I'm just going to post my Paris list here. Note that we haven't been in a few years, so you'll want to check the details....
Here’s my list of Paris Favorites – okay, maybe some of my favorites:
Museums: We love them and can spend lots of time in them. The Louvre can easily take a day (be sure to go downstairs if you’re there and see where they found the foundation of the original structure on that spot). If you want to see some art, but don’t want to navigate the Louvre, here’s a list that I would recommend.
a. L’Orangerie for Monet’s Water Lilies. It’s breathtaking. There is also a small exhibit downstairs.
b. Musee D’Orsay. This has a great selection of Impressionist art and a good café.
c. Musee Marmottan – this is a little off the beaten path, mostly Monet in a beautiful mansion.
d. Musee Rodin – I love the sculpture garden, never been inside, but I hear it’s great.
Parks: The parks in Paris are wonderful. Here are a few of our favorites.
a. Parc de Monceau is my favorite – it’s a little off the beaten path as well – on the same side of Paris as the Marmottan.
b. Tulieries – on the way to the Louvre – we like to stay in the Renaissance Vendome right nearby.
c. Luxemborg – also lovely
Department Stores: I love shopping and the service in Paris is wonderful. The first two listings are on Blvd. Haussmann and they are the big Paris department stores and they have EVERYTHING! Blvd Haussmann is always packed with people, most noteably tourists.
a. Printemps – 4th floor has a wonderful housewares section. 2016 Update, the store is going through renovations right now and missing much of the housewares section. We went to the Galleries Lafayette housewares building across the street.
b. Galleries Lafayette – the less expensive of the two. See a.
c. Monoprix – these are all over the city. The best one is on Av. De Opera. Think of is as the French Target. I’m obsessed.
d. BHV is located in the Marais. Fewer tourists. The basement is full of all kinds of interesting stuff from hardware and French signs to everything you need to do your own shoe repair.
e. City-Pharma. 26 rue du Four. www.pharmacie-paris- citypharma.fr France has fantastic cosmetics and skincare for cheap. I use Caudalie, which you can get here for about 30% more. They speak English and can hook you up with great stuff! It’s right off rue Bonapart, which is a great street to wander.
4. Churches: We get tired of them, but you should see some. a. If you go to Notre Dame, go first thing in the morning or you’ll be in line forever [insert sad face here]
b. Also on the island is Ste. Chappelle – it’s absolutely
beautiful inside, but don’t start there. You can go next door to see the Conciergerie, which is also interesting. There you can buy a joint ticket for both sights and it will allow you to bypass the Ste. Chappelle line which is also very long.
5. Areas: These are a couple areas that we like/or have opinions about...
a. Eiffel Tower and St Germain are wonderful areas.
Make sure to see the tower after dark when it lights up on the hour.
b. Wander the Marais – it’s a great place to shop and people watch
i. For a great meal, try Breizh Café 109 Rue Vieile du Temple for buckwheat crepes and hard cider that are out of the world.c.
Momarte is not my thing, but you should see if you have time. Sacre-Coeur is nice and the view from the steps is wonderful. Note that at the bottom of the hill is the Pigale area which is one of the “bad” areas of the city. Don’t go there at night. 2016 update: Recently I’ve read that this area is gentrifying.
Street Markets: Paris has wonderful street markets. You can find lots of great food and just looking at it is an experience. I wish we had this kind of food offerings.
a. Rue Moffetard is wonderful – the movie Amelie was filmed in one of the cafes there. You’ll find a number of street merchants and shops selling great food! Near the Pantheon and Jardin du Plants.
b. Rue Cler in St. Germain is also a great market.
Restaurants: Be prepared to relax over meals for a couple hours. It’s one of the things I love most about Europe. a. We love L’Absinthe. 24 place du Marche Saint-Honore. Near the Tulieries. http://www.restaurantabsinthe.com/ If they are serving the beet gazpacho, you must have it.
b. We also love Maceo. 15 rue des Petits Champs. Also near the Tulieries.
http://www.maceorestaurant.com/Maceo_English_Ho me.html
c. Maceo has a sister restaurant called Willi’s Wine Bar a few doors down. We haven’t been there, but it’s been written up in Gourmet magazine in the past.
d. Restaurant Verjus. 52 rue de Richelieu. www.verjusparis.com It is right around the corner from Maceo. They do a tasting menu with two seatings. You can do the menu with, or without, the wine. Do the wine too! This was recommended by the owner of Paris by Mouth.
We took a nighttime bus tour and it was nice – something different. I wouldn’t personally do a day tour.
Miscellaneous Food: There is so much good food.
a. For cheese, look up the Adrouet stores. There are several. We’ve been to the one on Rue Moffetard(6.a) and one in the 6th off Rue Bac. Ask them what’s good.
b. Paris by Mouth tours. Meg, who owns the company,has a blog by the same name. We did the wine and cheese workshop and she happened to join us with relatives, although someone else let the tour. They have several options at any given time. Also, her blog has great restaurant recommendations.
10. Hotels: We’re Marriott people, so take that with a grain of salt.
a. Renaissance Paris Vendome. 4 Rue du Mont Thabor. Our favorite hotel. 82 rooms, centrally located right behind the Tulleries and there’s a pool in the basement!
b. Marriott Rive Gauche Hotel & Conference Center. 17 Boulevard Saint-Jacques. Further south, but off the metro six line and easy to get around by metro. Because it's a conference center, rooms are super cheap during the French holiday July/Aug.
Another benefit is the RER train goes from Charles de Gaulle to Denfert Rochereau station a couple blocks from the hotel. There is a metro station across the street, but I’d walk with luggage and take metro from the St. Jacques station thereafter.
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solid brass thin curtain rods like original in porch
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