Just returned from a 4-day trip with my wife (DW from now on) to Paris. Had a great time, so here is my trip report. We have already been to Paris numerous times, but our last real visit (meaning: more than one day and not coming to/from Disneyland Paris) was already 10 years ago.

Day 1

After bringing the kids (two boys aged 3 and 8 months) to their grandparents the day before, we packed our bags and were ready for our train trip. Got up at 6 AM and took the 6.20 tram to the train station from The Hague (Hollands Spoor). Our Thalys-train left at 7.06. Funny enough 1st class (Comfort 1) was cheaper than 2scd class, so we were sitting very comfortably! Arrived at Gare du Nord at 10.35. Bought our first carnet of 10 (luckily our creditcard worked just fine, so we could buy at the machine).

Our hotel was the Mercure Opera Cusset on the Rue Richelieu (metro Richelieu Drouot). It turned out to be a great hotel. Very friendly staff and rather large rooms for Paris. Rue Richeliue is a pretty quit street, but right around the corner are the Boulevard Haussmann, Boulevard des Italiens and Boulevard Montmartre. Great location for us; near the metro and more than enough restaurants/cafes/shops right around the corner.

After checking in and checking out the room (which was a pleasant surprise; rather roomy and recently renovated). We first had a cup of coffee at the local Starbucks (we don't have these in the Netherlands, so for us it is a real treat). There we decided to walk in the direction of the Louvre and from there on to the Tour Montpornasse.
We had a nice little walk and luckily there were some small grocery shops open on the way (since it was the first of May) and we bought some water/drinks/snacks to eat in the Tuileries-gardens.

We relaxed a while in the park, and after that we crossed the Seine and entered St. Germain des Pres. We had a great lunch at "Le Pre aux Clercs" (Rue Jacob/Rue Bonaparte). Great salads and right across the street is one of the branches of Laduree. Although filled from the lunch, we did decide to buy some macarons (the shop opened around 13.00). Unfortunatley; macarons are not our cup of tea..... They looked great, but the taste isn't what we like. Maybe a little disrespectful; but we found them a little chewy.....especially the combination of the crispy/fresh outside and the 'soggy' inside. But hey, we tried them and I can understand why other people like them.

Our bellies filled we walked on towards the Jardin du Luxembourg. Since the weather was great, we have relaxed quite a long time on the chairs. This is and remains one of the greatest parks in Paris. From the Jardin it only took a little walk to the Tour Montparnasse; only to discover there, that there was a huuuuuge line. So we decide not to go after all.

We took the metro back to the hotel and deceide to eat the great fajitas of the Hard Rock Cafe around the corner. To finish off the day, we watched a movie (Wolverine) at the Gaumont Opare theater. Luckily for us; VOST!

Later more!

Interesting to hear that the line to Tour Montparnasse was so long - that is the one that you always hear is a 'short cut' to a view.

Looking forward to the rest of the report!

Regarding Tour Montparnasse;
The fact that it was the 1st of May and most of the museums and shops etc were closed, probably 'forced' people to the remaining open attractions.

At first we could not find the entrance, when we had finally found it and entered the room where the tickets are sold was completely full with people. So we decided to take a rain check and visit the Tour on our next visit!

In general this seemed to be a very busy weekend in Paris. Lots and lots of tourists.

Yes, the May Day weekend was EXTREMELY busy in Paris this year -- perhaps even more so because the weather was nice for once.

Day 2

After a good night's sleep (the room was very quiet) we woke up around 7 (one of the down sides of having children who are always up early, they 'haunt' you even when they are not there ;-)). We went down to the breakfast room and found it to be very, very busy. Unfortunately there were two large groups of Italian, who had decided to go eat at the same time as us; shame on them! But after securing a place for the two of us, the breakfast buffet was rather good. Good croissants, baquettes and pain au chocolat, decent selection of other things. Unfortunately they did not refill very quickly, but in the end we were full to go!

Beacuse we wanted to do some shopping for ourseleves and the kids (and our budget unfortunatley is limited) we decided to go to La Defense (Centre Commercial Les Quatre Temps). Here they have all the shops we don't have in the Netherlands and are still affordable (Celio, Brice, Gap, Toys r Us, Auchan etc).

But first we went up La Grande Arche. We remebered it having a elevator with a glass floor, but this was (no longer?) the case. The elevator ride is fun, but the view from the top isn't spectacular. A great part of the view of Paris is 'blocked' by the skyscrapers. I think it is fun to do for one time. There was a fun exhibition though on the top floor. There were paintings of persons in very bright/basic colors, almost like photo-negatives, with a white dot in the middle. If you stared at the dot for 30 seconds and then looked away to a white canvas next to it, you saw the person/picture like you would see a normal photo. Fun to do.

After coming down from the Arche, we entered the shopping mall. Since our last visit here, they have renovated the place very nicely. Again we started with a cup of coffee from the Starbucks and then worked all the shops we wanted to see.
We ended at the Auchan hypermarche, which unfortunately had not been renovated in recent years. So this is not the best example for the state of French hypermarches. But we got what we wanted and after surviving the very, very, very long Saturday-lines at the check-out, we went to grab lunch at Brasserie Paul. For a chain, this brasserie has a pretty decent lunch.

Returning to the hotel to drop off all our bags and relax a little. Beacuse our shopping desire had not completely been satisfied, we went to the Champs Elysee. Again; very busy, but we got what we wanted from the Disney Store(another store we don't have in the Netherlands) and a few other stores.
Small break at Brasserie Paul again; a cheap way to sit on a terrace at the Champs Elysee!

Return to hotel and prepare for dinner in Quartier Latin/ St. Germain des Pres. We walked there via the Notre Dame and Rue Huchette. Finally we decided to eat at Pizza Marzano at Place St. Michel. Nice starters (little pices of bread made of pizza dough and bruschetta) and a decent pizza.

After dinner we walked some more in the neighbourhood and ended up on Boulevard St. Germain. Here we took the metro back to the hotel. Just around the corner we had some nice cocktails on the terrace of our 'neighbourhood brasserie'.

Soon back for day 3!

I am enjoying your report so far I too visited Starbucks a few times while I was in Paris... I love the lattes and their bathrooms are super clean!

I agree that the Auchan hypermarket at La Défense is in serious need of renovation. A very nice Auchan is accessible by going to Val d'Europe on the RER A out by Disneyland. Otherwise, there is another Auchan at metro Galliéni.

For Carrefour hypermarkets, bus line 24 will take you straight to the one at the Bercy 2 shopping mall. There are others in St. Denis, Montreuil and at Porte d'Auteuil, all accessible by metro.

Keep it going! Enjoying your report.

@kerouac
Unfortunately I am no longer in Paris at the moment, but for my next visit I will surely stop by Val d'Europe.
Last time we visited Disneyland Paris (sept. 2007) we stayed for one night near the Carrefour in Torcy. Also a great shop.
I had hoped tht the Auchan at La Defense would also have been renovated.

I will try to complete day 3 and 4 now!

(Tommie I understood that your trip had ended, but I was just throwing the information out there for the benefit of others whose eyes light up at the words "shopping mall" or whatever -- I didn't mean to derail your delightful trip report! Sorry.)

Day 3

After another great night of sleep (I love my kids, but sometimes a couple of nights of good sleep is very welcome). Again the Italian crowd at the breakfast room, but we were prepared now!

Today would be our 'cultural' day. Since it was the first Sunday of the month, a lot of museums would be for free. We took the metro towards Musee d'Orsay. Arrived at the Solferino stop around 9.20 (early enough we thought.....). We came around the corner from the Solferino-metro stop and we could already see the lines. There was a rather clever system (almost English of zigzagging lines in place all over the square in front of the musee. An attendant of the musee showed you the end of the line. I fortunately did not see any queue-jumping. In the end it took about 30 minutes to get in.

We started with a cup of coffee and some pastries in the Mezzanine cafe on the top-floor. Unfortunately the terrace wasn't open. Great views of Paris through the windows though.
After that we walked through the museum from top to bottom. Despite the crowds outside, the museum didn't feel overly crowed. Except for the most popular rooms (Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir). I have only one thing further to say; a great museum. Will return back definately.

From the Musee d'Orsay we walked towards the Louvre. We took the Porte de Lions entrance; no line at all! The line for the main-entrance was zigzagging all the way through both courtyards! Contrary the Musee d'Orsay, the Louvre was packed and also felt like it! Since the Porte de Lions entrance is near the Denon wing, we looked for the Mona Lisa first. In 'her' room, all hell had broken loose! What a sight.

From the Mona Lisa we walked through the Egyptian rooms and after that the wing with Dutch and Flemmish painting. We will return to the Louvre, but on a quieter day!

Since it was around 14.00, we walked towards Le Marais. There we had a great lunch a Le Pain Quotidien (Rue des Archives). Nicely seated at the large round table, we were surrounded by lots of French enjoying their brunch. Fueled up again, we strolled through Le Marais. The atmosphere was great and we walked all the way till Place des Vosges. Relaxed and read a little here, but unfortunately the weather wasn't that great anymore.

To finish off the day, we took metro 14 (no-driver!) towards Bercy Village. Here they have converted old wine warehouses into shops and restaurants. It isn't big, but it is a very pleasant area to walk around a little. Plus there is a large cinema (UCG Cine City Bercy), with again a lot of movies VOST.
We went to the movie first (17 again, fun but no great movie). After that we had dinner at Hippopotamus. Although again a chain, appetizers and steaks were good and we had some nice cocktails.

Taking back the metro towards the hotel, we decided to take a late-night dessert at a terrace on Boulevard Montmartre.
After that; our last (sleepy) night in Paris!

@kerouac
No harm done! I perfectly understood your reaction. I wish I had known before that Auchan La Defense is in need of a renovation, I would have chosen Val d'Europe instead!

Good info for others who (just like me ;-)) like their centre commercial and hypermarche!

We have already had a fun topic regarding this (hypermarches in France), it ended with a fun discussion of the two- of four-wheel-swivel-cart! Both of us made a lot of contributions to this discussion!

Okay; enough said, I will finish with day 4 now.

Day 4

Our last (half) day, sniff, sniff. The Italians had left, so we had the whole breakfast room to ourselves! Unfortunateley this meant; even slower refilling! But again; we managed to fll our bellies just fine!

Because our train would leave at 12.25, we decided to stay in the area (les Grand Boulevards). We walked towards the grands magasins and made a lengthy stop at Galarie Lafayette Gourmet. After thast we went to Printemps to buy some macarons from Laduree for the grandparents. Even though we did not like them, our guess was that they would (and indeed they did!).

We ended up at again another Starbucks in the Passage du Havre. A great little shopping centre, across from the Gare St. Lazare. A large FNAC (to buy some books for the trip home) and a quick visit to Imaginarium (a fun chain of toy stores).

Our time in Paris was almost over. Slowly walking back to the hotel we criss crossed this area. With more lugage than on the way over here, the stairs in the metro proved a steep climb! Quickly grabbing something to eat on the ride home, our train left right on time and also arrived right on time.

All in all it was a great trip. Good weather and lots of friendly people in the hotel and at the restaraunts/cafes/shops. Already thinking about our next trip (which won't take another 10 year!).

We, too, enjoyes looking in the shops at Bercy Village. In the cookware store, a "chef" of some sort was demonstrating how to make some roll-up sandwiches (as explained in his book he was selling). I wouldn't recommend that a first-timer with only a few days in Paris take the time to go there, but the shops/restaurants and the adjacent large park were fun to spend an afternoon in.

One tip I have not seen posted here: We NEVER go to McDonald's in the USA (except for a necessasry pit stop while driving) but in Paris the McD's are a great place to get a hugh Coke or Diet Coke at a very reasonable price. Of course, you get the (kid and teenager infested McD "atmosphere" rather than the delightful cafe one--but the price is so much less!!

Tommie,

I really enjoyed your trip report. Thanks so much.

Tommie, enjoyed reading your report as a friend and I have just returned having been in Paris from the 29th to May 4th.

kerouac, friend and I took your advice and say the Tommy Lee Jones flick at the UGC (or is it UCG?) George V; I liked it, I'm not so sure she did. We don't think it played here in Toronto yet.

I enjoyed your trip report as well. I did look up your hotel, and it looks quite nice. The €18 for breakfast would put me off, however. I must have been very bountifulfor that price!

To wake up at 6 AM and be in Paris by 10:35. Dreams are made of this.

@d-claude-bear
Me too would not recommend Bercy Village for a first timer with only a few days to visit. But if you have visited before and/or have more time, it is a nice place to go.

@SallyCanuck
It is UGC, my mistake! But Google will find it wit UCG and UGC...

@nukesafe
€18 for breakfast indeed is expensive, but we had a special offer with breakfast included. I believe we paid about €40 extra for 3 days breakfast for the two of us (instead of € 108). It was called the 'Mercure City Pack', we booked it through the Mercure site itself. It also included a very small and flimsy (sp?) backpack filled with two bottles of water, a chocalate bar and some cookies. We felt it was a good deal, all in all it was € 486 for three nights, including breakfast.

Tommie - I didn't mean to imply you made a mistake about UGC - I couldn't remember the name myself.