Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Recommendations: Top sights, adventures and restaurants from your first hand experience. What to avoid and safety issues? Best tips? Describe Paris in your own words and be honest. Thanks!
My favorite area in Paris is the area around Montemarte. Don't miss it, this is where the artist quarter is. Another thing not to miss are the catacombs. It is something to see once in your life. Just amazing and not like anything you will ever see again, and not at all like the catacombs in Rome or anywhere else.
My wife and I travel like tourist, and we don't mind the tourist things to do found in any tour guide. A great area to hang out in the evening is the area between Notre Dame and Avenue St. Michel, behind Shakespears Book Shop. There are narrow walking streets filled with food and nightlife. I wish I could think of the exact name of the area, but there is a metro stop near Avenue St. Michel and Avenue St. Germain (sp?) and there is a McDonalds (don't let that stop you) at the top of the Metro stop and the entrance to this area.
Rick, aren't you talking about the Latin Quarter?
I agree that doing the touristy things in Paris can be rewarding.
I never worry too much about personal safety, but I do use a neck pouch instead of a purse, and my husband uses a money belt.
Some suggestions:
The Eiffel Tower--at dusk, or at night, all lit up. Ditto Sacre Coeur and Montmartre
The Louvre
picnic at the Pompidou Centre
Walk along the Seine. Visit Ile St. Louis. The island is connected by a bridge to Ile de la Cite, a few steps away from the Notre Dame Cathedral, which itself is another must-see
Musee d'Orsay: the place to go to see the Impressionists
Rodin Museum
window shopping along Champs-Elysees
Pere-Lachaise Cemetery (don't miss Oscar Wilde's grave)
The Cluny Museum (ancient Roman ruins plus the famous Unicorn tapestries)
We took a day trip to Reims to see the cathedral, taste Veuve-Cliquot champagne, and visit the caves. We also took a day trip to visit Monet's gardens at Giverny. Another day could be spent visiting either Versailles or Fontainebleu.
Eating: we had a delicious meal at Le Florimond
This year my plans for Paris include returning to Pere LeChaise (I love cemeteries) as well as visiting Malmaison, home of Napoleon and Empress Josephine.
The Sainte Chapelle
The Ile S Louis ( and have the best ice cream in France in "Berthillon" whilst you are there)
Le Louvre
Le Musee d'Orsay
Musee de Cluny
Musee Rodin
Ile de la Cite taking in Notre Dame and the little streets around it
Les bouquinistes ( the antiquarian booksellers lining the Seine river)
Walk all the way down from the Champs Elysees to Le Louvre, taking in the Jardin des Tuileries
The Catacombs ( if they are still opened)
Sewer trips ( a lot better than it sounds)
A trip on the River to see the sights from a different perspective
La Cite des Sciences et de L'industrie
La Grande Mosquee ( including having a lovely mint tea and Arab sweets in the tearoom)
Place Des Vosges
Friday night skate around the city ( start at the Tour Montparnasse)
Have couscous/ Moroccan cuisine in the 19th arrondissement
Musee du Quai Branly ( Ethnology and Anthropology)
Musee d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaisme
Le Marais
Fauchon delicatessen for the poshest food imaginable near La Madeleine
Spend an afternoon having coffee in a nice cafe watching life go by
Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise ( as mentioned by BWP a must see is the Oscar Wilde tomb)
Opera in the Opera Garnier ( if not interested in Opera I would still recommend a visit to the building)
The Sainte Chapelle
The Ile S Louis ( and have the best ice cream in France in "Berthillon" whilst you are there)
Le Louvre
Le Musee d'Orsay
Musee de Cluny
Musee Rodin
Ile de la Cite taking in Notre Dame and the little streets around it
Les bouquinistes ( the antiquarian booksellers lining the Seine river)
Walk all the way down from the Champs Elysees to Le Louvre, taking in the Jardin des Tuileries
The Catacombs ( if they are still opened)
Sewer trips ( a lot better than it sounds)
A trip on the River to see the sights from a different perspective
La Cite des Sciences et de L'industrie
La Grande Mosquee ( including having a lovely mint tea and Arab sweets in the tearoom)
Place Des Vosges
Friday night skate around the city ( start at the Tour Montparnasse)
Have couscous/ Moroccan cuisine in the 19th arrondissement
Musee du Quai Branly ( Ethnology and Anthropology)
Musee d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaisme
Le Marais
Fauchon delicatessen for the poshest food imaginable near La Madeleine
Spend an afternoon having coffee in a nice cafe watching life go by
Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise ( as mentioned by BWP a must see is the Oscar Wilde tomb)
Opera in the Opera Garnier ( if not interested in Opera I would still recommend a visit to the building)
All these suggestions are really good and how could you miss any of it (sigh) but I would second the catacombs vote. Man, that is a freaky and fascinating experience and well worth a few Euros for an hour or two. I can't remember the metro stop for that one, it is is the south part of the city if I remember correctly.
Can I see all this in 8 days? Ay, la, la! I will definitely get the "Rough Guide to Paris"!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
