I’m going to be in Paris for about ten hours next Friday afternoon.
I will be with people who don’t drink so that’s out of the question. Hell, I tend not to drink.
Still: The wife and kid are staying home, and I want to bring them back something nice. The wife normally wears Sung, but some perfumes smell like RAID on her.
I’d like very much to bring something back to the wife and daughter, in the $50 range, and compact- I’ll have to carry it halfway across Africa before I can bring it back. Also, I need ideas where to go/what to do while there. I speak no french.
I had a similar layover in Paris by myself a few years back. It was a little longer. I think I was 20. I found a bar in CDG and started getting pissed on some terrible French beer - it was named after a year - 16-something? Then I had the unbelievable fortune to meet a cute local girl who ponied up something about equivalent of $100 American for a cab ride to the Eiffel Tower. We made out in the back of the cab and I had to pee real bad when we got there. She said (I’ll never forget these words): “You are a boy, zee whirrled eez your toilet!” So I took her cue and peed right on the base of the Eiffel Tower. It was 2 or 3 in the morning so very few people were there. No offense intended, I love France and the French, but I thought it was damn funny. Everybody I met were honestly some of the nicest people ever, but this was maybe 2 years before the invasion of Iraq / Freedom Fries, etc, so I don’t know if the general attitude toward Americans has changed or if you’re even American anyway. This is all very unhelpful to you but I love telling that story.
If I could say anything helpful, just try your hardest to speak any amount of French you know, no matter how infinitesimal. Even if it’s just bonjour. I did run into one lady, before I met the local girl, who acted like she didn’t know what the Eiffel Tower was until I dug real deep into the cobwebs of my brain and remembered they call it Le Tour Effel. After that she was friendly and helpful.
Go to Notre Dame, on the way out of it, turn left, cross the avenue and walk along the Seine, you may find some nice souvenirs there. Also try to get lost in the small, winding streets on that side of the avenue, very delightful little shops there, I had a wonderful dinner with a friend when I spent 11 hours in Pairs.
Yeah, the area around Saint Michel/Notre Dame is great for touristy things/souvenirs.
If you’re getting into CdG, then the RER B into town is your best bet – will take about an hour to Saint Michel/Notre Dame station. Plus its only a short walk across the river to Rue de Rivoli (think the French Oxford Street).
Nitpick: La Tour Eiffel, though it’s Le Tour de France. The French language has two nouns “tour”, cognate with English “tower” and “tour” respectively, and the one meaning “tower” is feminine.
I’m weird; I’ve never denied that. For your personal enjoyment while there, I’d go to Pere Lachaise cemetery. You can visit the grave of Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Abelard and Heloise…
Kronenberg 1664. I used to drink it some in England.
Brynda and I just got back from 4 1/2 days in France. If you are going to Notre Dame, try and get to Sainte Chappelle. It is basically on the next block over from Notre Dame. You actually head into the Justice department and there is this amazing chapel with 50 foot stained glass windows. The entire upper level is stained glass except for about 6 inches of brick between each window.
The Eiffel Tower was cool but very crowded and you can get a great view from une beteaux mouche (river boat).
$50 is only about $35 Euro, but you can get some beautiful art and if you look along the banks of the Seine you will by buying from the actual artists.
I would also recommend trying to speak as much French as you can. Most of the people we interacted with spoke good English, but they did seem to appreciate when we said bonjour and merci.
I recommend you get on Loop 286 and go South. You will see the Eiffel Tower next to the Love Civic Center. Continue around the loop until you get to 19/24. Take that exit and follow it to the Depot. Stop at Jaxx, mention my name, and have a burger on me. Actually, split the burger between two people as it will be big enough to fill two.
After reading the thread, I see you are going to the other Paris. :smack:
