paris

[cherryjerry]

Going to Paris by Eurostar this weekend. Any tips?

[VHG]

About what ?

Eurostar ? Places to eat in Paris ? Things to see in Paris ?

A bit of an idea of WHAT you want tips about may help us.

Ever been to Paris before? Want to see the main tourist sights, or more off the beaten track? Prepared to walk around a bit? Want to know about nightclubs, or not your scene?

I know a lot about Paris (as do lots of other here) but unless I know want you want tips about I dont know where to start.

[Krypton27]

Mind the step !

[VHG]

To follow on from my comment above.

My tips about Paris for a first time visitor would be as follows:

1) Paris is a wonderful city, and great for walking round, so take you time and stroll round the city to get the best from it.

2) Paris is a large city, so dont try and do it all in a weekend. Pick a couple of areas and concentrate on them. You can visit the other areas on your second visit.

3) Paris has some rather obvious tourist places, but having said that they are still worth a visit.

For a first time visitor I would go to Eiffel Tower - great views (maybe walk up to the second stage as the queues for the lifts are massive).

I would also go to Montmartre and the Sacre Cour. This is an area on the edge of Paris on a hill but great views over Paris.

Any spare time to go Notre Dame cathedral and the island it is on.

There are also some great musems and art galleries if you are in to that sort of thing.

4) Take a boat on the Seine in the dusk / early evening, called the Bateaux Mouche. All the buildings are lit up in the evening and it looks wonderful from the river.

5) Be wary of Parisian car drivers. They DONT stop at zebra crossings, may well drive at you when you are half way across the road, and will hoot you loudly if you are in their way.

[cherryjerry]

Thanks VHG for your comprehensive reply. Good tip on zebra crossings! Will put Eiffel tower, Notre Dame and Sacre Cour on the list. Never heard of Montmartre. Not sure what to expect really - first time visit. Thought perhaps we might do a 'tourist tour' and then go back to the places we liked the look of. Heard it was very expensive to eat and drink so we'll have to limit ourselves to 1 coffee each when we do one of our favourite pastimes of 'people watching'! thanks again

[VHG]

>Never heard of Montmartre

Montmartre WAS a small village on the edge of Paris where all the artists and painters lived (Picasso etc) BEFORE they were famous.

It is where the Moulin Rogue night club was situated (it is still there). If you have seen the film Moulin Rogue you have some idea what there area was like.

Although the "village" has been swallowed up by the rest of Paris it still has "village" feel about it, and there is still a windmill in the area, plus grape vines.

The Sacre Couer church was built on the top of the hill, right in the village. The church is white and looks beautiful, and the view over Paris from in front of the church are amazing.

There are still lots of artists in Montmatre and many congregate in a area called the Place du Tertre, just behind the church.

Here is a picture of it

http://tinyurl.com/c5xmj8

Here is a picture of the Sacre Couer and the hill from the distance

http://tinyurl.com/dmlrxf

Here is a picture of Montmatre at night to show you the village feel of the place

http://tinyurl.com/ako5qd

And here is a view FROM Montmarte looking over Paris

http://tinyurl.com/bbrvrn

Here is a picture of the Windmill in Montmatre.

http://tinyurl.com/bp93zw

[VHG]

>we do one of our favourite pastimes of 'people watching'!

I love people watching, and Paris is a great city to do it.

There are lots of tourists there, rushing round getting from place to place, and if you can stand back and watch them it is quite interesting.

Places to people watch include:

Montmartre (already mentioned)

The huge area outside the front of Notre Dame cathedral.

The area around the Pompidou Centre. This is a VERY modern building which houses modern art, but in the area outside you get loads of street entertainers and all sorts of things going on. Bit like Covent garden in London if you have been there.

Here is a picture of the Pompidou Centre

http://tinyurl.com/bfke42

Also the area OPPOSITE the Eiffel Tower (the other side of the river) called the Trocadero.

Here is a picture of it

http://tinyurl.com/adlw9d

At the weekend people use those long "red" paths to do skateboardng and skating, and it is a great place to people watch.

Because it is opposite the Eiffel Tower you also get great view of the tower, see here.

http://tinyurl.com/bgqw94

See what I mean, as soon as you start talking about Paris you have already got a load of things to do !!

[VHG]

One strange and different thing to see in Paris is the famous bookshop near the Notre Dame.

It is called Shakespeare and Company and has THOUSANDS of second hand books on all the floors.

It has become a tourist attraction in its own right.

Here is a picture of it

http://tinyurl.com/bbahc5

Here is their web site

http://shakespeareco.org/

[garner]

Just to say VHG thanks for the pics, saved me getting the photo album out.Such happy memories of our visits to Paris.g

[jg96]

Sad I know but watching the traffic going round the Arc de Triomphe is an amazing spectacle. People on here who have been to Paris will know what I'm on about!!!!

[cherryjerry]

Hi All

Thought I would give you an undate on my visit to Paris as you have been so good with all the suggestions.

Eurostar was very impressive - Paris in 2hrs 15 mins! Hotel was near the Arc de Triumphe so Friday afternoon we walked up the 284 steps to the top. Amazing view and lots of traffic zooming around. Found out what you said about the zebra crossings! Next we walked to the Eiffel Tower and as there were long queues, sat in the Trocadero and took photos as it had been a lovely sunny day and the Tower looked awsome when the sun was going down. Saturday we went back to the Eiffel Tower in the morning and went up to 2nd floor, although hubby went to the 3rd. Caught a boat to Notre Dame. Walked back to the Louvre although didn't go inside. Sunday went to Montmartre and the Sacre Couer and then walked to Place de Tertre and saw the artists. (Had the drawing done!) It absolutely tipped down with rain so we spent an hour in the cafe and then walked to see where the Moulin Rouge was - another photo - and then went back to Notre Dame for lunch. Again walked back along the Seine looking at all the stalls. (Took over 50 photos this weekend)
Found the metro an absolute gem - trains every 2 mins (4 on Sun) - brought a 2-day pass for 19.60 euros and certainly made use of it.
With the pound so low against the euro we found eating and drinking very expensive. Paid 7.70 euros for a gin & tonic, 7 euros for a pint, 3.50-5.00 euros for coffee!
Well, touched on a bit of Paris, next stop Amsterdam!
Cheerio!