I recently visited Paris for the first time and I have to say what a great city it is. Here is my brief guide to the most romantic city in Europe.
FIRSTLY: If you’ve never been to Paris then I suggest you do three things as soon as you get there. Firstly get yourself a map of the city. You can probably get one of these from your hotel although it might be a good idea to get one before you go. Secondly get a travel card. For around £15 you can get a 2 day pass that gives you unlimited use of public transport around Paris. Thirdly take a guided open top bus tour of the city. This’ll give you a good idea of what’s about and you can decide how you want to spend your time.
PEOPLE
If you don’t know any French, then I suggest taking a phrase book. The French people are more friendly if you make an effort to speak their language. Don’t expect them to go over the top in making you feel welcome, although some will, generally I found them to not be that bothered.
CURRENCY
Obviously the exchange rate changes all the time but a good rule of thumb is that 10 Francs is about £1 sterling
TRANSPORT
The Metro (Underground) is the best bet. Wherever you are in the centre of Paris there is a Metro station no more than 5 minutes away. If you buy the travelcard like I suggest you can also use buses and trains. Beware of Taxi’s though. They are very expensive especially if you get one from the Airport. It cost around £60 to get from the airport to the centre of Paris.
HOTELS
As with every city there are hotels for every budget. The cheapest being around £30 per night for a very basic room and bathroom.
RESTAURANTS & BARS
Lots of Restaurants and bars around, catering for every taste, especially around the Champs Elysees. Try not straying to far if you’ve never been before. If you want somewhere with an American feel try Planet Hollywood. Excellent food at a reasonable price and the staff all speak good English. Otherwise try any of the many French (or other European) restaurants around. Quite pricey but excellent food.
TOURS
Open top Bus tours cost around £12 and last around 2 hours. There are loads of stops around the city and once you have bought a ticket, most allow you to jump on and off whenever you fell like it. A main stop is just in front of the Eiffel tower. A Boat tour costs around £5 for about 1½ hours and takes you around the Seine. Not as informative as the bus tours but lovely on a nice day and you’ll get to see the Statue of Liberty which you’ll probably miss if you stand on dry land.
PLACES OF INTEREST Eiffel Tower: Costs around £6.50 to get to the very top although you can pay less to only go half way. Wouldn’t recommend going all the way to the top if you have a fear of heights, especially given that the lift is a bit dodgy. You can walk up if you like but it will take a very long time.
Lourve: Costs between £3-£5 to gain entry. If you are a real art lover than this is the place for you, if not it’s worth going just for the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. If you want to see the whole gallery it is probably better to set aside a whole day as it is huge.
Arc de Triomphe: Situated at the end of the Champs Elysees, it cost around £7 to go up it. Great views of Paris, especially of the Champs Elysees. Open until 11PM during the summer so for the best views go up it at night.
Champs Delysee: Full of designer shops, restaurants, clubs and galleries. The best, and busiest place in Paris at night.
I know that I have only scratched the surface of Paris but this is all I have seen so far. No doubt you will all tell me about what I’ve missed out.
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Lovely op - I really want to visit Paris one day and I'm sure I will. Your opinion was very helpful and full of good advice, cheers :) Nicola
Hedgehog 02.07.2001 12:59
Informative opinion & good advice given - Personally i love Paris been there lots of times - Thanks :)Bob......
From_The_Continent 02.07.2001 12:42
A very good and informative op, with lots of practical advice. As for the sights you describe, there's of course a lot more to be seen off the beaten tracks. I hope you'll get there another time to explore Paris in depth, but this was definitely a good start. Cheers, Hans
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Advantages: perfect city to be inspired by architecture, culture, shopping and fine cuisine Disadvantages: just too many tourists, hope this review wont bring too many extra ones
From_The_Continent 18.03.2001 (24.03.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Paris in general
Jul 2nd, 2001
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