Ever been to paris, france?

Show all answers

crjesq

I've been a couple of times. Obviously, Paris is great for museums. The Louvre and the Musee D'Orsey (which used to be a train station and is cool). The Arc de Triumph is great to see, as well as walking down the Champs de lysee (spelling) which has all the fabulous shopping (VERY EXPENSIVE). The absolute best was the Cathedral of Notre Dame. But my husband's and my favorite thing we did was go to this church near the halls of justice. I forget the name, but it used to be the royal church. It's beautiful, with stained glass windows from floor to ceiling, and they do chamber music there a couple of days a week. We heard the Paris symphony orchestra do Vilvade's 4 seasons there. There is a magazine, I think it's call Paris Scope (or something similar) that lists all kinds of neat things going on in Paris.

Another thing you might want to do is see the Paris Opera House. We also took an evening boat ride on the Seine, which was very romantic. Oh yes!!! We went to the Moulin Rouge. Spectacular.

And ask the concierge at your hotel to recommend a wonderful restaurant. I can't remember the name of the one we went to, but it was built to be a casino originally. It's like one of those that would be considered a 5 star. It cost about $100/person, 8 years ago when the U.S. dollar was stronger, so it would be hugely expensive.

A less fun thing, if you are inclined, is to pay homage to Princess Diana by going by the tunnel where the accident occurred.

Don't forget to go to the Palace of Versaille. Plan on spending a long time there, because it was beautiful, and huge, and large gardens/grounds to stroll and adventure.

valntina487

L'arc de triumph, Louvre museum, cozy cafes on the street, SHOPPING! and definitely find the man selling crepes in the middle of park. They are delicious!

Mark

L'arc de triumph, Louvre museum, cozy cafes on the street, SHOPPING!

I'll be there for five weeks starting June 1 I'm so excited. This will be my 4th time there. Have fun, gorgeous!

worldglobetrottergirl

It depends, really, on what you'd like to see, what you're interests are. I could spend an entire week just roaming the masterpiece-packed halls of the Louvre.

The Musee d'Orsay, as previously stated, is a former train station. The building itself is beautiful, not to mention the Van Goghs, Monets and Cezannes lining the walls. If you're into modern art, there is the Pompidou Center. But don't eat at the cafe--very expensive!

The Louvre actually has a nice food court. Take a break from the Louvre to refuel here. Paul's is pretty good. Delicious pastries!

The Rodin Museum is a must-see, in my book, as well. Across the street is Napoleon's Tomb. Less crowded than the other museums.

If the weather is cooperating, having a picnic in the shade of the Eiffel Tower is a lot of fun.

Versailles is well worth it. But don't go on a Tuesday. Most other museums are closed that day which makes Versailles overcrowded. You won't be able to see anything except the back of the head of the person in front of you or the ceiling. Take a walk, while there, to visit Marie-Antoinette's hamlet.

There's also the Pere Lachaise Cemetery (Jim Morrison, Chopin and Oscar Wilde are among the notables buried here). Montmartre is a fun place. The steps of the Sacre-Coeur Basilica offer a spectacular panoramic view of Paris. Don't try to take photos inside Sacre-Coeur. You'll be escorted out. There is a restaurant, La Bonne Franquette, in Montmartre that is a lot of fun. Watch out for the amorous accordian player.

Notre-Dame Cathedral is beautiful. We're not Catholic but attended mass here. If you wish to climb to the top of Notre-Dame, get there early. The line is staggering!

Get a Museum Pass...available at participating museums and, your best bet, at any Metro ticket booth. A Carte Orange (week-long metro pass) is worth buying as well. It's about 15 Euros, allowing unlimited access to the Metros in Zones 1 and 2, which will probably be the only ones you're going to be traveling to.

The cheapest souvenirs are found on Rue de Rivoli (across from the Louvre) and near Notre-Dame. The further you walk away from a major attraction, the cheaper the souvenirs.

Champs-Elysses is fabulous offering a ton of great shopping, many of which are quite expensive. But they have Sephora, the Disney store and a McDonalds. :-) You can get to the Arc de Triomphe from Champs-Elysses...rather than crossing that crazy traffic, you'll go under the street. It's a wee bit safer.

Paris Vision and Cityrama both offer a number of various tours. They both offer an introductory bus tour of the city, complete with historical background via headphones. I'd recommend checking this out the first few days. Helps you get your bearings.

There's also a cruise along the Seine which offers up a different perspective of the City of Lights.

If you want a great book on Paris, I'd recommend Rick Steves' Paris. Very informative.

Happy travels!

Dead Dave

Go up to the Sacre coeur to see the artists and cathedral and if you want to go underground find the Catacoombes. For something really different you can go down the Paris Sewers. Don't worry it is spotlessly clean and fresh and fascinating. The river boat trips are a bit dissapointing, all you see are the brick walls at the edge of the Seine and the rooftops of the buildings. Notre Dame is also worth a visit as is The Louvre.
To find the Catacoombes ---- opposite Denfert-rochereau metro station exit.
To find The Parisian Sewers ---- Alma-marceau metro staion, cross river turn left and look for a blue entrance booth.

Jacquot

Best week of my life.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Invalides. The Invalides and Napoleon's tomb were incredible to see.

http://www.gotoparis.net/opentour.html L'Open Bus Tour. This is what I did for two days, and it's a pretty cool way to bounce from one part of Paris to another. The pass is good for the whole day and allows you to hop on and off throughout the day with multiple stops and pick ups.

The Louvre is the most incredible thing you can ever imagine. The most brilliant works that artists have ever come up with, and they are right in front of you. http://www.louvre.fr/llv/oeuvres/detail_notice.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673225805&CURRENT_LLV_NOTICE%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673225805&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=9852723696500817&bmUID=1176527110781&bmLocale=en The Winged Victory of Samothrace. The perfect symbol of the Louvre. It not only is magnificent, but it is also open to your interpretation.

http://www.vedettesdupontneuf.com/ These guys put on a really cool river cruise. The day and evening tours are incredible and give you a fantastic view. The close up of the Eiffel from the Seine is awesome.

MissiM Luvie Duck

I love the neighborhood of Montmartre it was everything I imagined Paris to be, local artist, little shops that were fun to explore. My favorite place was the Sacre Coeur, and Versailles. Also, make sure you go in the bakeries, the quiche and tarts are so wonderful. I haven't found anything close in 5 years.

zafir

Why don't you do a search on Answers because this question is asked so often, and people provide really good information.

An alternative would be to buy a guidebook and work it out for yourself, based on your interests. Lots of people list museums and churches, and this may bore you silly. So a guidebook will tell you a little bit about everything, and you can work out an itinerary that suits you.

Sonny M

I have been to Paris many times. There are a ton of places to go/see. I've always found the Virgin Vacations list to be useful - 101 things to do in Pars.

One of my favorite places is the Parc Bagatelle
http://www.parcbagatelle.com/

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: