Anniversary trip to Paris - Best things to do/see?
Discussion
Hi all
Im taking my lady over to paris in a few weeks, it a surprise so she doesnt know about it yet. Ive been before but she never has.
We will be arriving mid day sat and heading back sunday night so its only a short stay. I have the hotel sorted (wow 5* hotels in paris are expensive!!), its near the Arc de Triumphe.
Aside from the Arc, Eifel Tower, Notre Damme and Louvre, what is worth trying to cram into our short stay?
Recommendations for places to eat would be great, particularly around the area of the Arc as its walking distance from the hotel. The hotel does have a nice restaurant but I've always thought eating in the hotel was a bit of a cop out for this sort of trip.
Any help much appreciated.
Im taking my lady over to paris in a few weeks, it a surprise so she doesnt know about it yet. Ive been before but she never has.
We will be arriving mid day sat and heading back sunday night so its only a short stay. I have the hotel sorted (wow 5* hotels in paris are expensive!!), its near the Arc de Triumphe.
Aside from the Arc, Eifel Tower, Notre Damme and Louvre, what is worth trying to cram into our short stay?
Recommendations for places to eat would be great, particularly around the area of the Arc as its walking distance from the hotel. The hotel does have a nice restaurant but I've always thought eating in the hotel was a bit of a cop out for this sort of trip.
Any help much appreciated.
The Louvre is enormous. Just pick one small part and do that. There's a very expensive but smart cafe in the arcades of the Louvre, The Cafe Marly.
For restaurants, it depends whether you want to go for Michelin *s (several are closed at weekends, bizarrely) or somewhere slightly less grand, but very good (not cheap, like L'Ambassade d'Auvergne.
A walk along the Quais is worthwhile and the Pont des Arts is probably the most romantic spot in Paris.
For restaurants, it depends whether you want to go for Michelin *s (several are closed at weekends, bizarrely) or somewhere slightly less grand, but very good (not cheap, like L'Ambassade d'Auvergne.
A walk along the Quais is worthwhile and the Pont des Arts is probably the most romantic spot in Paris.
Personally I would do Musee d'Orsay before the Louvre, more human scale, art more to my taste, building is interesting.
Definitely my heathen scottish roots showing, but I find the Louvre too big to take in; and have never had the time / inclination for multiple visits. Guess it depends how much you need to see an old girl smiling from behind glass at 30 feet.
If the weather is good, nothing beats lunch and a good bottle of white al fresco cafe style in St Germain.
Each to their own though, but hard not to have a good time in Paris on short break...
Definitely my heathen scottish roots showing, but I find the Louvre too big to take in; and have never had the time / inclination for multiple visits. Guess it depends how much you need to see an old girl smiling from behind glass at 30 feet.
If the weather is good, nothing beats lunch and a good bottle of white al fresco cafe style in St Germain.
Each to their own though, but hard not to have a good time in Paris on short break...
Thanks guys. i went to the Rodin museum last time but didnt make Musee D'orsey or Louvre.
The hard bit is finding a balance between seeing lots of places and rushing around and just ending up to tired for some anniversary time when we get back to the hotel
I really need to brush up on my French as everyone tells me they can be quite grumpy if you dont make some effort with it.
Its realy eating out that I need to get right, we want a nice meal but are both veggie which does not go so well in France. Hopefully we can find someone walking distance from the hotel. Im happy to budget around £100 for a nice meal so not mega expensive but not a baguette and a coffee either. Fingers crossed it will turn out to be a nice trip
The hard bit is finding a balance between seeing lots of places and rushing around and just ending up to tired for some anniversary time when we get back to the hotel
I really need to brush up on my French as everyone tells me they can be quite grumpy if you dont make some effort with it.
Its realy eating out that I need to get right, we want a nice meal but are both veggie which does not go so well in France. Hopefully we can find someone walking distance from the hotel. Im happy to budget around £100 for a nice meal so not mega expensive but not a baguette and a coffee either. Fingers crossed it will turn out to be a nice trip
Restaurant at the top of Tour Montparnasse, fantastic view of the city (there is also an observation deck on the roof of the building.
For afternoon coffee, go to the cafe on the roof of Printemps which has a superb view over the entire city.
Near Louvre on Rue St Honore there are a few extremely exclusive bars and restaurants where you are almost guaranteed to see some mega-star or other
For afternoon coffee, go to the cafe on the roof of Printemps which has a superb view over the entire city.
Near Louvre on Rue St Honore there are a few extremely exclusive bars and restaurants where you are almost guaranteed to see some mega-star or other
PaulB81 said:
we want a nice meal but are both veggie which does not go so well in France.
Parisian restaurateurs hate vegetarian customers, no joke. You can't even get vegetables with your main courses unless you specifically ask for them. For a country whose economy relies on its agriculture to a large degree, it has always surprised me that they just don't serve vegetables as a staple. A romantic walk in Montmatre (18th arr) round the artisan squares, cafes & markets then pop up to the Sacre Coeur...
...Just avoid the black guys wanting to tie some string round your wrist, then charge you 8 euro for it...
As someone said the (relatively) cheap Latin quarter and the delis/cafes around Boulevard St Germain is really nice and is easily walkable from Notre Dame Cathedral - which, incidentally I hated.
I'll try to think of anything else -
...Just avoid the black guys wanting to tie some string round your wrist, then charge you 8 euro for it...
As someone said the (relatively) cheap Latin quarter and the delis/cafes around Boulevard St Germain is really nice and is easily walkable from Notre Dame Cathedral - which, incidentally I hated.
I'll try to think of anything else -
Edited by FamilyDub on Thursday 22 September 12:41
Do this: http://citysegwaytours.com/paris
Eat here:http://www.chezpaul.com/
Wherever you eat remember to book. (Tell them when you book it's a special occaision.)
Eat here:http://www.chezpaul.com/
Wherever you eat remember to book. (Tell them when you book it's a special occaision.)
PaulB81 said:
Thats a good point about them hating veggies. I'm thinking it might be better to go to an actual vegetarian restaurant. A quick google says there are about 10 around the city center.
This is good stuff, thanks guys.
We found that they were not so good. In that you can get a goats cheese tart anywhere so why the hell is a supposed veggie place trying to make to think that it is the height of modernity to serve these...This is good stuff, thanks guys.
Fiancée is veggie and we found that there was plenty for her to eat, you just have to look at the menus as you walk by.
You could, for the price of a meal, easily get all the goodies to lock yourselves in the room one night with a picnic of great French food and a bottle of chilled bubbly.
We liked the Louvre but as said it is vast and you can get arted out very quickly. We quickly developed a murderous hatred of tourists who were there to say they had been (You know the sort who do those 'look at me holding the Leaning Tower up photos') as they barge around and expect everyone else to wait out of the way whilst they spend 20 minutes taking group photos in front of David. If you like art i would suggest a quick visit Musee du Luxembourg. It is small enough not to make you feel 'how much more' and the gardens are great to walk through.
For us the biggest waste of time and money was buying Metro tickets. Paris really isn't that big in terms of getting to see the major sites and sights and we walked everywhere - you get to see so much more of the real Paris than the sanitised postcard stuff. Happening on a small park with a sculpture in the corner and a group of Typical Frenchmen playing Boules, an old Zinc topped bar style cafe in a back street, that sort of thing is great.
We also went to the Opera whilst we were there and if you are in anyway into that sort of thing it is an experience. We went to the new one as Magic Flute was on and that is nice and light but we will be going to the old opera house next time.
One final one is that when we went there was a big wheel at the end of the Jardin des Tuileries which we had a ride on and is great on a clear day.
One thing I would make sure of though is that you have a map showing the different Arrondissement as the number of the one you are in is on every street sign so even if you can't find the bloody street on the map you will have an idea where you are! Likewise knowing where you want to be in relation to the Tower is a good idea as you can see it from most of the city.
Rude-boy said:
We also went to the Opera whilst we were there and if you are in anyway into that sort of thing it is an experience. We went to the new one as Magic Flute was on and that is nice and light but we will be going to the old opera house next time.
The old opera house, the Opera Garnier is well worth a visit, but it is mostly ballet these days. There are some opera performances, but you'll need to plan ahead.I'm on the mailing list so that the next time they are doing something that isn't blokes in tight strides or 'worthy' we'll try to get to see it. I see that there is a lot of good Opera on at the Bastille over then next 6 months. By good I mean the sort that a novice (like me) would enjoy as opposed to the stuff you have to have listened to 1001 times and know the story to in infinite detail to appreciate. Rigoletto for Valentines or Don Giovanni next year but both are at the Bastille.
A Seine evening dinner cruise is a must if you want a romantic evening out. Sit at your dinning table and see Paris by night. Bit pricey, but food service and wine was good, and the view is spectacular. Lasts about 2 and half hours. It made our trip to be honest (and should get u some brownie points)!!
Musee D'Orsay, as previously mentioned, is a great choice. St Chapelle (in Conciergerie, just over bridge from the Louvre) is beautiful if you're into that sort of thing. For the evening, go to the Montorgoeuil (sp?) Quartier and just choose anywhere around rue Montorgoeuil to eat, they're all good value and full of atmosphere. Just come back from two nights, love the place.
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