Paris - Where to wander?
 

I like the idea of spending a lot of unstructured time just discovering places on our own...but I'd like to be pointed in the right direction.

Are there streets/subway stops which are more conducive to fruitful wandering than others?

You absolutely can't go wrong riding Métro Ligne 4 to Vavin, or 4 or 6 to Denfert-Rochereau, or 13 to Gaîté.

Very Parisian without being touristy, as Montparnasse is more like a little village than a city neighborhood.

I haven't done this yet, but I've always wanted to walk the Viaduc des Arts.
From my understanding, it's an old elevated section of railway that's been turned into a garden walkway. Underneath, in the archways, are numerous artist's shops. It's in the 12th. From my map it looks to be closest to the Bastille metro station or Gare de Lyon. It runs along Avenue Daumesnil.

In late May we strolled along the Viaduc des Artes - well at least along the top it it. Very lovely stroll; lots of flowers, very peaceful, took us to a park with lots of locals and children playing. Another day we went to the park with the botanical garden and zoo I think - we enjoyed that outing too. A suggestion I have not been able to follow up on yet is the Canal St. Martin - I think you can stroll or take a boat trip on parts of it. That's onmy list for next time.

We loved wandering through the area around Parc Monceau. Beautiful neighborhood. I would combine it with a visit to the Musee Jacquemart-Andre. The museum also has a delightful dining room for lunch or Sunday brunch.

If it's raining:

http://www.shortcitybreak.co.uk/passages/

Having heard for years the canal boat trip was a fascinating part of "undiscovered" Paris, I took it the last time I was there and found it quite long and not very interesting.

I second Parc Monceau. It's also a lovely walk from the metro stop to the Marmottan museum, which is a must if you are a Monet fan.

What we often did was have a destination in mind (like the Marmottan) but got off the metro at a decent distance from our destination and wander our way there. We saw a lot of Paris we wouldn't otherwise have seen if we had ridden the metro or bus to the stop closest to our destination.

I agree on the Canal St Martin thing.

I'd suggest going to Passy and walking around there, ave Mozart, etc. There are a lot of good Art Nouveau buildings over there, including where Guimard lived. The Passy cemetery is also mildly interesting, and then that lovely park before you rent the Musee Marmottan. As well as the wine museum and Balzac's house.

Or, go to Pere Lachaise if you haven't been there, then walk all the way back, going north to Milkontant are, and then west on rue Oberkampf until you hit bd Voltaire or around Filles du Calvaire.

Go to the bottom of the 13th/14th around Cite Universitaire, Parc Montsouris and then stroll over to the small "flower" strets near place de Rungis in the 13th at the bottom, then over around place l'Abbe Henocque and north by Sainte Anne's church through Butte aux Cailles, endling at place d'Italie.

Nothing you couldn't figure out for yourself and at the risk of being obvious... both sides of the Seine River, Luxembourg Gardens, the Tuileries, around Notre Dame, in front of the Eiffel Tower.

bookmarking

For me, I can just wander anywhere in Paris. I just go where ever the mood strikes. I have been twice now and still have soooo much yet to see.

Tom

The passages, 19th c. covered shopping streets found mostly in the 2nd, 9th and 10th arrondissements.

Here's a link to get started: http://www.france-for-visitors.com/p...nd-bourse.html

Tom, I agree. The whole city is made for wandering!

We had fun taking the Metro out to a monument that was across the city from our hotel at the start of the day, then slowly walking our way back... took most of the day. It was fantastic! (We did have a tourist street map with us with points of interest called out.)

melissa19,

Exactly my point. In my two trips I have used the Metro twice. As an avid photographer, I walk everywhere. You never know when a photo op will present itself.

If you are interested you can see my Paris photos at

pbase.com/trsw/paris2007
pbase.com/trsw/paris2006

Tom

TRSW - may I <i>please</i> use some of your photos in my screensaver, so I can see them everyday? So beautiful !

Travelnut,

Thank you for asking. Yes you may use them. If you want high quality prints of any of them please email me at tomsneed6025 at yahoo dot com and I will send you the larger files. The ones at pbase are small files and aren't really good for printing.

May I ask which ones you are going to use?

Tom

Re: Parc Monceau.
There is a wonderful oriental museum there. The Cernushi.
I'm a huge Colette fan and read about her friend/lover Ren&eacute;e Vivan who had this buddha in her place.
I was so surprised to see that R.V. donated it to the Cernushi.

Travelnut,

I forgot to add, thank you so much for the compliment. I am glad you liked the photos.

Tom

Robesperre, I will try Vavin and Denfert today. Since I will be here for 2-3 months R&amp;R, I need all the suggestions I can find- Thanks. If you have any more , please list them. I am also a big wandering fan, and have adopted the Velib's here as my No. 1 preferred mode of transport. You can stop when you like, and after 6-8 hours, your not as tired as walking.

Kate101 - The old disused railway line on top of the Viaduc des Arts (the row of shops underneath), is called Promenade Plantee.
I have strolled this in late September and lately this May.
It is unusual and very interesting but the graffiti is something else!
Yes, the steps are as you turn down Ave.Daumesnil but don't end your walk too soon.
When you have passed through the lovely gardens at the end and walked over the bridge, you come to the old original station building.
If you proceed down onto Avenue Daumesnil at this point you can walk up to Place Felix Eboue where there are cafe`s dotted around a Lion fountain.
If you decide to walk on through the tunnel you will continue on until Chateau de Vincennes.

You may like to read through my trip report - Our Springtime stroll through Paris - where I talk about the walk and what we found.(click on my name and scroll until you find the heading).

You might head for Auteuil and wander there: Metro Michel Ange Auteuil.

Another vote for Auteuil, esp. if you time your visit with the lovely street market. FWIW, one of Guimard's most famous buildings, the Castel Beranger, is in Auteuil and IMO, you find more of his work around Auteuil than Passy.
Except during certain events, Auteuil is a quiet place that still retains a village feel. Also remember, that a couple of metro stops in Auteuil are one-way (for example, the Mirabeau stop).

Thank you for all of the wonderful ideas!

bookmarking

bookmarking. Thanks all

We're heading to Paris in a few weeks, and I got some good suggestions from all of you.
TRSW--your photos are gorgeous. MDH takes pictures of everything, I'll make sure he views yours.

We stay on St. Louis en I'lle, and that is a lovely place to explore.

Another one of our favorite neighborhoods is at Montparnasse and Raspail. Great restaurants, a wonderful children's shop on the corner, and also nice children's shops on Vavin in the area. Vavin is right off of Luxembourg Gardens which is also one of our favorites.

Keep the ideas coming. Merci!

Tom, I just 'borrowed' a couple for the screensaver:

Paris 2006 - the Medici fountain and the Notre Dame front
Paris 2007 - La Pointe St Eustache

~ not that there's anything wrong with the others! :)

TRSW

Viewed your photos again today--stunning! So stunning, I'll probably look at them every day until we leave for Paris.
Merci!

Travelnut and TPAYT,

I am glad you both enjoyed my photos.

For my screensaver I have a combination of shots from all my trips. About halfway through, I have the Medici Fountain from 2006 then dissolves to the same shot from 2007. It is amazing to see just how differnt the colors were exactly (give or take a day)one year later.

Tom

tom,
your photos are just brilliant!!!!!!
i don't go to paris until april 2009 and you have got me counting the days...210...i'll just satisfy myself until then with your photos. thanks for sharing