Activities (easy for tourists to join):
<>Sunday evening salsa lessons - Tino Rossi Square on Quai Saint-Bernard (not sure how 'seasonal' this may be)
<>Number of bike tour companies (we enjoyed BikeaboutTours); there is also Fat Tire, which offers both bike and Segway
<>Short lessons/classes on French conversation, cooking, etc at http://en.meetingthefrench.com/categ...riences_98.htm
<>Take a sketch book or journal and create your own 'memories' of your trip

Happy new year people.

Travelnut, thank you! you are the only one who understood that point. These are the activities im talking about. I will definitely check that out! Do you know any short cooking classes, like a afternoon long cook class? in Paris, Rome, or Amsterdam.

<I think wanderinggal misunderstood some comment about public transportation, no one said there is no need for it. I also suspect she hasn't ever traveled much to big cities, maybe not in Europe, because any major capital city has public transportation so that tourists can get around to major sites that tourists visit. They all just do. So of course you can use the metro and bus system to get wherever you want to do.>

Christina, I havent been in Paris that is why I started this topic. I have been to CITIES, if you dont acknowledge Tokyo, HongKong, Macau,and LA as big cities . I ve been living in Dubai, with trains,buses and all but still its convenient to travel by car. And any city is different coz what I heard is that streets, roads, etc in paris are narrow and most people ride bike, if not walk or use public transpo. So sorry if im not well traveled like u. Im just asking for public opinion which is the main purpose of forums. peace.

Latedaytraveler, I havent decided yet coz my friend is planning to get move to Paris from Amsterdam. Hopefully its somewhere near a train station.

Just to clarify - There is excellent public transportation in Paris. The major streets are not narrow but, in some cases, very wide. The center of the city is fairly compact and many of us walk between major sights, sometime miles a day because Paris is so beautiful we want to take everything in. But to go greater distances, the metro and buses are excellent. While many ride bikes, most walk or take public transportation.

Paris public transportation is probably the easiest in the entire world!!
Guide books will tell you how to use it.
There is an excellent guide by Michael Middleditch for both buses and metro (subway). The buses are nice to use because there isn't the need for walking long corridors underground for some connections. But it is excellent and easy to navigate.
As someone said, however, in the central areas of Paris it is just fun to walk from one site to another.
I like the DK Eyewitness Guide to Paris for being able to "see" an area of Paris and the things you can get to within that area.
It is hard to understand the statement that there "may not be much to see in paris for architecture"!! Definitely need to get a guide book and start reading!! LOL

We took a half day cooking class with Cookin with Class. They have lots of options from half day to full day. We did the macaron class, which we loved. Google their website and see if it fits what you are looking for. We will definitely do another class with them on a future trip, FWIW.

also, Catherine, the chef at Reed Restaurant offers classes. Bon Appetit!