Trish

My husband and I are headed to Paris during the first week of May, and I'm just starting my homework. We're looking for a place to stay that's in the midst of things, but not too in the midst of things. We're looking for other things to see aside from the wonderful museums that we ow visits. Any suggestions? (Please help with the hotel room!!)

Lidia

It's me from your earlier post. Email me and let me know what you are interested in and if you speek French. Like I said my husband and I will be there about the same time as you, There are Hard Rock Cafes there are the Ancient Roman Arena and so many more. If you want Eamil me and I will let you know more.

R. Limb

I lived in Paris for two years and would be happy to give you a few pointers. I too will be in Paris in May. Pardon my cliche but you will love springtime in Paris. Feel free to e-mail me directly if you would like to discuss any of your questions. I enjoy sharing ideas about Paris and France in general.

Christina

Wow, you sure are taking this trip casually if you
don't have hotel reservations, yet. You'd best hurry.
You didn't give any idea of your price range, tastes,
or needs, so it would be difficult to recommend anything
specific. If you have no idea where to start,
based on your locational criteria (central but not
too hectic), I'd suggest you look for a hotel in the
7th, 17th or perhaps 4th (Marais) arrondisements.
Maybe 7th is your best bet and there are plenty of
decent hotels there. Any good guidebook will
discuss things to see other than the museums, and
you can choose things that fit your interests.
Even Fodor's here online will give you a listing of
several recommended hotels if you search within
Paris and your price range under the above-
suggested arrondisements (districts) in the
section called "Hotel Finder".

BILL

PLEASE ALLOW ME TO ASSUME THAT YOU'LL ENJOY SOME OF THE SAME THINGS I DO. I WILL ALSO BE IN PARIS FROM 8 MAY TO 22 MAY THIS YEAR. MY WIFE AND I ARE GOING WITH ANOTHER COUPLE. WE'RE STAYING IN VERSAILLES. THIS IS OUR FOURTH TRIP AND WE'VE NEVER STAID IN PARIS ITSELF. THIS IS ALSO THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER TRAVELED WITH RESERVATIONS ALREADY MADE. HERE ARE SOM OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING:

WE PLAN ON SEEING RHEIMS CATHEDRAL. THIS IS WHERE MOST OF THE FRENCH MONARCHS WERE CROWNED. CHARTRES IS ALSO ON OUR ITINERARY AS IT HAS SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL STAINED GLASS IN EUROPE. WE PLAN ON VISITING NORMANDY. THIS INCLUDES THE BEACHES, THE AMERICAN CEMETERY, AS WELL AS A LESSER KNOWN GERMAN CEMETERY NEAR BY. THIS IS REALLY GOTHIC LOOKING AND IS VERY UNKEPT LOOKING COMPARED TO THE U.S. CEMETERY. WE ALSO PLAN ON SEEING THE BAYEAUX TAPESTRY WHILE WE'ER UP IN THAT AREA. VERDUN WHICH IS JUST EAST OF RHEIMS IS A MUST. THE OSSUARY (I'M NOT SURE HOW TO SPELL IT) HAS THE BONES OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSNAD OS SOLDIERS KILLED THERE. IT'S A SIGHT THAT SHOULD CHANGE A PERSON FOR THE BETTER, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'VE ALSO SEEN THE TRENCH OF THE BAYONETTES (SPELLING?). THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY BURIED ALLIEVE. THE MAGINOT LINE IS ALSO SOMETHING TO SEE. SOME OF THE IMPENETRABLE DEFENSES ARE STILL THERE. BY THE WAY, THE MAGINOT LINE WORKED. IT FORCED THE GERMANS THROUGH THE ARDENNES WHICH IS WHAT IS WAS DESIGNED TO DO. THE FRENCH JUST COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT ANY WAY. WE PLAN ON GOING UP TOP THE TOP OF THE EIFFEL TOWER AT NIGHT. WE PLAN ON WATCHING THE TRAFFIC FROM ATOP THE ARC DU TRIOMPHE DURING THE DAY. I WON'T BOTHER YOU WITH THE MUSEUMS AS THEY COULD KEEP YOU BUSY FOR SEVER AL DAYS. YOU NEED TO SEE NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL AND GO UP TO THE TOP OF THE TOWER THERE. THE BASILIQUE AT ST DENIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED. IT HOUSES THE REMAINS OF MOST OF THE FRENCH MONARCHY. WE ALOS PLAN ON VISITING A CHATEAUX OR TWO WHILE WE ARE THERE. ALSO, DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE PALACE IN VERSAILLES.

HAVE I FORGOTTEN ANYTHING??? JUST REPLY BACK AND ASK. I'M SURE THERE'S PLENTY I'VE OVERLOOKED. PARIS IS A TERIFFIC CITY!!!

Sharon

Hello! Personally, may favorite area of Paris to stay in is the 7th arrondissement. You are close to so many sights and museums and yet the area does not seem to have heavy tourist traffic. My mother and I always feel extremely safe walking around after dark in the 7e. I think "Cheap Sleeps" is invaluable when deciding where to stay because it accurately describes the hotels and rooms. It gives you the price range and lists the amenities offered. What types of sights are you looking for (monuments, parks, nightlife, etc.)? I can tell you some of my favorite things to see or do in Paris: have a picnic lunch on a park bench in the Place des Vosges, taking a bateaux-mouche ride down the Seine at sunset, eating Berthillon ice cream, sitting on the western tip of Ile de la Cité beneath the willow? tree watching the boats go past, the Opera Garnier, lunch at one of the terrace cafes of the Palais de Chaillot over-looking the Seine and the Eiffel Tower, people-watching from an outdoor cafe, walking along the Seine, browsing the bouquinistes' stalls along the Seine, seeing I.M. Pei's pyramid in the courtyard of the Louvre at night, window shopping at the boulangeries and pattiseries, the Pont Alexandre III, the Pont des Arts, the guiginol (Punch & Judy) show near the Rond-Point des Champs-Elysees, and the list goes on and on and on. I'm absolutely in love with Paris (my next trip is this September) so if you have any questions please feel free to e-mail me! As my weary friends and family members will tell you, I never grow tired of talking about Paris!!

Ami

As far as hotel, Novotel Gar-DE-Lion, 2 blocks from
the Metro (and a main train station), very modern,
clean and simple. Novotel has a customer service
here in the states, check their 800 number
(directory assit. 800-555-1212).
As far as Paris, Climb on the Eiffel (all the way
up!), take a boat ride on the Seine, If the lines to
the Louvre are too long go see the other museums,
there is a great one on the left bank, forgot the
name, but has a large M sign as its logo. But the
main thing is — WALK. Just cover Paris by foot.
Smell it's atmosphere, stay away from Champs Elisee,
that's New York now, MacDonald and Burger King
everywhere, really disgusting... Go to the SMALL
streets on the left bank (there is a Mac there, but
it's the exception). Take a stroll in the Tuilerry
gardens. Visit Notre Dam on a Sunday. Sorry for name
mi

Donna

I'm with Christina. Book forthwith! Highly recommend the 7th arrondissement as well. Charming, well priced and well located hotels. Go to www.france.com. You can e-mail a request and they will get back to you quickly with several options in your price range and prices slightly lower than you can obtain any other way. And you can book through e-mail. Get yourself a good tour guide and read it cover to cover. There's a lot to know about getting around and excellent tourist deals (such as the museum pass). Frankly, you have not allowed yourself much time for planning a trip to Paris. So, do get yourself a good map and a good phrase book if you are not fluent in French. Familiarize yourself with necessary phrases and food. Upon arrival, highly recommend that you head straight for Paristoric - a multimedia presentation at 11bis rue Scribe (around the corner from Opera Garnier). Having seen this, you'll know how to spend your time - what no to miss and what not to bother with (or save for next time). You really should do enough research to determine what most appeals to you.

anne

Ditto to all the above good ideas - especially Sharon's! One place I didn't see mentioned that we love is the Rodin museum - especially the garden - we could spend hours there! (And we have!)The view from the rooftop of the Samaritaine dept. store is super too.

Lidia

As a person who has been in Paris over 30times and my family lives there. Sharon has the best overview of Paris I have seen in a long,long,long time. I would add one suggestion pack a lunch and head for the Jardin du Luxembourg.

Louis Dameson

You have gotten some excellent tips. However, get on the phone and pin down a hotel immediately. Paris is starting to become crowded and the best rooms go first. Do this yourself. Don't use a travel agent. Phone calls are not that expensive and they are the fastest way to find out if space is available. When you call, ask for reservations and you will get an English speaking person. If you inquire by fax some small hotels may not bother to fax you back if they are fully booked as it costs them money. Also, you have to wait for e-mail answers. I like to book direct if I can as I am now in command of my life. We can then always move if we do not like the hotel or its location.

Joyce

An offbeat but highly delightful visit is to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery. 40 beautiful acres holding most everyone you've ever heard of, from Jim Morrison to General Ney (Napoleon's right-hand man). Also Chopin, Balzac, Edith Piaf, Yves Montand, Oscar Wilde, etc. Buy a map at the florist shop next to the entrance or you'll never find anything. Truly an unforgettable experience. Also suggest you get a bus map of Paris and learn to use it as soon as you get there. It's a little difficult to figure out, but well worth the effort. You can get it at any Metro station, and the tickets are interchangeable. Of course the Metro is superb for getting you where you are going lickety-split, but it's so much fun to see what is in between. One day we just got on a bus and rode it to the end of its line and therefore saw the "Defense", which we would never have seen otherwise, and it was truly awesome. An exceptionally good and fairly inexpensive restaurant is Lescure , 7 Rue de Mondovi in the 1st arr. It's on a little side street just north of the Place Concorde, and is open Mon.-Friday. Have a great trip. I really envy you.

Elizabeth

wow, I will also be in Paris May 31st to June 4th, I have enjoyed reading the tips posted and plan to take the advice of many suggestions. from Paris I,m heading to Truanne to meet my Parents who will be there for the regimental services on the 5th & 6th of June, I will get to see where my father dug in as a parachuter during the war and I will also lay a poppy wreath on behalf of the canadians who gave there life, I will head back thru England and return to canada on the 14th. I have not as yet got reservations and plan to attend to it asap don't forget it's also the world cup.
Have a great trip everyone.

Raeona

We, too, are making our first trip to Paris -- June 1-6. Perhaps we "Fodor's Folk" should all schedule a meet there! There is a site, I believe it is called A Paris Hotels Selection -- look for it through DogPile. It's fabulous, lists hotels by location and price, and includes four photos of each hotel, along with a little profile. I found our hotels there (the first one could only take us for three nites), and called directly. I'm feeling a little intimidated -- and excited -- about this journey, esp since we have NO French (tho of course, we'll be doing the phrase book thing). But if any of you "Paris vets" have suggestions, advice or favorite haunts you'd like to share...Please e-mail!

Kimber

My husband and I will be in Paris May 15-23 (his first trip - and I haven't been there for 14 years!) We are making a copy of Sharon's "itinerary" as it sounds better than most of the 9 guidebooks we have! I agree that calling France is a simple and inexpensive way to get a reservation. I called many hotels listed in Fodor and other books, and everyone was very charming, spoke English, and very helpful. I made our reservations 6 weeks ago and most were already booked due to the French Open. We're splurging and staying at Pavillon de le Reine right on the Place des Vosges. Has anyone stayed there?

pinlay

hi,

saw ur message on Paris. I'm visiting Paris and a few French cities in June. Wonder if u can let me know some info about interesting sites and places to stay..my budget is not exactly big..any B&B in France itself??
do mail me and thanx for your help

Elizabeth

([email protected])
how much are you paying for your hotel, I,m just comparison shopping I too have phoned several hotels and have found 5 that have available space, I am going to check out the one recommended list of A paris hotels selection if I can find it, before I confirm a booking.

all hotels require booking by fax and a credit card #

Kimber

2000 for a suite.

Cathy Beckhouse

I will be in Paris from 2-9 May & again from 13-16.
I'l be at Le Meridien Montparnasse for a conference, & then at Le Clos Medicis in St Germain.

I'm particularly interested in maybe picking up some bargains in designer wear (ever hopeful) a suede jacket, interesting costume jewellery & anything else that's diferent & typically French (& not expensive).

I'm also looking for good regional or bistro fare in Montparnasse that's reasonable priced (& I don't mean steak-frites!) We're just under 4F to our dollar (which is not much).

I'm keen on history, & so intend to see Versailles, the Conciergerie ..is the Tuileries palace still in existence? & such like. I think I'll give the Louvre a miss & maybe go to the Orsay instead.
There's so much to see & that doesn't include the shops!

robin

Even though you recieved many responses I couldn't resist putting my 2 cents in. I have been there two times and plan on returning. First time we stayed at the Maurice in deluxe style. The 2nd time we stayed in the 7th district at the Villa Des Artistes in more moderate style. The location of both was great. You can buy the book "Cheap Eats" which helped us to eat well and still be able to shop. Also the book "Born TO Shop" I bought in Borders that was very helpful.