Let’s Visit: PARIS

March 28, 2008 · Filed under Bacpack and a cup of tea · Tagged Europe, France, Paris, tourist, vacation

For you who are about to take that plane to see France, congratulations! But one suggestion: due to the late arrival of spring, prepare some warm sweaters and jackets. Okay, so you want to see the real France, with its cancan spirit, to talk to that ‘I don’t speaks Engleesh’ people, to try those exotic foods (er… despite the bleeding steak, I can assure you that you will love French food), and to get a feel of that French exotism that only France can create… I’m sure that you are very excited to see Paris! But if you want to see France in its natural face, I suggest that you also visit some other cities, or even villages in France. Where to go? What to see? What to do? Guys, grab a pencil and a paper, coz I think I can help you with that…

Okay, let’s be realistic, even though France is just aslmost as big as Java island in Indonesia, we can not see everything. The trick is: to go to the places where you can really feel the French-ness of France, to the best places in France!

1. La Capitale PARIS

Who doesn’t know Paris? A city that is almost always associated to romance, love and adventure. I must say, this association is not totally wrong. Now, I’m sure that you already have that guide, that book about Paris, that explains to you the history of Paris, the statistics, what to see, where to sleep, what to eat…etc. Good move! Thefirst time I went to Paris, I did not have that kind of book. Luckily, I had a born-and-bred Parisian as a guide, who showed me the best of Paris. But if you don’t have your own Parisian, I strongly suggest you to own one of those books about Paris: either you buy it, borrow it from a library, or download informations from the internet.

Revenons à nos moutons (let’s get back to the topic), what to see in Paris? Wow, lots of things. The most famous sites are: The Eiffel Tower, The Museum of Louvre, The Museum of Orsay, The Montparnasse Tower, The Notre Dame of Paris, The Sacré Coeur Basilica, Avenue of Champs Elysées, Garden of Luxembourg, Garden of Tuileries, The Versailles Palace and garden, La Defense, Center of Georges Pompidou,… and lots of other big sites

I’m sure that you have heard about all the places mentioned above. Let me just add some tips:

• When you go to the Eiffel Tower, don’t forget to go up to the summit, where you can enjoy Paris from above! There’s a small train walking in a rail to take you up. Of course, you have to pay, but it’s worth it. For students, prepare your international student card, because you will have very interesting discount, and not just here, but everywhere! If you are one and you don’t own this card, just show them your regular student card on which is written the name of your University and your photo, and most of the time, they accept it (based on my own experience).
• Still in Eiffel Tower, don’t forget to go to Trocadero, a place just across theTower. From here, you can enjoy the views of the Tower from hair-to-toe, or from summit to legs 🙂 and take pictures with its complete body! You also can enjoy some art performances that take place in Trocadero. I’ve been there many times, and each time I found something new and interesting!
• Preferably, to visit The Eiffel Tower twice: once at night, once in the day. You’ll be surprised by how different the Tower looks under the sun and with its lights!

• While going to churches like Notre Dame and Sacré Coeur, prepare the flash of your camera. Also, prepare some small money. It’s always free to enter churches, but your donation is needed for maintanance of these very beautiful and historical sites.
• When you visit Notre Dame, take a walk along the Seine River. You can take great pictures of the side of the Cathedrale, while enjoying the fresh wind coming from the river.
• When you visit Garden of Luxembourg, try not only to visit the garden and the Senate House, but also the entourage of the main garden. You will find people doing sports, playing games, or sitting on benches or on the grass, just having sandwiches or picknicking. It’s a very good and friendly ambiance! Usually you can even join them (for example in a chess game), and as a bonus: you can practice your French!
• While visiting Champs Elysées, also visit The Arc of Triumph. It’s situated at the end in the Avenue. I suggest you to take the stairs and go up The Arc. Well, a little exercise never hurts 🙂 and besides, it’s a great view up there! Walking down the Avenue Champs Elysées, guard your wallet. Not only because there are lots of people there therefore bigger risk of pick-pocketer, but also because you will want to buy things 😛 In this avenue, there are the most expensive boutiques in Paris.
• If you want to visit The Versailles, first look at the schedule of opening in its internet site. Because in some day, only the garden is open, the others, only the Petit Trianon… So, if you want to visit all area, do a little research. Second, come as early as possible! There are lots of things to see, and so little time, especially with the risk of getting trapped in a long queue! Third, bring your own sandwiches, drinks; for two resons: first, inside the complex of Versailles, there are some cafetarias, but very very expensive ones, and second because once you enter the complex, it’s preferable that you don’t get out to buy food outside the complex; you are not allowed to use your tickets twice. If you want to avoid long queue, you can buy your ticket from FNAC (an entertainment line), and from SNCF (the transport company), either online or visit their boutiques in Paris (there are a lot, don’t worry). Trust me, there is always long line in Versailles, so I recommend you to buy your ticket before going. (Price of tickets vary, it depends on the season, your age, and what area you want to see. But prepare some 25 euros per adult. Discount for students of arts and architecture.)

• If you want to visit Paris and see historical and cultural things, forget La Defense, which is a very modern area of Paris. All you find is just modern high buildings… But if you’re interested, why not?

Besides these big famous sites, you can also try my suggestions:

• The Montmartre area. It’s in this area you can find The Sacré Coeur Basilic. What I suggest is, take a walk in the area behind the church, where you can find small streets and painters in action. You can make a self portrait for around 20 euros, or buy a painting, or just enjoy the street artistic ambiance. Continue on walking around, you will find some interesting but forgotten things, for example the oldest windmill of Paris, some small museums, etc… And later, to ease the fatigue, try to visit Les Deux Moulins, the café which was used as a setting for the famous movie: The Fabolous Destiny of Amélie Poulain).

• While walking around The Latin Quartier, the area where Sorbonne is situated, try to visit some bouqinists along the Seine. They are the small kiosques along the Seine, and they sell old books and postcards. Very interesting! Also, try to visit The Theater of La Huchette, which is situated on the street that wears the same name. In this theater,there are spectacles of Eugène Ionesco’s masterpieces every day! So if you’re interested in theaters and speak a little French, this place is highly recommended. Still on the same street, there is La Cave of La Huchette. This is a very famous jazz café, where not only can you listen to jazz, but also you can dance (there’s a dance floor). This place was originally used as a hiding place during the war… But the place is well maintained, the music is good, and it’s a very worthy place to spend an evening.
• Take a boat trip in The Seine! There are some companies providing this service, but the most famous one is Bateau Mouche (which literary means The Fly Boat). This boat doesn’t provide meal nor drinks, so if you want to have a romantic cruise with a candle lit dinner, you should choose another company! The Bateau Mouche starts from Pont d’Alma, one of the bridges of The Seine. And during the trip, you will be taken along the Seine, to see Paris’ best monuments, including Eiffel, Notre Dame, etc… it’s not expensive, and it’s fun! Prepare a scarf or a sweater, because the wind from the river may be violent…
• If you like some artistic spectacle as I do, Paris must be exhausting for you, since there are hundreds of spectacles every day! You can find lots of theaters, opera, ballet spectacles… You just have to choose one! My suggestion is The Opera Bastilles. Now, this is a very famous place, but not all tourists go to watch some spectacles, for the reasons that I don’t know. If you don’t speak French, choose an opera or a ballet spectacle. To save some budget, choose a week night, not a week end. And it also helps if you go with a groupe, or if you’re a student.
• Still in the Bastille area. Around this area, there are lots of good cafés and bars to hang out. This area is very young and social, which means you won’t not find a place to sit and talk and drink. But if you don’t drink alcohol, you have to be careful because at certain hours they don’t serve tea or café. But you can always ask for non-alcoholic coctails or juices.

Heu, I’m sure that you will find that actully, every place in Paris is worth visiting. But choose your own places, according to what you like and to what interests you. Let me give you additional tips for your visit in Paris:

• To save some budget, avoid using taxi. Use the Metro and RER service (the subway of Paris), or the bus. But due to the traffic, I’d rather take the Metro. You can find Metro stations everywhere, but always watch your bags, watches, or cell phones!
• You can ask for free the map of Metro and bus lines everywhere! But preferably ask for it when you arrive in Paris in the airport… You can also ask for it in the Metro stations, some big department stores (for example Galeries Lafayette), etc…
• Learn a little French before coming… Just some little useful expressions to say: how do you do, how much does it cost, I would like some water, etc… It will be very useful!
• I know that Paris sounds glamorous… But just bring your comfortable clothes (according to the season), comfortable shoes (girls, our high heels are not made for the streets in Paris), one or two formal clothes if you want to watch opera or ballet, and you’re ready!
• What to eat??? Hah, welcome to France my friend. Try and dare your self to eat French food. If you’re afraid to wrong-order, ask the waiter first what it is. One suggestion, if you go to restaurants, ask for ménu, which doesn’t means the menu card, but a meal consisted of entry, main menu, and a dessert. Usually it’s cheaper to buy ménu than to eat à la carte, which means to choose one by one the entry, the main menu, and the dessert from the menu card/book. If you want to save some budget, try French famous sandwiches, or pizza, or Kebab (sandwich from Turki), or panini (sandwich from Italia), or the famous French crêpes!

Okay, so what do you think bout Paris? I looove Paris! But in my opinion, Paris doesn’t show the real France anymore. It has become so touristic, and modern in the same time, that all you find are tourists or working tired Parisians. That’s why I suggest you, that if you want to have a real French adventure, you should visit another cities or even villages…

To be continued…