mauitammy

We (my husband, older teenage children and I) will arrive in Paris on Sunday, July 1. We are staying at Hotel Henri IV Rive Gauche in the 5th arr. Our flight arrives at CDG at 9:45 am. The hotel has arranged pick up for us to take us to our hotel as this is our first time in Paris and we don't want to get lost on the way to the hotel with luggage. After we check into the hotel I am sure my family will be starved. Any suggestions for a good place for a wonderful Sunday lunch would be in this area? We also want to do as much sightseeing as we can. We will not take naps to get over our jet lag, but will probably not stay out too late. What should we do on our first day? It will be the first Sunday of the month. we will be staying in Paris for 5 nights. On Tuesday we are taking the Grayline tour to Normandy which is an all day trip. We will also do a trip to Versailles one of our days in Paris. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

sandi_travelnut

I stayed at that hotel with my family in Dec.'04..you'll love the location. You are 1 block from the Seine and another 2 blocks or so from Notre Dame. The hotel is directly across the street from St. Severin as well. There are lots of Greek restaurants between the hotel and St. Michel but I wouldn't recommend those if you're looking for something really nice. The gyros are big, cheap and tasty of you're looking for that sort of thing.

If you like old, dusty bookstores you are also around the corner from the famous "Shakespeare and company".

BTilke

It will probably be about 11:30 am by the time you get settled in the hotel and ready for the day. If you go out for a big brunch, you are likely to become even more jetlagged. If the weather cooperates (IOW, if it's not boiling hot or pouring with rain), hit one of the cafes for coffee or tea, grab some snacks from the street vendors in your area and take a nice long stroll over and through the Luxembourg Gardens (lots of shady trees in case it is really warm). Keep outside and get as much natural light as you can to stay awake. Keep moving without exhausting yourself. Maybe take an open top bus tour, but you've got a big bus trip two days later, so it's probably not the best idea.
Some people may recommend taking a Seine boat cruise, but a boat ride on a warm day when I'm jet lagged would put me right to sleep. If you want to sit down to eat, try and stick to salads or someething light.
If you decide to hit a museum, perhaps the Rodin Museum, as it's in a park setting with several sculptures outdoors and has a cafe. Or wander past Notre Dame and then through the Ile St. Louis and over to the Marais.

bilboburgler

Try searching the Paris threads or even the Paris super thread.

Eating in Paris. After a flight I would chose mussels, chips and beer as its light and very french (well belgian actually) I would avoid crepes on the first day. also you may notice that vegtables are thin on the ground in the better restaurants so remember that is what salads are for.

jody

Walk down the Blvd St Michel to the Seine and turn left or right..the quais are lined with bistro and cafes. We like L'Ecluse, a wine bar that serves food, the large cafe on the corner , can't remember the name has nice salads. To the right you can't go wrong with Le Petit Pont, nice outdoor seating and good variety.
Personall I would stay away from all those Greek and other ethnic places that run along the rue de la Huchette.

There are also several really good restaurants nearby..Le Reminet, Bistro Paul Bert, Chez Fernand. Montebello to name a few

mauitammy

Thanks for the help everyone. I had not thought about a big lunch making us more tired, but that is a valid concern, so a lighter lunch sounds like a better idea. I don't think I want to eat in any of the Greek restaurants in the Latin Quarter because we have so many Greek restaurants in my area it just would not be that special.

I had originally thought we might not feel like staying up so late to eat a big dinner at 8 pm, so that is why I had thought about eating a bigger lunch and then a lighter dinner.

SandiTravelnut, do you have breakfast recommendations around this hotel?

Since we are so close to Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle maybe those would be a couple of things to do and then walk over to Ile St. Louis and have dinner over there.

I did not know if there was a museum we could go to on the free museum day to save some costs that would not be too crowded later in the day on that first Sunday.

Thanks again everyone.

mauitammy

Jody, thanks for all of the restaurant suggestions. I really appreciate you taking the time to help us.

ripit

If you happen to wonder in and around the Marais, look up L'As du Falafel on Rue des Rosiers which serves up the best Falafels this side of Tel Aviv. There is a take out window and some seats. It will probably be packed on a Sunday, but they handle the crowds quite well.

Edye

From where you are staying, I would definitely walk across the closest bridge to Notre Dame as my first stop. Only go to Ste Chappelle with a museum pass or the line will be too long. I also agree with the thought to then head to Ile de la Cite, or possibly the Marais. Also, we have always found the stroll along the Right Bank side of the Seine lovely, as there is a great block filled with garden shops and pet stores that seems so bizarre yet refreshing in the middle of the city. Walk, walk, walk.

I disagree with the nap thing. You should take a late afternoon nap (say at 4pm for a few hours), then go to dinner at 8pm and go to bed at 11pm. You will wake up in the morning on Paris time and feel totally adjusted.

By the way, just did all of this 2 weeks ago, except we walked from our location in the 6th not the 5th.

Ackislander

I like your idea of going to Notre Dame, then the Ile St Louis. If it is nice, you could eat outdoors at the Brasserie de L'Ile St Louis, which is an enjoyable place to eat with wonderful views just across the bridge from Notre Dame. You can then walk down the rue St Louis en l'Isle and get an ice cream at Berthillon. They sell Berthillon everywhere but I think this is the original. If you then feel like a nap, you don't feel you have wasted your day, and you haven't challenged your stomachs with street food on the first day when they may be a bit queasy from the trip.

In the evening, you could go to a local cafe for a salad, or, if you are too beat, you could send the kids out to bring back sandwiches from the local corner cafe. Do they speak French? A "sandwich mixte a emporter" is a ham and cheese on baguette to go! It is about all you want if you had a good lunch.

If you go to the Rodin Museum on a weekday, you can stop to pick up sandwiches from a takeout window at Le Bon Marche. The window is on the left side of the Rue du Bac just before you get to the shrine (where all the crowds are going). Yummy specialty sandwiches and drinks, or you can go into the food hall and graze away.

ira

Hi M,

>Any suggestions for a good place for a wonderful Sunday lunch would be in this area?

www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com serves Sunday Brunch until 15:00.

After lunch, visit the Museum, then walk over to the Arc de Triomphe and down the Champs to the Louvre.

You can then go to your hotel and change for dinner.

>we will be staying in Paris for 5 nights. ...taking the Grayline tour to Normandy ...We will also do a trip to Versailles ...

You have one too many daytrips for such a short visit.

Enjoy your visit.

sandi_travelnut

I did not recommend the Greek places unless you want a gyro to-go.

Here's a couple of mentions in my trip report about breakfasts:
"We walked down the quai de Montebello to rue la grange to the 1st cafe we saw, Cafe Pannis. Trying to soften the culture shock again, I was pleased to see petit dejuner complet with coffee, juice, grapefruit, 2 kinds of bread and 2 eggs for 11.8e. Turned out well, but from now on we'd find cheaper and more authentic breakfasts."

Unfortunately I did not write down the name of the other cafe we ate at that had great omeletes. If you are standing, facing Notre Dame, follow that street to the left. The cafe is about a block down on your right. That's all I can recall on that one.

jules4je7

The quickest way to stop worrying about getting lost is to write down the name, address and phone number to your hotel and keep it in your pocket or purse. That way, you always have something to show the cabbie or person on the street who's about to tell you how to get home.

Jules

mauitammy

Great suggestions everyone. I really appreciate the help.

I know from previous travels that I cannot take naps. As a physician, I live regularly with very little sleep. The rest of the family will sleep on the plane, but not me. I will stay wide awake the whole time. If I take a nap I am done for the day. I just can't recover.

What sort of food is served at the Brasserie de L'Ile St Louis? I am getting worried about our daughter the VERY picky eater. I cannot find a website for that restaurant.


Ira, we are doing the 2 day trips as those are the two things our children have requested to do while in France. I am really the only one that wanted to go to Paris. We are heading back to Italy for the remainder of the trip. My son and husband are set on going to Normandy. Our daughter does not really want to go to Normandy, but really wants to go to Versailles. I just want to go to Paris and I would love to see Normandy and Versailles. My husband and I are easy to please. I will be happy if they are all happy, but it does leave us less time for Paris. We are not really into art, but prefer more historical things. We will love wandering around eating good food and just being in Paris.

Sandi, thanks for the breakfast tips. I know that you did not recommend the Greek restaurants, but were just stating that there were a lot of them around.

I will look into the Marais area. I am not at all familiar with anything there. I still have a lot of research to do.

Thanks again.

Michel_Paris

As a note to transport to/from CDG, at the end of your street (Seine end) couple blocks from your appartment is the RER station that goes directly to CDG, so this would be an easy option for you (perhaps depending on luggage)

Near you is also the Cluny (Moyen Age) museum, which is has medieval items, tapestries..worthwhile.The interesting thing is that it is build in an old convent, overtop ruins of roman baths, neat to see.

A walk along Seine (up top and down below), checking out bouquinistes, over to Ile de la Cite for Notre Dame and St Chapelle, then on to Ile St Louis, that would be a nice stroll. Near you also (maybe not first night) if you walk up your street to Seine, turn left, walk along and then and start over the last bridge (Pont Neuf) to the island, you will come to Vedettes du Pont Neuf (down below, stairs from bridge) for a night time Seine cruise. The small park by these boats is also worth a visit.

A nice walk is also to go from your hotel and head west along St Germain to Orsay. The Cafe Bonaparte (same square as Cafe Flore and St Germain de Pres church) is a nice place with patio and good croque monsieur. Couple blocks east before the square ake a detour down the cobblestone street (Cour de Commerce), passing the 'oldest' restaurant in Paris (Ben Franklin, Jefferson) to get to rue Buci and its market.

St Julien le Pauvre church (near you, near Seine) has nighttime classical mucis concerts. Jardin de Luxembourg is also a nice place to visit. St Suplice is another interesting church to visit, with a Dan Brown link.

As others stated, if you go to the Seine and turn right (or left), some good restaurants. A nice place for dinner would be Rotisserie du Beaujolais, which serves a fine chicken and garlic mash potatoes. Also very nearby to you, on St Andre des Art is Chez Clement, another classic restaurant with good food.

I would not sleep during the day, in my opinion is does not help you r body adjust faster to the new time zones. My plan before trips is to go to bed earlier and get up earlier, at home. So when I arrive, my body is already starting to shift zones. I once read...body adjusts 1 hr a day to time zone difference.

Hope this helps.

amwosu

No ideas for lunch in your area but here are ideas for a Sunday in Paris(after you get some food in you).

From your left bank hotel walk across the bridge to the Ille de la Cite and check out the Open Air Bird Market at Place Louis-Lepine which only occurs on Sunday- other days it is a flower market.

Visit Notre Dame (maybe just a quick peek inside and save the walk up the stairs for another day).

Walk across the bridge to the right bank and head into the Marais which is hopping more than other areas of the city on Sundays.

Stroll rue des Rosiers for Kosher Jewish food treats.
(Sacha Finkelsztajn: Jewish Deli 27 rue des Rosiers eastern European breads, cakes, aubergine puree, blinis)

Plunk yourself down in the Place de Vosges, one of the most beautiful square in Paris. Victor Hugo, who wrote Les Miserbles lived at #6 from 1832-1848.

If you are up to it visit Musee Picasso at 5 rue de Thorigny, 3 arr. Metro St. Paul, Filles du Calvaire, or Chemin Vert
Upon his death, France acquired the world's greatest collection in lieu of a $50 million inheritance tax: 203 paintings, 158 sculptures, 16 collages, 19 bas-reliefs, 88 ceramics, and more than 1,500 sketches and 1,600 engravings. The work spans 75 years of Picasso's life.

Wander around outside the Centre Pompidou and see the Igor Stravinsky fountains. Metro Rambuteu, Hotel de Ville, or Chatelet des Halles The Pompidou is an interesting avant-garde building in the world with works from Mondrian, Kandinsky, Chagall.

Lexma90

I would stay away from museums on the first day - you might be too jet-lagged to appreciate them, and might make you more sleepy (yes, that was us, several years ago, taking 5-minute cat naps in odd corners of the Musee d'Orsay). Ile St. Louis and Notre Dame, and possibly Sainte Chappelle are good options. The bird market is pretty interesting; my son loved visiting it on our trip several years ago.

mkdiebold

Last September 3 couples of us spent a week in Paris. Like you, we had a private van meet us at the airport and delivery us about an hour later to the Hotel Bonaparte. We decided to take a couple of hours "before reporting for duty" to do whatever you felt you needed. You don't indicate just how long your flight will be, but you really may feel like taking a nap, or a shower to refresh yourself. When we did meet, it was decided to "grab a bite to eat" and then find the Hop-on Hop-off tour bus. The bus is a great way to get an overall orientation to the city. I'm a fairly visual learner, so seeing the actual locations of places was important. I liked too, that I didn't have to interact very much with my travelmates. It was really nice just listening via earbuds to the tour guide.
Good luck with a daughter who is a picky eater! If she likes bread, then you're in good shape!

Cimbrone

See the Roses in the Bagatelle.

amwosu

Have you considered splitting up for the day trips? You and your daughter can see Versailles on the same day that your husband and son go to Normandy for a little one on one bonding and no one is forced to go somewhere they aren't thrilled to visit.

I know that my family gets on one another's nerves when we're together 24/7 for days on end...