Rue Cler
Oct 4th, 2006, 06:27 PM
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I believe that the huge amount of press and popularity are largely due to Rick Steves. He loves (or says he does) rue Cler, and many people have visited there because of his recommendations. Me, I was disappointed. Of all the places I revisit in Paris, r.C. isn't one of them.
It's a nice little street with some food shops and it's pedestrian friendly.
It's a nice little street with some food shops and it's pedestrian friendly.
Oct 4th, 2006, 06:50 PM
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Ok, I'm a bit slow tonight. What's the slow travel website? I stayed on Rue Cler for 1/2 of my last trip, and while it was ok, I wouldn't go out of my way to return. Rue Daguerre seemed to be the similar, but much less touristy.
Oct 4th, 2006, 07:48 PM
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Don't know why there is a special new thread on this subject.If the sender would have gone to search on rue Cler he would have had a thread that would have loads of answers and kept him occupied for hours.
Oct 4th, 2006, 11:58 PM
#6
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Hi
Check out this link: http://www.slowtrav.com/france/paris...ler_market.htm
Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures
Check out this link: http://www.slowtrav.com/france/paris...ler_market.htm
Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures
Oct 5th, 2006, 04:14 AM
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It is not someplace I would consider staying but we always mange to go over & wander through at least once when we visit Paris. I usually pick up olive oil & other food related items there...& usually grab some breakfast.
Oct 5th, 2006, 04:24 AM
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It's a pleasant market street in Paris. I have never read Rick Steves but we have often stayed at the Muguet and have breakfast on rue Cler. It is "picturesque" to Americans who never see the food delivered to their butcher shops or fruit unloaded from small trucks. The fruit and flower displays are beautiful. AND it really isn't a tourist street--Parisians shop on a daily basis for their food and this (like several others) is an upscale market street with limited motor traffic.
Oct 5th, 2006, 04:54 AM
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You may value other things more than convenience when it comes to shopping - that is certainly your prerogative - but you owe it to people to indicate what it is you do value, before asking them to assess the relative merits of a place or a thing.
It is presumptuous to assume that people all think alike, that "everyone" loves (or hates, as the case may be) a place, and even more presumptuous to assume everyone ought to rate things according to the set of criteria that YOU find sufficient and acceptable. In short, never mind airing your casual contempt for convenience to the Eiffel Tower and Napoleon's tomb as sufficient criteria, just honestly disclose what you require, and ask them to rate the place accordingly. In short, you can be as discriminating as you like in your choices - just avoid sneering at those who are less discriminating, or at least whom you believe to be so.
It is presumptuous to assume that people all think alike, that "everyone" loves (or hates, as the case may be) a place, and even more presumptuous to assume everyone ought to rate things according to the set of criteria that YOU find sufficient and acceptable. In short, never mind airing your casual contempt for convenience to the Eiffel Tower and Napoleon's tomb as sufficient criteria, just honestly disclose what you require, and ask them to rate the place accordingly. In short, you can be as discriminating as you like in your choices - just avoid sneering at those who are less discriminating, or at least whom you believe to be so.
Oct 5th, 2006, 06:02 AM
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the dead horse is still alive...if you do a search on this forum, you will find a small book's worth of discussion on this.
Is R.C the best street market in Paris? probably not. Is it worth a detour? probably not. If you are in the area should you walk by, sure, why not.
I think what gets people wound up is the fact the R.C , via "he whose name evokes much passion", has popularized this location to the point that it has become a cliche (again, for some people) of a place where novice travellers, being told my someone they "trust" that this is the place to go, these are the restaurants to see, hotels,etc..etc..go. THaving guidelines is not such a bad thing if it gets people to go in the first place.
The issue might be when you go to an area and you get an above average number of english speaking, tour guide totting people. Not a point of discussion when it is a tourist site like Eiffel, but when a residential/street market area becomes very popular, does some of the character of that area change because of this? Many fodorites like this area and recommend it, so it is not that regulars shun the area, but you will never hear the same type of discussion about Buci, Monge, and other similar areas.
It's the whole issue of how popularity changes a destination.
Once you've been to Paris and wandered about, the magic of Cler becomes a little more ordinary.
Similarly..look at the Mona Lisa. I get the feeling that people feel they MUST go to the Louvre and see it, it is the most famous painting in the world...to the point that people go to the Louvre, look at it,take a picture, then leave and go elsewhere. The Louvre, plenty of history, the collections, one the best in the world, yet...I've been, I don't think it's the greatest in the world...but someone else may. So, to each his own.
Is R.C the best street market in Paris? probably not. Is it worth a detour? probably not. If you are in the area should you walk by, sure, why not.
I think what gets people wound up is the fact the R.C , via "he whose name evokes much passion", has popularized this location to the point that it has become a cliche (again, for some people) of a place where novice travellers, being told my someone they "trust" that this is the place to go, these are the restaurants to see, hotels,etc..etc..go. THaving guidelines is not such a bad thing if it gets people to go in the first place.
The issue might be when you go to an area and you get an above average number of english speaking, tour guide totting people. Not a point of discussion when it is a tourist site like Eiffel, but when a residential/street market area becomes very popular, does some of the character of that area change because of this? Many fodorites like this area and recommend it, so it is not that regulars shun the area, but you will never hear the same type of discussion about Buci, Monge, and other similar areas.
It's the whole issue of how popularity changes a destination.
Once you've been to Paris and wandered about, the magic of Cler becomes a little more ordinary.
Similarly..look at the Mona Lisa. I get the feeling that people feel they MUST go to the Louvre and see it, it is the most famous painting in the world...to the point that people go to the Louvre, look at it,take a picture, then leave and go elsewhere. The Louvre, plenty of history, the collections, one the best in the world, yet...I've been, I don't think it's the greatest in the world...but someone else may. So, to each his own.
Oct 5th, 2006, 06:21 AM
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Rue Cler is a unique street in a city with 100's of similarly unique streets. One nice thing is it's a pedestrian street and butchers, fruit and veg shops put their wares out in the street. 1000 things would rate above this is i were a first or second or third time Paris tourist.
Oct 5th, 2006, 09:11 AM
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I second Sue's remarks. The one thing I find disappointing on this forum is how some of the more seasoned travellers critique the proposed itineraries of less experienced travellers by dumping on some very nice towns and sights, just because they happen to attract a lot of tourists. I'm sure that everyone means well and seeks to give their fellow travellers insightful advice, but there really is no shame in going to touristy places.
Oct 5th, 2006, 09:15 AM
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Forgot to reply to the actual question here - I agree with those who said that Rue Cler is not worth the detour. I have discovered other similar streets in Paris just by walking around and I'm sure you will too. In my opinion, Rue Cler offers nothing "extra special".
Oct 7th, 2006, 02:54 AM
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Thank you guys for your responses. I learned a lot.
To Bigal: yes you were right. I really should have done that and have since you recommended it. thank you.
To Sue xx yy:
"...you owe it to people to indicate what it is you do value, before asking them to assess the relative merits of a place or a thing. "
I really just wanted an opinion on the subject, and ANY opinion at that. I didn't realize I had to say what I valued to get that. But in the future, I will try to remember this.
"It is presumptuous to assume that people all think alike, that "everyone" loves (or hates, as the case may be) a place, and even more presumptuous to assume everyone ought to rate things according to the set of criteria that YOU find sufficient and acceptable."
I'm sorry if I seemed to have presumed that. Most people I had spoken to raved about it so I thought most everyone liked the area.
"In short, never mind airing your casual contempt for convenience to the Eiffel Tower and Napoleon's tomb as sufficient criteria, just honestly disclose what you require, and ask them to rate the place accordingly. In short, you can be as discriminating as you like in your choices - just avoid sneering at those who are less discriminating, or at least whom you believe to be so. "
I wasn't sneering at its proximity to these landmarks. That's all I knew about the subject and I was just trying to show any responders that so they could tell me a bit more.
Again, thank you all for responding!
To Bigal: yes you were right. I really should have done that and have since you recommended it. thank you.
To Sue xx yy:
"...you owe it to people to indicate what it is you do value, before asking them to assess the relative merits of a place or a thing. "
I really just wanted an opinion on the subject, and ANY opinion at that. I didn't realize I had to say what I valued to get that. But in the future, I will try to remember this.
"It is presumptuous to assume that people all think alike, that "everyone" loves (or hates, as the case may be) a place, and even more presumptuous to assume everyone ought to rate things according to the set of criteria that YOU find sufficient and acceptable."
I'm sorry if I seemed to have presumed that. Most people I had spoken to raved about it so I thought most everyone liked the area.
"In short, never mind airing your casual contempt for convenience to the Eiffel Tower and Napoleon's tomb as sufficient criteria, just honestly disclose what you require, and ask them to rate the place accordingly. In short, you can be as discriminating as you like in your choices - just avoid sneering at those who are less discriminating, or at least whom you believe to be so. "
I wasn't sneering at its proximity to these landmarks. That's all I knew about the subject and I was just trying to show any responders that so they could tell me a bit more.
Again, thank you all for responding!
