Paris

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Paris, the Grandest City of All

A March 2000 trip to Paris by DT

Paris is one of the greatest cities on earth. The food,people,art,wine and sights are overwhelming. No European trip is complete without a stop in Paris.

  • 11 reviews
  • 5 stories/tips

Paris, the Grandest City of AllBest of IgoUgo

Overview

It's difficult to decide what is the greatest thing in Paris. I have always enjoyed exploring the different neighborhoods and street market. They give a good sense of the real Paris.

Quick Tips:

Pay in Francs. I continuously see Americans trying to pay in dollars. This is so absurd, they do take dollars. Would you take Francs here in the States? Also, if you are going to some museums, get a daily pass. Some hotels give them away for free! The pass allows you to go right into any museum, NO WAITING! Even if you have to pay for one (the sell them at Metro stations) it is worth it. The time savings alone at the Lourve and the Orsey is worth it.

Best Way To Get Around:

The Metro is extremely efficient. Walking through the neighborhoods is also a treat.

Bourgogne Et Montana HotelBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "Hotel de Bourogone et Montana"

This was a nice small hotel in a very quiet and affluent area. The rooms were a bit small and the elevator could barely fit two people. The staff was very nice, they do speak English. The rate comes with a breakfast. The food was pretty good. I would recommend this place because it was a good deal and the location is fabulous. It seemed that all the great sights of Paris were within walking distance.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by DT on July 26, 2001

Bourgogne Et Montana Hotel
3 RUE DE BOURGOGNE Paris, France
01-45512022

L' ArpegeBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

L'Arpege is the greatest restaurant I have ever been to. It is a 3 star restaurant and the food and service were worth every penny. We went with the chef's menu. It consisted of 12 courses with 2 bonus courses. Needless to say, we were stuffed. The meal was about 200 dollars. So be prepared. The wine list was top notch. We went with a '78 Latour. It was in flawless condition. The service was mindboggling. There are only a few restaurants in the States that even come close to this one. If you feel like treating yourself, come here. It is a block away from the Rodin Museum.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by DT on July 25, 2001

L' Arpege
84 rue de Varenne, 7e Paris, France
01-47-05-09-06

Les AmbassadeursBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Les Ambassaduers is in the Hotel Crillon. It is a great dining room with excellent food. It is a 2 star restaurant. The wine list is great and the service attentive. I felt, however, the service was a bit stuffy. Oh well, it was great nevertheless.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by DT on July 25, 2001

Les Ambassadeurs
10 Place de la Concorde Paris, France

ThoumieuxBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

This is a true French bistro. Thye fare is traditional French. The food was a great deal. The only drawbacks: tons of smoke and no English. Good Luck
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by DT on July 26, 2001

Thoumieux
79, rue St. Dominique Paris, France 75007
+33 1 47 05 49 75

Ambassade du Sud-OuestBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

This was a nice bistro that specialized in duck . The foie gras was fantastic. Try it with Sauternes, a classic match. I got the duck breast and my cousin got the duck confit, both were great. The waitress spoke English, that helped.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by DT on July 25, 2001

Ambassade du Sud-Ouest
46, avenue de la Bourdonnais Paris, France 75007
01 45 55 59 52

Musee d'OrsayBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Orsay"

The Orsay is a fantastic museum. It has one of the greatest collections of impressionist art in the world. There is also a good collection of sculptures in the atrium. The Orsay is a remodeled old train station, very cool. It gets very busy, I would suggest getting the musuem pass before you enter. You can just walk in, no waiting.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by DT on July 25, 2001

Musee d'Orsay
62, rue de Lille Paris, France 75343
+33 (1) 4049-4994

Musée RodinBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Rodin Museum"

This was Rodin's old house and studio. The work on display is very famous, including the Thinker and the Kiss. The garden is filled with his artwork. It is a very romantic place to take somebody special.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by DT on July 25, 2001

Musée Rodin
77, rue de Varenne Paris, France 75007
+33 (1) 44 18 61 10

Musée National Picasso ParisBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Picasso"

The Picasso is a great stop if you are a fan of his work. There is an extensive collection spanding his entire career. It was interesting to see the differences in his work. Plenty of erotic stuff also.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by DT on July 25, 2001

Musée National Picasso Paris
Hôtel Salé Paris, France 75003
+33 (1) 42 71 25 21

Willi's Wine BarBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

I have seen many cool posters in the States from Willi's so I decided to check it out. I guess other tourists had the same idea. It was a bar and grill with little Parisian feel to it. I was very disappointed. Also, I didn't think they had that great of a wine list.
  • Member Rating 1 out of 5 by DT on July 25, 2001

Willi's Wine Bar
13 rue des Petits Champs Paris, France 75001
+33 (1) 42 61 05 09

Musée du LouvreBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Louvre"

The Louvre is probably the greatest musuem in the world. The Mona Lisa is better in person than imaginable. Just stare into her eyes, it's difficult to explain. The layout of the museum is also fantastic. The Louvre makes our museums look silly.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by DT on July 25, 2001

Musée du Louvre
99, rue de Rivoli Paris, France 75001
+33 (1) 40 20 51 51

Eiffel TowerBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

It sounds cliche' but the Eiffel Tower really is that fantastic. I never get tired of looking at it in the evening. The sight nearly brings me to tears.

CrêpesBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

The Crêpes around the city are great. They are an inexpensive way of getting something to eat. I really enjoy the Nutella or the Grand Marnier Crêpes. Eat one with a Perrier. Heaven!

Notre DameBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

The Notre Dame is a must see. The impressive building is a wonder to look at. The stain glass inside is also impressive. The inside is very dark, but I think this gives it a real Middle Ages feel to it. The views form the bell tower are also great.

Rue ClerBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

This is one of my favorite things to do in Paris. The Rue Cler is one of the nicest food markets in the city. The shops are full of great meats, breads, chesses, and pastries, and fruits. I love checking out what Paris has to offer.

Les HallesBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

The Les Halles area is where all there old butcher shops and vegetables shops used to be. The area had many local cafe's,but most of them are now gone. A few, however, still have the local feel to them. The people are a little more blue collar around here. The specialty, if you can find it, is steak tartare. Rare ground up steak with an egg yolk on top. Look out for a heart attack.

About the Writer

DT
DT
LOS ANGELES, California

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