Brief forays into the world of ciao from dooyoo...
Will ciao hook me too?
Watch this space!
Brief forays into the world of ciao from dooyoo...
Will ciao hook me too?
Watch this space!
Member since:10.09.2000
Reviews:26
Members who trust:12
This is my favourite city in the whole world (although New York comes very close!)
Paris really is everything you dreamed of.........stroll along the Champs Elysees at sunset and breathe in the atmosphere........see the sun set beind the Arc de Triomphe......it's picture postcard stuff, but here you are - living it!
If you are a first time visitor to Paris, make sure you see the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe and Sacre Coeur. The Metro system is excellent, and this really is all doable even just in one day, if
that is all you have.
Of course Paris will take up as many days as you have to offer her....... she truly is the most beautiful and atmospheric city in the world.
When I lived in Paris, the highlights I kept going back to were Notre Dame (but for an awe inspiring organ recital, go check out St Sulpice!) Sacre Coeur and the artist's square at Montmartre as well as the St Michel area and the excellent Flea Markets, the biggest of which is at the Porte de Clignancourt......
For eating, unless you need to eat where you are, check out the St Michel area. This place really comes alive in the evenings, and there is excellent and usually fairly cheap food to be had. You can't leave Paris without having had crepes and nothing eaten elsewhere will taste quite the same after that.
If you are staying a while (and believe me, Paris merits as long as you can give her) then check out Pere Lachaise cemetry. It's quite unique and houses the remains of many famous Parisians as well as Jim Morrison of "The Doors" fame. The place is absolutely huge and you will need a map to get round it!
If you like window shopping, check out the Boulevard St Honore for the designer boutiques, this really will show you the latest in Parisian fashion.
Just around the corner from here is St Michael's Anglican (and English) church.It's a really friendly place, particularly for students, and they do a great Sunday lunch for a ridiculously small amount of money. The services themselves are very relaxed, and if you're here for a long time, it can be nice to have some English company once in a while.
If you are planning a longer visit to Paris, check out the free concerts which go on frequently. I heard some of the best musical performances I've ever experienced at St Sulpice and also at the Parisian equivalent of the BBC. They invite people to sit in on their musical recordings free of charge. You can find out about times etc of these if you can get hold of the Parisian equivalent of Time Out. Get someone to translate if French is a mystery to you and you risk turning up at the wrong time or on the wrong day!
Of course Paris is also full of art galleries.....pop into the Louvre, even if it's only to see the Mona Lisa! Jeu de Paume is great for the Impressionist pictures, so do that too if you have time, it's near the Quai D'Orsay. (by the Seine)
Forget picnicking in the parks, or at least if you intend sitting on the grass. Parisian parks do not allow this. Why *England* got the reputation for "Keep off the grass!" signs I will never understand.......probably a cunning French plot!
See at least one flea market if you have time....Clignancourt is the biggest and pretty permanent, but you can find ones where people lay their goods out on blankets and you wander round hunting for the occasional bargain. Make sure you try a crepe with chantilly cream at least once from one of the street vendors you'll find around here!
Get a good guide book before you go, as it will (if it's any good) lead you places you never knew existed, but *only* drive in Paris if you're feeling very brave or have the same reckless approach to driving that the Parisians have. Have a wander around the Place de la Concorde and you'll see why! We managed it on a Sunday when traffic is not quite so bad, but I think our success had a lot to do with the fact that I knew Paris so well.
If you are going - I'm jealous, Paris is all it's portrayed to be and more. I hope you enjoy it that you will love the city as much as I do. I'm not sure it's possible to only go there once.
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It's a few years since I've been to Paris. In fact, last time I was there, I cartwheeled under the Eiffel Tower, so that shows how long ago it must have been, LOL!
lily7star 22.04.2001 13:53
because, rawduu, my kids nearly went to school there too :) It's where my soon-to-be-ex husband is living. Love NYC!
rawduu 22.04.2001 01:51
Great review, I went to Paris with school a couple of years ago, went to see Jim Morrison's grave. Wow! Yes I'm from Manhattan, why do you wonder so?
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Apr 21st, 2001
very helpful by (100%):
