Why Paris: Beautiful architecture, cafe lifestyle, croissants, the bike system and romance.
Must See & Do: Bike everywhere, Sunday outdoor market @ Bastille; Versailles day trip
Dates Traveled: October 2011
Must See & Do: Bike everywhere, Sunday outdoor market @ Bastille; Versailles day trip
Dates Traveled: October 2011
Exlpore
Take a bike tour your first day. We used Bike About and loved it. We got to know the city and learned history and helpful tips from our guide. We also learned early on that biking is the easiest way to cover a lot of ground. Bike About gives you a list of their favorite restaurants and cafes at the end of your tour so if you go on your first day you have time to try some places on the list. During our tour we stumbled upon a Vogue fashion shoot along the Siene!
Notre Dame Cathedral is worth the wait in line. Bring your camera and take beautiful pictures of the city and gargoyles. Afterwards, visit St. Germain & the Latin quarter to see the Paris you know from movies.
Visit Montmartre where you will find the Sacre Ceour and the Moulin Rouge.
If you are in Paris on a Sundy visit the Bastille outdoor market. Here you'll find a mile of beautiful food. Our favorite was the olive market. We never realized how many different types of olives existed. We purchased a couple of crepes and a bag of olives for lunch. The next time we visit we plan to rent an apartment so we can cook a delicious meal with food from the market.
Walk around the Marais and visit many shops & cafes. The Marais was the old Jewish neighborhood and outside the Holocaust museum is the Allée des Justes. On the right wall you'll find bronze plaques that display the names and towns of 2693 French citizens who refused to remain passive as Jews were deported from France during the Second World War. It was moving to see a memorial given to those who risked their lives fighting for the lives of others.
Day trip to Versailles. This is not to be missed! Read more about Versailles here.
Notre Dame Cathedral is worth the wait in line. Bring your camera and take beautiful pictures of the city and gargoyles. Afterwards, visit St. Germain & the Latin quarter to see the Paris you know from movies.
Visit Montmartre where you will find the Sacre Ceour and the Moulin Rouge.
If you are in Paris on a Sundy visit the Bastille outdoor market. Here you'll find a mile of beautiful food. Our favorite was the olive market. We never realized how many different types of olives existed. We purchased a couple of crepes and a bag of olives for lunch. The next time we visit we plan to rent an apartment so we can cook a delicious meal with food from the market.
Walk around the Marais and visit many shops & cafes. The Marais was the old Jewish neighborhood and outside the Holocaust museum is the Allée des Justes. On the right wall you'll find bronze plaques that display the names and towns of 2693 French citizens who refused to remain passive as Jews were deported from France during the Second World War. It was moving to see a memorial given to those who risked their lives fighting for the lives of others.
Day trip to Versailles. This is not to be missed! Read more about Versailles here.
Eat, drink, be merry...snooze
Eat at Le Relais de l'Entricote . Yes, it's touristy but it's well worth it. We both ordered a bottle of red, steak frites and creme brulee and it was perfection. Chris was especially impressed that they replenished his plate immediately after his last bite of steak - no additional charge!
Hotel Wilson Opera - We loved this little hotel in the 8th arrondisement right by the St. Lazare train station. While it's not next to the Siene or St. Germain, it's very easy to get around from here. St. Lazare is a central station so you can connect to any part of the city very quickly. There is also a bike station right in front of the hotel where you can pick up and drop off bikes. We stayed in room 602 which was lovely. It had a private balcony with a view of the Eiffel Tower and a HUGE bathroom. The staff here was kind and very patient as we tested our French! They served a nice breakfast in the morning where Eva discovered her love for banana jam & croissants. We would definitely stay here again.
Hotel Wilson Opera - We loved this little hotel in the 8th arrondisement right by the St. Lazare train station. While it's not next to the Siene or St. Germain, it's very easy to get around from here. St. Lazare is a central station so you can connect to any part of the city very quickly. There is also a bike station right in front of the hotel where you can pick up and drop off bikes. We stayed in room 602 which was lovely. It had a private balcony with a view of the Eiffel Tower and a HUGE bathroom. The staff here was kind and very patient as we tested our French! They served a nice breakfast in the morning where Eva discovered her love for banana jam & croissants. We would definitely stay here again.
Pack
Tunes
Elle Me Dit - Mika
Complainte De La Butte - Rufus Wrainwright (Sounds like a lullaby, but it's about a street girl in Montmartre)
Love Like a Sunset - Phoenix
La Vie en Rose - Edith Piaf (a must-have classic)
Quelqu'un m'a dit - Carla Bruni
Avant qu'elle parte - Sexion d'Assaut
Moi Je Joue - Bridgitte Bardot
Nightcall - Kavinsky
Paris - Friendly Fires
People are Strange - The Doors (Jim Morrison died at his apartment in Paris' 4th arrondissement (rue Beautrellis)
Walking with a Ghost in Paris - Tegan and Sara
Complainte De La Butte - Rufus Wrainwright (Sounds like a lullaby, but it's about a street girl in Montmartre)
Love Like a Sunset - Phoenix
La Vie en Rose - Edith Piaf (a must-have classic)
Quelqu'un m'a dit - Carla Bruni
Avant qu'elle parte - Sexion d'Assaut
Moi Je Joue - Bridgitte Bardot
Nightcall - Kavinsky
Paris - Friendly Fires
People are Strange - The Doors (Jim Morrison died at his apartment in Paris' 4th arrondissement (rue Beautrellis)
Walking with a Ghost in Paris - Tegan and Sara
Tips
There is a secret entrance to the Louvre. No lines! Its in the middle archway on the side facing the river (the opposite end of the glass pyramid)
Watch Midnight in Paris.
Watch Midnight in Paris.
