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Just a few blocks from the left bank end of Pont Neuf. Beautifully decorated, as if it had been redone last week. 5-8 minute walk to either St Michel or Odeon metro stop. 15-20 minute walk to Notre Dame. Provides hair dryers, and amenities like shampoo. Modern bathroom. They also offer for sale the carte musee (museum pass) with no additional mark-up on the prices. Rooms facing rue Dauphine do get some street noise from traffic or horns, but not terrible. "Superior twin room" was 1550 FF.

Historical building, simple but very pretty decor, excellent food. A la carte about $60-$80pp, there is a less expensive prix fixe menu. Wine available by the glass. Closed Sun. Restaurant had a cameo appearance in the William Hurt film "The Accidental Tourist". It's one of my favorite places in Paris. Very good value. Try the sliced duck.

I've had dinner twice at Le Violon d'Ingres, and was even more thrilled the second time. As far as I can tell, it's perfect. Advance reservations are essential. This is a place to dress a bit, people come in formal business attire. Closed Sun and Mon. Purely French food, with astounding modern twists and variations. Guinea hen with turnips, a lentil soup that seems to be made only of air and essence of lentil, lamb, venison. Non-intimidating cheese offerings. In general the service is friendly, helpful, and yet with some formality. The chef Christian Constant started as a pastry chef, so I can assure you that the desserts are both unusual and sublime. Wine available by the glass. Crowd a mixture of Americans and Parisians, most Parisian arrivals are after 8pm. Plan on at least 1500FF for two with a couple of glasses of wine.

On the left bank, just opposite Notre Dame. This is on one of the oldest streets in Paris. The cafe has a fireplace to feel cozy around, very good food, and excellent desserts. At lunch time they get a mix of casual drop-ins and business people. They are open for lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. Basically continuous service from noon to midnight, so it's a particularly good place to go to, as we did, on your day of arrival when you're not sure if it's breakfast, lunch, or dinner time. We ate a proper European lunch (with courses!) and therefore happily made do with purchased cheese and fruit for "dinner" in our hotel room before we collapsed for the night. Next door is the famous English-language bookstore Shakespeare and Co.

Open from 8:30 am. Closes around 6:30 or 7. Lunch food of all kinds, and it's pretty good. But the croissants, hot chocolate, pastries, and other desserts are beyond wonderful. At peak lunch hours you may have to wait for a table. The line for people buying pastries and cookies to take home is pretty impressive. They are famous for their macaroons. They will also pack a box of tea sandwiches for you to take on the plane or train. Visit their website by clicking here. (They have a newer location also at 75 Champs-Elysees and also one in the Printemps department store with beautiful décor.) Lunch and afternoon tea is served in the store location.

Another Alain Ducasse success. Modern décor, very trendy crowd, place doesn't fill up until after 8:30. I would describe the dress code as casual chic. Unusual food, Asian and American influences, with interesting combinations of spices and herbs. You can make choices about which sauce or vegetable to have with which dish, although there are suggestions. Wait staff correct, but not overly friendly. They seemed pretty rushed. They also have wines by the glass, and the wine list has more non-French offerings (including Californians) than French ones. Many vegetarian alternatives. Dinner for two cost 1145FF. If caramel ice cream is offered for dessert, don't miss it. I'm still thinking about it.

www.pagesjaunes.fr/ the "yellow pages" in French, with maps
www.voila.fr web phone directory
www.paris-anglo.com excellent site, many suggestions for sightseeing, daytrips, shopping, etc including special activities for English-speakers
www.earthlink.net/~primos/paris.html contains a personal description of Paris' arrondissements.
www.smartweb.fr/paris/ see "Transport" for Metro info; see "Money Guide" for color photos of paper currency and coinage, also virtual visits to museums
http://info-france-usa.org/america/embassy/custom information on French customs, bringing animals
www.1france.com travel packages for France, destination guides, gifts, food, hotel info
www.info-france-usa.org French embassy site, has info for travelers (holidays, etc)
www.francetourism.com French Tourist Office. For brochures, in the US call (410) 286 8310
www.paris-capital.com
http://gotofrance.net/index.htm includes weather
www.webscapades.com/france/paris/paris.htmlimited hotel selection, good descriptions of arrondissements (districts) and neighborhoods
www.parisbalades.com architectual walks by arrondisssement, plus clicks to other sites for events, museums, etc
www.paris-touristoffice.com sightseeing, transportation, tours, things for children, hotels, etc
www.parisdigest.com has several additional clicks, including activities for children
www.pariswater.com fountains and email postcards
www.ratp.fr/ Paris transportation routes, airports, neighborhood maps
www.parisbalades.com/1cadrese.htm
www.francentral.com: food, travel, art, news, plus a selection of articles from the publication France Today
www.paris-tourism.com clicks for airports, sightseeing, paris for kids, walking itineraries for short visits, shopping, electricity, embassies,weather, hostels,etc
www.francekeys.com/ commercial site but links to lots of free info including passports, currency, French language practice on line, smaller Paris museums, email cards, book sightseeing and excursions, etc
www.ga/tes96.com/cam/Europe/France/Paris/index.html?travel.html links to hotels, restaurants, sightseeing
www.parisfranceguide.com/
www.allthingsfrench.com shopping
www.francekeys.com/english/general/shop shopping and other info, with links
www.babiole.com. tee shirts and souvenirs
www.myfrenchstore.com gifts, food
www.bleu-lavande.com products from Provence, including lavender, pottery, tablecloths, prices are in euros
www.loccitane.com Provencal products, including beauty products
www.frenchsoaps.com
www.franceandus.com products, videos, news
www.1france.com shopping hints, culture, buy products including food and posters
www.brittanybyways.com products from Brittany
www.frenchselections.com specialty foods, fragrances, candles, books
www.chapitre.com books in French
www.galerieslafayette.com Galeries Lafayette dept store
www.goutsdefrance.com French food products

www.intermusees.com/

Paris museum pass (available in English).

The intermusees web site provides a list of museums included in the pass, and all the places that are included are places where you can buy it. You want to buy it at a small museum to avoid the long lines at the Louvre, and the Musee D'Orsay. However, at the Orsay, you can buy it in the bookstore and still avoid the long ticket-buyers' line. You can also buy one at major metro stations, at the Tourist Information Bureau (Carrousel du Louvre, at the National Tourist Bureau: 127 avenue des Champs-Elysées, 75008 Paris (open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.), at railway stations: Information-Tourist Bureaux located in the Montparnasse, Nord, Est, Lyon, and Austerlitz stations. I bought one at my hotel front desk with no extra charge.

Take a look here as well:
www.tips4trips.com/
www.twenj.com/tipsplanning.htm

As I read once in an article written by a hotel concierge, the best thing you can do for your trip is to identify what you like; knowing what I like doesn't really help you since we don't know each other.

When you start to plan, ask yourself what interests you: Do you like art museums? Historical sites? Churches? Architecture? Gardens? Beaches and other resorts? What two or three things have you always dreamed of seeing? Which appeals to you more for this trip: leisurely strolling and relaxing or more task-oriented sightseeing?

What is your budget for hotels and restaurants, and/or for the entire trip? How much time will you have?

What are the ages and stamina level of everyone in your travel party? How do you feel about public transportation (trains, buses) vs driving? Most urban underground train (subway) systems require a lot of walking through station corridors and up and down multiple staircases-can you all handle that? Can your budget handle taxis or car services? Will each person be able to handle his/her own luggage? Do you have to bring a stroller or a wheel chair?

How might each person be affected by changes in schedule, changes in sleep pattern, new foods? Do you want to allow time in your schedule for naps or chill-outs during the day?

Do you and your companions want to see a few places in depth or more places superficially? Do you like to plan ahead, or decide things more spontaneously? How might you and your friends tend to react when things go wrong, for example if you miss your train or the hotel doesn't have a room for you or you get lost on the road? Do you all tend to have compatible habits regarding getting up early in the morning or staying up late at night, drinking wine with meals vs not, splitting bills vs itemizing them, eating a lot vs eating a little, spending freely vs frugally, etc. Are you all people who will express feelings and work out a compromise, or are some of you whiney or silent-sufferers? Are you willing to go off on your own for a day or an afternoon while the other person does something else?

What do you all like in restaurants: what kinds of food, what kinds of ambience and service, what kinds of prices? What kind of clothes will you prefer to pack and wear?: Strictly casual, like jeans, shorts, and sneakers, or less casual than that? Will you be primarily in cities, or in the countryside?

When choosing a hotel must your room have a view? An ensuite (private) bathroom? Do you want a shower or a tub? (You don't always automatically get both). If you had to make a choice between room space and old-world charm, which is your priority? Should your hotel have an elevator, air conditioning, and/or food available on the premises? Do you prefer that the hotel have a central location, or more away from the hustle and bustle?

These are just some of the questions that come to my mind when I plan a trip, and they may be helpful to your planning as well.

Paris Metro Information updated December 2000

www.ratp.fr. metro info, metro passes
www.subwaynavigator.com/bin/select/english/france/paris

In any metro station you can ask for the Grand Plan de Paris (grahn plahn duh Paree). It is an excellent bus map, and a metro map. Also good is the Michelin number 11 Paris Plan, available at newsstands.

When you take a metro you'll need to consult a station metro map to know the end points of your line, and the end points of any line you will be transferring to.

Depending on where you're starting from, you'll want to be heading in the Direction of (toward) one end point or the other. When you consult the metro map, find where you are. Then find your destination stop. Then keep your finger moving past your destination point to the end point of that line, that's the direction you want to head toward. A correspondence is an opportunity to transfer to another line, but again, you need to know which end point you want to head towards. La sortie (la sor-tee) is an exit.

By the way, a "gare" (rhymes with English "bar") is a railroad station. In French a "station" ("pronounced sta-see-own, sort of) is a metro station or train stop.

Large metro stations (Chatelet is only one example that comes to mind) that offer many opportunities to transfer also require much walking up and down several flights of stairs and long distances in corridors. Even smaller stations require stair climbing. Not recommended for the infirm, nor for people with luggage. The wheels you love on the bottom of your suitcases will become useless on those flights of stairs.

It is sometimes pleasanter and faster to take the metro to a station that if a little farther from your destination (or even leaving the metro and walking a few blocks) rather than climbing many stairs and taking long walks within the same station to transfer to another line to go only a short distance.

The metro stations can be very warm, even when the weather outside is quite cool. In summer they can be awful. Metro trains do not run from approximately 1:00 am to 5:30 am. A few night buses run during those hours.

NB: you must keep any RER ticket until you exit at your destination. You have to use it to go through the exit turnstile. You should also keep your metro ticket until you exit because theoretically someone could ask to see it.

A single ticket currently costs 8 francs and it is valid for one journey. It can be used for the metro, bus and RER within Paris. If you're going via RER outside the city, such as to Versailles, you'll have to buy the necessary separate ticket. A ticket used on the bus is not useable for transfer to the metro or RER.

Tickets are sold individually at tabac stores, ticket windows or via machines, and are also sold as a pack of 10 called a "carnet" ("car-nay") which in Dec 2000 cost 58FF. Most people who combine transportation with walking and spending time in museums, restaurants, etc. find that a carnet is more cost-effective than a pass. See more info on passes below.

Using one ticket, your complete journey must not take more than two hours, but you can transfer within the metro system as many times as you wish. On the RER system within Paris, your single metro ticket can be used, but outside of Paris the price of the RER ticket depends on the distance.

The transport network is divided into fare zones. A single ticket or travel pass must be valid for all of the zones through which you wish to travel. Zones 1 and 2 correspond to the city of Paris itself and a little of the suburbs. Make sure you buy a ticket with the right number of zones when you travel outside Paris. A 4-zone ticket will include Versailles, Orly and St. Germain-en-Laye. CDG airport is in zone 5. A 6-zone ticket will include Fontainebleau.

Electricity If you are American and your razor or hairdryer doesn't have dual voltage capacity, you'll need a current converter to change 220 v to 110 volts. However, dual voltage or not, you will need a plug adapter for French outlets. The one you want is oval and has two round prongs. Even with the proper voltage transformer and the proper plug adapter, American hairdryers and curling irons just don't work that well in Europe. They have less power and have been known to die altogether. I had a curling iron melt on me once. For the equivalent of about $15, you can buy a hair appliance in Paris and use it throughout Europe. However, it is difficult to find a French hotel bathroom that has an outlet for you to plug in a hair dryer or other appliance. The bathrooms often have low-voltage outlets for razors, but not for dryers. I have been known to move furniture around in the bedroom trying to get to a wall outlet, and from now on I bring my own extension cord. A hotel that supplies its own hairdryers is a plus. Many of the hotel web sites have this information.

If you get to Paris and have forgotten your transformer and plug, one place to buy one would be in the basement hardware department of BHV department store, 5 rue de Rivoli.

Telephones

French telephone numbers have 10 digits. Paris numbers begin with 01. If you are calling Paris from abroad, leave off the first 0. For example, to call a number in Paris from the US, dial 011 33 (country code for France), then 1 (0 is dropped), then the rest of the number. To call places within Paris, dial 01 then the number. To call other places in France, dial the entire 10-digit number.

Most public telephones in Paris now require a phone card Telecarte rather than accepting coins. Telecartes can be purchased at Bureaux de Tabac (tobacco shops), post offices, and newstands.

To use a Telecarte phone:
The digital readout says Decrochez, which means pick up the receiver. Insert the card into the slot, some have a little door that has to be closed. Message will read "Patient svp" which means you should wait. When the readout changes, dial your number. After your call is finished, hang up. The little door will open so you can remove your card.

Directory information in English for all of France, call toll free 05 20 12 02, Monday-Friday, 9-5.

Call to confirm schedules

1. Bateaux Mouches, Seine Cruise: www.bateaux-mouches.fr
Pont de l'Alma, Right Bank, Paris 8th. Metro: Alma-Marceau
Reservations: 01-42 25 96 10, Information: 01-40 76 99 99 Large boats, upper deck is open. Taped commentary. Departures: Mar-Nov:10am-10:30pm (every 30 minutes) daily. Nov-Mar: 11am, noon, 2:30pm, 4pm, 9pm.
Cruise lasts: 1 hr, 15 mn.
Lunch cruise: 15 Apr-15 Nov: 12:45pm Sat, Sun. Cruise: 1 hr, 45 mn. Reserve.
Dinner cruise: 8:30pm, daily. Cruise: 2hr, 15mn. Tie and jacket required. Reserve. Food is quite expensive, and mediocre at best.

2. Bateaux Parisiens, Tour Eiffel. Seine Cruise:
From Pont d'Ina, Left Bank, Paris 7. Metro: Bir-Hakeim
Reservations, information: 01-44 11 33 44
Departures: Mar-Sep: 10am-11pm daily (every 30 minutes) Oct-Feb: 10am-6pm daily (every hour) No commentary
Cruises last: 1 hour Lunch cruise: 12:30pm Sat, Sun. Cruise: 2 hours. Reserve.
Dinner cruise: 8pm, daily. Cruise: 2 hr 30 min. Tie and jacket required. Reserve. www.bateauxparisiens.com/english

3. Vedettes du Pont-Neuf : From Le Pont Neuf, Square du Vert-Galant, Paris 1. Metro: Pont Neuf. Small boats. Live commentary. Highly recommended as a boat choice.
Reservations, information: 01-46 33 98 38. www.pontneuf.net/
Departure: from 10:30am-6:30pm daily (every 30 minutes)
Lunch cruise: Noon or 1:15pm. Cruise: 1 hr. Reserve.
Dinner cruise: 9:30pm. Cruise: 2 hrs. Reserve.
There are also evening cruises without dinner. Recommended.

4. BatoBus is a trip along the Seine without commentary. April through September. Phone 01 44 11 33 44. You can get on and off at any of the stops: Eiffel Tower, Musee D'Orsay, St Germain, Notre Dame, Hotel de Ville, and the Louvre.
You can take the boat for only one stop, or buy an all-day ticket and get on and off as you like.


Yachts de Paris dinner cruise, said to have much better food than Bateaux Mouches www.lepaquebot.com/GB/bateau/

Seine river cruises: from Paris to other towns and back:
http://giverny.org/cruises/camille/index.htm
www.croisiere.com/pages/english/seine.htm

Paris Canal - www.pariscanal.com/


Fodor's forum, Jan 2001
"My favorite boat ride ever is the one on Canal Saint Martin. My wife and I took it on a beautiful summer day. We first visited the Musee de la Musique at La Villette in the 19th. Anyone who is interested in music and history should visit this museum. The boat leaves form a dock near the La Cite des Sciences et de l'Industrie. I believe it is about 40ff per ticket and is a lovely 2 hour meandering cruise through some very interesting parts of Paris, beginning in the 19th and ending up, after passing underneath the place de la Bastille, the surprising Port de Plaisane de Paris Arsenal which borders on the 4th. The entire time they play classic Edith Piaf and other French songs of the period. There is also a description of the passing sights. It is much more intimate than the Bateaux Mouches and more French than tourists.

National Holidays (les jours feries): New Year's Day, Easter Monday, Ascension Day (6th Thursday/40 days after Easter), Labor Day (May 1), Victory Day (May 8), Whitsun or Pentecost Sunday and Monday (second Monday after Ascension=7th Sunday after Easter, plus Monday), Bastille Day (July 14), Assumption Day (August 15), All Saints Day (Toussaint) (Nov 1), Armistice Day (November 11), Christmas Day.

Note that in May there is a national holiday nearly every week. On national holidays most stores and all banks will close; some museums remain open on some of them, but usually on a "holiday" schedule. Sometimes banks and stores will close early on the day before the holiday.

http://www.national-holidays.com/ dates of holidays around the world, including Paris

Maps--can be purchased in or ordered from most bookstores.
Good, pocket-sized, complete maps, including metro stops and bus routes:
1. Streetwise Paris, thin, water-resistant, complete for central Paris, clear to read. Your bookstore can order it from Streetwise maps, POB 2219, Amagansett NY 516 267 8617, or www.streetwisemaps.com.

2. City Flash Paris, thicker, slightly more complex, includes taxi stands, maps of Charles DeGaulle airport, clearer metro and bus map. More complete for outlying areas of the city.

3. The Paris Map Guide. A thin booklet really. Includes excellent sightseeing information and maps of the Bois de Boulogne and Versailles. Each map page is a section of Paris with excellent detail, but it is harder to get a geographic sense of the entire city at once. I suggest buying #3 and then also #1. During my 1999 trip to Paris, this publication (#3) which I'd bought for the first time, became my new best friend.

4. The Plan de Paris par Arrondissement is as much map as you could ever want, perhaps more than you need unless you're spending a long time there. It is sold in tabacs (tobacco stores) and news stands.

To order detailed transit maps for some major international cities, call Michael Brein Inc, 298 Winslow Way West, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 At 800 875 8083, i.d. number 0026
Each map is $5. Postage is $1 for one, $3.20 for more than one

www.longitudebooks.com travel books and maps

Excellent source to order or buy maps: Map Link, 30 S. La Patera Lane, #5, Santa Barbara, CA, 93117. phne 805 692 6777 or fax 800 627 7768. Thousands of maps of all areas and of all sizes and scales.

The following info on guidebooks appeared in the Nov-Dec issue of "France Today", a journal I subscribe to. The comments are theirs, not mine. Michelin Green Guide: seeks out lesser-known places of interest as well as well-known ones Michelin Red guide, now just called The Red Guide, features the Michelin star-rating system and comprehensive lists of hotels and restaurants Lonely Planet:for independent, budget-minded travelers. Many details provided, from eating options to gay and lesbian travel.

Fodor's France: Good for history and culture, and hotels mostly over $100 per night, with many restaurant listings without specific prices but with dollar-sign ratings.

Frommer's France: Aimed at a budget-minded audience, most hotels $100 per night or less. Also special topics like gay- and family-friendly hotels. Price ranges are listed for restaurants.

Insight Guide: Heavy, lots of pictures and maps, good historical facts. Better for pre-trip reading than for on-site carrying and reading.

Rough Guide-France: over 500 hotel and 500 restaurant reviews, mostly for budget travelers. Entertaining. Has over 100 pages on Paris.

French Bed and Breakfast: highly recommended for travel outside of Paris.

Fodor's upClose France: Fundamental and also less-obvious facts, very informative for history, culture. Good descriptions of budget hotels and restaurants.

Escape to Wild France: includes activities like hiking, biking, and details on flora and fauna.

The Independent Walker's Gide to France. Good in on walking times and levels of difficulty.

Lonely Planet Paris. What makes this book different are the special sections on gay travel, disabled travel, Paris for kids, renting a houseboat, etc.

Irreverent Guide to Paris (Frommer): Quirky, for the young and hip.

Rough Guide to Paris: entertaining, full-color maps, informative. Offers strong opinions rather than more neutral ones.

Must See Paris: not recommended, limited info.

Fodor's Paris 2000: Very useful, pullout map, hotels and restaurants at all price levels, but more are above the lowest budget levels.

Insight Guides Paris, short on hotel info, good for the highlights of Paris, includes a handy map, walking tour itineraries (as do other books)

Unofficial Guide to Paris: mid-range budget, money saving tips, candid restaurant reviews, useful maps,good hotel info.

Berlitz Pocket Guide to Paris: An "efficient" little book, enough info for the highlights, good travel and language tips. Because of its small size, a lot of cross-referencing is necessary, so it's not so easy to use.

Fodor's Pocket Paris 2000: A "treasure", all the essentials, small size, info easier to access than the equally-small Berlitz. (Elaine's comments, I love this one but it is better for repeat visitors, it has few hotel and restaurant listings, think of it as the "cliff notes" for Paris.)

Hello France: Recommended for budget hotel information in Paris and other cities.

Notably absent from the above info is the popular Eyewitness Guide which the article had a picture of but did not discuss, and the Rick Steve's guide. I personally think of the Eyewitness Guides as beautiful, good for reference and "souvenirs" because of the photos, but too heavy and too hard to use while traveling, and not enough details on hotels, restaurants, how to travel around, etc.

Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau: 127 avenue des Champs Elysees 75008. telephone 08 36 68 21 12, metro stop is Charles-de-Gaulle-Etoile or George V.

Open every day except May 1. Branch offices in the train stations (Gares), and also in the Eiffel Tower from May through Sept. Recorded information in English about cultural events: call 01 49 52 53 56. You can buy your museum pass at this agency.

These high-tech self cleaning toilets come complete with muzak. When you push the button, the door automatically opens (just like on Star Trek) and you step on a wet, freshly sanitized floor. In fact the whole toilet is sprayed with disinfectant after each use, which means the seat will be wet. Once you've paid your money you have 15 minutes to finish; after 15 minutes the door will automatically open and expose you to passing pedestrians. A lot of travelers think they can use these toilets for free by sneaking in while someone else is leaving. Don't do this! If you don't pay, the toilet thinks it is empty and will clean itself while you are in there. Expect the toilet bowl to disappear into the wall while you are sprayed with disinfectant.

At this point you can with museum pass (see above in website section for info) in hand, head for the Louvre, or better yet, start your day at the Louvre. It is beyond overwhelming, so do a little reading before hand and decide what you want to see.

http://boutique.louvre.fr Louvre shop
http://mistral.culture.fr/louvre/ The Louvre
www.louvre.fr Louvre tickets and guide
www.ticketweb.com Louvre tickets
Free maps of the Louvre in all languages are available at the information counter after you get inside. It is laid out sort of as a center area under the Pyramid, with three spokes: the Denon, Richlieu, and Sully wings. From the main entrance where you buy your tickets, you have to choose which wing you will enter first--consult your Louvre map for what interests you. In order to visit one of the other wings, you will have to return to the main entrance area, and enter one of the other wings.

Tips on the Louvre
Bring your own water bottle, since there don't seem to be water fountains, at least not that I can find. Alternatively, there is a snack bar on the mezzanine level just above the ticket-buying area where you can sit and enjoy beverages. There are free coat-check rooms behind the escalators. There are also restrooms, often with lines. The longest entrance line for the Louvre is the main one starting in the courtyard at the Pyramid. There is another entrance at Porte des Lions, between the Arc du Carrousel and the Tuileries Gardens. A highly-recommended entrance is the underground entrance from the metro stop "Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre". Exit at the far end of the platform where the sign says "direct access to the Louvre" and you will walk through the Carrousel shops and into the central ticket and information area. If you enter off the rue de Rivoli across from the Palais Royal, you can also take the entrance via the Louvre Carrousel shops. If instead you walk under the archway, you will find a guard who will let you enter through an express escalator if you have the museum pass or an advance-purchase ticket. If you don't have an advance ticket or a museum pass, I recommend that you get in line at least 30 minutes before opening time, or else go near the end of the day. The first Sunday of every month offers free admission to the Louvre and many other cultural sites, but the lines are even longer.

The Louvre offers periodic guided tours or a self-directed audio guide in English. For the audio guide, many of the most important art works have number codes; you punch the number into your audio guide for information on that work.

Surprisingly, flash photography is permitted in the Louvre in my experience, although the Louvre website says not.

After you've joined the crowd to see the disappointing Mona Lisa behind its glass barricade, take a couple of extra moments and walk a few steps to the right to see a couple of much more beautiful other paintings by Leonardo Da Vinci. My favorite is the Virgin of the Rocks.

A good article to give you an orientation to the Louvre:
www.canoe.ca/TravelEurope/louvre.html

Another useful note: The Louvre normally closes at 6pm but two nights each week, Monday and Wednesday, the Louvre is open until 9:45, although the entire museum may not stay open during the evening hours. The Louvre website will tell you which galleries and sections are closed on which days and evenings. The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays.

The Musee de la Mode at du Textile is a private museum, but part of the Louvre, housing changing exhibits on fashion. Open Tues, Thurs, Fri 11am-5:30, Wed 11am-9pm, Sat and Sun 10-5:30. Free for kids under 18. Enter 107 Rue de Rivoli, in the Rohan wing of the Louvre. phone 01 4455 5750.

Two post-Louvre suggestions:
Café Marly is under one of the arcades surrounding the Louvre courtyard and Pyramid. It is a little overpriced, but I loved having lunch there, on the outdoor covered terrace. Of course that depends on the weather. If I had to sit inside, I wouldn't bother going.

Or, have lunch or snack at the La Terrace restaurant of the department store La Samaritaine, store principal. Pont Neuf and Louvre are the closest Metro stops. La Terrasse is closed in the winter. La Samaritaine has everything from fashion to hardware. Also a surprisingly large selection of embroidery canvases and supplies. Its 5th floor restaurant, Toupary is considered the best store restaurant in Paris. You also get a view. Lunch and dinner reservations are highly recommended, as it seems to be a popular destination for business meals, and people who do not have reservations can wait a long time. Phone 01 40 41 29 29. Reserve in advance for a window-side table. Restaurant is open even after the store closes. View is better during the day; at night it is obscured by bright lights. On the same floor as Toupary is a stand-up snack and sandwich place, but we didn't try that either.

On the ninth floor of the store you will find a souvenir stand, rest rooms, and a staircase leading to an outdoor dining terrace with relatively inexpensive food (open only in season). However, from there you will see a small spiral staircase which leads to a circular observation deck, the railing of which has a map labeling every one of the many buildings and monuments you can see from this spectacular vantage point. 19 rue de la Monnaie, in the first, just at the right bank end of Pont Neuf.

Notre Dame, see inside and out.

(Use the Cite (see-Tay, my keyboard doesn't have accent marks) metro stop). Notre Dame was started in the 12th century and it took almost 200 years to build. If you want to you can climb 386 steps to the top of the Towers for a wonderful view, including the Eiffel Tower in the distance. You will see the famous gargoyles up close. This may have changed since the terrible storm in late December 1999 which inflicted heavy damage on some of the gargoyles. However decorative they are, most gargoyles were built to be rain spouts to funnel water away from the building. The English word "gargle" comes from the same root word.

In front of Notre Dame you can find an unlabeled staircase at the far end. It leads to foundations of the original Roman city of Paris (Lutetia). Behind Notre Dame is a park dedicated to Pope John XXIII and there is a clean public bathroom for which you'll need a 2-franc coin. Behind that park is the Deportation Memorial to French people who were deported to concentration camps during WW II. It is reached via a steep staircase. A crystal represents each individual (approx 200,000) and in the center is a tomb for an unknown victim. The Memorial is open from April 1st to Sept. 30th from 9am to noon, and from 2pm to 7pm. From Oct. 1st it closes at 5pm.
phone 01 46 33 87 56

To the north of Notre Dame, on Quai aux Fleurs along the river, you will find at numbers 9 and 11 the former home of the ill-fated lovers Abelard and Heloise. If you keep walking east on Quai aux Fleurs, you can cross the Pont St-Louis, to the Ile St-Louis. See more on Ile St-Louis below.

At the Cite metro stop you will see the Flower Market which on Sundays becomes a Bird Market. The colors in either market are gorgeous. From the Cite metro stop you cross a street and face the Palais de Justice. Tucked behind that is Sainte Chapelle, a masterpiece of gothic architecture and stained glass. If possible go on a sunny day to see the glass in its glory. You can buy a combined ticket for admission to both Sainte Chapelle and the Conciergierie (see below). Ste Chapelle features candlelit evening concerts occasionally, as do a few other churches. Again, this may have changed since the December 1999 storm which inflicted some damage. For Ste. Chapelle concert info, call 01 43 54 30 09. The Palais de Justice has been the headquarters of the judicial system for centuries, although much of the building was rebuilt in 1860 following a fire.

From the Palais de Justice, it's only a few steps around the corner to the left to the Conciergerie where many prisoners of the Revolution were held before execution. You can see Marie Antoinette's last cell, a guillotine blade, the Salles des Gens d'Armes (an impressive medieval hall), the kitchens with their huge cooking areas, etc. Spring, summer, and fall, open daily 9:30-6:30, winter 10-5.

ATMS and money

www.oanda.com/cgi-bin/travel currency converter
www.xe.net/currency currency converter
Master Card/Cirrus ATM Locator www.mastercard.com/atm
http://visaatm.infonow.net/bin/findNow ATM network for Visa system

For info on ATM locations in Paris that are part of the Cirrus network, in the US, call 800 4 CIRRUS.
http://europa.eu.int/euro/html/entry.html guide to the Euro
more info on the euro: www.twenj.com/euro.htm

At the change establishments all over Paris, you should be checking the Achat (buy) rate, not the Vente (sell) rate. It is considered best to charge as many purchases on credit cards as you can, as you'll get the best rate of exchange. ATM machines require a 4 digit PIN (Oct 99), and the first number should not be a zero. It is best to bring at least two cards, a credit card plus a debit card, in case one doesn't work. The most widely-accepted credit card in Paris seems to be Visa, followed by Amex and Master card. If you have an AmEx card, you can use it to get cash at the American Express Office near place de l'Opera at 11 rue Scribe, telephone 01 47 77 70 07, open Mon-Sat. Note that in France, American Visa cards are known as Carte Bleu

Try to have as little French cash left over at the end of your trip as possible, just enough to get you to the airport. If you have a bunch of coins, ask your hotel to give you bills in exchange when you check out. You can change the last of your French money at the airport, but bills only, not coins.

Many travelers agree that since the proliferation of ATM machines, traveler's checks are unnecessary. Many experienced travelers carry one or two checks in their home currency just for emergency backup in case you lose your ATM, credit, or debit card, or it doesn't work for some reason. If you don't use your traveler's checks you can deposit them into your bank account when you return home, or just save them for your next trip. Buying travelers checks in the local (foreign) currency before you leave home isn't an advantage according to many people. You lose money on the currency exchange rate at home, plus you usually pay a small fee for the traveler's checks themselves. Then when you get to Paris (or wherever) banks and some currency exchange desks will charge you a commission to cash the travelers checks for you, even though the checks are in francs. Your hotel and shops may or may not charge you to cash them. ATMs are easier all the way around, in my opinion, even if your own bank charges you an ATM fee. In the end, unless your transactions involve many thousands of dollars and many cash withdrawals, the differences in fees and commissions probably aren't that significant from one method to another. Of course, the fees and interest applied to cash advances on credit cards are exorbitant compared to the small fees which may apply to using your debit card/ATM card to take money from your bank account.

VAT tax refunds (info current as of 12/00)

If you've been in the country less than 6 months and you are not a resident of a European Union country, you're entitled to a refund on the Value-Added Tax on purchases made in France. You must spend at least 1200 F in the same store, but it doesn't have to all be in the same day. Food, wine, and tobacco don't count. The refund will amount to between 13% and 16%. The refund is granted only on purchases you are carrying home with you. The department stores and most stores that are used to dealing with American tourists can assist you with this. The store will fill out an export document, a triplicate form. You'll also be given a stamped envelope addressed to the store. Go to the airport or train station early, in case there's a line at the Detaxe counter. You will need to present your passport, and may be asked to show your plane/train ticket as well as the merchandise itself, so don't pack it in your checked luggage. The French customs official will stamp your form. Detach the pink copy, insert it into the envelope, and mail it in a mailbox (boite aux lettres= bwot o lettr) in the airport or train station. Keep the green copy as your receipt.

Giverny: (pronounced, sort of "zhee vair Nee", emphasis on last syllable For train service, go to: http://voyages.sncf.fr/

Giverny is a small town which contains a museum of American Impressionism, as well as the last home of painter Claude Monet. www.giverny.org/
http://giverny.org/giverny/index.htm has lots of info, including cruises on the Seine from Paris

Fondation Claude Monet
open April 1-Oct 31 Tues-Sunday, 10-6, closed Monday
call 33-2-32 51 28 21 Wednesday is the lightest day in terms of crowds, but that doesn't mean it won't be crowded.

By train: from Gare St Lazare, take train toward Rouen, get off at Vernon. The ticket/information office at St. Lazare SNCF station will give you an English brochure about Giverny as well as complete train and bus schedules.
From Vernon, take a bus or cab to Giverny.

By car, drive along the A13 Paris-Rouen. Exit after the first toll from Paris and follow the signs to Vernon, and then to Giverny, crossing a bridge over the Seine.

The website for Paris to Giverny (Vernon) rail service is:
http://www.raileurope.com/cgi-bin/fscgi.pl?F=Paris&T=Vernon&M= 6&D=15&Y=1999&C=US&submit.x=24&submit.y=1

This website has a lot of information on Vernon, including transportation options, even boats:
www.destinationserver.net/mbna/er/dest_er_france.asp

Bus tours to Giverny (it's less expensive, more under your own control, but less convenient, to go on your own): Cityrama, 4 pl des Pyramides,phone 01 44 55 61 00

Or, Paris Vision 214 rue de Rivoli phone 01 42 60 31 25
www.parisvision.com
American Express 11 rue Scribe phone 01 47 77 77 37

I've read that the RATP (metro system) also arranges tours to Giverny: from pl de la Madeleine, phone 01 40 06 71 45

If you go to Giverny on your own, try to avoid the days that Paris Vision and Cityrama run their tours, or at least go very early in the day before the buses arrive. If you can't avoid the bus tour days, or even if you go on a bus tour yourself, leave the crowds at the house when you arrive and follow the signs in the garden to the water lily pond (Bassin aux Nympheas). While the crowds are going through the house, you will see the pond and bridge with more tranquility. You can go through the house and gift shop before you leave. You will not be lost or abandoned as long as you know what time the bus is departing.

Not far from Monet's house and garden is the Musee Americain at 99 rue Claude Monet.

It is open from April October, closed on Monday. The collection includes works by American impressionists.

Chartres
Go to website www.raileurope.com to get train schedules to and from Chartres as well as fares. Or, also for train service, go to : http://voyages.sncf.fr/

For bus tours: www.parisvision.com and www.cityrama.com

At the Cathedral, Englishman Malcolm Miller gives his wonderful tours at 12 and again at 2:45 daily excepting Sundays, or on days a special event is taking place in the cathedral (like a wedding).

The noon tour is different from the afternoon presentation. Each is about an hour and a quarter, and starts near the gift shop in the cathedral. If you want to check to make certain he will be there, the telephone number is 02 37 28 15 58.

A pair of binoculars is very useful for seeing the detail in the windows.

Information on Chartres, including hotels and restaurants:
www.1heart.com/chartresadvice
also, www.ville-chartres.fr/


not such a good website except that you can see a map of the town:
www.chartres.com/va/bienvenu.htm

info on the labyrinth that is set into the floor of the cathedral:
www.lessons4living.com/chartres_labyrinth.htm

basic info, with links:
www.gofrance.about.com/travel/gofrance/library/blpages/blchartre.htm

Versailles - all information is subject to change

www.chateauversailles.fr/ telephone 01 30 84 76 18 or 01 30 84 74 00
The Chateau is closed Monday, but the Grand and Petit Trianons and the Gardens are open daily. Chateau open Tuesday-Sunday, October-April 9:00 am to 5:30 pm and May-Sept, 9-6:30, last entrance 30 minutes before closing. If you dislike crowds, arrive after 3:30pm and pay a reduced charge, tour the chateau, and, when days are long, tour the gardens after the chateau closes.

Garden admission, except for Fountain Sundays, is free. They are open from 7am to sunset, as late as 8:30 pm. The Grand and Petit Trianons are open May-Sept from 10am to 6pm; off season they are open 10-
The fountains are turned on every Sunday, April 9-October 5 (2000) and every Saturday from July 1 to September 30. (From 11:15 to 11:35, and from 15:30 to 17:00.) Check the website for the most current information.

To get there, take the RER line C to Versailles Rive Gauche (R.G.). The RER lines are suburban trains to and from Paris. Make sure your C train goes to Versailles Rive Gauche as the end destination. You'll have about a half-mile walk to the Chateau. You don't want any other Versailles stops as you will be farther from the chateau. There is a clean bathroom at the MacDonald's near the RER station - be nice and buy something.

When you leave the Rive Gauche station you will be on Avenue General de Gaulle. Head right on Ave. G deG and then left on the big Avenue de Paris which goes straight to the chateau.

Tourist information offices: across the street from the Rive Gauche Station (tel 01 39 50 36 22), also on the approach to the chateau and one at the chateau at the entrance.

You can take a taxi from Paris to Versailles which according to someone who did the math, saves money over the train fares for every four of you. To save a long walk, have the taxi drop you at the Petit Hameau.

Your options for tour tickets at Versailles are (check to make sure this info is still current): the main chateau with a self-guided walk; palace sections accessible only with a guide; and a tour of the Grand and Petit Trianons in the gardens. Acoustguides are available for use in the self-guided tours, as are free maps. The self-guided tour takes at least an hour.

To avoid the Versailles entrance lines, buy a Pariscarte (museum pass) which gives you 3 or 5 days access to museums and monuments. You will want this in Paris anyway to avoid entrance lines at the Louvre and the Orsay museums. See above, Paris Museum Pass. Pass holders will have a special entrance at Versailles, entrance A2, it's on the right when facing the chateau. The acoustiguide and the maps are very helpful, and you don't need to have the guided tour unless that is important to you. You can also buy a guidebook there.

If you don't have the Museum Pass, for the basic self-guided tour, join the line at entrance A. You will see the state apartments from the King's Wing, through the Hall of Mirrors, out via the Queen's Wing.

For a private tour, pay the basic admission at the same time you pay for your tour at entrance D. The guided tours in English are 60 or 90 minutes. The 90 minute version includes some of the kings' private apartments and the opera house, and is very good. Book tours early as they often sell out. They leave from entrance F.

Don't use up all your time and energy on the chateau tour and neglect the magnificent gardens and the two Trianons. Use a bathroom before you wander out to the gardens, as the toilets out there are few and far between. Marie Antoinette's favorite facility at Versailles was the Hameau, (Hamlet) her pretend little farm. There is a petting zoo there now. It's a half-hour walk from the chateau through the gardens to the Hameau. You can rent bikes, or take the tourist tram. Admission to the gardens is free except for the Sundays when the fountains are on. You can picnic in the gardens, but you'll have to check your bags or baskets while you do the indoor tours.

Try not to miss the King's Kitchen Garden, designed in 1678. Open weekends from April to October.

Visiting Normandy
www.dday.co.uk/ An amazing website about the Normandy beaches, done by an amateur historian who has clearly produced an expert labor of love

www.normandy-tourism.org

From Rick Steves's website March 2001:
"Caen's excellent Museum of the Battle of Normandy offers guided minivan tours of the D-Day beaches.
Tours include admission to the museum. Half-day tours depart at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. and cover Longues-sur-Mer, Pegasus bridge, Arromanches, Courseulles, and Douvres for $50. Full-day tours ( 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) add the American and German cemeteries, St. Mere l'Eglise, and lunch, and cost roughly $75. (Contact the Caen Museum and pay in advance, tel. 02 31 06 06 44 - as in June 6, 1944.)

Another option is Bus Fly which some of my (Elaine's) family used with happy results. They will pick you up at the train station (Bayeux or Caen), tourist office, or hotel and take up to 8 people in a van on a tour to the beaches or to Mont St Michel. Phone : 33/ 231220008 - Fax : 33/231 92 35 10 - e-mail : info@busfly.com website is www.busfly.com/

Bayeux:
Bayeux tourist office www.bayeux-tourism.com
telephone 02 31 51 28 28 fax 02 31 51 28 29

May 2000 Fodor's Forum: "Colonel Chilcott, is a retired British Lieutenant Colonel. He and his wife retired to a manor house in Bayeux where he rents out rooms, and also conducts private tours of the battle areas. He is very knowledgeable about all eras of history. chilcott@mail.cpod.fr www.vrbo.com/vrbo/352.htm phone 33 2 31 22 39 09."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Centre Guillaume le Conquerant (William the Conquerer), rue de Nesmond, Bayeux phone (0)2 31 51 25 50
fax (0)2 31 51 25 59
open daily in the winter 9:30-5:15, closed from aout 11:15 am to about 3pm
open daily summer 9am to 7pm not sure about mid-day closing
Video in French and English shown continuously throughout the day

tourguide for World War I battlefields, from Fodor's forum:
Malcolm Carpenter, www.euro-traveller.com/, and his email is info@euro-traveller.com.
Malcolm and his wife own a little farm house in NE France, and provide accommodations and tours of WW1 battlefields

train service info
www.sncf.com