In a few days we will be off to Paris on the train. Yippee! It is my Christmas present to Simon. I feel quite fancy as I paid for this trip for the both of us all by myself. However really it was not so much and the main effort was in all the organising and bursting to tell him the surprise all December. I got very reasonable train tickets in the big pre-Christmas sale at Eurostar and some friends gave me the tip of a budget hotel. I will report back on this hotel if it is any good. We are becoming budget travel experts.
(The picture is from this weekend in our local pub where they have started doing the most delicious traditional Sunday lunch. It seemed appropriate to this post somehow.)
I studied French up to GCSE level (that is up to the age of 16) and Simon has discovered that I got an A at this so now says that I will have to do all the talking. Really that is a long time ago now so I don't remember very much. Hopefully enough to ask for two glasses of wine!
I am looking forward to it so much but we have done almost no planning of what to do when we are there. Does anyone have any tips of places to visit and good bistros to eat in and such like, that they would like to share?
Ooh what fun! I don't personally have any suggestions as to where to go... but another blog I read is written by a chef living in Paris, and he has a lot of suggestions for bistros and such. http://www.davidlebovitz.com/
I hope you both have a fabulous time!
Posted by: Nini | January 27, 2009 at 08:52 PM
Oooh, sounds like fun! Although I unfortunately can't offer any tips, I am planning a similar trip for my birthday in June and am looking forward to hearing your report upon your return!
Posted by: Mandi | January 27, 2009 at 09:23 PM
Alice...will you email me so I can send you some info about Paris.
ebethharper@mac.com
Posted by: Elizabeth Harper | January 27, 2009 at 10:14 PM
i do definitely recommend the paris night bike tour! you can find details here:
http://fattirebiketours.com/
i think the day bike tour runs all year long, but i'm not sure about the night one. it's a fun way to see the city.
there are lots of gourmet food shops around place de la madeleine. here's a good blog post that summarizes it up well:
http://lululoveslondon.blogspot.com/2006/05/paris-diary-place-de-la-madeleine.html
and another blog post for the chocolate lover :)
http://www.sri-she.com/content/view/13/29/
have a good trip!!
Posted by: elisabetha | January 27, 2009 at 11:31 PM
Go up the Montparnasse tower, you'll get some great pics of eiffel and paris, whereas if you go up the eiffel you'll get a horrid big skyscaper in your piccies! Plus theres a bar at the top that wasnt too badly priced (for paris!) Go to Pere Lachaise and Montparnasse cemetries (sounds wierd but...) there are loads of famous inhabitants and they are quite pretty (oscar wilde, serge gainsbourg etc). Cafe Charbon on Rue Oberkampf has a nice vibe to it. Another one, when ordering beer ask for it to be served "pression" which is draught and a bit cheaper than in the bottle, pelican blonde is rather nice. I have flickr pics here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/emmamykytyn/sets/72157603803791880/ which might help.
have a great time!
Posted by: emma | January 28, 2009 at 12:00 AM
mmmm, i flew to paris to shoot an engagement session and just LOVED it.. I don't remember what hotel I stayed in or where we ate.. we were walking all day every day and it was a blast. Such a blast. my advice is to do it like the French. do life like they do while you are there... do the cafe break every afternoon... eat brunch at a local cafe each day.... take your time... don't rush... follow the locals. we lived in Berlin for 3 years and I miss it like crazy. have fun!!!! oh and it kinda goes without saying, but the eiffel tower at night literally mesmerized me. i was sure it wouldn't, but I could have stayed out all night just looking at it.
Posted by: Chelsea Hudson | January 28, 2009 at 12:24 AM
Having ogled your NYC photos, I think you'd love Sainte Chapelle - I won't say much about it, but I think it's one of the loveliest and hidden treasures of Paris. While you're there, meander the book and print shops on the left bank and pop into 'Au 33' (33 Rue Jacob) for dinner. You can also find Laduree and Paul for lovely macaroons nearby.
For stationery love, check out Rue Vieille du Temple near the Seine - one is called Calligraphe and the other I can't remember, but it's across the road. The are delicious! Also have a look at the basement of BHV for some stationery and cute fun.
Wander the Marais - grab a felafel roll at Chez Marianne, and drop into Free P Star op shop, Muji and other lovely boutiques.
The Montmatre area is very touristy but good photos ops (think Amelie) of Paris as a city.
Hope this helps - I remember print and pattern had a great wrap-up of shops she found in Paris, too - might be worth a look?
x
Posted by: Kate Mason | January 28, 2009 at 12:46 AM
Simon is a lucky guy! I hope you will have a blast in Paris. I've never been there myself, so I don't know anything about it, but I'd say Time Out puts out great guidebooks on major cities, hehe. Maybe one on Paris will help!? Ahh, I'm getting excited for you!
Posted by: ai | January 28, 2009 at 12:51 AM
The last time I went was ten years ago, so you may want to check into it, but I went to a lovely park in the middle of the city called Cheates de Buttes. It was once a landfill, but was converted to quite a little oasis.
Posted by: Sara | January 28, 2009 at 03:00 AM
To follow up on the last comment the parc is lovely, it is called the Parc des Buttes Chaumont. If you get off the metro at Jaures, they is a road of nice food shops and then you just walk up the hill to the parc. at the same metro you meet the Canal St Martin. If you walk north you hit the Parc de la Vilette, with a brilliant science museum and also a music museum. If you walk south, you can follow the canal to Republique (lots of little cafes and restaurants on the right hand side walking south). Then turn into rue de veille du temple and up the hill into a mixture of an Arab and Chinese area. On the rue de Belleville there are great Chinese restaurants (Best is Le Pacifique). Sorry for the long message, I lived in this area for 4.5 years 2001-2005 and I miss it so much! Have a great time.
Posted by: Nina | January 28, 2009 at 08:46 AM
it's been a while since i was in paris and i'm really bad at remembering details of where and when - but what a city! hope you have a lovely trip. bon voyage : )
Posted by: lea | January 28, 2009 at 10:26 AM
Hehe I did French at school as well....and got an A and MY GOD, when I went to Paris, it all flew straight out of my head!
Posted by: pinkjellybaby | January 28, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Hi, I live near Paris, I'm French. my suggestion would be to take a ride on a 'Batobus' . They are boats that go from the Eiffel tower to Jardin des Plantes, with stops at major places of interest. It's much cheaper than the regular 'bateaux mouches'. It's just buses on water. Very pleasant. Google 'Batobus' and check their website.
I don't know you so I don't know what kind of atmosphere you like, but I like Le Fumoir, 6 rue de l'Amiral de Coligny, near le Louvre. just for a drink, food is expensive.
Enjoy !
Posted by: kinou | January 28, 2009 at 12:08 PM
it isn't the classiest tip but if you're only there for a few days I recommend the L'Opentour red bus tour.
http://en.parisinfo.com/professionnals/346/l-opentour
It has a vaguely informative bilingual voiceover (and can improve your French as you try to work out if they're telling the French people the same thing) and you can nip on and of at the major sites. There's a very reasonable museum ticket you can get from Tourist Info which gets you into the main places at a flat rate.
http://en.parisinfo.com/express-booking/museums-monuments/paris-museum-pass-en/
I recommend not eating in the museum cafes. C'est tres cher!
P.S. As far as I know, the Batobus doesn't run in January or February.
Posted by: mooncalf | January 28, 2009 at 01:09 PM
I second Kate's recommendation of Paul for yummy stuff.
My favorite museum in Paris is L'Orangerie, http://www.musee-orangerie.fr/ It's a smallish collection, less overwhelming that the biggies, and a lovely stroll between there and the Louvre.
The Rodin Museum sculpture garden is great if the weather is fine.
The rue de Siene, last time I was there, was full of some nice shops and galleries (that street changes a lot). And best of all, find a cafe with a glassed-in porch overlooking one of the boulevards, and watch the rush-hour foot traffic go by over some wine.
Have a GREAT time. Ah, Paris. Sigh.
Posted by: Melissa | January 28, 2009 at 02:38 PM
Thank you so much for all the suggestions guys! WOW! :D
Posted by: alice | January 28, 2009 at 07:47 PM
design sponge just posted guides to paris...they look so wonderful
have a fantastic trip!
http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/01/regional-roundup-paris-part-3-of-4.html
Posted by: rachel | January 28, 2009 at 07:48 PM
You must must must read this.
http://thisisnaive.com/?page_id=334
a paris guide through lomo eyes.
from a blogger with impeccable taste on every front.
have a wonderful time.
Posted by: Miss Hill | January 28, 2009 at 10:21 PM
hey alice! my paris must-see would be, as a couple of people already have mentioned, buttes chaumont. it was summer when we went so I don't know what it would be like in winter. going by how good the london guide is on this is naive the paris one should be pretty good!
I've just tagged you over on my funny eye, hope you want to play!
Posted by: famapa | January 29, 2009 at 08:54 AM
duh! just saw that you've already done it! I'll pass it on to someone else. have a great trip!
Posted by: famapa | January 29, 2009 at 08:56 AM
the most lovely little restaurant (but perfect for a special occasion) is la famille in montemontre. myself, those who sent me there, those who've i sent there since, everyone LOVED it. the owners and staff are great, there are long communal tables but you can still have a very intimate dinner, the food is amazing and it's just a treat to be there. i went in 2005 but since then i know of others who have been in 2007. check it out and if it's still there, you must go!
have a wonderful time! i love visiting your blog every day, by the way. i'd love for you to check out mine. it's still new... www.lesauce.typepad.com
Posted by: yasmin | January 29, 2009 at 11:08 PM
Here is my Paris address book!
http://tinycandy.blogspot.com/2008/03/paris-address-book.html
Bon voyage!
Posted by: Emme Stone | January 30, 2009 at 05:54 PM
I really enjoyed the jeu de pomme gallery and wandering round the Marais - we also went to the photography gallery which was excellent. I'd also go to the canal area - pretty blue bridges, interesting boho shops and the most amazing cafe called Chez Prune. I would definately go there. If you want haberdashers there is the most amazing shop in the Marais called L'Entree des Fournissuers on 8 rue des francs bourgeois (set back from the road in a courtyard). Really beautiful shop - I didn't buy anything but enjoyed the experience amazingly.
Posted by: Lara | January 31, 2009 at 10:08 AM
Also, we did a walk around Monmatre at night (forgive my spelling, its early in the morning). That was beautiful and we found a great bar called
Le Rendezvous des Amies, 23 rue Gabrielle, Paris and had dinner here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/myinbetweendays/2353168166/in/set-72157604226218600/
which was such a pretty place. we did a set walk from the lonely planet guide we had (although I think we took the bar and dinner recommendations from Time Out). Have a great time!
Posted by: Lara | January 31, 2009 at 10:16 AM