Waldo

Makes sense. Thanks. How times change. I reiterate, I love that area. There are three cities on earth in which I could easily live. I don't know in which order, but they are, Paris, New York and Naples.

annhig

oops, kerouac, we posted at the same time.

i'm still not sure i understand - the OP says that this happened a couple of years ago - have things changed that much in so short a time?

I was hoping for a much more romantic explanation, along the lines that there's a tradition in Paris that it's unlucky to cut sandwiches into halves when there's a full moon!

kerouac

Things have changed a lot in just a couple of years. The arrival of all of the BRICS tourists are causing huge changes to the tourist trade and even the snack food industry.

stokebailey

How so? Are people from those countries more likely to make unusual requests? Or is there such a flood of them that you submit?

kerouac

I don't want to stereotype (but here goes anyway), but Russian and Brazilian tourists can be extremely demanding, and they totally take over any area they are visiting. Indians and South Africans have more savoir-vivre, but those who can afford a holiday in Paris usually come from a class that is very used to servants catering to all of their whims, and sometimes this can carry over into their dealings with tourist industry workers. As for the Chinese, the vast majority of them are still housed in big hotels out in the suburbs and one only sees them when a bus convoy appears to unload them, and then it's time get out of the way! The Chinese and the Russians are the biggest spenders in Paris (generally more than 1000€ a day) and they now tend to get priority treatment in the high end shops.

annhig

mmm, perhaps it's me.

I still don't get why someone would refuse to cut a sandwich in half [or even, gasp] quarters.

does it rank with the so-called hunnish practises?

if so, why?

Christina

Just because they can, that's all. It's just a way to exhibit power because you are sick of customer service. It's a way to try to get back at your customers whom you don't like, which may be foreigners.

Lots of petty bureaucrats do things like that in all kinds of positions and countries. Try to make your life miserable because it's their only way to feel powerful.

annhig

ust because they can, that's all. It's just a way to exhibit power because you are sick of customer service. It's a way to try to get back at your customers whom you don't like, which may be foreigners.>>

by not cutting a sandwich? bizarre.

Waldo

You have to take a charitable view of that guy who would not cut my sandwich. He goes home at night and probably loves his wife and kids, but he's an ogre at work.

stokebailey

No, we forgive him because eventually he obliged.

Croque_Madame

I've stayed in various parts of Paris, but after walking about the 15th when I was in town for two weeks last May, I've made reservations to stay there next year.

On the May 2011 trip, my sister and I stayed in an apartment in the Palais Royal. The 1st arrondissement location was convenient for high end shopping in the Opera and Madeleine areas (my sister), and the Montorgueil area (me), plus it was only a few minutes walk to the Louvre and Tuleries, but there was definitely a busy, crowded city feel to the neighborhood. (The garden of the Palais, however, was a lovely rose-scented haven.)

What I liked about the 15th was that it seems a quieter, more residential area, but rue du Commerce has plenty of places to pop into: a Kayser bakery, Amorino for ice cream, lots of small clothing shops, a pocket sized park at the Commerce Metro stop, a Monoprix, and of course, the Grenelle street market on Wednesdays and Sundays with colorful offerings of fresh produce, cheeses, flowers, you name it, located right on boulevard de Grenelle (your street).

Christina has mentioned a large Monoprix in the 15th at Beaugrenelle that I'm looking forward to meandering through. I get a kick out of seeing variations of ordinary household products packaged in boxes with descriptions of the contents and instructions in French. (My sister is Laduree and Longchamp, I'm laundry detergent.)

You might also enjoy the slow paced Vanves flea market (technically in the 14th) which is a lot less hectic than the hustling (in every sense of the word) flea market at Clignancourt. With only a couple of hundred booths (compared to a couple of thousand), there's time for more leisurely, less pressured browsing and a bit of chat with the vendors, though for a consultation some of them may have to be lured away from their lively card game.

You will additionally of course be within walking distance (perfectly safe and pleasant walking distance) of the Tour Eiffel all sparkly at night or, should you find yourself pining for the familiar sound of English about you, there's the rue Cler shopping street a couple blocks farther.

May you have a wonder-filled trip and gather lots of happy memories!

nancicita

Croque_Madame, thanks for your response to my question. I look forward to my stay in the area.