Holiday in France

[quaium]

Me and my wife would like to visit France in August and was seeking some advice from people in regards to the best places to visit for Muslims. My wife wears a hijab and would like to feel comfortable around other Muslims and hijab wearing women. We'd also like to be able to eat halal food, with hopefully a wide range of restaurants available that offer halal food and not just a few scattered ones here and there.

What area(s) in France would be best to stay in where there is a large population of Muslims and we can freely eat halal food (I've done some reading on the web and it scares me when they say most of these areas are the "slum" regions of France... we'd like to avoid those)? Also what hotels would be good to stay in?

I get he feeling I'm asking for to much but you never know! Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

[`asiya]

marseilles all the way :up: almost one quarter of the population are muslim there, so no shortage of halal food shops and everything u need insha Allah, and its on the coast alhamdulillah so u have the beautiful ocean too.

[quaium]

marseilles all the way :up: almost one quarter of the population are muslim there, so no shortage of halal food shops and everything u need insha Allah, and its on the coast alhamdulillah so u have the beautiful ocean too.
Hmm... never looked at Marseilles. Any recommendations for Hotels to stay in, maybe with a few halal food shops near by (sorry, the wife loves her food)!

[`asiya]

i havent been for about 10 years but sign up here and u can ask some brothers and sisters from marseilles http://www.mejliss.com/forumdisplay.php?f=97 they would know better about the city just go to S'inscrire on the top left hand side

[quaium]

Come on guys... there must be more people with some suggestions?

[Raashid]

Come on guys... there must be more people with some suggestions?

Assalamu aleikum, I went to the south of France in February. Marseilles has a lot of north Africans and they are well integrated, not slum-confined so there are many halal eateries, though I didnt find any "classy" restaurants, they were more fast food places. Still check, zabihah.com I think there should be some top-end places halal somewhere, I was restricted to the tourist areas.
I stayed in Hotel Lutetia which was near to the station and the hcity centre at a reasonable price, but may not be to the liking if you want high quality. I found it acceptable.
Ryanair's flights are quite reasonable too.

[quaium]

Okay... after lots and lots of research on the web and thanks to the advice of the two posters on here I am leaning towards staying at the Villa Massalia Concorde, 13008 Marseille (http://marseille.concorde-hotels.com/en/).

It looks like a lovely hotel and the surrounding areas are next to the sea which makes it even better. Anyone have any ideas of what the location or even surrounding area is like in regards to Muslims?

[neelu]

I went on holiday to Paris in 2006 and found an area where there were lots of Muslims and halal restaurants, but that area was full of perverted men saying disgusting things to the sisters. I felt safer going round the more tourist oriented Kafir dominated areas than round there:torture: Hope you have a better experience in Marseilles inshallah.

[Lovetolaugh]

I think you and your wife will be fine no matter where you go even if your wife is wearing hijab. I mean you are tourists and she isn't looking for a job and also, people aren't violent in France. Even though, the government and institutions are pretty much anti-Muslim, most French know Muslims well and as the population of Muslims is increasing, the country is changing.
Also, it is a paradox but I find French people warm and nice compared to Anglo-Canadians/Americans.

That being said, what do you want to visit?

Are you looking for nice landscapes? History and museums? Do you want to stay in one place or can you travel?


I would say go to Paris:

-visit some well known landmarks like the Tour Eiffel and Champs Elisee. My favourites are:

-Centre Beaubourg with the Picasso museum
-Place Montmartre, nice area if you like arts
-Les Halles, nice but expensive but special too

you can also visit la Maison Du Monde Arabe (very nice building) it is more about Arab countries though.

Visit a mosque while in Paris to find some bros and sisters who could guide you.


After that go to the South:

where the skies are blue. Bordeaux or Marseille will be fine. Maybe you should reserve just 2-3 days in the hotel you found and then you could be more flexible and move around after. But again, it depends what you want to visit. I would say to avoid Lyon as the attraction there is the food and you wont be interested in the pork involving dishes.

Also, in the south, they have a lot fish so you dont have to look for halal restaurant if you eat fish and since you are a couple, you could be more adventurous and go inside the country and far away from big cities.

[Supernova Nebula]

I'd love to visit Toulouse, used to be under the control of the Umayyad, and its already close to Spain too.

[HiBiScUs]

Place Montmartre, nice area if you like arts

I loved montmartre, the view from the cathedral was lovely, and I just loved where all the artist were working, i saw some amazing pieces of work.

You know, like someone said, you dont necessarily have to go to muslimified places to enjoy urself over there. I found that the people were really pleasant towards me, and didnt seem to have an issue with my hijab/jilbab at all. Rather, a lot of them started conversations with me because of this fact, and seeme like genuinely nice people.

The central mosque of paris is so so worth visiting, it was the highlight of my visit, I dont know if anyone else has visited, bt it was amazing, i felt so at one with nature when I was inside, and felt peaceful when I was praying, I didnt want to leave it. I would attach a picture, but i dont know how to, anybody care to enlighten me?

[Lovetolaugh]

I loved montmartre, the view from the cathedral was lovely, and I just loved where all the artist were working, i saw some amazing pieces of work.

You know, like someone said, you dont necessarily have to go to muslimified places to enjoy urself over there. I found that the people were really pleasant towards me, and didnt seem to have an issue with my hijab/jilbab at all. Rather, a lot of them started conversations with me because of this fact, and seeme like genuinely nice people.

The central mosque of paris is so so worth visiting, it was the highlight of my visit, I dont know if anyone else has visited, bt it was amazing, i felt so at one with nature when I was inside, and felt peaceful when I was praying, I didnt want to leave it. I would attach a picture, but i dont know how to, anybody care to enlighten me?


So you too liked Montmartre :)

I agree they don't have to look for Muslim areas specially if there is no special interest. I mean if it was Spain then I wouldn't miss Muslim vestiges and historical buildings but who needs a bunch of Muslims in the street just when you need to change your horizons :hidban: the trip to the mosque will be enough for Islamic brotherhood/sisterhood in foreign land.



correction: it is not the Maison du M-A but l'institut du M-A.

[Ruprecht]

Avoid any military exhibitions... (see Current Events).

[deimen mou'mina]

salem alikoum

i'm french and i swear hijab and no problem to find a good restaurant halal there are a lot of turkis restaurant and arab restaurants in paris!! i'll try inchallah to find you adress for you and your wife !
salem

[Cashew]

Me and my wife would like to visit France in August and was seeking some advice from people in regards to the best places to visit for Muslims. My wife wears a hijab and would like to feel comfortable around other Muslims and hijab wearing women. We'd also like to be able to eat halal food, with hopefully a wide range of restaurants available that offer halal food and not just a few scattered ones here and there.

What area(s) in France would be best to stay in where there is a large population of Muslims and we can freely eat halal food (I've done some reading on the web and it scares me when they say most of these areas are the "slum" regions of France... we'd like to avoid those)? Also what hotels would be good to stay in?

I get he feeling I'm asking for to much but you never know! Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

Since you're going to France in August, I'd suggest you do most of your vacation in Paris, which is fairly empty at that time of year. There's less traffic and walking around is all the more enjoyable, especially in the early evening.

(BEWARE OF AUGUST 18: It's a big-deal national holiday and EVERYTHING is closed.)

You and your wife would probably do well spending several days in Paris and then taking a train down south, as Asiya suggested, to spend a couple of days in Marseilles, which isn't a very touristy town at all.

Eating wouldn't be a problem in either city, and visiting the two, which are dramatically different, would give you guys a broader idea of France.

[deimen mou'mina]

http://www.annuaire-musulman.com/index.php?cat=86
http://www.annuaire-musulman.com/index.php
http://ch.franceguide.com/Idees-vacances/Tourisme-religieux/Partez-a-la-rencontre-de-l-Islam-en-France.html?nodeID=186&EditoID=91779
http://www.tourisme.fr/lieu-touristique/site.htm


here few adress of touristic visit
(chateau de versailles, musée du Louvre, Tour Eiffel,cité des sciences de le Villette,Montmartre, musée d'Orsay, les Champs Elysées , Notre Dame de Paris, la Mosquée de paris, l'institut du monde arabe.......all that in paris

good luck and good visit
welcome to France

salem

[deimen mou'mina]

http://www.annuaire-musulman.com/index.php?cat=86
http://www.annuaire-musulman.com/index.php
http://ch.franceguide.com/Idees-vacances/Tourisme-religieux/Partez-a-la-rencontre-de-l-Islam-en-France.html?nodeID=186&EditoID=91779
http://www.tourisme.fr/lieu-touristique/site.htm


here few adress of touristic visit
(chateau de versailles, musée du Louvre, Tour Eiffel,cité des sciences de le Villette,Montmartre, musée d'Orsay, les Champs Elysées , Notre Dame de Paris, la Mosquée de paris, l'institut du monde arabe.......all that in paris

good luck and good visit
welcome to France

salem

[DALEHYR]

I would recommend you travel through calais to paris, Alhamdulilah we had a nice time. The formula1 hotels seem reasonable aswell (located across france and other countries), and for about 21 - 31 euros you can have a room with a tv and space for up to 3 people. The showers and toilets are located outside the room (singular) however they are quite decent and clean from what i have seen. Masha'ALLAH you will find many Muslims in france, and the halal restaurants are usually owned by morrocan / african muslims i think. Check online and book the places you want to stay, because they might change the prices at the desk so beware. Anyways i hope you have a nice time and rememeber to recite the travelling dua Insha'ALLAH... :)

[Supernova Nebula]

Avoid any military exhibitions... (see Current Events).

:rofl1:

[quaium]

Thank you to everyone for the advice and help. I'm still undecided but now leaning towards going to Paris. Although a colleague of my wife's has just told her to avoid Paris because when she went there she found the place to be racist! I'm not sure of the full story but it doesn't help and it is one persons ecperience.

Also Cashew, are you sure the big-deal national holiday is on the 18th of August? I'm sure it falls on the 15th?

[quaium]

Thank you to everyone for the advice and help. I'm still undecided but now leaning towards going to Paris. Although a colleague of my wife's has just told her to avoid Paris because when she went there she found the place to be racist! I'm not sure of the full story but it doesn't help and it is one persons ecperience.

Also Cashew, are you sure the big-deal national holiday is on the 18th of August? I'm sure it falls on the 15th?

[Supernova Nebula]

Thank you to everyone for the advice and help. I'm still undecided but now leaning towards going to Paris. Although a colleague of my wife's has just told her to avoid Paris because when she went there she found the place to be racist! I'm not sure of the full story but it doesn't help and it is one persons ecperience.

Also Cashew, are you sure the big-deal national holiday is on the 18th of August? I'm sure it falls on the 15th?

No, that's wrong, the parisians although i admit are little cold, but they are not racists, they basically are so use to see Muslims and afterall, she has you as husband cum bodyguard, so no worries at all. I personally love Paris, I like the classical and modern features of Paris, you must go see this area where University of Sorbonne is located, i cant remember what that area is called but was told that area where teh Pantheon - le Sacre Cour (sp?) are located is the area for the elite French, I think the famous school that trains political leaders is located there too. And you must visit the places mentioned by other posters about Paris.:up:

[Arsalan]

Why Holiday in france, when there are great palaces like Eastbourne... ?

[HiBiScUs]

Thank you to everyone for the advice and help. I'm still undecided but now leaning towards going to Paris. Although a colleague of my wife's has just told her to avoid Paris because when she went there she found the place to be racist! I'm not sure of the full story but it doesn't help and it is one persons ecperience.

Also Cashew, are you sure the big-deal national holiday is on the 18th of August? I'm sure it falls on the 15th?

You're right, the national holiday is on the 15th not the 18th.

Where you go really depends on how long you are planning to stay, and if there are enough things for u to do to accommodate this.

[Supernova Nebula]

how come i can't open page two of this thread?

[HiBiScUs]

Ive attached some pictures I took in the masjid, so take a lookey.

[quaium]

Mods can you please sort this thread out? I can't see the comments past page one unless I click on reply and even then I can't see the pictures mentioned in the last post!

[afsalim]

I'll strongly recommend Aquitaine. It borders Spain, has amazing beaches and has this Mediterranean theme everywhere you go. Great food as well.

[Cashew]

Thank you to everyone for the advice and help. I'm still undecided but now leaning towards going to Paris. Although a colleague of my wife's has just told her to avoid Paris because when she went there she found the place to be racist! I'm not sure of the full story but it doesn't help and it is one persons ecperience.

Also Cashew, are you sure the big-deal national holiday is on the 18th of August? I'm sure it falls on the 15th?

Oooops. It well may be. It's a Roman Catholic holiday (Feast of the Assumption??? Maybe?). Any French calendar will show it. Paris empties out. Nothing is open.

[Lovetolaugh]

No, that's wrong, the parisians although i admit are little cold, but they are not racists, they basically are so use to see Muslims and afterall, she has you as husband cum bodyguard, so no worries at all. I personally love Paris, I like the classical and modern features of Paris, you must go see this area where University of Sorbonne is located, i cant remember what that area is called but was told that area where teh Pantheon - le Sacre Cour (sp?) are located is the area for the elite French, I think the famous school that trains political leaders is located there too. And you must visit the places mentioned by other posters about Paris.:up:


You're talking about l'ENA. I didnt know it was located there but le Sacre Coeur is a nice area too.

And I think you are right about Parisians being cold. I hear that all the time from people who went there as tourists. I used to live not too far from Paris and I didn't have to ask for directions so didnt really notice the coldness myself.

[quaium]

HiBiScUs... sorry but where is that mosque in France and what is it's name? It looks lovely!

[HiBiScUs]

Its called: La Grande Mosquée de Paris

And you can get the address from their website: http://www.mosquee-de-paris.org/localisation.html

Also theres a really nice restaurant that adjoins the courtyard of the mosque which is open daily from noon to 3pm and 7 to 10:30pm, and they have nice traditional north african food.

The mosque is also near the institute of the arab world, so you could visit there too, but I think its closed on mondays.

Inshallah, I hope u enjoy urselves.

[Supernova Nebula]

oh wow when i was there, the mosque was still being renovated.

[quaium]

Thank you for giving me the details. It's only 12 minutes away from the hotel we're going to stay at so I will defiently be making a visit there. Can't wait now...

[muslimah85]

I just returned from France on Sunday. If you have never been then Paris should be your first port of call. If you appreciate art and culture then you will be amazed and really enjoy it :inlove:

whenever you go to a country for a first time try always to visit the capital.

In paris there is the Champ'Eylees, Arc'D Triompe, Notre Dame, obviously the Eiffel tower, The Louvre, the mosque, Montamare (Where the Sacre'Couer is the most romantic area in the city :inlove:, go early morning or at sunset :inlove:) theres a lot to do as well or just laze around in the Parks, we would go to Jardin D'Luxembourg and get a picnic and watch the sunset so your not short of things to do :D if you stay near Gare D'Nord (brilliant if you go by Eurostar) there are loads of restaurants (halal)

heres the list of halal restaurants i used for paris :) ->http://www.zabihah.com/lir.php?id=220

[(*_Hamzah]

I’ve just come back from France (One week) caught P&o Ferry to Calais, then drove to Paris, then visited my friends family in Marseilles , really beautiful place then drove all the way back :up:

[quaium]

That's it finally booked the holiday. We're leaving on the 19th of August and staying for 3 nights. Can't wait! So any ideas now where I can get a price guide for things... for example... how many euro's should it cost us to get a taxi from the train station to the hotel... or say a soft drink? Don't want to get ripped off and can't speak French at all... except for Bonjour and Au Revour!

[Supernova Nebula]

That's it finally booked the holiday. We're leaving on the 19th of August and staying for 3 nights. Can't wait! So any ideas now where I can get a price guide for things... for example... how many euro's should it cost us to get a taxi from the train station to the hotel... or say a soft drink? Don't want to get ripped off and can't speak French at all... except for Bonjour and Au Revour!

I can't tell you those things, cos when i was there, my parisian friends sponsored everything from food, accomodation, tickets for museums, train etc. I refused at first cos i wanted to use my own money but they stubbornly insisted and one of them even gave me some euros to spend for souvenirs!, they spoilt me there greatly. MashaAllah, we do have wonderful brothers and sisters in Paris. I wish you a wonderful romantic holidays with your beloved wifey in romantic city Paris:D:inlove:. I surely recommend others to visit Paris too inshaAllah. Bon voyage!:D

[thedon2008]

France is a great place to visit and there are many muslims living there as the muslim population is expanding. The hijab won't be an issue and neither should your beard if you have one and you should find a place where they sell halal food if not you can eat vegetarian food too you know ;). If you can't speak French then you might be an easy target to get ripped off so learn some phrases before you go.

[muslimah85]

are you going by eurostar? where is your hotel??? metro is easier and cheaper to get around the city on if you dont have many bag.

Are you planning on visitn the main sites? When I go I awlays order my metro ticket in advance and also this time around I took some friends and family so I ordered a museum pass which was easier, faster and cheaper to see the sights with , you can order it here -->http://www.allo-france.com/Tickets/ticket-list.asp?SSC=1

alternatively if your going bu eurostar you can get your metro ticket from St pancreas station its slight more expensive then online :)


Always find the 'supermarche', things are cheaper ie drinks etc then the standard stalls.

And pelase please visit the Sacre Coeur just before sunset :inlove: http://www.earthinpictures.com/world/france/paris/basilica_of_the_sacr%C3%A9_c%C5%93ur_-_view_from_the_eiffel_tower.jpg

[quaium]

We are going by Eurostar. I don't want to post to many details about our trip on a forum so I won't mention the hotel we're staying at but it's in Paris!