Anyone been to Paris?

[littleme2]

What are some non-museum things to do? I'm going with my SIL and MIL. They are not wine drinkers, so I don't think that they'll enjoy the vineyards in the French Countryside. They are also not into the arts so I don't think I can do more than say, one museum.

We'll definitely see the Eifel Tower. Anything else to do?

Also, any recommendations of areas to go shopping? Affordable shopping?...If there is such a thing in Europe:)


Thanks.

[kcandz]

Do they like looking at architecture? Eating in fancy restaurants? There are beautiful churches and parks, wonderful bistros and cafes to people watch...

Shopping and affordable don't really mix, especially with the current euro to dollar exchange rate. When I went, I condensed my shopping to the big department stores due to the VAT - the tax is pre-placed on items, but refunded to visitors. There is an PITA process to get the refund last I knew - very paper based country. Maybe google Paris and VAT for tips or try TripAdvisor.com. The department stores are gorgeous to visit as a tourist - art deco buildings, loud and busy. The open air markets, like a flea market, are cool and more affordable, because you could bargain, though knowing french would be helpful.

[tylersmama]

There's SO much to do in Paris. I've been there 3 times, and there's still a ton I haven't seen. Definitely go to Notre Dame and climb up to the tower. The stairs are a little challenging, but well worth it for the view (both of the city and to see gargoyles up close). Other great churches to check out are the Sacre Coeur Basilica (fabulous view of the city from the top (more stairs, of course) and Sainte Chappelle (absolutely gorgeous stained glass windows). Take a cruise down the Seine on the Bateaux Mouches.

Depending on your taste in art, I would either go to the Louvre or Musee d'Orsay for your one museum. The Louvre is absolutely enormous and there's no way to come even close to seeing it all, but you can hit the highlights (Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo) in a few hours. My personal favorite is the Musee d'Orsay. It's in a former train station and architecturally is really interesting, in my opinion. Plus, I'm a big fan of the Impressionists, and this is where you'll find most of their works...Van Gogh, Monet, etc.

Don't forget to take some time just to sit at a sidewalk cafe and people watch. One of the famous ones is Les Deux Magots, where literary people like Hemingway used to hang out. It's a little more expensive than some of the other cafes, but it has THE BEST hot chocolate I've ever had (I'm not a big coffee drinker).

One of my favorite things to do is just wander around and get lost a little. You find the best little shops, restaurants, and bakeries that way. Just make sure you have a good map. We usually stay near Jardin du Luxembourg, and there are so many great places to discover around there. It's nice just to grab some wine and a jambon baguette and picnic in the gardens and people watch.

You may want to consider a day trip to Versailles. I haven't done it yet, but next trip I definitely will! I've heard the gardens are amazing, and the palace is pretty impressive.

Can you tell I love Paris??? Let me know if you have questions or want more info!

[HannaAddict]

I am sooooooo jealous. I love Paris, love France. I would get the Suzy Gershman book "Born to Shop Paris" or "Born to Shop France" (if you are going into the countyside). She has great info on even the affordable places to shop and tourist gimmicks versus good places to shop and eat and stay. She stays at some very expensive hotels herself, but we've found some great bargains using her books. have some great affordable stores with fun clothes, etc. called Monoprix and BGV. Almost like a Fred Meyer store but nicer. There is another chain, I can't think of it now too, brain freeze. Great little cafes, etc. and gorgeous city to just walk and walk and walk around. Beautiful parks, I would wander around the Isle St. Louis, a little island with fun shops and charming apartments and hotels. Window shop in St. Germaine and the Marais district. Try the cafe at the Louvre, Cafe Marley I believe. We've had a couple of great meals there and it is not "in" the Louvre but in at the outer corner of the building and overlooks the glass pyramid and long line of folks waiting to get inside. Great children's clothing stores too. Petit Bateau is soooo much more affordable than it is over here. For a nice but not all day museum, I like the Rodin Museum in his home and it is right downtown. See St. Chapelle too, amazing stained glass and Notre Dame.

The French countryside is lovely too and there is so much more to do or see than just drink wine. We both get overwhelmed by Paris a little bit after a few days rent a car and drive to a different part of the countryside each time. A pretty easy break from Paris is driving down to the Loire Valley and seeing all the amazing chateaux and charming towns. I am ready to go again just thinking about it. And I want to buy cute french baby clothes. We've had no problems driving in France and they have an easy to navigate highway system. The roads in the countryside are easy to follow too.

Can you tell I'm excited for you . . . let me know if you want any more info.

Kimberly

[bostonsmama]

I've been a couple of times and it's just so magical to be IN the city. I second the Sacre Coeur church, but if MIL has a bad knee, it's a lot of steps (but so worth it). I think for a fee there might be a bus or carriage of some sort...check into that. It's situated in Montmartre, which is an artist district, so it's fun to check out local art on the way. The tomb of Napolean is pretty awe-inspiring. It's just down from the Eiffel Tower (which, btw, is cheaper to only go up to the second level vs. very top). We also did a riverboat ride on the Seine, tour of Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre--which has the best quiche I've ever tasted at their cafe/food court area if you're not interested in art, Versaille--which is very much worth the bus ride out to visit least of which for the hall of mirrors and Marie Antoinette's bedroom...and the huge painting of the coronation of Napolean w/ Josephine at his side (of which a duplicate hangs in the Louvre).

My favorite small stop in Paris was the Fragonard Parfum Museum. It was included in a city-wide tour, so I don't know the cost, but it was so neat to learn about how perfumes are made in France (for example, all their scent-mix masters, "Super Nez," are men). Then you can mix your own fragrance, commission one to be made, or buy a premade scent that is uniquely Parisian. My favorites are Arielle, Soleil, Grain de Soleil, and Emilie--and they're affordable.
http://www.fragonard.com/@en-us/1/2/6/article.asp

I think taking a bus tour (hop-on/hop-off) would be a good idea so you can relax and learn some history about the place. So often when you've got your nose in a guide book, you're missing the scenery and worrying about not getting lost. On all ocassions I was able to glean tidbits not found in books about the juicy history that's defined Paris throughout the ages. We had a lovely petit dejeuner not far from the Joan of Arc gilded statue, lunch at a cafe along the Champs Elysees, and dinner in the cellar of Josephine's restaurant (although the spirits flow there). L'Hippopotamus is a cute TGIF type of restaurant in France w/ affordable menu items and cute atmosphere: http://www.hippopotamus.fr/accueil/ I ate here when I was a senior on a French class trip.

I don't know if your family doesn't drink for religious reasons, but if not, they could take in a show at the opera house (Palais Garnier) or Moulin Rouge. And there's always the Quartier Latin.

Hope you have fun. There really is so much to see.

[elephantmeg]

Versailles! The coolest trip I ever took. It is awesome. Granted a little out of paris, we took a short train I think but oh it was great. I second Larissa's rec for Palais Garnier. We did a tour of it (it's where the Phantom of the Opera is set and is just gorgeous). We stayed near Notre Damme and that area is neat. Loved just walking around and eating peanut butter banana and nutella crepes :)
If this is a once in a lifetime thing I think you should go to the Louvre just for the "oh my gosh, I saw that in a college text book" factor. It was so cool to see the Venus de Milo, Mona Lisa (which I thought was suprisingly small and behind bullet proof glass). I also really, really liked the Musee D'Orsey. Riverboat on the Seine looked like fun but I was running out of money. I bought some great lingere (mostly bras) in France-not anything in Paris-really didn't have time but what I bought lasted 4 years of consistant washing in a washing machine!

[sdbc]

Musee d'Orsay for art. The best, best thing we did was rollerblading from Notre Dame to Eiffel Tower (from 10 pm-2 am) with a stop at the Louvre to play roller tag with teenagers at midnight! Can you tell that we were pre-kid and had French friends we were staying with?

If you leave the city, I love the Loire Valley. If you don't venture too far, there is a castle about an hour away called Veaux le Vicomte (sp?). For dd's birthday, our friends paid to replace one of the roof tiles with dd's name etched in it. They got an old tile to give to us. DD's tile (you etch it yourself) will be there for about 100 years!

Also, just hanging out at cafes is wonderful. Don't expect fast service at restaurants and cafes, though. The French think it's rude for waiters to rush a meal.

Man, I'm jealous.

Sue, mommy to Aurora (Rory) born 5/13/04

[SASM]

It has been awhile since we've been ~ 9 years ago in May. My favorite city of the 6 that we visited during our trip to Europe. I would second the Versailles suggestion. The gardens and architecture are gorgeous. We never made did a cruise on the Seine and I am still regretting it. That would be AMAZING at night! have a blast!!!! There is sooooo much more to Paris than shopping and museums. The food...the architechure...the parks...the ambience. Quite often, DH and I would just go to a market, pick up some bread, fruit, cheese, wine (for you), and salami or something, and take it to a park and people watch. It was sooooooo amazing! The lifestyle over there is unlike anything over here ~ soak it all in.

Oh...If you really want to be adventurous and let your hair down, get your hair cut there! My hair was thick, curly/wavy, and to the middle of my back. I warned family and friends that I might cut it over there. My first was at the department store Le Samaritain (sp?) ~ nice roof top views of the city, too ~ and my second was the next day, b/c DH felt it wasn't short enough, was on Champs Elysee (sp?). :) Very fun!

HAVE A BLAST!!! You will have to post when you get back so that we can all live vicariously through you.

[lizajane]

jardin luxembourg on boulevard st michel. (i think?) a large park with a pond and kids and loveliness. :)

be sure to see the eiffel tower in the daylight and at night.

musee d'orsay is very non-art folk friendly. who doesn't love impressionism?

day trip to claude monet's house in giverny. incredible!!

shop on boulevard st michel- the latin quarter. student friendy, lower prices.

metro- very easy, buy a carte orange or a billet of tickets for more travel for less.

daytrip to fountainbleu. cooler than versailles IMO.

um...

that is what i can remember now that hasn't been mentioned.

[Sandra]

Have a great time. Buy (or borrow from the library) a bunch of guidebooks before you go and figure out what you want to see before you get there.

Take the city at your own pace, go places you think everyone will enjoy (or find an alternate outing for the person who hates XX) or at least not actively complain about. If there is something for everyone everyday or at least pretty frequently it cuts way down on the complaining. I'm the odd man out in my family and at military/naval museum number five I am usually ready to scream. We've learned to "share" vacations: DH and kids get to look at ancient cannons and models of ships and I get to relax in a cafe and read a book. I'm honestly not sure what he did with them while I saw the Cluny tapestries (the famous unicorn ones) I just wanted to see them in peace. That was my tradeoff for two days of militaria and churches.

See Notre Dame, although if you are traveling with a stroller you can't take it up to the top, and Sainte Chappelle.

The Louve is outstanding, but can be overwhelming. Most guidebooks give a room by room description of what is there. If your MIl/SIL are not museum people I'd advise charting out what you want to see before you get there or they will surely rebel.

A day trip to Versailles is well worth doing. We took the train and it was very easy to get there/back and well worth seeing.

If you aren't interested in wine, try apple cider and crepes for lunch. Most creperies sell both fermented and unfermented cider as well as a huge variety of tasty crepes, both sweet and savory.

We did all of our shopping at the Galleries Lafayette food court -- we had three active little kids with us and although we ate all of our lunches out it was easier to feed the kids ham and cheese and bread in our room than wrestle them in a restaurant.

[elephantmeg]

I forgot all about the Cluny tapestries. They were really cool too!

[JoyNChrist]

I went three summers ago with my college choir. Loved Sacre Coeur, the river tour on the Seine, and Versailles. I could have spent hours at the Louvre, but I would have really preferred to do it without a tour guide. The only shopping I did was for champagne, lingerie, and perfume (all of which scream "France!" to me), so cheap wasn't exactly possible. We saw a guy propose to his fiance underneath the Eiffel Tower, which was pretty cool. And we did a cool dinner at some restaurant that used to be part of Napoleon & Josephine's stables (at least I think that's what our guide said...my French is awful).

But the most awesome thing was getting to sing at Notre Dame. We did a full concert, and we were given a special tour of areas most tourists don't get to see. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.