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A Day and A Half in Paris

post #1 of 20
8/16/09 at 6:36pm
Thread Starter 
This week I'm going on a set visit in London, and I've asked the studio to make my return flight a couple of days later out of Paris. I've bought a Eurostar train ticket (much fucking pricier than I expected) and booked two nights at a hotel (much more reasonable than I expected) and have a quick trip happening to the City of Lights next weekend.

I leave London at 8:30 in the morning on Saturday, and I get into Paris as just before noon. I leave at 11am on Monday. So I have Saturday afternoon, all day Sunday and two nights to experience this city.

Obviously it's not the best way to see Paris, but right now it's the only way open to me - one day CHUD may have the ability to send me to Cannes, but that day isn't right now, and there are never set visits in Paris. If 30someodd hours is all I get, so be it.

My hotel is right next to the Paris Catacombs - this is tourist destination #1 for me. I've always wanted to visit a catacomb, and this is apparently a great one. I plan on buying a metro day pass so I can hop on and off the train as much as I need to; while many too cool for school types tell me to avoid the Eiffel Tower, I'm definitely going to see it (SEE it, not go up in it), and I want to see Notre Dame. I have some vague plans to do a whirlwind trip through the Cinematheque Francaise - Mrs Bates' head! Gears from MODERN TIMES! The robot from METROPOLIS! - but I think that's the only museum I'm interested in. I'm not much of a fine arts guy; I would hit the Louvre if I had more time, but I'm more interested in history and architecture.

So with those must see spots and my lack of real interest in art museums in mind, any recommendations on what to do with my few hours in Paris are appreciated.

I'm traveling solo, I'm low on cash. I'm not afraid of being a big dumb tourist, but I'm also interested in experiencing Paris as a real city.
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post #2 of 20
8/16/09 at 6:54pm
Thread Starter 
Also, anyone with knowledge about the catacombs: I'm finding really conflicting info about hours of operations. Any help would be appreciated.
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post #3 of 20
8/16/09 at 6:56pm
Lack of interest in museums nonwithstanding, I recommend hanging out at the Centre Pompidou. It's in a more bohemian part of town and people are a lot nicer there in general. You don't have to go into the centre itself; just being in the courtyard is a trip.

Sweet Jesus just don't go anywhere near the Champs Elysee's.
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post #4 of 20
8/16/09 at 6:57pm
Even if you wanted to, going up the Eiffel Tower at this time of year is probably subject to a several hour queue, as can be the queue for the Mona Lisa, or any other major "French" landmark. You're right to go for the catacombs, they're wonderful and pretty reasonably priced (considering the Euro is so strong).

Friends just came back from there this weekend and couldn't recommend simply visiting and sampling the pattisseries that litter the capital. Some of the finest cakes in the world. Aside from that, everything you've already planned sounds like a great trip. Just be wary of where you buy food - it's one of the most expensive places to eat in Europe.
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post #5 of 20
8/16/09 at 7:06pm
Pompidou courtyard.



The catacombs sound very cool.
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post #6 of 20
8/16/09 at 7:20pm
Since you hit the catacombs right off the bat, and you could spend twice the time you have just doing the Louvre, I'd just say make sure to get a banana/nutella crepe at some point. Best dessert on earth.
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post #7 of 20
8/16/09 at 7:25pm
Thread Starter 
I eat the shit out of those at the creperie in the Grove Farmer's Market here in LA! Can't wait to get one in the motherland.
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post #8 of 20
8/16/09 at 7:49pm
Dunno if you saw the official site for the catacombs, but here's the english page for the schedule (dammit, I wanted to be all show-offy and translate for you)

http://www.catacombes-de-paris.fr/english.htm

Have fun in the motherland, mon ami...
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post #9 of 20
8/16/09 at 8:06pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by SneakyPete View Post
Dunno if you saw the official site for the catacombs, but here's the english page for the schedule (dammit, I wanted to be all show-offy and translate for you)

http://www.catacombes-de-paris.fr/english.htm

Have fun in the motherland, mon ami...
That's part of the conflicting info. Some places seem to say that it's open from like 10-12 and again from 2-4, that site indicates it's open all day long. I'm just trying to figure out if they take a 2 hour lunch break or if they're really open the whole time.
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post #10 of 20
8/16/09 at 8:08pm
Two hour lunch breaks are common in Europe.
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post #11 of 20
8/16/09 at 8:08pm
Huh? Last I checked The Eiffel Tower wasn't there anymore...?

OK. Now seriously, having lived there for a few years, I can safely say use the Metro card in full if you wanna check out some particular hot spots (the Catacombs, Versailles, the Montmartre Quarter and Le Sacré Coeur church).

However, without going all Google Maps/ Tourist Handbook on you, which I'm sure you can perfectly do on your own, I'd suggest you stick around to the Seine riviera. Or more specifically:

* Start at the Champs de Mars, where the Eiffel Tower is. Forget about going up it indeed, but rather go NorthEast towards Les Invalides and the Quai d'Orsay, or North towards le Pont de L'Alma (Bridge de l'Alma, where Lady Di played Speed Racer and failed) and up, up, up to the Boulevard de l'Etoile, where L'Arc du Triomphe is.

* At L'Etoile, you may go a bit far up NorthWest to La Défense, the heart of Financial Paris and a truly sci-fi landscape if you're into modern art... or better yet, down L'Avenue des Champs Elysées (just stroll it down - why not, Sebastien?) to La Concorde Square, the Jardin des Tuileries and eventually the Louvre.

* At the Concorde Square, however, you may choose to border the Seine, which would take you downriver to the Pont Neuf (the lovers' bridge from that Leos Carax movie) and L'Ile de la Cité, the "City Island" where Nôtre Dame is.

* ...But should you choose to take the Rue de Rivoli, you may find yourself in the shopping district, close to les Places (squares) de La Madeleine, Vendôme and the Opera, all three recommended to take pics in.

* Still not tired? Go down Rivoli a bit further where, parallel to it up North, you'll have Les Halles (around le Pont Neuf), L'Hotel de Ville (City Hall) and especially, the museum/ Musée Georges Pompidou, which you shouldn't definitely miss either as some of the guys here say.

And that might do, really, considering your available time. I'm also thinking you could check out the Sorbonne campus, which is South from Nôtre-Dame, but I dunno...

Hope this all helped though et bonne chance!
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post #12 of 20
8/16/09 at 8:29pm
I'd go with the site I gave you, since it's the official one. As for the breaks, they probably rotate the staff: one group goes on break at one time, others later. Whatever, just go either in the morning, or in the afternoon...eat baguettes during your 2 hour lunchtime. When in Rome....er, Paris...
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post #13 of 20
8/16/09 at 9:46pm
All this talk of Parisian catacombs makes me think of REX MUNDI, a favorite comic of mine. If you know anyone you could borrow a volume from, that would make fun reading for the trip.
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post #14 of 20
8/16/09 at 11:50pm
See the Cathedral of Nortre Dame if possible. The Cathedral itself is fantastic, and the area around it has a lot of street musicians, book stalls etc.
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post #15 of 20
8/17/09 at 2:37am
I second the Nutella Crepe suggestion and am glad you're already aware of their delights. I practically lived on the things when I was in Paris last year. Generally found the restaurant food to be fairly disappointing, otherwise.

Also seconding PsycheOut00's suggestion to trawl the Champs Elysee on foot. We walked from the Louvre, through the Tuileries (replete with funky metal sculptures like giant spiders lurking in the middle distance), up the CE to the Arc de Triomphe and then insanely, decided to climb that as well. Great views, if you can make it up there. The walk takes you right through Place de la Concorde which now features one of the ubiquitous Egyptian obelisks, but previously was the site of Madame Guillotine, which I didn't know at the time or I would have paid more attention to the surroundings as opposed to just fearing I was about to get flattened by the traffic. Personally I didn't find the interior of Notre Dame to be a great experience just due to the sheer number of people in there and that a lot of the chapels inside were closed off (not so, for instance in Canterbury Cathedral), but again, I've been told that if you can do it, climbing up the towers of Notre Dame is pretty cool. Sadly we missed the catacombs when we were there, but we did go into the underground exhibitions right next to Notre Dame which has a lot of the Roman foundations of the area in place, if that interests you at all.
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post #16 of 20
8/17/09 at 2:43am
Oh, and for want of anything else to do, just walk around the city at night, it's breathtakingly beautiful, and, gauche as some may find it, if you rock up to the Eiffel Tower on the hour (I think it's on the hour), you get to see the big sparkly light show, which I thought was wonderful. Warning: don't stand still or you will be swarmed by hawkers.
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post #17 of 20
8/17/09 at 4:58pm
I wish I could be helpful, but for my two years abroad I never got near Paris, only the south of France. But if ever you do go to Cannes, I've got the real scoop on the good stuff down there.

But some general France notes: Try the crepes, the patisseries, the restaurants. Go down any little side street and you can find fantastic small restaurants with fixed menus. If you had time and interest to just get a feel for the country, I would suggest taking any train 20 to 30 minutes to any random village. Go and sit in the town center and grab a coffee at a cafe and just talk to people. That became my favorite way of just experiencing the country. As for tourist things to do in Paris, herself, I'm at a loss.
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post #18 of 20
8/17/09 at 5:13pm
The idea of catacombs having business hours kills me.
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post #19 of 20
8/17/09 at 5:20pm
I second Notre Dame. If you haven't been already you should drop by at least once. It is a basic must.
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post #20 of 20
8/17/09 at 9:27pm
I would recommend going up in the Eiffel Tower. I hadn't intended to but did and was glad for it. Amazing view. Of course I was there the first time in December if there is a long line skip it. I also went up to the top of The Arc Du Triomphe. Another great view. If you decide on a museum the Musee D'Orsay is amazing. It contains a good bunc of more modern art. Most of the impressionist masters are in there and it is a beautiful Beaux-Arts building.

I agree that you should bum around in Monmarte and the Pigalle. See Sacre Coeur, a must for an architecture fan. I also was a fan of hanging around in the latin quarter and the St. Germaine area. Hit up Shakespere and Company the English Language used book store on the Left Bank. Buy a couple used books and have them stamp the inner cover, now you have a souvenir that is useful.

I was also a big fan of Pere Lachaise Cemetary. It was pretty tranquil and there are some beautiful graves. Oscar Wilde, Marcel Proust, and Sara Bernhardt were highlights for me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A8...haise_Cemetery

ETA: However both Clouzot and Truffaut are buried in Cemetarie Monmarte. You should also see the Pantheon.
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