too much for you to handle on public transport, just take a shuttle.

It will be much less than shipping both ways.

Thanks to everyone for the great replies. I'm very good at packing light for a couple of weeks, but was thinking along the lines of bathrobe, books, extra shoes. I'll just take a bigger bag and check it, as most of you suggested. The apartment I've rented does have a washer but no dryer -- and now I'll know how to NOT be befuddled at the lauderette. Merci beaucoup!