OK, so you want to go to Paris? Your Survival Guy is back from another three-week research trip, the second this year, and I have plenty to report. For one, Paris is open for business, big time, as travelers from around the world, (sans China) are moving about the country. As for Paris itself, especially in the service/tourism industry, it’s at maximum capacity based on the sheer demand post-Covid and lack of labor supply. There’s still a hangover from lockdowns and the reluctance of workers—still living off government payouts—to get back to work. Sound familiar? Now, you didn’t come … [Read more...]
Greetings from Paris
Greetings from Your Survival Guy in Paris. Have lots to report to you next week. It’s a whole new world over here. Stay tuned. France Working Hard to Recover from COVID Lockdowns Good morning from Beaune. Your Survival Guy is on the last leg of a three-week research trip through Paris/Beaune. The word on the ground is that France is back in business, but it’s been a long pull through Covid. Now everyone’s trying to make up for the lost time. The service industry is still struggling to find workers and to balance the needs of workers who are burnt out. It is an Atlas Shrugged-like … [Read more...]
FRANCE STRIKES: Green Energy Faces the Cold Truth of Higher Prices
Your Survival Guy's on-the-ground discussions with locals in France have turned up a mixed bag of the opinions reflected in polls on the issues of energy and inflation. France's energy worker unions are on strike for higher wages just as the country is dealing with high inflation and potential shortages of energy. There is no easy solution when the problem of green energy faces the reality of higher prices. Reuters reports: A nationwide strike on Thursday disrupted the French energy sector, taking a large chunk of the nuclear production offline, as workers push for a pay hike amid rising … [Read more...]
France Working Hard to Recover from COVID Lockdowns
Good morning from Beaune. Your Survival Guy is on the last leg of a three-week research trip through Paris/Beaune. The word on the ground is that France is back in business, but it’s been a long pull through Covid. Now everyone’s trying to make up for the lost time. The service industry is still struggling to find workers and to balance the needs of workers who are burnt out. It is an Atlas Shrugged-like struggle between working and throwing in the towel and just not coming back to work. Sound familiar? Louis Jadot is always a good choice. Your Survival Guy … [Read more...]
Meet Me at Freddy’s
54 rue de Seine, 75006 Paris Cheers, Your Survival Guy … [Read more...]
Paris: When Times Are Tough Your Survival Guy Finds Opportunities
Inflation, inflation, inflation. It’s everywhere. But let’s get right down to it. Inflation means different things to different people. If, for example, you’ve worked your entire life, saving until it hurts, you probably have a pile of money to help you through Your Retirement Life. Sure, it takes some planning, but higher prices shouldn’t keep you from living your dreams. You know how to do without because that’s what saving is—making choices and deferring gratitude. You’re a pro at that. Remember when air travel used to be a big deal (when you’d drive to Florida instead?) and not the … [Read more...]
Why Work When Taxes Take It All?
Your Survival Guy witnessed firsthand on my recent fact-gathering trip to Paris just how taxes can impact the labor force. Obviously, the business world is wiping the Covid crust from its eyes, but there’s a fine line between government assistance that creates value, and that which does not. When taxes are high, and assistance discourages work, there's much less incentive to rejoin the labor market. When speaking with locals in Paris, they told me some workers will never come back to the workforce if they can help it. Do they feel their taxes are allocated well? It’s a simple question. It’s … [Read more...]
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Paris
When you go to Paris, and I hope you will soon, you want to hit the ground running. Our planning begins months before we depart, gathering intelligence on places we want to eat and of course stay. One of the key reasons to stay at a palace hotel is for the concierge desk. You know how much we love Le Bristol Hotel and that’s one of the reasons why—the service. In our planning stages stateside, we work with Tara Hyland , ASA, MCC, at Independent Luxury Travel Advisor, an affiliate of Travel Edge, to help get us to where we want to go. Well before we land, we have a pretty long list of … [Read more...]
Your Survival Guy in Paris: Awakened from His Slumber, “Dad, I’m Going to London”
You know, it's the little things in life that matter. At Le Bristol Hotel, it's the ornate China used for your morning cappuccino. Or it’s the place setting that's perfectly adjusted to make room for a late arrival to your party, whose alarm apparently never went off, making it "no inconvenience at all monsieur/madame." A visit by Madame Marshall inquiring about your dinner the night before and plans for the day makes one feel as special as the most beautiful café setting in all of Paris. Talking with Jean Marie in the lobby before heading out to the rough and tumble St. Honoré gives you … [Read more...]
PARIS Survival Guy INTELLIGENCE: The Job Market’s Case of Long Covid
I just want to get this bit of intelligence out to you from my recent three-week research trip to Paris. As I wrote to you yesterday, Paris is open for business, but it feels more like a soft open, with staffing shortages being the main reason. In my conversations with locals, they tell me that in France, the government takes care of you when you’re not working. One even explained how Covid gave him the “opportunity” to spend more time with family, and he didn’t miss work one bit. Swell. He’s back to work now, but there are plenty of workers who aren’t and who may never return to their “old” … [Read more...]