Paris-The ultimate tourist destination

Hi Guys,

I am pleased to share my wonderful experience in Paris which I conclude as the ultimate tourist destination in the world. There is truly no match for the beauty of Paris. I rate Paris as number one because its beauty, history, cleanliness, high fashion and liveliness ,  great food and music. And people are wonderful as everything French is.

Since Paris is frighteningly expensive we have to be prepared to insure ourselves with precise info which comes only after loosing quite a bit of money. Hence, I put my best efforts to provide useful tips to roam around Paris City and still make it affordable. Better be smart.

Remember even if you take a picture of a street side painter or a great thinker on the street you better pay up because you are using his services in terms of him providing you an opportunity to take a picture !!. It is indeed expensive.

Few points before starting on Paris.

1. Carrying a Metro map of Paris is a must. Once you are there you can get as many maps free of cost at the metro ticket centers. Buy the billetes of 10 for about 10 euros. Each journey will cost you one Euro whatever the distance in bus or metro where the same kind of billets work. Each journey use one.

http://www.plandeparis.info/metro-paris/metro-paris.html

Important Metro junctions for change over- Chatelet, Gare du Nord, Franklin D Roosevelt, Charles de Gaulle, Tracadero, St Michel,  Porte   de Versailles. There are 14 metro lines of different color schemes. No 1 and 14 being automatic.

2.Do not hesitate to travel in local bus as it is very easy to understand the scheme.  Mostly zone 1 tickets are fine everywhere in Paris excepting La Defense which is another zone I think. Prefer you to buy tickets (billetes) of 10 which can be used judiciously. A regular pass seem to be a wasteful if you do not use enough.

3.Cycle: Cycles are available for rent, but this is entirely self driven exercise, in the sense you have to reach out a good cycle stand and use your credit card in the kiosk and it will block 150 Euros per cycle. The first 29 minutes is always free when a cycle is removed from its slot and the second half hour will be 1 euro, after that it will be bit expensive. You can put back the cycle at any other location where there is a stand. Only thing is at least one slot should be vacant. So always better to change at least every hour. Bit tiring but usage charges are tricky so beware. Ensure the returned bikes are safely locked at the parking-150 Euros at your risk !!

http://en.velib.paris.fr/Subscriptions-and-fees/Usage-charges

4. Breakfast- Cooking at aparthotel in the morning is not a great idea. Better head to any of the MONOPRIX super market and buy your croissants at the best prices. You can do it right away in the morning after 8 AM. Buy enough water, coke, juices at supermarkets, else it will be costly affair at tourist centers. Carrefour can be another option for shopping ready foods. They have already prepared salads, non veg stuff and baked beans etc at a great price. Alternatives are normal bakeries termed Patisserie where you get excellent bakery products.

Iyengar Bakery !!  It is said that Hassan Iyengar Bakers learnt their baking skills from the French in the 18th Century during the Mysore wars of Tippu Sultan against the English. Tippu had engaged the French in old Mysore to fight his wars as mercenaries. In the process French wanted the French food to be prepared by Tipu’s local men as the French could not manage to bring along cooks for the ensuing wars. It was decided over a sword against the necks of certain Iyengars families of Hassan to start their new jobs immediately or pay with their heads cut. Once the war ended the outcastes of that day chose the bakery profession. A thriving business today !!

http://dessertfordinner.blogspot.in/2010/11/american-smackdown-in-paris-le.html

5.Toilet- If you are travelling in cold weather you will end up losing a lot of money on toilet entries. Public toilets are bit difficult to operate and it will take your precious time away in the queue. Technology can sometimes embarrass due to its inability to adjust with human nature.  Best thing to do is head to a decent Café and buy a coffee and use the toilet. You can also check on the toilet before you place your coffee order and tell him the reason for your coffee. 1.5 Euros well spent

6.Taxis are not very expensive. 3 to 20 Euros within the city.  Altough tourist generally do not use taxi much.

7.Gare du Nord-Indian Food. If you crave for Indian Food you could go to Gare Du Nord Indian shopping area. It is bit tedious to reach the place as time is precious for you in Paris on a short stay. Anjappar(non veg) and Krishna Bhavan (Veg)  are providing good south Indian meals at a reasonable price. There is also one newly opened Saravana Bhavan(new). There are many fakes, be aware!!. You have to get to the last stop on No 72 bus and walk out of bus stop and take a left and ask anyone.

8. And come on be fashionable and catch up with the trends.

9. Shopping here is not a great idea.

10.Souvenirs-I collect soverigns in the form of Tickets to museum entries, bus tickets, metro maps etc and frame them.!!. It really adds value than regular key chains and post cards.

Places in Paris

1.Eiffel tower and Tracadero-2nd floor tickets to be purchased online for better rates and to avoid time at the queue. Walk around the Eiffel tower towards Trocadero where the water fountains are located. Behind the Eiffel tower to the long park area is worth taking a stroll and here you can get an excellent view of the Eiffel tower for photographs.

Metro station-6-Bir Hakeim or 6-9-Tracadero stations

2.  Seine river cruise-Do it in the evening just before sun set-start from Bastile circle

(It is unique to start from here because of the lowering the boat from a higher waters to the main stream of seine river with an ancient flood gate. It is an architecture to wonder. There is a statue of liberty miniature version near to Eiffel Tower on the seine river. Can visit this place if time permits.

Metro: Multiple access to the river at various points. The key Paris tourist sites are on the path of the river. Line 6 and 4 will be useful.

3. Bastile: Before staring this cruise be there at least 1 hour before and have a stroll in the Bastille area. Nothing much here excepting the wonderful paintings at the Metro on the subject of Taking of Bastille itself !!(The hot spot of the French Revolution). The circle was the place of the old Bastile prison, I think it still exists underground. The statue at the centre of the circle is called the July Column.

On a weekend mornings there will be wonderful fair conducted here. Sea foods like oysters are sold in open and given to taste. Very expensive though. The villagers are allowed to directly sell to the consumers on weekend mornings throughout Paris. You can ask for the nearest spot near to your home stay as well.

Metro:Line 1 and 8

4. Napoleon’s Tomb-in 7th Arrond-Musee(Dôme des Invalides) –  Ecole Military. Good place to stroll if you have time and if you are keen in covering this historic place

http://www.musee-armee.fr/en/collections/museum-spaces/dome-des-invalides-tomb-of-napoleon-i.html

Metro: Line 8.

5. Louvre Museum-Do not miss the Egyptian sections, European Art and the Monalisa painting. You are allowed to take pictures even of the Monalisa, so recharge your camera cells.

Better to study the Louvre museum map before you go to avoid waste of time. Do not buy the voice interaction guide, is will cost 6.5 Euros and not much useful to cover the sheer volume of objects in display.

http://www.louvre.fr/en

http://www.louvre.fr/en/plan

Metro line 1 and 7. Use 1. The metro photograph is a must.

6. Tuileries Garden-Opposite the Louvre Museum(Palace) the pyramid build by Francis Mitterrand. In front of it is a gate with the Sun Chariot (I think it is built by the Sun King). The entire green garden in front is the Tuileries Garden.

Metro: Line 1

7. Place de la Concorde : Walk from Louvre Museum towards the western side at the far end you will see the Egyptian Oblisk (Read information on this oblisk) is placed at Place de la Concorde. A huge public square which was the very place of execution of Luis the 16 and his wife Marie Antoiniette with the guillotine which was placed here during the Reign of Terror after the revolution. Here take a right towards the north side and you will find an ancient temple, now called the Madeleine Church. Splendid architecture on the exterior.

Metro Line 1

8. Champs de Elysees– From concorde you better take a bus which there are plenty till the Champs De Elysees. Even though the fashion street (Champs de elysees) appear very close from Concorde area it is very tiring to walk. You stop at Rond-Point Des Champs Elysees where the famous(for us) State Bank of India is located (rather hidden insignificantly-do not try to locate it as it will be waste of time !!)

Metro : Line 1 and Line 6 if you are coming from Eiffel Tower. This lands you at Charles de Gaulle.

9. Arc de Triomphe– Reaching the end of Champs De Elysees will get you to Arc De Tripmphe which is Indian equivalent to Amar Javan Jothi of World war victims and heros. At the end of champs de elysees to the right hand side you will see the Embassy of Qatar, just opposite that you will find an underground path way to Arc de Triomphe which you should walk down. It is free to go up to this Arc itself. Only going to top of that structure costs about 10 Euros which is not really useful.

Metro : Line 1. Clemenceau/Franklin D Roosevelt/George V are good spots to get down and walk. Can cover along with Item 8 above.

Lido Theatre-The famous Lido Theatre is on the Champs de Elysees. Plenty of perfume shops can make us financially weaker J if you get in and speak to a representative.

Metro: Line 1- Can cover along with Item 9 above.

10. Roland Garos-French open tennis tournament club- http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/

If you wish to have a guided tour of Roland Garos you can as well head west of Paris in a bus. The cost is around 10 Euros per head. One hour guided tour to the famous clay court of tennis. Can skip this if not a great fan of tennis.

11. Notre Dame de Paris and Saint Michel– This is a perfect place to be at around 4 in the evening and stay around the area till late evening. This entire region is along the Siene river with Latin Quarter near by as well as the famous Da Vinci Code site-Saint Sulpice.

Going up the Notre dame church is your choice as it cost about 15 Euros per person. But there is plenty of things around this place and you will run short of time. Just cross the river by walk and you will get Saint Michel statue  where you will find the real French atmosphere , break dancing by some blacks, French painters doing magic in their hands.

Plenty of restaurants in this area. Behind the statue to the right just walk a few yards you will get Arabic style restaurants which are cheaper and tastier. Other best Vegetarian sandwich spot is MASS fast food joint towards the regular restaurants towards the left side of the statue(you face the statue and it is left for you). This sandwich shop charges 5 Euros and you are offered unlimited salad options, the only plan is to ensure that your pita bread is not exhausted. So keep refilling till your pita bread lasts J. The bars which break crockery are gay bars, do not enter, anything can happen here!! But you should walk around this place and shoot pictures. There is a wonderful chocolate shop which offer drinking chocolate for 5 Euros and above which is high calories stuff but worth at least one cup.

Metro: 1, 4 and 14 stop at Chetlet. Or line 4 at St Michel.

12. Saint Sulpice– Da Vanci Code has made this pagan temple famous. As you get there you will easily realize this could not be a recent church from its interiors and exterior design as it has very ancient history. The rose line meridian is on the floor of the church which is a star attraction. Then there is the stained glass PS symbol across both sides of the hall on the high windows indicative of Priory of Scion. Impressive place and easy to do along with Latin Quarter.

Metro:Line 4. Also close to Mabillon on line 10.

13. Moulin Rouge-Dance show- Very expensive and can skip-http://www.lonelyplanet.com/france/paris/activities/theatres-concert-halls-cinemas/moulin-rouge-show-paris

Metro : Line 2-Place de Clichy or can walk from Anvers(Montmartre church)

14. Musee de Orsay (Museum) Can see from outside as Louvre will enough of museum stuff. Surely an external visit will be ensured while you walk along the Seine river. Can skip.

Metro: Line 12 is nearest and the nearest stop is Assembly Nationale

15. Versailles Palace– Get an RER railway ticket at the  station before you make the journey. Versailles is very close to Paris even though there is lots of travel within Paris to reach the right station. But the below link will ensure you do not waste time in locating the nearest RER railway. RER is suburban railway apart from Metro. Once you reach Chateau de Versailles station, get down and walk outside the station and take one right and one left. The next moment you will be stunned to see the vast open space and the Palace straight ahead of you to remind you of the aristocracy of France and the great era of Luis the 14 who finally made it this big as you see today. At the palace you will be seeing a flood of humanity at the ticket counter so watch out and buy your tickets before you get there-Online which will be cheaper also.

16. Sacre-Coeur Basilica-Montmarte–  To get there is by Metro to St Anvers on the Map. Get down and walk uphill. Be polite to the blacks who try to sell you some unwanted friend ship bands and so. Say no thanks they will move on. Pick pockets in plenty here. Do not go far from the crowd here.

http://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/

Metro:Anvers on line2

17. Pont de Alma-Diana Point where she died in the underground tunnel. There is a memorial where people flock and write good and bad of her.

Metro-NO METRO Available. Can go by bus or walk from Champs de Elysees(bit far though)

18.Montparnasse building-If you happen to stroll in that area you can have an external view. Not a must-Metro Station-Montparnasse. Theres a great bar called Falstaff. You will find great options in beer. Don’t miss if you are arround. Also there is a huge Monoprix in Montparnasse area. And there is also a huge train station connecting you to various places in France.

http://www.falstaffbrewing.com/history-falstaff-brewing.htm

Metro ; Line 13, 4 and 12

19.La Defense Business District- Grand Arche and Esplanade. There is a mall on the far left hand side next to the Grand Arche. You can have a great view of Paris City covering huge distance from Champs de Elysees, Concorde, and Louvre palace.

Metro : Line 1

20. Disney Paris-Full day required. By tickets online which is about Euros 55 per adult. Kids may be around Euros 40. There could be offers please check out. Be there early in the day and carry some food.

RER Suburban trains only.

https://www.booktickets.disneylandparis.com/tnsa6/live/shop/9/MAINUSCD/pluto/product_list.php?affid=SECUTIX&tduid=32454335543R

21. Boulogne park-Its a huge park area where Roland Garos is also located. If you want to cycle here is a great spot to wander around. It is located in the west of paris. Along with this you can touch the Long Champs the great Paris horse racing club.(Can miss the race club).

 

This is my entry for Skyscanner link below.

http://www.skyscanner.co.in