Paris...

[Bbbananas]

We are going for a 5 day break in Paris at the end of May. What district (department/ardroissement whatever) would you recommend? I'm not so bothered about the shops, want to be inside the peripherique, with lots of nice walks and the usual touristy sites.

[LoftyLottie]

I haven't got an answer because I haven't been to Paris for 42 years and all I remember was being disappointed with the Eifel tower because I thought it would be silver and shiny and it was brown and rusty!!

However, I just wanted to say hi to you. How are you?

[Bbbananas]

Hiya Lottie. I'm fine thanks, and yourself?
I have been to Paris twice, but only for a brief visit and never did everything I wanted to. I saw the Eiffel tower (disappointing from a distance, but I was quite wowed by it close up). I really want to see the Sacre Coeur & the Montmatre area, but my BF lived there for 4 years about a decade ago and says that the district itself to stay in can be rather seedy, rundown & salubrious.
He used to live in the Marias district (with his Parisian girlfriend at the time), so it would be nice to stay somewhere different!! - he's leaving the booking & deciding up to me.

[Psybbo]

Hi salla, can't help, but how lovely to see you x

[B00]

"seedy, rundown & salubrious"

All your hallmarks aren't they salla?

Only kidding (honest!) lovely to see you, so to speak :-)

[LoftyLottie]

I am fine thanks Salla. Just getting older.

We are off on a Russian River Cruise at the end of May for 10 days from Moscow to Leningrad. I have my own Russian translator.

If your boyfriend knows Paris well, including the smaller sights should be very interesting for you. I love exploring back streets and seeing local life. Perhaps will go back one day. Mr LL is retiring at the end of the month so we will have more free time (but less dosh).

See you soon x

[Bbbananas]

Boo - I Am A Grandmother ;-)

Nah - when it comes to French Hotels, I've never gone for the seedy & salubrious - all the lifts smell of cabbage and they have strange men lurking in doorways. My standards are higher than you intimate x

Hello sibton. DId I once know you by another name?

[LoftyLottie]

Leningrad. St Petersburg!!! Oh dear. I told you I was getting old!!

[Kristal53]

I lived in paris for 5 years in the '70's. A nice place to stay is the 16th Arrondissment - nice up market suburb near to the Bois de Bologne (just don't go then after dark lol!) and very well served by the metro underground so easy to access all tourist areas. last tienm we were there we stayed in the 16th -nice hotels not with tourist prices.

[Bbbananas]

I misread that as "I have my own Russian tractor". I thought, well you can take the girl out of the country, but you can't........!!!

My BF would love that. Yes, he lived in Paris for 4 years - but never learned the language very well. THe lazy devil got himself a Parisian girlfriend and got her to do all the talking!! So he's not going to be much help. I have kept up my basic O'level French, and we have visited different parts of france when sailing - we always get by. The word for wine is always understood!!

[Psybbo]

No salla, my first and only venture into the internet, but I really enjoyed your posts when you were here.

[Bbbananas]

Thank you sibton. People on here were (are) so kind when I had my little contretemps (I think that's French. I think it's the right word!!)

[DTCwordfan]

The 16th is the most prestigious arrondi but you will pay.

I cant speak for it now but the Hotel dy Cygne just off the lower Rue St Denis used to be very good value and a lovely restaurant just opposite, run by two gays (but who cares) and also reasonable. Not that far from the Louvre....
http://www.cygne-hote...om/english/room01.htm

[DTCwordfan]

Hotel du Cygne...my typo - "pas un petit peu de français nouveau"

[craft1948]

I thought salubrious was good................

[Bbbananas]

Thank you DT - that will go on my list of possibles. It's the BF's bit 5.0., so I want it to be nice. And it would be good if I could find things to do and see that he didn't when he lived there.

[Bbbananas]

Until I Became A Grandmother crafty, it would have sufficed ;-)

I have upped my ante since then. (Not my aunty. She wouldn't like that).

[craft1948]

lol salla salubrious means conducive to good health and well-being...............I think you may mean insalubrious but I get the drift.

[DTCwordfan]

The Montmartre itself is fine (Paris's oldest vineyard is just at the back...) and the views over Paris by the Sacre Coeur are great....the surrounding areas at the bottom are pretty seedy and show the impact of the economy on Paris et "l'immigration resultante."

I lived in Paris for 4 years but out in St Germain-en-Laye, which is like Hampstead Heath - can recommend two hotels, one very upmarket and one medium out there. StGdL is not that far from Versaille and has its own chatea, home to James II when he fled England - and a lovely market town in its own right (great Sunday market)....15-20 mins from La Defense by the RER....

[Bbbananas]

I always get that the wrong way round....... !! As the bishop said to the actress.

[DTCwordfan]

What are your interests then...and maybe I can take it from there, Salla.

Of the big hotels, Hotel Meurice is rather nice, across from the North side of the Louvre and close to wonderful food shops like Fauchon (has to be seen to be believed) www.fauchon.com