Unique Paris Ideas
 

I will be in Paris with my wife for about a week before Christmas. As we have both been there before, I am looking for some unique or different ideas (i.e. not of the ordinary, tour book variety), and am very open to all types of activities. I already looked into the oprea/ballet, but they are sold out for the dates we will be there. One caveat - I am not looking to do anything food related. Looking forward to any suggestions.

"all kinds of activities" is a little vague--are you both joggers? Then you might want to hook up with the Hash House Harriers for an easy run with locals and expats through a Parisian neighborhood and some socializing afterwards (just make sure it's not a Red Dress run where all the participants--men included--have to wear red dresses).

Adam,<BR>You may want to do a search for a thread called "I See France" on this site. One of our regulars, Elvira, made a trip to Paris & did a number of activities "off the beaten path" which may appeal to you. I urge you to check it out, as her writing style is delightful.<BR><BR>Bon Voyage,<BR>BC

Adam<BR>If you go to the Pariscope website you should find information on activities like concerts in churches, special exhibits, etc.<BR>Check out the elvira posting that was mentioned above. One off-the-beaten track activity she mentioned I think is the Viaduc des Arts, a structure housing many many shops and craftspeople. Might be great for Xmas shopping and artsy browsing. It's in the 12th,<BR>www.viaduc-des-arts.com <BR>

Thanks for the suggestions. I am having trouble finding Elvira's thread. Any recommendations?

You know, I've been trying to find that one to top it for Adam and the long one from yesterday that the LA woman posted. They both seem to be gone.

Adam,<BR>I just topped this for you & as of right now, it should be about the 5th thread.<BR><BR>Good Luck,<BR>Topper

Adam:<BR><BR>I think you'll get some great ideas from Adam Gopnik's book....Paris to the Moon. You can get it from the library. In fact, I saw it in paperback at Costco the other day. It's not a tour book, but a series of articles he's written about his three years there with his wife and infant son and his various walking-around, living there adventures....I think he was a New Yorker writer. I recommend it to everyone who's going to Paris, especially if they've already visited before.<BR><BR>Personally, I never tire of a walk around Pere Lachaise cemetery. While you're at the library, pick up a book called(something like) Permanent Parisians...a Guide to Paris Cemeteries. It gives you maps to the final resting places of many famous people....Edith Piaf, F. Chopin, Collette, Jim Morrison... and many, many others, and the place itself is quite lovely(for a cemetery)....many beautiful sculptures and serene, cobblestone pathways. It has its own Metro stop....Pere Lachaise.<BR><BR>Enjoy....<BR><BR>Scott

We really enjoyed walking/jogging at the Jardins du Luxembourg on sunny mornings- on weekends it is quite hopping. If you don't want food related, how about wine? or art? Maybe hit all of the little musees - Marmottan - CLuny - Carnavalat - Picasso - etc. We really enjoyed the Musee Jaquemart Andre - it's quite something - a mansion - right there in the heart of paris. Or, how about checking out the neighboring chateaus. That might be fun. Why nothing food related when in the heart of gastronomica? Not even a teeny weeny little trip to the market to get truffles?

No food because I have a very restricted diet. Trust me, I am more disappointed then you, but there is plenty for me to eat.

Well, if you would like something, ah-hem, stimulating, go to the Musee de l'Erotisme. It is very kitschy, weird, amusing, and actually a serious collection of erotic art. Here is a link to a summary from TimeOut: http://www.timeout.com/paris/sight/eccentricities.html<BR>Mus&eacute;e de l'Erotisme <BR>72 bd de Clichy, 18th (01.42.58.28.73) Mº Blanche. Open 10am-2am daily. Admission 40F. We enjoyed it and it was definitely different!<BR>

More ideas: pull up http://www.archetspf.asso.fr/ to get a schedule of concerts held in Paris churches; also, go to the basement at the Virgin Megastore on Champs Elysee and choose from the flyers on the wall (buy your tickets at the counter). We attended a Vivaldi concert in the Sainte-Chapelle and it was so lovely.<BR>You could peruse the ‘passages’ since it will be cold and a shorter day. Read this article: http://www.metropoleparis.com/1998/322/322pano.html<BR>It is very easy to take the RER to the town of Chartres – you can see the cathedral from the train station; after inspecting it, you can walk thru the town and see the river and old washhouses. I’m sure others will have great ideas for you…<BR>

Yes, the passages are lovely- especially passage vivienne - IMHO.

Thanks for the reference on the passages -- that's on my list for next time.<BR><BR>I think you take the regular train from Gare Montparnasse to get to Chartres. They run frequently.

A lot better than it sounds is the tour of the sewers. Well you asked for off beat!<BR><BR>Here is someone's report on them, which pretty well mirrors my own impressions.<BR><BR>http://www.afu.com/sewer/sewer.html<BR><BR>

The Paris Zoo (in the Vincennes park) is one of the nicest zoos I've been to and the animals are ACTIVE not just lying there like lumps with their backs to you. And watch out for the polar bears...their enclosure just barely (no pun intended) keeps them in--they can really shoot up out of their pool. Nothing tame about them at all! <BR>

S. Fowler - yes, I do believe you are right - it is a regular train to Chartres, not the RER. And you are welcome re: the passages reference.

Although you weren't able to buy tickets to opera/ballet, you can tour the old opera house during the day for a small charge. One upper balcony is left open for tourists to see the theater, chandelier and Matisse-painted ceiling. Common areas, hallways and staircases are open for your wandering. It's just beautiful.

On my 4th trip to Paris a couple years ago, I decided to pick lunch spots around the city and then walk to them. I was staying at the Hotel des Grandes Ecoles in the Latin Quarter, and the lunches were okay but the walks were wonderful. On the way to Les Bookinistes I detoured through St. Severin and found a Michigan youth choir singing spirituals; on the way to Ma Bougogne I went through the zoo at the Jardin des Plantes. It was the best way that I've found to discover unexpected parts of the city.

try the Paris underground sewer tour it is for real not a joke I saw it on the Travlers tv show it was prety intresting

Thanks for all the tips. I still have a couple of weeks, so I'm open to any more suggestions. Also, is there any way to get tickets to the opera/ballet when they are sold out?

The Paris Tourist Office web site has a very good comprehensive list of activities which you can select by date or type (www.paris-touristoffice.com). As for the ballet/operas, who told you they were sold out? It wouldn't surprise me due to the holiday period, but I just wanted to mention that sometimes you can't get tickets through their online web site (they close sales or something) when there are tickets left (I have bought tickets on site when the web site wouldn't let me). If you called, I guess they are sold out. I suppose it's like most cities, if you have the money and connections, you could get them, ask the concierge in your hotel. There are some tickets sold only at the counter at the Opera Bastille for bad sight lines, but I wouldn't want them, anyway. Here are some ticket agencies that have a good listing of various activities: www.ticketavenue.com, www.omniticket.fr and www.ticketnet.fr

I was able to get two tickets for La Bayadere at the Opera Bastille (ballet) from Ticketavenue.com when not available directly from Opera Bastille (I had called them in France). We are also going to be there just before Christmas. Less than two weeks... :)

Thanks for all of your tips. we will be leaving one week from tomorrw and I am putting together our itinerary. If anyone else can think of anything, I'm still listening.

One last suggestion--a world famour tango troupe is performing in Paris through December. Watching true tango professionals dance is mesmerizing. A review of the performance and info on tickets is available on line at www.parisvoice.com<BR>