A shiny new passport

[Guinevere]

Newly chipped credit cards.

A stack of euros (the exchange right has been climbing back up, doncha know).

Chic but comfy shoes, a couple of cute dresses, cropped jeans, my favorite scarf, and a classic American jean jacket.

A month of "mindsnacks" language app under my belt.

Several outlet adaptors.

An extra battery and extra memory card for my camera.

Movies and books downloaded in my iPad.

VIP credentials to Roland Garros.

And in exactly one week, all of those things will be joining me on Air France, winging my way for nine amazing days (and 8 amazing nights) here:



What are your favorite things to do, see, eat, drink, and experience a Paris? I'm in St Cloud, just across le Seine, for the first half of the trip (a leadership conference), and then the 5th Arr. (Quartier Latin) for the second half.

[Gob]

I'm going to be honest and admit I'm not a fan of Paris, despite all the times I've spent there. But there again I don't like most cities.

I'll leave it to Daisy and Rubato to give their views.

Though you cannot go very wrong there, what sort of things do you enjoy?

(Please tell me you're going fully armed camera wise!)

[MajGenl.Meade]

Heavens, memories! My one and only time in Paris. A spur of the moment decision to board a train in London, ferry to Calais, train to Paris. Faking a first class ticket and talking to M. l'inspecteur about some terrible Anglaise he'd had to toss out for faking their tickets. Roaming thru St Georges to find the cheap hotel my friends had booked. Meeting a girl by prearrangement from Amsterdam I thought was Dutch only to find she was from Surrey. A bed that vibrated - alors! Getting on a metro and missing our stop because we didn't know you had to open the doors manually. La tour Eiffel and some frog cameraman taking our photo sans permission and demanding lots of francs. Me saying "no'. Him calling me a pig (in French) and me telling him to f himself (in French). What a shame I don't remember anything good

[wesw]

leaning tower of paris?

[Guinevere]

I've been to Paris several times, but not in 25 years and never for so long. I've seen the main highlights, so on my list for this trip:

Cluny/medieval art museum
St. Chapelle
Shakespeare & company
The water lily panels at L'Orangerie
Le Pantheon
Henri Cartier-Bresson foundation and museum
Fontainebleau gardens/park

I've also got my whole last day at the French Open, and I'm considering an evening at L'Opera if I can manage a ticket.

Really, I mostly want to wander the streets and discover what there is to discover - look, listen, eat, drink, photograph and soak it all in.

I'm also interesting in hearing what you all love about the City of Light.

[rubato]

I am totally envious. What a lovely way to spend a week or so.

Look into the batobus, a water taxi that circles up and down the Seine stopping at all the highlights. You can buy a pass for several days (but this changed between our first and second trip so details may differ) and just hop on an off where you want. Its a nice way to get back after a long day of walking and you can see the history of bridge construction from the Pont Neuf to the present with stops at stone, wrought iron, and steel and admire stunning art nouveau buildings.

Don't schedule very much. There is so much delight in the small discoveries like that sculpture of Voltaire which we just happened by on the way back from the D'Orsay.

And it is well worth buying the museum pass which gets you into nearly everything for 5 days and even more importantly allows you to miss a LOT of long lines.

Gotta run. More later.

yrs,
rubato

[Guinevere]

Agreed on no schedule, and thank you for the museum pass idea -- that's exactly the kinds of ideas I'm looking for.

I can grab one fairly close to my hotel, c'est parfait!

[MajGenl.Meade]

Sounds wonderful. Hope you have a most enjoyable time.

[rubato]

I bought a Michelin red guide in French as a Christmas gift for my spouse on the theory that if you put great food on the other side of it she would overcome any difficulty. It was a big hit as a gift, we took it both times and used it a lot. It was fun figuring things out with our limited French. We got the green guides for the provinces.

I hesitate to give recommendations for restaurants because so much of the fun of it all is just finding things for yourself, the food is fantastic and the servers are charming. I'll give the names of the ones we went back to later on, maybe.

The French love their language and they love to hear the sound of it. They want you to enjoy it too and even a little effort gets smiles and the occasional correction (vin is Masculin! Vin Blanc! Pas Van Blanche!). If you listen to public interactions you will quickly hear that it is a flood of pleasantries (Bon Jour, Bon Soir, Merci, A Bientot.) and that if you yourself engage fully in this constant tide of good will you will find everyone to be charming and gracious. People who don't get on, I suspect, don't realize it but they are acting like a boulder in a stream of social interactions forcing everyone to go around them and causing turbulence and disruption where smoothness and peace should be.

I got a chipped card for the 2nd trip but it didn't seem to matter much.

!!! Arrange a data plan and international calling for your cell phones and other devices before you go; otherwise bad things will happen to your cell bills. Very bad things. Worse than you can imagine and it happens -very- fast. And the mapping &c functions are too useful to be without. I just called ATT and they set it up.

For transportation: walking, metro, batobus, taxis to and from the airport and train station. TGV to and from Rennes. TGV is much easier and more comfortable than air travel. When a 180 mph train goes through a tunnel it created a huge increase in air pressure which makes your ears pop like you went from sea level to 10,000 feet in 3 seconds. And then in reverse.

yrs,
rubato

[rubato]

St Chapelle is a great choice if it works out. One thing, it is located within the Palais de Justice so you have to go through security to get in, and, I know from experience, they won't let you in if you have a pocket knife on you*, and the bastards (unlike federal court in LA) won't keep it for you until you come back out. You have to go ALL the way back to the hotel or, like I did, run across the street to a bistrot and ask a waiter to keep it for you. French waiters are the BEST! But back to St Chapelle, a stunning work of art and amazing to think it was built for the exclusive use of the King and his family (and invited guests). Its good to be the king!


I found hotels by using Google Earth and then poking around in the areas we were interested until I found something we liked. Lots of good information in the street views.


yrs,
rubato

* A mere personal grooming item. Black Forest with Solingen carbon steel blades ca 3in long and bone handle. Harmless!

[Big RR]

Guin--I haven't been to the opera in Paris, but if it's like most cities (and I think it is) it is definitely worth getting the tickets in advance to avoid disappointment. I have done that in most cities, but recall my first time in Milan I didn't get a ticket before I left (there really were few convenient on line sites then) and even the hotel concierge In one of the best hotels in Milan (I was traveling for business) couldn't help other than to suggest I find a ticket scalper (which I didn't try as I didn't have a lot of cash on me). I'm sure if you google the Paris opera you could find a number of sites handling their tickets.

One other thing; bear in mind that it is possible the simultaneous translation device will not include English as a language. In modern opera houses many do, but some do not (and without the translation the operas can be a bit hard to follow). I would recommend bringing at least a synopsis of the opera with you unless it is one you have seen a few times and know fairly well, or unless you can read French well.

[Guinevere]

The only night I can go to the Opera and for which there are tickets, is the night of a black tie gala. I'm not packing black tie, although the opera, is get this: Le Roi Arthus -

Chausson gave to the fatal love of Lancelot and Guinevere, to the despair and grandeur of Arthus, the dreamlike colours of a medieval world inherited from the Romantics and revisited by Symbolism.

So while I have not seen this opera, I'm familiar with the story

Will they kick me out or not let me enter if I'm not in formal dress?

It's also at the Opera Bastille, the new modern opera house, not at Opera Garnier, which is the one I really want to see a performance in, but everything is sold out.

[Long Run]

People go to the opera here in blue jeans and t-shirts, though most dress nicer than that. I have no idea what is acceptable in Paris, but have a great time!

[rubato]

Finally, check a calendar of public holidays, there are a lot of them and the French take their days off seriously. And recall that many museums are closed on either Tuesday or Monday.


yrs,
rubato

[Big RR]

Guin--you might check the opera's website, but unless you are sitting in the midst of the grand tier or something like it, I would bet you could skip the formal dress. Probably not t shirts and jeans, but something like business attire.

As for the opera Le Roi Arthus, I've always found it enjoyable, although I haven't seen that production, and some modern opera productions (bare stages, improvised props, etc.) can be pretty lousy IMHO. However, some love them as well.

[Guinevere]

OK, you've convinced me, I bought the ticket! I'm packing a couple of dresses and one longish black shirt -- I'll make it work.

Rube, good point on the holidays. The day I'm leaving is Whitsun, Observed. I'll have to check if there is a different "holiday" train schedule to CDG that morning.

I so have a data plan, and hotel in the old city a block from I'le de la Cite, plus the spirit of adventure. I CANNOT WAIT to get there!

[Big RR]

Guin--be sure to let us know how the opera was.

[Sue U]

Guin, I am so jealous. Have a great trip, and definitely report back on l'opera. (I see they're also doing Magic Flute, which is always a good time; maybe you can see both?)

[Gob]

Shame me and Hen are not in back Blighty, we could arrange to meet for a coffee in Paris, cheap as chips to get there on the Eurostar.

[Guinevere]

About $60 each way, 2 1/4 hours, Paris to London. Incredible. I thought about a day across the channel, but decided it was too much, and why leave Paris?