Just got back from Paris -- Any questions?
 

I just got back from 10 days in Paris. Does anyone have any questions for me?

i am taking my daughter to paris in may as her graduation present from college. don't know how old you are but any suggestions on new and interesting things to do or see would be appreciated. my daughter is interested in art ,piano, and other music. also i have not made arrangements for a hotel yet. lookig for a nice local small hotel with local flavor and good location.

There is LOTS on this site about Paris. Do a search for "paris hotel" and "paris restaurant" etc... <BR> <BR>The advice I am hearing is to get your museum pass at a small museum so you can bypass the lines at the big ones. <BR> <BR>Hotels in the 7eme [residential, upscale, but not as trendy as the 6eme] that have been recommended here are Hotel Muguet, Hotel Champs de Mar, Hotel Leveque. I would toss in Hotel Derby Eiffel.[These should run under $100, perhaps with the exception of Muguet] It's a bit more, but it is a Best Western. With any of these hotels you are near the rue Cler market and the Ecole Militaire metro stop. <BR> <BR>There are many websites with information about hotels, things to see and do etc... Perhaps people will repost a few for you. <BR> <BR> <BR>

Everything in Paris is interesting and exciting! I would definitely suggest getting the museum pass. For example: there was a very lengthy line at Versailles, and we just hopped to the front and got in with no wait. Same thing at The Louvre. <BR> <BR>We just did a lot of sight seeing that wasn't really focused on music or anything that specific. All the art museums are fantastic. We really enjoyed the Musee D'Orsay. It's a refurbished train station and houses some of the most wonderful impressionist pieces in the world. <BR> <BR>I would also recommend getting the 5 day Paris Visite metro ticket. It's a lot easier than constantly buying carnets, and it's good on the RER as well. <BR> <BR>We stayed at a hotel called the Victoria Palace Hotel in the 6th. An excellent location off the Rue De Renne. It's a 4 star hotel, and a bit pricey, but very nice; nice Parision flavor. <BR> <BR>We also used the Rick Steve's Paris book. It was an excellent resource, and all his recommendations were very good. <BR> <BR>I followed a lot of the advice given here on this forum about Paris. It's also an excellent resource. <BR> <BR>Good luck and have a great time!

Michael, one lady recently coming back from Paris recommended the Hôtel Floridor, 28, place Denfert-Rochereau in the 14th. Even though I've never been inside the hotel, I used to live in this neighborhood, which is really charming, Parisian, central, and with very good metro connection, plus a bohemian flair to it (it's close to Montparnasse) ; it's also got a pedestrian market street, rue Daguerre, with less tourists (i e. none) than rue Cler. Since your daughter is interested in piano, you should bring her to the brand new music museum at the Cité de la Musique in La Villette (19th arrondissement, the very North-Eastern corner of Paris). NOt only is it a state-of-the art museum with explanations in English, but this'll give you an opportunity to explore a neighborhood of Paris few tourirsts venture into : a former slaughterhouse converted into gardens, a science museum, a music school, a rock concert hall, all this divided by a canal which is the prolongation of Canal Saint-Martin. You can go to La Villette either by metro (Porte de Pantin) or by taking a bateau-mouche through the canals at Bastille.

I also just came back from Paris and I agree with Suzy, that Museum D'Orsay was wonderful. I love impressionist wing, especially all of the Monet's. I agree with the Musuem pass, it saved us a lot of time, but you have to understand where to go. Both at the Lourve and D'Orsay, staff told us different things about where to go with the pass. It made me angry, but if you are persistant, you will find the right place to go. <BR> <BR>We also stayed near the Ecole Miltare at the Grand Hotel Leveque ($65 a night) and enjoyed staying on the lovely Rue De Cler, with the best crepe stand in Paris. <BR> <BR>Suzy, what was your favorite thing about Paris? Mine was seeing all of the Monet's at D'Orsay and the taxi cab ride to our hotel from the train station. My husband and I kept poking each other saying "look at this and look at that" we were very excited to be in Paris.

My favorite thing about Paris was just relaxing in the beautiful gardens and watching the Parisians (and tourists); getting a slice of life that I wouldn't be able to get anywhere else. I enjoyed everything about Paris, however. The architecture is wonderful! <BR> <BR>I also liked the Rodin Museum. It's very beautiful as well -- in a maison where Rodin used to live. There are a lot of sculptures outside in the gardens as well as very nice ones inside the house. A nice discovery. <BR> <BR>The food is fantastic, although a bit pricey. Getting a crepe w/nutella and bananas from a street creperie definitely ranks up there with some of my best memories! <BR> <BR>Something I wouldn't necessarily recommend is the Catacombs. It's a rather spooky experience. Some people found it very interesting, but I found it to be a bit sacreligious. If you don't like being in dark, damp, and closed in spaces with skulls and bones, don't waste your time! Plus we waited on line for over an hour for our "tour." <BR> <BR>I loved Saint Chappelle and would highly recommend seeing it -- the stained glass is unbelievable. <BR> <BR>

Somebody please clue me in in the Visite ticket/pass on the Metro. Despite all my map reading, I am not at all sure on the mechanics of how the ticket system works. How does one acquire a Visite pass? Can it be done here before going? Good only for specific days? I looked in my two guide books and the information was not that informative. <BR>Also, when buying a carnet, does that come from a machine? If from a machine, can one use a charge card? <BR>

Hi, Bob: <BR>About the Paris Visite metro pass: it's a really excellent deal: you buy the pass at one of the bigger metro stations in Paris, it's something like $50 for 5 days of unlimited use of the metro and bus system in Paris. It's also good for you to use the RER (the more suburban train system) to get to Versailles. You can also buy the Visite pass through the internet -- I'm sure they have loads of info about it on this web site somewhere. It's not a big deal at all to buy the Visite at the metro stations. Most of the people at the metro ticket counters speak at least some English. <BR> <BR>The carnets you buy can be bought w/a credit card at the stations (from a machine), or can be bought from a live person at the counter. They aren't that expensive (something like 30 FF for 10). It's really much more convenient and less time consuming if you buy the Visite pass. <BR> <BR>If you just have your basic metro ticket (say from a carnet), you just slip the ticket into the slot at the turnstile and then take it when it reappears on the opposite end. You may need the ticket to show a transit cop -- they do that to make sure you've paid. You can just thow out the used ticket (after you leave the station), since it won't work again at another turnstile. <BR> <BR>The Paris metro system is very easy and very safe (as far as I saw). Just travel smart and know where you are going at all times. <BR> <BR>Hope this helps. If you need anymore info on the visite pass or metro, just type in a search for those topics on this website, and you'll be rewarded with more info than you can handle!! <BR> <BR>Happy traveling!

Thank you, Suzy. I think I need a better guide book. I have a couple, but the info I get here is not always found in guides. I guess that is one aspect of these pages that keeps the interest high. <BR>

For Michael and Bob, <BR>The following websites may be of interest to you, particularly those immediately below: <BR> <BR>www.paris-tourism.com which suggests and details self-guided tours <BR> <BR>www.intermusees.com - Museum passes, museums and monuments of Paris <BR> <BR>www.smartweb.fr/paris/ see "Transport" for Metro info; see "Money Guide for color photos of paper currency and coinage <BR> <BR>www.touringscope.com/01.html then click on "TT" or "GTP" for info on guided tours of major sites. <BR> <BR>and <BR> <BR>www.paris-touristoffice.com <BR>www.paris-hotel.com <BR>www.paris.org/hotels <BR>www.louvre.fr/ <BR>www.hotelboulevard.com <BR>www.france-hotel-guide.com <BR>www.123france.com <BR>www.adx.fr/hotels/anglais.htm <BR>www.france.com:80/travel/hotels/phg.html <BR> <BR>Be sure to investigate the Eyewitness Guide to Parisas well. It's one of the better guides to Paris. <BR>

Message: Hi Teri! <BR> <BR>We will be staying at Hotel Leveque for 5 days in May. Please give me as many info as you have on the hotel and surrounding area i.e, hotel streetside vs. backside, hotel service, views from hotel windows? did you take metro/cab/shuttle going to the hotel? can you get breakfast/meal from around the hotel? how near/far is it to Eiffel tower/museem d'orsay, subway station? do you have any recommended restraurant within the area? open on Saturday/Sunday? how safe is the hotel and surrounding area i.e, going home midnight or later? Sorry, i know i have a lot of questions, but thanks anyway!

Hi Suzy,

>Just got back from Paris -- Any questions?<

Should I buy a bottle of white Burgundy from the Monoprix or from Nicolas?

Thanx

((I))

Suzy - is it still OK to men to pee openly in the street?