I need advice for going to Paris for the first time.?

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nsnurse

I was in Paris in September 2008 and found my hotel on Expedia.com. I wanted somewhere central so I stayed at the Hotel Derby Eiffel which is about $150 per night. It was small but clean and we could see the Eiffel Tower from our window. It was only a 10 minute walk to the Eiffel Tower and Invalides. There is a metro station just around the corner. If you do look for something cheaper I would recommend staying in districts 1-8 as they are more central.

The metro is very simple to take and getting from place to place doesn't take long because it is a smaller city. All of the stations have colour coded maps usually posted on the walls of the station but you can get a printed map from most stations too. I do not speak any French and I had no problem. I have been to New York and London and found the subway system in Paris to be easier.

If you are into the whole museum scene I would recommend the Paris Museum Pass. It lets you skip the line (which can be long at some museums) and if you see 5 or more places like we did its worth it. The only place you can't skip the line is Norte Dame Cathedral which was a long line to go up to the tower even in the slow month of September.

I loved the Rodin museum the gardens alone were fabulous. We planned it in the middle of the day so it was nice to sit in the garden and relax and look at the beautiful sculptures.

Try to go to the Louvre on a Wednesday or Friday, it's open until 10pm on these days instead of the normal 6pm. It's closed on Tuesdays. The Musee d'Orsay which has the more modern paintings (more recognizable names like Monet, VanGogh, Degas, etc) is open until 10pm on Thursdays and is closed on Mondays.

As for eating it's expensive. Try eating in places away from the main tourist attractions. For lunch we ate alot of picnics. The grocery stores have lovely sandwiches but cheap delis are abundant too. And cheap wine! Take a corkscrew with you. We made the mistake of not bringing one and had to buy an expensive souviner that cost twice as much as the bottle of wine. I highly recommend taking a picnic lunch to the Jardin des Tuileries which is the garden extending west from the Louvre. There is a lovely fountain and tons of chairs around it.

We were only there two days and saw L'Orangerie (focuses on Monet's waterlilly paintings and only worth it if you are a fan of Monet), Notre Dame Cathedral (the climb is so worth it...the gargoyles, the bell, the view...spectatular and the inside of the church has some of the most beautiful architecture and stained glass), the Musee D'Orsay (the building is an old train station and is as gorgeous as the paintings inside it, the food at the upstairs cafe isn't bad either), Rodin Museum (The Thinker is the most famous statue but it is a lovely small museum that takes only about 2 hours to see), Les Invalides (Napoleon's tomb and the war museum...it was a bit boring but if you are into history it would be cool), The Louvre (go with a plan because there is no way you will see everything, we just saw the map highlights and were there for about 5 hours on a Friday evening), and the Eiffel Tower (go at night, its just a ugly metal tower in the day but at night all lit up with the light show every hour on the hour its pretty).

You will have more time than us just to walk around and enjoy the city. The islands are especially lovely. You will want to take pictures of every building and bridge you see. We went to London and Paris on the same trip and thought Paris was much cleaner and friendlier. Enjoy your trip and don't be afraid of the culture and language difference. I found the French very friendly and accomodating. Most people in Paris speak at least some English.

Rillifane

My personal favorite is the Hotel St. Andre des Arts where a double will cost 91 euros (which includes breakfast and all taxes). http://www.france-hotel-guide.com/h75006saintandredesarts.htm This is a very simple place with no elevator, no TV, no mini-bars, no room service, and no ice machines. However, its in a perfect location right in the center of Paris and has a friendly and helpful staff. Still, its not for everybody.

Right around the corner is the Hotel Left Bank Saint Germain ( http://www.paris-paris.com/hotel_left-bank_saint-germain.php ) which has lots more amenities and where a double can be had for 120 euros (click on the "special offers" link).

There are cheap chain hotels on the outskirts of Paris. Do yourself a favor, don't stay in one. Its like honeymooning in the Budget 6 in Omaha.

Getting a good meal in Paris is easy, the standard of cuisine is very high but then, the prices can also be. Dinner the the Jules Verne, in the Eiffel tower, which someone almost always will recommend, costs about 200 euros a person.

My own favorite restaurant is La Methode at 2 rue Descarte in the 5th arrondissment. cocktails, dinner, and a bottle of wine will cost 60-70 euros for two.

Le Coupe Chou which I also like to send people to ( http://www.lecoupechou.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=17d8ae5ee71ea0e209cf3313d06d8e58 ) is a cozy, friendly place with an interesting history.

Some other suggestions:

La Fourmmi Aillee at 8 rue du Fouarre is (http://www.premiumwanadoo.com/parisresto/Fourmi/MenuFourmi.php )

Le Temps Perdu 54 rue de Seine ( http://www.le-temps-perdu.com/en/index.html )

Auberge Le Pot de Terre 22 rue du Pot de Fer (http://www.lepotdeterre.com/index2.htm )

La Brouette 41 rue Descartes ( http://www.labrouette.fr/ )

superstar dj

I can vouch for both of these in the past 5 years (the first one last year):
- High-end two-star, great location in St. Germain. HÃ´tel Michelet OdÃ©on http://www.hotelmicheletodeon.com/
- One-star, awesome value, Latin Quartier, but a tad further away from the centre. http://www.hotelportroyal.fr/
Although it's a one-star, it's quite solid.

However, Paris hotel rooms are very different from the U.S. They are usually tiny ... perhaps not much larger than a bed. And some of them (like the one-star above), will offer cheaper rooms with no toilet or shower ... those would be down the hall. On a honeymoon, I'll assume you want a shower and toilette ("une douche et toilette").

For lunch, buy a crepe in a little take-out shop; it's comparable in price and convenience to buying a hot dog where I live. Or, buy a bagette sandwich or pizza slice for maybe $6 - $8. You can just walk with it or find some grass and picnic.

The Latin Quartier (near both of these hotels) has loads of low-cost dinner options. I actually find Paris quite cheap for dinner -- if you do it right. You'll see chalk boards that list things like "Formula â‚¬14" or "Menu â‚¬23" ... these describe fixed-price dinner options that usually include a three-course meal, tax and tip, per person. Wine is extra, but table wine is usually much cheaper in France than the U.S. So you can have a full, formal dinner with interesting French foods for around your $50 limit.

You should find a grocery store and buy things like: coke, juice, milk, snacks etc. there. You can pay $5-$10 for a coffee or a small coke in a trendy cafe (in reality, people are paying more for the seat in the trendy cafe).

Use the Metro, not taxis. Though a taxi from the airport is almost essential and pricey ($100). You can carry your luggage on a train if you want, but I'd splurge on the taxi.

Koenraad

That is great news to come to the city of light!

My best advice here is, don't take a hotel in the North. As ideal and cheap as it may seem, the night is not the safest there. We always go to an IBIS hotel.

A very nice and clean hotel is the one near the Eiffel Tower.

http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-1400-ibis-paris-tour-eiffel-cambronne-15eme/index.shtml

You can book online.

If you wish to go one step higher in the same chain, go for Novotel, which is bigger and more luxurious.

http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-3546-novotel-paris-tour-eiffel/index.shtml

As for food, don't go eat on the Champs Elysees, but choose instead for a nice dinner in the side streets of Montmartre. They often have great formulas at great prices.

As for sightseeing, besides the usual such as Louvre, Sacre Coeur, Eiffel Tower, Centre Pompidou, Musee D'Orsay, Concorde, Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe and Palais des Invalides... you may also want to visit Musee Rodin, which is right next to the Palais des Invalides. Also worth visiting is the gardens of the Tuileries, the Jardin de Luxembourg...

Have a nice trip.

Love0646

Paris is awesome! I'm trying to get back there in the spring, myself...
I'd suggest trying to get a place with a little kitchen so you can do some cooking. Eating out really adds up! Plus, figuring out how to make crÃªpes in Paris is just fun. Don't eat on the main, touristy roads near the tourist spots... And don't forget- don't look lost. If you need to look at a map, duck inside a store or something. Have fun! Oh - they have a super big sale sometime in June/July, can't remember when. A lot of the designer stuff is on sale. In case you want to go shopping in Paris. ;-)

RibeiroWorld

Hi! I have been to Paris more than one time, and for my honeymoon as well. I have to say that you are in a tight budget!

If you are looking for a hotel, try expedia.com.and then sort the results by price. I like staying at 3 star-hotels or higher, but you may need to stay at a 2 star. Paris is divided in areas by numbers. Try areas 1 or 2 to stay. From there, you can walk to the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, walk along the Senne river (long walk of course). You will need to study the Metro train schedule. It is very organized, but you will have to know it well before you get on the station. It will take you to all sights very cheap.

Unlike what people say, French people are very helpful and friendly. They will stop to help you find your street or destination.

As far as food, hard to recommend as there are so many. Perhaps someone else who was there recently could give you a specific name. Unfortunately, food is pricey at restaurants where there are tourists, so if I were you, I would buy lunch at a deli or grocery store for a couple of days, (bread, cheese fruit - the best!) or on alternate days, for example, and save the the money for a decent dinner, or something like that. That's what I did on my first trip. Hope this helps!

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