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Paris -- Superthread
Hi, it is hoped that this will be a "superthread" to interesting and useful tidbits about Paris for the first-time and the repeat visitor.
The pros and cons for its creation are being debated here: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34519182 A superthread is basically an index and provides links to other threads that address a specific topic at hand. To keep the superthread useful, I'd like to request the following: 1. Please use a standardized format in your posting. Give the topic, a *brief* description of the information in the linked threads followed by the links. Also provide useful outside links and information not covered in the threads you're linking but you think would be useful to the visitor. Please, however, keep this information as factual as possible and limit personal commentary in the superthread. In other words, information in postings for a superthread should be brief, followed by relevant links. This will make it easier and faster to read the superthread. 2. Before creating any new threads that are linked to the superthread, please attempt to search to see whether previous threads have addressed the topic at hand. This will avoid a proliferation of new threads. 3. Please *do not* top the superthread. It would be better to consider adding to it a topic that has not yet been previously discussed (as this will automatically bring the superthread to the top and enrich it). |
Users of superthread:
1. Please use this information at your own risk. You're responsible for cross-checking hours of stores, etc., with web searches, guidebooks, or by simply asking on this forum. 2. If you've used any subthreads linked to the superthread and found information in the subthreads that are out-of-date or incorrect, it might be good for you to post to the subthreads to correct these errors. |
Paris ice-cream:
Berthillon: 31 rue Saint-Louis-en-L'ile, closed Monday and Tuesday (according to website). Probably closed part of summer. Website: http://www.berthillon-glacier.fr/ Threads: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34403035 http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...mp;tid=1392976 Amorino (touted as Berthillon competition on this forum): Three locations, one of which on 47 rue Saint-Louis-en-L'Ile (close to B.). Website: http://www.amorino.fr/ Threads: http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34506527 Amorino and other ice-cream places also mentioned here: http://www.bonjourparis.com/pages/ar...543&page=3 |
Links from publications:
Economist: Economist's city guide for Paris: http://www.economist.com/cities/citi...fm?city_id=PAR The "Catch If You Can" section on current events is useful. New York Times: http://travel2.nytimes.com/top/featu...ris/guide.html Restaurant recommendations and also the periodically updated "What's Doing in" section, along with other interesting articles. Times (UK) Travel section: http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/arti...161058,00.html |
Repeat (or even first-time) visitors -- things to do:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34496680 http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...mp;tid=1277898 |
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Fat Tire Bike Tours (Formerly Mike's Bike Tours) and Segway Tours:
Website: http://www.fattirebiketoursparis.com Threads: http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34503753 http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34468561 http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34516712 (More can be found by typing bike tours Paris into search box.) |
PARIS WEBSITES:
Paris In Sites Newsletter http://www.parisinsites.com/ Paris Tourist Office http://www.paris-touristoffice.com/ Paris City Official Website http://www.paris.fr/en/ "RATP" -- Paris Métro and Regional Transport System http://www.ratp.fr/ Eiffel Tower http://www.tour-eiffel.fr Paris Museum Pass http://www.museums-of-paris.com/ http://www.museumpass.com/ http://www.intermusees.com/index.html Recent Fodorite discussions on popular hotels in Paris --- Paris first timers looking for a good hotel > > > http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34512881 Hotel Muguet vs Hotel de Fleurie or other hotel in 6th? > > > http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34512429 PARIS Hotel, which one? Jardins, Tourville, Littre or Relais du Louvre? > > > http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34513922 paris for first timers > > > http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34493249 |
Find comments on Superthread here:
The not particularly useful comments: http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34519276 The (presumably) useful comments -- possibly corrections to postings in the Superthread: http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34519278 |
PARIS TRANSPORTATION
Official website: http://www.ratp.com/ Routefinder: http://www.citefutee.com/informer/anglais/index.php Metro/bus pass information: - Tickets / Carnet http://www.citefutee.com/informer/anglais/ticket_t.php - Carte Orange (Fr only) http://www.citefutee.com/informer/ta...nnements_o.php - Paris Visite / Mobilis (French) http://www.citefutee.com/informer/ta...me.php#mobilis - Paris Visite (English) http://www.ratp.com/ParisVisite/Eng/index.htm - Carte Musee pass http://www.citefutee.com/informer/an..._monuments.php How to use the subway: http://www.gisparis.com/paris/paris_subway.htm Metro map/plan: http://www.citefutee.com/picts/plans...eaux/metro.gif RER map/plan: http://www.citefutee.com/picts/plans...eseaux/rer.gif Bus map/plan: http://www.citefutee.com/orienter/cv/cartebus.php |
FOOD -- restaurant suggestions and cooking classes. Food critic and author Patricia Wells offers up her opinion on top restaurants, bistros & casual dining.
http://www.patriciawells.com |
http://www.metropoleparis.com
A weekly online magazine with some quirky essays, and good listings of what's going on in the city http://www.parispourvous.net Paris webcams http://www.resto.fr/default.cfm "All the restaurants in Paris" And my absolute favorite: http://photos.pagesjaunes.fr/x/home_paris.htm Put the address of your hotel (or anyplace in Paris) in the appropriate blanks, and you'll be able to take a virtual "walk" down the street in that neighborhood. |
Paris walks:
Guidebooks/self-guided threads: http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34518751 http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34511772 (The above link has a link to a series of pretty detailed walks posted by Degas.) http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34495778 http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34479121 Tours: A review of "Paris Walks" can be found in this thread: http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34516336 Direct link here: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/pariswalking/ |
websites for classical music concerts in Paris
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...=6&start=0 |
adding to superthread
restaurant discussions or info ?affordable? Paris restaurants http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34504962 restaurants for a ?student budget? http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34387887 www.smokefreeworld.com/paris.shtml restaurants with non-smoking sections http://www.paris.planresto.fr in French, but not that hard to understand. Search by name, price, location, cuisine. http://www.parisrestaurants.com/ great info, including price estimates, hours of operation, places by location, etc For vegetarians: http://www.vegetarianguides.co.uk/paris http://www.nwfolk.com/vegparis.html http://www.ivu.org/avf/VisitFrance/visitfranceMAIN.html http://www.vegetarianguides.co.uk/sa...einparis.shtml Student(university) restaurants: Open to the public, only those with a French student card pay student rates, but even so the rates are very reasonable. Most universities in France have several ?Restos-U?. In Paris: IUT Descartes, 143 Ave de Versailles, 16th. West-Indian influence on the food. Mon-Fri 11-1:45 only. Le Mabillon 4,, 12 rue Clement, 6th. Very very good food. Reserve 2 days ahead for this gourmet experience. Tel (0)1 43 25 66 23 Mon Fri 11:30-2 and 6-8pm. Necker, 155 rue de Vaugirard, 15th. Food choices from around the world. Mon-Fri 11:30-1:45 and 6-8. For more bargain suggestions: http://www.top10guides.com/samples/T..._to_Paris.html (their top 10 inexpensive places to eat, also romantic choices) http://www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/PURSUITS/F...09/paris.cheap |
daytrip
visiting Versailles www.chateauversailles.fr/ www.versailles-france.com/tfaqa003.htm www.frommers.com/destinations/versailles/ town of Versailles: www.versailles-tourisme.com also www.mairie-versailles.fr The chateau is closed all Mondays and some holidays. Open approximately 9-6:30, closes earlier in fall and winter. Summertime crowds are bad, especially on Tuesday, Sundays, and every day between 10 and 1. It is less crowded earlier and later (before and after the tour groups arrive and leave.) If you dislike crowds, arrive after 3:30pm and pay a reduced charge, tour the chateau on your own (you'll be too late for the guided tour), and, when days are long, tour the gardens after the chateau closes. If you arrive mid-day, tour the gardens first, then see the chateau before closing. Allow at least 2 hours for the palace and 2 hours for the gardens, but many people stay all day and still don't see it all. A very helpful Rick Steves article on visiting Versailles http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/countries/versail.htm Fountains: Check the website for the most current information. Admission to the chateau and to the Trianons is included in the Paris Museum Pass/Carte Musee. Pass holders will have a special entrance at Versailles, entrance A2, it?s on the right when facing the chateau. You can also buy a guidebook there. There is also a Versailles Pass which includes admission, allows you to bypass the ticket-buying line, and includes an audioguide. It is sold at the Versailles train station, the RER station in Paris, and possibly elsewhere. If you don?t have a pass, join the ticket-buying line. To get there, take the RER line C to Versailles Rive Gauche (R.G.). The RER lines are suburban trains to and from Paris. You can catch the RER train in Paris at Invalides, Champ de Mars, Musee d'Orsay, St Michel, and Gare d'Austerlitz (consult your metro map for these stops). Make sure your C train goes to Versailles Rive Gauche (R.G.) as the end destination.You?ll have about a half-mile walk to the Chateau. When you leave the Versailles Rive Gauche station you will be on Avenue General de Gaulle. There is a clean bathroom at the MacDonald?s near the RER station?be nice and buy something. Head right on Ave. G deG and then left on the big Avenue de Paris which goes straight to the chateau. Tourist information offices: across the street from the Rive Gauche Station; also at the chateau at the entrance. You can take a taxi from Paris to Versailles which according to someone who did the math, saves money over the train fares for every four of you. To save a long walk, have the taxi drop you at the Petit Hameau. Acoustguides are available for use in the self-guided tours, as are free maps. The self-guided tour takes at least an hour. There are also toilets and public telephones available. So are bike rentals, and a tourist tram. You can picnic in the gardens, but you?d have to check your bags or baskets while you do the indoor tours. For an article on top eating in Versailles (1999) http://www.nytimes.com/library/trave.../ct990124.html |
Where else and how else to start -- Use Fodor's, of course:
Have you checked the miniguide that Fodor's puts out, which you can find here? http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgr...tion=paris@117 Contains hotel and restaurant listings and also a sample 3-day itinerary found here: http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgr...;feature=30002 |
OK,
Angelina's, Rue de Rivoli, famed for its hot chocolat (Africain) and deserts http://www.angelina.fr/ Paris Walking Tours...to work off those deserts.. http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/pariswalking/ And then have a bit of chocolate to get back your strength... http://chocolat.chapon.free.fr/decouverte.htm Time to go to Versailles...? http://www.chateauversailles.fr Neat site...enter an address and gather info on area...map, bust stops, Metro... http://www.citefutee.com/Proxi/proxi.php Perhaps a nice dinner... http://www.blanc.net/ Want to see what the restaurant and neighbourhood look like? The famous pages jaunes...enter an address, get a picture of the buidling, then using the arrows you can 'walk' around the neighbourhood..Note you need the arrondissements eg. Paris 16 http://www.pagesjaunes.fr/ A nighttime bus tour... http://www.parisvision.com/fr/index.cfm And off to bed... http://www.accorhotels.com/accorhotels/index.html http://www.timhotel.com/hotels/us/index.html http://www.travel-in-paris.com/hotel...me/english.htm http://www.myhotelinparis.com/hotels2/023.htm More to come Mike |
Chocolates in Paris:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...mp;tid=1278655 A list can be found here: http://www.french-at-a-touch.com/Gou.../chocolate.htm Also here: http://www.timeout.com/paris/shops/26.html And here: http://www.ivillage.co.uk/travel/ins...2641-2,00.html A degustation experience that compares Richart, Christian Constant, Dalloyan and Maison du Chocolat: http://www.andrews.edu/~penner/chocolate/parisfour.html [I should add that I did a own taste test recently with Richart, CC, Maison, Hevin and Debauve et Gallais. I still like Maison the most, and Hevin is very good as well. Richart chocolates are extremely beautiful.] This interesting link has pictures of the display cases of the pastry section of the various patisseries and chocolatiers: http://forums.egullet.com/index.php?...p;#entry575548 |
HOTEL SEARCHES
(all sites show photos, some show comments; cannot personally vouch for booking through them) ------------------------------------- <> These have photos, customer reviews and/or ratings: www.venere.com www.hotelclub.net www.france.com www.1stparishotels.com www.france-hotels.net/ www.cybevasion.com/hotels/france/paris.html <> These have photos but no customer reviews www.france-hotel-guide.com www.parishotels.com www.hotels-paris.com www.parisby.com http://www.123france.com/123/en/rech...hp?ville=Paris www.webscapades.com <> For more customer comments: (not a hotel booking site) www.paris.org www.tripadvisor.com |
Pariscope magazine
Purchase Pariscope at a news kiosk when you arrive in Paris. This cost 0.40 Euro as of July 2004. This is a small magazine, in French, that lists concerts, films, theater, other events, and lots of additional information. I have not found an online link that contains the same information. |
tipping in Paris, suggestions, discussion
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...amp;dirtyBit=1 Tipping suggestions http://www.worldexecutive.com/citygu...etiquette.html www.fodors.com (click on tipping guides) Concierges: http://conciergeassoc.org/concierg/concierg.htm |
some restaurants with a view
Restaurants with a View Toupary, fifth floor, La Samaritaine department store, 2 quai du Louvre, right bank. Closed Sunday. Reserve for lunch--they get a large business crowd. La Tour d?Argent, 15 quai de la Tournelle, left bank. A very famous and old restaurant. Quite expensive, though lunch may be considered more affordable. Breathtaking view of Notre Dame. Dressy. Le Jules Verne, 2nd level, Eiffel Tower. phone 1 45 55 20 04, fax 1 47 05 29 41. Reserve months in advance. Dressy and very very expensive.Expect to pay hundreds, dollars or euro. Altitude, 1st level, Eiffel Tower. Food not as good as the Jules Verne, but prices are much less. Telephone 1 45 55 20 04. Reserve weeks in advance. Le Ciel de Paris, in the Montparnasse Tower, 33 Avenue du Maine, in the 15th. Has spectacular view of all of Paris including the Eiffel Tower. Food said to be so-so. http://www.cieldeparis.com/ENG/index_ENG_FLASH.htm Le Totem, 17 place du Trocadero. Wonderful close-up view of the Eiffel Tower, great esp. at night. Smart-casual setting tel 1 47 27 28 29. I ate there several years ago, I thought the food mediocre and over-priced for what it was, yet not horribly expensive. But for one casual meal, the view made it an okay choice. |
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weather websites
http://www.paris.org/Accueil/Climate/ weather and climate all over France, also has historical data http://www.accuweather.com/adcbin/in...xcountry=EU;FR Paris 5-day forecast www.wunderground.com On the home page you can click on the Europe map, and on the next screen click on your country. Then you get a list of cities to click on. When you do that, you get a screen with the forecast on the right side, but on the left side, under Conditions, there is a submenu offering for historical weather info. www.weatherbase.com and www.washingtonpost.com have historical data www.worldclimate.com/ has historical data www.nytimes.com/ www.weather.com/ Compute sunrise and sunset times http://aa.usno.navy.mil/AA/data/docs/RS_OneDay.html Also www.mindspring.com/~cavu/sunset.html |
For Jewish travelers
www.shamash.org www.jewishtravel.com http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/...ris96kash.html kosher restaurants in Paris www.haruth.com/JewsFrance.html http://www.cityorganiser.co.uk/paris...t/worship1.htm list of places for Jewish worship www.bnaibrith-europe/org http://www.mjlf.col.fr/home.htm www.ecjc.org www.jewishroutes.com/ www.kashrut.com Synagogues in Paris: Those seeking Orthodox synagogues should contact the Consistoire de Paris. There are also two liberal synagogues in Paris whose services are similar to American Reform: Mouvement Juif Liberale de France, 11 rue de Cailavet, 75015 Paris, 01-45-75-38-01. Union Liberale Israelite de France, 22-24 rue Copernic, 75016 Paris, 01-47-04-37-27 Many American residents and visitors attend services here and services are partly in English. This information is also available on the French Jewish Community web site at www.col.fr. which includes kosher restaurants in Paris and elsewhere. Site is in French. |
thread about traveling in Paris in a wheelchair: http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...12&start=0
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Paris Metro -- what to buy (carnet vs. Carte Orange), tips:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34520107 |
miscellaneous websites
www.voila.fr web phone directory www.paris-anglo.com suggestions for sightseeing, daytrips, shopping, etc including special activities for English-speakers http://info-france-usa.org/america/embassy/custom information on French customs, bringing animals www.timeout.com, click on Paris tons of information, esp restaurants, shopping www.1france.com travel packages for France, destination guides, gifts, food, hotel info www.info-france-usa.org French embassy site, has info for travelers (holidays, etc) www.francetourism.com French Tourist Office. For brochures, in the US call (410) 286 8310 www.paris-capital.com http://gotofrance.net/index.htm includes weather http://us.franceguide.com/magazine/a...&idc=11450 general info, sometimes hotel promotions www.webscapades.com/france/paris/paris.htm descriptions of arrondissements (districts) and neighborhoods A small selection of "insiders' " shops, hotels and restaurants: http://www.nytimes.com/library/magaz...tra-paris.html http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countr..._and_Exhibits/ museums of Paris broken down into categories such as Art, history, natural history and observatories. http://www.parisdigest.com/ includes articles on the museums of Paris as well as pictures of particular works of art that hang on their walls. Also, activities for children http://www.paris-galleries.com/ a brief blurb about Paris museums and galleries as well as telephone numbers, addresses and the hours of operation. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...de_France.html attractions in Paris accompanied by a brief, informative description and some user reviews. http://www.france-hotels.net/english/tourisme.asp the information you need to get you into the monument or museum--you?ll find ticket pricing, hours of operation, address and telephone. Hotels too. http://www.french-at-a-touch.com/Ind...ne_museums.htm This site includes links to web pages of particular museums, but also includes web cams of some of the great monuments in Paris. You can also read about particular French artists here such as Degas and Monet. www.parisbalades.com architectural walks, plus clicks to other sites for events, museums, etc www.wfi.fr/metropole/1999/414/414oldie.html an article and pics of the oldest houses in Paris www.parisinsites.com weather tips, good current museum info, transportation, general info www.paris-touristoffice.com sightseeing, transportation, tours, things for children, hotels, etc. Good site! www.francentral.com: food, travel, art, news, plus a selection of articles from the publication France Today www.paris-tourism.com clicks for airports, sightseeing, paris for kids, walking itineraries for short visits, shopping, electricity, embassies,weather, hostels,etc www.francentral.com: food, travel, art, news, plus a selection of articles from the publication France Today www.paris-tourism.com clicks for airports, sightseeing, paris for kids, walking itineraries for short visits, shopping, electricity, embassies,weather, hostels,etc www.writing.org Click on "Durant Imboden" and then on "Europe for Visitors" . Much good info on Paris www.metropoleparis.com www.jack-travel.com personal web page, lots of info http://www.paris-anglo.com/guide/ask/index.php living in , studying in, visiting Paris info (in French) on Paris's churches: http://www.pariserve.tm.fr/quartier/egl.htm www.francekeys.com / commercial site but links to lots of free info including passports, currency, French language practice on line, smaller Paris museums, email cards, book sightseeing and excursions, shopping,etc http://www.ga/tes96.com/cam/Europe/F...ml?travel.html links to hotels, restaurants, sightseeing www.writing.org Click on "Durant Imboden" and then on "Europe for Visitors" . www.metropoleparis.com www.jack-travel.com personal web page, lots of info http://www.paris-anglo.com/guide/ask/index.php living in , studying in, visiting Paris info (in French) on Paris's churches: http://www.pariserve.tm.fr/quartier/egl.htm www.francekeys.com / commercial site but links to lots of free info including passports, currency, French language practice on line, smaller Paris museums, email cards, book sightseeing and excursions, shopping,etc http://www.ga/tes96.com/cam/Europe/F...ml?travel.html links to hotels, restaurants, sightseeing |
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visiitng Pere Lachaise cemetery
Open every day. Free entry. This cemetery is the burial site of Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, Heloise and Abelard, Gertrude Stein, and many other notables. www.paris.org/Expos/PereLachaise/pl.history.html has maps of the cemetery www.gargl.net/lachaise/ has printable maps of each section If you go bring sneakers or comfortable walking shoes to Paris, this is the place to wear them. The roadways, such as they are, are cobblestone. To find some of the graves you have to walk among them in the dirt. And, there are very very steep hills in this cemetery. Near the main entrance (at the Pere LaChaise metro stop) there is someone who sells maps of the cemetery, and there?s no point in going in unless you have a map. However, next time I?m going to travel to the next metro stop on the same line, the Gambetta stop. Perhaps there is someone at that entrance also selling maps. That stop is closer to the graves of Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, and Gertrude Stein, but more importantly, it might avoid having to climb those amazingly difficult hills. If there is no one at that stop selling maps (and I?d be surprised) it would still be better imo to buy the map at the Pere LaChaise entrance and then walk on the street around the cemetery, or get back on the metro for one stop to get to the other entrance, rather than scaling the hills through the cemetery. |
More about Carte Orange:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34482864 Printable guide to Paris transport: http://www.atkielski.com/PDF/data/ParMetro.pdf A really neat routing program for Palm or Pocket PC: http://nanika.net/metro |
Various metro passes are also good on the following,check the ratp site for current details:
There is an electric Montmartrobus that climbs up to Sacre Coeur from Jules Joffrin (metro Jules Joffrin) and then down to Place Pigalle. Because the streets are mostly one-way, you get a nice tour of Montmartre, including the vineyard, the Lapin Agile, etc. With the Carte Orange Hebdomadaire you can get on and off as many times as you like. For a route map: http://www.ratp.fr/ParisVisite/Image...s_paris/18.pdf |
planning a visit to the Louvre
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34521481 louvre website www.louvre.fr |
good places for photo ops in Paris
(vantage points for great photos) http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...mp;tid=1344810 http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34520955 |
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More about transportation:
Carte Orange & Mobilis price list charts: http://www.gisparis.com/paris/paris_....htm#pricelist Batobus is a real bargain... discounted if you have Carte Orange. There is now a combined L'Open Tour/Batobus ticket: http://www.batobus.com/ |
Some links from an older thread
cmt Date: 03/30/2004, 06:05 pm Message: Here's a thread re another possible day trip from Paris without a car: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34487543 Another day trip from Paris without a car: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34475530 and more: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34456888 |
<b>Guided bu$ tour$? Who n€€ds 'em?</b>
If you're the teensiest bit adventurous, you can get a fine overview of all the top landmarks on the cheap. Just grab your RATP transport pass (Carte Orange or Mobilis), and print out the "Bus touristique" map from this page: <b>http://www.citefutee.com/orienter/tous_plans_pdf.php</b> (Note that the dotted lines are l'Open Tour routes - you want the RATP routes with numbers embedded in the lines.) Jump on the nearest <i>autobus</i>...and knock yourself out! |
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