In which I review one Paris hotel�the Odeon, suggest an alternative Paris breakfast�sandwich mixte, and detail a couple of �off the beaten path� sights�Canal St. Martin and Parc Andre Citroen.

We were in Paris to celebrate my birthday and our anniversary�same day�from April 10 to 16. Weather was cooler than on past trips we�ve taken even earlier in the year, but only had a half day of rain so we can�t complain.

We�ve been to Paris often and so usually do not do any/many of the normal sightseeing things, but rather just concentrate on strolling in neighborhoods and areas we like�and on having great meals. I�ve detailed the meals in another report, but thought I�d at least put these few bits and pieces together separately for those who can�t get enough Paris info for their upcoming trips. Hope it�s helpful to someone.

Hotel Odeon
We have most often stayed in the 5th. This time we decided to branch out a little on the Left Bank and booked at the Hotel Odeon in the 6th, at the Carrefour de Odeon, and a half block from the famed Comptoir Relais St. Germain�where we�ve eaten and enjoyed it, but didn�t this time. Our room at the Hotel Odeon was 180 euros and just not �worth it.� The location is terrific, but the room was small even by Paris standards. It was wonderfully clean, just lacking in charm and that indefinable thing that I call personality. The windows were also not double glazed or whatever that thing is they do to them to make them more soundproof, and the area below the hotel is noisy. It�s a perfectly ok place, just not special and I�d not stay there again unless the other places I like better in the area proved unavailable and I really wanted to be there rather than some other area.

Breakfast
We regularly had it down the street from our hotel at a little café named Danton on the corner just beyond our hotel and next to the bus stop. Nice place with breakfast at half the cost of a hotel breakfast. And I was able to have my favorite Paris breakfast�an expresso and a �sandwich mixte� which is a baguette with butter, ham, cheese, and in their case, a bit of lettuce with vinaigrette. I hate typical breakfast stuff for the most part, so the opportunity to start the day with lunch instead was perfect. I recommend this approach heartily to others who, like me, find eggs, cereal and even croissants, just too breakfasty. I had thought to try to do someplace special for breakfast on the birthday/anniversary day, but couldn�t tear myself away from the trusty Danton and its great sandwich mixte. BTW DH always has Pain au chocolat and he says theirs are fine there also.

St. Martin Canal Ride
This has been on my list forever and it was one of the few remaining �must dos� which was still a �never done.� I guess I saved one of the best for last. It�s a great ride with wonderful, romantic scenery and glimpses of parts of Paris you might not otherwise see. It�s only 15 euros per person and lasts 2 and � hours. The facilities aren�t bad like you so often find on boats and there were drinks and snacks available for purchase. The nicely appointed boats, with outside and inside seating, depart from the area by the Bastille or by the Parc de la Villette in the 19th, typically going twice a day. See all the details at www.canauxrama.com We were initially a bit confused about where the ticket office was, but you can buy the tickets as you board the boats, so go down to the dock area.

Trees were just starting to bud, so the trip from lock to lock at tree top height in some places was wispy and lovely. Although I have to say that after 2 and � hours of going slowly from lock to lock to get about a total of 6 miles or so total made me recognize that probably a cruise through the canals of Burgundy is not for me, this was an enjoyable mini-barge cruise, made moreso by the troupe of French seniors who cruised with us and sometimes broke into song with the CD accompaniment that the tour guy used to break up his history lectures as we cruised along.

We started at the Arsenal point near the Bastille Opera House and made our way to the Basin in the Parc de Villette, passing by the Hotel du Nord of cinema fame. The Parc de Villette is a very interesting area to explore with its modern giant Geode and various transformed old slaughterhouses, etc. We cruised, however, on a weekday and perhaps because the weather wasn�t first rate, or worse, perhaps, because it just doesn�t get much use except on weekends, the park area was almost empty. This is great space, with lots of things available, so it is sad to see it underutilized. We�ve explored the parc and its many offerings, and I recommend it. Plainly it needs more patronage. Put it on your to-do list, especially for a week day.

Parc Andre Citroen
This space too was nearly empty. But in this case, that contributed to the beauty and almost eery feeling of the place. It is a very modern park in the southwest corner of the 15th arrondissement. We�d been there briefly once before and I�d liked it enough to go to the trouble to return to the somewhat difficult-to-find area to see it again. We were rewarded for our efforts by the sight of vast expanses of green surrounded by white modern buildings against an almost slate grey sky with threatening clouds. DH is a photographer and this was the perfect sky to photograph against. Besides vast expanses of green and modern architecture in white and glass, there are two 3 or 4 story glass-on-all-sides greenhouses with tropical plants and an expanse of concrete with unevenly spouting water spurts. I�m something of a modern architecture freak (who also prizes art nouveau and art deco) and I love this place. Beyond the expansive views and space, the park has nice plantings and flowering shrubs. If you are one of those folks asking for suggestions of �off the beaten path� spots to check out in Paris or just someone who enjoys a lovely space and nice gardens, this is one of the best IMHO.

I'm glad that you visted some of the more out-of-the-way places.

Don't worry about either park being under utilized -- both of them completely fill up in good weather, particularly la Villette.

In fact, on the main prairie, there are free movies from mid-July to the end of August, which draw nightly crowds (most of whom arrive at least 2 hours early for a big picnic with plenty of wine or beer) of between 5000 and 15,000. You can also rent deck chairs and blankets for 6.50€ or 5 for 20€. Last year, free ice cream was distributed to the Friday and Saturday crowds, courtesy of Ben & Jerry.

Wonderful report. I visited both Parc Georges Brassens (recommended) and Parc André Citroën on Friday, April 4, which was such a lovely day. I walked between the two and on the way found another small garden, next to some hospital on the rue de Vaugirard. This is such a wonderful, walkable town, with new places to discover each and every time.

Good report so far Julie with lots of nostalgia for me! We loved the Canal St.Martin trip but went in the reverse direction ending up in Porte de Arsenal. The old time French tunes grinding over the loudspeaker interjected every-so-often by a French man commentating in English with a broad French accent ( of course!) so during the whole trip we would keep asking each other " what did he say, what did he say?"! Real fun hot summer afternoon (for us anyway)!

Wonderful, Julie. Thank you for posting this.

Anselm