Thank you all... I had a lovely Paris trip
 

Hi folks,

I'm back from my 3 weeks Executive programme in Paris. And the experience was wonderful. Just wanted to drop a note to all who posted wonderful advice.

I've so much to do before settling back into home life proper.

- The Carte Orange was great. No regrets... They just increased the price slightly (1 euro) from the start of June onwards. I had no problems getting it at the station counter. Bought it on a Sunday where the queues are close to nil. The queues on the weekdays are horrible. The lady was nice enough to write the serial number on my first CO. Note: La Defense on the metro is Zone 2 but is Zone 3 on the RER.

- The last RER trains are about 12.40am in Chatelet. It wasn't too bad travelling solo as a female on the trains. Keep aware of your environment and stick to the crowded train compartments. I usually refrain from entering the same section with a rowdy bunch of dodgy people. I've reached back to my room as late as 1.15am once.

- The trains do get delayed often. You may be needed to vacate the trains at times. The announcements are only in French. This has happened to me 3 times during my stay. Some reasons are that a preferred method of suicide is jumping onto an oncoming train. I actually saw the body on the platform! Or sometimes, a suspicious package can be found in a particular station.

- I was extremely dissapointed with the size of the scoop at the Berthillion Ice Cream Stand at Ile St Louis, after the bridge behind Notre Dame. I have found way more generous scoops at the same prices at random Bistros and Cafes. And this is eating in! Just look out for the Berthillion name painted on the sides of the Cafe canopy, that means the ice cream is served there.

- The 1 day Musuem Pass was great! Passed through all the queues on a Saturday. A rough guide is that you've broken even once you've visited 3 sights. After that it's all savings... =)

- Be prepared for the spiral stairs climb up the Arc de Triomphe. Keep your head up or you'd risk dizziness. The view from the top is worth it.

- The food was great. Even in the generic bistros/cafes. I have a stack of business cards tucked away somewhere.

- Versailles' Hall of Mirrors is being renovated but they left a section exposed for tourist to take pictures. I suggest taking the 90min tour. The queue for just admission alone was so much longer and not as meaningful without the commentary.

- I had no problems with the locals. The younger generation is actually very eager to speak English and find out more about different cultures and countries. Bonjour, Bonsoir and Merci became natural to me. I usually start off with French and then when I ask them if they speak English, a few actually haughtly reply," Of Course"... =p

Okie, enough procrastination. Gotta get back to unpacking. Thanks again all.

Cheers
Tiger Lily

Welcome back TL.

Thanks for your report, Tiger Lily, and welcome back. We recently returned from Paris also and I haven't even moved on with my report after writing about Rome!

I wished we had climbed up the Arc de Triomphe. We thought about it, but I'm not good with heights. Next time, maybe!

> I was extremely dissapointed with the size of the scoop at the Berthillion Ice Cream Stand at Ile St Louis ..

I agree ! I had the same experience last August. This time (01AUG) I had a great Italian gelato at another well known ice cream stand "Am..."(foget the name.)on the ile. 2 times the size at Berthillon, at least!

thanks Tiger Lily for the info.I am heading to Paris in a few days.I wanted to ask you about the trip to versailles if you dont mind.i read there are construction works on line C. where did you get catch the RER train from to Versailles RG?

Sam

Glad you had a good trip, Tiger Lily!

I'm remembering the stir created by your pre-trip thread about clothing--I hope you're going to give us your take on Paris fashions now that you've been there!

Glad you had a good trip, Tiger Lily. Thanks for the helpful report.

Hi Lily, thanks for the info!

Now, about the clothing styles... give us your impressions, please! :)

Thanks for posting. I hope to hear more - especially food related.

FWIW, "of course" should not be considered a haughty reply. It's said all the time without them even thinking about it. An American equivalent might be "yeah", "yes", or "uh huh".

Thanks for posting. I hope to hear more - especially food related.

FWIW, "of course" should not be considered a haughty reply. It's said all the time without them realizing they are using it incorrectly (to Americans). The American equivalent might be "yeah", "yes", or "uh huh".

I took the train from La Defense to Versaille. It not featured in the train maps but there is one. Was told this by a local Paris colleague. It was not crowded and cleaner and the train didn?t have to pass all the dark RER stops. It passed all the lovely suburbs. Quick trip too. Roughly around 40 mins. It doesn?t stop at the same station as the RER C but another station which is only a 10min longer walk to the Palace.

The name of the Italian ice cream place is Amorino (And yes, their scoops are much more generous for just 0.40euros higher in price.) They have several outlets scattered around Paris. But if you'd like to do a quick comparision. You can find one just by simply walking past the Ile St Louis Berthillion Stand, follow through the street that has some lovely small shops (plus one glorious chocolate boutique). It's less than a 5 min walk away. Typical lovely creamy Italian Ice Cream. 47, rue Sant Louis enl'Ile - Paris 4e.

Bardo's request for more food related stuff... Had to rummage my bags and managed to rustle up a couple of cards. These were some of the places I tried.

L'as Du Fallafel (vegetarian)
One of the best, more authentic fallafels I've eaten. In the Marais area. Long queue but fast moving for takeaway. Longer for a table to eat in. 34, rue des Rosier - 75004 Paris. Tel 01 48 87 63 60. Closed on Sundays.

La Creperie des Champs-Elysees
This is gem of a creperie. They make the crepes right in the middle of this small restaurant. Sweet and Salty crepes are all great... Try the sweet ones which takes 20mins to stew the pears/apples/fruit in and then flambe. My table spent lots of time just looking at them make it. 5, Rue Washington.

Rimal (Lebanese restaurant)
Flavorful mix platters in a French restaurant ambience. Great marinated grilled meat skewers.
94, Bd Malesherbes - 75017 Paris
Tel 01 42 27 61 22


Laduree (macaroons) Tried the coffee, violet, caramel, chocolate. Went to the one at 21, Rue Bonaparte 75006 Paris. Tel 01 44 07 64 87. 1st floor seating is noisy, airy and like a garden room. 2nd floor room is more cosy, lots of sofas, velvets and dark.

Higuma (Japanese lamen)
Cheap good Japanese eats (Not sushi though but noodles and teppanyaki). Don't expect anything fancy but their handmade noodles is very decent and filling. A bit rundown but boy, was it affordable ... 32 bis rue Sainte Anne 75001 Paris. Tel 01 47 03 38 59 11am - 10pm everyday.

Restaurant Coreen Samo (Korean food)
Standard is what is find back home. Above average. Affordable too. 1, rue du Champ de Mars - 75007 Paris. Metro Ecole Militaire.

Okie.. Another place which I have raved about since my trip but can't find their card is Le Petit Canard. They're a small boutique restaurant that specialises in duck from their own family farm. Great food. Ambiance is just right - enough people chatter from other tables but quiet and cosy enough to have a great conversation with your table. It's somewhere between Opera and Montmarte. I know that covers a lot but a local French guy took me there and so I didn't bother with the map. If you are keen, can always check it with your concierge.

Okie, on the fashion front?

Here?s my personal take on it. Really nothing to worry about. I just wasn?t too impressed with the general Parisian?s daily wear. I felt that I sometimes dressed better than them (there and even back home) I sit on the train everyday and they look like any other city folks trying to get to and from work. I feel that if you?re there for a holiday, there?s not much that is taboo. No, they did not all wear black but nothing too bright either. Like I didn?t see much reds, yellows, you know, summer colors there. Of course, since I was meeting with executives and had company visits, it goes without saying that the suits had to be well fitted to the individual.

Oh, point to note. I noticed majority of the execs wore very expensive watches, like Rolex, Cartier,? etc. Classic designs. Only the lady from the Haute Couture fashion industry was more dressy but subtle. (Kimono styled skirt, crisp white tailored shirt, white bone hair accessory stick)

Lots of the locals wear jeans (dark blues and black).

Actually, on the weekends, Paris during the summer is filled (bursting at the seams) with tourists. So it doesn?t really matter what you wear cos there?s always going to be someone more casual or more formally dressed than you. As long as you?re not one of the extremes, you?re safe.

Oh, I didn?t encounter as much doggie poo as some have cautioned. The pavements were not cobbled or uneven but not necessarily clean. Thanks to whomever suggested that I not wear open toed shoes. I wore black leather closed toe slingbacks with a small heel and was comfortable walking for hours in. On weekends I wore a pair of leather moccasins with jeans and light cotton tops. Another girl in the class even wore her Pumas and was fine.

I realized that a general way (not foolproof, of course) of telling a Parisian from an American is their casual sneakers. Nike - American? Adidas - Parisian. You do not see Nikes featured much at all in Paris.

tiger_lily, great report. I'v heard the petit canard was excellant from a French friend and most Americans think th ice cream scoops are small (are we spoiled or are they stingy?)
Welcome back, tell us more.
mimi

Nice report Tiger Lily, thank you.

Kappa,
Amorino is the name of the 'other' gelato shop on the same street as Berthillon.
I've sampled both..preferred the texture and flavors of Amorino's gelato.... very much. Yum.

So glad you had a ball! We went up to the top of Arc de Triomphe in an enormous elongated lift....in minutes we were at the military exibit and shop one floor below the actual terrace from which we had an incredible view of Paris. I've always wanted to go to the top and my seventh visit was my lucky time! Now for Tour de Montparnasse!!

Welcome home Tiger Lily. Thanks for all the updates and for the ice cream comparison.

BTW - there's an elevator at the Arc de Triomphe. It takes you to the level just below the observation deck where the museum is located. I too love the view from there.

Le Petit Canard is at 19 rue Henri Monnier, a short walk down from the Pigalle metro. Prix-fixe menus in the mid teens, as I recall. JP

Thanks, oakglen... That's exactly where it is. Took the metro from Pigelle to get back home.

As for the elevator - I did see the it but it seems to be for the tour groups (large queue outside the entrance there) or probably those who have mobility problems.

i presume the falaffel stand on Rosier is closed on Saturday and open on Sunday...as they may answer to a higher authority....

Tiger Lily...thanks for the very helpful information on versailles. I will in Paris in October, do you happen to know how long the restoration is going on?

can one buy the carte at the airport?

Merci. welcome home
Val

Yup giro, you're right. Thanks for pointing it out. Confused Samedi and Dimanche on the fallafel card.

Wildfire - If memory serves me right, the conservation in Versaille is expected to be completed by 2008. The work is privately funded by the company Vinci. I can just imagine the tax relief they're getting...

And you can buy the Carte Orange at most of the train station counters.