Electrical needs when in France...

Suz described it very well. Her analysis is spot on. Your hair dryer should be fine, as long as you remember to switch it to the 240 setting. If you're staying near Bastille, the nearest easiest place I can think of would be the Monoprix on rue St Antoine, between Bastille and St Paul (on your left if you're walking from Bastille). I can't think of seeing hair dryers at pharmacies. . . . But maybe I just go in smaller pharmacies ??

I don't know if they sell hair dryers at French pharmacies, but they definitely sell them at FNAC and Darty as well as Monoprix. There are many of each of these stores around Paris.

AS LONG AS all of your items are dual voltage, then all you need is a plug adapter. Some recommend a small non-surge protected power strip just so you can charge multi items at the same time. The recommendation for a local hair dry is when the US hair dryer is not dual voltage and has to run through a converter. A high wattage converter only performs so so. Never heard of a rubber glove recommendation. You do not have to clean the toilets.

What Frank said. Also, here's my take on all this as a non-engineer hair-dryer-using woman who's traveled a bit. I think of electrical gadgets as of two kinds: heat-producing and the rest. 1. Any electrical devices that produce HEAT (hair dryer, curling irons, coffee/tea makers, etc.) can be problematic because they pull a lot of power. You're on the right track with a dual voltage hair dryer, but just a warning that yours is high-wattage so it could still be a bit much for the wiring in an older European building. (As in tripping a circuit breaker.) OTOH you may be OK with it. Just saying. I'm of the "buy it there" opinion when it comes to heat producing gadgets, with dual-voltage ones as a second choice. I would absolutely never lug a transformer to use a 110/120 US appliance in a foreign country; too heavy and they often malfunction anyway. So don't let anybody sell you one of those. 2. Other stuff: electronics, chargers for laptops, cameras, phones, tablets., etc. In the past decade, since I started noticing this stuff, I've never owned a camera, phone, laptop, netbook, tablet, or even a power toothbrush with a charger or AC power supply that wasn't dual-voltage. I didn't set out to buy dual-voltage ones; that's just how they are. Unless you have a really odd or old camera, you should just need plug adapters. BUT: see Frank's note just below and be sure to check each one before you go. 3. Look at your gadgets and estimate how many you'll want to plug in at once while traveling. Then add at least one to that total for the number of plug adapters you take along. Hey, they're cheap and small, and if you forget one along the way you'll have a spare. Frank's suggestion of a power strip is good too.

Just to add a caution to point 2. You always need to check the input requirement regardless of past experience. A few years ago son misplaced his charger for an ipod. Bought a cheap replacement from Amazon. When getting ready for his study abroad program I check the input requirement - it was only 120v. That is why it was so cheap on Amazon. I am sure original chargers with most electronic is OK BUT check it anyway. Prevents unpleasant surprises.

Thank you, Suz and Frank! Now...with the above being said...(and I direct this primarily to the women... possibly a man or two will know as well...Frank?), any help with where in Paris I might purchase a hair dryer? Good local store name? Near CDG?

I'm one of those people who has experience with frying a "heated hair styling aid" even though the dual voltage was supposed to be ok, so I think purchasing one in Paris is a good idea. Before you do though, email your hotel to see if they have one. Most hotels, even small pensions, have hair dryers these days. Sometimes you just need to ask--they will have one at the reception available if you request it.

Weeelllll...we will be in a REMODELED 18c. VILLA in Bastille... and the same kinda thing in Nice...no hotels. At some point we are on a Tauck Tours river cruise boat down the Rhone...so maybe just get one there in Paris and put an end to this...Aaarrrgh.
My daughter just said one could prob buy a hair dryer at most local pharmacies?

There is a Galeries Lafayette dept store on Blvd Haussmann at the Chaussee d'Antin - La Fayette metro stop.

Ok, got it: I think I'm just going to get a perm, bring the dual-voltage dryer, ask before I use, and if in doubt...I now know where to get one. Thank you!

Marilyn, The others have provided lots of good information on the hair appliances. However, one other important point that you'll need to address is travelling with iPhones. There are some potentially very expensive (five figure) pitfalls to be aware of. A few comments..... To begin with, whether they will even work in Europe will depend on which network you're with. If the iPhone 4 is with AT&T it will work in Europe, but if it's with Verizon, it won't. The iPhone 5 should work fine, but you'll need to consider costs for calls, data, etc. What are you planning use the phones for? If you want data (internet, E-mail access) via 3G the costs can be HUGE. For example, a traveller from this area went abroad with an iPhone for a few weeks last year and returned home to find a $35,000 data roaming bill in the mailbox! You'll need to be VERY careful with that. Happy travels!

All righty!!! We've got a plan, and I'm checking out all the above suggestions. We have time; we don't leave until the end of June. Honestly, couldn't do all this without your first-hand experiences, and believe me, we do appreciate every single effortful word! For those of you who've been answering these repeated and quibbling questions for years...I say...years...how do you stay sane?

Seriously???!!! Eegads!!! No wonder they call us the New World, and no wonder people were happier roaming around Europe in the 70's...
I have an iPhone 4 with Verizon, and Steve has an iPhone 5 with ATT. Of course we both want phones for texting communication and security. So I'm guessing mine will only perform actions and APPS that won't require outside information...right? What do people with Verizon do in FR???

Seriously???!!! Eegads!!! No wonder they call us the New World, and no wonder people were happier roaming around Europe in the 70's...
I have an iPhone 4 with Verizon, and Steve has an iPhone 5 with ATT. Of course we both want phones for texting communication and security. So I'm guessing mine will only perform actions and APPS that won't require outside information...right? What do people with Verizon do in FR??? You can get a global loaner phone from Verizon for free. Your iphone 4 will work on wifi - you can call using facetime. You can update all of your data via wifi as well.

Marilyn, I thought it might be a good idea to mention about the data roaming charges in case you weren't aware of it. It would be a prudent for Steve to disable both the Cellular Data and Cellular Roaming on his iPhone 5 (I'm assuming the switches will be the same as the iPhone 4S?). It would also be a good idea for Steve to notify AT&T that he'll be travelling, and sign-up for one of their "travel packs" (voice, text, data). Using those will reduce the charges for using the phone in Europe and if desired will provide limited data capability (ie: 100 MB or whatever). In your case, the Verizon iPhone 4 will NOT work in Europe for any cellular functions including voice, text or other "security" uses. Wi-Fi will work but of course that will be useless when out touring and you need to send a text. A few possible solutions for you..... > Are you eligible for an upgrade with Verizon? You should be able to get an iPhone 4S for minimal cost or free now and that will work in Europe. If you decide on that, you'll have to contact Verizon prior to travel and get them to "enable" the GSM portion of the phone. You may also want to buy one of their "travel packs" to minimize the cost of calls & texts in Europe. I believe they also offer a data travel pack (but you'll have to check with them). > Use the Verizon Global Loaner phone, as someone else mentioned. I believe they only allow that for trips up to 21 days (check with them). > Buy a cheap travel phone off E-Bay and use that with a SIM bought in France or a SIM from one of the travel phone firms here (the travel SIM would be the easier option). It sounds like you won't need data so if you disable that, your costs should be manageable. Cheers!

Back to the hair dryer. Yours will work, but only on "low". Curling irons, according to plenty of travel forum reports, are a threat to get fried so, if needed, are better bought on the continent.
There are plenty of sites showing diagrams for the plug adapter you will need for all this stuff. You can get fancy kits at fancy prices in airports but the simple adapter can be bought in luggage shops or on-line for less. And a short extension cord may be useful since plugs are often in awkward locations.

"For those of you who've been answering these repeated and quibbling questions for years...I say...years...how do you stay sane?" I simply remember how completely overwhelmed (but excited!) I was before my first European trip - then I start typing away. Sometimes, I need to take a deep breath first ;-) Check the instructions that came with your hair dryer (search online for them if you no longer have them); I have one dual-voltage dryer that says to set it on 'high', and another one that says to set it on 'low'...but I agree that an 1875 might be high for some older wiring; I don't take one that's over 1200. Now you have a great reason to saunter through a Monoprix! Take a bunch of adapters ($1 on this site!) because you may leave one behind somewhere, they fall behind beds/chests (out of reach), and occasionally you'll need to use two of them together because some outlets are very recessed into the wall. Adapters are all you'll need.

hi, theres not much to be said here since its just about been covered. afa converters/adapters. Look at what youre going to bring. If you can, it maybe worth spending some $$ on things that are 110/220 VAC if its not already. Some hotels/places offer hair dryers, but i dont count on it. afa adapters go, i got some from REI and they were separate adapters. I found on the plane over in their duty free mag an "all in 1" adapter about the size of a small tea cup and the different plugs push/retract into the body. whats nice is its 1 unit - nothing to loose. The REI adapters are in a small pouch and volume wise is larger. Another thing i found with the "all in 1" is that they offer them with USB power on top. I didnt get that version, but i will this Sept. If you are aware, you can get USB to phone plug cords. so it can save bringing an phone adapter along for you phones. one last note, you can get those adapters at the airports if you care to. They maybe more $$$ there, but it saves you time searching in town. happy trails.