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Paris Overview – Everything you need to know in one place

February 27, 2018 by Notourguideneeded 2 Comments

Paris Seine

Paris is one of my favorite places on Earth. The history, culture, food and wine!  On this page I am going to cover basics.  Feel free to email me if you want more information or have questions.

First, you need to think about what kind of Paris vacation you want to have. We have been there for three days and for more than a week.  We have done all of the tourist options and on other trips did none.  Do you want to see all the museums, or spend time sitting at a cafe absorbing the view (Highly recommend).

These are my favorite things to do in Paris.  There are many so they didn’t fit here.  Not sure if something is worth the time – just ask me!

It is worth the steps to see the city from a different view point.
It is worth the steps to see the city from a different view point.

When to go…

I went to Paris once in July.  NEVER EVER EVER AGAIN.  It was so crowded with too many tourists. The staff at the hotels had clearly had enough and it was just busy everywhere. This is not the Paris I know and love.

There are two good times to go: May and September.  Both of these are close enough to summer that you might get a few warm days but kids are in school so much fewer tourists.

There is one other time to consider: Christmas.  The holiday shopping is wonderful and while it is cold, not too bad.  There are a lot of people, so you have to be prepared for the crowds.  The lights and Christmas displays though are like nothing you will have ever seen. Take NYC Christmas x 10!

DSC01141You should always take appropriate clothing as it probably will rain at some point while you are there.

Where to stay…

Unless you have a lot of money or a ton of points, you probably will not be staying on the main street – Champs-Elysees.  It is the main shopping avenue in Paris and the most tourists you will see in one spot. It is convenient though, especially if it is Christmas time.  You step right out of your hotel and there is Paris.  Well, the shopping touristy part anyway.

I have a few favorite spots to stay.

Le Meridian is in a spot that is near the metro, but not in a crowded area.  There are enough eateries that you do not have to leave your hotel very far.  Plus the hotel is big, which means they have a good bar, and lots of room in case you are rained in or just too tired to go out.

The Marriott Renaissance by the Louvre is excellent too.  It is small but is very nice and in walking distance of many attractions.

A small boutique hotel called Duret also was a good bet.  It is a little out of the way but if you are going for a relaxing time, I highly recommend.

People pay a lot of money for hotel rooms to be near landmarks.  I will say it over and over.. consider how much you will save in cab rides if you spend a little more to stay close.  However, keep in mind that you will get a lot of tourism if you are in the wrong spot.  This could be good or bad.    If you are near a metro, you probably are ok.  Le Meridian is kind of far, but the metro is right there (and not a lot of tourism) makes up for the 10 min metro ride.  Plus, sometimes it is cool to be on the metro in another country.

Planning your trip…

There are thousands of websites that give you an overview of Paris and what you should or should not do.  It is really a crap shoot. What is good for one person isn’t for the other, but had they gone on a different day would have been spectacular.  My advice is to think about what you want to do and why, then adjust.

For example, if you want to go up to the top of the Eiffel Tower to see the city, there are MANY better views.  If you want to go up just to do it, then that is another thing.

There are three excellent views that do not usually make people’s lists:

1.  Arch De Triumph – you can take the really narrow stairs to the top.  It sits at the top of the Champs-Elysees so you get a really cool view of the trees that line the street.

2. Pompidou – Take the escalator that is on the outside of the building up to the top.  That is cool in itself.  The view you get is of the Eiffel Tour and the city.  This is one of my favorite views.

3. Sacre Couer – Going up to the church is a cultural event in itself.  The good thing about this is that it is free, so if you are on a budget, I recommend doing this one.  If you aren’t, do it anyway 🙂

Sacre Coure

In addition to seeing the city from a bird’s eye view, you also want to make sure you at least see a few of these:

1. Musee d”Orsay – even if you aren’t into art, go here.  You will recognize things you have seen before, I promise.  Check out the website before hand and make a note of what you want to see.  Last time I was there they had a big visit of Van Gogh.  I wished I would have checked before so I could have had more time.

2. Eiffel Tower – like I said before, there are many other ways to see the city, but the park around the Tower is cool.

3.  Notre Dame –  Go at an odd time.  Go to mass if you can.  Otherwise the lines can be long to get in.  If you see the line, go have a coffee and come back.  If you are going for mass they let you cut the line (but you must go to mass!).  I also have a funny story about going to mass.  Read it here. You never know what you will see!

4.  Montmartre – spend at least have a day roaming these streets.  The shops are tourist traps but you were going to buy that scarf anyway!

5.  Le Marais  – if you like shopping, this is another good spot.  There are some newer stores and it isn’t as crowded as other areas.

6.  Louvre – Even if you are not going to go inside, the building itself is just awesome.  Its on the river so that whole area is just beautiful Paris!  Hint: don’t go in main door.  Go through the subway entrance for a shorter line.

7. Saint Michael and Latin Quarter – just cool spots.

There are a ton of books that list things to do.  I like Paris Pocket Guide (affiliate) because it is easy to handle.  You will see a lot of these type of books in my posts because they are small, yet handy.

Eating and what to know

There are so many cafes and little restaurants that it is fun just to walk around.  Many people sit outside so you can just walk by and see what people are eating.  Here is another thing to consider.  If you sit at a cafe, especially outside, service will be slow.  Take your time – you are sitting at a table in Paris!  That is the experience.   If you don’t know what to expect, here is an extreme, but realistic timeline of what you can expect.  (Of course not all places are like this but you need to know this so you don’t get frustrated).

Here we go:

You see a cafe that looks good.  You look around to have someone seat you.  No one is around.  Just sit. If you sit in the wrong spot, they will tell you.  Once you start to sit, magically a waiter will probably appear. Or not.  You might wait 5 minutes.

Sometimes they visit each table in order of the table.  Not when you are ready.  Watch for this as it will save you frustration.

They ask you what you want.  You do not yet have a menu.  ORDER YOUR DRINK NOW.  Most likely these are your choices:  water (tap is fine.. do not pay for water unless you want gas in it), beer, wine, latte, espresso… you see, generic.  I have seen people say “I think I want a beer, what kind of beer do you have”.. uh oh.  Now you will wait for the menu.

Wait.

Menu arrives.  You pick, you order you wait. Wait.  Now, had you ordered the beverage when the server came first, you will be waiting with a nice beer that you have no idea of the name (but it will be good).

Anyway, you get my point.  Waiting in Paris is the past time.

Where to Eat

There are so many good places.  Read here for my favorites.

There are so many things to experience in Paris that you can make each trip very different.  Take your time, slow down and enjoy the city.

What did I miss?  What are your favorite places?

Filed Under: Europe, Favorite Places, List as FEATURE STORY, Paris

Paris

March 24, 2017 by Notourguideneeded Leave a Comment

Paris Seine

When I visit Paris, everything slows down for me.  It might be same feeling people get when they go to the country side or to the beach.  The air is different, the food is different, everything smells different to me.  It is some place that I like to visit as much as possible.  Below are the tips, recommendations, and then funny stories of things that have happened while visiting there.  I hope you enjoy them or find the information helpful.  More importantly, things change so quickly so if you have a recommendation, please leave it in the comment section.

 

Wine from Wine Museum in Paris

A little wine goes a long way…

Beware of the man with the rollerblades…

View from the window for the Eiffel Tower Paris

Why you should ride the public bus when traveling

Talking during mass might get you hit with cardboard…

Cheese in France

Top Places to Eat in Paris

Paris Seine

Paris

Paris Seine

Paris Overview – Everything you need to know in one place

 

Filed Under: Europe, Favorite Places, Paris

Top Places to Eat in Paris

March 23, 2017 by Notourguideneeded 4 Comments

Cheese in France
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People are always asking me my favorite places to eat in Paris.  These are my favorite, or reliable, ones as of March 2017.  Please comment below if you have additional favorites to add!

 

La Trattoria di Bellagio

If you find yourself near Port Maillot, stop by this nice Italian place.  They have a great pizza, good wine and if you are lucky someone will make you a Lemoncello as well.   When we stay at the Meridian this is our go-to late night dinner place.  One trip we ate there almost every night.  Map it

 

Paris-London

This is a nice little place that I can spend (and have) hours just sitting there watching the world pass by. They have the best croque-monsieur and fries in all of Paris.  The wait staff here is actually rather accommodating so you generally do not have to wait awhile like you would in other places.   Map it

 

Cafe Di Roma

Near the Franklin Roosevelt station on the Champs Elysees,  there are two pizza places next door to each other.  They are both good.  One usually has a line and I have never figured out why because I like both. Ask for the spicy oil and be prepared for a life changing event!  Map it

 

Relais Enctrecote

You arrive and generally stand in a line for maybe an hour.  You take your seat and are given a very basic menu.  The only real option here is what type of wine to have.   The waitress will come by and ask how you like your steak.  Just say medium because that is probably what you are going to get.  They bring you a simple salad.  Then heaven arrives.  It is a steak smothered in a sauce that will drive your taste buds wild.  They will give you a second portion too so pace yourself.   The deserts are good too so go slow.

A quick note.  There are many places like this in Paris.  Only go to the ones on this site.  I can’t speak for the others.

 

Allard

Once I was in love with Allard.  It was my go-to french cuisine.  I still recommend it to everyone and like to go back once in awhile.  However, now that I have been to Paris many times to not be intimated, I do not need a menu in English.   The place caters to tourist but is not touristy/fake.  The food is good, especially if you want to try something new for the first time.   Here is their site.

 

Renault

Yes, the car place.  Go upstairs and have a coffee.  The view of the Champs Elysees is fabulous. The cars are cool to see too!  Check it out.

 

Rue De Buci – Street

I have several restaurants that are really good all along this street.  Just wander in the area and you will find something that satisfies you.  I can say that I had a memorable cheese plate at L’Atlas that was so good that I want to fly 10 hours back just to have that cheese.  Go here.

 

Cheese in France
That cheese…

 

I’ll add more as more suggested arrive.  What are your favorite places to eat in Paris?

 

Filed Under: Europe, food, NEW POST, Paris

Talking during mass might get you hit with cardboard…

July 11, 2016 by Notourguideneeded 1 Comment

My first trip to Paris was over Memorial Weekend.  Hubs and I flew to London and took the train there. If you haven’t taken the train in, I highly recommend it.  If you are flying from the US it can be significantly cheaper and plus you get to see the country side of both England and France.  The seats on the trains are comfy and you don’t have the same “in flight” experience you do with planes.

I have been back several times since then but the first trip.. well you always remember your first..

We arrive at a nice little Best Western. Apparently when the hubs made the reservation he didn’t’ notice that it was for one person.  Normally this would not have mattered.   I mean really… Have you ever changed that “number of persons” count???

We go to check in and the desk guy is pissed.  Two people cannot stay in this room.  They are fully booked.  We cannot do this.  He is just being dramatic.  We will share a towel.  We will be fine.

After lugging our baggage up the stairs (I have since learned one small carry-on, period), we arrive to our ..room?

I shared a room with someone in college.  We have been camping and shared a tent.  I have had to sleep in a car before on a road trip.  I could do this.

The room clearly was meant for one person.  It was more of a closet.  There was no closet.  There was a twin bed and a dresser/table.  The bathroom didn’t have a shower area.. the shower area was the bathroom.  Really… you could sit and do your business while washing your hair.  Multi-tasking anyone??

But that’s okay.  I was in PARIS.  Oh and it was wonderful.  Except… it was supposed to be on the chilly side and a heat wave came through.  I didn’t know how hot it could get.  Since then, unless we are there at Christmas, I just plan on a heat wave coming through because it seems more likely now than not.  Last July we were there during “dangerously hot times”.

Getting back to my story…

We are in Paris.  I am eating escargot and croissants.  It is just amazing.

Even though I don’t speak any French (well, a little but just a little), I wanted to attend mass at the Cathedral Notre Dame.

We arrive and sit in the front row of the second section.  It is crowded.  There are chairs and you kneel on the hard floor (oddly the only time I have ever worn white pants).  It is spectacular and serene. Then I heard it..

WHACK!!!

What the??

WHACK!!!

Then I see this very short French man standing between the two sections.  He has a piece of cardboard. Maybe from a box.

Wait- I need to rant a little first to set context…..This is mass.  It is a time of prayer and respect.  If you are in a church during mass, sit down.  Enjoy it.  Don’t stand in the middle of it all taking pictures and acting like we are putting on a show for you.   The church is there for worship.  Your photos are just icing on the cake.  And if you cannot respect the mass being said (regardless of your religion), then why are you in awe of a building??

So I digress..

WHACK!!!

He does it again.

The Frenchman is standing in the isle and as people are starting to stand in the middle and being disrespectful he smacks them with the card board and tells them in hand-gestures to move along.

The Frenchman is so committed to his job.

Or maybe he just likes smacking people.

Either way, every time I am in a historical place of worship and I see people acting disrespectfully, I wish they would have a Frenchman to set the peace.  I dare not talk during mass just in case.

 

Paris -8
Cathedral of Notre Dame It is just right off the street and accessible to anyone. Although there are peak times when the line is quite long.

 

Paris -1
The architecture is amazing.

Paris -4

 

 

Paris -3
The gargoyles are wicked!!

Paris -9

Paris -5

Filed Under: amusing, Europe, Paris Tagged With: church, paris

Why you should ride the public bus when traveling

June 12, 2016 by Notourguideneeded 1 Comment

View from the window for the Eiffel Tower Paris

One thing I love to do in a different city is to ride the public bus.  I’ll talk about my obsession with the hop-on-hop-off buses later.  For now, I am going to tell you how much I love public buses.

Living in Houston, our buses primarily take you to the suburbs and downtown.  We don’t have a lot of bus routes from where people live within the city.  But when I go to other cities, the buses tell you everything you want to know.

I have seen very rich people, very poor people, mothers, business men, gypsies, babies, everyone you can imagine on a bus.  Where are all these people going.

In Paris, you can get on Bus 42 or Bus 69 and they will take you pretty much where you want to go.  You can just ride along and see all the major attractions.    (Here is the route for Bus 69)

Generally when we need to go far, we think of taking the subway first (faster), then the bus, then walk, then a cab.

One time, we were sitting on bus 42 and this guy sits down.  On first glance, I thought he was homeless.  Then I changed my opinion to eccentric.  He had on a deep red three piece suit, very flamboyant hat, and a very large decorative purse.  Then all of a sudden I realized, this guy isn’t homeless.  This guy is wearing top end clothing.  He is just seriously eccentric.  It was amazing to see this.  I wish I could find a photo of him (cue the hubs to start looking for one).

Anyway, if you find yourself in a city, check out it’s bus route for a free (or cheap) thing to do.  It is people watching at its finest.

Filed Under: amusing, Paris

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