Johnnyjill

I will be traveling from Venice on my way the England/Scotland, but I will be spending 6 days in Paris before I move on. Staying in the 11th arrondissement. Can anyone help? I love architecture and history, people and food. I'm sure that there is so much to do that that may not be enough time, but would appreciate some advice.

John

Michel_Paris

Perhaps a little more guidance? Have you looked at any guidebooks, the city guide at this site, to get a rough idea of your itinerary? I coud easily fill your days...but maybe a starting point?

Hint, book 2 "things" a day, fill in rest of time with walking around and enjoying the city.

Eg...Paris Walk tour in morning of St Germain, Cluny museum in afternoon...lunch around Place St Germain des Pres (perhaps Le Bonaparte) dinner Left Bank...maybe Chez Clement. Night...Sien cruise from Vedettes du Pont Neuf.

Another day...Paris Walk of Marais, lunch at Place des Vosges (maybe Cafe Hugo?), afternoon at Carnavalet Museum, dinner in Marais, perhaps a classical music concert that night at one of the churches.

Michel_Paris

Louvre and area
Notre Dame and area
Orsay and area
Rodin/Eiffel tower and area.

Having amap will help you decide what to pick in a certain area. Restaurant choices will follow..

kerouac

Even just a map, if you don't have a guidebook, will be a capital element in determining where you want to wander. The layout of the streets will pull you in one adventurous direction or another.

avalon

The architecture museum at Trocadero Might interest you

Nikki

In the 11th arrondissement, I really liked the old workers' bistrot Au Vieux Chene, with terrific food. Closed Saturday and Sunday. http://www.vieuxchene.fr/EN/index.htm

I also like the Bistrot du Peintre in the 11th. Continuous service so you can have an early or late dinner in a lovely old art nouveau space with a lively atmosphere. http://www.bistrotdupeintre.com/fr/l...g=home&lang=en

Nearby in the 12th, I liked A La Biche au Bois at 45 Avenue Ledru-Rollin. Very reasonably priced, good for game, great cheese board. I believe it is closed Saturday and Sunday. Reservations essential at 01 43 46 15 13‎.

lainie2285

We are staying in the 11th in May,always looking for good food places to try.Thanks

cathies

Go to the 'destinations' tab at the top of this page. Choose Paris and then read through some of the suggestions.

Buy a couple of guide books and start reading!

tod

We're headed to the 11th in August for a week and am also researching various eateries.

LE REY, 130 Rue de La Roquette; Metro - Voltaire
Described by LuckyLuc as a brasserie "une valeur sur"! I'll be going there!

LEON DE BRUXELLES - 1 Blvd Beaumarchais, Metro Bastille.
and next door
CHEZ LEON, 11 Blvd Beaumarchais,Metro Bastille
Recc. by Kerouac for good couscous.
I'll be going there!

At the beginning of Rue du Faubourg St Antoine is a shabby chic place recc.by ggnga called
RESTAURANT 138 - metro Bastille

Further up at number 60 rue Charonne is
BISTRO DAME JEANNE.

even further along is another good inexpensive Italian restaurant called OKEY, 172 Faubourg St Antoine.

Check these out:
http://tinyurl.com/dzvjfq

http://www.vieuxchene.fr/EN/index.htm

http://tinyurl.com/yf55tr7

http://www.melac.fr/

http://tinyurl.com/y8fm2pg

http://tinyurl.com/2lhfdw

Johnnyjill

Thanks to all of you. I knew this was the place to go for great information.

MNsnowflake

Be sure to go to the Musee D'Orsay, which is wonderful for the Impressionist collection and other art, but, since you are interested in architecture, I think the museum building itself will interest you as they have done a wonderful job of converting a train station into a stunning museum.
In 6 days you should be able to see quite a lot of the "must sees", but also be sure to take time to just enjoy the city -- stroll through the parks, sit at a cafe, etc. It's easy to feel the pressure to try to see everything.
It would probably be worth your while to get a museum pass if you're going to see several. Generally you'll end up saving money with one if you go to several museums, but they also save a lot of precious time, as you won't have to stand in line for tickets. And if you want to go back a second time, you'll be able to. The pass can be purchased at the 1st museum you go to (best to choose a less busy museum to avoid lines -- we got ours at the Conciergerie. Or I think you can get them at some metro stations (not sure about that). Enjoy.
Whatever you do, you can't really go wrong in Paris.
With your interest in history, you should be sure to check out the Musee Carnavalet, which focuses on the history of Paris.

suze

I've only been to Paris once, but found it a fairly simple city to navigate & explore. I just picked up a free street map after I arrived. Many of the things to do in Paris are kind of obvious and easily found... the Seine, Notre Dame, Louvre, Eiffle Tower, Luxembourg Gardens, the Tuilleries, St Chappelle, etc.

kerouac

Unfortunately, the Chez Léon couscous resaurant no longer exists, tod.

tod

Thanks Kerouac - I'll tippex it off my map.

I was thinking of adding this one:

Les 4 Frères
Metro Menilmontant
For cheap and delicious couscous, order a salade méchui (or whatever other salade on the menu du jour) and a couscous maison (with a meat of your choice) and you should be all set. I have no address for this one, sorry, but it's super easy to find. Take metro to Menilmontant, get up to the street, look ahead and to the right, just a few doors down, next to a North African supermarket is Les 4 Frères.
L’étoile Kabyle
93 Ave. de Paris, Chatillon M:Chatillon
This is a very good Algerian restaurant, recommended to me by an Algerian cab driver in Paris. It’s a bit of a trek, all the way out the Chatillon, but worth the trip I promise you. The food is inexpensive and the portion enormous, bring lots of dining companions.

PatrickLondon

Back to the architecture - Institut du Monde Arabe. And for history, the Carnavalet.

tod

Just found the address for Les 4 Freres, at 37 Blvd de la Villette, 2010.

Heres the link which shows the majority of Paris visitors who never venture out of the 4/5/6/7th arr. that not all suggested 'foreign' restaurants need be in a run-down slum looking hole:
http://www.les4freres.com/

Seeing Chez Leon is no more, I have every intension of enjoying a lovely couscous dinner/lunch, as the case may be, at Les 4 Freres! One drawback I admit is the No Alcohol - I'll get a few good ones in before I go!!

kerouac

I was in Belleville this afternoon and, by a happy coincidence, saw Les 4 Frères, which looked great to me. It immediately went on my list of places to try.

But there are plenty of couscous places that serve alcohol around Belleville, for example all of the kosher couscous places.

AJPeabody

For architectural sights, you will know at once most of what may interest you just by looking at guidebook pictures. I would particularly recommend the Musée de l'Institut du Monde Arabe with its window screens and the basement of columns.

I think the most astounding sight would be the 13th century Ste-Chapelle, on a sunny day. Be sure to notice how unimpressive and dull the outside is compared to the dazzling upper chapel's stained glass and the illusion that the walls are almost entirely of unsupported glass.