Myself and my partner are visiting Paris this August. I've heard that a lot of things are closed - does this cause problems. Also, has anyone been to the Leger exhibition at the Pompidou centre? We're looking forward to it. Thanks for any comments

Some restaurants and small businesses may be closed,
but no major tourist attraction or museum is closed,
except perhaps for Aug. 15th which is a national
holiday (Assumption Day, I think). There shouldn't
be any problem, plenty of other restaurants are
open.

Joanna - The last four years I have spent time in Paris in August. The most important tip I can give you is... BUY THE MUSEUM CARD! It is not really too expensive, and it allows you to go into any museum. Even if you're only planning on visiting one or two, you still must buy the card, because it allows you to skip standing in the *massive* lines outside the museums, and slip into a side door. Otherwise you could spend hours waiting in the sweltering heat with the other tourists. You can find the card in lots of places, but I always bought it down in the metro station outside the Louvre.

Hot and very Humid, make sure that you carry water, because there are no public drinking fountains, you have to purchase evian water, and we went through it like crazy!

My wife and I will be in Paris Aug 27-30. Even though the tour guides say Aug is the busiest time, we wonder if children are back in school by then and things get back to normal?

By the way a Swedish friend recommends Hotel Cluny Square as a good place to stay. Any comments?

Thanks,
Art

No, children do not go back to school until Sept.
(roughly second week).
Know nothing personally about Hotel Cluny but I
personally think the location is terrible. It is
directly on one of the noisiest and busiest streets
(the 1st block of Bd St. Michel, I think) around,
with massive construction on that block that has
been going on for over a year now. Ask your friend
about the noise. On the other hand, it certainly
is close to things being right in the middle of
Paris and just a block or so from the Seine, and
thus is convenient for transportation.