Paris: Perfect Left Bank Day?
Aug 30th, 2004, 12:55 PM
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Paris: Perfect Left Bank Day?
I recently posted about a NYT's article on the Left Bank. Many of you, myself included, felt the writer listed an odd assortment of places to eat and sightseeing, and also spent too much on cabs.
Can any of you dreamers outline what you would consider to be a perfect day?
Just for grins, let's say you have 75E per person to spend on food, drink, admissions, and transportation. AND, this is a repeat visit for you, but you are also guiding someone special to you who is a fist-time visitor. Start and end your day from your hotel on the Left Bank (hotel fees are not a factor).
Can any of you dreamers outline what you would consider to be a perfect day?
Just for grins, let's say you have 75E per person to spend on food, drink, admissions, and transportation. AND, this is a repeat visit for you, but you are also guiding someone special to you who is a fist-time visitor. Start and end your day from your hotel on the Left Bank (hotel fees are not a factor).
Aug 30th, 2004, 01:07 PM
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Not at all, the focus is on budget travel. I'm sure the Paris experts already know you don't have to spend 500E a day to have fun there. Remember, hotel fees are not included in the 75E.
Aug 30th, 2004, 08:31 PM
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I'm sure I could do the Left Bank for under €50. It would probably include lunch at Cafe de Flore, window shopping up and down the boulevards St. Germain and St. Michel, a walk through the Luxembourg Gardens, check out one of the museums if there's time, and dinner at Brasserie Lipp or a bistro that had a good prix fixe menu. I'd wind up in a jazz club and maybe bar hop for the rest of the night. Maybe I should add on €25 for drinks.
Aug 31st, 2004, 03:50 AM
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Larry that sounds like a nice one.
Maybe you could get up a little earlier on Sunday morning to attend mass and listen to the grand organ at St. Sulpice?
Lunch might be a picnic in the Luxembourg Gardens.
Maybe you could get up a little earlier on Sunday morning to attend mass and listen to the grand organ at St. Sulpice?
Lunch might be a picnic in the Luxembourg Gardens.
Aug 31st, 2004, 04:22 AM
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75E/pp/day is more than enough to have a great day. Have breakfast at a cafe near your hotel. Stroll around as has been suggested, go to Notre Dame and then stroll the Ile St. Louis, hAve an ice cream at Berthillon. Have lunch at the Cafe Balzar on rue des Ecoles. Head toward the Rodin and Eiffel Tower. Duck into the Orsay, using your one or 3 day museum pass. Look at rue Cler. Go to Le Florimond or Fontaine de Mars for dinner. You haven't come close to 150E.
Aug 31st, 2004, 04:24 AM
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Also eating one whole cake is a bit excessive.
Robert Linxe, though, says that you can eat many of his chocolates and not get ill. I do love his chocolates. There's a store on rue de Sevres (I think) near Bon Marche.
Robert Linxe, though, says that you can eat many of his chocolates and not get ill. I do love his chocolates. There's a store on rue de Sevres (I think) near Bon Marche.
Aug 31st, 2004, 04:39 AM
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OK, here's how I'd spend my day. Kind of a food-oriented walking and window-shopping tour.
Start at the foot of Rue Mouffetard (av. des Gobelins end) and wander up through the market enjoying the sights and smells, perhaps buying a punnet of fresh cherries or strawberries (whatever's in season), poking around in the shops. Peoplewatching and early lunch (salad) at café Delmas on Place Contrescarpe.
Walk 10 mins to the Paris mosque, and stop for mint tea and pastries in the covered courtyard. Poke around the shop, then head off for a post-lunch stroll through the Jardin des Plantes and perhaps a wander through the Natural History museum if there's time.
Walk down to the Seine and wander along the quayside past the Institut du Monde Arabe and through the sculpture garden, enjoying the views of Notre dame. Back up to the main street and across Place St Michel, and across onto rue St André des Arts which turns into rue de Buci. Coffee and more people watching at one of the cafés.
Stroll along to St Germain church and enjoy the peaceful interior. Then down onto rue de Rennes, detour to Saint Sulpice to have a wander round the church, then nip across to le Bon Marché and the wonderful Grande Epicerie de Paris at Sevres Babylone.
Head back down rue de Rennes towards Montparnasse, and on to the Creperie Josselin on rue du Montparnasse for a yummy, filling dinner of stuffed buckwheat pancakes and cider. Then bus or metro back up to St Michel.
Walk to the Caveau des Oubliettes on Rue Galande and have a drink upstairs before going down to the cellar bar (and old dungeon!) to listen to the free-for-all jazz jam session and have a final well earned glass of wine.
Start at the foot of Rue Mouffetard (av. des Gobelins end) and wander up through the market enjoying the sights and smells, perhaps buying a punnet of fresh cherries or strawberries (whatever's in season), poking around in the shops. Peoplewatching and early lunch (salad) at café Delmas on Place Contrescarpe.
Walk 10 mins to the Paris mosque, and stop for mint tea and pastries in the covered courtyard. Poke around the shop, then head off for a post-lunch stroll through the Jardin des Plantes and perhaps a wander through the Natural History museum if there's time.
Walk down to the Seine and wander along the quayside past the Institut du Monde Arabe and through the sculpture garden, enjoying the views of Notre dame. Back up to the main street and across Place St Michel, and across onto rue St André des Arts which turns into rue de Buci. Coffee and more people watching at one of the cafés.
Stroll along to St Germain church and enjoy the peaceful interior. Then down onto rue de Rennes, detour to Saint Sulpice to have a wander round the church, then nip across to le Bon Marché and the wonderful Grande Epicerie de Paris at Sevres Babylone.
Head back down rue de Rennes towards Montparnasse, and on to the Creperie Josselin on rue du Montparnasse for a yummy, filling dinner of stuffed buckwheat pancakes and cider. Then bus or metro back up to St Michel.
Walk to the Caveau des Oubliettes on Rue Galande and have a drink upstairs before going down to the cellar bar (and old dungeon!) to listen to the free-for-all jazz jam session and have a final well earned glass of wine.
Aug 31st, 2004, 04:45 AM
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I had a perfect day on 17 October 2000 with my friend Judy (see http://www.luvtotravel.homestead.com...urnal2000.html for complete journal if interested)
Our day started with breakfast at Le Danton near our Hotel (Grande Hotel des Balcons); then a visit to Notre Dame, climbing the tower for spectacular Paris and gargoyle views. We visited the roving market at Place Maubert, then took the metro to the Eiffel tower. More great views from the tower. Lunch at the tower (sandwich and a beer). We headed to Museum Marmottan Monet (great museum ? one that is usually missed because it?s sort of out of the way of things); dinner at L?Epi Dupin with friends. Walked back to our area and had drinks at Le Danton.
Expenses: Dinner for the two of us $48; the Eiffel tower was probably $8/pp; Notre Dame is part of the 3-day museum pass (so consider 1/3rd); and probably $8 for Marmottan Monet. Lunch $10? (I would have to look at my notebook for the exact prices).
Monica
Our day started with breakfast at Le Danton near our Hotel (Grande Hotel des Balcons); then a visit to Notre Dame, climbing the tower for spectacular Paris and gargoyle views. We visited the roving market at Place Maubert, then took the metro to the Eiffel tower. More great views from the tower. Lunch at the tower (sandwich and a beer). We headed to Museum Marmottan Monet (great museum ? one that is usually missed because it?s sort of out of the way of things); dinner at L?Epi Dupin with friends. Walked back to our area and had drinks at Le Danton.
Expenses: Dinner for the two of us $48; the Eiffel tower was probably $8/pp; Notre Dame is part of the 3-day museum pass (so consider 1/3rd); and probably $8 for Marmottan Monet. Lunch $10? (I would have to look at my notebook for the exact prices).
Monica
Aug 31st, 2004, 04:50 AM
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OK, somebody who has actually been to Paris a few times - exlain to me why you would go to Cafe de Flore (or Lipp or Deux Magot), especially if you were aiming for a "Perfect Left Bank Day". I admit I've never eaten there but I've been by many many times and looked at the people, looked at the food, looked at the menu. There is nothing there except more tourists and outrageous prices. As far as I can tell, just becasue it was a hangout for a number of famous writers many years ago it gets mentioned in guide books and because it gets mentioned in guide books tourists go there an because tourists go there they can charge more than anywhere else. There are so many cafes on the left bank with just as great atmoshpere, fine food, reasonable prices, and less tourists - that I can't imagine anyone other than maybe a first time tourist.
Aug 31st, 2004, 04:52 AM
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And now that I got that Cafe Flore thing off my mind. Here's my Perfect Left Bank Day.
My perfect left bank day would start at a small cafe on Rue des Ecoles for breakfast, then a walk to the nearby St Etienne du Mont (great exterior and beautiful interior). The Pantheon is right next door, depending on the weather I'd go in. Then I'd wander down Rue Mouffetard (probably buy some fruit and pastries). Then I'd walk through le Jardin du Luxembourg and sit by the main fountain and eat my fruit and pastry. After my rest I'd head out the other side of the garden to St Sulpice. I'd window shop my way down Rue Bonaparte to St-Germain des Pres, then through Rue de Buci. There's a great gelato shop near there, rivals any in Italy, so I might need to stop for another snack. Then back through Place du Furstenberg to rue Bonaparte to Lauduree where I would have to buy a box of macaroons (which I'd have to save for later since I just had the gelato).
At this point in a "perfect Paris day" I'd cross over to the right bank, but since you said left bank I'd next head to the D'Orsay depending on what time it was. Maybe the Rodin instead (I could eat some macaroons in the garden). By now it would be approaching evening so I'd head in the direction of the Champs de Mars and stop at some cafe/restaurant that looked good for an early dinner so I could be at the Tour Eiffel for sunset. After the sun went down I'd just hang around there people watching till it got dark . I'd end my day with a crepe from one of the crepe stands along the Seine, eating it while watching the lights come on all over Paris.
My perfect left bank day would start at a small cafe on Rue des Ecoles for breakfast, then a walk to the nearby St Etienne du Mont (great exterior and beautiful interior). The Pantheon is right next door, depending on the weather I'd go in. Then I'd wander down Rue Mouffetard (probably buy some fruit and pastries). Then I'd walk through le Jardin du Luxembourg and sit by the main fountain and eat my fruit and pastry. After my rest I'd head out the other side of the garden to St Sulpice. I'd window shop my way down Rue Bonaparte to St-Germain des Pres, then through Rue de Buci. There's a great gelato shop near there, rivals any in Italy, so I might need to stop for another snack. Then back through Place du Furstenberg to rue Bonaparte to Lauduree where I would have to buy a box of macaroons (which I'd have to save for later since I just had the gelato).
At this point in a "perfect Paris day" I'd cross over to the right bank, but since you said left bank I'd next head to the D'Orsay depending on what time it was. Maybe the Rodin instead (I could eat some macaroons in the garden). By now it would be approaching evening so I'd head in the direction of the Champs de Mars and stop at some cafe/restaurant that looked good for an early dinner so I could be at the Tour Eiffel for sunset. After the sun went down I'd just hang around there people watching till it got dark . I'd end my day with a crepe from one of the crepe stands along the Seine, eating it while watching the lights come on all over Paris.
Aug 31st, 2004, 04:54 AM
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I still haven't been to Cafe de Flore, but did I remember reading somewhere that the Parisians take the most unglamorous seats upstairs?
Adam Gopnik has a pretty interesting essay on the tale of the two cafes (Flore and Deux Magots) in "Paris to the Moon," if I recall. It's a pretty interesting book, comprising essays he initially wrote for the New Yorker (if I remember correctly). I gave my copy to someone else.
Adam Gopnik has a pretty interesting essay on the tale of the two cafes (Flore and Deux Magots) in "Paris to the Moon," if I recall. It's a pretty interesting book, comprising essays he initially wrote for the New Yorker (if I remember correctly). I gave my copy to someone else.
Aug 31st, 2004, 05:08 AM
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Isabel, you read my mind. The least economical and about the worst dinner I ever had in Paris was at the Cafe Flore. We ate there because we were rushed for time before an early evening concert at St. Germaine.
Here is the actual day we have planned for September 25 when we will meet my brother and SIL for their first full day in Paris.
On our perfect Left Bank day, we will start with breakfast at the Cafe Bonaparte, go to the Eiffel Tower, then to Rue Cler where we will get picnic food, then to the Invalides to see Napoleon's tomb and then to the Rodin for a picnic in the garden. After lunch, to the Musee D'Orsay and then a walk back to the hotel via Blvd. St Germaine. Before dinner at Cabane d'Auvergne in the 6th, we'll take a stroll in Luxenbourg Gardens. Sometime during the day, we have to plan for some shopping - SIL is a big shopper.
Here is the actual day we have planned for September 25 when we will meet my brother and SIL for their first full day in Paris.
On our perfect Left Bank day, we will start with breakfast at the Cafe Bonaparte, go to the Eiffel Tower, then to Rue Cler where we will get picnic food, then to the Invalides to see Napoleon's tomb and then to the Rodin for a picnic in the garden. After lunch, to the Musee D'Orsay and then a walk back to the hotel via Blvd. St Germaine. Before dinner at Cabane d'Auvergne in the 6th, we'll take a stroll in Luxenbourg Gardens. Sometime during the day, we have to plan for some shopping - SIL is a big shopper.
