Next week I’ll be in a study tour in France (official university excuse: I’ll be learning about the wine and cheese industry).
Thanks in part to dollar devaluation, a couple of trips in Paris and Toulouse were cancelled. And even without them, the schedule provided for some free time on my own.
My questions are:
What should I do? What should I visit? What’s the weather like? Anything special in Toulouse? Any museum pass that can cover museums in both Toulouse and Paris? Any cheap places to eat in Toulouse and Paris (and by cheap I mean if I can survive on 5-10 hours daily)? Any (good) souvenir I should get or at least look? Any tips? Any food I should try (I’m not a very picky eater)?
A couple of points, though. I’m not interested in going to the Louvre. Sorry, I won’t go there. Neither will I go to the Eiffel tower (it was one of the tours that got cancelled). I may want to visit Notre Dame museum, just because I do like/enjoy to see old church buildings.
Thanks! I can read French, but I can barely speak it. I guess I’ll mix all my languages and come up with something semi-coherent
I’m a bit pressed for time, so I can’t type a much longer reply, but you must visit the Sainte-Chapelle. Easily one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.
Don’t forget Sacre Coure (sp). The veiw from up there is great. Go all the way up to the dome and then go down into the basement and [Tim the Enchanter] look at the bones.[/T the E]
Try the various crepe stands. The little ones are the best. A plain one with butter and sugar is great but I also liked nutella and coconut.
Do you like art museums at all, or is it the vastness of the Louvre that you dislike? If you like 19th-century/Impressionist art at all, a trip to the Musee d’Orsay is worth your while–the building is an old train station, and is considerably smaller (and therefore easier to “digest”) than the Louvre.
I’d recommend sampling the atmosphere at various locales–the Latin Quarter is very cool, with many good restaurants; Montparnasse contains many of the classic Parisian cafes–the Cafe Deux Magots is a personal favorite–which were once frequented by all the artistic, literary, and philosophical greats of the modern age. Also, the Luxembourg Gardens are quite lovely.
Hm, I just noticed that all of the sites that I’ve mentioned are on the Left Bank. Go figure.
The Metro is very comprehensive, more so than, say, the London Tube; you can get just about anywhere in Paris with it. Also, the Art Nouveau entrances to the older stations are very beautiful. There’s one near Sacre Coeur, I think (which offers a beautiful vista over Paris, and hey, it’s on the Right Bank). Some of the areas down the hill, around Pigalle, are a little sleazy (strip joints and the like), although I have very fond memories of a glace (ice cream) that I consumed in the neighborhood around the Moulin Rouge.
Skopo, I haven’t been to London, so I have no idea how the Tube is… is it at least equal or better than the NYC subs (the Paris Metro)?
Vastness of Louvre is what I dislike… I’m going to be in Paris for a couple of days, I want to see as much as possible of the city, I won’t waste a whole day in an art museum (no matter how great it is).
Yea, I was thinking Musée d’Orsay, that was one of the cancelled tours (grrrrr). If you get a museum pass, to what other interesting museums can you go? (Art, science, architecture…)
Go to the top of the Arc de Triumphe. Take lots of pictures. Walk up the Champs-Elysees (I’m too lazy to use accents).
Visit Invalides, see the array of cannons out front.
Like said, visit Sacre-Cour.
If you have time (which I doubt) visit Versailles. But it’s quite a ways out of town and takes some time to get to.
There’s a very old ruin that’s in the city somewhere that I cannot remember the name of. Maybe I’ll look it up tonight and get back to you.
Almost everything is very easy to access. The subway system is excellent there, and it was pretty easy for me to find my way around (granted, my gf at the time lived there). Be prepared to do some walkin’, though.
Just did a trip to Paris in April, so here are my thoughts/tips:
I borrowed a Rick Steve’s tour guide with walking tours, and it was awesome. Self paced, lots of info.
The Metro is awesome. I bought a 5 day pass, and it made life very convenient. The thing is, I don’t think I ever waited more than 5 minutes for a subway ! So it totally eliminates having to really calculate in “transit time” to get anywhere.
Museums: I did the Louvre the first trip, and that was enough. I did, however, really enjoy the Musee D’Orsay, and would highly recommend it. Even if you’re not into impressionists, it is quite a sight to see so many in one museum.
I also liked the Rodin museum, and for a real quick museum, I really enjoyed the Dali museum in the Montmarte area.
Cathedrals: I spent about 5 minutes total in Notre Dame (too crowded both inside and out), and about half an hour in St. Chappelle. As mentioned above, St. Chappelle (a block or so away from Notre Dame) is spectacular. Worth seeing.
The view from Sacre Couer is great. See the discussion about Montmarte below.
Versailles. The train ride is cheap and easy, and the palace and grounds are outstanding. It is a little pricey though - all these different admissions and such. But worth a day out there (don’t go on a weekend if you can help it).
Montmarte. I loved this area of Paris. Not only do you get great views, but just walking around was really cool. The walking tour starts at Sacre Couer and takes you down the hill to the Moulin Rouge.
Forum Des Halles. For shopping and just hanging out, this is the place. A huge multi-block area that is pedestrian only. And there are lots of shops, cafes, and restaurants. And lots of parisians. A great place to just sit and people watch. A couple of blocks over is the museum of contemporary art. I didn’t have time to go in, but the building itself is impressive.
I actually spent two weeks in Toulouse, but had very little time to see a whole lot. I spent most of my free time just walking around the town (nice views along the river). But didn’t check out any museums of churchs. I did enjoy the outdoor markets and perhaps the highlight was stumbling upon a juggling/circus supply store.
Very close (short train ride) from Toulouse is Carcasonne, a walled medevial city. I heard it is kind of commercialized inside, but it looked pretty cool from the outside.
Also, not too far away (need a car, though) is a town called Foix which is near the Spanish border. Cool little town nestled in the mountains. With a neat castle you can explore.
A little sleazy? When I was in Paris, my tour group was headed up to Montmartre (my favorite part of the city, I think) by metro one night when we were stopped one station too early due to maintenance. We had to walk the rest of the way through that particular neighborhood. That was certainly an educational experience. Two members of the group ended up with a business card prominently featuring a pair of women’s breasts after an encounter with some men outside a club. I have a picture of a sign that read something like “SEXOPOLY”. Fun, but surprising.
But I do love Montmartre and highly recommend it. For one, that’s where all the cheaper souvenirs are. (I found the tackiest Eiffel Tower in this little shop – it was red, white, and blue, stuffed, and played “La Marseillaise” if you pushed a button. Highlight of my vacation) And during the day, all of the street artists and musicians are out and about. It’s so alive, it’s fantastic.
I rather like Henry James’ line about Toulouse when he saw it in the aftermath of a Garonne flood: it seemed to have shrunk in the wash. His point being that the city didn’t quite live up to its fame in European history.
As far as churches are concerned, the big one is St. Sernin. It’s hardly the finest cathedral-scale church, but it is interesting as the culmination of the local style - look out for the similar steeples en route to Carcassone. The actual cathedral, St Etienne, is an astonishing mess of design decisions and worth seeing as the botched job alone. Les Jacobins is the mother church of the Dominicans; historically and architecturally interesting.
The Musee des Augustins is half-and-half in that it’s a beautiful monastery converted to a museum. And the other excellent art museum in town is the Fondation Bemberg. Also worth checking out is the Hotel d’Assezat, while the local history museum is a nicely ramshackle affair.
I’m not a fan of Carcassone: it’s too much Viollet-le-Duc’s personal vision refashioned into the tourist trap. Albi’s far more memorable as the day trip. Or the Tarn gorges. Though if you’ve read Le Roy Ladurie’s Montaillou, then do make the effort to see the village. The medieval remains are just bumps on the ground, but the landscape’s unmissable if you know the book.
To nick Ackroyd’s line about London, Paris is infinite. But I currently usually recommend the Musee National du Moyen Age in the Hotel de Cluny and the catacombs as less well-known sights to friends who’re visiting the city.
First off, bon voyage. I don’t speak much French at all, and what little French I do know I mutilate, but I got around Paris just fine. I went there last year, and I had a blast! To answer some of your questions.
The weather’s pretty moderate. I was there in August, and it wasn’t hot at all. I’ve not been to Toulouse so I can’t give you any advice about it.
Whenever possible walk or take a city bus, rather than the Metro. It’s a cheap way to see an amazing city and will leave you with more $$ to eat with. Paris is laid out in a circular pattern of arrondisements, and I believe it extends for about 3 miles in any direction, or perhaps that is in toto. Well, whatever it is, that’s not far. The most fun I had in Paris was walking around, getting lost, and trying to figure out how to get back to something recognizable. Despite the language barrier, I wasn’t the least bit frightened. I don’t think I ever really walked the same route twice. The DK Ten Best Things to Do in Paris book has a great street map on the inside book jacket.
You should definitely check out the Marais. This is where many Parisians go to do their shopping, you can find lots of bargains there, and it’s such an interesting place. I know you said you’re not much on museums, but if while you’re in the Marais you get the itch to see some art, then check out the Musee Picasse. It is outstanding and by far my favorite museum in Paris. It has just enough art in it not to overwhelm you. Also somewhere in the Marais or near it is the cemetery where Van Morrison’s buried. I forget what it’s called. I didn’t go there, but I hear it’s quite interesting. Also in the Marais is the site of the former Bastille. And, somewhere in the Marais is the Place des Vosges. It’s a nice little quiet place where you can sit in the shade and enjoy the fountains and have a bite to eat.
The Latin Quarter where Les Deux Maggots is definitely has it goin’ on, but I will warn you that Les Deux Maggots is expensive. Try some of the side streets off of St. Germain Blvd where Les Deux Maggots is. If you go down St. Germain Blvd, find the Rue de Buci which will take you to the Rue de Seine. On those streets there are some wonderful cafes like the Bar du la Marche and the Brasserie L’Atlas. Also, if you’re concerned about spending too much $$ on food in restaurants, order food and eat it at the bar, rather than sitting at a table outside. It costs more to eat at a table outside. Still, you should do your share of cafe sitting. That’s the next best thing to do in Paris. Order a drink, sit outside, and people watch. If you’re on the go and don’t want to do the restaurant thing, getting food from street vendors is a cheap alternative. You can’t go wrong with food in Paris. If you get a chance, check out the Polidor on the Rue Monsieur Le Prince. If you gotta go potty in there, you’re in for a surprise, but the food there is good and very reasonably priced for a restaurant in Paris.
While I wouldn’t recommend the Louvre for such a short visit, I would recommend the gardens of the Tuilleries that are near the Louvre. They are very nice and if you keep walking through them, they’ll take you to the Place d’ Concord and on to the Champs Elysees which will take you to the Arc d’ Triomphe. I will say that the Champs Elysees really ain’t all that exciting. It’s the streets like the Ave. d’ Montainge–I don’t think I spelled that right–off the Champs Elysees that are interesting. The Ave. d’ Montainge has all the expensive snooty designer stores like Prada on it, and the neighborhoods that are on streets off of it are very definitely upperscale.
Notre Dame is interesting, but I wouldn’t spend too much time there. Take a boat tour on the Seine–it doesn’t take more than an hour–and you can see the outside of Notre Dame among other sights. The exterior architecture of Notre Dame and many of the buildings like the Louvre and the Musee d’Orsay, which used to be a train station, you’ll pass on the Seine is fascinating. St. Chapelle is absolutely gorgeous. You have to check out the inside with all those stained glass windows.
Luxembourg Parc is wonderful and doesn’t cost any $$. Get some food from a street vendor and just chill out there. It’s really interesting seeing all those statues of folks that line the interior of the Parc.
Since you’re into churches definitely go to Sacre Coeur–I believe it’s the highest point in Paris–but I would warn you if you climb up the dome–the view of Paris is breathtaking from there–understand that the climb is not suitable for those who may be claustrophobic or scared of heights. I about had a heart attack climbing up those narrow, enclosed, and not very well lighted stairs, and there’s a section where you’re climbing stairs outside–there are fences around presumably to break any falls, but still you’re outside and very high up for a short while.
The Montmartre Cemetaire is interesting. It has raised tombs like they got in New Orleans. I haven’t figured out why. In New Orleans the tombs are high because there’s flooding and stuff, and they don’t want the bodies to be unearthed and washed away. Since Montmarte is up high, I don’t see the possibility of flooding affecting those buried unless they’re on a flood plain or something. Hmmm.
Pigalle is quite sleazy, but fascinating in a train wreck kind of way. I didn’t care for it at all, but I can say that I’ve walked down its main street.
I realize I’ve mentioned a lot of stuff to see, and I’ve barely scratched the surface of all there is to see and do in Paris, but if you walk around and take the bus and do the cafe sitting thing, and check out the Marias, you’ll have a blast.
Actually, it is Jim Morrison of the Doors that is buried in Paris at Pere Lachaise. Some of the others buried there are Chopin, Moliere, Sarah Bernhardt, Seurat, Bizet, Isadora Duncan, Proust, Oscar Wilde, , Edit Piaf, Modigliani, Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas.
What really gets the attention there are some of the bizarre stones.
I know about this place only because I am planning a trip to Paris in April. It’s on my list of things to see.
St. Chappelle is on the same little island that Notre Dame is located. It is a small place and you walk in the ground floor and you think to yourself "this is no big deal’. Then you wind you way upstairs and it is amazing. Go on a SUNNY DAY.
If you go to Invalides be sure to go to the top floor. Up there are some models of French cities. They kind of thing that generals would set up the toy armies on to plan an attack. They are really big and very detailed, so you get a tour of France in about 15 mins.
A good tip for visiting Pere Lachaise is to buy a map ( they are available near the entrance at news kiosks ) this will help you to find your way around. The place is like a small town with streets complete with name boards and it is quite hilly. On a hot day take a bottle of water , you will need it. At Monmartre cemetary you will find the tombs of Nijinsky and Francois Truffaut
Well, if you’re within about 500 yards of Jim Morrison’s, you’ll know, because of all the trash and grafitti saying, “This way to Jim.” It’s really sad, actually, to see what all the immature low-lifes have done to other people’s gravestones. Then you can get to his tomb and revel in the empty liquor bottles and thousands of cigarette butts.
As for finding anyone else’s tomb, Père Lachaise is BIG so you will definitely need a map if you’re looking for anyone specific. Except Jim, of course - for him, just follow the trash.
I agree that you can see a lot more by taking the bus, but the Mètro is much quicker and easier to navigate. Unless you have lots of time, I’d skip the bus.
I remember when i went to Pere Lachaise, I obtained a free map at a little building inside the entrance to the cemetery. It was a simple xerox, but pretty thorough. It was easy enough to locate the tombs on the map. I got a similar free map at the Montparnasse cemetery (in addition to Nijinsky and Truffaut, Sartre and de Beauvoir are buried there; so is Samuel Beckett).
As for the Metro, yes, i’d say it’s more comprehensive than the NY subway, or any other underground system that I’ve experienced. Very easy to get around, and it’s fun to open the doors to the subway car (some have push buttons, others are these little levers that you yank on). The platforms have lots of seats to rest on while you’re waiting for the next train.
Let me add my voice to the chorus on Sainte-Chapelle. Beautiful gem of a place. And, yes, try to go on a sunny day, when the stained-glass will knock you off your feet.
The thing that disappointed me about Notre Dame was the crowds–it’s hard to appreciate the solemnity of the place with hordes of tourists pushing you around. I’m not sure if there’s ever a time when it’s not crowded–maybe first thing in the morning?
I’d suggest taking a daytrip out to Chartres to see its cathedral–it’s close to Paris, but far less crowded (at least the day i was there) than Notre Dame, and one of the most beautiful structures i’ve ever seen. The stained-glass windows seem to hover within the darkness–i found it one of the most moving aesthetic (almost religious) experiences of my life.
OK, I understated the sleaziness of the Pigalle area. It’s like Bourbon Street in New Orleans, but worse.
I was once walking through the area on my way to Gustave Moreau’s house, which features many of his wonderful paintings. As I passed one of the many, er, places of adult entertainment, a woman walked up to me and said “Excuse me, do you speak English?” By her dress, she seemed to be an everyday person–she was wearing regular blue jeans and a coat, and she was kind of cute.
So, without really thinking about it, i started to say “yes…” The next thing i knew, she took me by the arm, and was dragging me towards the door of the adult establishment where, i suddenly realized, she worked. “Come with me!” she insisted. “I will give you a special show.”
I demurred, thanked her for her kind offer, and went on my way.
What I should have said is “Ah, but I already have an appointment to witness The Dance of Salome. There is nothing that you can show me that would rival the mysteries hidden beneath her seven veils.”
Of course, I didn’t think of that until later. I wish I’d thought it up at the time–it would have been such a Wildean comment.
Slight nit-pick , Truffaut and Nijinsky are buried in Montmartre cemetary , Satre and de Beauvoir are in Montparnasse. Other "residents " of the latter include Bartholdi (sculptor of the Statue of Liberty ), Andre Citreon the founder of the car company and the composer Saint-Saens
I don’t speak much French at all, and what little French I do know I mutilate, but I got around Paris just fine. I went there last year, and I had a blast! 
