ghanima22

I can't believe I'm going to Paris! I'm leaving on March 4th for six days with my husband and I'm absolutely thrilled! As I am a poor grad student (this is my graduation present from my hubby) we purchased this fabulous travel package for $500 a person that included airfare and hotel accomidations. Granted, I understand we aren't staying in the most pleasant of areas (10th arrondisment in TimHotel Gare du Nord) but I don't imagine we will be hanging out at our hotel anyway.
Anyway, any last minute tips will be appreciated. We are poor souls who will be penny-pinching the entire time, but I'm sure we can enjoy the trip just the same. We'll be there the first Sunday of the month, so we're hitting some of the free places. We're going to purchase the 3-day museum pass and the carte d'orange for the Metro (I'm pregnant and can't imagine I'll be walking long distances). Some specific questions:
1. Tips on some good wines to purchase? My parents want us to bring back some- they love dry and we love sweet.
2. Any yummy inexpensive resteraunts we should hit? I imagine we'll have a lot of picnics and eat from vendors, but we'll be there over our anniversary and it would be nice to have one good sit down dinner.
3. How imperitive is it to be well-versed in French? I know some, but my husband knows "Parlez-vous anglais" and that's about it. I'm having nightmares about not being able to communicate!

Wish us luck!

Rachel

ghanima22

Additional question: Oh, and I forgot. My husband is enthralled with Jazz right now. (we watched 'the terminal' and he's all excited about trying the find that gentleman at the Charles de Gualle airport). Anyway, know any good classic jazz clubs without expensive cover charges?

nini

There is a chain type wine store--Nicolas. They are everywhere and have wines of every price range--some real cheap ones were very good. You can eat for reasonable price in the museum cafes. If you go to Pere LaChaise cem, which I recommend depending on the weather, there is a retaurant right across from it that has really good Croque Monsieur. Creperies offer inexpensive meals. We stayed on Moufftard once and found well priced restaurants there. For a slight splurge there is a good restaurant called Seraphim near St Sulpice--we were taken there by Americans living in Paris and loved this place. Have a great trip--you are getting a real bargain on the pkg deal.

mermaid_

Rachel, you'll have a wonderful time in Paris, no matter where you stay. I think you must be using the same package deal that my husband and I did last year...is it go-today? We too stayed in a hotel that many would consider out of the way of the action, (Place de Clichy) but it turned out to be a nice hotel and we used the public transportation so it didn't bother us.

I think it's a great idea to get the Carte Orange. I would suggest that you augment the metro with the bus system. It's not at all difficult to master and the buses run frequently to all corners of the city. And you get a free sightseeing tour that you wouldn't otherwise get! I've found that some of the Metro stops are very deep in the earth and you have to deal with a lot of stairs. Or they're above-the-ground and you have to climb. Since you're pregnant, it might be especially tiring for you. A combination of metro and bus use might be just the thing.

In regard to the museum pass, check very carefully about whether or not you'll get the full use of it. If you google "paris museum pass" you'll eventually come up with a website that lists all the days the museums are open. Many are closed on Monday or Tuesday and that can wreak havok with your plans, since the pass has to be used on consecutive days. You're so lucky that you'll be getting a free Sunday while you're there!

The streets north of Blvd. St. Germaine--Rue St. Andre des Arts, Rue de Buci, Rue Jacob, Rue Mazarine--have lots of restaurants that are fairly reasonable in price. Happy dining!

elle

Can't give you any real recos for live jazz (although I think people here have recommended Cave la Huchette in the 5th), but even on a grad student budget, you should check out the FNAC store near the Bastille.

They have their own collection of jazz discs called "Jazz in Paris" that are well priced and nicely-packaged in jackets that feature moody scenes of Paris. We brought back a Miles Davis, a Donald Byrd, and Stephane Grapelli. They make great gifts. Plus, the people working there can probably recommend some jazz venues.

As for the wine, check out Le Nectar des Bourbons in the Marais. They sell an inexpensive white wine (6-7 euros) from J. Meurat in the Vendee that is truly fabulous with seafood. The staff can help with other ideas, too.

If you like sweet wines, look for something with "muscat" in the name--Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, Muscat de Rivesaltes, Muscat de Lunel are a few. A glass of chilled muscat is my favorite aperitif, especially on a warm day.

Other wine shops worth checking out include the Nicolas chain mentioned above, the wine "supermarket" Lavinia in the 8th, and Le Derniere Goutte on rue Bourbon-le-Chateau in the 6th near St. Germain des Pres. The latter is owned by an American, and there's almost always someone who speaks English working there. They specialize in wines from small producers, sometimes from lesser-known wine regions. On Saturday afternoons they hold informal tastings.

Have a terrific time! I suspect you'll love Paris, no matter where you're staying. . .

Robespierre

You can get a decent meal in most grocery stores for less than $5. If it doesn't have a <i>panini</i> counter on the street, there'll be packaged sandwiches in the cold case.

Use the RER at les

Robespierre

You can get a decent meal in most grocery stores for less than $5. If it doesn't have a <i>panini</i> counter on the street, there'll be packaged sandwiches in the cold case.

Use the RER to get to Gare du Nord.

Try my <b>Paris Bus Tour for &euro;5.30</b>

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34568214

ira

Hi G,

&gt;1. Tips on some good wines to purchase?
Ask your parents what they like and how much they cost in the US. You might not get any bargains.

2. ...it would be nice to have one good sit down dinner.&lt;

What's your budget.

3. How imperative is it to be well-versed in French?

Ce n'est pas n&eacute;cessaire

Enjoy your visit.

Gretchen

Unfortunately your time plan is not very compatible with the Carte Orange. I assume you will arrive on Saturday (5th) and leave on the 10th (Thursday) or 11th. The CO is only useful from Monday to Sunday midnight so you will have only maybe 3 days. Even that could be economical but for Saturday and Sunday you will need to buy a carnet of tickets to use. If you do get the CO do consider using the buses--they are wonderful. There is actually one that leaves from near your hotel and goes to the Eiffel Tower--#42.
The museum pass may not be necessary also. It is usually most useful for bypassing the lines at the Orsay, in particular, but at this time of year even those lines may not be too long.
Make a list of the museums you want to see and look at the days--in succession--to see what you may need.
Your hotel area is not the worst--we have stayed there when on a tour. It is well connected by Metro from the Gare du Nord. Every trip we go to the line of cafes across from the Gare and have mussels==VERY good and very cheap. One restaurant we like is Maison Blanche.
Go to the Monoprix to shop for wine--or the supermarkets. Wine is heavy to bring back. We usually find that it is easier to just enjoy there and buy here. I know that doesn't help your parents. For a very nice and not very widely available (in the US) dry wine get a Sancerre. For your sweet wine try a sauternes.

zola

Several good suggstions above. Cheap eats are indeed available at the area north of Rue St. Germain between St. Michel and St. Jacques. Lots and lots of places from expensive to very moderate. There'a even a Mcdonald's should you desire.

Another place to grab wine at bargain rates prices is the large grocery store MONOPRIX, Phone : 01-40-75-11-02.
This is where average Parisians go to purchase their everyday casual clothes, makeup, toothpaste, groceries, toys, and paper -- There are about 30 stores in the city, so you'll probably spot one from wherever you stand. However, you can always call the above number to find the nearest location. In particular is the location close to the department store Au Printemps in the Opera/Grand Boulevards area if you happen to be window shopping. In the same area is a great sandwich shop called Paul- great baggettes for low prices.
At Monoprix (or similar discount groceries called Franprix), you can load up on bottled water, soda, fruits, vegetables, meats and other essentials that may help cut down your daily expenses. If you are reluctant to walk, have hubby run the errands.

You'll find several boutiques and stores in the 10th ARR around Canal St. Martin where the prices are cheap enough even for &quot;poor graduate students . . ..&quot;

Looking for a no-cover jazz club: the Caveau, on a one-block side street just off Rue St. Andre des Arts on an angle and east of Rue Dauphine has no charge jam sessions 3 nights-a-week. The music is in the cellar (caveau).

There's never enough time to be in Paris, but you'll still enjoy yourselves!

mamc

While we were in Paris this fall we ate at 3 restaurants that were reasonable and very good. My favorite is Bistro du 7eme on Blvd. Latour- Maubourg (just down the street from the Latour-Maubourg Metro) in the 7th; also Ferme de St. Germaine on Rue Dragon in the 6th and Le Petit San Benoit on Rue San Benoit in the 6th. All are pleasant, basic bistros and have very good food at a reasonable cost (around 15-20 euro per person without wine). If you want to spend a little more, L'Epi Dupin in the 6th and L'Avant Gout in the 13th are wonderful! You will have a fabulous time - enjoy every minute!

ckenb

Sauternes is a good suggestion for a sweet white wine. Other less expensive sweet whites are Monbazillac and Vouvray.

Look for white wines that say &quot;Moelleux&quot; on that label -- that means sweet. Dry is &quot;Sec&quot;. In champagnes or other bubbly wines (Vouvray or Saumur, for example), look for &quot;Demi-Sec&quot; on the label.

Wine is very heavy and not a great thing to take back to the U.S. But if you want to take some back, ask the people at Nicolas for recommendations. They have wines at all price points.

Robespierre

If you plan more than 4 rides on the bus or M&eacute;tro per day, the unlimited <b>Mobilis</b> card for &euro;5.30 is a better deal than the <i>carnet</i>. Note that a bus trip requires one ticket from your carnet for each &quot;stage&quot; (no transfers are issued).

For brief trips to Paris, I highly recommend using the bus system. Defer your leisurely strolls to a longer visit. If you save 10 or 20 minutes walking time whenever you move from one place to another, it really adds up.

Inexperienced visitors tend to use the M&eacute;tro a lot, and it truly is easier to navigate than the bus network. But with a little study, you can be zipping from here to there <i>above ground</i> without a second thought. The principal advantages are: you get to see a lot more of Paris (you can jump off if you see something that interests you), and there's no climbing up and down. Connecting to another M&eacute;tro line at a <i>correspondance</i> almost always involves a long walk through tunnels and climbing at least some stairs.

Michael

Try a <i>ros&eacute;</i>, which usually are dry but often appeal to those who think that sweet wines are the way to go. It might be the perfect compromise between the two tastes.

Flyboy

Here's a little place with jazz that I'm hoping to case out over the weekend:

http://www.7lezards.com/

It's very easy to get to, in Le Marais.

TravelFirst

Have fun! We were in Paris in early Jan. for only a few days, and loved it as always. Making Paris an annual event adds all the more pizzazz. Do have a ball!

Gretchen

Another white wine you may enjoy is an aligote from Burgundy.