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England question
Anybody know if I need a passport to take the chunnel to France? I'm coming from America and am spending my time in England. I'm not really interested in seeing much of France, maybe a day at most. But I do want to ride the chunnel and I could than say I've been to France. Americans view of the french, right or wrong, is very rude and arrogant. England is the country I want to see. It is Americas Mother Country and our main allie. Sometimes it seems like our only allie. Can't depend on France or Canada anymore. Anyway, Americans Love the Brits.(is the term "Brits" okay or would it be considered rude?)
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Yes, France is a foreign country and you will need a passport.
The Chunnel is a fantastic piece of engineering - you can take the EuroStar train from Central London [Waterloo station] into Paris or Lille for a day trip and if you search around you should be able to get a fare for around $170, otherwise you take the Le Shuttle drive-on train from Folkestone to Calais - but not much to do in Calais apart from buy cheap alcohol!
Clearly you will have a passport in order to visit this country. Why not carry it with you to France? Without wishing to criticise or anything of that nature, is it associated with the tendency of your countrymen and government officials to be deeply suspicious of anyone who visits the country of your percieved non-allies? What I mean is, are you trying to avoid getting a French stamp in your passport to avoid difficult questions when you get home? I have been to France in a variety of ways and never been asked for my passport, let alone have it stamped.
You do realise that you will be travelling on a train in a tunnel for most of the journey?
I mention this because just having returned from a 2 week visit to the states (Detroit / Cleveland / Pittsburgh) and having had conversations with a few people during our visit they didn't know that. They like you wanted to use the Chunnel.
Had a wonderful time in your country and I hope you have as good a time here.
(take your passport to France - we have had to show ours everytime we go - twice a year - but they have never been stamped)
Danny, Why would I care if my passport was stamped from France? If you read my question it says, "I want to say I've been to France." It was just a simple question needing a simple answer and you shouldn't take it personal or read into things that aren't there. And what "difficult questions" could I possibly get from having a France stamp on my passport? That statement is very confusing. People would be jealous that I got to go there. I would want my passport stamped by every country I go to prove I've been there. And France is not considered a "non-allie" to the USA or England. North Korea, Iraq, Cuba, etc. are condidered non-allies and yes, no American or Englishmen in their right mind would go to any of those countrys. Americans feel very close to our English friends. We've been through a lot together and continue to go through a lot. We feel more comfortabe there than anywhere in the World, and the reasons for that are obvious. The fact that you speak English sure helps. lol It is probably Americans favorite place to go and feel safe. In a world filled with terrorist there are less and less places to go, no matter what Nationality you are, and feel safe. I don't know where you got that Americans are suspicious of non-allie countrys so we don't travel there. The USA has more world travelers than 99% of the countries and we Love all of them or we wouldn't go. There are probably 100,000 Americans a year going to France regardless of what we think of the people. It's a beautiful country with a lot of history. I would suspect that many English people share my views of the French. Personally, I would rather spend my time in Americas Mother Country, England. I also would rather spend my time in Italy. That is where my family Emigrated from 97 years ago to start new a life in the USA and it is beautiful and rich in history. Thats my opinion, I'm not speaking for all America. Thanks
Machecoul- You coulnd't have picked 3 worse cities in America to go to. But I was born in Detroit, Michigan and raised in San Clemente California. SC is a beach town in South Orange County. Great little town and the best place for surfing in the States. I still go often to Detroit to visit relatives and I love it there but I know where to hang. And yes of course I know I will be on a train. I guess the people you talked to weren't into traveling or maybe just uninformed. (that's a polite way of saying not to smart) :) thnaks for the reply
(3-part post):
Hello again, Vitobn.
As you've posted two questions in quick succession, I'll try to answer them both here:
It's already been stated that you need your passport for travel to France. When you leave the UK, it'll be given a cursory glance by French officials in London. (They probably won't stamp it). When you return, it'll be inspected by officials of both nations in Paris. (There are no passport or customs checks to go through when you complete each journey).
Several people have already suggested that you can make big savings by booking rail travel in advance. This applies just as much to trips to France as it does to internal travel. (A walk-up day return fare might cost over US$500 but you might get that down to between US$100 and $200 by pre-booking). To book, go here:
http://www.eurostar.com
For travel around Paris, you can buy a 'Paris Visite' ticket at the Eurostar terminal in Waterloo station. This costs �6 (about $11) and gives you unlimited travel on bus, Metro and RER services throughout central Paris. This saves queuing in Paris although you can save money by buying a ticket in Paris. This is because the 'Paris Visite' covers Zones 1 to 3 of the Paris transport system but you probably don't need Zone 3. If you wait until you get to Paris, you can buy a 2-zone 'Mobilis' ticket for 5.30 euros (about $7).
If you need suggestions for some of the best places to visit on a day trip to Paris (from museums to restaurants), just ask.
Hello again, Vitobn.
As you've posted two questions in quick succession, I'll try to answer them both here:
It's already been stated that you need your passport for travel to France. When you leave the UK, it'll be given a cursory glance by French officials in London. (They probably won't stamp it). When you return, it'll be inspected by officials of both nations in Paris. (There are no passport or customs checks to go through when you complete each journey).
Several people have already suggested that you can make big savings by booking rail travel in advance. This applies just as much to trips to France as it does to internal travel. (A walk-up day return fare might cost over US$500 but you might get that down to between US$100 and $200 by pre-booking). To book, go here:
http://www.eurostar.com
For travel around Paris, you can buy a 'Paris Visite' ticket at the Eurostar terminal in Waterloo station. This costs �6 (about $11) and gives you unlimited travel on bus, Metro and RER services throughout central Paris. This saves queuing in Paris although you can save money by buying a ticket in Paris. This is because the 'Paris Visite' covers Zones 1 to 3 of the Paris transport system but you probably don't need Zone 3. If you wait until you get to Paris, you can buy a 2-zone 'Mobilis' ticket for 5.30 euros (about $7).
If you need suggestions for some of the best places to visit on a day trip to Paris (from museums to restaurants), just ask.
Is 'Brits' OK? I don't know of anyone who would be bothered by that term. In fact, we often use it ourselves. It's also rather safer than 'English' because, if the person you're talking to happens to be Scottish or Welsh, you might find them getting rather annoyed!
I've already posted a link, in a previous post, for B&Bs in York. I see that someone has suggested another site as well. You really shouldn't have any difficulty in finding somewhere suitable if you use those sites. (There are lots of good B&Bs in York. Just don't wait until the last minute to book).
Staying south of London won't necessarily be an advantage if you want to visit more than one resort on the South Coast. This is because the rail lines from London radiate out, like the spokes of a wheel, to serve different destinations. If you stay part way along one 'spoke' you'll be well-placed for the resort at the end of that particular line but it could be time-consuming getting across to a neighbouring 'spoke' to get to another resort. I really believe that you'd be better off by staying at one of the B&Bs, in or around central London, which I linked to in a previous post.
I've already posted a link, in a previous post, for B&Bs in York. I see that someone has suggested another site as well. You really shouldn't have any difficulty in finding somewhere suitable if you use those sites. (There are lots of good B&Bs in York. Just don't wait until the last minute to book).
Staying south of London won't necessarily be an advantage if you want to visit more than one resort on the South Coast. This is because the rail lines from London radiate out, like the spokes of a wheel, to serve different destinations. If you stay part way along one 'spoke' you'll be well-placed for the resort at the end of that particular line but it could be time-consuming getting across to a neighbouring 'spoke' to get to another resort. I really believe that you'd be better off by staying at one of the B&Bs, in or around central London, which I linked to in a previous post.
Also, while there are several quite pleasant resorts on the South Coast, I wouldn't say that any of them come close to the splendour of Brighton. Personally, I'd suggest just doing the one seaside visit (to Brighton) from London and also taking a trip to the coast from York. The obvious choice of destination, from York, would have to be Scarborough. This is a complete contrast to Brighton but still a great place to be on a sunny day. (Brighton is a vibrant, student-orientated city with an international feel. Scarborough is a traditional British 'bucket and spade' seaside town with good beaches and an imposing cliff-top castle).
You've already indicated that you don't mind long rail journeys and also that you're considering buying a BritRail pass. With this in mind, I suggest that you should consider a day trip from York, across the Scottish border, to Edinburgh. It's a wonderful city and I can even recommend a pub where they serve great haggis!. (Although Scotland is a different country, it's part of the same nation so you won't need to take your passport!).
Hoping something here helps,
Chris
vitobn - some (and I agree only some, but they are influential) Americans regard the French as 'cheese eating surrender monkeys', I think the phrase was. It might have rubbed off on the occasional US immigration official.
You are in the tunnel for perhaps 25 miles - 10% of the journey if that. Not 'most of the journey'.
An afterthought:
If you're really determined to visit a few more South Coast resorts, you might want to consider actually staying in Brighton. It's only about 50 minutes by train from central London. (Many Brighton residents work in London). Some places much closer to London have far longer journey times into the centre of the capital because they're not served by such a good rail service.
Brighton's a fantastic place to stay with a vibrant nightlife. It's also on the coastal rail line which provides links to other resorts both to the east and west.
You can find out more about Brighton, and search the accommodation database, from the official tourism site, here:
http://www.visitbrighton.com/
Chris
If you're really determined to visit a few more South Coast resorts, you might want to consider actually staying in Brighton. It's only about 50 minutes by train from central London. (Many Brighton residents work in London). Some places much closer to London have far longer journey times into the centre of the capital because they're not served by such a good rail service.
Brighton's a fantastic place to stay with a vibrant nightlife. It's also on the coastal rail line which provides links to other resorts both to the east and west.
You can find out more about Brighton, and search the accommodation database, from the official tourism site, here:
http://www.visitbrighton.com/
Chris
And a footnote:
When you look through the accommodation lists, on the various websites which have been suggested, you might not find many places listed as 'B&Bs'. The majority of the establishments which used to use this title (or the slightly more up market 'guest house') have now re-branded themselves as 'hotels'.
So don't restrict your searching to places which specifically use the term 'B&B'. Just look for the smaller 'hotels' and you'll find that they're the same friendly, family-run places that they were previously in business as 'B&Bs'.
Chris
When you look through the accommodation lists, on the various websites which have been suggested, you might not find many places listed as 'B&Bs'. The majority of the establishments which used to use this title (or the slightly more up market 'guest house') have now re-branded themselves as 'hotels'.
So don't restrict your searching to places which specifically use the term 'B&B'. Just look for the smaller 'hotels' and you'll find that they're the same friendly, family-run places that they were previously in business as 'B&Bs'.
Chris
And yet another thought!
If you're into 'country collecting', it might be worth noting that Ryanair have some incredibly cheap flights from London's Stansted Airport. For example, I just checked up on the possibility of a day trip to Dublin on a random date in July. (I don't know when you're travelling). The flight time is only 70 minutes (and there are frequent fast buses into Dublin city centre). There are loads of flights with a fare of just �0.01 (less 2 US cents!) each way. Admittedly, you've got to add on taxes & charges but this still gives a return fare equivalent to about US$30.
Dublin's a fascinating city and well worth a visit. (I live fairly close to Stansted airport and frequently take cheap day trips like that one. I've been to Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Sweden and Spain so far but there are plenty of other options available at really cheap fares).
Chris
If you're into 'country collecting', it might be worth noting that Ryanair have some incredibly cheap flights from London's Stansted Airport. For example, I just checked up on the possibility of a day trip to Dublin on a random date in July. (I don't know when you're travelling). The flight time is only 70 minutes (and there are frequent fast buses into Dublin city centre). There are loads of flights with a fare of just �0.01 (less 2 US cents!) each way. Admittedly, you've got to add on taxes & charges but this still gives a return fare equivalent to about US$30.
Dublin's a fascinating city and well worth a visit. (I live fairly close to Stansted airport and frequently take cheap day trips like that one. I've been to Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Sweden and Spain so far but there are plenty of other options available at really cheap fares).
Chris
dzug- I've never heard the term "cheese eating surrender monkeys" but it is funny. You can't deny though that they did surrender to the Germans and England and the USA liberated them. It's an Historical fact. I've often wondered why the French dislike the Brits and Americans so much. We lost 100,000 men freeing them, 40,000 in one battle alone. How soon they forget. :) Can't wait to see England. Maybe I'll meet some HOT English chick that wants to see America...LOL!!
I agree with you entirely about not wanting to come into France, it mightn't be very healthy for you, but wanting to brag about being here is beyond me! The french have this thing about being rude and arrogant to those who are rude and arrogant to them... and as I suppose that those americans who have this attitude towards the french speak the language so would know when they were being badly spoken to!!
I'm english and lived in France for over 20 years and I've NEVER found the french arrogant or rude but have seen many transatlantic tourists boast this attitude.
It might be a good idea to get your own experience of countries and people without relying on others...
not everyone flies for 2 cents, on any particular flight there may be only a few 2 cent seats, but if you book early enough, you can get them. Ryanair are cheap because they keep costs to a minimum. One way to save costs is by flying to small regional airports that don't charge high landing fees - eg they fly to "Frankfurt", but really land at Hahn, which is nearly 80 miles away; the US equivalent might be landing at Bakersfield and calling it "LA". But as long as passengers understand that it's OK, because the fares are really good. Ryanair don't fly to Edinburgh from London, but EasyJet do: www.easyjet.com
lafrance- Thanks for the reply. Actually I shouldn't have lumped all of France into one category. What I should have said is I've heard the "Parisans" seem to be rude to English speaking people. I've also heard the people in the rest of the country are as nice as any place in Europe. As far as going to France, I'll just step my foot in the door to say I've been there and get my passport stamped. I want to experience the Chunnel so I'll spend a day in France. Maybe some day I'll want to go to France to visit but it's not in my travel plans. I'm retired at 51 years old and plan on spending the next 20 years traveling. As of yet France isn't on my list. Sorry- don't take it personal, just my preference.
Hey vitobn, chill!!! I was only interested why you wanted to know why you were asking if you needed to have a pssport to go to France when you will actually have one in your bag. It seemed a wierd question. Regrettably, your innocence in matters international speaks volumes. I speak from a position of some knowledge here. Let me explain as it has clearly worried you. You view that your country has miriads of international travellers is simply not true. Only 20 per cent of US citizens have passports. Many will be those who have been granted citizenship as immigrants who have no intention of going anywhere but want to have the document to prove their status. Deduct those who are required to travel abroad on Government business and I am sure you will find that the average BillyBob and Bubba will not be seeking to park their pick ups and six packs anywhere too far outside Tupelo. I have spent lots of time in the States including a number of trips to Fort Meade. Without going into detail about this you may know that it is the HQ of the National Security Agency, a place with 18000 parking spaces (twice as many as Disneyland). The NSA has a far bigger budget that the Cumulative Impact Area. They spend all day monitoring phones, internet communications and the movements of their citizens. The fact that you have posted on this site a number of times with your travel plans including a visit to France means that you will have this placed in your records on their database. Why are passports interesting? I know of people who have more than one from more than one country. That's why the interest in genealogy has increased in the US since plane hijackings started back in the seventies. Plane gets hijacked. Terrorists ask passengers for their passports to find the Yanks and shoot them first. (continued)
Solution? Seek out your Irish or Polish ancestors and get a passport from that country. That way, you just show the innocent passport and live to fight another day. Similarly, if you want to go to Cuba to smoke cigars or get cheap women, you just go via Puerto Rico and get your spare passport stamped so your clean US one will not bear any incriminating mark of your visit in case the CIA or NSA want to get interested in you. Don�t believe that someone paid for by your taxes could work against you? Try setting up a website and putting the word bomb and president in the text. By the next morning the site will have been visited by several agencies you cannot trace back. Think about why every president since Kennedy has been a
puppet for big business rather than a clever man with statesmanlike abilities.
In my experience, very few Americans know about France so will not be impressed by your boasting of your visit. Many I have spoken to think the Queen is Jewish, England is joined to the US by land, the English eat squirrels. we all stop to drink tea at 4pm and we do not have toilet paper. That�s why all but a few will not travel outside the immediate US area and, when they do, will do so in a large group with other Americans, eat at McDonalds and stay at the Holiday Inn - they know what they are going to get..
Anyway, hope you enjoy your visit and manage to sleep tight. Remember, Uncle Sam is watching.
puppet for big business rather than a clever man with statesmanlike abilities.
In my experience, very few Americans know about France so will not be impressed by your boasting of your visit. Many I have spoken to think the Queen is Jewish, England is joined to the US by land, the English eat squirrels. we all stop to drink tea at 4pm and we do not have toilet paper. That�s why all but a few will not travel outside the immediate US area and, when they do, will do so in a large group with other Americans, eat at McDonalds and stay at the Holiday Inn - they know what they are going to get..
Anyway, hope you enjoy your visit and manage to sleep tight. Remember, Uncle Sam is watching.
