Tips for Paris

The first thing I travel with is my DK Books.
I keep them at school but you can borrow them if you like.
I don’t go anywhere in the world without them!

Paris
When I travelled with my students I didn’t like the hotel.
It was shabby and too far from the action so I won’t recommend it.
Louise and I enjoyed staying at Hotel de l'Arcade a few years ago. There were three of us sharing so it wasn’t too expensive. It was a great location and there is a bakery half a block away. I don’t know what the rates are but worth a look http://www.hotel-arcade.com/anglais/default.htm


In Paris nothing is free. The transit system though is easy to follow. You must get a Carte Musee. In English it is called the Paris Museum Pass.
You can buy a 2, 4 or 6 day pass.
http://www.parismuseumpass.com/en/home.php

The most important reason to get this card is that you line up sometimes in a different location and get to get into museums faster. This is most important at the Louvre (the lineups are always really long). I especially like the Costume museum that is attached to the Louvre but it has a different outside entrance.
Louise likes the Musee national du Moyen Age – Thermes et hotel de Cluny. This is where the famous Unicorn Tapestries are and of all the churches she likes the Sainte-Chapelle gothic church.

My favourite thing is eating in Paris. I couldn’t really afford the really nice places but I enjoy just going into a bakery and getting a fabulous croissant or having crepes from the street vendor.

I don’t enjoy doing the Eiffel Tower because I don’t like heights but if you are up for the walk it can be free (again I don’t recommend walking up it’s even worse than taking the elevator. I have done it every time I’ve gone but I don’t go all the way to the top. Also you can book most attractions on line before you go and avoid long lineups (or go to an internet cafe to do it).
Do this experience early in your trip because the workers go on strike in Paris all the time!!!

I enjoy walking through the big department stores in Paris! Le Primtemps has a great cafeteria (not bad prices and lots of choices) at the top of the store and it has a great view of the city. http://departmentstoreparis.printemps.com/
You can even get wine on tap for lunch there!
I saw shoes in that store by designers there that I’ve only heard talked about on Sex in the City.

The dept. store next door, Galeries Lafayette
http://www.galeries-lafayette-paris.com/
has an amazing art nouveau ceiling. I didn’t buy anything in either store but they are amazing!

Go up the Arc de Triomph at night. It is really lovely to see the lights and traffic from there. (Last time I was there…the arc workers were on stike!)

Go to Versailles by train or take a tour there. Buy tickets for the tours at Versailles when there as you will learn a lot more and see parts not open the masses. It’s always crazy there. Huge groups during busy season-- maybe you’ll be lucky.

Do see the Waterlilies at the Musée de l'Orangerie. You will be surprised at how big the paintings are. If you have time go to Giverny (the home of Monet) it’s out in the country. We took a bus tour there in the summer and it looked just like the paintings. My second fav. museum is the Musee d'Orsay (it houses more contemporary pieces 1848-1914).
We did the museums in chronilogical order so that (me the non-art history major) could understand the art progression and eras. I also liked the Rodin museum (some of the pieces are outside) and the Picasso museum.

There will be lots and lots of walking so make sure you go for comfort and not for fashion when deciding on footwear.