Report on France Trip Sept 30 - Oct 20, 2014: Part I - Paris

Doesn't sound like much fun, then?

Off season makes a difference, doesn't it?

After reading all the questions, comments, and warnings on Travel Forum prior to our trip, there was a lot of anxiety about planning and preparing ourselves for this trip. I just wanted to reassure other travelers that sometimes we have to relax and not worry about every single detail or every possible "bad' things we may encounter such as pickpockets, crowds, long lines, etc. Being aware is far from being burdened by all the possible negatives.

Hi Dee, I'm glad that you came back with a trip report. How was the weather? What type of jacket did you take?

@Donna, It was hot and humid in Paris and Nice! Wished I had bought shorts and sleeveless tops. I bought both a light jacket and a packable down jacket - did not need the latter at all - even for the caves in Dordogne. There were some cool days with showers, but not cold. Always remember to bring umbrella WITH you. Day may start out sunny but could end up with a rainy afternoon. With the weather humid, I found that I could not "rewear" my clothes as often as I had planned. So I had to do laundry more often than I expected.

@Donna, They've been having unusually beautiful weather--until yesterday. Dee hit the jackpot. Today on the French 2 news broadcast the reporters were wearing coats, but two days ago they were still in shirt sleeves and the summer-like weather had been reported on for many times.

Love your trip report, Dee. Looking forward to the sequel/s.

I always say that people who have trouble (pickpockets, lost luggage, delayed flights, etc) can't wait to post about it, but people who have no trouble don't take the time to post.

Thank you, Dee for proving me wrong!

And, more seriously, for reminding others that not every trip is an obstacle course of problems. I'm glad to see your trip went smoothly.

@Harold, Thank you for your lovely comment. Our trip went as well as possible, but there were "glitches", among them:
1. We inherited our son's very "old and sick" iPhone 4 and even with a French SIM card, we were unable to rely on it during the entire trip.
2. GPS sometimes gave us "wrong directions". The worse was the one we ended up driving through the weekly market at Chateaurenard. We were very lucky the residents were quite understanding and helped us to maneuver out.
3. When we went to pick up our car in Paris, this particular office had permanently closed four days earlier. Fortunately someone was around to read the handwritten sign to us and to direct us to another office. When we tried to drop the car off in Nice two weeks later, GPS kept telling us to turn right on a blocked street. We spend nearly an hour trying to find the office. Finally stopped at a hotel and got directions.
4. Got soaked in NImes late in the afternoon because it was a sunny all day and we thought we didn't need to bring our umbrellas - wrong!
5. It was very stressful to keep an eye on and maintain the different speed limits posted. We are keeping our fingers crossed that we won't get any traffic citations in the mail.

I have friends and family members who refuse to travel abroad because they worry so much about the cleanliness of the water and the toilets. Things do seem to work out more times than not, and we should not let the fear of all the "what if's" stop us!

Laughing at the speeding ticket comment. I received my ticket by mail (from France, all the way to Texas!) Only took 6 months for me to get it!!! I paid.

Funny enough, I was also ticketed during the same visit, but this one took a year to get to me. So, that one got ignored....

I have since returned to France, rented a car, and no additional tickets. Yet, anyway. It's only been 7 months so far.

Glad you enjoyed your trip!
Lisa