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Published: February 3rd 2011
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I’d heard many stories of rude, arrogant Parisians, and as a result, I never really had any desire to visit Paris. In fact, when my friend told me that we’d be going as part of our two-week trip, not only was I unenthusiastic, I was apprehensive. I didn’t want to spend my time there feeling unwelcome and uncomfortable.
My experience turned out to be the complete opposite of what I’d heard, and I left Paris thinking it was one of the most amazing places I’d ever been! A little effort on the traveler’s part goes a long way with the locals you meet. Try to learn some basic phrases such as “hello,” “please,” and “thank you.” The more you know, the more you increase your chances of having positive interactions. It’s also useful to know how to order food; these are good things to know in any country you visit, not just France.
So, Paris… I don’t think I have been to a more grandiose city in my life! From the palaces and avenues right down to apartment buildings on the outskirts, the city overwhelms you with its splendor. We stayed on the Avenue des
Champs-Élysées right near the Arc de Triomphe. This is one of the most upscale sections of Paris. The Champs-Élysées is lined with beautiful trees and very exclusive stores that lead all the way down to the Place de la Concorde (the site of beheadings during the French Revolution). The Eiffel Tower is just across the Seine from our hotel, and while we did go over to check it out one night, we didn’t go to the top. Seeing it all lit up at night, overlooking the city, is quite spectacular; I certainly see why so many people are enamored with it.
We visited both the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay. I cannot stress enough that tickets should be purchased in advance; it’s a little more expensive, but the time saved is worth every penny! The Louvre is way too big to cover in one day, so don’t even try; it’ll lessen the experience. Have a plan and decide what areas interest you most. You want to see the Mona Lisa? So does everyone else, so expect a huge crowd of people filtering down the hall into the room where it hangs. Though, I don’t understand why people rush past
and ignore other important work just because they’re hell-bent on seeing the Mona Lisa. Did I see it? Of course I did, but I didn’t skip anything on my way there! You don’t need to stop at every painting and have an art history lesson, but stop at ones that stand out and maybe think about why they attract you more than others. One thing that irritated me were the people taking photos of paintings… Are you serious? If you want a picture, go buy a book that has better reproductions than any photos you could take. It astounded me that these people would barely even look at the actual painting; they took a picture, checked their camera, and walked away. Why bother going to the museum? Go online, save yourself the money, and make the place a little less crowded for the rest of us that actually want to see the artwork!
The Musée d’Orsay had the same epidemic of idiocy. The Orsay is an old train station— the steel and glass windows and high ceilings make the perfect venue to display art. The space itself is as much a work of art as what is inside.
You want to get local? Walk along the Promenade Plantée in the 12th Arrondissement. This elevated walkway used to be a rail path. It’s somewhat hidden, but take the Metro to Bastille and walk down the Rue de Lyon until it intersects with the Avenue Daumesnil; there you will find stairs that lead up to the path. It’s lined with beautiful trees, flowers, and canoodling couples. The bird’s eye view to the street below offers a unique vantage point of Parisian life. When you’ve walked along a bit, take the stairs back down and check out the artistic shops and studios that fill the archways underneath the Promenade.
What visit to Paris would be complete without a visit to the Cimetiere du Père Lachaise and Jim Morrison’s grave? Both the cemetery and Morrison’s grave are easy to find. Maps are available to locate the plethora of famous musicians, artists, writers, etc. that are buried here. The grounds are beautiful and many of the tombs are ornately decorated with statues, wrought iron and stained glass. I took the Metro to the Père Lachaise stop and entered through the back; however it’s better to take the Metro to
the Phillippe Auguste stop and enter through the front. Maps are only available at the front entrance, so I got mine from a very nice French couple that had an extra.
Let me preface this next section by saying that I didn’t even have a mediocre meal while in Paris; everything was amazing! The first night we ate at Chez Janou (2 Rue Roger Verlomme)— the food and wine were excellent! It was also a great introduction to Pastis, with over 80 types offered. My friend ordered chocolate mousse for dessert, and they brought an enormous bowl. He was shocked at how much there was, but they reassured him it wasn’t all for him as they scooped three-fourths of the bowl onto his plate! It was fluffy, chocolaty and delicious, and my friend finished off most of it with little help from the rest of us.
Another night we went up to Montmartre for dinner and to check out Sacré Coeur Basilica. We ate at a terrific little bistro called Chez Toinette (20 rue Germain Pilon), which was run by a wonderful young couple. The food was amazing, the service was terrific, and I recommend it
to anyone going to Paris. After dinner, the woman offered us a digestif, but we politely declined. She insisted, claiming she had the perfect thing for us. It was called Poir Williams and went down like kerosene! My friend coined it an “indigestif.” Other than that, the place was great. After dinner, we walked up to Sacré Coeur; lit up in the fading twilight, it was one of the most spectacular sights I have seen. We toured the inside and then sat on the steps with a few hundred other people, watching the twinkling lights of Paris. It was truly sublime, so beautiful that I actually felt a little melancholy, though that could have been because we only had one more night in Paris. We finished the night sipping wine at a sidewalk café on the winding streets of Montmartre.
If you are looking to have meat for dinner, you can’t get any better than the Boucherie Roulière (24 Rue des Canettes) in the Saint Germain du Pres section of the 6th Arrondissement. This family owned bistro has been in the butcher business for over a century, and the restaurant demonstrates their expertise. In addition to some of
the finest steak I have ever had, the wine was excellent! I would say that it’s nearly impossible to get bad wine in Paris. I developed a new appreciation for French wines, especially Bordeaux. Saint Germain du Pres is filled with bistros, bars and cafés that have a truly Avant-Garde feel. After dinner, we settled into a small bar and had a drink downstairs in what used to be their wine cellar. The dark, candle-lit room furnished with wooden tables and rickety chairs was the ideal place to drink wine, listen to music, and chat— the perfect end to our stay in Paris.
Paris is a different city for everyone, and your experience there will be mostly based on what you put into it. If you want to be the “ugly American,” then you’ll have an ugly experience. If you go trying to embrace the culture, and are open to doing things in a Parisian way, then you will have a wonderful time. Again, this is true of any place, but I think because so many people have a preconceived notion about the French, Parisians often get a bad rep. Then again, I could be wrong, maybe they are assholes. I’m just going by my own experience.
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