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Latest post on 24 May 2012 - 14:30

Ive just copied and pasted this from an email that I usually send to family and friends when they ask about Paris: Im a bit rusty on the Gai Paris hotel tourist information but the last time we were there we stayed in a hotel which was on Avenue Des Ternes. This is one of the main streets that comes off the Etoile where the Arc de Triomphe is. Its a really nice area and is within walking distance of the Arc de Triomphe, les Champs Elysees etc. It was pretty decent and very affordable. Also a street that has some good hotels (but can't remember the names) is a street called Bld Gouvion St Cyr. Its about a 10 minute walk from the Arc de Triomphe. It always depends on your budget really doesnt it..... A really nice area is around Boulevard St. Michel, Jardin de Luxembourg etc. Its not far from Notre Dame and the Pantheon - this is called the Latin Quarter. There is a little area there called la Rue Mouffetard which is really nice and they used to do a market there on a saturday morning. they have really nice quirky little shops there so its def worth a visit. not far from Bld St Michel is another lovely area - touristy but has some lovely little streets called Boulevard St. Germain. its lovely there to stroll around. another MUST is to go up to the Sacre Coeur and MontMartre. There is a beautiful view from up there and again, there are lovely cobbled streets and really nice shops, restaurants etc. It would be another nice area to stay but i think it would prob be very expensive. its not far from the Moulin Rouge actually but you have to be careful with hotels in this area coz its the red light district so you could get a good price on a hotel but it may very well be a dump so be careful if you decide on a hotel there. There is another show on the Champs Elysee which is very similar to the Moulin Rouge and a much more economical version called Le Lido. I have seen this and it was excellent so if you want to see a cabaret but MR is too expensive try this one. We went years ago but it was very very good! http://www.lido.fr/ there is another area in the 3rd called the Marais. This is the "gay" neighborhood in paris and again, it has lovely quirky little streets and is worth a stroll around. i would def recommend the Louvre. if you like museums another popular one is the Musee D'Orsay. there is also one called the Centre Georges Pompidou which is a museum of culture and art and is quite funky. Its at chatelet. I would recommend going to the top of the Arc De Triomphe simply to look at the madness of the drivers driving around the Etoile which is the roundabout where the Arc De Triomphe is located. Bear in mind that this roundabout is one of the only places in the world where if you have an accident, no matter what the cause, both parties are liable 50/50! The sight of the traffic alone is worth all those steps :) If you are a Doors fan, I would suggest going to Pere Lachaise which is a graveyard in Paris where lots of famous ppl are buried including Jim Morrisson. Edith Piaf and Oscar Wilde are also buried there. Despite the fact that its a graveyard its a nice place to walk around :) If you haven't done it already, go to the top of the Eiffel Tower! If its a weekend day, there can be lots of queues so you may want to do this on a week day if you can to cut down on the queues. if you have time to go outside of Paris I would suggest a visit to Versailles Palace especially if the weather is nice coz the gardens out there are lovely. there is a metro stop called Oberkampf on lines 5 and 9 and this street is full of little bars and restaurants that are really buzzing at the weekend - worth a visit on a weekend night if you want a buzzing little street! i think all of that should keep you busy :) paris is an amazing city. having a drink in one of the cafes on the champs elysees and just watch the world going by is an amazing experience but be careful where you go and check out the prices before you sit down as they love to absolutely fleece tourists with prices. for example, having a drink at the bar is one price, sitting on the terrace and having a drink is another price :) more expensive obviously :) 99% of restaurants will have menus outside and it is perfectly acceptable to look at the menu before going in so don't let them try to usher you in before you have had a chance to look at the menu. many restaurants will do menus or formules which is a set menu with starter, main course and dessert for a set price. they are generally good deals. there are lots of lovely little restaurants really typically french on that street La Rue Mouffetard I mentioned and prices are generally pretty good - or were when I was there. just a couple of things - be very very careful with your money and belongings on the metro. pick pocketing is everywhere. be careful in the area of the moulin rouge if you go there and also an area called chatelet can be a little iffy so be careful with your stuff in these areas and always on the metro. have a look on a website called www.booking.com for a hotel as they are excellent. I hope this helps - like I said, just some indications of my favourite places in Paris for tourists! Enjoy - Paris is fabulous!

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