Travelling to Paris, France

[bertrand]

An added recommendation: walk, walk, walk. My absolutely favorite thing to do when I'm in Paris is just walk all around the city. It's not spread out too much, so just a short walk can take you from one cool neighborhood to another. I've walked before from the Trocadero where my mother lives (Eiffel Tower area) to the Louvre. Of course it takes a while, but there is so much to see along the way. Great exercise, too: I was in much better shape when I lived there, even though I ate like a horse and did not do any other type of exercise.

A beautiful city, no doubt.

Bertrand.

[porcy62]

- a morning coffee and croissants on the Place Dauphine (close to the Palais de Justice), better than the touristy Place Saint-Germain cafes and the crowds at les Deux-Maqots and Cafe de Flore...

I second all Brownie's suggestion!

And if you love movies in Paris you can find a huge selection of great movies on Cinema every day, from Griffith to Spielberg!

I think you have to read some George Simenon's books, and watch some Nouvelle Vogue's movies, and of course some french XIX/XX century literature, Paris is a treasure I loved to discover with some maps. Afterwards you can loose yourself in the second most wonderful city of Europe.

And if you wish to go visit the first most wonderful city of Europe...

Edited April 7, 2005 by porcy62

[medjuck]

Where to stay depends a lot on what you can afford to pay. I've been there with no money, with some money and with a large corporation paying for an expensive hotel. Had the most fun when I had no money, but I was a lot younger then. PM if you want advice on the Left Bank which I know more about than anywhere else (and which I do recommend). But it looks like you're getting lots of good advice from people who have probably been to Paris more recently then me.

Wish I was going with you.

[undergroundagent]

Has anyone been to restaurant; "Maxim"? I heard that it was terrific.

[undergroundagent]

Does anyone have recommendations regarding who I should be using and when I should be booking flights?

I'm obviously looking for the best deal! So far United is $499 return, but there is going to be significat add-ons (taxes, service fees) because they are a U.S. airline, and I live in Canada.

Edited April 8, 2005 by undergroundagent

[brownie]

Has anyone been to restaurant; "Maxim"? I heard that it was terrific.

Maxim's was very famous at the turn of the 19th Century! And it still looks very 19th Century! It was bought by Pierre Cardin a couple of decades ago. Nothing exceptional about the food except it's VERY expensive!

A place to avoid!

[sheldonm]

Has anyone been to restaurant; "Maxim"? I heard that it was terrific.

Maxim's was very famous at the turn of the 19th Century! And it still looks very 19th Century! It was bought by Pierre Cardin a couple of decades ago. Nothing exceptional about the food except it's VERY expensive!

A place to avoid!

....and they did a great Sanka or Folgers commercial years ago .

[Phil Meloy]

I spoke to my friend who works in the restaurant business here in London and he recommended Chez George - 1 r. Mail e2 - as his favourite restaurant in Paris. It's a classic French bistro with excellent food which is not outrageously expensive. Maybe brownie has heard of it? My friend also completely agreed with brownie's opinion of Maxim's.

P.S You will need to make a reservation.

Edited April 11, 2005 by Phil Meloy

[brownie]

I spoke to my friend who works in the resturant business here in London and he recommended Chez George - 1 r. Mail e2 - as his favourite restaurant in Paris. It's a classic French bistro with excellent food which is not outrageously expensive. Maybe brownie has heard of it? My friend also completely agreed with brownie's opinion of Maxim's.

Chez Georges (it's at 1 rue du Mail in the Sentier district) is an excellent choice. A real Parisian bistro with great unpretentious food and reasonable prices!

Better and much more fun than Maxim's!

[Phil Meloy]

Here's a recent short review I found...

Chez Georges

Cuisine: Traditional French

Hours: Mon-Sat noon-2pm and 7-9:45pm

Address: 1 rue du Mail

Location: 2e, 2nd Arrondissement (La Bourse)

Transportation: Métro: Bourse

Reservations: Reservations required

Phone: 01-42-60-07-11

Prices: Main courses 25€-27€ ($29-$31)

Credit Cards: AE, MC, V

Season Closed 3 weeks in Aug

Review

This bistro was opened in 1964 near La Bourse (stock exchange), and is run by three generations of the same family. At lunch it's packed with stock exchange members. The owners serve la cuisine bourgeoise (comfort food). Waiters bring around bowls of appetizers, like celery rémoulade, to get you started. You can follow with sweetbreads with morels, duck breast with cèpe mushrooms, cassoulet, or pot-au-feu (beef simmered with vegetables). A delight is sole filet with a sauce made from Pouilly wine and crème fraîche. Beaujolais goes great with this hearty food.

and another...

"If you were to ask Parisian bankers, aristocrats, or antiques dealers to name their favorite bistro, many would choose Georges. The traditional fare, written in authentically hard-to-decipher handwriting, is good -- chicken liver terrine, curly endive salad with bacon and a poached egg, steak with béarnaise -- and the atmosphere is better. In the dining room a white-clothed stretch of tables lines the mirrored walls; attentive waiters sweep efficiently up and down its length. Order one of the wines indicated in colored ink on the menu and you can drink as much or as little of it as you want (and be charged accordingly); there's also a separate wine list that has grander bottles. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun. and 3 wks in Aug. Métro: Sentier."

Edited April 11, 2005 by Phil Meloy

[undergroundagent]

Has anyone ever stayed at any of these hotels:

Hotel Langlois

St Thomas D'Aquin

Jardins d'Eiffel

Mugeut

These are our finalists.

[undergroundagent]

I need to bump this thread...sorry guys!

[brownie]

Has anyone ever stayed at any of these hotels:

Hotel Langlois

St Thomas D'Aquin

Jardins d'Eiffel

Mugeut

These are our finalists.

Don't know the last one (Mugeut).

The first three look good. Haven't been inside any of those.

Personal choice would be the Saint-Thomas d'Aquin, excellent Left Bank location. Street supposed to be calm. Nice neighborhood, close to almost everything.

[king ubu]

The rooms were connected by the most basic of air conditioning systems whereby one could here the husky sounding blonde coming to orgasm at least 4 times during the night

Did you make an "audience recording"?

"Interesting" story, I must say!