bardo

Degas,
I highly recommend "les sept lézards" a progressive jazz club in Marais. They also have a good restaurant (in a seperate seating area). Consistently good music and a great vibe - very laid back. Here's their website:
http://7lezards.com

Scarlett

My favorite Marais moment was sitting in the Place des Vosge and resting on a park bench, watching the children playing with their nannies looking on, and an opera singer, practicing in the window of one of the buildings facing the park.
My favorite menu mistake in the Marais was stopping to eat in a tiny bistro with no menu, a chalkboard to read, all in French, and me with inflated ideas about my ability to read French.
I managed ok with a salad with smoked salmon on top. My poor husband ended up with bits of shaved beef snout on his salad (we don't eat red meat)..

RonZ

This is all well and good, Degas, but what do you plan to do in the afternoon?

StCirq

Has anyone mentioned La Guirlande de Julie, on the Place des Vosges? I just think it is such a pretty restaurant, with of course good food, too.

Seriously, Degas, when you return you must tell us how much of this stuff you actually accomplished. I admire your zeal for planning, as I'm a planner myself, but I always get distracted and end up tossing half the plans away when something unexpected strikes my fancy.

I guess that's half the fun of it, non?

If nothing else, Fodor's can usurp all these fantastic details and include them in the 2004 guide to Paris, I suppose.

ChatNoir

Might like to try this one since you will be in the area:

Bazaar de l?Hotel de Ville (BHV). 52-64 Rue de Rivoli.

One of the most popular department store?s in Paris. Do-it-yourself dream. Find all the household basics you will ever need, complete with a wonderful view of the Seine River.

seafox

Degas - I leave for Paris next week. Will be staying in le Marais. Your detailed research/work and this thread has pretty much got me covered in terms of my approach to the are the first few days - many thanks

Seafox

ChatNoir

Here's another good place you might want to try:

Auberge Nicolas Flannel. 51 rue de Montmorency, Les Marais. Good for lunch.

Interesting to note for Harry Potter Fans: the real Nicolas Flannel (alchemist) lived here in the oldest building in paris which dates from 1407.

Degas

Thanks for the additional inputs.

seafox is going real soon, so maybe they can post a trip report and tell us how this all worked out for them.

adrienne

Degas - don't know when you're going to Paris but the Carnavalet Museum has a tour in English on the first Saturday of the month at 3:00. It's an hour and a half - I thoroughly enjoyed it. Also, the garden at the museum is nice to sit down and rest before or after.

Please have a falafel at l'As du Falafel - they're great. You can sit down in their restaurant or do take-away.

adrienne

Also don't miss the Hector Guimard designed temple on rue Vielle du Temple. He designed the facade to represent the Torah with the columns representing the scrolls, the windows symbolizing the script on the pages, and the wavy facade looks like an open book.

elaine

does anyone have a website for the Carnavalet? I only have links such as paris.org

QueenMab

The restaurant Baracane, near the Place des Vosges, had the best fondant au chocolate of our 3 week trip, and believe me, we tried a lot of them! Oh yeah, the rest of the meal was delicious also.

mp413

Degas--I LOVE these neighborhood 'explorations' you've put together. They're very helpful! I'll be in Paris for 5 days in Dec./Jan. and have basically no knowledge of the city, and people on this forum suggested getting to know a few neighborhoods very well. Your posts will certainly help!

Degas

mp413, thanks. Glad they are helpful. Have fun with them. Check out that post on Paris maps and planning tools. I like the site where you can type in the address and get a picture of it and the surrounding area.

JonJon

Thanks very much for taking the time to do all the research. I am sure it will ben appreciated by many and envied by even more.

Kristinelaine

This is great! I'll take it to Paris the next time I go.

hansikday

Some food recommendations:

Ambassade d'Auvergne, which is only a couple of blocks away at 22, rue du Grenier Saint-Lazare. Tel: 01.42.72.31.22. Good regional food from the Auvergne.

Au Bascou, at 38, rue Reaumur. Tel: 01.42.72.69.25. Great atmosphere and interesting, delicious Basque food.

Le Pamphlet, at 38, rue Debelleyme. Tel: 01.42.72.39.24. This place was a great bargain with fabulous food from Southwestern France.

suebent

Message Degas
Thank you so very much for all the information on your exploration of the Maris area.
I have to admit, this is how I plan my trips to Paris every time I go. However, this is the first time I will stay in the Maris area and this will be so helpful. I research WWII history (French Resistance). My plans are always geared to what took place and where and when, and the reson I travel alone. Two friend are going with me on this trip and they will certainly appreciate your help because I will give them this info and take off to the LeClerc Museum again!
Thank you again.
Sue

Degas

Suebent - you are very welcome.

Researching this material really opened up my eyes to the many interesting things found in this area.

Have a good trip and let us know how things turn out.

anotherjudy

Thank you, Degas. I will be in Paris again in April. I have never explored the Marais area - you have inspired me to go wandering there.
Judy C