Destination: Paris
What To See
Paris
Paris
  + Exploring Paris
Vicinity
  + Vicinity

Walk/Drive
Food&Drink
In The Know
Did You Know?

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

  • Stand on the place Charles-de-Gaulle during the rush hour to get the feel of the Parisian pace of life.
  • Go into a crowded café at lunchtime and rub shoulders with hard-working Parisians.
  • Go to 'Les Champs' (Champs-Elysées) on Saturday night and meet Parisians enjoying themselves.
  • Soak in the atmosphere of old Paris along the canal St-Martin.
  • Buy a baguette and some cheese in the rue Mouffetard for an outdoor lunch in the nearby square des Arènes de Lutèce.
  • Sample the village atmosphere in Le Marais on Sunday afternoon, together with thousands of Parisians.
  • Talk to the bouquinistes along the Seine, usually only too willing to comment on local news and people.
  • Mingle with Parisian youth along boulevard St-Germain.
  • Learn how to bargain at the Marché aux Puces, Porte de Clignancourt.
  • Don't talk to a Parisian about local driving.

Good Places To Have Lunch

  • 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.
  • Le Caveau du Palais (Moderately priced) Address: 19 place Dauphine, 1st, Phone: 01 43 26 81 84; view of the lovely place Dauphine.
  • Brasserie de l'Ile Saint-Louis (Inexpensive) Address: 55 quai de Bourbon, 4th, Phone: 01 43 54 02 59; choucroute garnie.
  • Le Carrousel (Inexpensive) Address: 194 rue de Rivoli, 1st, Phone: 01 42 60 64 38; wide choice of menus, excellent value.
  • Café Beaubourg (Inexpensive) Address: 100 rue St-Martin, 4th, Phone: 01 48 87 63 96; sunny terrace.
  • Le Toupary (Moderately priced) Address: Samaritaine, 5th floor, 2 quai du Louvre, 1st, Phone: 01 40 41 29 29; panoramic view.
  • Bofinger (Moderately priced) Address: 3 rue de la Bastille, 4th, Phone: 01 42 72 87 82; belle époque setting.
  • Restaurant du Palais-Royal (Moderately priced) Address: 43 rue de Valois, 1st, Phone: 01 40 20 00 27; overlooking the Jardin du Palais-Royal.
  • A Priori Thé (Inexpensive) Address: 35-7 Galerie Vivienne, 2nd, Phone: 01 42 97 48 75; old-world surroundings.
  • 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

  • Walking (pedestrian areas): footpath along the river; quartier Montorgueil north of Les Halles.
  • Cycle tours: Paris à Vélo, c'est Sympa! Address: 37 bd Bourdon, 4th Phone: 01 48 87 60 01.
  • Rowing on the lake in Bois de Boulogne.
  • Horse riding: Société d'Equitation de Paris, Phone: 01 45 01 20 06.
  • Theme parks: Disneyland Paris, parc Astérix.
  • Parc Floral de Paris Address: Bois de Vincennes, 12th; flowers, medicinal plants etc.
  • Aquaboulevard Address: 45 rue Louis-Armand, 15th, Phone: 01 40 60 10 00; fun with water.
  • Hot-air ballooning: France Montgolfières, Phone: 01 40 60 11 23.
  • Helicopter rides: Paris Hélicoptère: Phone: 01 48 05 30 48.
  • Leisure park: Base de Plein Air, Address: St-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Phone: 01 30 62 20 12, RER C.

Bird's-Eye Views

  • Tour Eiffel
  • Sacré-Coeur
  • Tour Montparnasse
  • Grande Arche de la Défense
  • Towers of Notre-Dame
  • Arc de Triomphe
  • Dôme of Les Invalides
  • Centre Georges Pompidou (5th floor)
  • Palais de Chaillot
  • Institut du Monde Arabe

Famous and Picturesque Cafés

  • Café de la Paix, 12 boulevard des Capucines, Metro: Opéra
  • Fouquet's, 99 Champs-Elysées, Metro: George V
  • Café Marly, Le Louvre, Metro: Palais-Royal
  • Café de Flore, 172 boulevard St-Germain, Metro: St-Germain-des-Prés
  • Les Deux Magots, 6 place St-Germain-des-Prés, Metro: St-Germain-des-Prés
  • Le Procope, 13 rue de l'Ancienne-Comédie, Metro: Odéon
  • Café de la Mairie, 8 place St-Sulpice, Metro: St-Sulpice
  • Café Martini, 11 rue du Pas de la Mule, Metro: Chemin-Vert
  • La Closerie des Lilas, 171 boulevard du Montparnasse, Metro: Vavin
  • Le Sancerre, 35 rue des Abbesses, Metro: Abbesses
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