Recommendations for Paris and trip

puredrifting

puredrifting

Major Contributor
Hi all:

This is aimed mostly at our friends in France but if you live in France or are from France, what would be in your top ten most recommended things to experience on a first trip there? Not just places but experiences? I probably have ten days in the Spring of '09, perhaps in April or May. Probably staying in Paris or a suburb unless you tell me not to. And it goes without saying, I will be on a tight budget, no three star restaurants for me, no rental car, probably public transportation and trains.

1. I hate tourist locations/guides/touristy things. Much more interested in the "real" place.
2. Order of interests would be history, literature, art, wine, food. Not really interested in seeing the same things I can see in NY or London, much more interested in experiencing what is unique and amazing about France.
3. I don't speak any French but will be picking up Rosetta Stone to at least learn some conversational.
4. I am not a loud, entitled, obnoxious American and don't expect the rest the world to be like the U.S. of A. I am low key, observational and generally blend in pretty well when I travel.
5. If you are a photographer or filmmaker, would love to visit places that are visually friendly.

I would value any recommendations as we are trying to decide where to go and what to do.

Thanks so much,

Dan
 
Have you seen 'Paris Je'taime'? It's filmed in 17 of the 20 districts of Paris. I'd take notes about what looks interesting in that film and then look up what districts they are.

If I was going, I'd go to Notre Dame and sneak in a good quiet DSLR with a prime lens wide open and stealth some natural light shots :)
 
shawneous said:
Have you seen 'Paris Je'taime'? It's filmed in 17 of the 20 districts of Paris. I'd take notes about what looks interesting in that film and then look up what districts they are.

If I was going, I'd go to Notre Dame and sneak in a good quiet DSLR with a prime lens wide open and stealth some natural light shots :)
Click to expand...

I like your ideas. I will have to check out that film. I know I am going to be fighting with my wife because I am all about the photography/video and she won't want me to be, "put away that camera and just relax". As you know, it takes some effort to take good images and takes some time. Will have to not take the camera on some days as well.

Thanks,

Dan
 
Musee d'Orsay and Jardin du Luxembourg should not be missed. Both represent an inexpensive afternoon and a terrific walk from our favorite left bank neighborhoods of St. Germaine and the Latin Quarter.

The d'Orsay is an amazing museum with an eclectic and accessible collection. You're as likely to get up close and personal with a Bugatti as you are a Manet.

It can be done in a leisurely afternoon - unlike the Louvre, which simply demands a full day even off headset. English audio tours make the visit worthwhile if you're not fluent, so don't be bashful to spend a few Euro to get a fuller experience.

Any time we are in Paris, we like to walk around Parc du Champs de Mars - even if you have no plan to go to the top of the tower. Everywhere you turn is a photo. The tomb of Napoleon (a few blocks away) is a quick and rewarding diversion.

The Moulin Rouge is a very touristy spot and we've avoided it. Kinda cool in concept, but more like a Vegas diversion than an authentic one.

We always have at least one croque monssieur and cafe creme at Cafe du Flore (or any of the other excellent cafes in Paris) and you should try to have an appropriate adult beverage at Harry's if you can find it.

Best advice? Visit the thorn tree at Lonely Planet and search for top Paris picks. That place is a treasure-trove of good advice from on-budget travelers (like me!).

e
 
Thanks Eric:

All good advice, thanks.

Have you been to other parts of France? We have ten days, I am wondering if we should use it all in Paris or make some day trips to other spots?

Dan
 
The last two trips, we've rented a car and driven to the south. On one we rented a house in Lourmarin and last summer was at Ventenac en Minervois on the canal du Midi in the Languedoc growing appelation.

Languedoc is a wine-lovers paradise. We rented houses on both occassions and did day trips to the other surrounding villages based on where the market was that day. Because the market shifts each weekday, you get fresh, local food in a new setting. Then, you simply take your guidebook and research the village and surrounding areas based on that.

Narbonne and most of the Med. cities are fun. The Provencial region is, by far, our favorite.

We found renting a car (always a Tdi) is far more economical than taking TGV. Of course, we travel a family of five plus, so we aren't as nimble as you might be!

e
 
Visit Bordeaux if you can, lots of beautiful architecture, beautiful countryside. Great people, great food, great wine. And its a place you can explore yourself on the tramway at reasonable expense.
 
Erik Olson said:
Any time we are in Paris, we like to walk around Parc du Champs de Mars - even if you have no plan to go to the top of the tower. Everywhere you turn is a photo.
Click to expand...

I'll second that.

If you can, walk whenever time/distance permits. You will find much more authentic places away from the metro stations.

Also, I'll add that making an attempt to speak french when at restaurants, shops, etc seemed to get me better service, or at least a friendlier attitude from the workers, who usually know some english, but appreciated the effort. I found the people there to be warm and friendly, contrary to some beliefs. Have a great trip.
 
Hi Dan
A friend of mine, a girl is coming to visit Paris along with her friends, she asked more or less the same question and I had to answer her with this following, just ignore any personal messages inserted here and there:

-Yes you can do disney land during the day and come back the same day, but you have to wake up early, catch a special train "40mins" that takes you to Disney, personally I hate Disney Land but I'm sure you will have fun there, just don't take me with you.
-Places to visit:
A-Eiffel Tower and its surronding "garden - Trocadero....etc". You have to think of making a LONG line of you girls wanna to go to top, again, don't take me with you on this =)
B-Les Champs Eleyses, it is a fun place to go to anytime, shopping, some restos, fun and visit the Arche de la Triumphe, I can go to that, and you can go many times.
C-Concorde, and its surrondings, Madeleine, Lafayatte, Opera, shopping area and classy area, very nice to go many times.
D-Louvre Museum, normally you need a whole week to see all of it, but pay it a visit, it is a nice place with its surronding, very close to the previous area.
E-Sacre Coeur, or the Montmarte, you know, Emilie Poulain thing, it is a great place to visit many times, small restos, small museums, art place where you can have your picture drawed, next to that is the Moulin Rouge, which is in a very dirty area.
F-La Seine and its all bridges, you can also take the boat, I hate tourism, but I love that boat "Bateaumouche", a thing to do, no doubt.
G-Bastille, a cool area, there is so so much bars, restos and night clubs there, don't go alone though.
H-Next to Bastille is a long street that links Bastille to Concorde to Champs Eleyeses, it is a great area for shopping, you can see also Hotel De Ville, the Gardens of Tuileries....etc.
I-Notre Dame, and the Quartier Latin, Saint Michel a place to have fun in, many restos, very nice.
J-La Sorbonne, the great university quartier, very nice, close to previous, also good for shopping walking and having drinks.
K-Invalides, a place like an old museum.
L-Boulevard Saint Germain, a nice place for shopping and having fun too.
M-La Defence, a modern area, just for shopping, you can also go up of the Huge Arche de La Defense, great view.
N-Speaking of view, the Montparnasse tower, tallest in France, a shopping area too, called Rue de Rennes, nice.
O-Versaille Castle, a huge fancy castle with its huge gardens, you can go by train and come back the same day, but you have to spend the whole day, to recommend.
Q-I know I mentioned Disney Land, but I recommend also Asterix land, it is cuter, smaller and more fun, but you decide.

Now back to Dan, for photos and even videos, Paris is AWOSOME by night, if your camera is sensitive to low light, then you will have amazing magical footages or photos, think of all Parisian Bokeh effects you can get, I also recommend the boat the navigate through Paris, imagine a timelapse with it, you can also visit the underground Paris, a whole city built under the actual city, tunnels, water tanks...etc. I think Paris will be out of Pollution that time of the year, so you can try high places like Eiffel Tower, Arche de la Defense, Arche de la triumphe, or Montparnasse tower, you can have amazing shots, metro in Paris is quite nice and easy and handy, just avoid rush time if you are wondering around with your red one "kidding", Parisians are not necessary allergic to Americans, it is just an attitude to the noisey toursits in the touristic places, as you want to avoid these areas most of the time, then you will be unnoticed.
If you need specific answers, please feel free to ask within the next 18 hours as I will take a flight tomorrow, if I'm in Paris that time, I can have a drink with you, and I can even borrow you my Sgpro r3.

All the best
 
Instead of visiting disney land visit disney studios, I was there last year and I liked it......... Although you may be a bit feed up with everything disney given your job......(if I recall correctly you were filming dvds for disney....).

I'm not a very french lover (although I can get to france in 90 minutes by car.....) but you find lots of varied scenarios (from sand dunes to impressive mountains).

Enjoy your stay there!
 
Thank you Chadi, those all sound like good suggestions. I will definitely keep them in mind as we plan our itinerary.

Inaki, thanks too. Yes, I have absolutely no interest in Euro Disney, I was given a trip to Disneyland this Summer (my company paid) so I went and it was okay but if I would have been paying, I would have felt ripped off. Too crowded, the lines to all of the good rides take hours and Disney has become the evil empire anyway, I don't like to support them and why see the same thing in a different country?

I used to do a decent amount of work for Disney but not so much anymore.

Definitely interested in doing things in France which are unique to France.

Dan
 
Part 1

Part 1

I took my family to Paris this summer for a 3 week vacation. We rented an apartment in Le Marais and spent most of every day exploring the city, using the metro for longer distances, but always walking miles each day. We've been to several of the great cities of the world and each has its charms - for us, Paris was exceptional for its attention to culture - food, architecture and arts... The variety was literally endless and we barely scratched the surface. I wouldn't discount the big attractions, they're popular for a reason, but here's some of our best memories:

Pere LaChaise Cemetary (Montmartre is great too, smaller but equally fascinating and you can combine it with a trip to Montmartre and Sacre Le Coeur)

Velib bike system. Paris has dozens (hundreds?) of public stations where you can take out bicycles and return them to any other station in the city. You have to have a credit card with a chip (puce in French). I have a French credit card, but I've been told that AMEX cards work. Most fun - the road along the Seine is closed off on Sundays during the day.

Luxembourg Garden: you can easily spend a day just shmoozing around. Watch the petanque (similar to bocce) players and ask Nourdine for a quick lesson. See one of the puppet shows that have been going on for the last 100 years or so. Watch the kids playing with the little sailboats. Hang out in the gardens.

Tour of the mosque. Absolutely beautiful and interesting. On the left bank, I think in the Latin Quarter.

A couple of great walks:
Along the Seine river, starting from the Place de la Concorde, walk up to Notre-Dame. You can extend the walk by starting further downstream (e.g., from the Pont d’Iena, nearby the Eiffel tower) or continuing further upstream (towards the Bastille). You can take the subway for the way back (line 1 runs along most of this itinerary).

Viaduc des Arts, a former elevated railroad that has been converted into gardens that takes you from Opéra-Bastille to the Jardin de Reuilly, a beautiful and popular park for school kids. Under the railroad are wonderful artisan shops of all sorts.

Outdoor flea markets are great. Forget the big ones, they're impersonal, the merchandise just repeats you won't find many bargains. Our favorites were the market near Place de la Bastille, on Blvd. Richard Lenoir (M: Bastille), on Thursdays and Sundays (there are more clothing vendors on Thursday) and Marché D’Aligre in the 12th, a super lively, world market near Bastille. Both of them are near the Viaduc des Arts, so you could combine them into one day. There's great food and interesting flea market stuff at both of them.

Food - it's so hard to pick our favorites, but here goes:
Falafels at L’As du Falafel on Rue de Rosier in the Marais - cheap and unbeatable.
Rue Cler - get cheese at the cheese shop, baguettes and dessert at the bakery, sun-dried tomatoes at the deli, fruit at the produce shop, then walk a couple of blocks northwest and enjoy your feast in one of Paris' typical little gardens.
Creperie de Josselin - large, crispy buckwheat crepes in the Bretagne style; have a savory crepe with a glass of hard cider and go back for a dessert crepe with a cup of coffee. Google the name for directions.

Museums:
L'Orangerie - Monet's water lilies on wall length panels lit by natural light. Then go to Giverny to see Monet's gardens, just 45 minutes by train. Read a guidebook about getting there first thing in the morning. For a visual artist, this is a must see and one of our family's favorite destinations.
Rodin's gardens. The gardens are free and have an extensive collection of sculptures in a beautiful setting. No need to go into the museum.
Musee des Arts et Metiers (Museum of Arts and Industry?) - historical collection of scientific inventions and instruments including many first inventions of importance, beautifully displayed in a really interesting building. If you take the metro, you'll love the metro stop there.
 
Part 2

Part 2

Dinner at Jim Haynes. Jim is an American expat who has been hosting a dinner every Sunday night for 20-30 years kind of for anyone who wants to come. There are regulars but lots of new people who just drop him an email and ask if they can come. Google him. It costs something reasonable for a good meal, wine and conversation (mostly English) with fascinating people from all over the world. Do this early in your trip and you're likely to hook up with people who will make the rest of the trip interesting. I met a semi-big shot film distributor from Eastern Europe there.

Hire Michael Osman for a day. Michael is a legendary American expat guide. He’s very relaxed and obviously loves what he does. He’s also the best deal you’ll find (100 Euros/day as of last summer) who will literally spend the whole day with you. You can just tell him your interests and he’ll make up an itinerary or save him for one of the big attractions to make it manageable, like the Louvre or Versailles.

Here's a great Sunday itinerary:
Start at the bird market on Ile de St. Louis (it's flower market the rest of the week), have an ice cream at the famous Bertillon's. Walk over to the Latin Quarter to the Arenes de Lutece, there's often kids playing soccer in a 2000 year old Roman arena. Wander over to Place Monge for an excellent Sunday Market, buy a bite to eat for lunch. Walk up Rue Moufftard and enjoying the quaint shops and end up on the little square at the bottom of Rue Mouffetard, in front of the Père Médard church where there is accordeon/musette-playing and sing-along from 11:00 - 2:00 on Sundays, if the weather is dry.

Enjoy!
 
Jeez Jonathan, thanks! I should hire you as our guide. Great recommendations and detail. It is looking like we will only spend three days in Paris, then we will rent a car and head for Champagne, Nice, Cannes for the remainder.

Really nice of you to recommend such great ideas. Will keep this updated with the trip as it gets closer.

Dan
 
My pleasure Dan. You're one of the people who make this discussion list so great for me so it was fun to to try to help you out a little...
 
For all of you Francophiles, what do you think of three nights and four days in Paris, rent a car, tour the countryside south through Dijon, Lyon, then a couple nights in Marseille, then finish off with a drive through Cannes to Nice? Fly back from Nice.

It seems this would give us a good basic overview of Paris, the south, seaports and we would get to see Cannes and Monte Carlo, even though we are way too poor to stay there.

If you have seen a good amount of the country, does this seem like a good trip itinerary? We are trying to get a taste of several different areas with not nearly enough time. This route would ignore the Atlantic areas and north of Paris but I think that the south, farmland, vineyards and lots of Cote D'Azur would be appealing and we would see a good cross section of farming country, historical sites and all of the fun of the southern coast.

Comments? Thoughts? Recommendations for locales besides Paris that are a must that we would be driving through?

Thanks all,

Dan
 
Jonathan or anyone else who has been to Paris recently:

Any recommendations of decent, CLEAN hotels in Paris for a reasonable price? Have been getting some horror stories about some of the really low priced ones and my dad has given us an apartment in Cannes for a week so we can spend a bit more on the Paris leg as far as lodging.

Any recommendations in the $150.00 to $200.00 per night range?

Thanks all,

Dan
 
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