Help me with Paris!
 

First let me thank ALL of you who have shared your "special Paris" on this forum -- as I scroll through my bookmarks I see oodles that I have culled from this board. <BR> <BR>I'm going to Paris in early September for 5 days by myself and I can't wait! It will be the first trip in a long time where I haven't been morally [or legally] responsible for the quality of other people's experiences -- or negotiating with my husband for the day's events. <BR> <BR>Okay -- here's my question:) I'm planning on doing as FEW things that I have done before -- I want to see new neighborhoods, new places, museums etc. Would you share with me ONE place, experience etc. that you have NOT done in Paris and that you WANT to do. For example I've never seen the covered passages. Nor have I been to Musee Cluny in 10 years! And I also want to see the little squares that are charming, with a small cafe for people watching -- I've done St. Germain in the 5eme. I love architecture and looking into shop windows.

I've been three times and still have not been to the Bois de Boulogne, Musee Marmottan, Musee Pompidou, or Fontainebleau (yeah, I know, that's not technically in Paris). All of these are on my list for next time (or the time after that)!

It took a trip or two before we made it to the Cluny (now the Musee National du Moyen Age). Finally went there on our recent trip in late April/early May. We loved it. From the gardens to the abbey to the baths and the grand finale, the unicorn tapestries, it was a half day well spent. When we entered the courtyard, I didn't know where to point my camera first. We finally got there and were not disappointed.

Next time, I'm setting aside time to wander the small streetd in the 6eme between Blvd St Germain and the Seine and window shop. On walks between the Jardins du Luxembourg and the Louvre, I saw dozens of intriguing shops I wished I had time to look at. Yes, antique booksellers and antiques shops, but also places like a shop that just sold Japanese teapots and tea accessories and one full of exquisite Indian textiles, cushions, and so on.

Sally. <BR>Dor and I will be there Sept 3 through 9. <BR>Maybe we will bump into each other. No I did not order a pin. Just look for the couple that 'don't fit in'.

Parc de la Place des Vosges. :-)

Oh you guys are GREAT!!! Thankyouthankyou -- and keep 'em coming! <BR> <BR>Rand -- if you folks want to be a bit more intentional we can start a thread for the first week of September -- or you can email me.

My list of "things to do in Paris if you've done the Eiffel Tower" is really long. If you'd like it, I can email it to you. <BR> <BR>

elvira -- ohyesohyes PLEASE:)

I'll have to do it when I get home tonight, as it's on my home computer and I'm too stupid to figure out how to import it to my work computer.

That's cool! Although somehow "stupid" and "elvira" don't seem to belong together:)

Window-shopping in the arcades, sitting in the gardens, lunching in the bistros of the Palais-Royal. I had forgotten what a magical place it is, fell in love with it all over again, and am determined to stay in a hotel nearby on my next trip.

This is GREAT! Thank you all sooo much:) <BR> <BR>A second question -- those of you who have traveled alone to Paris -- would you share your restaurants - cafes - wine bars with me? I'm particularly looking for ones where a woman "of a certain age" traveling alone will feel comfortable. I prefer mid-range places where my creaky French [and body] will be treated with some grace and kindness.

Aw, just one? How about a "ménage à quatre", Sally? :~) <BR> <BR>I've always meant to see the Musée Carnavalet, the Musée Marmottan, and the village of Passy. In addition, I want to see the Viaduc Des Arts, a restored rail viaduct in the Bastille area, which has been converted to artists' studios and craft shops. <BR> <BR>From an article in the Seattle Times' travel section about it... <BR> <BR>The group of workshops, in Paris' 12th arrondissement, is part of a project started by the city in 1990 to restore the Viaduc de Paris, built in 1859 to support a railway line linking the Bastille to Vincennes. On top of the arches is a 2.5 mile park, the Promenade Plantée, built on the former railroad right-of-way, now reachable from the street level by a series of stone staircases. <BR> <BR>Hope you have a wonderful time!

Sally, <BR>Have you gone to the Catacombs before. I haven't, but that's on my to-do list for the next time I go. I also want to go to the Rodin Museum and maybe even the Edith Piaf museum (which I think is an apartment filled with memoribilia of her). For a day trip, I want to go to Chantilly next time.

Vanessa, the Piaf museum IS in a guy's apartment in the 20eme. It's by appointment only, here's the link: <BR>http://paris.org/Musees/Piaf/info.html <BR> <BR>It's just two very small rooms, but he's got cool stuff like her SAG card, her little shoes, photos, etc.

This is terrific! <BR> <BR>And Capo -- How about a "ménage à deux" to visit your "ménage à quatre"?

Sally -- I recently topped my report on my solo trip to Paris & Bruges which describes the restaurants I enjoyed. Here are some of them: <BR> <BR>For dinner my favorite place was Le Bistrot de Breteuil, in the 7th arrondisement, 3 place de Breteuil (metro stop: Duroc/Sèvres-Lecourbe), phone 01 45 67 07 27, reservations strongly recommended (request a table outdoors on their terrace). This place is not adjacent to any major tourist sites but is not too far from Les Invalides and is worth seeking out for its lively atmosphere, good food, and great value -- the prix fixe menu is 189 FF (about $25) per person INCLUDING a kir royale aperitif, a half-bottle of wine, your choice of appetizer, main course, and dessert and coffee. The mixed green salad with crayfish tails is very good and I can highly recommend the lamb or the bass for the main course. For dessert I had some fantastic chocolate cake-and-pastry layered concoction that was delicious. Ask the waiter what he recommends and you can't go wrong. <BR> <BR>For lunch my favorite place was L'Epi Dupin, 11 rue Dupin (metro: Sèvres-Babylone), in the 6th arrondisement near the Bon Marche department store, 01 42 22 64 56, open M-F only, sidewalk terrace at lunch. This is another very popular place and reservations are recommended because it is quite small and there are not very many tables, but if you get there early or late you don't need a reservation. On the day I was there they had a fixed-price menu for lunch that was 110FF (about $15) for two courses (either appetizer and main course, or main course and dessert) including a glass of wine. Mackerel is one of the chef's specialties and it is excellent. They also serve a wonderful chocolate cake with warm fudge sauce inside. <BR> <BR>Other places I enjoyed: La Fontaine de Mars 129 rue St-Dominique, 7th arrondisement not far from the Eiffel Tower (metro: Ecole Militaire), open every day noon-3 & 7:30-11 (reserve a table on their terrace), 90F 2-course lunch menu or a la carte which is quite a bit pricier (the duck breast is great). You can see their menu on-line at http://www.parisavenue.com/la-fontaine-de-mars <BR> <BR>Chantairelle, 17 rue Laplace (metro: Maubert-Mutualité), 5th arrondisement, 01 46 33 18 59, a block away from the Pantheon on a tiny sidestreet, reservations recommended (request a table outdoors). You can see their menu of regional specialties & reserve online at www.chantairelle.com, closed Saturday lunch & Sunday (highly recommend the filet de dore for the main course and the blueberry tart for dessert, do not recommend the oversalted & oily escargots appetizer). Very reasonable prices, casual & quirky atmosphere, pretty courtyard in the back with ivy-covered walls. <BR> <BR>Chez Maitre Paul, 12 rue Monsieur-le-Prince, 6th arrondisement (metro: Odéon/Luxembourg) 01 43 54 74 59 (reservations strongly recommended). Open daily 12-2:30&7:30-10:30, except closed Sun., & Mon. in August. Three-course fixed-price menu 165FF, or 195F with a half-bottle of their house red wine (the poulette a la creme gratinee (chicken in a cream-and-cheese sauce with mushrooms) are delicious, as is the creme brulee. No outdoor dining. You can see their menu at http://www.parisavenue.com/scripts/s...,&ver=hb1.2.13 <BR> <BR>Aux Charpentiers, 10 rue Mabillon, (Mabillon/St. Germain), in the 6th, open 12-3 & 7:30-11:30 daily, small sidewalk terrace, especially good to know about for Sunday lunch and dinner (I enjoyed a late Sunday lunch of roasted duck in olive sauce with fried potatoes and the house white wine). <BR>

A "ménage à deux", eh? Hmmmm...were you ever a member of The Temptations, Sally? :~) <BR> <BR>As much as I'd love to go back to Paris -- having been a whole two years since I was last there -- my next trip (perhaps this fall) is going to be somewhere along the Mediterranean between Barcelona and Rome. <BR> <BR>By the way, something else you may be interested in...are you familiar with the "Café Metropole Club"? If not, check out: http://www.metropoleparis.com/aclub.html <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

This may seem weird but I wished that I had gotten my hair cut there or gone to a day spa and had a "day of beauty" or in my case a "day of looks okay".

Sharon, I don't know if this film is available on video or not, but you might be interested in the comedy/drama Venus Beauty Institute (released last year), starring Nathalie Baye, which looks at the lives of three women who work at a small but successful beauty salon in Paris.

I switched handbags this morning and in the inside pocket I found my carte musees monuments list from last November, the last time I used that handbag. We only bought the three-day pass and managed to see the Louvre on two of the days, the Musee d'Orsay and the Musee Rodin, which was more than enough for three days. But there are so many other intersting ones I'd like to see next time: the Cluny, the Orangerie (which was closed for renovation), the Pompidou. And then I'd still have to go back again to see others: the museum of cinema, the museum of decorative arts, the museum of costume and textiles. And those are just the ones on the monuments list. <BR> <BR>Next time, I will definitely go on a shopping trip: for kitchen things and linens, for prints and etchings from the stalls along the seine, for who knows what at the flea market. Those are things I missed last time. And the fall seems to be the perfect time of year to be in Paris. Who cares if it rains?

I always intended to visit Musee Nissim de Camondo, recommended by a friend but I never got round to going before we left.

Hi Capo, thanks for the idea about the video. I'll check it out. I walked by so many beauty salons in Paris that I just wanted to try one.

I stayed near the Place des Vosges two years ago, one of the most beautiful squares in Paris. Also strolled through the Parc Monceau, can't remember which arr. it's in, but really lovely little park in beautiful (and very affluent) neighborhood. I found a great, unpretentious little restaurant in the Marais called the Equinox, 31138 (not sure about the number) Rue des Rosiers, where I had an excellent meal (and I too was traveling solo). <BR> <BR>I've always wanted to do a day trip to Chartres, never found the time. I remember the Musee Marmottan which lots have cited from a trip 20+ years ago, really lovely as I recall. Bon voyage. And let us know what you find - I'm taking my daughter there next April as a bat mitzvah gift.

Since I have been fortunate enough to be in Paris many,many times, I don't really have any places I'm dying to go to but haven't made it to, but I do have some I'd love to revisit. First, the mosque - not only is the building itself beautiful, but the tea garden is a fabulous replica of a Moroccan courtyard, with fountain and birds and mint tea in little glass cups. And since you're traveling alone, why not spend a morning taking the baths and having a massage - it's wonderful! Call ahead, because they are open on alternate days for men and women (01-45-35-97-33). While in the neighborhood you could stroll through the Jardin des Plantes and take a look at the Arènes de Lutèce. <BR>I'd love to go back to the Musée de Cluny, especially now that they have planted the medieval garden. <BR>Another fun outing is to take the RER to the Isle des Impressionistes (stop at Chatou), visit the museum and have lunch at La Maison Fournaise, where Manet painted "Luncheon of the Boating Party." <BR>I love parks, and three I'd like to go back to are the Parc de St-Cloud, the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, and the Parc Montsouris. I had an exquisite lunch at a café in the Parc St-Cloud once. <BR>For shopping, two areas with small shops I like are the area around the rue Buci and that around the rue Ste-Dominique. <BR>Lately, I've begun to take buses in Paris instead of the métro - I love being above ground and watching the different neighborhoods go by. I've even been known just to hop on a bus and take it to the end of the line and see what's there. <BR>When I'm dining alone, places I feel comfortable in are La Fontaine de Mars and its next-door neighbor Le Croque au Sel, Restaurant Florimond, and any busy bistro or brasserie. I almost always have a lunch at the café on the top of La Samaritaine (or the restaurant a floor down if I'm there in off-season), because the view just doesn't get much better than that. For a bit of a splurge, I like to go to La Ghuirlande de Julie, on the Place des Vosges, because not only is the food wonderful, but the Place des Vosges is such a harmonious and beautiful place. <BR>Being in Paris alone is a real treat for me - hope it turns out to be for you too.

St Cirq, the mosque experience sounds wonderful. Where is it?

Thanks SOOO much. This is incredible. And is what this forum is about. <BR> <BR>I found a page for Musee Nissim de Camondo: http://ambafrance.org/MUSEES/pages/63.htm - Looks interesting :) <BR> <BR>And please help out my hubby on the London thread I just posted:)

Great question, s fowler, and it's elicited some responses that I'll certainly add to my 'next time' list--along with Musee Jacquemart-Andre. It's a 19th century house containing a couple's private collection of furniture, objets d'art, paintings (Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Caneletto), enamels, and ceramics. Titian, Tintoretto, Botticelli, Donatello, and Della Robbia, too! <BR>One place I have visited--that I think many folks overlook--is the Deportation Memorial. At the very tip of l'Ile de la Cite, beyond the tour busses parked behind Cathedrale Notre Dame, you might think it's a tiny park. Enter through the gate, descend the narrow, austere stairway to the underground, windowless stark space, and allow yourself to feel the sadness of the memory evoked by the funerary urns, the inscriptions, the thousands of tiny lights commemorating the lives lost, and the tomb of the Unknown Deportee.

I've kept missing the deportation memorial -- I'm not going to this time. Another thing that fascinates me -- what about fountains in Paris? I'm interested in the smaller ones such as La Fontaine de Quatre Saisons in the 6eme. I know Paris isn't Rome in this regard -- but there must be some others tucked away on nice squares:)

Topping to see if there are any more generous souls out there:)

Sally, the Deportation Memorial is extremely well done and very moving; I hope you get to see it this time. That was a great mention by kmarie. <BR> <BR>As for fountains, you're familiar with the Medici Fountain in the Luxembourg Gardens, right? That's my favorite. (All the wonderful fountains were one of the things I loved about Rome, compared to Paris.) <BR> <BR>Here's a website called Les Fontaines de Paris... <BR> <BR>http://www.pariswater.com/fontaines/fontaine.htm <BR> <BR>Are you familiar with the Roman arena, the Arenes de Lutece, in the 5th? Here's a website... <BR> <BR>http://www.paris.org/Monuments/Arenes/info.html

St.Cirq, <BR> <BR>Did you mean the "Institute de le Monde Arabe", in the 5eme? <BR> <BR>S.Fowler, <BR> <BR>Did you ever stroll from Rive Droite, say la Place des Vosges to the Rive Gauche, crossing the Seine and let yourself to get lost in the "Ille de Saint Louis" before getting there? ( getting lost is a bit of an exaggeration, since Ille de St. Louis is so small..). <BR> <BR>Did you ever bring your cup of coffee to the rooftop of La Samaritaine, and watched the sunset from there? Both will cost you nothing, unless for the cup of coffee, of course..;-) <BR> <BR>I've done this already, but I'd do it again (and I'm already looking forward to do it) for a thousand times more... <BR> <BR>Surlok <BR> <BR>

Wow -- thanks guys! <BR>Now if I could only get Capo to bring me the cup of coffee:) &gt;&gt;wink&lt;&lt;

S.Fowler, <BR> <BR>Would you like some suggestions of places where yu can go on your own, have fun, and feel perfectly comfortable? <BR> <BR>There's a night club in the 5eme, called Caveau de la Huchette, 5, rue de la Huchette , where people dance at the sound of a live band, playing the jazz of the fifties. It's a funny place, with an informal, casual atmosphere, age ranging from 20ies to 60ies. I went there twice, and enjoyed a lot. Metro stop is St. Michel. <BR> <BR>Also, if you like modern jazz, there's a Jazz club at Hotel La Villa, Rue Jacob, I believe, at the corner of Rue Bonaparte, in the 6eme. It's not so casual, but still. I felt very comfortable there, too. <BR> <BR>For dinner, try the le Petit Bofinger, just accross the street of the Brasserie Bofinger, 5 Rue de la Bastille. It's on the border of Bastille/Marais. <BR> <BR>Have fun. <BR> <BR>Surlok

Wow! Thanks so much for all the goodies:) More????

Surlok, <BR> <BR> No. St-Cirq was correctly refering to Paris mosque, which is situated in the 5th arrondissement (rue Daubenton), very close to the "Jardins des plantes" and which is indeed a very pleasant place to drink a minted tea and eat some pastries (though the place is quite well-known, now, and sometimes crowded : make sure that if it appears so, you also checked the second room). <BR> <BR>The "Institut du monde arabe", also in the 5th, but close to the Seine, has (amongst many other things) quite always very interesting temporary exhibitions about the arab civilisations.

After 10 or more trips to Paris, I did the very thing you're talking of doing when we went again last Spring. I researched and tried to find everything we'd not done before and tried to do it. Many of the things I tried to do have already been mentioned but duplication may help you recognize that many others find them intriguing and worthy of going on the "to do" list. We did: Viaduc des Arts, great from both a shopping and architecture perspective. Also Gare de Lyon with its Le Train Bleu, a very worthy look/see. Parc de Villette in the 19th is very new and interesting. Shows how the French amuse and educate their children and what to do with an old slaughterhouse--make it into a trade show exhibition space. This is terrific from a new architecture perspective, as is the Institute du Monde Arab in the 5th. The walls are windows with aperatures like a camera that open wider or close depending upon the amount of light outside. See the Val du Grace church in a hospital area in the 5th or 6th. We could only see it from the outside (it's open only on certain days so check ahead) so it's still on my "yet to do" list for the interior. So is La Defense another modern architecture marvel and Arenes de Lutece and the Garden of the Paris mosque and the cheese specialty restaurant Androuet in the 8th that I've tried to get to for the last 4 times. Suggestions for places of "a woman of a certain age traveling alone" to eat--anywhere you like, baby!! A couple of my favorites from our last trip are Cafe Runtz, an alsatian place in the 2nd and La Saint Amour I think in the 20th, not far from the walls of Pere la Chaise cemetary. The former has backoeffe on Tuesdays--an alsation meat and potatoes stew served in an individual casserole--and the latter has aligote--a whipped potato, cheese and garlic concoction to die for. You can lift "strings" of potatoes for as long as a foot or more. Another good aligote place is the Ambassade de Auvergne in the 4th not far from the Pompideau. I saved the best for last--markets. Get yourself a copy of Paris in a Basket by Micolle Meyer and Amanda Smith and visit as many of the markets as you can. Your visits will take you to the whole of Paris and each market and its surrounding area will provide you a different flavor. The President Wilson market near the Place de Alma is very upscale and will show you how Paris' wealthy eat. The Barbes market in the 18th near Sacre Cour is very exotic. Not only do few of the vendors speak English, few even speak French. Instead you'll hear every tongue imaginable and see fruits and veggies you've probably never seen before. Be sure to walk on the street across from the market as well as through the market. It has butchershops sporting rotisseries with whole heads of goats on them, teeth, eyes and all. This is exotic stuff and a Paris you might not experience except in a nice, safe daytime market. The Aligre market is around the corner from Le Baron Rouge one of the most interesting wine bars in Paris (it's also in the area of many furniture and fabric shops that you might enjoy window shopping by)While we were at Le Baron Rouge we observed the movile wine truck pulling up outside and refilling the barrels inside with a hose. This is fun stuff--and all because we followed our nose and checked out the markets. Try it yourself and enjoy.

Julie, thanks for your mention of the Viaduc des Arts. Even since reading about it in an article written by one of our local newspapers' travel writers, I've become very intrigued and have put it on my must-see list for a future trip to Paris.

Oops. Just noted that I said Cafe Runtz has backoeffe on Tuesdays. That's wrong. They only have it on Thursdays. Wouldn't want you misled or to go on the wrong day. Also more on the Viaduc des arts--most of the shops are very upscale but make for beautiful window shopping. My favorite was a musical instrument shop with very modern and very beautiful stringed instruments, like a cello that appeared to be almost two triangles held together at their points, i.e. pointed rather than rounded edges. Nifty. There's also a shop with women ironing beautiful linens with old-fashioned flat irons.It's unique