First travel abroad - need tips/strategy for planning a trip to France!

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Thanks for the replies.

It’s not a carry-on but a suitcase on wheels. I know I could handle it, and I’m fit, but I don’t mind paying a bit more for a shuttle so I don’t have to think as much about what I’m doing. I’m leaning towards taking the train from CDG, since the station will be right there, booking a hotel near the train line and then arranging for shuttle next day to Orly–so I don’t have to think about it, only the stress of the shuttle finding me.

After I leave my one-day in Paris and flight to Copenhagen, we’ll work our way back to Paris via Amsterdam. I already plan on the high speed train from Amsterdam to Paris, but I found that the train option from Copenhagen to Amsterdam is not great–10-14 hours for around $250 versus a flight for 1.5 hours at $65. So my presumption about rail convenience in Europe doesn’t always hold up.

Initially, I was planning to book a flight from the. US to Copehagen, but then I discovered the aforementioned XL Airways with a great price for nonstop, and it made sense to spend one night in a Paris to sleep it off and head to Copenhagen the next day. I’ve read mixed reviews about seat comfort and customer service, but I can stand a finite torture of 7 hours.

Last night, I booked an apartment for for $160/night for our 6 days back in Paris 15 minute walk to Notre Dame in the 5th. Will be nice to have a kitchen for coffee and simple breakfasts and snacks, and I get the bedroom and my kid gets the sofa bed plus TV and kitchen. It’s refundable, so I can continue to look for cheaper better alternative and drive my indecisive self crazy.

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^^^That sounds like a nice plan - and a decent deal on the apartment?

Talked to my mom yesterday about our possible trip. She “informed” me to book a flight with no more than one stop. That means I’ll probably have to settle for finding something out of Detroit (not Windsor) with one stop somewhere in Europe and then a flight from there to Marseille. That’s the way she has always done it and I think (and understand) that at 81 she doesn’t want to prolong the agony of the flight any longer than usual.

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I definitely agree with only one stop.

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I totally agree with one stop, my DD often ends up with 2 or even 4 stops, looking for the best deal, but it’s just not worth it at your Mom’s age!

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I’ve found that if you are booking a round trip to and from the same destination, the price can be competitive for non-stops. When you plan to return from a different location the prices become prohibitive.

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Ok, some updates.

My relatives in France say late June/early July is best time for us to come so we will be focussing our ticket search then.

We have discovered that flying Windsor/Toronto/another stop/Marseille to be MUCH cheaper than Detroit/another stop/Marseille - like, 500+ cheaper - not sure why! However we talked about not more than one stop. Now we are thinking that it may be easier to just drive to Toronto (about 4 hour drive) and start there - that will save more cash, be one less airport to deal with and I have family willing to drive us and pick us up.

My French family is suggesting I check out Lufhansa - any thoughts about that airline as opposed to Air Canada or Iberia???

Finally, (for now) how much time would you say is “enough” to allow at the in between pit stop (which may be somewhere in Germany, Amsterdam…) 2-3 hours? More than 3 hours??? What’s reasonable to look for?

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I think I pointed you in that direction on the first pages of this thread. I still think that the Aer Lingus from Toronto to Marseille via Dublin is a very good option. It is a one-stop deal via a very convenient airport and the prices are usually among the lowest available. Air Canada might have interesting codeshares with other airlines, but I am not sure how Iberia (mostly via Madrid) and Lufthansa (mostly Frankfurt or Munich) will be of great help for a destination such as Marseilles. If looking at a stop-over in a large city, I think you’d be better off with Paris or London.

But again, I do not think that there will be many better deals than the Toronto-Dublin to France connection.

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Not looking for a stop-over in a large city - family has already offered to take us to Paris for 2 days in the midst of our trip - I’m not turning down experienced tour guides and a comfortable family members home to stay in in Paris!

I’ll check that out again Xiggi - thanks!

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I also think the later visit to Paris will be more enjoyable than immediately after arrival. Jet lag and all the commotion from airports and hotels take a toll. Going later will work a lot better and opens the possibilities of enjoying other parts of France around Dijon or Lyon. Heck, you might come back and claim you danced on the Pont d’Avignon and bought the “real” delicacies in Montélimar. See https://www.montelimar-tourisme.com/en/

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For cheapest airfare:
Do the following search on www.kayak.com

  1. Do your searches on mon night or tues night at midnight or so
    2… Depart and return midweek ( usually tues or wed)
  2. Lowest prices are usually 4 wks before departure for domestic and 8 wks before departure international ; but those rules should be ignored if dates are not really flexible.
  3. You can set up kakak to send you the lowest rate every day on ur email.
  4. You can buy thru kayak. Just click on the fare that you want and then it redirects you to the carrier’s website

As for searching and buying on a tues night, I’ve seen huge swings in fares from tues night compared to sat day.

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Definitely check Iceland Air, they fly from Toronto, the stopover is in Iceland, all their westbound planes and all their eastbound planes meet at Iceland. They are great at waiting flights so you don’s have connection issues. Only one stop, nice small airport in Iceland, not confusing like Heathrow.

Sometimes they are quite competitive, sometimes not so much.

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The later into summer, the more expensive the ticket.

As far as safety is concerned, all the major american & western european airlines are fine. You’ve said your highest priorities are price and schedule. Therefore, I wd focus on those, and not go for any particular arline that someone recommends. From NAmerica to France is only 8 hrs. It’s not that big of a deal when u are used to 14 hr flights across the pacific.

1 1/2 hrs connection time is plenty if u don’t have to claim and recheck a bag.

At least 2 hours connection time if u do have to claim abd rechech a bag.

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Thanks GMT, the connection time suggestions are helpful!

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DH has had good experiences with Lufthansa

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Lufthansa is perfectly fine. It’s discount airlines (Vueling, Ryanair, etc) you need to approach with caution - not a Lufthansa. The personnel will all speak English if that’s a worry.

Generally, if it’s a partner airline with either United or American, it’s fine.

With an older woman who may not be as fast, may need to stop at a bathroom, etc. I’d allow 1.5 hours.

An airline won’t let you book a connection on one ticket if it doesn’t meet the transit time.

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“Finally, (for now) how much time would you say is “enough” to allow at the in between pit stop (which may be somewhere in Germany, Amsterdam”

German airports (FRA, MUC) run like clockwork. I’ve had 45 min connections for international flights (bags checked through) and been fine. Extremely efficient movement from point a to point b.

Assume everyone has a passport, including elderly mom?

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Definitely mom has a passport - she needs it for her casino trips to Windsor. :slight_smile: I checked it recently to be sure that it was valid for the summer. She is good to go.
Expecting to pull the trigger on tickets this month. S is trying to decide if he can afford to come along as well.

Then I’ll have “next step” questions for you all about international travel!!!

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Have your mom and others xerox/scan you the important pages of their passports so if you have to jump on tickets you have all the info needed to buy international tickets at your fingers.

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I am a packing goddess :slight_smile: I do 2.5 week trips in just a carry-on. But I re-wear my clothing, because who do I have to impress? You’re staying with relatives, so you can presumably use laundry facilities, and besides, who do you have to impress - if you wear a little black sweater multiple times during your trip, who cares? Not the French :slight_smile:

Roll your clothing instead of fold, and limit yourself to 2 pairs of shoes - one you wear and one you bring.

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An addendum to post #131. There’s a bit more to connection time than just rechecking a bag. I recently got burned.

Another factor that affects how much time you need to transit an airport is whether you have to go through Immigration (i.e. Passport Control) & security screening. Two weeks ago in Paris CDG, I missed my connection to Rome because the Immigration lines were incredibly long (that reason, and the universal reason that CDG sux as the most confusing/irritating airport in the world).

Here are the situations you will be required to go thru Immigration. By “Europe”, I am referring to Schengan Area countries. I’ve underlined the airports where you will have to go through Immigration.

Flying to Europe

USA origin --> Europe final destination
USA origin --> Europe intermediate --> Europe final destination
USA origin --> Europe intermediate --> elsewhere final destination

There’s no US Immigration as you leave the USA—your exit is tracked automatically via the airline passenger manifest (Big Brother is watching).

You will have to go thru European Immigration at your initial entry into Europe if you are planning to visit Europe. When you initially check in for your flight in the USA, look at your bag claim ticket and MAKE SURE the correct final destination is displayed. If it shows the final destination, then your checked bags get transferred automatically; you do not have to claim and re-check them at the intermediate European airport (but it never hurts to ask the check in agent about it).

If you are simply switching planes in Europe to head off to some other part of the world, you don’t go thru Europe Immigration. Same advice about looking at your bag claim ticket.

Leaving Europe

Europe origin --> Europe intermediate --> USA intermediate --> USA final destination
Europe origin --> USA intermediate --> USA final destination
elsewhere origin --> Europe intermediate --> USA intermediate --> USA final destination

You go through European Immigration as you leave the final European Airport.

You go thru US Immigration at the initial point of entry into the US where you ALSO must (groan):
-claim your checked bag from the baggage carousel
-go thru US Customs
-recheck your bag to the final US destination

This is why Pizzagirl never checks a bag. Note: Fido the beagle roams around the baggage carousel, so think twice about sneaking in that slab of prosciutto.

Oh yeah, to catch your ongoing flight you have to go thru security screening again. Welcome to America, now empty your pockets and stand like a criminal with your legs spread and your hands above head…

@Pizza, one day you & I will have to have a “pack off” to see who can pack the most efficiently in a rollaboard for a two week trip. The person who ends up using EVERYTHING they packed, wins.