re: first time in Paris
 

I'm going to Paris at the end of this month. I'm not a big fan of toursit trap attractions. I would like to know if anyone can recommend a must see…something local, very Parisian like.

Personally, if it's your first time to Paris, I would not receommend you forego such "major" tourist attractions as Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, l'Arc de Triomphe, Musee d'Orsay and countless others.<BR><BR>Neverthelss, here's something very "Parisien".<BR><BR>Art Victor Hugo, l'homme oc&eacute;an <BR><BR>This exhibition slots into France's year-long celebration of the bicentenary of Hugo's birth - just one of the hundreds of tributes to the author of 'Les Mis&eacute;rables'. Described as 'a portrait of Hugo by himself', the collection of some 400 items - many bequeathed by the great man himself - includes manuscripts, letters and a good number of Hugo's extraordinary drawings and cariacatures. <BR><BR>Until 23 June, 10am-7pm Tue-Sat, noon-7pm Sun, Biblioth&egrave;que nationale de France, Hall Est, quai Fran&ccedil;ois Mauriac, 13th (33 1 5379 5379). Mth Biblioth&egrave;que. <BR><BR>you can find more things like this at: http://www.timeout.com/paris/intagenda.html<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

Notre Dame, Eifel Tower, Sacre Coure, Montemart, Rodin Museum, Invalides, Muse D'Orsay are not tuurist trap locations. <BR><BR>They may, on some days and at certain times of the day, have numerous tourists, but they are NOT tourist traps.<BR><BR>If you do not see a good numnber of these, you might as well stay home and eat at a local French restaurant.

All of Paris is very Parisian like.<BR>Just walk, if you see something that is of interest to you, go inside,stop and eat at an outdoor cafe,wander through the small side streets of the Latin Quarter,the Left Bank off of Blvd St Germain, the neighborhood around the Invalides.The Marais..<BR>Paris will pull you in and you will end up spending days exploring and discovering ~have a good trip.

Are we to infer from your posting that you making an initial trip to Paris and have not yet formed a "battle plan"?<BR>Within 2 months of departure I had a list so long I am still working on it. I have added some places of course on the advice of the contributors to this forum, but the fundamental plan was derived from 3 guidebooks, plus help from French people I know.<BR><BR><BR>

Just got back from Paris and a walk to the top of the Arc De Triomphe is worth mingling w/the tourist. Great view and no wait unlike the Eiffel. Rodin's museum is neat as well.

Considering the rash of synagogue firebombings and anti-Semitic crimes in France, and the inaction of the French authorities, I would like to urge Americans to boycott travel to France until the French government begins to truly crack down on these hate crimes. Please pass this message on! Thank you.

Visit all the important sights like Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, Louvre, etc.<BR><BR>For something to give you a different look at Paris, try Bercy Village (walk southeast through Parc Bercy). Or for a view of the Eiffel Tower never captured in photos, wander through Passy Cemetery. Or the Nissim de Camondo musuem and the Parc Monceau next door.

Walk around the Ile St. Louis, it is very quiet and beautiful and there are a couple of excellent restaurants. Everyone goes to see Versailles, so try Compiegne which is another elegant royal palace.<BR>Boycott France! I would rather go without food. What a silly thing to write.

Don't forget the Opera house!

Just returned last night and some of the things that we really enjoyed were a bike tour, the Musee des Arts et Metiers in the Marais and a free organ concert at St Eustache on Sunday afternoon. I'm also a big fan of any of the markets in Paris...Richard Lenoir is a good one on Sunday mornings.

I agree with much of what's been said.<BR><BR>I'd add the Viaduc des Arts, east of the Bastille Opera. An old railroad trestle that has been converted to house many artisan shops underneath, and a great strolling park on top.<BR><BR>Also, I'd suggest the Rue Mouffetard street market. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

I spent a month in Paris last year, so, of course, had plenty of time to go to less advertised sites. One I particularly like is the Camondo museum. He left his home to Paris in 1936 with beautiful artwork/furniture. Another museum is the Jacquemart/Andre. I love the Cluny and Rodin. My personal favorites are the smaller museum. There is a great museum of Parisian history, the Carnavalet, from the beginning thru, I believe, the 18th century.

Steve:<BR>Perhaps the boycott France response doesn't fit in this thread, but I would hardly call it silly. What if you went to Paris and felt that you couldn't go to Notre Dame or St. Chapelle for fear of a bomb explosion. Well, not too many years ago tourists died in the Marais district becasue of an anti semite's bomb in front of a Jewish restaurant. <BR>Think about visiting Notre Dame and while there being blown apart because of a bomb placed at the deportation memorial nearby.<BR>Sorry, this is not silly. <BR>PS enjoy your pate...hope you remaiin in one piece.

Without any political consideration go to the Paris Mosque.<BR>La Mosqu&eacute;e de Paris 39 rue St-Hilaire, 5e, M° Censier-Daubenton, tel: 01 43 31 38 20, open daily<BR>a wonderful tearoom. the hamman is a steamroom with segregated days for men and women. The hamman is really off beat and interesting. Allow 4 hours for this.