La Défense, Paris – what’s actually there – any recommends?

[Air Support]

I’m at a conference in Paris next week for a couple of days and staying at one of the large glass hotels in the La Défense area.

Apart from the well-known arch and the modern office buildings and hotels, what else is there?

As the family will be with me, do any PHers have recommendations for sensibly priced restaurants and thoughts on shops and entertainment?

Thanks in advance....

[Mr E]

I usually jumped on a metro and headed into town...

[pherlopolus]

We stayed there (in the novatel) a couple of years back, To be honest not a lot to do in the immediate area but excellent links to the main paris sights. we had a view of the eiffel tower from the hotel room!

[Air Support]

Thanks so far

I thought it might be worth asking as with 20,000 residents and a 180,000 daily workforce population (according to Wikipedia) there might be a few intersting bars and restaurants etc..

[Burrow01]

There is a big shopping centre underneath the train station, but the best thing to do is go into the center of Paris from there

Think the Paris version of Docklands in London

[Liszt]

Cocktail bar at top of Concord La Fayette hotel is great for watching the Eiffel Tower at night. The tower goes sparkly on the hour.

[MitchT]

I went to Paris in 2001. I visited La Denfense as I wanted to see the area where Jean Michel Jarre (of whom I've always been a huge fan) did his spectacular 1990 concert. There's a Metro station underground near the Grande Arch so it's easy enough to head into Paris, but I'd recommend taking some time to look around La Defense as it's actually quite interesting. There are plenty of good places to eat and an array of futuristic buildings. I understand that you can go up inside the Grande Arch and have been told it's well worth doing.

From my 2001 trip...

One of the curious water features in La Defense:


I think this was a sculpture as there was no apparent means of entering it:


Another curious water feature with some 'flowers' growing out of it:


Jean Michel Jarre's 1990 concert. NB. The illuminated triangular stage is constructed where I was stood to take the photo immediately above:

[pincher]

There is quite a big shopping centre there and a few bars and restaurants dotted around but a little limited if memory serves me correctly, so you could jump on the RER 'A' to Charles de Gaulle Etoile and take a wander down the Champs Élysées where there are some high(er) end shops and some cool bars just off the main strip.

You could also head over to Galeries Lafayette if you want to do some shopping.

[Puggit]

As above, take the RER in to town.

Alternatively take the RER out to St-Germain-en-Laye which is a very well to do suburb (where I grew up!)