Tips for first-timer in Paris?

Question

Hi,

I'll be travelling to Paris for some work next week and look forward to some advice on Paris such as food (must visit eateries), travel (most effective mode of travel), lodgings (need some recommendations for budget accomodation as I'll be extending my stay for a couple of days), must visit attractions etc.

Thank you in advance for your kind advice.

Answer 1

Assuming you are not a vegetarian, go for steak tartare and escargot.

Best way to get around is taking the train - cheap and fast.

Must visit - there are the popular ones - louvre, notre dame, eiffel tower but also check out the off beat ones, canal st martin is a beautiful area where locals hang out, place des vosges is another good place.

http://www.geobeats.com/videoclips/allde...

Answer 2

My favorite hotel is the Hotel St. Andre des Artes. This website gives you some prictures and a description: http://www.123france.com/en/0/hotel-sain...

Its very basic but friendly and clean. If you have to have a mini-bar, cable TV and such its not for you but its right in the middle of everything.

As for traveling around Paris, I prefer walking. Paris is such an attractive city with so much history and interesting architecture that I neve tire of just walking around. it helps that its a very compact city. You will want to take the metro from time to time so just buy a "carnet" (a book of ten tickets) and tuck them in your pocket.

If you happen to be free on thursday afternoon, take the opportunity to 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 coolection of expatriates and tourists. A good place to meet some nice people and get some good advice about current events.

As for sightseeing, any guide book will give you better information that I can write out in this limited space. You're not going to see everything in a city of this size and antiquity in just a few days so why worry about it.

Check out Harry's New York Bar (5 rue Danou) the place where the Bloody Mary and the Sidecar were invented and the American expatriate community in the 20's and 30's hung out.  

Have dinner at Le Procope at 13 rue de l'Ancienne Comédie.  People have been eating here since Francesco Procopio opened it in 1689. Everyone from Voltaire to Benjamin Franklin have eaten here and nothing has changed in all those years. You can plunk your f***y in a booth that Marat and Danton sat in and argued the fine points of the Reign of Terror or where Voltaire held forth.

Have a drink at the Cafe des Deux Magots at 6 place Saint Germain des Prés. Jean Paul Sartre used to hold court here. http://www.lesdeuxmagots.fr/

You might like my favorite hangout in paris, Aux Trois Mailletz. Its a restaurant/bar/nightclub at 56 rue Galande in the 5th arrondissement. there's a pinao playing on the main floor and a pleasant crowd of both locals and tourists. When I'm in Paris I'm there most nights singing jazz. and when I'm not there I'm usually at Le petit Journal ( http://perso.orange.fr/claude.philips/ ) on the Blvd. St. Michel.

Answer 3

Ive went like in July, and I was in Europe for like 3 long weeks, so make sure u go to the Hard Rock Cafe, go up the Eiffel Tower, and make sure u bring a lotttttttt of money, because there are many stores you'd probabaly like to go into. Plus, watch out for people of the street who might as "Do u speak English?" you have people like that who'll like give a piece of paper, and say their poor, but its all a lie, al they want is your money.

Last but not least, have fun!!