BS: Paris trip - suggestions sought

Subject: BS: Paris trip - suggestions sought
From: GUEST,lee
Date: 07 Jul 03 - 04:13 PM

Subject: RE: BS: Paris trip - suggestions sought
From: Kim C
Date: 07 Jul 03 - 04:38 PM

Well, it's been a long time since I went to Paris. But I had fun there. Sure, everyone told me that Parisians are rude, but that wasn't the experience I had. I was there on a student trip, so we did all the touristy things because time was short. I enjoyed the Louvre and Versailles, and my professor took us to some little back-alley restaurant that was fabulous - except that the toilet was a hole in the sidewalk out back!

Go; enjoy, :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Paris trip - suggestions sought
From: LadyJean
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 12:25 AM

DON'T WEAR PANTYHOSE! THE LAND OF VIVE LA DIFFERENCE IS ALSO THE LAND OF THE COED URINAL.
They make a point of not understanding your high school French, even if they do. Quebecqouis are delighted if you speak French to them. French people tell you to speak English, even if they can't.

Subject: RE: BS: Paris trip - suggestions sought
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 10:31 AM

There's been a glitch. My message, which should have been the first in this thread, didn't get posted. To back up then -

I've been to Paris once, and I've been to the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Musee d'Orsee. Yes, I know I could go back and see more art, but I've seen so much art in so many museums, I'm tired of it. When I return to Paris, I would like to do something that I really like. Here is a list of things I like, so you can get some idea of what I mean:

fabric and sewing
beads
traditional music
early music
birdwatching
walks in a woods
seeing people have fun, but not in a huge stadium
watching dogs catch Frisbees

We are going the second half of September, and we are also going to Lyons. In fact, one of my favorite things about the last trip was our visit to the DMC store in Lyons.

Any suggestions?

Subject: RE: BS: Paris trip - suggestions sought
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 11:38 AM

The best thing to do is take me with you, I'll personally assist you to get drunk, and fat.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Paris trip - suggestions sought
From: mg
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 12:12 PM

get a boat pass for the Seinne and use it for your major mode of transportation. mg

Subject: RE: BS: Paris trip - suggestions sought
From: Kim C
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 12:18 PM

LadyJean, that was not at all the experience I had. I got along very well with my high school/college French, and no one asked me to speak English. I found that as long as I was willing to try and communicate on their terms, the French people were more than willing to go along with me.

DMC factory! Wish I could go!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Paris trip - suggestions sought
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 11:04 PM

Mary, thanks for the tip about the boat pass. I'll look into it. But are you sure you're not thinking of Amsterdam?

Kim C: it wasn't a DMC factory, it was a DMC retail store. Every kind of embroidery thread you can imagine, and lots of cool beads.

Keep the ideas coming. I'll be back.

Giok: I can't take you with me. I'm already taking two friends and a husband. I never get drunk, and I'm already fat. Walking the streets of Paree will do me good.
-----------
Side note: a few minutes ago, we had no phone service. I called the phone company to tell them that I hadn't received a bill, but they wouldn't talk to me until I gave them the secret code off my bill.

Fortunately, the gods restored my service as whimsically as they had taken it away.

Subject: RE: BS: Paris trip - suggestions sought
From: mg
Date: 08 Jul 03 - 11:16 PM

positive. I took one look at Amsterdam and left immediately for other parts of the Netherlands. mg

Subject: RE: BS: Paris trip - suggestions sought
From: GUEST,M'Grath of Altcar
Date: 09 Jul 03 - 08:52 AM

A few interesting things to do in Paris:

A walk in the Bois de Boulogne would satisfy the need for woods

For Beads Fabric etc The Flea market is a must.

Try the Tunisian restaurants. (Chakchouka is recommended)

If you have a student card, there are student restaurants dotted all round Paris and they are the cheapest place to eat in Paris. They use a voucher system.

Great folk music shop in Rue Quinampoix near centre Pompidou

I think there is a folklore museum. (Musée Folklorique) North end of Bois de Bologne. They had an exhibition of Hurdy Gurdys on when I was last there.

There used to be a great whats on guide called Pariscope.

Have a FANTASTIC time!

Subject: RE: BS: Paris trip - suggestions sought
From: Peter T.
Date: 09 Jul 03 - 09:03 AM

Someplace people never go is up in the area north of Le Marais where the old canal is. You might as well be in the Netherlands, doesn't feel Parisian at all (the canal shows up in Amelie and in the old film L'Atalante). If you like walking around, you should go to Pere Lachaise cemetery, which is rich in history, and parts are very beautiful. Although you say you are saturated in art, you might consider going to the Musee Marmottan, which is small and fine and most art goers have no idea it is in Paris. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Paris trip - suggestions sought
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 09 Jul 03 - 12:54 PM

Ooooohhhhh luuuverlee!

I can recommend a trip on the river, especially if you get an English speaking guide as they can give you a lot of info about the city. It is very beautiful walking along the river to spot the modern statutes too.

There is a tourist bus company which is well worth investing in. They have 3 main routes and these take in virtually all Paris. You buy a daily or weekly ticket and can chop and change between the routes. They are well publicised all over the city. I found it gave me a good basis to make sure I saw everything.

Some of my favourite things to do in Paris:

1. Just go up to Montmartre and sit having a coffee at a pavement café and watching Parisian life go by.

2. There is a beautiful walk down from the Sacré Coeur through the Square D'Anvers which is very beautiful.

3. If you head off into the Latin quarter you will find several jazz clubs and piano bars abound.

4. A walk along the Left Bank looking at the art and books on display on the stalls there. Everytime we go there we manage to pick up something for the house. It is an exciting and vibrant place to be.

I found Parisians very helpful and always willing to help school-girl-french. They seem to love it when you try to speak their language and will spend time teaching you the correct pronunciation etc.

One of the best pieces of advice I can give though is - GET A GOOD GUIDE BOOK!

As to a DMC shop - WHERE? I found a derth of craft shops, although there are quite a few fabric shops around and a whole road of them going up to the Sacré Coeur.

Mary: What on earth's wrong with Amsterdam?

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: BS: Paris trip - suggestions sought
From: Kim C
Date: 09 Jul 03 - 01:33 PM

Factory, retail store... whichever! I love DMC threads. For some reason the variegated embroidery flosses are almost impossible to find, unless you buy them in the boxed set... which I did! I rarely do needlework anymore, but I still buy stuff for it... you know, for when I have that Copious Spare Time... ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Paris trip - suggestions sought
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 09 Jul 03 - 02:08 PM

Do you live in England Kim? If so you can buy these threads from Hobbycraft shops. You can also get them from online places, such as Tandem Cottage.

ZM

Subject: RE: BS: Paris trip - suggestions sought
From: mg
Date: 10 Jul 03 - 09:43 AM

I'm sure nothing is wrong with Amsterdam except for right around the train station...which is where I made my decision...same could be said for Seattle etc...plus the train station had exactly 2 toilets for the whole station..and they were coed..they were remodelling or something but it was nuts. mg

Subject: RE: BS: Paris trip - suggestions sought
From: Peter T.
Date: 10 Jul 03 - 10:12 AM

Amsterdam is a great city except for right around the train station!!!!!


Another museum that no one ever goes to, but which is one of the great museums of the world, is the Musee Guimet on the Place Jena. Its collection of Asiatic art is virtually unequalled anywhere.

The Rodin Museum in the Hotel Biron is well worth a trip, and it has a nice garden at the back -- you can get a reasonable lunch there too.

Always good for stranded Anglos is the English language bookshop on the Rue de Rivoli, about a block from the Place de la Concorde.

If you want a real walk in the woods, take an hour train to Fontainebleau -- you can see the monster chateau, walk in the beautiful gardens, and you can rent bicycles that will get you into the Forest of Fontainebleau in about 10 minutes. Easy to do in a day.

yours,

Peter T.

yours,

Peter T.