| Paris! [message #666099] |
Fri, 13 October 2017 16:42  |
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Alien
Messages: 292
Registered: June 1999
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Senior Member |
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Hi guys,
to be off topic. We'll soon be spending the weekend in Paris. So we have 2 days in Paris, and our hotel is in La Defense. I think I'll be next door to Michel Cadot (Hi Michel!)
My wife wants to spend the mandatory day for a photo-shoot at the Eiffel-tower and Mont Blanc. The second day, I'd like to see a bit of the non-touristic Paris. Do you have any suggestions for a day around the Defense area in Paris? I'm looking for sight-seeing, culture and a nice dinner at the end of the day.
Any suggestions are welcome.
Thank you,
Arian
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| Re: Paris! [message #666104 is a reply to message #666099] |
Sun, 15 October 2017 10:15  |
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Michel Cadot
Messages: 68728
Registered: March 2007
Location: Saint-Maur, France, https...
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Senior Member
Account Moderator |
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Hi Arian,
Mont Blanc is far from Paris (about 600 km) unless you are talking about the famous luxury pens, bags, watches... manufacturer.
La Défense is a business district outside Paris in the western suburb so there is few to see but "La Grande Arche" and the sight from it (to the west on the suburb and countryside and to the east on Paris, called Axe Historique).
You have the RER metro which will take you into Paris in a few minutes.
The first station (from La Défense) (named "Charles de Gaulle - Etoile") is the west point of the Champs-Elysées where is located the "Arc de Triomphe".
At the second station ("Auber") you have the "Hassman Boulevards" with the big department stores
The third station ("Chatelet - Les Halles") is the core of Paris and near one of the oldest parts where you will find many restaurants. From there you can take the line 4 of the metro to the south (direction "Mairie de Montrouge"), the first station after Chatelet ("Cité") in an isle, center of Paris, where reside the cathedral "Notre-Dame de Paris", you can walk in the streets of the isle it is a pleasure. The next station ("Saint-Michel") will put you in the "Quartier Latin" named like this because here lied the schools and university at the end of the Middle Ages and, of course, lessons were given in Latin.
My favorite is to stroll in the Quartier Latin, the Cité and Les Halles (get out of the metro at the east gate), once you leave the boulevards to walk in the narrow streets.
If you walk at the west end of La Cité, you will arrive where the latest French Templiers were burned (nice place isn't it) in 1314, including its Grand Master Jacques de Molay. At this time, this part was an independent isle which was linked when the bridge "Pont Neuf" was built (despite its name "new bridge" it is the oldest bridge of Paris  ).
At the east of Les Halles you have the oldest streets of Paris ("rue des Lombards", XI-XIIIth century, named from the Lombards (inhabitant of the Lombardy, a region of Italia) which were the bankers of the world in these times and reside there in Paris). If you like Jazz there are several clubs in this street. Not far away you will find the "Auberge Nicolas Flamel" (51 rue Montmorency). This is the oldest house of Paris (1407), a nice place and great food (maybe you read Da Vinci Code, in this case you know its name). It has recently been transformed so now looks like (inside) more than a "standard" Parisian restaurant than the old hostel it was but the food is still good (quite expensive, count 60 € plus the wine, it is not cheap to diner in the oldest house of Paris ).
Another restaurant I recommend you near Les Halles (between the south gate of the metro and the Pont Neuf) is "La Poule au Pot" (9 rue Vauvilliers), great genuine cooking, one in my top 3 (50 €, reviews).
Have a nice trip.
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| Re: Paris! [message #666108 is a reply to message #666099] |
Mon, 16 October 2017 02:21 |
John Watson
Messages: 8962
Registered: January 2010
Location: Global Village
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Senior Member |
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My favourite walk is early evening, Sacre Coeur and Montmartre. Take the funicular train thing to the top, look around the cathedral and take in the fantastic view, walk down. Lots of street theatre and people purporting to be artists. You can wander around for hours.
In the day time, if you want some culture, I always try to get to the Rodin museum. I can spend a long time there. You do have to like Rodin. Not everyone does.
http://www.musee-rodin.fr/en/collections/sculptures/thinker-0
What do you think he's thinking about?
[Updated on: Mon, 16 October 2017 02:24] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Paris! [message #666161 is a reply to message #666108] |
Tue, 17 October 2017 15:12 |
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Alien
Messages: 292
Registered: June 1999
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Senior Member |
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Hi Michel and John,
thanks for all the information and tips! I really appreciate it. That will help me get around.
I'll start making a plan and look forward to the trip.
@John, I used to have a small statue of the Thinker on my desk. So it would be nice to see the life-size one.
Thanks!
Regards
Arian
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