A November 2005 trip to Paris by friendodot
Quote: I'd heard Thanksgiving was a great time to go to Paris, so we left on Thanksgiving morning and spent 9 glorious days there. It wasn't crowded and the temperature got a little chilly, but it didn't really stop us. It's much preferable than the summer with the heat and the crowds.
Overview
We walked to La Defense, Champs Elyssess, and beyond and really saw how the whole city was laid out and connected. It was also good exercise. The Métro is terrific, especially when you're tired, but on foot, Paris is even better. We also took a short trip to Versailles, though it was a bit too cold that day to explore the garden and the Hall of Mirrors is undergoing renovation, so it was covered up. Overall, I'd say it was my best trip to Paris yet.
The Métro was terrific, of course. We got a Carte Orange, which we gave us unlimited access to the Métro Monday to Sunday. You need a passport-sized photo with it, though, so make sure you bring one or get one at a photo booth (there are lots of photo booths in Paris that actually work, unlike in the US).
Hotel | "Hotel Boissière"
I liked the neighborhood a lot. It was residential and not touristy at all, so I felt I was seeing how Parisians really lived. There were restaurants all around, a supermarket, etc. If you were to choose this option and you don't mind stairs, choose one of the top floor rooms. When you get to the top of the stairs, a door opens onto a walkway that's outside. So you get a view and you also escape the smoke that builds up inside the hotel (this is Paris, after all, where everyone smokes).
Member Rating 3 out of 5 on March 10, 2005
Boissière 53, rue Jean Jaurès Paris, France 92300 33-1-47377329
Restaurant
Member Rating 5 out of 5 on March 10, 2005
Les Fetes Galantes 17 rue de l'Ecole de Polytechnique Paris, France 01 43 26 10 40
Attraction | "Walking to La Defense"
Défense Parvis de la Defense Paris, France 92800
friendodot Los Angeles, California