shape
carat
color
clarity

First time in Paris, must see, do, eat, buy?

Babyblue033

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 11, 2008
Messages
1,190
In Feb, I'll be travelling to Paris for work and it's my first time there. I'll be there for a week but days will be pretty packed for work every day, so only free time will be in the evenings and I'll have 1 Saturday before flying back.

Given my limited time, what would you recommend as must do while there? I would also like to buy something as a souvenir, anything special you would recommend that's unique to Paris?

It was a surprise to be invited to go and I RARELY travel anywhere, so this is such a treat. I don't have a lot of time personal time so would like to make the most out of it!
 

Octo2005

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
May 23, 2016
Messages
1,041
I would say the Louvre is a must see! I believe that they have late hours on Wednesdays and Fridays, open until 10pm, but you will want to confirm that. Unfortunately, you could easily spend all day everyday of your week there and still only see fraction of what it has to offer.

So excited for you!
 

LJsapphire

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 24, 2016
Messages
883
I spent a day in Paris as part of my 40th birthday (we went to Amsterdam, Rome, Venice then Paris- one day each!). Considering Paris is only a short hop I hadn't been before. We went to Notre Dame, walked to the Louvre (but the queues were too big, it was August!), walked through Jardin des Tuileries, had a picnic under the Eiffel Tower, walked across to Jardin des Trocadero (my favourite, my son would've loved it there). Lots of selfies and then the train back to the airport. I kind of regret not being able to go to the Louvre, but we will go back. :cool2:
 

OoohShiny

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 25, 2014
Messages
8,228
Cliché, I know, but going up the Eiffel Tower is an experience worth doing - they have a restaurant in the tower so you can have lunch there and take in some views :) I didn't go to the top because, er, it's really very high and the steps up feel scarily open :-o but I thought it was good overall! I think you might be able to pre-book both the tower and the restaurant, which should mean being able to avoid queuing for ages. IIRC they have security bag checks in place now, thanks to the tiny minority of morons who want to cause carnage for the majority :rolleyes: but I'd rather that than the consequences otherwise.

The Louvre is interesting but it depends how interested you are in art as to how much you'll get out of it IMHO. (I kind of like art but nothing really is sticking in my memory as being amaaaaaazing... lol.) The grounds were nice, though, and you can see where the creature was hidden in that Tom Cruise film! :lol:

The cathedral at Notre Dame was quite impressive, but the queues are epic - you may have to queue 'European style' and just sort of drift in near the front after standing around taking pictures near it... lol

It's interesting to sit on a bench and watch the traffic at the Arc de Triomphe - Priorité a droite is a very different concept to most roundabouts, and I imagine a roundabout is a very different concept to most Americans! :lol:

The river cruises are quite good (but will be freezing on-deck in February!) - I found them useful for locating buildings and myself within the city (with a map to hand for reference) and the views are good.


With regards to things to be careful about... It's a major city and there is an element of the population that is at the lower end of the socio-economic scale, so you should make sure you leave your passport and any large amounts of cash in the hotel safe (obvious, I know, but worth reiterating) and keep your bag and phone inside of your zipped-up coat. (Nothing that doesn't apply in any city or any large crowd, really.)

Don't sign anything people hand to you that looks like a sponsorship form but presumably requires cash up-front (I almost fell for that one! lol) and don't fall for someone 'finding' something on the floor and then 'gifting' it to you - they will come straight back to ask for money. (Some chap tried that with a 'gold ring' when we were there :rolleyes: )

I'm sure there will also be some people doing 'interesting' things in an attempt to get people to stand round them and/or give them money - we saw card tricks, the 'which cup is the ball under' trick, and others, but I always think these are distraction techniques to let pickpockets do their work unnoticed.


On a related note, we were in a city in Italy fairly recently and we also experienced a very large number of men from the African continent trying to sell us 'selfie sticks', bracelets, umbrellas and, for some reason, 'pop up' fruit bowls (WTF? lol).

Many were fairly innocuous and just moved right on when you said 'no, thank you', but some tried various 'hard sell' techniques to lure you in - such as opening with "beautiful couple, are you from Africa?" (when we clearly weren't) or "Pretty lady, I like your shoes" in an attempt to open a conversation and make you feel obliged to talk to them, so they have more opportunity to force their crappy wares on you.

Some just didn't take 'No, thank you' for an answer and would follow you while still talking to you, and some would even try to shake your hand and/or put things in your pockets (!!!) to, I presume, force you into a situation where they got money out of you. We even saw one try the 'oh look, you've dropped something!' technique (not dissimilar to the Paris trick of 'finding' something) which we duly ignored. We later saw him and another chap seemingly working together, with one distracting a family and then the other one following up behind suspiciously.

With one chap being persistent, and trying the 'You don't want to talk to an African man?' card when we weren't engaging :rolleyes: he only got the hint when I said "We're not buying anything."


The underground / Metro really is not a place I would want to go alone, going from our experience of it, and I'm a male of the species... so I would stick to walking around. (A woman I worked with the other day said she knows people in Paris, and they have apparently said even the locals won't use some areas of the Metro.) It's really not that far between the main tourist places, though, and as it's Paris, you're almost guaranteed a range of restaurants around the corner from your hotel, so you won't need to travel far for excellent food :) Just avoid the places on the main tourist drags!


All of the above said, would I go back? I probably would actually - it did have a certain 'je ne sais quoi' about it, so I hope you enjoy your trip! :))
 

marymm

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Messages
5,520
Sacre Coeur Basilica is in Montmartre, and the Arc de Triomphe is at the Place D'Etoile at the top of the Champs-Elysees -- both Montmartre and the Champs-Elysees are great areas for people- and window-shopping and chock full of landmarks...
 

Snowdrop13

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
2,960
If you like art, personally I prefer the Musée d’Orsay and the Pompidou which contain the more modern pieces, the Pompidou is an amazing piece of architecture in itself! Take a walk in the Tuileries and have some incredible ice cream from one of the stalls then sit and enjoy the ambience. The Orangerie Gallery is close by, it contains lots of lovely Impressionist paintings. You can book most of these places online in advance to skip the queues.

I agree the river trips are a good way to orientate yourself but I’d avoid the Eiffel Tower- it is just so crowded and there are lots of beggars and scammers around.

Being a PS-er I’m sure jewellery shopping is a must- go to the Place Vendome and window shop at the likes of VCA. There is a range of Alhambra jewellery made with porcelain, it is exclusive to Paris and would make a great, if expensive souvenir!

There are lots of cafés nearby, one of my favourite things is to sit having a coffee and a croissant of a morning watching the elegance of Paris go by. Love the city! Enjoy your visit, it is a majestic place.
 

Ally T

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 24, 2012
Messages
8,507
Paris is beautiful! Planning ahead with limited time is a great idea. Personally, I really enjoy the Louvre, the Pompidou & the cafe scene. I have been up the Eiffel Tower on a couple of occasions, but as a previous poster said, the queues can be huge & the beggars become a bit in your face. Might be nicer to take a photo from a distance instead!
 

MaisOuiMadame

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 9, 2015
Messages
3,451
I'm currently living in the greater Paris region. What I do with guests who are here for the very first time, is walk around on foot. Paris is so densely populated, that you can walk to all the iconic places within a day. Starting point depends where your hotel is. If you want I could look up a nice sample route for you, depending on your point of departure. That's what I would do on your free day. Otherwise in the evenings I'd go to the places that that interest you most individually.
-Sacré cœur is magic and by night the view over the city is just breathtaking.
-The musée d'Orsay won best museum of the world last year
-The Eiffel tower (pre- book tickets on the internet)
-musée Rodin (good weather)
-Le bon marché and the areas around it in St. GERMAIN are a must - >rive gauche . Le bon marché is à highly curated department store. It's very exclusive and on the height of fashion and chic. It doesn't aim to be a huge temple of luxury like, say Harrods, or galeries Lafayette. Everything is very selective and so well presented. They are usually ahead of the fashion magazines regarding hot brands. So it's not necessarily a place to shop (I randomly picked three beach tunics last time I was there and each was over 2500€:eek2:) , and I but for inspiration ...

Walking is safe everywhere in the inner arrondissements. I've personally walked after midnight in arrondissements 1-10 and it's really really safe. Same goes for the metro. There are dodgy areas in the fringes, but as a tourist you don't go there, lest you happen to be in a hotel around there.. the sleazy salespeople are around the Eiffel tower and sacré cœur. Don't buy.
My favorite French French French top notch old school restaurant is "Le relais Louis XIII"
For modern lunching / very casual eating I prefer Pic in the very chic beaupassage in rue grenelle.
-coffee break :Verlet in rue St. Honoré. Just around the corner from the LOUVRE. Make sure to pop into the boutique CIRE TRUDON just on the other side of the STREET. it's like an ultra high end, but edgy, magic, médiéval curiosity shop.


-one of my favorite places is the Marais in the 4th arrondissement (métro St. Paul). Just walk around.... Make sure to see place des Vosges. Shop in the small shops. It's so charming.
Uber is huge in Paris. Don't take regular taxis. I've never waited more than 5mins.no need to tip. Same app than in the US, so no rip offs possible.
And most importantly :ENJOY!!!
 

MarionC

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Dec 9, 2013
Messages
6,246
Kipari, I second your advice! Walking around and soaking up the city, yes.
If I HAD to go to an art museum it would be d Orsay for me too, but since every freaking square inch of Paris is a museum, a walkabout is a plentiful feast for a short visit.
You are a great trip advisor : )
 

AGBF

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 26, 2003
Messages
22,143
Hi, Babyblue-

I have not been in Paris for so many years (the 1970's) that I am reading this thread with awe. I have no knowledge of what the streets are like currently. When I read recommendations for museums I wondered why no one had mentioned The Musée du Jeu de Paume. I had to read that in 1986 much of the art work from the Musée du Jeu de Paume was moved to the Musée d'Orsay. I think if I were to return to Paris today, I would need a refresher course on how to conduct myself there. I have never used an uber in the US (although my daughter uses them). Using them in Paris sounds smart. I did use taxis, sometimes, when I lived there.

I would say if you have time to go see the cathedral at Chartres, which is not far away after getting a sense of Paris. I lived a few feet from Notre Dame on the Left Bank and used to sit in front of it in the evening. It is beautiful but does not hold a candle to Chartres. I wouldn't trade that for Versailles, Fontainebleau, or other places you could go that are popular destinations outside the city proper. Of course I have no idea if it is currently under construction as I do not (as stated above) keep up!

Have fun and eat plenty of the real pain au chocolat in the morning when it freshly made and the pastry is flaky and the chocolate inside is still warm.* I used to go out every morning like a normal French woman, before my husband went to work, and get one pain au chocolat and one croissant for us. Great memories!

Have fun!

Deb/AGBF

*PintoBean has to read this thread!
 

MaisOuiMadame

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 9, 2015
Messages
3,451
Kipari, I second your advice! Walking around and soaking up the city, yes.
If I HAD to go to an art museum it would be d Orsay for me too, but since every freaking square inch of Paris is a museum, a walkabout is a plentiful feast for a short visit.
You are a great trip advisor : )
I'd love to show you around next time you're in my neck of the "hexagone"
 

MarionC

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Dec 9, 2013
Messages
6,246
As far as souvenirs, maybe let yourself be surprised? Something there will call to you that you might not even imagine right now. Something that is part of the experience.
 

LLJsmom

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 24, 2012
Messages
12,631
If you like macarons, Pierre Herme is a must. I much prefer them to the Lauduree, as the flavor combinations are more interesting, and I prefer more tart flavors. Nevertheless, I would be a total tourist and stop by the Lauduree shop on the Champs Elysees.

https://www.pierreherme.com/company/?___store=english&___from_store=french

And if the ferris wheel is available, a twirl at night is a must.

Have fun and enjoy and soak it all up.
 

MakingTheGrade

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Mar 2, 2009
Messages
12,936
I love Paris, you really can’t go wrong honestly, it’s packed with beautiful architecture and delicious patisseries.

Personally I loved climbing Notre Dame at night (you have to buy electronic tickets before hand). Also loved the Monet museum ( it’s small but I’m a big water lilies fan).
 

ame

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 7, 2004
Messages
10,868
I am someone who would want to buy an Hermes item there, but that might be a tall order.
 

knoxgirl

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 12, 2011
Messages
33
Lots of great recommendations. I've been there several times and wanted to add a some of my favorites. With a very short amount of time, I'd visit the rooftop garden at Galeries Lafayette for the spectacular view. The store itself is worth seeing, too. Walking the The Tuileries Garden with a hot cup of cocoa from Angelina is a must! And I'd go up the Arc de Triomphe at night and catch the Eiffel Tower light show. With more time, I'd venture to the Paris Opera House and the Fragonard perfume museum and shop. We skipped the museum but the store was a lot of fun if you're into perfumes.
 

Babyblue033

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 11, 2008
Messages
1,190
I would say the Louvre is a must see! I believe that they have late hours on Wednesdays and Fridays, open until 10pm, but you will want to confirm that. Unfortunately, you could easily spend all day everyday of your week there and still only see fraction of what it has to offer.

So excited for you!
I know next to nothing about Paris but Louvre was definitely on my list to visit. In my past life I was a designer and as a young design student Louvre museum was like a holy ground and back then seeing it in person seemed almost impossible. So for sure I'll find time to visit and I just checked and it looks like they do have late hours on Wed & Fri like you said so that would be perfect :kiss2:

I spent a day in Paris as part of my 40th birthday (we went to Amsterdam, Rome, Venice then Paris- one day each!). Considering Paris is only a short hop I hadn't been before. We went to Notre Dame, walked to the Louvre (but the queues were too big, it was August!), walked through Jardin des Tuileries, had a picnic under the Eiffel Tower, walked across to Jardin des Trocadero (my favourite, my son would've loved it there). Lots of selfies and then the train back to the airport. I kind of regret not being able to go to the Louvre, but we will go back. :cool2:
Wow, that sounds like a packed day in Paris! Jardin des Trocadero sounds absolutely lovely, adding it to my list if I have the time to visit. I'm torn about Eiffel Tower so if I decide not to do that this might be a good alternative since it sounds like you get a nice view of the tower from here.

Cliché, I know, but going up the Eiffel Tower is an experience worth doing - they have a restaurant in the tower so you can have lunch there and take in some views :) I didn't go to the top because, er, it's really very high and the steps up feel scarily open :-o but I thought it was good overall! I think you might be able to pre-book both the tower and the restaurant, which should mean being able to avoid queuing for ages. IIRC they have security bag checks in place now, thanks to the tiny minority of morons who want to cause carnage for the majority :rolleyes: but I'd rather that than the consequences otherwise.
I'm torn about Eiffel Tower, I mean it's such an iconic place but I don't know if I can handle such a center of tourism, I'm from NY after all and gets easily annoyed with them here :lol: But it almost seems like, who visits Paris and not go to Eiffel Tower right? But maybe just seeing from nearby without actually going up might be enough for me.

With regards to things to be careful about... It's a major city and there is an element of the population that is at the lower end of the socio-economic scale, so you should make sure you leave your passport and any large amounts of cash in the hotel safe (obvious, I know, but worth reiterating) and keep your bag and phone inside of your zipped-up coat. (Nothing that doesn't apply in any city or any large crowd, really.)

Don't sign anything people hand to you that looks like a sponsorship form but presumably requires cash up-front (I almost fell for that one! lol) and don't fall for someone 'finding' something on the floor and then 'gifting' it to you - they will come straight back to ask for money. (Some chap tried that with a 'gold ring' when we were there :rolleyes: )

I'm sure there will also be some people doing 'interesting' things in an attempt to get people to stand round them and/or give them money - we saw card tricks, the 'which cup is the ball under' trick, and others, but I always think these are distraction techniques to let pickpockets do their work unnoticed.

On a related note, we were in a city in Italy fairly recently and we also experienced a very large number of men from the African continent trying to sell us 'selfie sticks', bracelets, umbrellas and, for some reason, 'pop up' fruit bowls (WTF? lol).

Many were fairly innocuous and just moved right on when you said 'no, thank you', but some tried various 'hard sell' techniques to lure you in - such as opening with "beautiful couple, are you from Africa?" (when we clearly weren't) or "Pretty lady, I like your shoes" in an attempt to open a conversation and make you feel obliged to talk to them, so they have more opportunity to force their crappy wares on you.

Some just didn't take 'No, thank you' for an answer and would follow you while still talking to you, and some would even try to shake your hand and/or put things in your pockets (!!!) to, I presume, force you into a situation where they got money out of you. We even saw one try the 'oh look, you've dropped something!' technique (not dissimilar to the Paris trick of 'finding' something) which we duly ignored. We later saw him and another chap seemingly working together, with one distracting a family and then the other one following up behind suspiciously.

With one chap being persistent, and trying the 'You don't want to talk to an African man?' card when we weren't engaging :rolleyes: he only got the hint when I said "We're not buying anything."

The underground / Metro really is not a place I would want to go alone, going from our experience of it, and I'm a male of the species... so I would stick to walking around. (A woman I worked with the other day said she knows people in Paris, and they have apparently said even the locals won't use some areas of the Metro.) It's really not that far between the main tourist places, though, and as it's Paris, you're almost guaranteed a range of restaurants around the corner from your hotel, so you won't need to travel far for excellent food :) Just avoid the places on the main tourist drags!
Thank you so much for such detailed info about what to watch out for! I truly appreciate it. I work in NYC and actually used to be right on 5th ave for years, but I can be pretty oblivious to things around me so I don't consider myself the most savvy when it comes to being careful in certain situations. And I seriously RARELY travel, and when I do always with my husband, so this is definitely going to be a unique situation for me being in a brand new city (a country!) on my own.

Sacre Coeur Basilica is in Montmartre, and the Arc de Triomphe is at the Place D'Etoile at the top of the Champs-Elysees -- both Montmartre and the Champs-Elysees are great areas for people- and window-shopping and chock full of landmarks...
Thank you. Arc de Triomphe definitely sounds like an interesting place to check out. Adding it to my list.

If you like art, personally I prefer the Musée d’Orsay and the Pompidou which contain the more modern pieces, the Pompidou is an amazing piece of architecture in itself! Take a walk in the Tuileries and have some incredible ice cream from one of the stalls then sit and enjoy the ambience. The Orangerie Gallery is close by, it contains lots of lovely Impressionist paintings. You can book most of these places online in advance to skip the queues.

I agree the river trips are a good way to orientate yourself but I’d avoid the Eiffel Tower- it is just so crowded and there are lots of beggars and scammers around.

Being a PS-er I’m sure jewellery shopping is a must- go to the Place Vendome and window shop at the likes of VCA. There is a range of Alhambra jewellery made with porcelain, it is exclusive to Paris and would make a great, if expensive souvenir!

There are lots of cafés nearby, one of my favourite things is to sit having a coffee and a croissant of a morning watching the elegance of Paris go by. Love the city! Enjoy your visit, it is a majestic place.
If I had a few days on my own, I would definitely check out more art museums as they just make me feel... like I'm a young design student again. Young and carefree :mrgreen2: But given my limited time, I think I'll have to just content myself with visiting the Louvre and hope that maybe I'll be back again one day.

Jewelry shopping would be lovely but I'm afraid my budget just doesn't stretch that far this time. I'm hoping MAYBE a Louis Vuitton bag to remember this trip but we'll see.

Paris is beautiful! Planning ahead with limited time is a great idea. Personally, I really enjoy the Louvre, the Pompidou & the cafe scene. I have been up the Eiffel Tower on a couple of occasions, but as a previous poster said, the queues can be huge & the beggars become a bit in your face. Might be nicer to take a photo from a distance instead!
I might just skip the Eiffel Tower based on what I'm hearing, I'll of course see it from afar but it doesn't sound like it's worth actually visiting and going up on :think:

I'm currently living in the greater Paris region. What I do with guests who are here for the very first time, is walk around on foot. Paris is so densely populated, that you can walk to all the iconic places within a day. Starting point depends where your hotel is. If you want I could look up a nice sample route for you, depending on your point of departure. That's what I would do on your free day. Otherwise in the evenings I'd go to the places that that interest you most individually.
-Sacré cœur is magic and by night the view over the city is just breathtaking.
-The musée d'Orsay won best museum of the world last year
-The Eiffel tower (pre- book tickets on the internet)
-musée Rodin (good weather)
-Le bon marché and the areas around it in St. GERMAIN are a must - >rive gauche . Le bon marché is à highly curated department store. It's very exclusive and on the height of fashion and chic. It doesn't aim to be a huge temple of luxury like, say Harrods, or galeries Lafayette. Everything is very selective and so well presented. They are usually ahead of the fashion magazines regarding hot brands. So it's not necessarily a place to shop (I randomly picked three beach tunics last time I was there and each was over 2500€:eek2:) , and I but for inspiration ...

Walking is safe everywhere in the inner arrondissements. I've personally walked after midnight in arrondissements 1-10 and it's really really safe. Same goes for the metro. There are dodgy areas in the fringes, but as a tourist you don't go there, lest you happen to be in a hotel around there.. the sleazy salespeople are around the Eiffel tower and sacré cœur. Don't buy.
My favorite French French French top notch old school restaurant is "Le relais Louis XIII"
For modern lunching / very casual eating I prefer Pic in the very chic beaupassage in rue grenelle.
-coffee break :Verlet in rue St. Honoré. Just around the corner from the LOUVRE. Make sure to pop into the boutique CIRE TRUDON just on the other side of the STREET. it's like an ultra high end, but edgy, magic, médiéval curiosity shop.

-one of my favorite places is the Marais in the 4th arrondissement (métro St. Paul). Just walk around.... Make sure to see place des Vosges. Shop in the small shops. It's so charming.
Uber is huge in Paris. Don't take regular taxis. I've never waited more than 5mins.no need to tip. Same app than in the US, so no rip offs possible.
And most importantly :ENJOY!!!
I would actually love to take you up on your offer for a sample route. I'm such a planner by nature, and with SO many places available to see there, it would be wonderful to have something like that. And thank you SO much for so much great information, so much insight directly from someone there is invaluable!

I'll be staying at the Terrass'' Hôtel, that's where all my coworkers are staying not too far from our office HQ. Office itself I believe is in Clichy if I'm not mistaken. Reading through what you wrote, it really makes me wish I had more time in Paris to explore more!

Kipari, I second your advice! Walking around and soaking up the city, yes.
If I HAD to go to an art museum it would be d Orsay for me too, but since every freaking square inch of Paris is a museum, a walkabout is a plentiful feast for a short visit.
You are a great trip advisor : )
I'll be "stuck" having to spend a lot of time with my coworkers, but I'm really gonna try to squeeze out as much time alone as I can, just to walk around and soak in the city. I'm not into group things, plus this isn't even a very close group of people I've been working with for a long time, so alone time will be much preferred, and that way I can do what I want.

I am planning on doing a class at VCA when I go to Paris---may not fit in your schedule though:

https://www.lecolevancleefarpels.com/en/schedule#date1=&date2=&languages[]=en

That, and a visit to Goyard for a bag.

But love all the great tips in this thread!
A class at VCA? That sounds so much fun! Yeah, it probably wouldn't work with my schedule but it's so interesting none the less.

Hi, Babyblue-

I have not been in Paris for so many years (the 1970's) that I am reading this thread with awe. I have no knowledge of what the streets are like currently. When I read recommendations for museums I wondered why no one had mentioned The Musée du Jeu de Paume. I had to read that in 1986 much of the art work from the Musée du Jeu de Paume was moved to the Musée d'Orsay. I think if I were to return to Paris today, I would need a refresher course on how to conduct myself there. I have never used an uber in the US (although my daughter uses them). Using them in Paris sounds smart. I did use taxis, sometimes, when I lived there.

I would say if you have time to go see the cathedral at Chartres, which is not far away after getting a sense of Paris. I lived a few feet from Notre Dame on the Left Bank and used to sit in front of it in the evening. It is beautiful but does not hold a candle to Chartres. I wouldn't trade that for Versailles, Fontainebleau, or other places you could go that are popular destinations outside the city proper. Of course I have no idea if it is currently under construction as I do not (as stated above) keep up!

Have fun and eat plenty of the real pain au chocolat in the morning when it freshly made and the pastry is flaky and the chocolate inside is still warm.* I used to go out every morning like a normal French woman, before my husband went to work, and get one pain au chocolat and one croissant for us. Great memories!

Have fun!

Deb/AGBF

*PintoBean has to read this thread!
Deb, croissant with coffee every morning in Paris sounds like a dream! I got a brief "how to conduct in Paris" tips from my boss yesterday and one of the things they mentioned was there'll always be coffee and breakfast before any meeting, they'll always invite you to lunch and there will not be any work discussion during that, and dinner will be hours long. LOL! Oh and be polite they said, French things we (Americans) are already so rude, so make extra effort to say hello, thank you, etc. Too bad my French is HORRENDOUS!

All this talk of Paris is getting me SOOOOO excited about this trip! More I think about it more amazed I am that I'll actually be there. Can you tell I'm a total noob to traveling the world? Your ideas and tips are SO greatly appreciated.

Now, how to convince my husband that I NEED a Louis Vuitton bag as a special souvenir from Paris... :twisted2:
 

MaisOuiMadame

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 9, 2015
Messages
3,451
Would be a pleasure to help a fellow PSer discover the city of lights!
Do you have a loupetroop listing? Might be nicer to share your exact whereabouts on an fixed date and time more privately... (hope I'm not over thinking this). Do have a look at the prices of the French Louis Vuitton /Hermès /Cartier/VCA website. Prices are a smidge cheaper than in the US, depending on the exchange rate of course. I think you get 12% back on top of that via Duty free. But you have to plan for this at the airport. It takes some time...

I have been eyeing the VCA classes for a while now... I'm sure I'll take one eventually. My friend's mom did and LOVED it (and she's not even a PSer :mrgreen2:)
 

elliefire99

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Oct 12, 2018
Messages
584
Besides all the classic things here, under the EAT category...

L'as Du Falafel in La Marais is a great cheap quick meal. It's famous and always busy and a great a great option when you don't want to "dine" a la français. You can walk around the neighborhood or picnic in a park with your meal :)

Annnd, a bottle of wine along the Seine is a must. (My fave memories of my time in the city) Anywhere along thr river is good, or in one of the open table areas or on one of thr docked boat bar/cafes. Walking along the river in the Canal San Martin neighborhood can also give a different flavor of Paris.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AV_

Babyblue033

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 11, 2008
Messages
1,190
Would be a pleasure to help a fellow PSer discover the city of lights!
Do you have a loupetroop listing? Might be nicer to share your exact whereabouts on an fixed date and time more privately... (hope I'm not over thinking this). Do have a look at the prices of the French Louis Vuitton /Hermès /Cartier/VCA website. Prices are a smidge cheaper than in the US, depending on the exchange rate of course. I think you get 12% back on top of that via Duty free. But you have to plan for this at the airport. It takes some time...

I have been eyeing the VCA classes for a while now... I'm sure I'll take one eventually. My friend's mom did and LOVED it (and she's not even a PSer :mrgreen2:)
Totally forgot I had a LT listing :mrgreen2:
https://loupetroop.com/listings/rin...hire-ring-0-dot-25ct-in-the-center-1-dot-1ctw

Great news! My husband was able to fly out to meet me so I said the hell with it and changed my flight to stay a few extra days. So now I'll have Sat-Mon totally free. Not AS nice as 3 days on my own since DH isn't the "walk along the river to take in the scenery" kind of guy but maybe I can convince him to buy me that LV bag for post Valentine's dag in Paris :twisted2:
 

OoohShiny

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 25, 2014
Messages
8,228
Oh and be polite they said, French things we (Americans) are already so rude, so make extra effort to say hello, thank you, etc. Too bad my French is HORRENDOUS!
I have had several anecdotal experiences related to me about the French and their language - mainly about them seemingly being completely unable to understand what non-native French speakers are trying to say in French, because the nuances aren't exaaaaaactly right :rolleyes: lol :lol:

I think I tried some Bonjours and Mercis and S'il vous plaits, but usually muddled through with pointing at the menu and trying to smile and make eye contact and be obviously thankful!
 

MakingTheGrade

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Mar 2, 2009
Messages
12,936
Oh! I also found the outdoor markets to be super fun and a great way to get a delicious breakfast while people watching and enjoying the hustle and bustle.
 

Babyblue033

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 11, 2008
Messages
1,190
I have had several anecdotal experiences related to me about the French and their language - mainly about them seemingly being completely unable to understand what non-native French speakers are trying to say in French, because the nuances aren't exaaaaaactly right :rolleyes: lol :lol:

I think I tried some Bonjours and Mercis and S'il vous plaits, but usually muddled through with pointing at the menu and trying to smile and make eye contact and be obviously thankful!
I've been trying to practice at least Monjour and Merci and more I say it worse it sounds! :confused2:
 

Babyblue033

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 11, 2008
Messages
1,190
Oh! I also found the outdoor markets to be super fun and a great way to get a delicious breakfast while people watching and enjoying the hustle and bustle.
I'm really hoping I won't have to eat all my meals with coworkers, what you describe sounds like a lovely ALONE time. Can you tell I'm a total introvert? One thing I'm dreading about the trip is the group factor, I mean we are literally all staying at the same hotel and will have pretty much exactly the same schedule.
 

MaisOuiMadame

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 9, 2015
Messages
3,451
Totally forgot I had a LT listing :mrgreen2:
https://loupetroop.com/listings/rin...hire-ring-0-dot-25ct-in-the-center-1-dot-1ctw

Great news! My husband was able to fly out to meet me so I said the hell with it and changed my flight to stay a few extra days. So now I'll have Sat-Mon totally free. Not AS nice as 3 days on my own since DH isn't the "walk along the river to take in the scenery" kind of guy but maybe I can convince him to buy me that LV bag for post Valentine's dag in Paris :twisted2:

This sounds soooooo perfect!!!!. Do book a romantic dinner at l'aperouse, le relai Louis treize or at my personal favorite
BAIETA
https://www.restaurant-baieta-paris.fr
I shot you a message via Lt
 
  • Like
Reactions: AV_

AV_

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 5, 2018
Messages
3,889
I have been many times, but never had more than an afternoon free, so I couldn't tell where it was I walked around - all beautiful! The islands of the Seine and the small Monet museum holding the waterlilies panels are things I would do again. In fact, I doubt I could be held back from the Monet place for any reason.

Sure do remember some fantastic lunches and breakfasts and dinners within a stroll of the usual things to see: some places on Ile Saint Denis were amazing (with the historical buildings worth being in aside the great food), & Tour D'argent in Place Vendôme (does baked potatoes almost as well as my grandfather!).

- what comes to mind

I wanted to get to the Alaïa store for ages & never did... Now, I hear that they have a gallery open - if you like their things.
 
Be a part of the community Get 3 HCA Results
Top