距离最受期待的体育赛事不到一个月了,本次举办地恰好在全世界游客最多的城市:巴黎。
除了风景如画的街道、香气四溢的咖啡馆和自行车旅行者,届时法国首都还将挤满观众——超过1500万人要去看巴黎奥运会。
这还没算上巴黎人,还有从法国其他地区前往首都观赛的人。
对于初来乍到的人们来说,巴黎可能存在诸多挑战。最近,这座城市正面临臭虫爆发、登革热恐慌、轻微犯罪、公交工人罢工等一系列问题。
在奥运会和巴黎的双重人气加持下,在巴黎生存(而且活得好)可能是一项艰巨的任务。今年早些时候泰勒·斯威夫特时代巡回演唱会时大量观众蜂拥而至,巴黎借机积攒了一些经验,不过随着奥运会和残奥会接连到来,很长一段时间内巴黎都会热闹非凡。
不要担心——《财富》杂志采访了旅游、保险、银行和文化等领域的专家,专门请教了在巴黎出行以及提升体验的技巧。
出行技巧
与其他超大城市一样,巴黎的交通问题也臭名昭著。奥运会开幕前巴黎将封锁几处热点地区,限制出租车进入。
“最大的隐患就是交通。很难找到绕行拥堵路段的路线,所以预定地段完美的酒店很关键,”旅游管理公司Jonathan‘s Travels创始人乔纳森·阿尔德说。
“对巴黎来说应付如此庞大的人流量挑战不小,尤其是在交通和拥堵方面。至于愿意付费享受顶级接待套餐的客人,巴黎提供了变通方案,即设置只对特定车辆开放的专用车道,”阿尔德接受《财富》杂志采访时表示。
阿尔德还提醒称,如果计划在前往巴黎之前去法国其他地区游玩,最好别在巴黎的大机场转机,特别是戴高乐机场和巴黎奥利机场。
可以考虑出租车(引擎盖上有“出租车”标志),不过城市出行时公共交通仍然是最佳选择。道路和车站关闭可能影响一些路线,所以要多参考RATP和“巴黎公共交通2024”应用,实时了解线路的情况。此外,要格外留心目的地附近有没有抗议活动。预留充足时间以免耽误正事。
其他相对安全的选择包括拼车、租自行车(Vélib通行证可能会很有用)以及步行探索。
除了出租车服务,7月12日至8月3日优步(Uber)还将提供免费的塞纳河渡轮服务。
小心现金安全
在巴黎要注意如何用钱以及在哪里取钱。游客购物和购买食物时总是习惯性将当地货币换算成本国货币,从中寻找最优惠的选择。虽然汇率可能波动不大,但每天都在变,而且如果不够留心的话,使用本国货币也要付出额外代价。
总部位于伦敦的金融科技公司Wise在一份为巴黎奥运会做准备的报告中表示,随身要准备一些欧元(不要带太多),哪怕信用卡机器提供其他货币选择,也尽量用欧元交易。报告还警告称不要依赖在机场或酒店兑换,因为手续费高昂。
“机场和酒店兑换适合没有选择的游客。其兑换服务费用更高,汇率更不划算,”报告称。
其他建议包括后备支付选项以免主卡出现问题,确认本国银行在法国有没有分支机构,能否承担部分交易费用等等。
在巴黎街头漫步时还要注意另一件事——扒手。
“随着巴黎游客数量增加,针对游客的轻微犯罪和诈骗可能增加,”德国旅游平台Trivago首席执行官约翰内斯·托马斯表示,圣心大教堂等景点的“手镯骗局”便是其中的典型案例。
“不要炫耀贵重物品或现金,以免被动机不良人士盯上。此外,不要跟街头表演者或街头游戏互动,尤其涉及金钱时,因为游戏经常是为了分散注意力方便小偷下手。”
安全总比后悔好
不管去巴黎哪里,想避开人群都不容易。所以最好保持平常心,托马斯说。
“估计埃菲尔铁塔、卢浮宫等热门旅游景点会出现过度拥挤、排长队和服务不堪重负。价格可能上涨。在重大活动期间,住宿、食品和交通成本飙升很正常。游客可能要支付更高价格,尤其是巴黎市中心的酒店和短租房,”他补充道。
旅游旺季出行往往有更多不确定性——延误、临时取消、行李丢失等等。很难为各种情况做好针对性准备,但旅行保险可能有助于更好地掌控旅行。
旅游和健康保险市场VisitorsCoverage创始人兼首席执行官拉吉夫·施里瓦斯塔瓦告诉《财富》杂志,旅行时面临的风险主要有三种:财务、医疗和旅行。
“准备旅行的人原本投资就不小,包括机票和住宿等,”施里瓦斯塔瓦说。
在期待已久的旅行中,行程临时取消、夏季高温和轻微犯罪猖獗可能造成不必要的压力。这就是旅行保险能发挥作用之处,保险能减轻游客的负担,在出现意外损失时提供保护。
“保险条款中涵盖了很多意外情况,”施里瓦斯塔瓦补充说,保险是旅行经验不同的人们重视程度也不一样的工具。
施里瓦斯塔瓦说,另一种确保安全的方法是旅行者能找到紧急联系人。
“让家人或信任的人知道你在哪,要去哪,乘坐什么交通工具,”他说。
在法国…尽量当法国人?
游览巴黎不仅仅要坐对公交车或选择合适的街区。也要吸收一些文化,尽可能融入城市。语言学习平台Babbel的语言教师和文化专家诺埃尔·沃尔夫认为,学习一些基本法语短语可以改善旅行体验。
“使用本地语言交流不仅能提升文化联系,在奥运会等高压力大型活动期间对确保旅行者的安全也至关重要,”沃尔夫说。
问路或寻求帮助时,如果能说上几句法语就很不错,会让人感觉更安全。Babbel在一项调查中发现,人们往往会因为不懂当地语言感到遗憾,无形中增加了旅行的压力。
“旅行者也应该熟悉巴黎的地理环境和公共交通,发生紧急情况或与同伴分开时能大致了解所处位置,自己找路返回,”沃尔夫说。
记住其他礼仪同样有必要,例如学会说“Bonjour”(法语的“你好”——译者注)以及在餐厅轻声说话。
掌握了以上种种,今夏的巴黎奥运会之旅应该就准备妥当了。祝你旅途安全!或者用法国人的话说,bon voyage!(旅途顺利!)(财富中文网)
译者:梁宇
审校:夏林
距离最受期待的体育赛事不到一个月了,本次举办地恰好在全世界游客最多的城市:巴黎。
除了风景如画的街道、香气四溢的咖啡馆和自行车旅行者,届时法国首都还将挤满观众——超过1500万人要去看巴黎奥运会。
这还没算上巴黎人,还有从法国其他地区前往首都观赛的人。
对于初来乍到的人们来说,巴黎可能存在诸多挑战。最近,这座城市正面临臭虫爆发、登革热恐慌、轻微犯罪、公交工人罢工等一系列问题。
在奥运会和巴黎的双重人气加持下,在巴黎生存(而且活得好)可能是一项艰巨的任务。今年早些时候泰勒·斯威夫特时代巡回演唱会时大量观众蜂拥而至,巴黎借机积攒了一些经验,不过随着奥运会和残奥会接连到来,很长一段时间内巴黎都会热闹非凡。
不要担心——《财富》杂志采访了旅游、保险、银行和文化等领域的专家,专门请教了在巴黎出行以及提升体验的技巧。
出行技巧
与其他超大城市一样,巴黎的交通问题也臭名昭著。奥运会开幕前巴黎将封锁几处热点地区,限制出租车进入。
“最大的隐患就是交通。很难找到绕行拥堵路段的路线,所以预定地段完美的酒店很关键,”旅游管理公司Jonathan‘s Travels创始人乔纳森·阿尔德说。
“对巴黎来说应付如此庞大的人流量挑战不小,尤其是在交通和拥堵方面。至于愿意付费享受顶级接待套餐的客人,巴黎提供了变通方案,即设置只对特定车辆开放的专用车道,”阿尔德接受《财富》杂志采访时表示。
阿尔德还提醒称,如果计划在前往巴黎之前去法国其他地区游玩,最好别在巴黎的大机场转机,特别是戴高乐机场和巴黎奥利机场。
可以考虑出租车(引擎盖上有“出租车”标志),不过城市出行时公共交通仍然是最佳选择。道路和车站关闭可能影响一些路线,所以要多参考RATP和“巴黎公共交通2024”应用,实时了解线路的情况。此外,要格外留心目的地附近有没有抗议活动。预留充足时间以免耽误正事。
其他相对安全的选择包括拼车、租自行车(Vélib通行证可能会很有用)以及步行探索。
除了出租车服务,7月12日至8月3日优步(Uber)还将提供免费的塞纳河渡轮服务。
小心现金安全
手头可以留一些欧元备用(但不要太多)。
在巴黎要注意如何用钱以及在哪里取钱。游客购物和购买食物时总是习惯性将当地货币换算成本国货币,从中寻找最优惠的选择。虽然汇率可能波动不大,但每天都在变,而且如果不够留心的话,使用本国货币也要付出额外代价。
总部位于伦敦的金融科技公司Wise在一份为巴黎奥运会做准备的报告中表示,随身要准备一些欧元(不要带太多),哪怕信用卡机器提供其他货币选择,也尽量用欧元交易。报告还警告称不要依赖在机场或酒店兑换,因为手续费高昂。
“机场和酒店兑换适合没有选择的游客。其兑换服务费用更高,汇率更不划算,”报告称。
其他建议包括后备支付选项以免主卡出现问题,确认本国银行在法国有没有分支机构,能否承担部分交易费用等等。
在巴黎街头漫步时还要注意另一件事——扒手。
“随着巴黎游客数量增加,针对游客的轻微犯罪和诈骗可能增加,”德国旅游平台Trivago首席执行官约翰内斯·托马斯表示,圣心大教堂等景点的“手镯骗局”便是其中的典型案例。
“不要炫耀贵重物品或现金,以免被动机不良人士盯上。此外,不要跟街头表演者或街头游戏互动,尤其涉及金钱时,因为游戏经常是为了分散注意力方便小偷下手。”
安全总比后悔好
当心扒手。
不管去巴黎哪里,想避开人群都不容易。所以最好保持平常心,托马斯说。
“估计埃菲尔铁塔、卢浮宫等热门旅游景点会出现过度拥挤、排长队和服务不堪重负。价格可能上涨。在重大活动期间,住宿、食品和交通成本飙升很正常。游客可能要支付更高价格,尤其是巴黎市中心的酒店和短租房,”他补充道。
旅游旺季出行往往有更多不确定性——延误、临时取消、行李丢失等等。很难为各种情况做好针对性准备,但旅行保险可能有助于更好地掌控旅行。
旅游和健康保险市场VisitorsCoverage创始人兼首席执行官拉吉夫·施里瓦斯塔瓦告诉《财富》杂志,旅行时面临的风险主要有三种:财务、医疗和旅行。
“准备旅行的人原本投资就不小,包括机票和住宿等,”施里瓦斯塔瓦说。
在期待已久的旅行中,行程临时取消、夏季高温和轻微犯罪猖獗可能造成不必要的压力。这就是旅行保险能发挥作用之处,保险能减轻游客的负担,在出现意外损失时提供保护。
“保险条款中涵盖了很多意外情况,”施里瓦斯塔瓦补充说,保险是旅行经验不同的人们重视程度也不一样的工具。
施里瓦斯塔瓦说,另一种确保安全的方法是旅行者能找到紧急联系人。
“让家人或信任的人知道你在哪,要去哪,乘坐什么交通工具,”他说。
在法国…尽量当法国人?
是时候学几句法语了。
游览巴黎不仅仅要坐对公交车或选择合适的街区。也要吸收一些文化,尽可能融入城市。语言学习平台Babbel的语言教师和文化专家诺埃尔·沃尔夫认为,学习一些基本法语短语可以改善旅行体验。
“使用本地语言交流不仅能提升文化联系,在奥运会等高压力大型活动期间对确保旅行者的安全也至关重要,”沃尔夫说。
问路或寻求帮助时,如果能说上几句法语就很不错,会让人感觉更安全。Babbel在一项调查中发现,人们往往会因为不懂当地语言感到遗憾,无形中增加了旅行的压力。
“旅行者也应该熟悉巴黎的地理环境和公共交通,发生紧急情况或与同伴分开时能大致了解所处位置,自己找路返回,”沃尔夫说。
记住其他礼仪同样有必要,例如学会说“Bonjour”(法语的“你好”——译者注)以及在餐厅轻声说话。
掌握了以上种种,今夏的巴黎奥运会之旅应该就准备妥当了。祝你旅途安全!或者用法国人的话说,bon voyage!(旅途顺利!)(财富中文网)
译者:梁宇
审校:夏林
CHESNOT—GETTY IMAGES
The most anticipated sporting event is only a month away—and it happens to be in the most visited city in the world: Paris.
Aside from the picturesque streets, fragrant cafes, and stray cyclists, the French capital will also be swarming with spectators—over 15 million are just arriving for the Paris Games.
That’s in addition to locals and other French residents traveling to the capital from different parts of the country.
For the uninitiated, Paris can be a lot. Recently, the city has grappled with a bed bug outbreak, dengue scares, petty crime, public transport workers’ strikes, and more.
Given the twin popularity of the Olympics and Paris, surviving (and thriving) in the city can feel like hard work. Although Paris got a feel for managing big crowds that flocked to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concerts earlier this year, the Olympics and Paralympics will have the city buzzing with activity over an extended period.
But fret not—Fortune spoke to tourism, insurance, banking, and culture experts for their tips on navigating the city and having a great experience.
Getting around
Passengers at a metro station in Paris.
JAN WOITAS—PICTURE ALLIANCE/GETTY IMAGES
Like its other big city peers, Paris has an infamous traffic problem. In the lead-up to the Olympics, several hotspots in the city will be cordoned off, restricting taxi access.
“The biggest pitfall is going to be the traffic. It will be very hard to find your way around it, which is why being centrally located at a perfect hotel is the key,” said Jonathan Alder, founder of travel management company Jonathan’s Travels.
“This level of crowds is going to be a challenge for Paris, specifically when it comes to traffic and crowding. For guests willing to pay for the top hospitality packages, they have created a workaround with a special traffic lane that will only be available to specific vehicles,” Alder told Fortune.
If you plan to visit other parts of France before getting to Paris, he cautions against connecting via a major Paris airport—whether Charles de Gaulle Airport or Paris-Orly.
While cabs (identifiable with a “taxi” sign on their hoods) are very much an option, public transport is still the best way to get around the city. Road and station closures could hamper some routes, so the RATP and Public Transport Paris 2024 apps will be your friends for real-time updates on what’s working and what’s not. Also, keep your eyes and ears open in case of any protests in the areas you’re heading to. Don’t forget to leave enough buffer time for delays.
Other safe alternatives include carpooling, renting cycles (a Vélib pass could be helpful), and exploring areas by foot.
Uber is offering free ferries across the Seine River from July 12 to August 3 in addition to taxis.
Beware of your Euros
It’s good to keep some (but not too many) Euros in hand.
ANDRZEJ ROSTEK—GETTY IMAGES
When in Paris, beware of how and where you access your money. Tourists habitually convert local currencies to their home currency to find the best deals in shopping and buying food. The implication? Exchange rates change daily, even if only by a small percentage, and it costs to use your home currency if you aren’t careful.
Always have some (but not a lot) euros handy and make sure to transact only in euros even when credit card machines prompt you otherwise, London-based fintech firm Wise said in a report about preparing for the Paris Olympics. It also warns against resorting to airport or hotel exchanges, which deliberately charge you more.
“Airports and hotels cater to a captive audience. Their exchange services will reflect this in their higher fees and poorer rates,” the report said.
Other suggested tips include having backup payment options in case your primary card fails and checking if your home bank has any affiliates in France that’ll absorb some of the transaction fees.
There’s another thing people need to be aware of when exploring the streets of Paris—the pickpockets.
“With more tourists in the city, there may be an increase in petty crime and scams targeting visitors,” said Johannes Thomas, the CEO of German-based travel platform Trivago, citing the example of “the friendship bracelet scam” at attractions like Sacre-Coeur.
“Avoid flashing any valuables or cash that may draw negative attention. Additionally, avoid street performers or street games, especially [ones] involving money, as this can often be a planned distraction to set up a pickpocket.”
Better safe than sorry
Beware of the pick pockets.
PETER DAZELEY—GETTY IMAGES
There’s no easy way out with the crowds, no matter where in Paris you go. So, it’s probably best to embrace it, Thomas said.
“Expect overcrowding, long lines and overwhelmed services at popular tourist attractions like the Eiffel Tower, Louvre and other major sites. Anticipate increased prices. Accommodation, food and transportation costs tend to spike during major events. Visitors may face significantly higher prices, especially for hotels and short-term rentals in central Paris,” he added.
Planning trips during peak travel season often brings uncertainties—delays, last-minute cancellations, lost bags, and more. It’s tricky to prepare for each of these scenarios, but travel insurance can be the key to feeling more in control of your trip.
People could face three types of risks when traveling: financial, medical and travel, Rajeev Shrivastava, founder and CEO of VisitorsCoverage, a travel and health insurance marketplace, told Fortune.
“People [who] are making these trips have made some heavy investments, including their tickets and the stay,” Shrivastava said.
The risks of impromptu cancellations, peak summer heat, and rampant petty crime could become unnecessary stressors in a long-anticipated trip. That’s where travel insurance can help—it lifts the burden off visitors, protecting them in case of unforeseen losses.
“Many insurance policies have coverage for many of these events,” Shrivastava said, adding that insurance is a tool that people consider with varying degrees of seriousness, depending on how much they’ve traveled.
Shrivastava says another way to ensure safety is to have emergency contacts who travelers can contact.
“Let your family remain informed [or] whoever you believe and trust about where you are, where you’re traveling to, and what of transportation you are taking,” he said.
When in France… try being French?
Time to brush up on your French skills.
WESTEND61—GETTY IMAGES
Cruising your way through Paris isn’t just about getting on the right bus or staying in the right neighborhood. It’s also about taking in some of the culture and blending into the city where you can. Noel Wolf, a language teacher and cultural expert at language learning platform Babbel, thinks learning some basic phrases can be a game-changer.
“Not only does being able to communicate in the local language facilitate cultural connection, but it is crucial for keeping travelers safe in high-stress, large-scale events such as the Olympics,” Wolf said.
Brushing up on your French will also come in handy when asking for directions or seeking help, making you feel more safe. People tend to regret not knowing the local language, adding to the stress of travel, Babbel found in a survey.
“Travelers will also need to familiarize themselves with the geography and public transportation in Paris, so in the event of an emergency or getting separated from their travel partners, attendees can have a general idea of where they are within the city and navigate their way back home,” Wolf said.
Other etiquette tips, such as saying “Bonjour” and keeping a low voice at restaurants, are also helpful to remember.
And with that, you should be all set for a Parisian summer. Safe travels, or as the French would say, bon voyage!