The world is focussing on France, Paris in particular for the next few weeks during the Olympics. Despite the strange opening ceremony, there’s a lot to love about Paris! Everyone knows the Eiffel Tower but over the next few paragraphs I’m going to introduce you to some areas of the capital that you may not be so familiar with.
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Paris is a city that people live in, not just a destination for loads of tourists – it has lots of little communities and local areas. Search out the local shopping streets near the big sights – you’ll find restaurants that the locals use, shops where you can buy ingredients for a picnic, baguettes from a local bakery, and so on. All at better prices than you’ll find in the more touristy areas.
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The Eiffel Tower was the centrepiece of the opening ceremony of the Olympics last week. You can get a great view from the top of the Tower, but there are queues and it can get very crowded. Some alternatives for great views without the price tag:
– This might sound strange – but Galeries Lafayette is a famous shop in the centre of the city. Pause to admire the stained glass windows in the dome of the shop, but head to the top floor of the store. It has a rooftop garden where you can see brilliant views of the city. https://haussmann.galerieslafayette.com/…/the-terrace…/ Also next-door is the other big department store – Printemps and guess what, they have a rooftop open space as well!
– Another great view is from the front of the Sacre-Coeur. Full of buskers, round the corner from Montmartre and the Place du Tertre. Great for sunsets, but don’t loiter in this area after dark.
– Other places that aren’t free include the Arc de Triomphe and the Tour Montparnasse. The Arc will give you 350 degree views of the Grands Boulevards around it, with the crazy traffic. The Tour isn’t the most attractive building but it is one of the tallest buildings in France, so you’ll definitely have an incredible view.
– Another of my favourite places for views is the Pompidou Centre, a strange building but dedicated to art, so you’ll always find interesting exhibitions there. Just follow the escalators on the outside of the building to the top, you’ll see the view gradually revealed as you climb. https://www.centrepompidou.fr/en/ Go at the weekend and watch the buskers in the square outside, there’s entertainment all day and long into the evening.
There are also various parks in Butte Chaumont and Belleville, where you can find the Parisians at leisure also enjoying the view of their city.
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We all know France is the place to go for good food. However how to choose which restaurant in Paris? I’ve got a couple of recommendations:
Try to avoid the tourist areas and eat where the locals eat. The Canal-St-Martin area is growing in popularity. It has a reputation for lively nightlife as well, so good to check out https://parissecret.com/…/the-best-addresses-on-the…/
Belleville is a multi-cultural area of the capital and consequently you’ll find lots of restaurants that reflect this. https://www.eater.com/…/belleville-paris-hot…
Rue Mouffetard is a street full of market stalls selling delicious food but also loads of cafes and restaurants. https://www.rue-mouffetard.com/
For somewhere cheap (but these days full of tourists), Le Bouillon Chartier has 3 restaurants in Paris. Paper tablecloths where the waiters write down your order and race around delivering plates. Not a place to linger over a long lunch, but somewhere you can get a main course from just 7 euros. https://www.bouillon-chartier.com/en/the-concept/
For even more quirkiness, try Le Refuge des Fondues in Montmartres. There are only 2 items on the menu – a cheese fondue or a meat fondue. You sit on benches and wine is served in baby bottles to avoid spillage. It is fun, loud and a very social experience. https://www.lerefugedesfondus.com/
I was a student when I lived in Paris a very long time ago, but the restaurants that were good then (my last 3 suggestions) are still good now (and still cheap)!!
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In Paris alone, there are over 200 art galleries! These galleries vary in size and style but all share a love for the arts. Plus over 130 museums. You’ll never fit in a visit to all of them in a long weekend – at one a day, that’s nearly a year’s worth of visits.
How to narrow it down, so you get the most cultural visit that is right for you? Decide whether you want contemporary/modern art or to look back at the greats from centuries past. Some are free, some fun, there are definitely some very weird ones!
When it comes to art – do you really want to see the Mona Lisa? It’s small and always has a crowd of people in front of it. Go instead to the Picasso Museum and find out more about the iconic artist. I’d also head to the Musee d’Orsay which is housed in a former railway station – but a very elegant one. It focusses on Impressionist Art.
The Museum of Fairground Arts, or the Musée des Arts Forains is dedicated to objects linked to fairgrounds. The Museum of Perfume, or Musée du Parfum, has a collection of antique bottles, toiletries, and stills for steam distillation. The Museum of Counterfeiting or Musée de la Contrefaçon shows the counterfeit good alongside the original it aimed to copy.
However you want your culture fix – Paris won’t let you down!!
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Above, I’ve been looking at what you can do in Paris, mainly for adults. However it is also a good place to take children. Unlike many capital cities, this is a city where people live in the centre so has always been welcoming to families.
There are parks, many with playgrounds everywhere. I’d head to the Jardin du Luxembourg where you can sail little boats on the pond. You’ll find puppet shows in many other parks as well. Plus restaurants, on the whole, will make families welcome.
Some museums have areas for children – with activity sheets and workshops. Head to the Cite des Sciences for more hands-on activity.
Obviously you can spend a couple of days at Disneyland Paris, either staying there or travelling out from the city. Travel a little further and you can explore Parc Asterix – meeting the characters from the comics. I’d advise a bit of reading up beforehand so you understand everything though.
However old you are, an ice-cream while walking along the river is a pleasure in the sunshine!
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Regular followers will know that I love to suggest novels for travellers to read – to inspire them to travel or to bring back fond memories after travel.
There are so many novels set in Paris! From the Hunchback of Notre Dame through to The Lost Dressmaker of Paris (published in 2023) – all are worth reading. The latter doesn’t take you round Paris much, but you get the atmosphere of a city at war and then a city at peace.
Some more suggestions here – https://www.tripfiction.com/find-a-book/?location=Paris&bauthor=&genre=&btitle=&order=rating-l and here https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/866.Books_About_Paris
FAQs about visiting Paris
- How can I get from the airport to the city centre? From Charles de Gaulle airport, you can get a taxi or train, the latter takes you directly to Gare du Nord. Try and buy metro tickets in advance as the ticket office area is known for pickpockets.
- What are the best options for getting around Paris? The metro is the easiest way, but I’d recommend getting a bus map and get around from place to place by bus. Great for sightseeing!
- What are some iconic Parisian dishes that I should try? Croissants and pain au chocolat are popular pastries for breakfast (or any time of day TBH). Escargots (snails), crepes – especially those you buy from a street food seller. Croque-monsieur is a hot sandwich made with ham and cheese, plus other variations.
- If you have any other questions, just drop me a message!!