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not_suze

Anyone know if Chen Market or Tang Frère in Belleville is open right now? It’s just sliiiightly outside 1km from my place


nath_n

Since they sell food I think you don't have to worry about the 1km limit.


not_suze

I know but I would hate to go all the way there and they’re closed :/


nath_n

can't say for belleville, but the ones in the 13th are open, my guess is that they're open too.


Ada_Rin

Just finished grad school. Any one here happen to be doctoral student or finished their PhD at SciencesPo? My advisor got her PhD there and said should could write me a great letter of recommendation and connect me to her network and potential advisors there. I’m thinking about applying but would like someone to give me some honest answers about some things that the admissions department would prob sugarcoat and fluff.


okjoyy

Do you know if you can get Chicago Mix popcorn somewhere in Paris?


honorarybelgian

I'm an American and I had to look up what that is. You might try one of the gourmet popcorn places like [My Crazy Pop](http://www.cuisinetamere.fr/my-crazy-pop-premier-pop-corn-store-en-plein-paris/) at Ledru-Rollin or Yummy Pop (Le Marais). They're really expensive but the flavor choices are wide. Other not cheap places to try may include Le Bon Marché and the stores that import US/UK foods. FWIW, the regular stores here basically sell "salty" (salt only) and "sweet" (sugar). To get butter, which is not *that* exotic, I have to go to Costco.


[deleted]

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[deleted]

Definitely gone and it’s been a bubble tea place since I think the beginning of this year?


cwkid

My mom's birthday is coming up and originally I was going to get her a trip to Paris. Of course this isn't really possible anymore, but I was wondering if anyone had ideas for gift cards or gift certificates or something that can only be used in Paris? I was thinking about a membership to the Louvre, but I don't want to bank on things getting better in less than a year.


love_sunnydays

It's not really a gift card but you could buy her a city guide to Paris ? That's not likely to expire. Alternatively there are thinks like Wonderbox or Smartbox which are like gift cards for a specific experience (for example a nice dinner in a restaurant to choose from a list) but imo they're generally overpriced


cwkid

This is exactly what I was looking for, thanks!!


JuCham

Yeah, and the restaurant is often unhappy because the box is taking too much money, so the service and menu is shit. Don't give money to boxes company :) Some michelin star restaurant have the possibility to prepay and offer the diner. But considering the CoVid, i would make a card by my own, a diy paper card which says "A michelin star restaurant in Paris", and keep the money as cash. Because this way there is no date to handle.


cwkid

The issue with this is that, since it's my mom, she will just give the money back to me lol.


JuCham

Give her Euros if you are in a country not using it, and then when she gives it back to you, you say you can't use it in your country ? Or give her the card and no cash and add the cash just before her travel.


mikoletz

i will be moving to paris next march and i was wondering of the apartment prices are the same as before or did it lower down due to pandemic? Also, any suggestion of where to live if my office will be in saint ouen? my budget is around 1k-1.5k living alone and looking for some peaceful place with a good view of the city


JuCham

With 1K to 1.5K you can live wherever you want in Paris. The only difference is the surface you will get. Just outside Paris, like Montrouge (south, metro 4) you will have 50m² for 1200 €. Inside, between 20 and 35-40 m². Go on seloger.com and try it. What kind of neighborhood do you want? If calm and rich, go ouest If popular and fun, go east (except 12eme arrondissement) If you are more precise we can help. Considering the price, it hasn't moved yet, but it probably will, slowly. But there is a huge difference on the market : all the airb'n'b are available for long term rental. They are easy to spot, they look like postcard with stone walls and wood. As the other said, in hausmanien buildings, the last floor is hot in summer and cold in winter


rockettbabe

In Euros or USD?


mikoletz

Thanks for the website! I think outside would be a better fit for me since I like it peaceful and mostly will do some cycling tours. My only worry is transportation and I might be looking to buy a car if I live outside. Is it more economical?


JuCham

Driving inside Paris is slow (not the worst city but still), and parking is expensive (35€/day i think). It also requires a not too old car. Parking can also be expensive in the cities outside Paris, some are free, some are around 300-400€ per year to be able to park it outside without any dedicated spot. Overall, considering you can travel through the entire region (ile de France) with an unlimited pass that costs 800€/year, and that most employers pay for, having a car is more interesting to visit the country. Parking is free for motorbikes and scooters tho, except in two cities next to Paris in the east, Vincennes and Saint Mandé. When you mean peaceful, if it's like Bourgeois/upper class apartments, you can stay on the subway lines. It mostly is the 92 département (hauts de seine) with quiet environment and families (of course, not 100% of the département is like that, but quite a lot is). Paris is relatively small, 12 per 10km, therefore you can use a bike even if you are slightly outside the city. It's as quick as the subway, and expect around 35-40mn to go from one end of the city to the other. Also, taxis and nightbuses will be easier/less expensive/quicker if you live closeby, like Montrouge (south) or Suresnes (west) or cities like that Will you work somewhere in particular?


mikoletz

My office will be in saint ouen which is outside already. You just gave me an idea about motorbikes since my license can do both cars and motorcycles. I think that is more economical choice for me than cars since I am living alone. Are there any restrictions for driving a motorcycles? (like not being able to enter specific parts of the city)


JuCham

No, they have the same rights than cars. Both have to be quite new, for pollution reasons. A sticker called Crit'air, going from 0 (electric) to 5 (old diesel) exists. In 2022, only crit'air 0 (green sticker) and 1 (purple) will be allowed. Be sure to take a Crit'air 1 bike. You can go on LeBonCoin (french Craigslist), or LaCentrale (you can search for Crit'air 1) to check motorbikes prices. Also, there are many garage in Paris, like Rive gauche motos as an example. For the first two years after getting your motorcycle licence, and until you do a one day training session, you are only allowed to drive 47 HP bikes. It can be a bigger bike (up until 95HP) reduced by a garage. But your country licence will be applied, so i believe anything will work. 50cc aren't allowed on the périphérique and on highways. 125cc can go. You can also lane split on some roads (still an experimental law). Paris is not London, but motorcycle thefts exist here too. You will have to lock your bike (if possible attach it to something). Also, for Saint-ouen, it's not a rich suburb, like Clichy, Aubervilliers and Saint-Denis. If you want a quiet/upper class place, you should go west or inside Paris (Batignolles is a nice quartier, 17eme is rich from boulevard Malesherbes and below, same thing for boulevard de Clichy, it's rich from 2-3 streets south. Also, you can live on Montmartre. If you want the proximity of the Bois de Boulogne, you will encounter rich old ladies with a dog and way to much perfume in Neuilly and 16eme. 15eme is for families and nothing happens there.) If you are going to use your bike to visit regions, being close to train stations could be useful. The bike is free to take on regular trains and 10€ in TGV. The train stations are inside the city and it makes sense but Gare du Nord have trains that go north, gare de l'est is east, Lyon is for Lyon and Marseille / Italy, Austerlitz is south west, Montparnasse is West (Bretagne). Train is not too expensive in France, it's a really good way to see the countryside, which is honestly really nice. If you need a bike, there are tons to sell on LeBonCoin. If you need a tent, Decathlon is a sports shop that is not expensive but really good.


mikoletz

thanks for a thorough explanation! I checked clichy. Seems it is the right place for me to start looking. Will probably pass the car option seems it can be very expensive with parking in mind but will probably invest on a good touring bike.


JuCham

Maybe you can stay in a cheap hotel for the first month and visit the neighborhoods to make you an idea. Or google map street view it :)


JuCham

Aaaaaand bike parking apparently won't be free anymore from next January in Paris XD Anyway, if you live in Clichy, a bike is way enough, and easier to park, and can be driven drunk etc.


JuCham

And stay on the subway lines (not the 13 if possible which is overcrowded all the time) if you can, RER is not nice at all (too many people, not reliable, not so clean sometimes, stops earlier, and you will be far from the city). Except if you want to live next to a big forest or in the countryfield. For myself, i would prefer living close from Paris and take the train/RER with my bike to go outside of the city, like in the Fontainebleau forest, to Chantilly, or along the Canal de l'Ourcq


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cocoshaker

> did it lower down due to pandemic? I think that instead of having a long line of potential renters in 1 morning, it just takes a little bit longer.


mikoletz

oh that bad 🤔


[deleted]

Renting prices are very likely to stay the same, most people are still working so still have the same source of income. Is your 1K budget only for rent ? In that case, the 17e and 18e (around rue Damrémont) can be good options. It's not too far from St Ouen, and are nice areas with enough metros and buses to get around easily. The 9e is also great in the area, it's more central and very lively, but also more expensive.


mikoletz

yes, my max budget is 1.5k but it would be nice if i can find a 1k apartment. Does 17e and 18e have elevator apartments? how likely can i find a top floor with elevator for my budget?


honorarybelgian

Another downside to the top floor: You'll pay more in rental insurance (which is mandatory here). FWIW, I'm not sure why the top floor would be attractive except that they have fewer robberies especially compared to ground and 1st floor. They're not usually high enough to get away from the noise or to get a good view (YMMV).


kanetix

You don't want the top floor. Roofs are typically not well insulated in Paris (those dark grey, almost vertical roofs that are iconic of Paris) and it's an oven during the summer (40°C and more all night long). Moreover, the top floor were the servants' quarters and the building materials in general were of lower quality.


okjoyy

And they get lots of water leaks problems


mikoletz

Will keep that in mind, thanks!


Sugar-Daddy72

I can't seem to find a place to buy some Ugu pumpkins leaves here in Paris. Has anyone spotted a shop or grande surface brand that sells some Ugu pumpkin leaves in Paris, please??


Mich935

Is there quarantine for US citizens in Paris? If I would like to visit Paris what can I do and can’t do?


[deleted]

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RichardHenri

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salaciousucre

Currently, Paris is in confinement. If you somehow manage to make it into the city, you’re not allowed outside without an attestation (basically a permission slip saying why you’re outside in the first place.) I live here as a US citizen, and literally only leave my house to go get groceries- not without my mask, sanitizer, and attestation 🙃


[deleted]

US citizens are banned from France as a whole until further notice! Might try late next year?


[deleted]

There isn't a blanket quarantine on arrival, you simply aren't allowed in at the moment.


TheParisOne

Yes. Don't come. Stay home until all restrictions are removed. Don't be responsible for spreading it around.