Weekend trip to Paris.

[jayohaitchenn]

Hello mighty and knowledgable TEF.

I'm taking my lovely girlfriend to Paris for the weekend. Any tips on places to visit and things to do?

We are staying at this hotel: http://www.lesjardinsdumarais.com/uk/index.php

[Samdy Gray]

You could do the typical touristy stuff like:

Eiffel Tower
Notre-Dame
The Louvre
Champs Elysees
Arc de Triomphe

Or, maybe you'd like to take a trip to the Pont de l'Alma tunnel...

[Bob's Orange]

Plenty to see and do Jayo as you would imagine. Of course it depends on what you are interested in.

But its a great City to wander about. Of course the obvious things are there, Eiffel Tower, Arc du Triomphe, Notre Dame etc etc.

Price of wine/beer/food gets much pricier the nearer you get to the Eiffel Tower. I'm sure we paid about 15 Euro each for a cheese baguette (it was nice but not really worth 15 Euro!).

I can't remember where we stayed but it had a bohemian feel to it. The underground system was quite good from memory.

Be warned that the Parisians are a law unto themselves though. Check out the parking there as well, talk about bumper to bumper!!

[jayohaitchenn]

Pont de l'Alma tunnel...

Trololololol

Yeah I've heard of all the touristy bits, was hoping for some hidden gems. Eateries, bars, fun stuff etc

[Dostoyevsky]

Watched a documentary about Paris suburbs the other day. Avoid wandering around freely. Asking for trouble. Serious decline set in.

[horlock07]

Watched a documentary about Paris suburbs the other day. Avoid wandering around freely. Asking for trouble. Serious decline set in.

I would disagree its no worse in Paris than any other big city, there are Parts of London or Manchester I wouldn't wander around.

We stayed in Monmartre a couple of years and whilst it was a bit of an eye opener at times, it was also more interesting as you got to see Paris as it really is, not jut the touristy bits.

However one bit of advice, if you go up to Sacre Couer watch out for the bange sellers (mainly on the steps below) who will try and put one on your wrist and demand you pay for it, they are no hassle if you say firmly no, but are a pain in the arse.

[Batch]

I would disagree its no worse in Paris than any other big city, there are Parts of London or Manchester I wouldn't wander around.

We stayed in Monmartre a couple of years and whilst it was a bit of an eye opener at times, it was also more interesting as you got to see Paris as it really is, not jut the touristy bits.

I'd agree with that. Also stayed there, no hassle though it was 10 years ago!

Also, if you take the train watch out for the "let me help you buy a ticket" merchants. They basically take your money then get a useless receipt out the machine pretending it is your ticket. Or at least, they did 10 years ago.

[4D]

Have a wander round the Gard de Nord

[Jimmy Glass is an Alien]

Where are you staying?

When are you going?

The metro is dirt cheap and gets you everywhere. You can buy a book of 10 tickets for about 10 euros (was in 2007), if you do the Eiffel Tower definatly do it at night when its lit up.

[Red Frog]

Well you're staying near a great part of town for a start. The Marais is full of brilliant cafes and restaurants - just follow your eyes/nose, but if you want a small traditional bistro try Gaspard de la Nuit in the rue des Tournelles. My favourite eatery is the Square Trousseau, 1 rue Antoine Vollon, and there's a famous brasserie for seafood and sauerkraut called Bofinger by the Bastille. The best Saturday nightlife in town spills out onto the pavements in the nearby Oberkampf quarter - look up my English friends at Chair de Poule.  And for Sunday lunchtime, wander round the buzzing street market on the Place d'Aligre, followed by a bottle of wine and oysters on the pavement outside le Baron Rouge in the rue Theophile Roussel. In between eating and drinking, you can walk to lots of the sights - the Pompidou Centre, Louvre, Notre-Dame, but if you're not big into art, the military museum at Les Invalides is interesting. Not worth going up the Eiffel Tower unless the weather's clear. Don't let your lovely girlfriend out of your sight. If the shops don't get her, the locals will.

And ignore the comments about safety - central Paris is one of the safest cities in the world. But I'll stay off the streets this weekend as you'd beat me up for trying to get you banned from the TEF. 

[Dostoyevsky]

Well you're staying near a great part of town for a start. The Marais is full of brilliant cafes and restaurants - just follow your eyes/nose, but if you want a small traditional bistro try Gaspard de la Nuit in the rue des Tournelles. My favourite eatery is the Square Trousseau, 1 rue Antoine Vollon, and there's a famous brasserie for seafood and sauerkraut called Bofinger by the Bastille. The best Saturday nightlife in town spills out onto the pavements in the nearby Oberkampf quarter - look up my English friends at Chair de Poule.  And for Sunday lunchtime, wander round the buzzing street market on the Place d'Aligre, followed by a bottle of wine and oysters on the pavement outside le Baron Rouge in the rue Theophile Roussel. In between eating and drinking, you can walk to lots of the sights - the Pompidou Centre, Louvre, Notre-Dame, but if you're not big into art, the military museum at Les Invalides is interesting. Not worth going up the Eiffel Tower unless the weather's clear. Don't let your lovely girlfriend out of your sight. If the shops don't get her, the locals will.

And ignore the comments about safety - central Paris is one of the safest cities in the world. But I'll stay off the streets this weekend as you'd beat me up for trying to get you banned from the TEF. 

Yes, that's the crux, CENTRAL PARIS, wander around the peripheries, which you'll have no call to visit, think they're referred to as Banlieus(?), hell-hole crime infested souless tower block ghettos, and you'll be asking for trouble.

[Forza_Swindon]

Spent half my Erasmus year studying there in 2000/1, I always loved Rue Mouffetard in the 5th arondissement. Loads of cafés and odd little bars, always lively! Quite a steep hill though so much better once you've had a few beers to dull the pain...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rue_Mouffetard,_Paris

[Dostoyevsky]

The McDonalds there serve beer, and the French fries are called Frites.

[Red Frog]

Yes, that's the crux, CENTRAL PARIS, wander around the peripheries, which you'll have no call to visit, think they're referred to as Banlieus(?), hell-hole crime infested souless tower block ghettos, and you'll be asking for trouble.

Yes, we're entirely at one in recommending that Jayo and his lovely girlfriend do not spend their weekend travelling in stinking trains from their boutique hotel in the Marais to the drug-ridden and crime-infested sink estates of the northern suburbs.

Glad we've cleared that one up before he made a huge mistake.

[Flashheart]

Yes, we're entirely at one in recommending that Jayo and his lovely girlfriend do not spend their weekend travelling in stinking trains from their boutique hotel in the Marais to the drug-ridden and crime-infested sink estates of the northern suburbs.

Glad we've cleared that one up before he made a huge mistake.

Think you might need to rethink your wording.