Hey everyone-
Honeymoon in Paris is around the corner. This is our second trip and we have done most of the tourist stuff, although there are a couple of boxes we want to check (or check again:)
-Louvre
- Musee Dorsey
- cruise on the Siene
-Notre Dame and hang out in the Latin Quarter
One thing I like to do when I travel is go to a popular sports event, but PSG only has a road game while we are there. Paris FC has a game, but is Tier2 soccer worth the long haul into the burbs? What sports event should we check out there (April 28-May 2?)
Also, what are your other recommendations- food (no cheese for me), spots, events, etc?
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Been to Paris once. Louvre is awesome. Palace of Versailles is up there with the Vatican as far as absurd amount of decadence...highly recommend.
The one thing that is absolutely can't-miss...in 2010, there was a restaurant called "Indiana." This was an American cuisine styled place (we were dumb, drunk, and pretty dumb). It was something that can only be described as art. The whole place was decorated with Native American photos and garb (because Indiana is where all the Indians are, of course) and then on the tvs and speakers they had a Marvin Gaye concert playing (very American). Just...amazing.
Enjoy Paris!
So I have a funny story related to this, nothing to do with Paris but just have to share.
When I first moved to Dallas 10 years ago I was working in an office in Irving, which has a large population from India in the area. So a group of us head out for lunch at an area Indian buffet restaurant. After I loaded up my plate with Chicken Tikka Massla and plenty of Naan, I sit down to eat and looked around the restaurant, and there is nothing but Native American artwork on the walls. It then dawned on me that they must have ordered a bunch of artwork for an "Indian" restaurant, and being in Texas, this is what they had sent to them. It still makes me laugh when I think abou it years later.
I've lived in France since October 2020. The Musée d'Orsay is worth as much time as you can spend there. Amazing collection of Impressionism art. The Louvre, not so much. It is enormous and a bit monotonous after the 300th Madonna and Child painting. The Mona Lisa could be the most underwhelming tourist attraction in the world. My wife and I love wandering around the back streets of the Saint-Germain neighborhood and Le Marais. The former in particular has tons of cool little shops and bars. There is a gelato shop called Amorino (it's a chain so multiple locations) that has the best ice cream I've ever eaten. There's a restaurant we love to go to for a late dinner or drinks called Le Départ Saint-Michel on the corner of Quai Saint-Michel and Place Saint-Michel. The food is decent but the views at night of the Seine are fantastic and we've always had good service. It's a good location to start off or end that walk thru the Saint-Germain. Bon courage!
Feel free to feed us some other "insider restaurants" if you want, or when you run across one.
I'm always looking for small places with good food. Doesn't have to be in English.
I like a lot of things about living in France but these people suck at breakfast. As others have noted, a typical day in Paris involves a hell of a lot of walking and the typical French breakfast of a cup of coffee and a croissant doesn't provide much fuel. There's a pretty decent breakfast place called Breakfast in America with two locations that's definitely worth a visit if you're staying in an Airbnb or a hotel with a less than satisfying breakfast.
Yes, I know what you mean. I don't know how they make it to lunch. As an American, I actually have to eat.
I've heard of Breakfast in America, but never eaten there. Will keep it in mind next time. I often spring for the "international breakfast" if it's offered, for the reasons you mention.
You already have listed enough formal stuff listed to fill your time.
Latin Quarter around the Sorbonne is good
Other decent museums (You have enough listed already - Rick Steves tours are great for hitting the highlights):
Napolean's tomb (Military museum) is spectacular
L'Orangerie
Musée Rodin
Versailles is awesome, but would cost you too much time.
Pick a sidewalk cafe somewhere, anywhere. Better ones are a block or two off the beaten path
Other note: the distances are really deceiving. You can see something and walk for days to get there. Use the metro.
Edit: I agree with Flint, above. I'd probably skip the Louvre in favor of the Orsay and Orangerie if you've been to the Louvre before. If you do go to the Louvre, the Rick Steves express tour is pretty good.
Agree on the Rodin museum. I really enjoyed it. Definitely like it better than the louvre which is just such a maze.
We used the metro some but walked for the most part. That did turn into one 17 mile day however. Which was fine. More calories burned to consume more baguette, croissant and wine.
There was this one open air market very close to notre dame that was selling croissants fresh out of the oven.
I agree with using the metro, they have a great system. One thing to know is that there are two Charles de Gaulle stations, one is the airport and the other is on the opposite side of the city. I was super drunk/hungover the morning of my flight and my friends got us on a train to the wrong CDG stop. Not sure how they missed aeroport in the station name but I somehow used all 4 functioning brain cells at that moment to get us on the right train and got us to the airplane right as boarding was finishing up.
My favorite thing from Paris was sitting outside, drinking beers, and people watching. I didn't understand it beforehand, however, that quickly changed. Relax, have some drinks and enjoy talking about the people walking by.
Napoloeon's tomb (and the walk to it from the southeastern part of the park below the Eiffel Tower) was my favorite part of the last visit. I am not sure if Susie will want to do it again.
We did Versailles last time and I was utterly miserable. Worst lines, awful people. I felt like a cow being lead to slaughter. Couldn't enjoy it.
Is there anything Hemingway oriented besides the book store that claims that is where his apartment was, but is BS?
You can go to the bars.
Use Google for some self-guided tours (or to pick a Hemingway bar), like this one
https://worldinparis.com/a-moveable-feast-ernest-hemingway-in-paris-walk...
La Closerie Des Lilas at the southern tip of Le Jardin du Luxembourg is a spot Hemingway mentions a lot in A Moveable Feast - I never ate there but it seemed like a perfectly nice brasserie whenever I walked or biked by.
In the tomb vein, walking distance from The Lilas are Les Catacombes de Paris. They're an opposing tomb style vs. Napoleon's but they're one of my favorite Paris sights. Several million human skeletons in tunnels under the city is a uniquely spooky/special thing to explore.
If you're going to a popular tourist spot like the louvre, get there before 10:00 am. Once the bus tours show up, you won't be able to get close to anything.
There is a pretty cool church near the Notre Dame site. I'll see if I can find it on google maps tonight. I'm shooting from memory from 2007. So, it's been a while.
The church I was thinking of is Église Saint-Séverin. Also the Chapelle St Michel is pretty cool. When I was there, the lady at the ticket booth was very much not cool. Fit the bad Parisian stereotype. Luckily, there were others that made up for it.
You might look to see what's at the Georges Pompidou. There was some good stuff while I was there.
If you are planning to see Notre Dame go to Saint-Chappelle around the corner sometime in the morning when the sun is coming in through the stained glass. Incredible and much less visited, when we where there it was hours to wait for Notre Dame roof (not worth it IMO) and maybe 15 people in Saint-Chappelle.
Is there even any roof or stained glass to see? Isn't it all still in reconstruction after the fire?
* Saint Chappelle
I second the recommendation for Église Saint-Séverin. We've gotten to see some amazing cathedrals over here (Amiens and Rouen are my favorites) but Église Saint-Séverin is my favorite in Paris.
If you ever thought about trying to paint, there is a fantastic art supply store at Pont Neuf (57 Quai des Grands Augustins) called Charvin. My wife loves to paint and we always go there when we go to Paris.
I found saint severin by accident. Was just out wandering away from Notre Dame. Took a random turn and wandered in. It should really be more on the radar than it is.
have a kouign-amann
Yes.
Pronounce: "Queen amahn"
So on the PSG thing if you can go right now Messi, Neymar and Mbappe all are fit and playing so if there is a chance I would highly recommend seeing Messi in person. I would imagine there is a team in paris who will be playing a professional game of some kind though
I really wanted to do that. But the only game is in Strasbourg, which is a haul of a train ride.
Man thats a bummer I love all forms of football and I'm hoping Messi comes to MLS so I can see him without having to hop the pond. PSG have been dissapointing all year but Messi has been coming on well lately though. Stasbourg would be a long day to and from Paris unless there was something to do in Metz or Strasboug that could tie it together.
I actually went to Strasbourg last time I was in Germany and did a bunch of stuff along the Rhine River its stuper beautiful countryside to tour in I will say though. I am in no ways a city boy but the city along the river was so cool.
We did a 2-day side trip to Strasbourg on a previous trip to Paris when we lived in the US and it was totally worth it. Beautiful city and the train ride is very comfortable. French trains are much, much nicer than Amtrak. I would totally go to the PSG game and make an overnight trip of it and see a bit of Strasbourg.
Another great Paris side trip idea for a night or two is the Loire Valley. Tours is a 90-minute train trip from Paris and the chateaus are unbelievable. We love staying at Chateau de la Villaine in Esvres. It's a BnB in a restored chateau and a perfect spot to explore the Loire Valley. Great hosts.
Musée Marmottan Monet was reportedly great (sister visited a couple of years ago) if you like Monet.
If your on the north bank in the touristy area I found the Jardin du Palais Royal and the area around it interesting. There's a cafe there called Café Le Nemours that we enjoyed. Other than that my recommendation is to try and get lost somewhere away from all the tourist stuff and talk to people... or better yet ride bikes and explore some. We found lots of great places doing this and I honestly can't tell you where the hell we went or how we got there. But it was a much better experience than waiting in lines or forced marching yourself through giant museums. But you kinda have to embrace your inner parisian and give no fucks to make it work.
PSG is awesome to see but Reims also has a great stadium an hour away.
My biggest recommendation is just to drink a lot of wine.
Find Skip the line tours for the Louvre and Versailles if you go, otherwise you waste hours of the few days you are there waiting in line.
Also the Sacre Coure in Monmartre is great in the late afternoon, you can see the Moulin Rouge at the bottom of the hill of you get off the metro at Pigalle circle. If you are willing to climb a couple hundred skinny stone steps up the church towers, the view over the city at sunset is picturesque. The area has a reputation for art, but can be touristy though.
Pre-Covid went to the top of the Arc de Triomphe just before sunset then stuck around to see the lights come on at the Eiffel Tower. I think we booked tickets online so there wasn't much of a wait or line to get up. And definitely recommend a river cruise.
For the best views, go to the rooftop on the Montparnasse Tower.
Also, if you have time to venture out, take a day trip to Normandy. Long day, but worth it if you're interested in history.
Normandy was a long drive from Paris but was definitely worth it. We were there during thanksgiving so it was cold, but we were the only people there. Had the tour guide to ourselves at the Normandy American Cemetery.
Moulin Rouge was a good time.
I had the worst long island iced tea of my life there, had persimmons in it i think. Im not a picky eater, but i just couldnt get into french cuisine. Ate a lot of italian.
Dinner cruise on the Seine - we did the Bateau Calife
The Bercy Village (east side of city limits) is a cool spot that is relatively new. Very different from the old traditional Paris
Even if PSG isn't playing, they sometimes have stadium tours of the Parc des Princes. Definitely worth checking out.