What To See Paris
Paris
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Exploring Paris
Vicinity
+ Vicinity
Walk/Drive Food&Drink In The Know Did You Know?
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In the Know
If you only have a short time to visit Paris, or would like to get a real flavour of the city, here are some ideas:
Ways To Be A Local
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Stand on the place Charles-de-Gaulle during the rush hour to get the feel of the Parisian pace of life.
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Go into a crowded café at lunchtime and rub shoulders with hard-working Parisians.
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Go to 'Les Champs' (Champs-Elysées) on Saturday night and meet Parisians enjoying themselves.
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Soak in the atmosphere of old Paris along the canal St-Martin.
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Buy a baguette and some cheese in the rue Mouffetard for an outdoor lunch in the nearby square des Arènes de Lutèce.
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Sample the village atmosphere in Le Marais on Sunday afternoon, together with thousands of Parisians.
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Talk to the bouquinistes along the Seine, usually only too willing to comment on local news and people.
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Mingle with Parisian youth along boulevard St-Germain.
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Learn how to bargain at the Marché aux Puces, Porte de Clignancourt.
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Don't talk to a Parisian about local driving.
Good Places To Have Lunch
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Le Vieux Bistrot (Moderately priced) Address: 14 rue du Cloître-Notre-Dame, 4th, Phone: 01 43 54 18 95; close to Notre-Dame,
traditional cuisine.
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Le Caveau du Palais (Moderately priced) Address: 19 place Dauphine, 1st, Phone: 01 43 26 81 84; view of the lovely place
Dauphine.
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Brasserie de l'Ile Saint-Louis (Inexpensive) Address: 55 quai de Bourbon, 4th, Phone: 01 43 54 02 59; choucroute garnie.
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Le Carrousel (Inexpensive) Address: 194 rue de Rivoli, 1st, Phone: 01 42 60 64 38; wide choice of menus, excellent value.
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Café Beaubourg (Inexpensive) Address: 100 rue St-Martin, 4th, Phone: 01 48 87 63 96; sunny terrace.
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Le Toupary (Moderately priced) Address: Samaritaine, 5th floor, 2 quai du Louvre, 1st, Phone: 01 40 41 29 29; panoramic view.
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Bofinger (Moderately priced) Address: 3 rue de la Bastille, 4th, Phone: 01 42 72 87 82; belle époque setting.
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Restaurant du Palais-Royal (Moderately priced) Address: 43 rue de Valois, 1st, Phone: 01 40 20 00 27; overlooking the Jardin
du Palais-Royal.
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A Priori Thé (Inexpensive) Address: 35-7 Galerie Vivienne, 2nd, Phone: 01 42 97 48 75; old-world surroundings.
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Châlet des Iles (Moderately priced) Address: Bois de Boulogne, Lac Inférieur, 16th, Phone: 01 42 88 04 69; for a refreshing
lunch after rowing on the lake!
Top Activities
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Walking (pedestrian areas): footpath along the river; quartier Montorgueil north of Les Halles.
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Cycle tours: Paris à Vélo, c'est Sympa! Address: 37 bd Bourdon, 4th Phone: 01 48 87 60 01.
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Rowing on the lake in Bois de Boulogne.
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Horse riding: Société d'Equitation de Paris, Phone: 01 45 01 20 06.
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Theme parks: Disneyland Paris, parc Astérix.
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Parc Floral de Paris Address: Bois de Vincennes, 12th; flowers, medicinal plants etc.
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Aquaboulevard Address: 45 rue Louis-Armand, 15th, Phone: 01 40 60 10 00; fun with water.
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Hot-air ballooning: France Montgolfières, Phone: 01 40 60 11 23.
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Helicopter rides: Paris Hélicoptère: Phone: 01 48 05 30 48.
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Leisure park: Base de Plein Air, Address: St-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Phone: 01 30 62 20 12, RER C.
Bird's-Eye Views
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Tour Eiffel
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Sacré-Coeur
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Tour Montparnasse
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Grande Arche de la Défense
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Towers of Notre-Dame
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Arc de Triomphe
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Dôme of Les Invalides
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Centre Georges Pompidou (5th floor)
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Palais de Chaillot
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Institut du Monde Arabe
Famous and Picturesque Cafés
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Café de la Paix, 12 boulevard des Capucines, Metro: Opéra
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Fouquet's, 99 Champs-Elysées, Metro: George V
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Café Marly, Le Louvre, Metro: Palais-Royal
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Café de Flore, 172 boulevard St-Germain, Metro: St-Germain-des-Prés
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Les Deux Magots, 6 place St-Germain-des-Prés, Metro: St-Germain-des-Prés
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Le Procope, 13 rue de l'Ancienne-Comédie, Metro: Odéon
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Café de la Mairie, 8 place St-Sulpice, Metro: St-Sulpice
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Café Martini, 11 rue du Pas de la Mule, Metro: Chemin-Vert
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La Closerie des Lilas, 171 boulevard du Montparnasse, Metro: Vavin
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Le Sancerre, 35 rue des Abbesses, Metro: Abbesses
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