Hello
I%26#39;m going to paris in February for 6 days (including Valentines day!). I love Paris and I have visited twice in the last 3 years. I have now visited most of the touris attractions (although I%26#39;m ashamed to say not the Louvre, so this is a definite) and I%26#39;m looking for something a bit different this time. Can anyone recommend places to visit, maybe outside of Paris, which are intresting and enjoyable. I%26#39;m 26 and travelling with my boyfriend, we like eating, drinking and the french way of life.
Thanks in advance
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Take a day trip out to Chartres (70 mins. from Gare Montparnasse) and spend a pleasant day...taking the tour of the cathedaral with Malcolm Miller, (if he is in town then)...enjoy a liesurely luncheon at Le MOULIN de PONCEAU, 21 rue de la Tanneries, a converted mill, down on the banks of the Eure River in the old quarter of the city, amid lovingly restored 13th-15th century buldings or up in the old town, at La VIEILLE MAISON, 5 rue au Lait
Le MOULIN de PONCEAU--
http://www.lemoulindeponceau.fr/
La VIEILLE MAISON--
http://lavieillemaison.newfr.net/
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Car free day trips that our family loves -
Renting bikes and following the Coullée Verte from Montparnasse to the Parc de Sceaux. There is a chateau here with extraordinary gardens, a qauint church and village with one of the best bakeries in the entire region, and an interesting ride through some industrial areas. Saturday is market day.
A one hour train ride to La Ferté Milon from the Gare de l%26#39;Est. This town intrigues me. There is an unfinished castle, Racine%26#39;s childhood home, a bridge by Eiffel and a charming little restaurant Café des Ruines. You can then walk 7 km along the canal to the town of Mareuil sur Ourcq for the train ride home. On the weekends there are lunch cruises that you can take. For more info, check out Annabel%26#39;s Simms%26#39; An Hour from Paris book.
St Denis - a direct metro ride from the heart of Paris. The town around the Basilica is nice, despite its reputation and the church is well worth a visit.
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These are just the type of ideas I was hoping for with your local knowledge, I can%26#39;t wai to try the restaurants you have recommended. For much of the time I will be very lazy adn just enjoy being there.
Can you also reassure me about something? I have booked to stay in the Oceania Hotel which has good reviews on TA but seems not to be rated by locals because it is in a bad area?
Also any more ideas for things to do in Paris greatly appreciated.
I will definitely look up that book - One hour from paris.
Many Thanks
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Porte de Versailles is not in a bad area, to my knowledge. It is a bit of a schlep from the tourist center, but nothing the metor can%26#39;t remedy.
It is adjacent to the large convention center, so there are lots of large bldgs, without a lot in between, but if you walk from your hotel towards the Park George Brassens there are some village-like streets with soe interesting architecture. I seem to remember the rue Olivier de Serres as being worth a stroll and the Restaurant du Marche at 51 rue Dantzig is very good.
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Ellas, we locals by definition don%26#39;t rate hotels because we have our own accommodation here! By looking it up, I found that Oceania hotel is on porte de Versailles, actually on the other side of the périphérique. Nothing %26quot;bad%26quot; about the area, but it%26#39;s definitely very out of the way and charmless. The only fun feature would be that you would be able to use the brand new tram that will be inaugurated in Dec 06. Otherwise, nothing exciting in this Trade Show oriented area. If you still can, I would advise you to change your accommodation for some place more real and Parisian.
As for unusual things to do, good for you. Having said that, for six days only, and the heart of winter, I wouldn%26#39;t look too much into a day trip in the provinces. These places are depressing enough in good weather, so imagine Chartres on a drab winter day... There are so many original things to do in Paris. Such as discovering the inner courtyards of the Faubourg Saint-Antoine, home of Paris%26#39; furniture makers, strolling on the Butte aux Cailles, the Canal Saint Martin, discovering medieval Paris, etc. There are some museums tourists seldom visit: musée Bourdelle in Montparnasse, the new Palais de Tokyo with its mammoth modern art collection, etc. Please give us what your specific interests are, and we%26#39;ll try to accommodate your needs.
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Thanks again
I do want to venture out of Paris maybe twice but I know there is still much of Paris I have not seen. My previous trips have been marching from one tourist attraction to another so this time I will relax and enjoy. I%26#39;m not much of a museum goer to be honest, I love scenery, beautiful places, I always love sacre coeur but I think my most favourite thing is food! I%26#39;d love to find the little cobbled streets and things like that.
Unfortuantely I booked my hotel without too much thought really. It seemed quite luxurious for the price I found. If I cancel I will be charged approx 150e. But it won%26#39;t spoil it, I%26#39;m looking forward to using the tram, finding the little village streets and maybe I can eat and drink without the tourist prices?
I%26#39;ve bought a Paris guide today online which should arrive soon. This time I will also be very polite and only speak french :D
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Hello,
You might like a trip out to Josephines mansion just a little outside Paris via La Defense. %26quot;Malmasion%26quot; is quite lovely and there are some interesting things of Jospehine%26#39;s there (including her grave). I dont have the bus number with me but you take it from the bus terminal in the station downstairs at La Defense.
Have you been to Bercy village? Tis interesting. Many restaurants and cafes there to choose. On the edge of the large park and boardering the Seine there is a long lane of converted wine warehouses, with several interesting stores. a movie mexaplex, lotsa of promenaders. Take the metro 14 east to the next to last stop. St Eminon.
Dont miss the Marias around Place des Voeges if you havent been there. Tis great on a Sunday but almost as good any day. If you walk east along rue Rivoli which turns into rue St.Antoine and on east past the Bastille you might enjoy the interesting shops and hustle bustle of the local street along there.
Since you are staying in the convention area, you just might find something interesting scheduled there. Dont know when it is on this year but we have really enjoyed the agriculture expo there a couple of times. (A whole building just devoted to wines, cheezes and some great foods).
Enjoy and bonne appetite.
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A few interesting stops we have tried include:
The Salvador Dali museum - It is near Sacre Coeur and worth the visit - It%26#39;s a little tricky to find but ask and you will find.
We also enjoyed the Picasso Museum in the Marais - There is also a new Museum centered on the Holocaust in the Marais.
The Catacombs are fun if a little macarbe
I notice St Dennis Cathedral on someone else%26#39;e reply - this was a good stop for us last time we were in Paris
jhg
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If you decide to stroll along the Canal Saint Martin---a lovely stroll by the way--begin up at the northern end, near Place Stalingrad, and work your way south toward Bastille...and do it on a Sunday. At the lower-end of the stroll, the canal ducks underground through tunnels at rue du Faubourg du Temple. On Sunday%26#39;s there is an interesting open-air market farther along Blvd. Richard Lenoir (just above Place de la Bastille...btwn. rues Amelot and Saint-Sabin...Metro: Bréguet-Sabin). Or on a Sunday, you can stroll to BASTILLE and rent rollerblades, then join the pack for the RANDONNÉE du DIMANCHE across Paris that usually departs from near Place de la Bastille. You can rent skates at the NOMAD shop. This is a more relaxed (??) skate (suitable for beginners) across Paris than the one the leaves from Montparmasse on Friday nights....OR where the canal ducks underground at Faubourge du Temple, you could cut away to the west, into the 3eme-Marias and work your way down through these interesting neighborhoods and attractions there--Musée des Arts et Métiers. Musée Picasso, Musée Carnavalet, Musée Cognacq-Jay, Centre Pompidou, Square du Temple, Place de Vosges, etc.
www.rollers-coquillages.org/html/en/news.php…
http://www.nomadeshop.com/
As for Chartres, it may be winter....but it%26#39;s difficult to stretch a visit to one of the most beautiful buildings in the world (by any standard you care to name) , CHARTRES CATHEDRAL...and the World Heritage historic site that is the entire 13th-15th century old quarter of the city...into %26#39;..depression..%26#39;....at ANY time of year.
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we found the Dali museum - you might enjoy that.
we also did day trip to Normandy Beaches - by train %26amp; tour package
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