My husband and I have stayed at this hotel a few times and we like it very much! It seems very “parisien “ and the location is perfect. A great, walkable area. Thanks for highlighting it!
Little update, for y'all : As of today, the "flip-up handles" tip is no longer necessary as subway line 6 now runs the same trains as seen in subway line 4 beforehand.
Chère amie, vous devez sûrement disposer d’une carte assez basique pour ne pouvoir retirer que 300€ par semaine dans les banques françaises… Choisissez une carte Premium ou Gold et vous pourrez retirer plusieurs milliers d’euros par semaine. Belle vie en France !
I have so many things to say about all of your points! Excellent vlog full of helpful tips. Especially the one about asking for additional photos. I've had so many surprises, not good ones. The properties with very few photos says it all. And why do the french think it's ok to not supply soap?! Of any kind? Not even dish soap. Who travels with their own dishwasher tablets? Or hand soap? or sheets? I stayed in a wonderful place that I couldn't find or I should say google maps couldn't find in Eguilles. (google maps rarely works here in France, use Wayz for directions) When I got there, the driveway to the house above their own house was dirt and had washed away a bit. I couldn't get my rental SUV up the driveway to park by the house. I had to haul my luggage up by foot. I had no idea that I should have asked more questions. Thank you Shannon. xoxo
Wow! So much red tape! Thank you for sharing this information. It’s good to know what one is up against if considering moving to France. Also, I love your blouse. What brand is it? I would like to purchase one for myself.
I’m so glad that you found this helpful! Please note that the Olympics are affecting multiple metro lines in the city and I believe line 1 is one of them.
In Canada we have the same set up. Bank accounts that are set up as "and', require all account owners to sign off transactions. If one passes away you need to wait until the estate is settled. That's why it's important to have at least one, two or all accounts joint as 'or'. Another tip, don't let the bank know that one of the parties has passed away until you withdraw the money in an 'or' situation. Once the bank is advised of a death they freeze the account until the estate is settled to eliminate disputes.
@@ThisFrenchLife thank you - but I can load the tickits on the Decouverte (and to /from CDG ? I'm staying for 21 days but arriving on a Friday I know week ticket won't start till Monday but would like to explor on Saturday and Sunday...
This post was one of my favorites! I loved wandering through the town with you :) It felt like a little vacation. There is a pastry chef here in SLC who specializes in Kouign-amman and they are so delicious. Maybe I'll have one in Bretagne itself, but until then, I'm happy to be able to get a KA when I want right here in the city.
Can’t believe how great your info on the French banking system is! Love, love what you are giving us - thank you! (But don’t share your special place on the Internet, please! It only takes 1 person to post all about it, and then tourists and tours appear…😡. You give us so much, keep your special place for yourself)!
Can’t believe how great your info on the French banking system is! Love, love what you are giving us - thank you! (But don’t share your special place on the Internet, please! It only takes 1 person to post all about it, and then tourists and tours appear…😡. You give us so much, keep your special place for yourself)!
Ahhhhh, we had some of the issues you discussed in this excellent video. We visit France often and wanted an account there to keep some money for when we are traveling there. We were able to open the account pretty easily because we opened it in a small town in the Loire Valley and we are very good friends with a resident there. He kindly took us into his bank, introduced us to his bank representative, and got us all set up. The first issue we had was we thought we could easily make deposits into that account by wire transferring money from the US. We never did figure out how to do that. We were told we could mail a check to the bank to be deposited. We did that and first we had to pay a fee to have the money changed into euros and then a service fee to have it deposited into our account. We weren’t depositing large sums of money so the fees ate up almost half of the deposit. Then, as you explained here, we thought we could use our debit card to withdraw our money from any “branch” of the bank anywhere in France. No, that couldn’t be done because of the “franchise” situation. We tried to work within these many constraints and keep our account open. We felt like we had a good relationship with our bank representative, but all of these things finally wore us down and we decided to close our account. And of course then there were all the hoops to jump through to get the account closed and our balance sent to us. It was sad because we liked having a French bank account but it just wasn’t practical. Thanks for making and posting this video and have a wonderful weekend!
Happy to hear that! I’m thrilled, Lolly. I made this video for people just like you. And I’m so happy you’re feeling more confident now. Be sure to check out my metro playlist for additional tips!
That’s interesting. Do some US ex-pats decide to keep their American bank as a primary for getting their money when needed in addition to a French bank for the things that require a French bank?
Great question, Maria. Some immigrants find that a bank from their country of origin will not allow them to keep accounts open without a local address. So, they are often forced to close bank accounts because they’re a fiscal and full time resident of their new country.
Wow!! Great information but horrifying! Talk about controlling people...sounds like communism! I love Europe but this sounds impossible especially if you're moving there as you stated and running a business. Unfortunately, even simple things like AC, a washer, dryer and dishwasher are still considered luxuries in most of Europe in 2024! I have been searching for a rental for this summer but it's difficult. Thanks for the great info..may have to reconsider my move. Santé 🥂
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and honest opinion. My hope is that the videos I make bring to light my experiences so that others can make informed decisions and that my work is of service to others, even if it’s non-professional and just my personal stories. I appreciate your comment!
Bonjour Belinda. In the tutorial, I included a subtitle that mentions that most of the machines will not accept contactless credit cards. They only accept cards with PIN codes. So, it’s best to avoid this situation by brining a debit card with you.
The walk and talk provided excellent information. You brought up a lot of points that I might not have paid close attention to. The pointers are valid anywhere, I think, too. Ollie is adorable and he seems to fit in well with the girls. I have three dogs also, and it's amazing how different it is with that one addition.
I haven’t but know of many who have. I’ve heard it’s hit or miss depending upon on the representative and there’s not a lot of recourse if they won’t honor the reservation. It’s okay if you live here but could ruin a vacation.
What I'm taking away from your tours...just do what your heart desires. There is no rush. There is no time. Just enjoy being in the present surroundings.
Loved this little tour Shannon! I was around this area many time this past year while visiting Paris but, didn't really know where I was going or what I was missing. Definitely going to give it another go around next year & pay special attention to the 'hidden area's' (they are usually my favorites). Of course, anything garden related is a plus for me, so this was a little extra special video to see the Petite Palais garden area. I'll likely spend some time there just enjoying the plants & people. See you on the next video! Thanks so much for sharing your love of France with all of us. 🤩
You are so right on about doing your due diligence when looking for rentals (goes for anywhere, even in the U.S.). Every single item is relevant when traveling & looking for places to stay. I travel on an extremely tight budget and I am still super picky about the places I stay, which can make the hunt for a place to stay pretty interesting and more likely than not, frustrating. Sadly, prices have gone crazy high on some of the mainstream lodging sites like Airbnb, even for basic properties. I'm an Airbnb host when I'm not traveling & love to offer a beautiful place for far less than a hotel, so I know it's possible. Unfortunately, now days, many property owners are in it for different reasons, so prices have gone through the roof & quality has gone downhill (at least in the US). For this reason, I am always on the search for alternative ways to have a place to stay when I travel. I can get quite creative when I need to, which is maybe not the 'perfect' way to travel for most, but for me, it offers me the chance when otherwise I would not be able to travel. If you have a higher ltravel/lodging budget, it might make things a bit easier, but still all Shannon's points still hold true. For times when I use Airbnb type platforms (not hotels), I will, once I have narrowed my selection to a few places, always message the owner prior to making my decision. I ask them any questions that aren't addressed in their listing that will be important in making your decision. Since I travel alone and I am curious by nature, love to walk at night when it's an option (mostly in cities), I ask things like how safe is it for a single, older, female to walk after dark, etc. Here are a few specific question of mine: *How current are the photo's in the listing? *Are all the items in the photo's still at the property? *Are all the appliances mentioned in the listing in working order & still on the property? I stayed at a property that said they had a microwave & when I arrived, it didn't exist, so it made heating up food challenging. *If, there is heating & cooling mentioned...what type? Is it controlled by the renter or is it a communal set up, where the manager decides when to turn it on? While I was in Nice last November, the apartment I stayed at had central radiator heat & it hadn't been turned on yet, leaving it a bit cool both at night & in the morning. I ended up buying a small portable heater in order to take the chill out of the air. I didn't need it during the day, so it wasn't so bad. *Also, in some of the older apartments, there can be a sewer(?) smell in the bathroom, which is most unpleasant to me. I'm not sure why it happens, I've only experienced it in France (so far), but it has been on more than one occasion & it made an otherwise excellent apartment, get a lower review. Had I asked & had they been upfront about it, I would have at least had the option to choose another place. *I always bring a pair of inexpensive flip-flops that I wear in the shower and never go barefoot in any place I stay. It doesn't matter how much I pay for a place or how clean it looks, I never go barefoot in any where I stay. *I always have several pair of silicone earplugs. I'm a light sleeper and unfamiliar sounds can keep me from getting a good sleep, so earplugs are a must for me. *I take my own pillow. *I've had issues with the check in process, so now I make sure to have very clear instructions & a phone number to text/call if something comes up & I need assistance. If a property is not owner occupied, rather a vacant apartment, often you pick up keys to the apartment from a shop nearby the apartment, or someone will meet you at the apartment to hand over the keys. It's very important , if this is the case, to know the hours you are able to pick up the keys or meet the 'key giver' & also what you can do if you happen to miss your flight, train is delayed, etc., and your arrival time is outside the original plan. If you are meeting someone to hand over the keys, be sure to have a way to contact them as well. Nothing worse than arriving late in the evening after a missed connection, and not know if you will have a place to stay or not. I've had a situation where the train I was on broke down & I missed a connecting train, making my arrival a day later. I've also been traveling by train when there was a strike which meant I had to take the bus, making my arrival time change. It can be stressful, but it's so important to stay in touch with the person/people you are renting from so they are informed of what's going on. Like Shannon, I check & double check all the fine print and especially their cancellation policy. I need to have the option of a flexible cancellation policy when I travel. And for sure, check any other fee's they may have for whatever purpose (extra energy use, cleaning fee's, etc.). I've likely left out a few things or rambled on about something unnecessarily, but hope that gives you some insight's into what I've learned through booking places to stay online. Hopefully, everyone has positive traveling experiences, but it never hurts to see what others have experienced while out & about. Makes for less anxiety (in my case anyway). As always, Shannon does such a super job of sharing information that it can be hard to find anything to add to her video's information. Happy traveling to everyone
That is great news! I am so glad you found that video to be helpful. And don’t forget I have a full playlist about the Paris metro… be sure to check that out too. Have a wonderful trip!
These are all very good tips. I agree 100% with everything you said. I wish,wish,wish that France had KING-sized beds.I realize they do not, so we always rent a two bedroom in order tp sleep well. It's way more expensive but it's our holiday . We factor it into the budget. Love your videos here and on Instagram. Thanks so much. Looking to come over again this October ❤
France does have king sized beds… I have them in my house. Just look for a listing that shows a “extra large bed” and 200 cm is the size you’re searching for.
@@leslieeriksen3847 no problem! It’s still a bit difficult to find but it’s becoming more common in high tourist areas. And, of course, I’ve had many in my homes here.
This was an excellent, all encompassing walk and talk, which provided the many details to consider when renting a place in a foreign country. I’m with you that when I’m on vacation I do not want to have a ton of cleaning responsibility upon checkout. I’ve seen rentals requiring washing of the linen and towels, remaking the beds, etc. Considering most of them have a steep cleaning fee, I am not interested in doing those extra chores. Your advice to look on google maps to check out the surrounding area of the location was great! I always do that to see what amenities are in the near area - stores, restaurants, bars, markets, etc. We no longer rent cars on vacation so we are very selective about where we stay when we travel. How nice to see that the girls have another brother! You have a very big heart to take on Ollie and his medical issues. Bless you and thank you!
