Thread: Paris

Right, Im off to Paris soon and wanted opinions of people who had been there on the sights definitely worth seeing and the ones to avoid. All the guide books are one thing but you cant beat a bit of real life experience of the place. FMP - Im counting on you to come up with some unusual stuff here!

Thanks very much

I did a 3 day trip a couple of years ago to Paris and did all the guidebook stuff then some. Do the typical - Eiffel Tower/Arc de Triumph/Notre Dame Cathedral but dont bother with the Lourve and the Mona Lisa, you can see a better picture of her on google (and its probably bigger!)
Mainly we just walked around the streets/side streets in different areas taking in the "culture". We got a 3 day metro card when we were at the eurostar station (Gare De Nord?) which was good as we were just jumping on and off the trains to get to different places. Lots of walking and very tiring but worth it. Well I liked it anyways! My advice to you would be get a guidebook, have a look at the weirder things you'd like to visit and head to that area for a day. We found some real gems just by doing that but honestly cant remember what they were now...

Hope you have a nice time

Lx

How long you there for Dizzy? If you can get out to Versailles it's well worth the trip and plenty to see to justify travelling outside the city. Montmartre is a nice area with Sacre Coeur, quite pretty, and loads of cool little cafes and shops around plus Moulin Rouge which is a good evening out. Another place for wandering is the "Rive Gauche" - Bldes St-Germain and St-Michel etc. Im with Loula that Paris is a fab place to just wander round and soak up the atmosphere. Oh and if you like shopping - you've got to have a mooch round Galeries Lafayette!

If you like your art I'd still go to the Louvre - it's a decent piece of architecture with a lot of history and lots more than the Mona Lisa The Orsay is quite nice too. Personally don't recommend the Pompidou unless you're into your modern stuff.

The bateaux-mouches are a bit cheesy but a nice way to see the whole city quickly; some of the companies do night tours wiht dinner which are quite sweet actually!

Have a great time! Can't think of anything unusual really but it's stuff I've enjoyed.

Of all the places to see, the not-to-be-missed are the Basillique du Sacre Coeur which is well worth the climb for both the building itself and the views (from Place du Parvis Du Sacre Coeur), also La Defense, and go to the top of the arch (it's a hollowed out cube) for the views right down to the Eiffel Tower. The Avenue des Champs-Elysees is fairly obvious, as is the Louvre if you like that sort of thing (although it's full of Da Vinci Code tourists these days).

I hope you're going by Eurostar. Me and my OH went "Leisure Select" over to France recently and it's a fantastic experience

I adore Paris, could walk for miles all over the place.

Try to get a hold of a book called 'Paris walks' it is great for short walks, 2-8 kms, round the city and tells you what to look for and where.

Also a boat trip down the Sienne is fabulous

Saxy xx

I took Mr Laws to Paris on r and r. We walked everyhwere. The latin quarter is great for food, alkehol and people watching. Didn't like the area around the Gard Du Nord - most hostile. I found that because I tried to speak French (think the English spy masquerading as a gendarme in 'allo 'allo) the locals were really friendly.
Am ure that you'll have fun.

PS. The local scam is a bod "finding" a wedding ring on the street just as you walk by ... they ask if it's yours then try to sell it to you anyway. Great fun to try and see them roll it down their arms first!!

Im off for a couple of days. Sacre Coeur is on the list as is the Louvre and Notre Dame. And I really fancied the Moulin Rouge at night. Now with what you have said Tigerlily I think Montmatre is on the list (as I will be in that area anyway) I have heard there is a really problem with pick pockets and that the locals are quite unfriendly. Im more interested to see just what I manage to order in a restaurant! 8O

Thanks for all opinions. Much appreciated.

Dizzy x

Dizzybird, I'm just back online after being in Normandy since last week so will get back to you later this week. My in tray is overflowing and I have to attend to that first :cry:

I'm so jealous lol I did French at Uni and lived there for a while but I've not managed to get over for a couple of years what with one thing or another.

Pick pockets - never really had a problem more so than anywhere else, constant vigilance as in any major city but I wouldn't worry too much.

Even if you get it totally wrong, the French LOVE it when you try to speak their language. They might correct you but it's not out of surliness it's their way of helping they're just really direct about it You'll find all sorts of doors opening and unhitherto undiscovered English speaking skills from the locals if they see you trying!

As to unfriendly - hell yes, it's Paris, it's part of the charm. Even the rest of France laughs at the Parisian attitude, but no more so than we do the Cockneys; guess it's just that capital city thing! Have a fab time and tell us all about it when you get back x