Paris....

River trip is a must. Bateaux rouges I think they are called. About the only thing in Paris that is value for money. Pick them up form any major bridge along the Seine.

Otherwise Notre Dame and Chapms Elysee worthwhile.

It's a fairly small centre so walking is an easy way to get about.

Probably my favourite overseas city. Enjoy yourself

regards

Richard S

Andy

Get yourself up to the Sacre Coure in the Montmarte area. This is a lovely church at the top of Paris and on a clear day you can see for miles.

Also it is in the middle of the most charasmatic part of Paris, the artist quarter. On a sunny day it is fantastic.

Be warned, Paris is expensive to eat out unless you go for the fixed price menus.

Enjoy yourself.

Regards

Mick

I second Mick's choice. Also I loved the Pere LaChaise (?spelling) cemetary. Amazing tombs and loads of famous dead people - Jim Morrison, Edith Piaf, Oscar Wild and many many more.

I third Mick's Basilique du Sacre Couer - best vew in Paris.

Eiffel Tower obviousy. Get the lift rather than walking as I've lost count of the times I've got stuck behind somone having an attack of something or other; usually panic, once apparently an MI.

If you haven't taken the wether with you, neck a bottle of wine in Luxembourg Gardens and leer at young women. The ones without boyfriends is safer

The Catacombes are fantastic and deliciously creepy may make you fill your trollies. Bring a couple spare pairs. When the Parisian cemetries got packed out in C18th, they exhumed the bodies and stored the bones on underground quarries and kilometres of dark, narrow passages. denfert rochereau metro i think.

And speaking of dark, narrow passages, surely no trip to "gay paree" is complete without a boozy, light verging on empty headed, stroll through the Bois de Boulogne and the attentions of a hot post-op South American temptress.

Oh and the musee d'orsay is good and easy. Per Lachaise great cemtry but Montparnasse also veru good and fairly central. Don't let anybody talk you into wasting even a minute with the Princess Diana flame thingy; even if it's just over your shoulder or someone points out that your leaning against it or have set your Origina can on it, I' say still look at somehting else. Did she ever come up to see you?

Excuse the uncalled for lewdness and bollocks, mildly hammered must get home and shouted at.

[This message was edited by bigmick on Thu 01 April 2004 at 19:01.]

You must see the Sacre coeur, everything from the views to the crypt will leave you breathless!I am not really a religious person but this place moved me.Also take the boat trip along the Seine an inexpensive way to see a lot of attractions.

I have been advised to use the buses to get around the city and to buy a travelcard so that you do not have to worry about individual tickets. It is better than going by Metro which prevents you from seeing the sights.

I agree with the advice as I have been Metro bound too often in the past. If you do get tempted by the Metro be careful - what can appear to be a worthwhile journey on the Metro map can involve you walking as far you travel on the train.

:Sweeping statement on.

Very rarely is it worth making a one stop journey on the Metro in the central part, before you descend into the depths of the system - check to see if you can see the next station down the street.

:Sweeping statement off.

If you are into modern art - try and get to the Pompidou Centre - allow several hours for it.
While you are at the centre - take in the Brancussi workshop - see comments in a tread a few weeks ago.

Derek

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Musee D'Orsay, particularly the impressionist floor. Place De Defense for modern architecture. You don't even want to try the Louvre! La Samaritain department store has a great free viewing platform on its roof with a great view of the city. Eat at Terminus Nord, near Gare du Nord. Its a big bistro but its lively and good fun and reasonable. Have a coffee at deux magots cafe and pretend to be Sartre. Many churches have free lunchtime orchestral concerts.

Enjoy the most beautiful city in the world.

Bob

I completely disagree with the 'go to Montmartre / Sacre Coeur area, it's so artistic' posts above.

Stay close to the river. That's where life is pleasant.

Admittedly the cafes are a little cheaper up at Montmartre (I assume that's what it's all about), but please, do you want to be heckled by weird guys peddling their awful drawings because you want to feel good about saying No to 'artists?'

I'd stay on the Left Bank. Take a hotel in the Quartier Latin, with the Mouffetard as the end zone.

That way you won't ever have to use the subway (we never do); you can walk to every spot you need, whether it's the Louvre (we always go two afternoons), the Orsay or things further West like the Dome d'I or the Musee Rodin.

Plus you're really close to the Notre Dame (basically inaccessible due to low-rent tourists with expensive cameras), the book stalls, the galeries, the eateries, the shops on the St Germain and St Michel, and generally the life you feel comfortable with.

Herman

quote:

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Originally posted by herm:
or the Musee Rodin.
Herman

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I'm with Herm on this - the Musee Rodin has some simply stunning works - from memory, Metro stop Les Invalides ( OK I'll stop showing off )

One place I would REALLy like to see is L'apin agile - a cafe that Picasso etc used to hang about in; I think its in Montmatre. Do a Google search: it looks to me like the authentic French bar from pre-war days.

A Bien tot

Regards

Mike

Spending money I don't have on things I don't need.

My limited experience is that Paris is best on a FAT expense account... Had a hell of a time on business for about a week.
Have some very interesting cheeses and a nice Creme Burlee`.
David

Bateaux mouches.

I have lots of pics taken from one of these back in September 1989. The original - and rather diminuative Statue de Liberté is certainly nice.


Regards,

Steve.

After dark go out of the Trocadero Metro and onto the terrace at Palais de Chaillot. There you will get the most stunning view of the illuminated Eiffel Tower.

Here is a link to Lapin agile

http://www.au-lapin-agile.com/

Regards

Mike

Spending money I don't have on things I don't need.

musee d'orsay

Computers are supposed to work on 1's and 0's - in other words "Yes" or "No" - why does mine frequently say "Maybe"?......