I am going to Paris next week and I have heard that the French do not exercise (for the most part). This seems to be evident by the fact that very few hotels offer fitness facilities. I am a runner and staying near Luxumbourg Garden. Is this a good place to run outdoors? Any other suggestions? Also, is it difficult to find healthy food in restaurants (ie: grilled seafood, steamed veggies without sauces and butter smothered on everything?) Thanks to all who respond!

One finds people running in all of the large Paris parks, including the Luxembourg Gardens.

There is no problem finding healthy food in Paris. You might sometimes ask the server to leave the sauce out -- very often fish is served with butter-based sauces.

There are some gyms in Paris, but I think people tend to get their exercise other ways. Whether hotels have fitness facilities isn't a matter of the avg. French person uses gyms, but the fact the only expensive hotels frequented by business people (who are not running around all day seeing the Eiffel Tower and walking their feet off) tend to have fitness facilities in most all cities. At least it seems that way to me. You must frequent different hotels than I do that you expect that, as even in the US, I don't usually stay in average modest hotels that have fitness facilities. Those cost money and take up space, and space is expensive in big cities, that's why they don't have them. What do you expect for 100 euro a night, anyway. YOu can have fitness facilities in Paris if you stay in modern 4* hotels with a lot of business clientele, if that's what you want.

The French may not exercise in fitness facilities, but they do a lot more walking around than the average American!

Luxembourg Gardens, I have heard, is a good place to run. When I've visited Paris, I stay in the 6th Arr. closer to the Seine, and have had beautiful runs along the Seine (the downside is the stoplights, but the views are a very big upside), around the Ile St. Louis and Ile de la Cite, around Notre Dame. The Runner's World website has an article on running in Paris; you can also look at the info on runtheplanet.com.

You can eat as "healthily" as you want in Paris. I would suggest more walking and other exercise, so you can take greater advantage of the fantastic French food, not all of which is smothered in sauces or butter. That's one difference that I find between standard American and French food - a lighter hand with sauces generally.

It is definitely not all "sauces and butter smothered on everything" (I'm guessing you have not been to Paris before?). Also know there are plenty of restaurants that are not even "French food" (i.e., Greek, Italian, etc.)

How about a stair-climbing workout on M. Eiffel's creation? For €3,80 you can buy a ticket to the 2nd floor.

I was actually surprised when I went to exercise in a Paris park, there were a LOT of joggers! And it wasn't a touristy area - Bois De Vincennes (not sure if that is spelled correctly). There were hundreds of people there in the morning to work out. I would have brought a full set of workout clothing had I known it was so popular!

Paris is a great city for running. If you're out the door before 8 am, you'll have the streets pretty much to yourself. Bring a map and criss-cross the Seine. A really nice loop includes Ile St Louis (go early - you'll have to run in the middle of the street because there is no room on the sidewalks), across the bridge to Ile de la Cite, around Notre Dame and across the Pont Neuf. For food, the tagines in Morroccan restaurants are healthy and delicious.