ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Several shops are accepting Bitcoin in the Passage du Grand-Cerf.
Also, "Le Marais" district is great for all the shops it contains. Check out le BHV & Les Halles for big shopping centers!
LGBT PARIS
Although it can depend on which neighborhood you're in, generally Paris is very welcoming for LGBT people, and it's very unlikely that you'll have any trouble for holding hands with your partner when you travel in the center (1-10th arrondissement). The most gay-friendly neighborhood is Le Marais (4th arrondissement), which is in the center of Paris.
There were a lot of people in France who were reluctant to legalize same-sex marriage, those people do not represent a majority in Paris. However, it is generally recommended to avoid public displays of affection in the arrondissements of the north of Paris (17-20th arrondissement).
MEET BLOCKCHAIN MINDED PEOPLE
ASSETH (Association Ethereum) is setting up meetups the days before EthCC for you to gather and meet other blockchain developers. To get in touch with us:
- Send an introduction email to [email protected]
- Contact us on facebook or twitter
- Meetups are about to be announced for the days preceding the event.
- La Maison du Bitcoin - 35 Rue du Caire, 75002 Paris. The name speaks for itself, located in Central Paris, you can buy ETH or BTC there, it's also the home of the french start-up Ledger and Coinhouse
HOW TO AVOID TOURIST SCAMS
Scammers are everywhere in Paris, especially in the big tourist spots. You'll find most of them at La Basilique du Sacré-Coeur, Notre-Dame, on the Place Saint-Michel, in Châtelet, and near the Eiffel Tower. This is where criminal groups spend their time robbing tourists by trapping them into playing bonneteau—a game of "chance" played with three cards- stay away from them.
In these places, as well as the Pont des Arts and Saint-Germain, you may be assailed by supposedly deaf beggars who will ask you to sign a petition for (nonexistent) research studies on deafness. If they don't pick your pockets when you are signing they'll ask you for a few euros and won't leave you alone till you've given it to them.
At Barbès-Rochechouart, you'll find plenty of people willing to sell you phone cards or cigarettes imported from Africa. They're mostly nice, and their prices are pretty cheap, but their products suck. Also, be wary of pickpockets on the metro—especially at Saint-Denis or on Line 13.
Another well-known con is the "gold ring scam." This can happen anywhere in Paris but tends to follow the same routine. You'll be accosted by guys who'll tell you they found a ring on the floor. It will look gold and have something stupid like "20K carats" stamped on it.
You'll also be accosted—getting accosted happens a lot in Paris—by people trying to sell you roses. They're so persistent it's pointless trying to ignore them, so just say "no" firmly and go back to your conversation.
HOW TO BEHAVE AS A TOURIST
It's well known that Parisians are as*holes, and we're not going to dispute that. However, the crypto-community is friendly and welcoming. Also the truth is, Parisians actually don't mind tourists that much. Avoid standing still at the left or the end of an escalator and you will be fine.
GETTING AROUND
Use CityMapper for iOS or Android for transportation in the city using public transport. Usual GPS based applications work fine.
In order to pay for public transfer you have two options, one is buying single ride tickets (references prices below).
The second option, is to get a carte Navigo, if you arrive to Charles de Gaulle airport you would be able to get the carte Navigo _right away - 5€- and charge a week package _zone 1-5, for 22,80€, this entitle you to unlimited use to all public transport (RER -even from and to airports- metro, bus & tramways)
*Note: for some strange reason, weeks for transport in Paris are Monday to Sunday, - regardless the day of the week you buy it, it will expire Sunday midnight-, but still if you are using public transport to go to ethcc or you are planning to do some tourism, it may be a better option, even more if it rains as is predicted.
- From the airports (Charles de Gaulle -CDG- and Orly):
The easiest way from the airports to the city is Uber or taxi but they are costly (40 to 60 € for the one-way trip to you hotel).
Other means of transportation include:
RoissyBus (coaches from CDG airport to the center of Paris)12 €
or OrlyBus (coaches from Orly airport to the center of Paris) 8,30 €
Train: RER (and OrlyVal from Orly airport) to the city), approx. 13 € (from Orly) or 10,30 € (from Charles de Gaulle)
Official website in english here
- From a Train station
Train stations are all located in Paris. See below, take the subway or a cab.
- Inside Paris
Subway tickets cost 1.90€ by 1 and 14.50€ by 10. They can only be used once.
Avoid Taxi and Uber during the day, the traffic is a huge mess from 8am to 9pm since recent decision to close some critical streets.
PEOPLE AND PLACES TO AVOID
- Indiana Cafés
These Tex-Mex restaurants are pretty much everywhere in the city, and it's basically the French equivalent of Hard Rock Café. Zero character and gross food.
- Rive Gauche
This area on the southern bank of the Seine gets called "bohemian,""counter cultural," and "creative," which are all euphemisms for "horrendously overpriced".
- Metro Line 13
More than 600,000 people ride this line every day. Unless it's a matter of life and death, don't be one of them. It's the most overcrowded line in Paris, everyone hates it.
TIPPING AND HANDY PHRASES
- Tipping
When you go to a restaurant, tips are included in the total price. French waiters don't need to kneel before their clients to survive until the end of the month. Of course, if the waiter or the waitress is really friendly or helpful you can always leave a few euros.
No need to give tips at bars. In taxis, just hand €10 if the fare is €9.90—taxis are so expensive anyway that you might reconsider using them.
- Handy Phrases
* Hello: Bonjour (when you meet someone who could be your dad or your mom) or Salut (when you meet someone whom you could hang out with)
* Goodbye: Au revoir (old people) or Salut (young people)
* Please: S'il vous plaît
* Thank you: Merci
* You're welcome: De rien (very basic) or Je t'en prie (when trying to impress someone)
* I'm in a hurry, asshole!: Je suis pressé, connard!
* Can I pay in crypto?: Puis-je payer en cryptomonnaie?
TOURIST TRICKS
Eiffel Tower As you can imagine, if you are planing to go up the Eiffel tower, lines for the elevator can take up to 3hs depending on the time of the year. Another less used option, is taking the stairs to go up, the ticket is cheaper, the line is norther and moves faster, and is safe to say, that if you are slightly sportive an have no impediments to take stairs, its doable and enjoyable.
Batobus If you want to sight see all the amazing places around the Seine (Eiffel Tower, Musée d'Orsay, St-Germain-des-Prés, Notre-Dame, Jardin des Plantes/Cité de la Mode et du Design, Hôtel-de-ville, Louvre, Champs-Élysées and Beaugrenelle), and you want to avoid walking under rain, or you are just short on time, an easy and funny way is the public service of bus-boats (no tourist guides :), jump-on / jump-off. If you got the Carte Navigo, you can get a preferential price of 11€ for a whole day, (17€ without the Navigo pass)
What to do in Paris If you are just out of ideas and you can handle -or guess- some basic french reading, this website is a cool source of ideas, with good amount of filters, and good plans on art and music.
On the french baguette: Small tip on buying your bread at the boulangeries, if you want the real traditional french baguette recipe, the one invented in 1830, you have to ask for a Tradition.
Bonus:
See you in Paris,
xoxo Asseth