Paris trip report - Mid-March
Mar 26th, 2006, 07:22 PM
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Paris trip report - Mid-March
Since this board was of such great assistance, I wanted to return the favor by posting at least a trip overview if not a full-blown report.
Day One – We arrived at CDG on an UA flight from Chicago. Flight was full, but uneventful. We zipped through customs, grabbed the bags, picked up some Euros at an ATM, and hopped in a cab into Paris (no queue). Cab fare was about €45 (we gave him €50) and well worth it, IMHO. I cannot imagine horsing around with RER/metro, etc. with luggage just to save €20.
We checked in at the Westin Paris (my hotel review & photos are posted on TripAdvisor). After a shower and brief rest, we strolled through the Tuileries Garden, over the Seine, and into the 6th arr. Snack was a crepe nutella at the crepe stand right across from St. Michel (this was actually the best crepe of the trip – PERFECT!).
We ended up having very late afternoon tea at Mariage Freres with sandwich, salad, etc., so we were full. I cannot recommend this place enough – excellent!!
Day Two – We did the Marais. We strolled all around. Lunch was at the cafeteria at the Pompidue Center, which was actually very good. We had drinks at a café in the Marais. Dinner was at Le Train Bleu at Gare d’Lyon. Wow! What a treat! My only regret was not dressing up a bit more, but this place is an experience not to be missed. (See http://www.le-train-bleu.com/).
Day Three – Galleries Lafayette, Arc de Triomphe & Eiffel Tower. We strolled along the Champs d’Elese. Lunch was at a café by the Trocadero. We had a late snack at Angelina’s and called it a day.
Day Four – Musee d’Orsay. What can I say? Don’t miss it. Lunch at the cafeteria. We spent most of the day here – wonderful. Walked over to Le Bon Marche. More strolling through the 6tharr. and 5th arr. Dinner at Les Deux Magots – over-rated, nothing to write home about.
Day Five – Ile de la Cite & Ile St-Louis, including Notre Dame. Lunch was at a bistro called La Rose de France – EXCELLENT! This was the best French food of the trip – steak frites with fois gras sauce – what more need I say? We then strolled through the 5th arr. and has a very late dinner at a Moroccan restaurant off of Blvd. St. Michel that was quite good.
Day Six – The Louvre. Incredible! We spent all day there. Beyond my imagination. Wow. Lunch was at one of the museum restaurants. Dinner was at an Indian restaurant up near Montmarte.
Day Seven – Day trip to Versailles. I really enjoyed this – lots of crowds though.
Day Eight – Strolling through the 6th arr. again. Brunch at Mariage Freres (YUM!). Then we hopped on the metro and walked all around Montmarte, toured Sacre Coeur. Drinks at a café up there. Dinner was at a great little sushi place back in the 1st arr.
Day Nine – Cab back out to CDG (about €50 with bags). UA flight back to U.S. was full and uneventful.
Thoughts: This was our first trip and despite the cold, we had more fun than I think we’d expected. My traveling companion speaks French pretty well, so that helped. Don’t over-plan – enjoy the days, save some time for just strolling around! Restaurants are very smoky, so prepare for that. Please, please leave the track suits, gangsta-wear, belly shirts, and white sneakers at home – the French dress a bit classier than that. We blended in well with better jeans, dark shoes, nice outerwear, scarves, etc.
I cannot wait to return. Thanks to all on this board who helped with info.
Day One – We arrived at CDG on an UA flight from Chicago. Flight was full, but uneventful. We zipped through customs, grabbed the bags, picked up some Euros at an ATM, and hopped in a cab into Paris (no queue). Cab fare was about €45 (we gave him €50) and well worth it, IMHO. I cannot imagine horsing around with RER/metro, etc. with luggage just to save €20.
We checked in at the Westin Paris (my hotel review & photos are posted on TripAdvisor). After a shower and brief rest, we strolled through the Tuileries Garden, over the Seine, and into the 6th arr. Snack was a crepe nutella at the crepe stand right across from St. Michel (this was actually the best crepe of the trip – PERFECT!).
We ended up having very late afternoon tea at Mariage Freres with sandwich, salad, etc., so we were full. I cannot recommend this place enough – excellent!!
Day Two – We did the Marais. We strolled all around. Lunch was at the cafeteria at the Pompidue Center, which was actually very good. We had drinks at a café in the Marais. Dinner was at Le Train Bleu at Gare d’Lyon. Wow! What a treat! My only regret was not dressing up a bit more, but this place is an experience not to be missed. (See http://www.le-train-bleu.com/).
Day Three – Galleries Lafayette, Arc de Triomphe & Eiffel Tower. We strolled along the Champs d’Elese. Lunch was at a café by the Trocadero. We had a late snack at Angelina’s and called it a day.
Day Four – Musee d’Orsay. What can I say? Don’t miss it. Lunch at the cafeteria. We spent most of the day here – wonderful. Walked over to Le Bon Marche. More strolling through the 6tharr. and 5th arr. Dinner at Les Deux Magots – over-rated, nothing to write home about.
Day Five – Ile de la Cite & Ile St-Louis, including Notre Dame. Lunch was at a bistro called La Rose de France – EXCELLENT! This was the best French food of the trip – steak frites with fois gras sauce – what more need I say? We then strolled through the 5th arr. and has a very late dinner at a Moroccan restaurant off of Blvd. St. Michel that was quite good.
Day Six – The Louvre. Incredible! We spent all day there. Beyond my imagination. Wow. Lunch was at one of the museum restaurants. Dinner was at an Indian restaurant up near Montmarte.
Day Seven – Day trip to Versailles. I really enjoyed this – lots of crowds though.
Day Eight – Strolling through the 6th arr. again. Brunch at Mariage Freres (YUM!). Then we hopped on the metro and walked all around Montmarte, toured Sacre Coeur. Drinks at a café up there. Dinner was at a great little sushi place back in the 1st arr.
Day Nine – Cab back out to CDG (about €50 with bags). UA flight back to U.S. was full and uneventful.
Thoughts: This was our first trip and despite the cold, we had more fun than I think we’d expected. My traveling companion speaks French pretty well, so that helped. Don’t over-plan – enjoy the days, save some time for just strolling around! Restaurants are very smoky, so prepare for that. Please, please leave the track suits, gangsta-wear, belly shirts, and white sneakers at home – the French dress a bit classier than that. We blended in well with better jeans, dark shoes, nice outerwear, scarves, etc.
I cannot wait to return. Thanks to all on this board who helped with info.
Mar 26th, 2006, 08:34 PM
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Thanks, Vegaslover!
It was great to read your report. Lots of useful tips will come in handy for us this June. (We're also staying at the Westin!)
It sounds like you had a wonderful time!
Would you mind commenting on the approx. prices of some of the restaurants you recommend?
La Rose de France
Mariage Freres (location?)
Thanks!
Dina
It was great to read your report. Lots of useful tips will come in handy for us this June. (We're also staying at the Westin!)
It sounds like you had a wonderful time!
Would you mind commenting on the approx. prices of some of the restaurants you recommend?
La Rose de France
Mariage Freres (location?)
Thanks!
Dina
Mar 27th, 2006, 07:19 AM
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Lunch for two with wine at La Rose de France was about €50 - and worth every cent! This is really a classic, little French bistro with one waiter and one chef - it's a tiny place. The food was perfect! My traveling companion had the leg of lamb, which was just as tasty as my steak frites. The waiter was friendly, too. I highly recommend this place.
Mariage Freres is located at 13 rue des Grands-Augustins, Paris 6e. http://www.mariagefreres.com/. They have two other locations, too (check out their website).
Again, this place is OUTSTANDING! Afternoon tea and brunch both ran about €60 for two - again, worth every cent! The tea was delicious and the waiters provided perhaps the most efficient, professional, polite service I have ever experienced anywhere.
ENJOY!
Mariage Freres is located at 13 rue des Grands-Augustins, Paris 6e. http://www.mariagefreres.com/. They have two other locations, too (check out their website).
Again, this place is OUTSTANDING! Afternoon tea and brunch both ran about €60 for two - again, worth every cent! The tea was delicious and the waiters provided perhaps the most efficient, professional, polite service I have ever experienced anywhere.
ENJOY!
Mar 27th, 2006, 11:51 AM
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The only place where not having reservations hurt us was at Willi's Wine Bar in the 1st arr. We could not get in and ended up going to a sushi place instead. It may have been for the best - all I saw in Willi's were American tourists and the only language I heard being spoken was English. The sushi place we went to was almost all French and had a really cool, local vibe to it - more fun! Very young, hip crowd of French yuppies. 
Otherwise, we had no reservations, nor did we need any.
Otherwise, we had no reservations, nor did we need any.
