FRENCH WORD-A-DAY

Stroll the markets in Rue Monge and enjoy your purchases with picnic in the Jardin des Plantes in the 5th

Great people watching at Le Fumoir in the 1st

I put up my love lock and am so glad i did, what fun it will be to go back and find...or have my children find it on a visit. I dont think it damages the landscape at all. At one time there was a great outcry against that monstosity, La Tour Eiffel! Everthing is fun in paris, but i recommend a cooking class at La Maison and Josephine Bonaparte's home Malmaison. It is in Rueil-Malmaison. It is beautiful, and noone seems to know about it.

I keep losing my longer comment so I'll add my places separately. I've been reading your blog for years so am thrilled to have a chance to give something back.

This museum is charming: www.museedelapoupeeparis.com

It is small, and finding it is an adventure, but it has interesting temporary exhibits and is both adorable and interesting, whether you have children with you or not. It is near the Pompidou.

I wasn't sure if the link for "being a good guest" would lead to the same place, or I would have combined two posts into one.

The best way to be a good guest anywhere, even in your own country, and especially abroad, is to remember that you are a guest! You shouldn't expect people to adapt to you - you should be prepared, at least up to a point, to adapt to them. Don't expect everyone to understand English, especially American English. Learn a few words of the language, enough to say hello and perhaps politely order food or ask where the rest room is. Don't litter. Avoid being noisy and attracting undue attention. ASK before you take anyone's picture. Use the same courtesy that you would, I hope, use at home - waiting patiently in line, for example. Read a bit about the locality before you arrive, both in general and to familiarize yourself with customs - such as having a tip automatically added to your bill. In many countries, especially for women, the style of dress may be more conservative - and it is appropriate (or used to be) for heads to be covered in churches. I could go on, but you get the idea.

I looked at the photos at the link L&C Frame gave and was really sad to see how people are trashing up Paris with this silly practice. The locks are as offensive as spray-painted graffiti, and the damage their weight will cause should be obvious to anyone. However you look at it, it's an expense for the people of Paris to repair the damage or remove the locks on a continuing basis. What an all-round lack of respect for the city and its tax-paying inhabitants. Perhaps the police should issue on-the-spot fines to people seen attaching locks.

I have had good luck with apartments from vrbo.....also after many visits to Paris, I finally went to the Musee de Luxembourg......a nice, small, manageable museum....and I love shopping at the markets, outdoor, if you are lucky enough to be near one, or even the small groceries...and I also just discovered Picard....delicious frozen food you can take back to your apartment & eat like you are at a restaurant, but much cheaper

And how about fining the street vendors too.

Tip for riding the metro: do not discard your tickets before you leave the station. While leaving the station to walk to Eiffel Tower, there was security checking valid tickets. My husband and I were allowed to pass however my daughter and her friend had tossed their tickets away. I assured this security group that I indeed purchased the tickets. ( I actually purchased a booklet which I showed them) . I wanted to assure them that we were not trying to get a free ride. I think they may have wanted to take advantage of the 'tourist'. This was not my first time to Paris so I never experienced this before. In the end it cost me 60 euro to leave the train station with my teenage charges. So, hang on to your tickets!!!

My favorite museums in Paris are near Parc Monceau. Musée Jacquemart-André and Musée Nissim de Camondo. Both have websites. But the best thing to do in Paris is walk, maybe get lost, relax in a cafe to regroup, then walk some more. Then there's the Jardin du Luxembourg where one can walk all the way to the end of the allée and have a drink in the bar at Closerie des Lilas. If it's dinner time, one can eat in the bar for far less than the expensive restaurant.

In addition to the old standards like Notre Dame, on our spring 2012 trip we enjoyed this little gem: St. Etienne. This small church has fantastic carved stone throughout and a gallery of reconstructed stained glass windows that were damaged by bombing in WWI. This is just a few blocks away from the very comfortable & affordable Hotel Cluny-Sorbonne. http://www.hotel-cluny.fr/hotel-cluny-sorbonne-paris-en.html

Paris Perfect Apartment Rentals

http://www.parisperfect.com/

Marjorie Williams' THE MARKETS OF PARIS is a great little book --even if you are staying in a hotel....she sends you to all the great ones. It is easy to use, a delight to read and makes you feel very much "in the know."

Staying in an apartment is a great way to visit Paris. Then you can visit the markets and bring flowers, food and the good stuff you find to the apartment, your "home" in Paris. I recommend: www.iLoveParisApartments.com

I love visiting the Cluny Museum, and the catacombs are very interesting. I would definitely give the sewer tour a pass, though. The smell was so bad that I had to leave halfway through!

Being in Paris is its own reward. We usually rent an apartment in the 7th arrondisement, shop in the rue Cler or the wonderful rue St. Dominique, and live our fantasy life.

Walking around and stopping for a glass of wine or tea ranks at the top of our list. We also love to sit at the shamelessly overpriced cafe at the Ile St. Louis end of the bridge that connects the Ile with the Ile de la Cite, enjoy a patisserie or some ice cream, and just soak up the extraordinary beauty of the view--the rear of Notre Dame, the Seine flowing around the islands, and the hubbub. It's a glorious way to spend an hour.

My favorite free thing to do in Paris is take a walk or run along the Promenade Plantee in the 12th arrondissement - it leads you to the beautiful Bois de Vincennes - 4.7 Km in length. My routine on a recent trip was to take the M to a stop near the Bois and run back to my place along the Promenade: It is amazing to be 3 stories above street level - then following the old rail grade to the East, you end of going through several tunnels beneath street level as the hills rise.
And, it's Paris, so the pathway is lined with sculptures and other artwork and fabulous landscaping and benches and water features. In April, the trees and flowers are blooming. Don't miss it.

A lovely museum is the Musee Guimet with the bonus that taking the metro there on part of the ride is above ground with a gorgeous view of the Eiffel Tower--especially worth the metro ride at night. The museum itself has wonderful and unusual Asian art.

Also, this year especially, go to Ste. Chapelle where the restoration of the windows is explained and demonstrated as you look at the windows themselves.

The street markets are good even if not staying in an apartment for the cheeses--sample, buy a small one, pick up some good bread and eat.

Love the top floor hotel room at the Hotel Parc Ste. Severin. Wrap around balcony. Pleasant, uncomplicated service. Great location.

http://www.paris-hotel-parcsaintseverin.com/en/

Ron
Pittsburgh, PA

Never go underground except to visit a site that happens to be there. Wear comfy shoes and walk everywhere. You will stumble across the most interesting places. Several years ago a friend and I found ourselves in front of a circus shop. I have no idea where we were, but we spent several hours there, enthralled with stories even though neither of us knew more than a few words of French and the owner spoke no English.

Also, the Musée des Arts et Métiers is a wonderful repository of disected models of several well-known structures, sciencific developments and old bicycles, among other items, all displayed within an old church.

I'm renting an apt. on Ile St-Louis from www.guestapartment.com. The apt. are beautifully presented, and the staff has been terrific with every detail.

Something that is new in Paris since 2009 is the Mona Bismarck American Center for Art and Culture in a little jewel of a house facing the Seine with a view of the Eiffel Tower. It hosts exhibits and concerts, and you can get an affordable lunch with a view into a pretty garden.
http://parisianfields.wordpress.com/2013/02/17/the-forgotten-fashionista/

Hotel La Perle at 14 rue des Canettes howevef if it gets too popular I don't want the rates to go sky high. Also right off the street are 3 super restaurants!

I love reading your posts! I spend 2 months a year in France's capital and have a Paris Page on my blog that I hope your readers will find helpful.

www.bettyrosbottom.com

Click on "About Paris"on the top bar of the blog for lists of my favorite bistros, pastry shops, French blogs (including yours),shopping tips,and more.

I take it, everyone knows about The Orange Card, or Carte Orange, the unlimited Metro/autobus pass. The only way to get around Paris easily and quickly is the Metro. You can buy individual tickets, a carnet de billets (a book of 10 tickets at a reduced price) or a Carte Orange, which may be had for one week or one month, obviously, depending on your needs.
You need to go to one of the helpful cashiers/attendants at the entrance to most Metros, smile, say, "Bonjour," and ask for a Carte Orange. It'll cost somewhere around €20 +/-, and, its good for unlimited travel between 24:01 Sunday morning to 23:59 Saturday evening or monthly (I never bought a monthly pass, so I can't comment) on the Metro and the auto bus. You could even (I've done it before) take the RER to CDG on the Carte Orange and jump the turnstiles when you exit at CDG (it seems everybody does it, so don't worry!).
Before you leave the attendant, smile once again and ask for a Plan de la Cité - which is a great map for all of the Metro lines (I believe there are 14 different lines) and all the surface bus lines. There is even a Peripherique bus line (two buses, you'll have to change at the end of one bus' line and get on the other) that allows you a 360˚ view of Paris from the Bus' point-of-view.
BTW, don't forget, the Metro is a haven for pick-pockets (the word is the same in French), especially when everybody is boarding a train - keep your hand in your pocket on your money or be certain your purse is not being 'rifled' by somebody else's 'sticky fingers'.

Enjoy getting around Paris the easy, fast and inexpensive way!

The Louvre! Did you know, admission to The Louvre is FREE every first Sunday of each month! Get there early, line up at the Pyramid. The Louvre opens at 9AM and the line moves quickly, however, if you arrive much past 9:15 or so, you may wait as long as 2 hours before you are allowed in. That's because, if you arrive after 9:15 AM, by then the line will be so long, by the time you approach getting in, they will be cutting off new admitants until some prior attendees begin to leave.
Needless to say, Free admission to The Louvre is very popular!

One more thing, wear very comfortable shoes, the Louvre is way bigger than you ever thought possible!

Cooks and bakers should not miss a visit to E. Dehillerin, doing business since 1820. Julia Child shopped here whenever she was in Paris. It's on a small side street north of the Louvre. http://www.e-dehillerin.fr/en/index.php

Even if you're not a cook, it's a great shop to see!

I second the poster who recommended Hotel du College de France just up the street from the Sorbonne (I'll be there again in April). Hotel Muguet in the 7th is also nice.

Parisbestlodge is great for apartments. I've rented from them many time. I've also rented from Paris Perfect which is another, although more expensive, apartment rental company.

I second the tip about Fat Tire Bike Tours, especially their all day trips to Giverney and Versailles. I also highly recommend Blue Bike Tours and Bike About Tours for their Paris bike tours. Great fun!

If you like to cook, I've done classes at CooknwithClass and LaCuisineParis. Both are affordable and fun.

Chateau de Vincennes - at the end of Metro line 1. Never very crowded and has a moat/drawbridge....kids would love it.

Tish from Powhatan VA

On one of our last visits we stayed at the Melia Colbert Boutique Hotel, 7 Rue De L'hôtel. This charming hotel provides views of Notre Dame and the River Seine.
Since we find the best way to see the city is by walking, I would highly recommend "Paris Walks" a walking tour company. Especially good is the tour of the Louvre. The guides are very knowledgeable and in 2 1/2 hours we had seen all of the Louvre "must see" masterpieces.

Unfortunately the Carte Orange was discontinued about 4 years ago. It was replaced with an electronic card-key called the "Navigo Découverte". It's a credit card-size card that you must buy for €5 and apply a passport-size photo to. After you buy the card, you can "charge" it with weekly or monthly fares in any of the 5 travel zones in Paris. Within the city limits of Paris (zones 1&2), the cost to charge the card for a week's travel is €18.35 and can be used on any mode of transport; bus métro, trams, funicular, etc. The card itself is good for 10 years so you can recharge it next time you visit Paris.

It might be touristy, but I loved taking a boat ride along the Seine on one of my first trips to Paris, especially at night with the monuments lit up - http://www.vedettesdupontneuf.com
Place des Vosges on a Sunday when the grass is full of families enjoying a day of rest. The Marais is a good place to shop on a Sunday when so many other stores are closed.
Stopping at a market for a picnic lunch and eating it along the side of Canal St. Martin.
Hotel Saint-Jacques in the 5th is a lovely little hotel, reasonably priced and good location. For a splurge, the Park Hyatt was fabulous.

www.3colleges.fr/...Hotel across from the Sorbonne. Small with modern style.
Also if you are interested in genealolgy, Anne Morddel from the Bay Area who lives in Paris and writes the FrenchGenealogyBlog [email protected]

Rent a bike. Bike depots are everywhere and you can pick your bike up at one and drop it off at another. Like most cities in Europe - it's an easy way to get around when you don't want to walk - or just want alternate exercise. You can get a 1 or 7 day pass on line http://en.velib.paris.fr/
We even rode around L'arc de Triomphe and I used to ride from my apartment in Le Merais to classes at Alliance Francais.

Most of my ideas have been mentioned, so may I just second the suggestion of walking the Promenade Plantee?

Also GuestApartmentServices - two wonderful guys run an excellent apt. Rental service on ile St. Louis.

Hotel de Lutece and Hotel des Deux Iles, also on the Ile are excellent!

There's an unusual restaurant on the Ile: Mon Vieil Ami, where the "sides" are featured au lieu de the protein. Great vibe.

The ONLY money exchange agency to use is Multi Change.....best rate and no fee. Check www.multi-change.com for their eleven locations. Until five years ago I spent at least six months a year in France and got ripped off many times with the many exchange places mostly in touristic locations who post confusing rates on plachards on the street and have hidden exchange fees no matter the amount you exchange.

Now every year when going through Paris on my way down to my little summer cottage in Perigord I exchange my dollars for Euros as soon as I arrive.

Dinner at Chez Robert et Louise in the 3rd. (http://robertetlouise.com/) Oh my! And don't miss Père Lachaise Cemetery in the 20th--gorgeous and fascinating. There's a little cafe right around the corner where we had croques monsieur after our tramp through the cemetery--delicious! We also did the Fat Tires bike tour to Versailles--fantastic way to see that incredible palace. The best part though, was that we stayed in a wonderful apartment in the 15th (http://www.theparisapt.com/index.cfm) and sat each morning in the cafe around the corner to people-watch. Sipping cafe au lait and munching a croissant while we watched the neighborhood wake up was delightful!

Excellent place to stay nearby the Montparnasse Station- Hotel Mistral. It is quaint and has the French feeling of a small hotel. It is only located about 3 blocks walk from the Montparnasse station. There is a convenient eating room equipped with a refrigerator, microwave, utensils and outdoor eating area. Only thing is that they do not have an elevator, but that's the French experience!

MY SUGGESTIONS...

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hotel or apartment or B&B suggestions
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SUPER EXPENSIVE:
Relais Christine, 3 rue Christine, 6th

MODERATELY EXPENSIVE:
Hotel St. Germain des Près, 36 Rue Bonaparte, 6th

INEXPENSIVE:
Hotel Port Royal, 8 Boulevard de Port-Royal, 5th

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restaurants, cafés, bistros
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For a GREAT cup of coffee (which, oddly, is hard to find in Paris), there's a little place that's just behind the Parthenon:
GAUDEAMUS, 47 rue de la Montagne Sainte Genevieve.
If you're feeling particularly decadent, get the "Café Gourmand" !

Although it may seem odd to get "tapas" while in Paris, I HIGHLY recommend a little place in the 5th:
DANS LES LANDES, 119 bis, rue Monge

There's a fantastic wine bar in the 5th:
L'ANE ET LE MULE, 14, rue Guisarde (just off of rue des Cannettes, south of Rue du Four)

For some "fine dining", with a great atmosphere (also something that's hard to find in Paris -- The French light exteriors and buildings like no one else can, but when it comes to restaurants, they light everything like it's a school canteen)...
5 MARS, 51 rue Verneuil (off rue de Bac) 6th.

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nightclubs, theaters, shows
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For Jazz, check out:
ATELIER CHARONNE, 21 rue Charonne, 11th (east of Place de la Bastille)

For everything from blues to jazz to RnB, check out:
NEW MORNING, 7-9 rue des petites Ecuries

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any place one should visit or any thing one should do when in Paris...
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IF YOU'RE IN PARIS IN OCTOBER, MAKE SURE TO GET INFORMATION ON:
1. NUIT BLANCHE -- Concerts, music, dance, art exhibits, video performances and light shows give rhythm to Paris' NUIT BLANCHE. The goal, it seems, is to place art at the heart of the city for everyone to experience -- and also to give everyone a new perspective of the city by opening up to pedestrians areas in the city that are normally forbidden. Imagine a QUIET stroll along the Seine -- completely free of cars !
Overnight, Nuit Blanche seemed to erase the boundaries of the city and open up new and unusual views of the city's richness and beauty. Incredible !
Nuit Blanche 2012 featured nearly 100 "projects" (art, music, light, films, dance, lectures, videos, performance...) and about 15 unobstructed viewpoints normally closed to the public.

IF YOU'RE THERE AT THE END OF OCTOBER/BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER:
Go to the SALON DU CHOCOLAT

There's a SALON DES VIN (which is a bit pricier) in NOVEMBER

Absolutely agree with the idea that those wasteful and rather ugly bridge additions are just little bit over the top for the French (or for any other) culture.

I always thought marriages are created in Heaven, and what those Parisian (and other) bridges and little pieces of metal have to do with the marriages?! Or with the marriages being strong and lasting?

Plus, the padlock culture seems to be spreading quickly. Now they even have those on St Petersburg (Russia) bridges:

http://www.sptimes.ru/story/33524
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6mG_E3F7fM

Or in Moscow. Just look at this tree!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Moscow-love-padlocks.jpg

or in Florence, Italy.

http://www.firenzealbergo.it/EN/Experience-Florence/romantic-getaway/pages/leggende-amore-ponte-vecchio.aspx

or in Taiwan.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2012/03/14/2003527754

Do we get any divorce rate reduced yet?!

To me the definition of a gracious visitor is one who has done his/her homework and knows the local etiquette and all that that entails, which, in a nutshell, is: know what to say, how to say it and when to say it.

As for suggestions of what to see and do in Paris, the comments so far have been truly impressive and noteworthy!
I would like to add just one:

A barge trip that begins across from the Museum of Science and Industry on the Canal St. Martin, running through residential neighborhoods under a canopy of tress and even underground under a square for a 1/8 mile and eventually flowing into the Seine and ending across from the Tuileries Gardens. It took about 3 1/2 hours with interesting sights all the way! It is one of our most memorable experiences in Paris!
It is operated by Paris Canal Croisieres.

Cher Kristin, I am the designer & owner of www.AllFranceInfo.com and would be happy for you to share any of the links to the pages about Paris from my website. Or perhaps a link to the home page. As you will see, I have divided the Paris pages into smaller groups to make it easier.
I greatly enjoy receiving the French Word-A- Day in my e-mail box & look forward to each post.
Kind Regards, Mr. Casey Dunaway, Richmond, VA, USA.

I've just looked through all the pictures L&CFrame have linked to about the locks on the bridge. As charming as you may think it is to leave a lock there for posterity, for you and your children to revisit over the years, you can see that this will not happen. I'd be surprised if your lock is there for a week. Just imagine how many thousands of people have done this, then see the damage as a result. Kiss your lover on the bridge and release the kiss to the sky, without trying to commemorate it in metal.

Last March my husband and I rented a tiny but glorious studio directly on the Seine across from the Hotel de Ville. Lit up at night, the view was amazing, but equally romantic and full of the murmurs of history at dawn. The owners are a great family that speak fluent English. See www.vrbo.com/160070, and their new, similarly tasteful studio at www.vrbo.com/411536. It is so important, especially for first time visitors, to stay at a hotel or apartment that is centrally located, so they don't spend too much time traveling on the metro. I also recommend Elka Halliger's apartments at www.halliger.com and Paris a la Carte at www.alacarte-Paris-apartments.com.
It is easy (and fairly inexpensive if done several months ahead) to buy tickets for the Paris opera houses. If a person has never been, I recommend they be sure to choose a performance at the Garnier, rather than the Bastille, because going up that marble staircase to the incredible red velvet seats under Chagall's ceiling is a fabulous way to visit the past. Pick a ballet performance if opera is too heavy or long for your tastes. So much better to attend a performance than just taking the tour! Go to www.operadeparis.fr and click on links to the calendar and "en" for English, and you will see what is available for the time you will be in Paris.
Look for the cafeboats moored to the Left Bank on the Seine in good weather. You can have a lovely lunch with a fantastic backdrop of Notre Dame for a photo op!
Bon voyage a tous!

If you are there for more than a couple of days, take the bus not the metro. This way you really get to see the lay of the land and everything in between. We usual take a bus to our destination for the day, eg Montmartre and meander home to the left bank.

I agree with many earlier suggestions. I might add that hearing a classical concert in Sainte Chapelle is memorable. We learned of concerts there in Paris Scope, which can be purchased at newsstands. We also had a half-day cooking class and half-day watercolor painting class in Paris. Neither provider still does this, so I cannot give their websites. Paris is so wonderful. I will just add a practical tip for visitors with food allergies. I cannot eat gluten and was able to buy some gluten-free breads and pastries at an organic food store called Naturalia, which has more than a dozen stores in Paris: www.naturalia.fr.

Oops! I spelled the name of the pastry wrong! Je n'en excuse!! It's "macarons"! And this is not to say that they are macaroons. They are made of infused egg-white cookies joined by a scrumptious essence in the center, of either fruit, pistachio, chocolate or other. Not to be missed!! They have several location throughout Paris, but the one on rue Bonaparte is my favorite (also found in Le Printemps Department Store tea room on second floor).

an Amazing Bakery is Poilâne
Saint-Germain-des-Prés district
8 rue du Cherche-Midi,
Paris 75006
Tel +33 (0) 1 45 48 42 59
Opening hours :
From Monday to Saturday, 7:15 am to 8:15 pm
Next door is a little cafe where you can get delicious tartines and a lovely glass of wine.
We were there in June 2012.

Just finished fabulous book entitled forever Paris: 25 Walks in the footsteps of the City's most illustrious figures...read it before you go take it with you and discover the neighborhoods and walk the streets where people
like Sartre, Napoleon, Piaf ..all those famous people we love,once lived. Can't wait for the next trip and will read this again!

I've visiting Paris once a year since 1990 and I do agree on the damage that was mainly due to these love locks. The wood bridge used to be my favorit for watching the River, not anymore. So do please refrain from adding additional 'damage' to this otherwise beautiful bridge.

We discovered the most wonderful B&B call Manoir de Beauregard in the 19th. Just delightful and oh so Parisian.... only 3 rooms but run by a wonderful elderly french couple. Beautiful decor and just like a "mini Versailles". Breakfasts to die for! Check them out at
http://www.manoir-de-beauregard-paris.com
Also just adored the segway tour run by Fat Tire tours http://www.fattirebiketours.com/Paris
This was a real fun event for the young and young at heart. Our 14 year old son thought it was "really cool". The night trip was amazing and we had an unforgettable experience zipping around the Louvre on these crazy contraptions.

Take a walking tour to find the sundials of Paris. Here are two websites
on sundial locations: http://www.shadowspro.com/en/paris.html and http://www.sundials.co.uk/~paris.htm. Also, I found the book "Cadrans Solaires de Paris" by Andrée Gotteland and Georges Camus at the bookshop at the Hôtel de Béthune-Sully in the Marais. The bookshop specializes in art and architecture books and guidebooks for regions throughout France but with emphasis on Paris. English and French titles and is worth a visit for anyone touring Paris or France. The official website is http://mobile.monuments-nationaux.fr/en/monuments/recherche-libre/bdd/monum/208. For more information see http://en.parisinfo.com/museum-monuments/167/hotel-de-bethune-sully-centre-des-monuments-nationaux.