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5 Favorite things to do in Paris - Besides the Usual !!
OK, This one I think will be a pretty tough Challenge....
I am going to have extra time in Paris....Yes I have all the travel books and there are tons of things to see and do besides the usual. But I can't make up my mind. So here it is...Besides the usual list below, You find that you have an extra day in Paris, so what would YOU do with that day ? ,Please don't mention anything on the list below...It's a long list so I think it will be hard to find something new. We have done all of these things many times and some we will be doing again but we are looking for new stuff !! Louvre Eiffel Champs-Élysées Arc de Triomphe Hop on Hoff off Buss Dinner on the Seine Dinner in Eiffel Sacré-Cœur Montmartre Musée d'Orsay Saint-Sulpice Panthéon, Paris Notre Dame de Paris Latin Quarter Sainte Chapelle Pont Neuf Tuileries Garden Day trip to Versailles Day trip to Fontainebleu Orangerie and Rodin Museum Napoleon's Tumb Catacombs of Paris Shopping of course Going thru some of my prior trip notes I can deterimine we have done all of the above and some of them more than once, depending on who we were with. So now, we all LOVE Paris but I would like to find some new things to do and explore. Of course we will always shop in the different areas we are in. I especially like the textile district in Montmarte. Good Luck...I think this one is going to be a tough challenge... Thanks Pat |
First off, the Musee Carnavalet in the Marais after you've seen the Place des Vosges.
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Victor Hugo's Apartment in Place Vendome
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Giverny. Go early and have lunch there after visiting the house and gardens.
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Sorry, I meant Place des Voges. Then picnic in the park or have a galette at Breitz Cafe nearby.
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Musee Marmottan for another dose of Monets
the food markets- some of my favorites are the Sunday Blvd Raspail (for the galettes!! Yum), Wednesday Woodrow Wilson and Sunday Bastille |
Canal St. Martin, either walking or boat; Promenade Plantee over by the New Opera, a nice "rail trail"; Duc des Lombard midnight jam session on Fri. or Sat.; Vietnamese food in various parts of the city; small exhibits at Hotel de Ville; horse racing at various Paris tracks; any points to view paris from on high, Tour Montparnasse for one or Galeries Lafayette rooftop café; I second Musee Carnavalet and Victor Hugo's apartment in Place des Vosges (marais). There are so many wonderful things to do in Paris, just getting out and walking about and ending up wherever, taking photos and taking in the sights and sounds of the city is great.
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Cafe Marly at the Louvre, outside, under the portico.
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Walk the Promenade Plantee
Pack a lunch, go to the Luxembourg Park and just enjoy the beauty of the park |
WOW
Thanks a bunch...some great ideas...I am going to make a list of these ideas...do some research on them and present them to the friends I am traveling with. I will post as to which ones we choose. Micheline...Giverny is a great idea..been there twice and yes after Paris we are picking up our rental car and we will be going there as well because these particular friends have not yet been there because we are going to the Normandy Beaches and Bayeux....we will also go to Chartes Cathedral..... I am loving this..what great ideas...and most I haven't been to or even heard of... Keep them coming. |
We enjoyed the the Picasso Museum!
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The Picasso Museum, unfortunately, is still closed. But there is a concert in a church - our faavorite is Ste Chapelle - a stroll along the Blvd St. Germaine to look in the Sonya Reikel (sp.) windows at Blvd SG and Rue des Saints Peres, window shopping on the Ile Saint-Louis, the Cluny, etc.
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Unless I've missed something, you don't have the Cluny Museum on your list http://www.musee-moyenage.fr/homes/h...20754_u1l2.htm
I'm surprised you haven't been to that one. I would also add the Nissim de Camondo museum. http://www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr/fran...26/bandeau-652 /francais/nissim-de-camondo/l-hotel-et-les-collections/ Or the Guimet Asian arts museum. Fab collection. Or how about a mosque instead of a church? http://www.la-mosquee.com/htmluk/entreeuk.htm If you want an alternative to museums and churches (or mosques), find someone in Paris who has the same hobby you do and get together. There are few special interests or professions that don't have their own Paris aficionados. I know a dog groomer from the midwest who chatted over the Internet on a forum for dog breeders and she ended up spending the day with her Parisian counterpart. They had a great time together. When I was a reporter covering the medical imaging industry, I spent a few days in the basement of the Louvre with the museum's radiologist, watching her x-ray and investigate some priceless works of art. It was a fascinating experience. There are a million things to do...what are your special interests? What would you like to do that you didn't get a chance to on your last visit? |
You underestimate the number of things Paris offers. It's so easy to find interesting things to do that are not on your list.
Maillol Museum Bourdan Museum Post Museum Lock and Key Museum Sewers Cemeteries (Montparnasse, Pere Lachaise, Montmartre) Museum of Romantic Life Opera Garnier Jacquemart-Andre Museum Nissim de Camando Museum Cluny Museum St-Etienne-du-Mont church St-Denis Basilica Val-de-Grace Church |
Areala,
I really enjoyed HEMINGWAY PARIS WALKS of the Mouffetard area in the 5th. It leaves from Cardinal Lemoine Metro on Friday mornings at 10:30. Quite a large group when I went – excellent guide. Very popular since MIDNIGHT IN PARIS. The tour includes the steps on which Gil was sitting when he was swept back into the 1920s in the film. One thing that I regret not doing was taking a tour of the OPERA GARNIER. Strongly support above suggestions about Musee Victor Hugo at Place des Vosges and Musee Marottan-Monet in the 16th - the latter in very toney area that is fun to walk around. |
FoFoBt
Yes I have been to the Cluny Museum...I now see that in my notes when I mentioned it to my husband he said yes we had all the Picasso Museum but I am told that is closed at this time... I love your idea on getting together perhaps with someone of like mind...I belong to sewing, quilting and embroidery groups here in Florida and would love to meet up with someone who thinks like I do...hence the reason I said I loved the textile district in Montmarte,..,, However, I will be with my young nephew and his wife, my husband will be staying home and even if he went he would not like to do anything like that...heck..he doesn't even like the shopping part...so I normally do that stuff when I go alone,. But because there are others involved. Now one thing for sure that you make me think of is, my nephew first got a Cullinary Arts degree before he became a CPA so he loves cooking obviously.... I wonder if I could find a cooking class of some kind ? Hmmm... Well, you people have me thinking.....That's a GOOD thing... |
The Richars Lenoir on Sundays and Thus,Porte De Venves flea market onSaturdays AND THE Shoha Memorial are not to be missed
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Musee Branly www.quaibranly.fr/en/
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http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-day-trips.cfm
Maybe there are some good food tours you could investigate. We recently did one in Rome which and it was interesting to get out of the heart of the city into the quieter areas. |
The Quai Branly museum, a vast modern sprawl near the Eiffel Tower (37, quai Branly) is a love it/hate it place devoted to ethnic arts and artifacts from around the world. Put another way, it displays the loot from France's imperial past. Even a walk-by is worth it since the building is as radical as the Pompidou when that art museum was new.
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Others have mentioned these,but I have to say that they were some of our favorites not to be missed.
Carnavalet Museum & Place Vosges Marmottan Museaum (Monets) Opera Garnier(English tour, though we are not tour people, we loved this place and the tour) Parc Monceau Canal St. Martin boat trip, on a nice day only Nissim de Comando Museum Jaquemart-Andre Museum Delacroix Museum (small, but interesting) Tango dancing outside next to the Seine(haven't done it, but it's on our list) Vaux le Vicomte, outside of Paris Dinner at Le Train Bleu(for the room) You didn't mention Luxemborg Gardens but I would gues you have been there---Sundays are the best. If your nephew loves cooking there is a chefs shop on the right bank with exceptional copper cookware and chef's utensils. Obviously it's hard to transport large cookware, but he might find some unique utensils. http://www.e-dehillerin.fr/en/cuprinox-extra-thick.php |
When I was 10 I lived in Paris and my mom and I used to go to Dehillerin...I had forgotten all about that place, but now that I see the above post, I recommend going there just to see it! At least back then, it was jam packed with everything imaginable, kitchen things filling every space possible (and we're talking me remembering that from over 40 years ago :( ). If it's the same, it would be fun at least to walk through there.
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This is too easy.
Ile des Impressionistes - Maison Fournaise Musée Jaquemart-André Belleville Parc St-Cloud Marché des Timbres Arènes de Lutèce Mosquée de Paris and the hammam and tea room Bois de Vincennes Guingettes Apiary on the dome of the Opéra need more? |
St Denis for me!
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I add my vote for the Marais and Place des Vosges. I might have missed seeing when you will be there, but if it's during the Tours de France, you might want to go to the Champs Élysées for the finish. We happened into the parade last summer, and it was truly AMAZING!
You have probably been there, but the main street on Ile de la Cite is also very charming, with quaint boutiques and a real neighborhood feeling. |
Definitely take a cooking class! We used Cookin With Class a couple years ago and loved it. They have a variety of classes from full day to half day ones. We did a half day macaron class on our last full day and really wished we had time to take more classes.
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Bookmarking
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bookmarking
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and bookmarking!
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Opera Garnier
Basilque de St.Denis |
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Jacquemart-Andre museum. They have a nice cafe in the garden as well.
http://musee-jacquemart-andre.com/en/home |
I have to add a funny story about Dehillerin. We went there to find a gift for our SIL who loves to cook. When I said that I wanted something copper and small, for transportation purposes, the man told me that if I wanted a decoration, I should go to Williams-Sonoma. This is a "chefs" store!! And he promptly walked away from us. Is there a Williams-Sonoma store in Paris? I just thought I might fine something unusual at Dehillerin, I didn't mean to insult him.
St. Cirq and others----taking notes for more things to do in Paris on our 9th visit in Sept. No wonder we keep returning. |
Dehillerin is for chefs and restaurant supply, serious business, so I think it sounded like you just wanted a souvenir and didn't care what it was as long as it was small and copper. And I guess that's true, you didn't have anything you really needed. You never know what attitude certain Parisian store clerks will have. That remark is kind of funny, I guess he doesn't think much of Wms and Sonoma (although it is true, it isn't the same category), but I don't think there is one in Paris.
some alternatives http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2010/06...king-supplies/ |
Thanks Christina---some nice alternatives to check out.
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There's a chain of stores called La Vaissellerie that has all kinds of kitchen souvenirs - pretty things and good prices.
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Bookmarking
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I am a crafter as well and am planning one day for fabric, needlepoint, etc shopping in Paris. PappoPaulin, La Drouguerie,Entrée des Fournisseurs, Le Rouvray, Tapisseries de la Bûcherie, and of course March St. Pierre. This is my first time to Paris so I can't recommend but I have found great reviews on the above. I will be going in September and I can't wait. Enjoy your extra day; you'll have to tell us what you decided to do!
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Bookmarking indeed!
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How about taking the tour of the Gobelins factory? It is almost always given in French, but one can see several artisans at work on tapestries in the various ateliers.
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