Hi everyone. I have really enjoyed all the things I have read and seen here on TA ...its great. Now its time...We leave on Sunday for a week , staying in the Latin Qtr.
Looking for any tips on the following;
---Transit, we plan on using the Metro and the tour busses, What is the best values here?
---Any recommendation for one REALLy special (Not Crazy Expensive...$150 US) dinner in a real Parisienne restaurant?
---Any great finds for cool out of the way, Not Touristy, Bistro%26#39;s etc?
---Lastly, does anybody know of an area or market where we might find some crafts (Jewelry (Silver), Abstract local art, pottery, etc...?
Thats about all, hoping to get some great last minute ideas.....Bonjour mon ami%26#39;s....
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Hi 50Bash, I am only commenting on the first point. As you will be there for a week, you could get a carte orange zones 1-2 to get around if you will be using public transport a lot. L%26#39;Opentour 2 day passes are good value at 28 Euros if you want to be taken to most of the popular sights
http://www.paris-opentour.com/en/open.htm
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Thanks Faux, i have my pix done......Anybody know of any good clubs with live music,? Blues and or Rock would be best...
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Hi 50Bash, I dont know of many music places - mainly jazz - but if I start off with jazz possibilities, others may follow with blues and rock (or more jazz)
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/claude.philips/
http://7lezards.com/welcome.htm
http://www.parisbestlodge.com/jazz3.html
http://www.centretcheque.org/jazz.html
These sites might have something of interest
http://www.paris-zoom.com/
thingstodo-paris.com/brochure/content.jsp…
I hope others respond but, if not, try another post that specifically seeks suggestions for rock or blues venues. Good luck
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Hello,
I believe there is a craft/artist market on Sundays around gare Montparnasse. Have never gotten to it but have heard it has artists selling their wares.
IMO you will be almost overwhelmed with the number of relatively inexpensive restos....well under $100 for 2 will get you a 3 course meal with wine and cafe....... Check out the crowd in place when the French are dinning..........about 8:30/9 PM. If you cant get in that night, go early another night or make a reservation.......(Check the posted menu on the outside for prices and what they serve). Some restaurants in the big tourist areas are good, but some are not so good, so be a little careful there.
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50 bash -
There are real Parisienne restaurants all over the city - I use the same method of finding a locals%26#39; restaurant in both Italy and France.
I stand in the doorway at the locals%26#39; dinner hour - A little later than we are used to - and listen for English or German. They are the two easiest languages to pick out when listening to a crowd. If I hear them, I go elsewhere, if I don%26#39;t, I request a table.
Bon voyage.
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1BCtraveler, your post made me laugh. My daughter and I just got back last night from our 8-day Paris visit. (and I am planning a few trip reports, to thank %26amp; pay back for all of the planning help I received from this forum). We ate well in Paris everyday, using the same technique. If we heard American or German, we picked the next cafe. As we walked by an establishment in the neighborhood, and saw it was crowded with locals, we went there the next day. We watched what les francais bought in the markets. We asked questions, hesitantly at first, afraid our accents and less-than-perfect french would cause us embarrassment, but then the questions turned into real live conversations. Our interactions with shopkeepers, waiters, etc. were probably the best part of our trip.
Some tips for first timers (this was my second first trip to Paris, the last being 30 + years ago)...
Buy a Streetwise map. It%26#39;s durable, legible, easy to consult, and easy to stash in your jacket pocket or purse. It has streets, museums %26amp; landmarks, and a metro map.
Wear your jeans, and bring a pashima or rayon scarf, or just buy one when you get there. With your black sweater, you will blend right in. If you wear your local NFL sports team sweatshirt, you will be easy to spot at the restaurant.
Avoid large tour groups. Your will see so much more on your own, with a little advance preparation. (Bring your favorite tour book. My 13-year old preferred Rick Steves, I liked my Michelin green guide).
Pack lightly. No one will know you wore the black sweater twice. Bring at least 2 pairs of comfortable shoes. If you have to choose between fashionable and comfortable, ***pick comfortable***. You will be walking every day, whether in the streets, in the metro, or in the museums. Lots of steps (up and down).
Buy a museum pass. It saves an extraordinary amount of time *not* waiting in lines, and you will find yourself visiting museums you never thought you be interested in, because you can just %26quot;drop in.%26quot; Remember at almost all museums, children under 18 are free. We bought ours at the Musee de Mode et Textile, housed in the same building as the Louvre (107 Rue de Rivoli). No lines; this is a very quiet museum. The exhibit currently is men%26#39;s fashion, comparing contemporary fashion with historical. We spent about an hour here, then strolled into the Louvre at the adjacent Carrousel du Louvre entrance, on a busy Saturday afternoon.
Go up la Tour Montparnasse. Significantly fewer tourists than the Eiffel Tower, and (in my opinion) a better view. Go at sunset, and stay to watch the Eiffel sparkle at twilight. Then when you go to the Eiffel, you can go to the second level rather than the summit, and save a few euros. Also, when the Eiffel gets crowded, they close the summit.
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Bea, I think the market you recommend is the one in the middle of Bde Edgar Guinet, which was unusual because a lot of the stalls were inside tents. That is a good suggestion for local arts and crafts. I bought a nice hand printed silk scarf there last year.
It is featured as a %26quot;specialised market%26quot; in the Mairie de Paris website and is said to be open from 9am to 7.30 pm but I would not trust it to stay open as late as 5 or 6pm. The same website says the Porte de Vanves flea market is open until 7.30pm but it is all but closed by 1pm. However, the Bde EG market does not shut that early. I went there at about 2.30 pm on a Sunday last February and it was still going strong
www.v1.paris.fr/EN/Living/markets/default.ASP
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