The first night of my last trip, I went out to see a friend of a friend’s band play at La Mecanique. I was a little tipsy and way hungry on my way back to the apartment, so…
…I stopped at a McDonald’s and got a Royale with Cheese. It was delicious.
Here’s a fun way to see Paris, on bike.
http://paris.fattirebiketours.com/tours/paris-day-bike-tour
Company is run by Americans and usually hires Americans in their 20’s to serve as tour guides.
Three days isn’t really enough to do both Paris and Versailles. It can be done but you need to get to Versailles the first thing in the morning when they open the gates to do it justice as it fills the entire day just to walk thru the gardens to Maria Antoinette’s boudoir and private garden.
I’d recommend just walking down the Seine between the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame for three days and branching out to catch things off the path like the Rodin Museum and the Louvre and Monet’s Water Lilies exhibit. Watch people paint scenes from along the river bank and buy one (cheap). Stop and talk to a local hustler who tries to claim that the ring he just found must belong to you. Go to the Moulan Rouge and catch a great show one night.
Three days, I could spend a week there and would walk 7 miles a day a still get fat from all the great food.
Not France, but,
I had some of the best Italian food of my life in Budapest in a place right off the river in Pest. And I’ve been to Rome, Florence and Milan, and spent some serious euros on food.
Another vote for this. It was an unexpected highlight of our last trip there. And I’m not really into military stuff!
And if you do go to Les Invalides, make a point of visiting the musée des Plans-reliefs. It’s the best bit and yet will almost certainly be completely deserted.
Don’t go to Paris without speaking a little French: The usual pleasantries, plus “Ou sont les toilettes?”
The Musée d’Orsay, especially the top floor, where there’s a room of Van Goghs, a room of Monets, a room of Cézannes, etc. And if you’re into architecture, the museum used to be a train station, and is spectacular.
Notre Dame: the entire cathedral is worth seeing, but especially the “rose” stained-glass windows.
Centre Georges Pompidou: The “inside-out” building is often more interesting than the exhibits.
Walk: Every time I go to Paris, I walk the straight line from the Louvre, through the Tuileries Gardens, across Place de la Concorde (where the guillotine was) and up the Champs Elysées to the Arc de Triomphe. Sometimes I go in the reverse direction.
Don’t dismiss the Eiffel Tower because it’s so touristy (and crowded). It’s still fun, and you can’t beat the view from the top.
Pere Lachaise Cemetery: Lots of famous people are buried here. Get a map at the entrance.
The Louvre: Don’t plan on seeing the whole museum; pick the areas that interest you, and just spend a few hours there
The Rodin Museum: Was actually Rodin’s house. All his most famous sculptures and those of his mistress. And the gardens have a nice little café, for a quick lunch.
The Picasso Museum: I was amazed at how much fun it turned out to be.
The river cruises are a great way to see the city when your feet need a rest.
The Catacombs: If you’re really into human remains, this is the place to be.