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Packing Lists in Paris

Les Catacombs de Paris - Paris
Les Catacombs de Paris
by jglsongs
Tips on what to pack for a trip to Paris, posted by real travelers and Paris locals.
Local Time 6:04 pm Friday, December 5, 2008
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Paris in the Springtime
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  • I've been to Paris twice in the Spring. If you're traveling to Paris in March or April, it will probably be cold and a bit rainy. Be prepared! Bring a good umbrulla and warm clothing (in layers, just in case it warms up).

    I highly recommend bringing a scarf and gloves in addition to a warm coat. If you plan to spend a lot of time outside, pack a pair of long underwear. Better safe than sorry!!

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    Too Much Stuff
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  • With painting equipment/way too much for 3 - Paris
    With painting equipment/way
    too much for 3
    by painterdave, 1 more photos
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    Look at the photo below. Would you want to haul all that stuff up a Parisian stairway? Those stairways can be mighty small and steep.
    Bring some essential clothes in your carry on bag in case the airline loses your suitcase.
    Extra empty duffel bag (thin material) On the way home you can check some of your souvenirs in your good bag and dirty clothes in another. You can wrap clothes around wine bottles and check the bags.

    1 small bag per person, no exceptions. windbreaker in summer, hat, sunscreen, handkerchief, twine for clothes line in hotel, to tavel light over one week, you will be doing wash in your room--plastic clothes pins.

    Bring copies of your medical prescriptions and eye glass prescriptions.
    Wipes to clean your hands, and phone numbers of your doctors, banks and close friends.
    Stomach settling medicine like pepto bismol,etc.
    band aids, headache and pain medicine. reading glasses?--always an extra pair of those cheap ones from home.

    Your charger for camers will need a converter and the appropriate plug for that country. They are all different. AAA has these or a good travel agent.
    Buy your film there and have it processed. The airport can fry your film in your carry on/ checked baggage. Digital is safe.
    Bring extra cards for your digital camera. Batteries...European ones at the souvenir stand are terribly inefficient.

    Buy your mini fold up stove in Europe. You can't bring gas on the plane.
    You can buy fold up chairs and table in Europe at a camping store. They make towels that are very small but suck up a lot of water. mini binoculars. Small tent. Sleeping bag that crushes down and fits in a small bag the size of a canteloupe, plastic bag of dishwashing soap, sponge with scraping side, flip flops for the shower.

    1 water bottle to refill when you get there. Pack it in your checked bags. Bring the plastic one from the plane.
    1 small bag of raisins, nuts, etc. for emergencies--like the stores are closed. Peanut butter is a lifesaver for backpackers.
    Bringing children? Paper towel, toilet paper--crush it down, take out cardboard core, put in plastic bag. Extra baggies.
    1 pocket knife for cheese and meat, cork screw, soda cap opener, plastic forks, ketchup and honey in those small packages from McDonalds, diary, pens, addresses from home, needle and thread, nail clipper, mini flashlight, maps, copies of passport front pages, driver's licenses, and have someone who is back home with the numbers on your credit cards,

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    List of HOSPITALS for medical urgencies in PARIS
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  • I give here the official list of public HOSPITALS that have an office for medical URGENCIES open all day and 24/24. And I also give the URL where you can find the list. Don't hesitate to go there if you have any problems of health. Be carefull, this list is for adult urgencies, if you have young children, this list of hospitals could be a little bit different.

    Hospital BICHAT - 18th district
    Hospital EUROPEEN-GEORGES POMPIDOU - 15th district
    Hospital COCHIN - 14th district
    Hospital HOTEL-DIEU - 4th district
    Hospital LARIBOISIERE - 10th district
    Hospital PITIE-SALPETRIERE - 13th district
    Hospital St LOUIS - 10 th district
    Hospital St ANTOINE - 12th district

    Other hopitals with medical urgencies but not public :
    Hospital Léopold-Bellan - 15th district
    Hospital Saint-Joseph - 14th district
    Hospital de la Croix Saint-Simon - 20th district

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    Paris in the winter
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  • Updated By Dabs on February 23, 2004
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  • Pack as light as possible if you are planning on taking the RER and metro from the airport as it is almost guaranteed that you will have to walk up at least one flight of stairs.

    Alternatively you could bring a big strong man with you to help you carry it :-)

    -Waterproof, warm coat-I brought a Columbia mid weather jacket with an interior pocket to protect valuables. I then layered with a fleece pullover and turtlenecks and was plenty warm
    -good walking shoes, 2 pairs if one gets wet
    -gloves
    -hat or earmuffs
    -scarf, all Parisians seem to wear one :-)
    -umbrella

    If you are staying at budget hotels, you might want to bring along your own toiletries, our hotel toiletries were pretty limited.

    Well, of course you must bring a camera! I was glad to have a digital camera so I could take lots and lots of gargolye pics!

    -Streetwise Paris map is excellent and laminated so it's waterproof
    -Guidebook, I love the Eyewitness Guides, the one for Paris is good

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    The Absolute Cure For Jet Lag
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  • Melatonin. Yes, Melatonin is the answer to all jet lag problems. It is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain. It helps to control the body’s sleep/wake cycle. By resetting the body’s internal clock, melatonin can treat the underlying cause of all jet lag problems, which is the disruption of the natural sleep/wake cycle.

    A good time to call your family doctor is now.

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    What we survived on with our toddler!
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  • Re-packing just before heading back to CDG - Paris
    Re-packing just before heading
    back to CDG
    by ChicBaby
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    We planned on taking the RER directly to our apartment. I wore a convertible backpack (internal frame) that we checked in, put a carry on tote on the stroller and pushed the stroller. My husband wore a daypack and pulled a large rolling suitcase. We wore our coats on the way to the airport and packed it into our check-in before boarding the plane. This really helped because we didn't have to fetch coats and we didn't need them on the plane or at the airport as we wore layers with a sweater on top.

    If going in Feb, bring layers to keep warm and take off when it gets warm from all of the moving you'll be doing. We were only cold when we stopped. When in motion, we were quite comfortable. The apartment we rented had an umbrella, but we just used out hats. We took a chance, but never got soaked and it was something more for us to carry to Paris and with us during the day. We both brought 2 pairs of shoes and rotated. If one got wet, we had another one. This would elaborate to the fact that we packed the min. amount of clothing for 4 days. We had a washer at the apartment and we knew we will use it. Besides, since our toddler slept early, we knew that we could do laundry at night. For our toddler, we packed 5 outfits - the cutest, warmest ones he had. If you have children or a baby, it really helps if they look as cute as possible. People seem to be more helpful.

    Bring all medication that you may ever need for your toddler (i.e. fever reducers, nasal aspirator, antihistimines, etc.) Know your child's weight in the units of measurement that the country you're in uses. Also, take some time and get a cheat sheet of phrases to describe medical emergencies or problems. Small tub toys really helped our toddler get used to the new bath tub.

    This is something that is very important when traveling with a toddler, buy lots of small, easy to travel with toys - wrap them up and give them to your toddler on the plane or when you need to. That extra 5 - 10 minutes of avoiding a melt-down is well worth it. We also used a portable DVD player on the plane. We had all of his favorite DVDs and this helped A LOT. You also need snacks. Pack the snacks your toddler likes because most likely you won't find it where you are and you don't have time to look for it. Bring at least 2 or 3 sippy/straw cups, 3 snack cups that you can fill every morning, a flask to keep your milk hot or cold throughout the day, and stroller toys to attach. Read my tip on "How we carried all our stuff"

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    To Bring
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  • A daypack will be useful for carrying guidebooks, cameras etc, try and bring a bag that you can wear on your front or over your shoulder.....basically so that you have you eye on it at all times...esp on the metro!

    We visited in August and although the weather was warm it lashed rain!
    So I reccommend either a light rain coat and/or an umberella!

    You can buy most things in such a big cosmopolitan city like Paris!

    A good camera - pref with zoom....those buildings have so much detail.

    Along with the other guidebook I already mentioned which had really good maps in it, I also used the AA guide to Paris.

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    Pack The Best You Have!
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  • We all have expectations of what to see and do in Paris, but we shouldn't forget ourselves.

    Fashion and Style are more than mere words in Paris, they are a way of life. Even the most casual outfit seems to come straight out of a fashion magazine when worn by a resident of Paris.

    Pack your best and most fashionable garments and feel the elegance. Of course, if it is in your budget, don't pack anything and buy it all in Paris! I would if I could.

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    Suggestions for a visit to Paris in January
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  • Updated By Diana75 on February 16, 2006
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  • Compared to other places in Europe buried in snow in this period of the year, we've been lucky during our stay in Paris.

    The weather was quite ok, the temperature was around 5-6 degrees above 0 and we had a light rain in two days, but nothing that could stopped us walking all day long.

    As I said before, Paris is not a small town and for sure the pair of comfortable shoes was my best friend.
    I haven't got a hat but when I climbed Tour Eiffel was windy and it would have been great having one.

    For a perfect journey in Paris in this period of the year it's mandatory to have: a pair of comfortable shoes, hat, umbrella, warm clothes, a small bag (for not having problems with the pickpockets in the metro or in other crowdy places), but also an elegant outfit for a nice night out.

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    Packing List
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  • Pay attention to your bag. It can be stolen by a running thief. Better to have a traditional luggage and a purse attached to the belt.

    WINTER : it snows rarely on Paris but the temperature can be low (+ 1 or 2°c) without freeze. Generally, there is a nice weather at the beginning of February.
    Have your wool and a rain coat.

    SPRING : March and April are often rainy. May is nice.
    Keep your rain coat and have good shoes.

    SUMMER : it can be hot but not too much. Often, there are rainy days either in July or in August. The beginning of September is nice.
    Have light clothes, a rain protection and good shoes.

    FALL (AUTUMN): it goes progessively colder and often rainy.
    Take care of you.

    Some medicines are delivered only with a medical prescription. Bring your own medicine.
    The chemistry is identified by a large green cross.

    For toiletries : Paris is the town of perfumes. You will find everything you need and you dream in this matter.
    The main brands at an affordable price can be bought at SEPHORA (several locations in Paris)

    Do not forget your flash to shoot photographs in the monuments and outside by night. The films can be very expensive in the touristic areas.

    You need to buy accessories : FNAC (Champs Elysees, Grands Boulevards, Forum des halles, la Defense).

    You need to make your films developped quickly : Photo Service .

    The camping of Paris is in the Boulogne Forest : it can be damp on Springs and Fall.

    If you go there : stay on a week day at 8:00AM, if you see a grey Renault Scenic, say "hello!", I am the driver and I go to the office.

    Be aware of pickpockets, especially in the Metro (lines 1, 4 and 12 above all). Split your documents and cash in separated pockets or purses.

    Electric plug : 2 pins, 220v. It is difficult to find an adapter : see the BHV (near the City Hall) or the Store 'Le Vieux Campeur' in the Quartier Latin (several stores in this area, especially rue du Sommerard)

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