Any parisians out there?

Question

My boyfriend and I are going to be in Paris for a couple of days come mid-july. Anything cool to do there that isn't on the beaten tourist trail? I'd love to know of some fun, cheap things to do.

Answer 1

Many people miss the Cluny Museum. Its rather small and housed in the former home of an Abbot.

It contains the famous Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries and a small collection of various objects from the very early history of Paris thru the medieval era.

Beneath the museum they discoverd an old Roman bath which has been excavated and may be visited.

The museum is at 6 place Paul Painlevé in the 5th arr.just a minutes walk from the Seine south on the Blvd. St. Michel.

After you've been there walk south on St. Michel. A part of the foundation of the wall that enclosed the Roman forum may be seen in the stairway of the underground parking lot at number 61 Boulevard Saint-Michel.

Then walk east along the rue Souflott to the rue St. Jacques. Its just an ordinary Parisian street these days but its interesting to note that when Paris was the Roman city of Lutetia this was the cardo maximus (the main north-south road).

At the Place de la Sorbonne excavations revealed several Roman occupation layers. A Gallo-Roman well that is thought to be a vestige of one or more early Roman houses has been preserved in the centre of the square.

For some interesting activites:

1) Have dinner with an icon of the Hippie era.

Jim Haynes is one of the founders of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and founder of the London Traverse Theatre Company. He started Suck, the sexual freedom newspaper, in Amsterdam in 1969 and taught Media Studies and Sexual Politics at the University of Paris 8.

He throws a dinner party every Sunday night. The crowd will include college professors, artists, the occasional rock star of famous actor. Give him a phone call or send him an email and you'll be invited. Details are on his website at: http://www.jim-haynes.com/index.htm

2) Go Rollerskating

Every Friday night except when there is rain, the City of Paris and the Paris Rollerskating Association organize a skate thru the streets of Paris from about 10 PM till 1 AM. Skaters gather at the Place D'Italie and skate a route that changes each week but tries to cover at least a few well know landmarks. Police on rollerblades follow along to provide an escort and an ambulance tails the group (which can be several thusand strong).

3) Become a member of the least exclusive club in the world

The Café Metropole Club meets every Thursday after noon. membership is very exclusive...you have to show up. details can be found here: http://www.metropoleparis.com/aclub.html

The people who show up are a collection of expatriates and tourists. Celebrities from famous authors to rock stars have been known to appear. A good place to meet some nice people and get some good advice about current events.

4) Become a street performer

Go to the big plaza in front of the Centre Pompidou and on most sunny afternoons you'll find all sorts of street entertainers .

Among these will almost always be some guys doing big involved audience participation comedy bits. When they call for volunteers (and they always do) STAND UP.

The fact that you probably don't speak French will be NO problem. They deal with non-French speakers all the time. These guys tend to be very good and very funny. You'll have a great time. Really...trust me on this one.

EDIT: One last thing. I notice you are a fellow American.

One thing I urge every American to do is to visit the grave of the Marquis de Lafayette. He is buried in a tiny cemetary at 35 rue de Picpus in the 12th arrondissement.

An American flag flies over his grave and did so even during the German occupation of Paris in World War II. The earth covering him was taken from Bunker Hill. He was, as I am sure you know, instrumental in helping America win its Liberty.

Go the the Place de Nation and walk east on the Blvd. Diderot. Turn south (to your left) on the rue Picpus. Its about a 5-6 minute walk south.

Place a white rose, symbol of honor and reverence,  upon this great man's grave and say "America remembers."

Answer 2

macdonald