Laundy In Paris

I'm not sure what you mean by "American-friendly," but there are laundromats all over Paris; just ask at your hotel for the nearest one.

Thanks, Harold. By "American-friendly", I meant those that are run and operate like those in the US.
Thanks again,Dave

There should be no problem in finding self-serve laundries in Paris. You can Google for laundries based on the arrondisement in which you are staying. We always take soap and dryer sheets with us when we travel. Doing laundry provides a little down time to read, make plans for things to do, etc. Since we are speaking English, we have had great opportunities to talk to other Americans and some from Australia. We have only encountered one laundry where the owner took our items and did the work for us. I told him that we were happy to do our own laundry but he told us that he had retired from England, invested a lot of money in the machines and this was his "new" occupation. If you read RS's Europe through the Back Door, there is plenty of information as to how to use the machines. It would be helpful to know some French words such as for hot, cold, and delicate. Take plenty of coins even though there are bill changers. This is not to say that I haven't used a hotel sink to wash out spots or used hotel hangers to air dry some clothes but for lots of laundry, self service is good. Have fun. I think you can consider this as a travel adventure.

Thanks, Bev. I like your style!
Dave

Dave, Regarding laundromats in Paris, it would help to have some idea which part of Paris you'll be staying in?

Laundromats provide great people-watching opportunities. They're all over the place and probably close to wherever you're staying. Once we sat in a cafe while our clothes ran through the washer next door. Another time we watched a mini-drama across the street, involving a young lady tossing a pair of pants from an upper-floor balcony to a young man on the sidewalk (who was already wearing pants). We decided this must be how French couples break up, especially when one lives in a walk-up building. You don't have to sit in the dreary laundromat watching the machines spinning, you can find something to do nearby and just come back to switch from washer to dryer. The RS guides tell you how laundromats work in Europe, and if you need help another customer will probably be glad to help you figure things out. Good way to break the ice and stay clean too!

I hope you are not expecting a lot of Europe to run and operate like the US. It is different - sometimes better and sometimes worse. Our experience with self laundries is very different than the US. We have always encountered the Extractor which is a much higher speed spin dryer which is often used prior to the heated dryer. The other key is having the right type of fabrics. We avoid almost all 100% cotton items just because they take longer to dry and high heat can cause problems. We prefer the synthetic blends. Good luck.

Even doing mundane things like laundry while on vacation can be a memorable experience where you can contrast with how things are back home. The only caution is while traveling don't look for what is familiar because you will be disappointed. Look for what is a new experience with an open mind and you will enjoy things for what they are. I like doing things on vacation that I can't do at home. You can't do laundry in Europe when you are at home.

My one experience with a laundromat in Paris was one of the more interesting moments of the trip. The laundromat itself was not run the same as American laundromats. There was nobody working there. The instructions were all in French. The controls for the machines and the place where you deposited the money to make them run was on the wall, not on the actual machine itself. Those were fairly minor issues and we had no problems getting the machines to work. I got to spend a half an hour or so talking to the only other person there, a gentleman who was originally from Amsterdam. He nad his wife spent half the year in Paris and half in Amsterdam. He found out I was from Southern California and we had an interesting conversation about his experiences when he travelled to my nck of the woods. A very unexpected but good experience.

Yes laundromats all over Paris. Money is deposited at a central station and you input the No of the washer or dryer you want to use. also works for the detergent/fabric softener dispensor.

The laundromat I used in the 10e was pretty similar to what you'd find here. The exception being there was no attendant on site. There was, however, a change machine if you needed to break a 5, 10 or 20 Euro bill. I tend to hit the laundromat after amassing a pocketful of smaller coins so didn't have to use the change machine. I did buy detergent from a separate machine (just like in the US if you don't come with your own, you get a single use box). There was also no central area where I had to pick the machine number and feed my money into it. Each machine had individual coin slots which you placed the money and slide it in so the machine started up (just like the US). The machines had no words (French or English), just pictures for the settings showing the water temps in Celsius (red for hot, blue for cold). It really was pretty simple to figure out without having to ask. You can always count on bumping into someone who will help or give advice on something. A local man asked me if I could watch his machine while he ran across the street for a pack of smokes. When he came back he was more than happy to discuss his favorite neighborhood restaurants and cafes, and the best places to go out for drinks or listen to music. I left with clean clothes I didn't have to scrub by hand and leave dripping around my hotel room and a wealth of info not found in any guidebook. Totally worth the 90 minutes out of my day contrary to what the die-hard sink washers would say as they see laundromats as a frivolous waste of sightseeing time.

Laundries are easy to use and a good way of connecting with locals and fellow travelers. One time, I spend quite some time trying to figure out how to use the dryer and finally realized it was a Speedqueen and the directions were in English. I guess I'd been in France long enough that I was tuned into French.

Hi, As pointed out, that depends on where you are staying. I stay in the 10th arrond at Gare du Nord. I know of a public laundry in that area not too far from the station.