Posted by admin on April 30, 2008 under One stop travel guide to Paris | 
If you’ve visited Paris in recent years, you’ll not that the City of Paris has done much to discourage driving cars within the city limits. However, for those of us who cannot move around Paris without a car, the issue of parking has definitely been addressed. You’ll find many more underground parking lots - either municipal parking or private companies such as Vinci Park (no relation here to the Da Vince Code BTW).
Meanwhile, another European city - Berlin - has come up with a neat concept which may find its way to the Parisian landscape - the Car Loft. Currently, you can buy into a Carloft in Berlin for approximately 450,000 Euros (according to one site).
Just remember not to leave your car turned on while your sleeping. (I can see here the makings of a great plot for a Berlin murder mystery).
Posted by admin on under One stop travel guide to Paris |
Lamia at The Hotel New Montmartre (2 stars) (This hotel has recently been renovated)
An important part of making your stay here pleasant is finding a Paris hostel or hotel where the reception staff is kind and helpful. Because we already have lodging in Paris, I can’t give you an account of the sleeping experience at some of these hostels and hotels, but I can tell you about the neighborhood and what you might expect for a front-desk reception.
Please remember to check out customer reviews and their experiences. This post is intended primarily to give you some photographic views of hostels and hotels and is definitely no substitute for talking with those who’ve actually stayed at these locations. You’ll find, particularly with hostels that guests’ impressions vary dramatically depending on their expectation level.
First of all, the Montmartre neighborhood has plenty of charm - especially if you distance yourself from the hill-top and Place du Tertre jumble. Of course you’ll want to hike up the steps to enjoy the great view of Paris, and look at the artists’ sketches & paintings displayed on Place du Tertre, but you’ll be happy to find sleeping accommodations farther down the hill, away from the tourist crush.
Lamia at The Hotel New Montmartre (2 stars) (This hotel has recently been renovated)
An important part of making your stay here pleasant is finding a Paris hostel or hotel where the reception staff is kind and helpful. Because we already have lodging in Paris, I can’t give you an account of the sleeping experience at some of these hostels and hotels, but I can tell you about the neighborhood and what you might expect for a front-desk reception.
Please remember to check out customer reviews and their experiences. This post is intended primarily to give you some photographic views of hostels and hotels and is definitely no substitute for talking with those who’ve actually stayed at these locations. You’ll find, particularly with hostels that guests’ impressions vary dramatically depending on their expectation level.
First of all, the Montmartre neighborhood has plenty of charm - especially if you distance yourself from the hill-top and Place du Tertre jumble. Of course you’ll want to hike up the steps to enjoy the great view of Paris, and look at the artists’ sketches & paintings displayed on Place du Tertre, but you’ll be happy to find sleeping accommodations farther down the hill, away from the tourist crush.
Woodstock Hostel courtyard
Our first stop was at the Woodstock Hostel at 48 Rue de Rodier, Metro: Anvers. This may be one of the best prices (for singles) in town, 22 Euros per person for dorm style and 25 Euros per person for twin bunks.
Showers and toilets are located in the corridor of each floor.
The front desk reception was very warm and helpful from a young Rumanian who spoke perfect English.
Woodstock Hostel courtyard
Our first stop was at the Woodstock Hostel at 48 Rue de Rodier, Metro: Anvers. This may be one of the best prices (for singles) in town, 22 Euros per person for dorm style and 25 Euros per person for twin bunks.
Showers and toilets are located in the corridor of each floor.
The front desk reception was very warm and helpful from a young Rumanian who spoke perfect English.
If you want to book a room here for June, July or August, make your reservations NOW. She told me that because their rooms are inexpensive they go quickly in high season. Rue Rodier is a fairly quiet street (in the afternoon). It will take you ten to fifteen minutes to walk up to Sacre Choeur from here. The Woodstock has a pleasant lobby/bar area and an inner courtyard set up with tables.
They also have wifi service and computers available. There’s a lockbox at the front desk for valuables. Doors close at 2 am (so people can sleep!).
Village Hostel
20 Rue Oursel
Metro: Anvers
Rue Oursel is located parallel to the very busy Blvd. Rochechouart. You are much closer to Montmartre, but you will find yourself in the thick of the foot traffic going back and forth to Sacre Choeur as well as the commerce in this district famous for its bolts of cloth.
Prices here are good also, but remember that if you get a double room like at the Woodstock, you’ll be paying 30 Euros per person (with a toilet and shower in your room).
There’s an additional charge for sheets and towels as well. (2.50 Euros sheet rental, 1 Euro towel rental)
The Village also has a pleasant general lobby, sitting area and kitchen area with microwave. Internet is available. I was unable to look at a room because they were all occupied. I would suggest reading customer reviews. If you’re looking for a quiet location, this might not be your first choice, but the reception was pleasant and English is spoken.
Once again, their prices starting at 24 Euros for dorm style to 30 Euros for a double are reasonable (as long as you remember that the double is only available for 60 Euros (whether you’re one or two occupants). So let’s just call it 60 Euros plain and simple.
Hotel Caulaincourt Square
2, Square Caulaincourt
Metro: Lamarck-Caulaincourt
If you want to book a room here for June, July or August, make your reservations NOW. She told me that because their rooms are inexpensive they go quickly in high season. Rue Rodier is a fairly quiet street (in the afternoon). It will take you ten to fifteen minutes to walk up to Sacre Choeur from here. The Woodstock has a pleasant lobby/bar area and an inner courtyard set up with tables.
They also have wifi service and computers available. There’s a lockbox at the front desk for valuables. Doors close at 2 am (so people can sleep!).
Village Hostel
20 Rue Oursel
Metro: Anvers
Rue Oursel is located parallel to the very busy Blvd. Rochechouart. You are much closer to Montmartre, but you will find yourself in the thick of the foot traffic going back and forth to Sacre Choeur as well as the commerce in this district famous for its bolts of cloth.
Prices here are good also, but remember that if you get a double room like at the Woodstock, you’ll be paying 30 Euros per person (with a toilet and shower in your room).
There’s an additional charge for sheets and towels as well. (2.50 Euros sheet rental, 1 Euro towel rental)
The Village also has a pleasant general lobby, sitting area and kitchen area with microwave. Internet is available. I was unable to look at a room because they were all occupied. I would suggest reading customer reviews. If you’re looking for a quiet location, this might not be your first choice, but the reception was pleasant and English is spoken.
Once again, their prices starting at 24 Euros for dorm style to 30 Euros for a double are reasonable (as long as you remember that the double is only available for 60 Euros (whether you’re one or two occupants). So let’s just call it 60 Euros plain and simple.
Hotel Caulaincourt Square
2, Square Caulaincourt
Metro: Lamarck-Caulaincourt
This hotel may be a little tricky to find (you need to take Rue Caulaincourt and follow it from the Metro: Lamarck-Caulaincourt until you arrive at one of Montmartre’s famed rows of steps to your left and to your right. Balanced between this split-level staircase is the cozy Square Caulaincourt. Hopefully, you’ve been carrying your belongings either in a backpack or in a small suitcase on rollers because whatever public transport you take, you’ll end up doing a bit of walking before you get to this hotel. However the location is well worth the trek. This is one of my favorite corners in Montmartre - you’re just far enough away from the kitschy tourist traps at the top of the hill and just across the street, you’ll find Les Copains D’Abord restaurant which I can recommend for hearty dinners and French music (i.e. Jacques Brel). (Les Copains D’Abord is the name of a favorite French song).
Rooms at Hotel Caulaincourt Square start at 50 Euros for one person with shower (WC down the hall) up to 89 euros for a three-person room. If the location isn’t enough to entice you, how about a friendly American smile at the front desk? During our visit, we met Reggie who hails from D.C.
This hotel may be a little tricky to find (you need to take Rue Caulaincourt and follow it from the Metro: Lamarck-Caulaincourt until you arrive at one of Montmartre’s famed rows of steps to your left and to your right. Balanced between this split-level staircase is the cozy Square Caulaincourt. Hopefully, you’ve been carrying your belongings either in a backpack or in a small suitcase on rollers because whatever public transport you take, you’ll end up doing a bit of walking before you get to this hotel. However the location is well worth the trek. This is one of my favorite corners in Montmartre - you’re just far enough away from the kitschy tourist traps at the top of the hill and just across the street, you’ll find Les Copains D’Abord restaurant which I can recommend for hearty dinners and French music (i.e. Jacques Brel). (Les Copains D’Abord is the name of a favorite French song).
Rooms at Hotel Caulaincourt Square start at 50 Euros for one person with shower (WC down the hall) up to 89 euros for a three-person room. If the location isn’t enough to entice you, how about a friendly American smile at the front desk? During our visit, we met Reggie who hails from D.C.
View from your window (going down the steps)
Reggie, your American contact in Montmartre!
Hotel New Montmartre - New start with new renovation?
You’ll note Lamia, the receptionist at Hotel New Montmartre Hotel headlines this post - because, as I said, a good receptionist is a major element to feeling welcome in Paris. Let me just say that all the receptionists that I’ve met in the past two days have been exceptionally helpful and their English is excellent. However I do have to signal that the Hotel New Montmartre has been recently renovated. Its rates are higher than the hostels, starting at 70 Euros for 1 person and 90 Euros for 2 people. However its past customer reviews (Trip Advisor) have been positively scathing in some cases. Because I didn’t get a chance to see the rooms, I can only tell you that the Montmartre location is quite good (on this, all of the customer reviews agreed). Recent reviews since its renovation are mixed - so choose this hotel only after reading the reviews. I do intend to go back to take a careful look at the rooms. The front entrance and reception area looks quite nice and one hopes that the renovation has resolved some of the complaints of past customers.
Finally, if you want to move up to 3-stars in the Montmartre area, I have it on good word-of-mouth that the
Hotel des Arts, 5 Rue Tholoze, Metro; Blanche is worth checking out.
Tel. 01 46 06 30 52
If you’re wondering why I don’t have photos of Hotel des Arts, we just ran out of steam tracking down these hotels, but not before stopping in to at least one really talented artist’s studio to admire some excellent pastels of parrots, ducks, donkeys, wildcats, ostriches, like you’ve never seen before. Olfa Bouzenad has a talent for color - be sure to check out her duck a l’orange - it’s yummier than the real thing!
Olfa Bouzenad
Atelier/Studio
41, rue Lamarck 75018
All Photos by Chris Card Fuller ©2008
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How’s this for an unusual front lobby at the Woodstock hostel?
How’s this for an unusual front lobby at the Woodstock hostel?
Reception at the Village Hostel
Reception at the Village Hostel
Kitchen area at the Village Hostel
Posted by admin on under One stop travel guide to Paris |
It takes approximately 10 minutes to walk from the Peace & Love Hostel, 245 Rue Lafayette, Metro Jaures to Gare du Nord train station where the Eurostar pulls in from London.
What I immediately liked about this Paris hostel is its location just opposite St. Martin’s canal. On a spring day, the canal looks great (and some of the rooms have views of the canal) It’s also just across the street from the Metro. You can get to every part of Paris if you have the Metro at your fingertips. This is a neighborhood less frequented by tourists, working class and multicultural.
Likewise the staff of Peace and Love is multicultural, hailing from Morocco, Latvia and Moldova, just to name a few countries. The reception is very friendly and welcoming and staff members’ spoken English is excellent. I may even have a friend now in Riga - if we ever get there!
It takes approximately 10 minutes to walk from the Peace & Love Hostel, 245 Rue Lafayette, Metro Jaures to Gare du Nord train station where the Eurostar pulls in from London.
What I immediately liked about this Paris hostel is its location just opposite St. Martin’s canal. On a spring day, the canal looks great (and some of the rooms have views of the canal) It’s also just across the street from the Metro. You can get to every part of Paris if you have the Metro at your fingertips. This is a neighborhood less frequented by tourists, working class and multicultural.
Likewise the staff of Peace and Love is multicultural, hailing from Morocco, Latvia and Moldova, just to name a few countries. The reception is very friendly and welcoming and staff members’ spoken English is excellent. I may even have a friend now in Riga - if we ever get there!
If you don’t mind walking up six flights of steps, I would definitely recommend Room #15 which has a great view of the canal. This is a double room with a shower (with a double bed) as opposed to bunks which you’ll find in the dorms.
The room was spotless - the toilet is right down the hall. All the general areas appear to be tidy and recent renovations include fresh paint in contemporary colors.
The general reception area looks out on the intersection where Rue Lafayette crosses Rue La Villette and the bridge over the canal.
The bar stays open until 2 am and offers 10 varieties of beer (purportedly the cheapest beer in Paris). There are cooking facilities, a lock box and internet access. Unlike some other hostels, Peace and Love is open 24 hours. There’s no lock out time or curfews - which is handy for night owls.
I found the staff to be very welcoming and wouldn’t have minded staying for a few beers - but then I never would have gotten back to write this post for you.
One of the staff members who’s worked here for the past nine year says that the neighborhood has improved by leaps and bounds. This is a good spot if you plan on taking advantage of the local canal boat tours or if you’ll be coming in by Eurostar. However, if you have any qualms about using the Metro public transport, you may find this neighborhood to be far removed from the major tourist attractions. Because the bar is open until 2 am, this may not be the place for you if you’re an early-to-bed tourist.
Peace and Love Hostel
245 Rue Lafayette 75010
Metro: Jaures
Tel 01 46 07 65 11
Current rates start at 26 Euros for a 9-room dorm to 30 euros for a double (these rates will change with the season).
Note that the link says that this hostel is only for adults UP TO AGE 35. Well, there ARE exceptions. For those of you who love to party at any age, you can feel welcome here. The point is that the staff doesn’t want any unhappy guests. If you’ve come here to get a full night’s sleep - you may want to consider other options, but if you’re looking for a friendly party environment, this is your place.
Photos by Chris Card Fuller 2008
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Often a concern for single travelers is choosing a neighborhood that’s safe and convenient. Just to give you an update on some of the hostel neighborhoods - You’ll find that the majority of hostels tend to be concentrated in working-class neighborhoods, somewhat removed from the city center.
The Paris hostels I’ve most recently visited are located in the Montmartre neighborhood (18th) and Gare du Nord/Canal St. Martin neighborhood in Paris’s northeastern sector. This is the same area (Gare du Nord) which was the site of disturbances back in 2005, but I found this neighborhood to be fine for walking around during the day (Canal St. Martin). The area in direct proximity to Gare du Nord, I found less appealing. The Peace and Love Hotel is on a busy intersection at Metro: Jaures with the St. Martin canal just across the street. One of the staff members who’s worked in the area for the past nine years tells me that the neighborhood has definitely improved.
l
If you want to stay in the Montmartre quarter and you don’t want to be caught in the throng of visitors who really can fill up the market streets heading directly up to Sacre Choeur, I would suggest opting for some of the hostels slightly around to the back of the hill top i.e (Caulaincourt/Lamarck Metro).
If you want to be closer to the center of town and the major tourist sites, I would suggest opting for hostels located in the 15th or 5th arrondissements on Paris’s Left Bank. 3 Ducks Hostel and Ma Maison are both located in the 15th and would be the shortest trek to the Eiffel Tower (which is in the 15th).
Rue Mouffetarde (5th arrondissement) which was mentioned in Rick Steve’s choices for inexpensive lodging also has the Young and Happy. hostel I really like this street even if it has become touristy in past years. There’s tons of restaurants and you’re in the thick of the student neighborhood.
Finally, the Auberge Internationale des Jeunes (12 arrondissement)is justto the west of Bastille (about a ten to fifteen minute walk from Bastille). Although distant from the major tourist attractions this is normally a quiet residential neighborhood. You’re not far from Bois de Vincennes if you like to jog.
Montparnasse (14th arrondissement) doesn’t have many hostels, but student housing can be found in some ‘foyers’ or student lodging. If you plan on taking classes in Paris, you may be assigned lodging here as I was when I studied at the university. Montparnasse is a very convenient neighborhood and quite safe. Although there are few hostels, some of the hotels are reasonably priced compared to Right Bank prices.
Whatever neighborhood you choose, be sure to reserve quickly. With so few hostels, these rooms go quickly during hight season.
Enlarge this map to see a number of the more well known Paris hostels. Click the markers for their addresses and homesites.
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Posted by admin on under One stop travel guide to Paris |
Now is the time to book your tickets for Rage Against the Machine (45 Euros) August 20 and for the Rock en Seine 2-day concert (August 28-29, 08).
August 28: R.E.M. ; KAISER CHIEFS ; THE DГ ; SERJ TANKIAN …
August 29: AMY WINEHOUSE ; THE ROOTS ; JUSTICE ; THE STREETS …
Book your tickets now!
http://www.rockenseine.com
Posted by admin on under One stop travel guide to Paris |
The name of the restaurant is enticing - The Supreme Victory of the Heart. Its new location on Rue Bourg Tibourg in the 4th arrondissement is perfect for people-watching. The ambiance is super calm - and super clean with colors that soothe the spirit and prices that don’t shock the wallet.
Geneveive and I arrive at 12 noon - we were lucky on this Wednesday to have our choice of tables - so we chose a table right by the window to enjoy the passing scenery (including one of the locals sporting his Chanel handbag and cowboy boots (yes). You have to have a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to pull off this kind of ‘mix and match’.
But getting back to food, I really like the plate presentation - the daily menu is presented on a chalk board. Today’s choice was sauteed mushrooms with brown rice and a creamy white sauce. With a richly flavored cup of Earl Grey tea, this lunch cost 15 Euros.
The name of the restaurant is enticing - The Supreme Victory of the Heart. Its new location on Rue Bourg Tibourg in the 4th arrondissement is perfect for people-watching. The ambiance is super calm - and super clean with colors that soothe the spirit and prices that don’t shock the wallet.
Geneveive and I arrive at 12 noon - we were lucky on this Wednesday to have our choice of tables - so we chose a table right by the window to enjoy the passing scenery (including one of the locals sporting his Chanel handbag and cowboy boots (yes). You have to have a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to pull off this kind of ‘mix and match’.
But getting back to food, I really like the plate presentation - the daily menu is presented on a chalk board. Today’s choice was sauteed mushrooms with brown rice and a creamy white sauce. With a richly flavored cup of Earl Grey tea, this lunch cost 15 Euros.
Some of the other dishes you’ll find on the menu include Seitan (which is a tofu based ‘cutlet’), vegetarian ‘chicken’, salads, tofu, soups. The desserts (which we didn’t try) looked tasty - crumbles and tarts. Here is the complete menu: VSC Menu
The food and presentation is without reproach - but its the calm ambiance that really makes this dining experience a pleasure. La Victoire moved from its old Right Bank address last November. The extra space gives diners plenty of elbow room.
And I have to also mention here the excellent restroom facilities which have all the glamor of a Costes establishment (for those of us who don’t have a Costes budget!).
Some of the other dishes you’ll find on the menu include Seitan (which is a tofu based ‘cutlet’), vegetarian ‘chicken’, salads, tofu, soups. The desserts (which we didn’t try) looked tasty - crumbles and tarts. Here is the complete menu: VSC Menu
The food and presentation is without reproach - but its the calm ambiance that really makes this dining experience a pleasure. La Victoire moved from its old Right Bank address last November. The extra space gives diners plenty of elbow room.
And I have to also mention here the excellent restroom facilities which have all the glamor of a Costes establishment (for those of us who don’t have a Costes budget!).
Don’t walk past the discreet entrance of this exceptional vegetarian restaurant. It may not shout its existence - but like so many good addresses - news travels fast. Thanks Genevieve for introducing me to a lunch, brunch, dinner, and tea salon locale where I will soon return to find that rare and valued treasure - a tranquil dining spot where one can eat healthy and meditate on the incredible joy of being - in Paris, no less.
La Victoire Supreme du Coeur
27-31 Rue du Bourg Tibourg
75004 Metro: Hotel de Ville
(exit on the Rue du Rivoli side (walk past BHV department store toward St. Paul metro, or west , and turn left on Rue du Bourg Tibourg.
VSC is open seven days a week and serves brunch on Sunday afternoons.
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Leave it to UPS to find the coolest handbags in Paris (in Parisgirl’s opinion). We were wandering around the 9th and 10th arrondissement (Rue Paradis and Rue Papillon) in search of India Embassy’s new Visa services department (VS Services Ltd.) - more on that later . . . when we stumbled upon Karine Arabian’s boutique..
You know my feeling about handbags and accessories that skyrocket to absurd prices . . . but one can look - and admire. UPS commissioned a tote bag (which is currently featured in their Rue de Papillon window display). I’ve always had a soft spot for UPS. UPS delivery agents were the highlight of long office hours - and the brown truck was a signal that something good was about to arrive on the doorstep.
I had visited Christian LaCroix’s ‘History of Fashion’ exhibit at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs just last week. Now that I’ve seen Karine Arabian’s handbag: SAC ART DECO - a patchwork handbag in python (you won’t find this handbag on the boutique’s website, but if you stop, ask for the Summer ‘08 catalogue) I’m convinced. This handbag deserves to be in a museum.
Yes, it’s portable art.
No surprise then that Karine Arabian wil be participating at a fashion exhibit this spring and summer in Marseilles -
MusГ©e de la Mode de Marseille - Exposition
Du 16 mai au 30 septembre 2007-05-21
Karine Arabian & les ArmГ©niens de la mode XVIIГЁme - XXIГЁme siГЁcle
Still this portable art is- totally out of my price range, but worthy of admiration.
According to Parisian friends, Rue Paradis and Rue Papillon brings you into the wholesale shoe district of Paris - in some rare cases, you can actually buy shoes at through a wholesaler (cash, of course). There are no fast and fixed rules (supposedly).
If you’d like to know more about Karine Arabian:
Boutique KARINNE ARABIAN
4 Rue Papillon
75009
Tel. 01 45 23 23 24
or
24 Rue de Sevres
75007
Musee des Arts Decoratifs
107 Rue de Rivoli
Metro: Palais Royal (walk along the Tuileries Garden side of Rivoli) the entrance is just past the Carrousel du Louvre.
Closed Mondays
Admission: 8 Euro
The Christian LaCroix temporary exhibit has closed but the Musee de la Mode et du Textile, Musee de la Publicite (Advertising) are included in the Musee des Arts Decoratifs.
Be sure to visit the Red Room (2nd floor).
Posted by admin on under One stop travel guide to Paris |
Paris is a good place to start any number of trips, including a trip to India. Round-the-world travelers know that price for tourist visas (just gasoline prices) have gone through the roof. Last year, the cost of our tourist visas for China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan cost us almost as much as the airfare to some of these destinations (all of these countries have embassies or consulates in Paris BTW).
This year we’ll be applying for our Indian tourist visa in Paris. If you plan on spending at least a week in Paris, you can try out the Indian embassy’s new visa service which has been outsourced to VFS Ltd, 42 Rue du Paradis, 75010, Metro: Poissonniere.
Visa applications can be filled out and submitted from Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 2 pm. You’ll need two passport size photos. (There’s an automatic photo machine right at the Visa service office), plus a photocopy machine.
If you’re a French citizen or European Union member, the visa application process can take as little as two days, but if you’re an American citizen or non-European Union member, count on at least one week. Non European union members must also fill out a second application form in addition to the India tourist visa application. The visa fee is currently 62 Euros (although that can change). The additional non European member form is currently 30 Euros (that can change also).
Paris is a good place to start any number of trips, including a trip to India. Round-the-world travelers know that price for tourist visas (just gasoline prices) have gone through the roof. Last year, the cost of our tourist visas for China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan cost us almost as much as the airfare to some of these destinations (all of these countries have embassies or consulates in Paris BTW).
This year we’ll be applying for our Indian tourist visa in Paris. If you plan on spending at least a week in Paris, you can try out the Indian embassy’s new visa service which has been outsourced to VFS Ltd, 42 Rue du Paradis, 75010, Metro: Poissonniere.
Visa applications can be filled out and submitted from Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 2 pm. You’ll need two passport size photos. (There’s an automatic photo machine right at the Visa service office), plus a photocopy machine.
If you’re a French citizen or European Union member, the visa application process can take as little as two days, but if you’re an American citizen or non-European Union member, count on at least one week. Non European union members must also fill out a second application form in addition to the India tourist visa application. The visa fee is currently 62 Euros (although that can change). The additional non European member form is currently 30 Euros (that can change also).
The staff here speaks excellent English (no surprise) and they were extremely helpful. Keep in mind that your visa begins from the date that the visa application has been granted - so you’ll want to coordinate your travel dates within six months from the time of your application.
For more information about India Tourist Visas in Paris, please visit the Indian Embassy in Paris site or
VFS Limited offices at:
42 Rue du Paradis
75010 Paris
Metro: Poissonniere
Posted by admin on under One stop travel guide to Paris |
I’m not sure which is more frustrating - just one day in Paris - or two days. First thing you’ll want to do is make sure those two days don’t happen to be a Monday and Tuesday. Half of Paris’s museums are closed on Monday and the other half are closed on Tuesdays which means you could waste a lot of time bouncing back and forth between closed museums (but you won’t get caught because you will have already looked at Parislogue’s Museum info post.
If you’ve already read my One Day in Paris post, you’ll know that (unlike some other well-known guidebooks), I don’t consider the Champs Elysees or the Louvre to be the heart and soul of Paris. The ‘Champs’ has really lived too long on its past notoriety (and now must do something spectacular to get back its groove).
The Louvre is positively awesome. If you delve into this on Day One, chances are you’ll be too exhausted to do much else . . . if you’re a bonafide art lover, you will make this sacrifice at the temple of the masters . . . and you will never regret it. For the rest of us, less zealous, I would suggest saving The Louvre (or Musee d’Orsay for your second day in Paris).
So, just to recap: Day One
Start at the heart of the matter: Ile de la Cite. Notre Dame Cathedral springs up alongside the very essence of Paris - The Seine River. Water - the reason for Paris’s existence. Water, navigation, commerce aboard the Seine River. Take your first day to become intimately acquainted with this watery throroughfare - either by walking along its quays - or hanging out at Paris Plage.
Explore the Latin Quarter and the Left Bank or lose yourself in the alleys of Ile St Louis. You can picnic at the Luxembourg Gardens, the Place Dauphine on Ile de la Cite or in the Roman Lutece Arena.
Finish the day with a boatride with Vedettes de Pont Neuf which will take you right past the Eiffel Tower for great photos.
Day Two
Now is the time to choose your museum. GEO Magazine recently issued a listing of Paris’s 50 Most Beautiful Museums. No surprise that the Louvre was at the top of that list. When you visit the Louvre, you’re also visiting a royal palace. Get there early (9 am opening hour) and buy your Museum Pass or Louvre ticket online to save time) and wear comfortable walking shoes.
If classical art isn’t your thing, don’t feel that you ’should’ see the Louvre just because it’s world famous. First pick an artist or a time period that you really admire - if it’s the impressionists - you have several options: The Musee d’Orsay, The Orangerie, or the Musee Marmottan ( Claude Monet). If you have a favorite artist i.e Dali or Magritte for example, don’t hesitate to e-mail Parislogue -and hopefully, I can point you in the right direction.
Devote your morning to one museum. If it’s the Louvre, cross the street to Palais Royal Garden, and settle into one of the cafes tucked in the shade under the arcades i.e La Muscade (where you can have a traditional ‘blanquette de veau’ when the weather turns chilly). Otherwise head toward the Tuileries Gardens and lunch in one of the turn-of-the-century cafes nestled under between the leafy trees.
If it’s summertime, take a ride on the ferris wheel at the Tuileries Gardens - even if you aren’t a kid.
From the Louvre, you have several options, you can walk toward Place de la Concorde and the Champs Elysees. Feeling ambitious? Walk the entire Champs to the Arc de Triomphe. The Arc de Triomphe has recently been renovated so it’s better than ever. Walk up to the top of the Arc for a great view of the Paris skyline (and the ’spine of Paris from the Grande Arche to Bastille). The lines are sure to be shorter than you can expect at the Eiffel Tower).
If you’re not a ‘Champs’ fan like me, head toward the Opera House for a glimpse of the famed staircase that the Phantom of the Opera descended in all his horrific glory for the masked ball (that’s the 1920s Lon Chaney Sr. silent film version, of course). Stop for a drink at Harry’s Bar on Rue Daunau.
Or, cross over from the Louvre to Rue du Rivoli and Rue St. Honore (which runs parallel to Rue du Rivoli for some serious window shopping).
In the evening, you have two options for great nighttime excursions. Head up to Montmartre (by bus - the #95 line which you can catch across from the Louvre Museum (right between the IM Pei Pyramide and the Carrousel du Louvre). (From Place du Clichy, catch the Montmartobus for your transfer all the way up to Place du Tertre).
Or view Paris lights from the top of the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower is open until 11 pm (and even later during summer months). The tour buses are less likely to show up as the evening progresses, so you should have a shorter wait to reach the top level.
Finish off your evening with a cafe or kir at one of the cafes circling Place Trocadero, directly across from the Palais du Chaillot. From the esplanade of the Palais du Chaillot, take one last look at the Eiffel Tower before you say ‘goodbye’ to Paris.
Posted by admin on April 28, 2008 under One stop travel guide to Paris |
You don’t have to be rich and famous to find great fashion in Paris. You don’t even have to go to the ‘fashionable parts of town’ to find super boutiques. I was really delighted to stumble upon Nina Kendosa’s boutique at 87 Rue Mouffetard located in the affordable student district, the Latin Quarter.
What drew me to this shop? I noticed that French women were zooming in here like bees heading toward the honeycomb. (Okay maybe that’s a slight exagerration. It happened to be a perfect Sunday afternoon in spring- when larger department stores might have been closed.
What really surprised me about this boutique was not only its location - I had never associated Rue Mouffetard with fashion, but also the price of the sportswear. For example, the blouse you see in this post (which Lila is modeling for you) was purchased for 45 Euros. The material is really excellent - cotton and silk. The blouse also comes in different colors including YELLOW which is one of the hot colors for Spring 2008.
Even though Rue Mouffetard has definitely succumbed to some souvenir shops, this is a good place to look for lodging (there’s even one hostel located right on Rue Mouffetard- Young and Happy Hostel, 80 Rue Mouffetard.) Stay at a hostel - and save all your money for shopping!
As I’ve mentioned in past posts - Parisian blouses and t-shirts can really be excellent, inexpensive items to take back home - and they take up hardly any space in your suitcase.
Happy shopping on Rue Mouffetard!
Nina Kendosa
87 Rue Moufftard
75005
Metro: Monge
