Paris Trip Impressions
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Paris Trip Impressions
A friend and I flew overnight from Newark, NJ to Paris on 4/5 and spent 8+ days there. I didn’t write down everything we did, places we ate at and visited, etc. so this doesn’t qualify as an official trip report, but I wanted to write some impressions. This was our fifth trip in as many years.
The first impression is of the weather. No one has control over this, but the perfect weather really contributed to the enjoyment of the trip. Temps were in the low 40’s at night, and went from the middle to high 60’s during the first several days and climbed to the low 70’s towards the end of our stay. This allowed us to do the thing that we most enjoy in Paris – walking almost everywhere. My friend had bought a pedometer and to the extent that this was calibrated correctly we walked just under 150 miles, averaging 18 miles per day and hitting a high of 28 one day. We pretty much began every day by walking to and along the Seine, and from there to where ever we were going that day. Paris is a very walkable city.
Second impression is of the hotel and the package that they offered. We stayed at the Hotel Millesime on the Rue Jacob. The room was a little larger than those of other hotels we have stayed in and there was a nice central, outdoor courtyard where we could sit since the weather was so good. They provided a computer in the lobby with free Internet access that we used quite a bit. And the breakfast was better than we have had in the past, with a greater variety of choices. But, as always, it was the location in the 6th which was the most important thing – two blocks from the Seine and two blocks from the Blvd St Germain (and Les Deux Magots, the Café Bonaparte, Le Conti, Le Buci, The Bar Bon Marche, etc.)
The package, which they called the tete-a-tete, included breakfast, which we were not going to get this trip but which we were glad we did. It also included a ride from the airport (CDG) in a car. Once we got through customs and picked up our bags, there was a driver waiting for us with our names on a little card. This was a nice way to start our trip since we didn’t have to wait for other passengers or find our way to a train. We booked a van for the return when our vacation was over – 32.00 euros for two.
Another part of the package included two metro passes for one day. Since we always use one day to take the metro to Montmartre, we used these for that trip one morning, but we also used them to ride back to the Petit Palais to see an exhibition of John Singer Sargent’s paintings. Afterwards, we stopped at the hotel for a while, but then used the passes once again to go back to Montmartre for dinner. Before leaving when we were there in the morning we looked at places to eat, and since we had the passes we decided to go back and see Paris at night and have dinner. On our next trip we might just go later in the afternoon, but having the passes made this very convenient. The restaurant we ate at is Le Poulbot, a small place which is not on the square which surrounds all of the artists. Very good escargo and cassolet with a cheese assortment for desert. With a bottle of wine it came to 54.00 euros.
Another part of the package included two tickets for the Vedettes De Pont Nuef which we used one afternoon. It was convenient to have the passes since we could avoid the line of people waiting to buy tickets. There is probably not to much new to say about a Seine cruise except to say take it, and if the weather is good take one during the day and one at night. Which company you use doesn’t matter, but the Batteaux Mouches is so big.
We were also given two bottles of wine which we used for one of our favorite nighttime activities – sitting on the Pont des Arts after dark and sipping wine and just being with all of the other people. Again, the weather made this so much more enjoyable. And the Pont des Arts has benches. The other thing we did at night was to walk to the Eiffel Tower to be within touching distance when it is lit up and begins to sparkel. It is so much more majestic at night and if you have never done this it’s worth a try.
As far as eating goes, we have several favorite restaurants which we go to each trip now; the Brasserie D’Ile St Louis for charcroute garni and the onion tart and a bottle of wine (49.90 euros). Le Borbon in the Latin Quarter for salad and moules frites (38.50 euros). And a little place just off the Blvd St Germain called L’insulaire. We have a prix fix meal here which ends with a cheese assortment. This year it came to 38.00 euros which includes the ever present bottle or carafe of wine.
But I think it would be uninteresting to plan where to have every meal. We wander around particular areas, the Marais, Montparnasse and esp on or just off the rue Mouffetard, and read menus and find new places. One was not so much a discovery – we had a good dinner of salad and steak frites at Le Select. (43.00 euros). But one new place is L’Auberge de la Mouff at 83 rue de Mouffetard where we had a salad and moules a la Provance, and wine for 30.90 euros. And the above mentioned restaurant in Montmartre.
One other thing we have started doing is spending about an hour at Mariage Freres and buying tea. It is just fun to read the labels and then ask to smell the tea and then to buy or not to buy. This year… French Breakfast Tea, Russian Tea, Opium Hill, Lotus Blanc, Lapsang Souchong Imperial, Marco Polo Rouge. And two other teas which the nice man just gave to us because we seemed to be so interested in the various types. He tells you what temperature to heat the water to and how long to steep the tea.
And we go to various open air markets, walk along the lines of sellers, and try samples of cheese, olives, meat, etc. One of these years I’m going to take a big mug of beer to one of these to wash everything down. I bought a bag of roasted pistachios to be used later that day at a café. And one other day just some grapes. And we found a wine bar at the suggestion of an Englishman we sat next to one day – Le Baron Rouge. They have several dozen open bottles of wine which you can choose from, but they still serve glasses of wine from casks. For others that may want to visit Le Baron Rouge:
1, Rue Théophile Roussel
75012 PARIS 12 ème
Ile-de-France
www.wineterroirs.com/2004..._bars.html
It is right on the corner of MARCHÉ ALIGRE.
I found my favorite beers – the big three B’s; Leffe, Wilfort, and Pelfort (Brune). I have trouble pronouncing “brune.” It comes out more like blonde and I usually get the wrong thing. So I asked a waiter one night “Comment on dit “brune?” He said “Bruuun-ah, comme La Luna.” So now I have no trouble getting what I want.
Can’t wait until next year.
Pjk
The first impression is of the weather. No one has control over this, but the perfect weather really contributed to the enjoyment of the trip. Temps were in the low 40’s at night, and went from the middle to high 60’s during the first several days and climbed to the low 70’s towards the end of our stay. This allowed us to do the thing that we most enjoy in Paris – walking almost everywhere. My friend had bought a pedometer and to the extent that this was calibrated correctly we walked just under 150 miles, averaging 18 miles per day and hitting a high of 28 one day. We pretty much began every day by walking to and along the Seine, and from there to where ever we were going that day. Paris is a very walkable city.
Second impression is of the hotel and the package that they offered. We stayed at the Hotel Millesime on the Rue Jacob. The room was a little larger than those of other hotels we have stayed in and there was a nice central, outdoor courtyard where we could sit since the weather was so good. They provided a computer in the lobby with free Internet access that we used quite a bit. And the breakfast was better than we have had in the past, with a greater variety of choices. But, as always, it was the location in the 6th which was the most important thing – two blocks from the Seine and two blocks from the Blvd St Germain (and Les Deux Magots, the Café Bonaparte, Le Conti, Le Buci, The Bar Bon Marche, etc.)
The package, which they called the tete-a-tete, included breakfast, which we were not going to get this trip but which we were glad we did. It also included a ride from the airport (CDG) in a car. Once we got through customs and picked up our bags, there was a driver waiting for us with our names on a little card. This was a nice way to start our trip since we didn’t have to wait for other passengers or find our way to a train. We booked a van for the return when our vacation was over – 32.00 euros for two.
Another part of the package included two metro passes for one day. Since we always use one day to take the metro to Montmartre, we used these for that trip one morning, but we also used them to ride back to the Petit Palais to see an exhibition of John Singer Sargent’s paintings. Afterwards, we stopped at the hotel for a while, but then used the passes once again to go back to Montmartre for dinner. Before leaving when we were there in the morning we looked at places to eat, and since we had the passes we decided to go back and see Paris at night and have dinner. On our next trip we might just go later in the afternoon, but having the passes made this very convenient. The restaurant we ate at is Le Poulbot, a small place which is not on the square which surrounds all of the artists. Very good escargo and cassolet with a cheese assortment for desert. With a bottle of wine it came to 54.00 euros.
Another part of the package included two tickets for the Vedettes De Pont Nuef which we used one afternoon. It was convenient to have the passes since we could avoid the line of people waiting to buy tickets. There is probably not to much new to say about a Seine cruise except to say take it, and if the weather is good take one during the day and one at night. Which company you use doesn’t matter, but the Batteaux Mouches is so big.
We were also given two bottles of wine which we used for one of our favorite nighttime activities – sitting on the Pont des Arts after dark and sipping wine and just being with all of the other people. Again, the weather made this so much more enjoyable. And the Pont des Arts has benches. The other thing we did at night was to walk to the Eiffel Tower to be within touching distance when it is lit up and begins to sparkel. It is so much more majestic at night and if you have never done this it’s worth a try.
As far as eating goes, we have several favorite restaurants which we go to each trip now; the Brasserie D’Ile St Louis for charcroute garni and the onion tart and a bottle of wine (49.90 euros). Le Borbon in the Latin Quarter for salad and moules frites (38.50 euros). And a little place just off the Blvd St Germain called L’insulaire. We have a prix fix meal here which ends with a cheese assortment. This year it came to 38.00 euros which includes the ever present bottle or carafe of wine.
But I think it would be uninteresting to plan where to have every meal. We wander around particular areas, the Marais, Montparnasse and esp on or just off the rue Mouffetard, and read menus and find new places. One was not so much a discovery – we had a good dinner of salad and steak frites at Le Select. (43.00 euros). But one new place is L’Auberge de la Mouff at 83 rue de Mouffetard where we had a salad and moules a la Provance, and wine for 30.90 euros. And the above mentioned restaurant in Montmartre.
One other thing we have started doing is spending about an hour at Mariage Freres and buying tea. It is just fun to read the labels and then ask to smell the tea and then to buy or not to buy. This year… French Breakfast Tea, Russian Tea, Opium Hill, Lotus Blanc, Lapsang Souchong Imperial, Marco Polo Rouge. And two other teas which the nice man just gave to us because we seemed to be so interested in the various types. He tells you what temperature to heat the water to and how long to steep the tea.
And we go to various open air markets, walk along the lines of sellers, and try samples of cheese, olives, meat, etc. One of these years I’m going to take a big mug of beer to one of these to wash everything down. I bought a bag of roasted pistachios to be used later that day at a café. And one other day just some grapes. And we found a wine bar at the suggestion of an Englishman we sat next to one day – Le Baron Rouge. They have several dozen open bottles of wine which you can choose from, but they still serve glasses of wine from casks. For others that may want to visit Le Baron Rouge:
1, Rue Théophile Roussel
75012 PARIS 12 ème
Ile-de-France
www.wineterroirs.com/2004..._bars.html
It is right on the corner of MARCHÉ ALIGRE.
I found my favorite beers – the big three B’s; Leffe, Wilfort, and Pelfort (Brune). I have trouble pronouncing “brune.” It comes out more like blonde and I usually get the wrong thing. So I asked a waiter one night “Comment on dit “brune?” He said “Bruuun-ah, comme La Luna.” So now I have no trouble getting what I want.
Can’t wait until next year.
Pjk
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Very much enjoyed your report - we leave in 8 days! Have made note of several of your restaurant suggestions. What company did you book your return trip to CDG? Sounds like a reasonable price. Also, were your restaurant prices for one or two? Thanks again for your report!
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Peter, I loved it! The fact you found L'Insulaire, that tiny little place in amongst the hustle and bustle of Rue Gregoire de Tours brought back memories of a divine evening with two other Fodorite ladies!
You are so lucky to get to Paris so often - I'm totally jealous as hell!
Thanks for the other reccommendations like Auberge de la Mouffe. May I suggest another?
Wander up Rue de Charonne until you get to the corner of Ledru Rollin at number 116, you will find Le Bistrot du Peintre. Wonderful Art Noveau interior, especially the large mirror behind the old zinc bar.
I had the best tart tatin ever!
You are so lucky to get to Paris so often - I'm totally jealous as hell!
Thanks for the other reccommendations like Auberge de la Mouffe. May I suggest another?
Wander up Rue de Charonne until you get to the corner of Ledru Rollin at number 116, you will find Le Bistrot du Peintre. Wonderful Art Noveau interior, especially the large mirror behind the old zinc bar.
I had the best tart tatin ever!
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I'm going to forget something...
1. The photos on the hotel web page are very much like the hotel itself. (You know how somethimes you are looking at photos taken years ago and don't really reflect the place as it is now?) And if you click on Rooms, the first one you see is the one we had. It was very nice.
2. All prices are for two and always include a bottle or carafe of wine. I think they are pretty reasonable and I don't think it is worth while spending much more than we did. Omelettes and crote monsieur or madame or those sandwiches everone seems to make (on a small baguette) are nice in the afternoon and we had one of each.
3. We booked the Yellow van but the thing to do is to ask if the hotel can recomment a service. If they do it is generally less expensive.
4. L'Insulaire has become a fav and we try to go there on the first night of a visit.
Thanks
Pjk
1. The photos on the hotel web page are very much like the hotel itself. (You know how somethimes you are looking at photos taken years ago and don't really reflect the place as it is now?) And if you click on Rooms, the first one you see is the one we had. It was very nice.
2. All prices are for two and always include a bottle or carafe of wine. I think they are pretty reasonable and I don't think it is worth while spending much more than we did. Omelettes and crote monsieur or madame or those sandwiches everone seems to make (on a small baguette) are nice in the afternoon and we had one of each.
3. We booked the Yellow van but the thing to do is to ask if the hotel can recomment a service. If they do it is generally less expensive.
4. L'Insulaire has become a fav and we try to go there on the first night of a visit.
Thanks
Pjk
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Peter, we've definitely put L'Insulaire on our Nov. list. I told a friend about it and she is trying it out next month. I've walked by that street 100's of times but don't think I've ever ventured up to see what it held!
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I just put together the day-to-day costs for that last trip. I didn't jot down the name of every cafe we stopped at for a drink nor did I include small items - olives or grapes at an open air market, but I included the "big-hitters." We always included a bottle or carafe of wine with dinner and we always have a last drink at night.
We were given passes for a Seine cruise (Vedettes, saved about 20.00 e) and two one-day passes for the metro which we used for two trips in one day to Montmartre (saved 5.20 e)
Costs are in euros and there is the conversion to dollars from my cc whenever I charged somthing. I hope this comes out 1/2 way formatted.
HTH
4/5 Rio Douro $50.00 (Newark Airport Snack and drinks
4/6 Taxi tip 5.00 e (hotel provided ride
Café des Arts 7.40 e (drinks
L’Insulaire 38.00 e (dinner $50.86
Café Bonaparte 13.50 e (drinks $18.07
La Taverne 10.40 e (drinks
4/7 Café Corona 22.50 e (drinks
Brasseris St Lo 20.00 e (drinks
Brasseris St Lo 49.90 e (dinner $66.78
4/8 9.20 e (drinks
12.75 e (stamps
4.00 e (sandwich
Café Rive Droit 24.50 e drinks $32.75
Hellenis 46.00 e (dinner $61.49
20.00 e (drinks ?
4/9 8.85 e (stamps
8.00 e (coffee
Paris Walks 20.00 e (B
7.70 e (drinks
Le Bourbon 38.50 e (dinner $51.75
Relais Odeon 19.80 e (drinks $26.61
Labourdine Paris 22.50 e(drinks $30.24
Marriage Freres 75.00 e (tea
4/10 Montmartre 13.00 e (drinks
12.00 e (drinks
15.00 e (drinks
4.00 e (sandwich (B
Le Poulbot 54.00 e (dinner $72.56
12.00 e (drinks
S N D SARL 36.80 e ( $51.87
4/11 Petit Palais 18.00 e (B
12.30 e (drinks (B
12.80 e (drinks (B
Baron Rouge 7.20 e (drinks
Le Diplomate 39.00 e (dinner $52.60
4/12 Le Bonaparte 23.60 e(drink $31.96
Rest. La Faye 29.10 e (lunch $39.41
10.00 e (drinks
30.90 e (dinner (B
Deux Magots 14.70 e (drinks
4/13 14.00 e (bibleotech (B
7.80 e (drinks (B
Pre de Clare 25.00 e (drinks
Le Select 43.00 e (dinner $58.24
4/14 Shuttle 32.00 e
10.00 $ (Beers on plane
Pjk
We were given passes for a Seine cruise (Vedettes, saved about 20.00 e) and two one-day passes for the metro which we used for two trips in one day to Montmartre (saved 5.20 e)
Costs are in euros and there is the conversion to dollars from my cc whenever I charged somthing. I hope this comes out 1/2 way formatted.
HTH
4/5 Rio Douro $50.00 (Newark Airport Snack and drinks
4/6 Taxi tip 5.00 e (hotel provided ride
Café des Arts 7.40 e (drinks
L’Insulaire 38.00 e (dinner $50.86
Café Bonaparte 13.50 e (drinks $18.07
La Taverne 10.40 e (drinks
4/7 Café Corona 22.50 e (drinks
Brasseris St Lo 20.00 e (drinks
Brasseris St Lo 49.90 e (dinner $66.78
4/8 9.20 e (drinks
12.75 e (stamps
4.00 e (sandwich
Café Rive Droit 24.50 e drinks $32.75
Hellenis 46.00 e (dinner $61.49
20.00 e (drinks ?
4/9 8.85 e (stamps
8.00 e (coffee
Paris Walks 20.00 e (B
7.70 e (drinks
Le Bourbon 38.50 e (dinner $51.75
Relais Odeon 19.80 e (drinks $26.61
Labourdine Paris 22.50 e(drinks $30.24
Marriage Freres 75.00 e (tea
4/10 Montmartre 13.00 e (drinks
12.00 e (drinks
15.00 e (drinks
4.00 e (sandwich (B
Le Poulbot 54.00 e (dinner $72.56
12.00 e (drinks
S N D SARL 36.80 e ( $51.87
4/11 Petit Palais 18.00 e (B
12.30 e (drinks (B
12.80 e (drinks (B
Baron Rouge 7.20 e (drinks
Le Diplomate 39.00 e (dinner $52.60
4/12 Le Bonaparte 23.60 e(drink $31.96
Rest. La Faye 29.10 e (lunch $39.41
10.00 e (drinks
30.90 e (dinner (B
Deux Magots 14.70 e (drinks
4/13 14.00 e (bibleotech (B
7.80 e (drinks (B
Pre de Clare 25.00 e (drinks
Le Select 43.00 e (dinner $58.24
4/14 Shuttle 32.00 e
10.00 $ (Beers on plane
Pjk
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I have to say we could save 30 % a night for dinner by not having either a bottle or carafe of wine and maybe 100.00 e / trip by eliminating that last drink at night, but we go once a year and we are in Paris and the weather was so nice so why deny ourselves?
We once had that last drink at night huddled under plastic at the Cafe Bonaparte, though.
Pjk
We once had that last drink at night huddled under plastic at the Cafe Bonaparte, though.
Pjk
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