Travelegs

We'll be staying near the opera Garnier area for 2 1/2 days & would like NOT to have to take the Metro everywhere as we sometimes have difficlties with steps.
What are some options for us in this area for us, as to small touristy restaurants or brassieries ec.( espeicailly for a Sunday lunch or dinner ) & also any recommendations for some 'charming streets & small shops, parks, etc.
I know we'll be near some of the large department stores but that's not what I'm looking for.

WillTravel

There are numerous buses running from this area, so I think you don't need to take the metro at all if you prefer.

For starters, look for the Passages Jouffroy on Boulevard Montmartre. There are many cute shops there.

kerouac

The main directions to go are the Grands Boulevards (Capucines, Italiens, etc.) than run in front of the opera. Facing the opera, Madeleine is to the left (not a long walk at all) and République is to the right. That direction is the main direction and hotel area for most tourists in Paris (European tourists -- for some reason, tourists from the other continents are concentrated in other areas, Americans having chosen St Germain des Prés and the Marais, for example, unless they are staying in the major 4-star hotels elsewhere).

All along the Grands Boulevards are dozens of establishments catering to the European tourists. The intersection of rue Montmartre/rue du Faubourg Montmartre would be considered the hyper center of the tourist zone. It is not at all to be avoided. Some of the most interesting places in Paris are in that area, including the mythical cheap restaurant Chartier.

To stray out of the tourist center, you would go behind the opera and go along rue La Fayette in the direction of Gare du Nord. There are still dozens of hotels there (full of Germans and Dutch and Scandinavians), but consequently there are also lots of brasseries and restaurants where you get good value for your money, since (to their credit) the tourists there are not big spenders.

crefloors

I really enjoyed the Madeleine area, lots of good eating places. Blvd. Monmartre is an extenion of Blvd. Haussmann and not too far down the street from where the name changes is Passage Joeffrey. I bought some cute souveniers in there a few years ago. Nice Patisserie in there also. Lots of places to eat on Blvd. Haussmann and Blvd. des Italienes. I really liked that area.

nancy1652

Capucine, 39 Blvd. des Capucines (2nd arr) near Opera Garnier has great onion soup and steak tartare, 50 Euros for two with wine.

The bookstore in Passages des Panoramas, right across from the Grands Boulevards metro, has wonderful art books and catalogs and a delicious patisserie. There's also an interesting cinema store in the same passage.