I know I have only done a couple of ops on bits and pieces of Paris so far and there are still a few more to go (I will put a list in later at the end for you all to peruse). Now as has been mentioned before this was my first holiday abroad and a wonderful experience for myself and littlemissy. But with specific opinions I am not giving you any idea of Paris itself and that is something that I really want to get across to you guys out there. So here I go all wish me luck guys and gals! My meanderings can leave a lot to be desired, as some of you may have noticed before. So while the X-Files plays on Sky One I will ponder the universe and cogitate on my two days in Paris earlier this year.
One of the lucky things though was the excellent guide we had the “DK Eyewitness Guide to Paris”. Which is a fabulous resource as we discovered by seeing how many people actually had the same guide although their copies were normally in another language. Hmmm… I just checked and there is no opinion on that guide so it seems another op for me to do (WAAAHHHH!!!! Will the horror never end?) so another item for you to keep an eye out for. Still lets get back to the plot shall we and get Mortimus’s impressions on Paris (I will try and get littlemissy to write one as well but that op will appear when it appears).
So impressions of Paris... Erm its taken me so long to get here that I cannot think of anything to say. But I can say that on the first morning when I came out of the hotel I knew I was somewhere else. A hint to the air, the cleanliness of the streets and the cars going the wrong way :) It has been said in books that each city has an ambience, a sense to it that distinguishes it from its counterparts around the world. The sense I got from Paris was of mellowness, bar in their driving that is. A tip for anyone walking around Paris if you want to cross a road at a pedestrian crossing, just bite the bullet and do it. Otherwise you may be waiting a long time. Littlemissy and I discovered after about half an hour that this was the only way to cross Parisian roads 90% of the time.
For the tourist though your best means of transportation around the city is the Metro train system. It is a marvel waiting to be discovered. If you need to get anywhere in Paris the Metro will get you there in a maximum of twenty minutes and that’s including changes at stations along the way. The best value deal is to buy a pack of ten tickets at once for €9.60 (£6.50) and you can use these tickets at any time you want. They are only one way but the value they offer is absolutely excellent. One other tip with using the Metro though, Never catch it between 0900-1000 and 1700-1800 as that is rush hour and it is hell. It may seem weird to say 0900-1000 but we were on the train the second day at nine and it was hell. However when we were going into city-centre to get to Charles de Gaulle airport at eight in the morning it was dead.
Paris itself for just wandering around is wonderful it has an atmosphere to it I find incredibly hard to describe. It could be a mellowness you would only expect somewhere like Los Angeles or else its just has a sense of humour at the seriousness of life. You go to a restaurant and an order will take ages to come through. But the wait is worth the expectation. In fact I think the average Parisians attitude is to take the time it will be worth the wait.
Another minor thing it’s an idea if you speak a little French (Something I seriously lack but I had a littlemissy to save me) or a good phrase book. A high proportion of Parisians want to speak English to you they need the practice;)) but they are willing to help you practice your French, bar the occasional French egotist as mentioned in Littlemissy’s opinion. If you cannot speak don’t do the classic thing and start shouting just wave and point at what you want or use the classic phrase “Parlez vous Anglais” they will find someone that can help you.
One warning I do have to give you the French have just switched over to the electric toilets of doom aka automatic toilets. They are normally situated on the main roads at around 500 metre intervals which does have the potential to cause a crisis. Their cost is 45 cents on the € front and they are awful. If you are wondering what I am talking about if you have been in Leicester Square in London where there are three of the things you know what I mean. Therefore if you go for a bite to eat or a drink then have a No. 1 or No.2 at the same time. Otherwise you have the ETD’s to deal with.
On the price front for such amenities as food and drink Paris is, I would say, cheaper than London. Actually this pricing does actually cover the prices of the attractions as well the most littlemissy and I paid €9.00 each. Wait a mo that’s wrong if you are under 24 years of age then you can get student prices so always check the prices of the venue you are visiting. As it did save us a fair amount of cash, they do not ask for ID and I look youngish for my age.
Another tip for one and all if you are peckish go down the backstreets. On the main streets most of the restaurants are expensive and crap after all they are the tourist traps. However if you walk off the main street for ten minutes or so I promise you will find a nice little looking restaurant of some kind or another that will serve ambrosia. You can normally pick them out by how packed they are. So if you are going for an evening meal try to go for a wander before 8pm and expect your meal to take about three hours (trust me its worth it:)).
Paris as a city is a wonder, it’s a fun place to be, it has a variety and depth I have not seen before, maybe I am just innocent or just inexperienced. Whatever your tastes you will find something to suit your personality. The city is beautiful and there will always be something for you to do or see. Each quarter(district) has a distinct flavour and attitude to it that will either charm it. However if you are only visiting for two days you cannot really see all of Paris. But here as promised is the list of places we did get to.
Day 1 Montmartre Cemetary Sacre-Coeur Les Halles (St Eustace church) Le Grizzli (Restaurant) Crypte Archeologique Bateaux Parisiens Notre-Dame Seine Cruise Le Batok (Restaurant) Day 2 Tour Eiffel The Left Bank Notre-Dame Les Catacombes Musee de Louvre Jardin de Tuileries Champs d’ Elysse Arc de Triomphe Musee de L’Erotisme
Actually another tip in relation to the above attractions. If you really want to go to somewhere like Tour Eiffel or Notre-Dame get there early. By two pm you will find you will be waiting in queues that can take you at least an hour to get through. I heard someone at Notre-Dame say they had been waiting for two hours to get in. If you really do want to go up the Eiffel Tower get there for 09.30 because an hour later there will be a 500 metre queue from each of the legs. Think about how many people that is guys and girls.
As a final word all I can say is I love Paris!!! It is a beautiful and vibrant city with an attitude to life that would make a lot of people blush. Although it was my first foreign holiday it is somewhere I am definitely going back because littlemissy and I both fell in love with the city. They say Paris is a city of magic and all littlemissy and I can say is yes it still has its magic.
A brief recap on tips: 1. Get a decent Travel guide to aid you (Ours was the DK Eyewitness guide to Paris) 2. Be careful of their road system it can be nuts. 3. The Metro has a great deal of ten tickets for €9.60 (£6.00) Which you use on the basis of one ticket per journey (and as many changes as needed. 4. Never use the Metro between 0900-1000 and 1700-1800 5. The really nice, cheap restaurants are well hidden away take ten minutes to have a look down a back street for some really good food. 6. Most historical attractions have special student pricing up to the age of 24 this is due to the French really take their youths cultural heritage seriously. 7. If you have must see things on your list get to them for opening times otherwise you will get the queue from hell. 8. Take the time to have a Parisian lunch it may take two hours on a sidewalk somewhere in Paris but it is well worthwhile. 9. Have more than two days to see things in. Paris has so much to offer:)
So that’s it folks keep an eye out for more Paris stuff soon but at least you have an overview now.
See you soon:)
More details
Family Friendly
Evaluate this review
How helpful would this review be to someone making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
very helpful
very helpful
