Power adapter for Europe, esp. France?

[zephyr]

I'm traveling to France in a few weeks with my X61T tablet. Can someone recommend a good power adapter, preferrably through Amazon.com?

[Ken Fox]

I'm traveling to France in a few weeks with my X61T tablet. Can someone recommend a good power adapter, preferrably through Amazon.com?

The standard Lenovo 65 watt adapter that came with your X61T should work fine in France; all you need is an adapter plug to convert to the local (standard western European) 2 round prong plugs you will find in France. If you are traveling from the USA or Canada, where blade plugs are standard, you can buy a converter plug in virtually any hypermarket in France, such as Carrefour, LeClerc, or Auchan. These stores are literally "partout," or all over the place, in France. The last time I looked, 4 or 5 months ago, this sort of adapter costs about 2 Euros in these stores.

If the plug on your adapter is more exotic, you could look for a standard "figure 8" cord in France that would plug into your adapter brick. I'm sure these are also widely available, but probably from a more specialized electronics type store and costing a bit more.

[zephyr]

I'm traveling to France in a few weeks with my X61T tablet. Can someone recommend a good power adapter, preferrably through Amazon.com?

The standard Lenovo 65 watt adapter that came with your X61T should work fine in France; all you need is an adapter plug to convert to the local (standard western European) 2 round prong plugs you will find in France. If you are traveling from the USA or Canada, where blade plugs are standard, you can buy a converter plug in virtually any hypermarket in France, such as Carrefour, LeClerc, or Auchan. These stores are literally "partout," or all over the place, in France. The last time I looked, 4 or 5 months ago, this sort of adapter costs about 2 Euros in these stores.

If the plug on your adapter is more exotic, you could look for a standard "figure 8" cord in France that would plug into your adapter brick. I'm sure these are also widely available, but probably from a more specialized electronics type store and costing a bit more.

You are right, I just need a plug adaptor. I'd prefer to get this in the US before I leave. Can someone recommend such a plug adaptor on Amazon? Is this a good one?

http://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Europe-No ... 068&sr=8-2

[icantux]

Any good mom'n'pop electronics store should carry these things without the need to buy it online.

[Ken Fox]

Is this a good one?

http://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Europe-No ... 068&sr=8-2

It will work fine, but as the other poster indicated, just walk into a local Radio Shack or similar store, and they will have them on the rack. Or, if you will be in a large French city or have a rental car, these are about as hard to find in France as a baguette.

[Trekk69]

I'm doing a 6month study abroad session in the UK right now from Canada, and all you need for the UK is an adapter plug.
Check out MEC or any other traveling store. If you want to be plugging in a lot of power outlets than maybe get a small little portable transformer (thats what I have), and than I just plugged in a regular NA power bar to it, and run off all my NA power-hungry devices.

[ukchris]

Airport stores typically have these too, ones that reconfigure for all different countries. You'll pay a little more than in Radio Shack but it's convenient.

[Ken Fox]

For anyone contemplating this sort of a purchase in France, or other European country, these converter plugs are widely available in the electrical aisle of large hypermarkets such as Carrefour, along with related items, and all for pretty cheap prices even given the nearly worthless US Dollar.

I spend a couple of months in France each year, and like to have an assortment of simple parts that can be put to use in unanticipated situations such as in a restaurant or bar with free WiFi, or in a hotel room. Most McDonalds in France, especially those in bigger cities, offer free WiFi, but there aren't very many wall outlets available. If you bring a converter for your laptop plus an adapter that goes from one wall plug to 3 or 4, you will be able to share the rare wall plugs with other patrons if necessary. Add in a cheap extension cord, and you will have a nice little travel kit you can also use in your hotel room. For about $10 you can buy all this stuff, but it really helps to examine it in person because not all of these parts will work together, so playing with them in the store aisle really helps.

[zephyr]

For anyone contemplating this sort of a purchase in France, or other European country, these converter plugs are widely available in the electrical aisle of large hypermarkets such as Carrefour, along with related items, and all for pretty cheap prices even given the nearly worthless US Dollar.

I've been to Paris before, and I did not have a fun time trying to converse with Parisiens there. To save myself unneeded trouble, I'm trying to get this plug adapter while I'm still here in the good ol' USA.

[bill bolton]

For anyone contemplating this sort of a purchase in France, or other European country, these converter plugs are widely available in the electrical aisle of large hypermarkets such as Carrefour, along with related items, and all for pretty cheap prices even given the nearly worthless US Dollar.

I picked up a great European type C plug to "just about anything" adapter from a supermarket in a small town in Switzerland for about US$5.

It had a quite amazing set of plugs around the periphery, including some of the relatively rare power outlet types, and it has saved the day for me a few times since in terms of getting power from outlets in hotel rooms where they use non-standard plugs for the table lights etc!

Cheers,

Bill

[Ken Fox]

I've been to Paris before, and I did not have a fun time trying to converse with Parisiens there. To save myself unneeded trouble, I'm trying to get this plug adapter while I'm still here in the good ol' USA.

In the "beating a dead horse dept:"

You don't even have to converse with anyone. Their hypermarkets are laid out just like ours, except one can find high quality food items there that one would not find in a Walmart. They have an electrical dept., which sells such things as light bulbs. All manner of basic electrical items, including converter plugs, hang up on the racks there. Most everything is readily visible and the pricing is clearly marked on the displays.

At the front of the store, there are cashiers (no self checkouts that I have seen). No French is needed, however if one wants to be polite, the encounter is initiated with "bon jour" or "bon soir," depending on the time of day. One offers Euros to the checker, receives change in return, and if being polite, one can say "merci" and "au revoir" at the end, although none of the verbiage is needed, as a smile would be sufficient, if one can be mustered.

[andrzej]

Type C is the most universal
(equal to European NON-GROUNDED ADAPTER #400)
€
€ http://www.kropla.com/electric2.htm France
€ Type E
€ Type C plugs may be found on some appliances, and will fit the Type E outlet.
€ Type C outlets may be found in older buildings.
€ Type A may be found in older buildings but is illegal.
€
€ http://www.walkabouttravelgear.com/c_fra.htm FRANCE
€ European NON-GROUNDED ADAPTER #400 http://www.walkabouttravelgear.com/400.htm
€ European GROUNDED ADAPTER #4G
€ French phone jack TELEPHONE / MODEM ADAPTER #22FR
€

[boofoo]

If you want to cover all bases, you can get a universal adapter like this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00008O393/, which I have--it can be used in most of Europe, the UK, Australia, Asia, and probably on the International Space Station.