Paris,
ville de lumière, is one of the most cosmopolitain destination in the world, but there
are things not to do in Paris, the city of love and some in France in general.
Some time ago, when doing a cruise on board the BLEU DE FRANCE for an article, a collegue of mine, strolled the decks of the vessel like a grumpy cat - he could not speak or understand the slightest of French, he felt lost and therefore he answered a friendly "Bonjour" with a a grumpy "Guten Morgen/Guten Tag". He did not even try to use the French word. the result has been that no one who had encountered him was greeting him again. He instead explained to me "All are unfriendly!" ... As I call into the forest, it sounds out ...
2) Don´t shop on the Champs-Élysées
by Earl of Cruise
Yes, we've all heard plenty about Parisians' legendary rudeness: The waiters are surly, the salespeople unhelpful, and everyone else is snobby and standoffish. It's true that Parisians are more reserved than most American and British tourists and less apt to break into wide, toothy grins every time they meet someone newm as it is comon in in the USA. Theirs is not a culture of instant BFFs and "Hi, how can I help you today?" extroversion. But you won't be doing yourself any favors by assuming that the locals don't like you - and then being rude in return.
And in a retaurant or bar, don´t try even call the waiter garcon ... you may wait to be served till eternity.
Waitress - courtsey Alamy
1) Don´t buy into SterotypesYes, we've all heard plenty about Parisians' legendary rudeness: The waiters are surly, the salespeople unhelpful, and everyone else is snobby and standoffish. It's true that Parisians are more reserved than most American and British tourists and less apt to break into wide, toothy grins every time they meet someone newm as it is comon in in the USA. Theirs is not a culture of instant BFFs and "Hi, how can I help you today?" extroversion. But you won't be doing yourself any favors by assuming that the locals don't like you - and then being rude in return.
Instead: Be mindful of your manners, and especially, your are the guest - but nobody was waiting for you.
Try
to understand (and imitate) the local customs and you'll no doubt be amply
rewarded for your efforts. Do learn a few French words and phrases. And try to
get the pronounciation ... Champs-Élysées
(French pronunciation: [av(ə).ny de ʃɑ̃z‿e.li.ze] (listen) - don´t even try
it with English pronounciation ... some may get fits of laughter. Even
if it's just a crash course on the flight over or in the train, and your delivery is less than
perfect, the fact that you're trying will win points. Salespeople in smaller
boutiques greet customers and expect to be greeted in return: A simple
"Bonjour", perhaps added with "Madame/Monsieur" upon entering a shop will do wonders for your
status there. And note that French people tend to talk softly - their voices
never carry in the streets, on the Métro, or even when they're sitting at the
next table. Keep your voice low, too, and some of your neighbors might even
venture a smile.And in a retaurant or bar, don´t try even call the waiter garcon ... you may wait to be served till eternity.
Salesman in Paris - © Earl of Cruise
From a number of American or especially of British people I heard they can´t stand the arrogance of the French people ... perhaps they are arrogant themselves and don´t even try to respect the French people and their pratices. But that is happening with German people too.Some time ago, when doing a cruise on board the BLEU DE FRANCE for an article, a collegue of mine, strolled the decks of the vessel like a grumpy cat - he could not speak or understand the slightest of French, he felt lost and therefore he answered a friendly "Bonjour" with a a grumpy "Guten Morgen/Guten Tag". He did not even try to use the French word. the result has been that no one who had encountered him was greeting him again. He instead explained to me "All are unfriendly!" ... As I call into the forest, it sounds out ...
2) Don´t shop on the Champs-Élysées
Avenue des Champs-Élysées July 24th 2009 - Source: Wikipedia (original seize)
The
Champs-Elysées (google maps) may once have been the most beautiful avenue in the world, but
its fortunes have risen and fallen many times over the years, and it's
currently overrun with global chain stores, auto dealerships, and movie
multiplexes. Aside from the über-glam Vuitton flagship, which draws label
addicts in droves, you'll find yourself dodging throngs of teens as you trudge
past McD's, Starbucks and Sephora, wondering what in God's name all the fuss is
about. And whatever you do, don't succumb to hunger on this strip: The cafés
prey on tourists, and a local wouldn't be caught dead in one. Here on the
Champs-Elysées you will think it could be in every other major city ...
Todays Avenue des Champs-Élysées is more of a tourist trap, than what it once has been, elegant - courtsey Alamy
Instead: Follow in the well-heeled footsteps of locals.
A fashion designer EKYOG in a former Boulangerie - courtsey Alamy
Die-hard
fashionistas should head straight to the designer shops of the Rue des Francs-Bourgeois (google maps) in the chic Marais neighborhood (google maps), while haute-couturistas
should point their stilettos in the direction of the Avenue Montaigne (google maps), for the
likes of Chanel, (company website) Rue Cambon (google maps) or the Rue du Faubourg St. Honoré (google maps), home of trendsetting
concept shop Colette.
For old-fashioned ambience, look to Paris's covered passages. Dating back to
the 19th century, these were the city's first malls, and beneath their vaulted
ceilings of glass and wrought iron, you'll find more unusual wares: French
designers, but also antique book dealers, art galleries, quirky toy shops, and
more. Galerie
Vivienne, just north of the Palais Royal, in the second arrondissement (google maps), is
the most elegant of the lot
3) Don´t get Starbucks at mealtimes
Paris is home
to 66 Michelin-starred restaurants, Paris is a foodie's paradise. But a lot of
pomp and circumstance - not to mention sky-high prices - accompany most of these
traditional fine-dining establishments. The prix fixe dinner at three-star L'Arpège, for example, will set you back a staggering $480. And that's
before wine! Does the idea of half a dozen waiters hovering buzzardlike around
your table sound appealing? Or how about spending as much on dinner as you did
on your plane ticket? No, I don't think so.
Gourmet tempel - courtsey Alamy
If French people have to save for living ... where they wont get the cheap way is food ...
Instead: Have your dinner à la mode.
Café Constant - courtsey Café Constant
Recently,
several Michelin-starred chefs have abandoned the rigid confines of
haute-cuisine restaurants to open convivial bistros that serve up simpler (yet
still outstanding!) meals. And the locals are just crazy about them. Yves Camdeborde's pioneering Le Comptoir du Relais, in the sixth arrondissement (google maps), is
so popular that it can be hard to get a table. But once you're sampling
Camdeborde's famous foie gras terrine for a fraction of what you'd pay
elsewhere (the weekday dinner prix fixe is about $68), you'll understand why
the place is booked months in advance. If you can't get in at dinner, try
arriving by 11:45 am for lunch (reservations are not accepted, so it's first
come, first serve). Christian Constant's charming Café Constant,
in the seventh arrondissement (google maps), is another popular option that serves impeccably prepared
favorites, such as roast chicken, for a mere $20. Still hell-bent on a
Michelin-star meal? Try booking at lunchtime, when many restaurants offer
excellent-value prix fixe menus.
Vin & Marée Saint Honoré - © Earl of Cruise
The
Vin&Marée Saint Honoré in the center, near Louvre, with an emphasize on
seafood is another restaurant which is worth a try. The event Un Soir à board du NORMANDIE was held there.
4) Don´t spend all day at the Louvre or Musée d´Orsay.
MONA LISA got a lot of appointments - courtsey Alamy
Except you have an urgent date with MONA LISA ... But the lady is quite asked for appointments and you have to wait in the crowd, when it is your time to greet her.
The
Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay are Paris's most celebrated museums, and yes, they
do house some of the most famous works of art. But don't for a second think that they're
your only - or, indeed, even your best - options. The lines to get in can be
harrowing in high season, the crowds are exhausting, and the sheer quantity of
art on display is overwhelming. This is definitely nothing for people with a short attention span. If the prospect of beating back the hordes
seems like it will detract from the experience (and, really, how could it
not?), don't despair.
Louvre - © Earl of Cruise
Instead: Get to know Paris´ lesser known museums.
Many
of Paris's smaller museums contain equally important and beautiful art - and are
often more pleasant, since you won't be elbowed out of the way by a
photo-snapping swarm. You'll find Monet's famous Nymphéas (water lily) murals
in the Musée de
l'Orangerie, at the far end of the Tuileries Gardens (google maps).
Monet's famous Nymphéas - Source: Wikipedia (original seize)
The Musée Marmottan is
home to the world's largest collection of Monets. And the Musée Rodin, (Wikipedia) housed in a
luminous villa with a lovely garden (google maps), is one of the most romantic places in all
of Paris. Not in the mood for an art lesson? There are plenty of museums in
Paris that focus on lighter and frothier fare, including fashion, wine, and
money. Once you've discovered the pleasures of these intimate galleries, you
might be hard-pressed to bother with the Louvre at all.
Sculpture by Rodin in the garden of Musée Marmottan - courtsey Alamy
5) Don´t commit a fashion faux pas
For
starters, don't ever, even in the sweltering dog days of summer, think about
wearing a pair of shorts in Paris unless you really want to be treated like a
hapless tourist. As the French would say, ça ne se
fait pas (it simply isn't done / this is inappropiate). And while you're at it, leave
those gleaming white running shoes at home, better any sports shoes, too. As a general rule, Parisians
avoid dressing like they're going to climb Mount Everest, or going to the beach, and while you're in
their town, so should you. On the other end of the spectrum, don't overdo it
just because you're headed to the world's fashion capital. Even if you can see the top styled fashionistas, male or female. They stand out of the crowd, but a nice and pleasant view.
Fashion crimes - courtsey Alamy
The days wear fur, fur stoles during the day and afternoon and fur coats in the evening, even during hot summer days are definitely gone. I still remember my first visits in Paris in the early to mid sixities, when my grandmére and aunt put on their furs to go out.
Instead: Take a crash course in French Style
Lady in Parisienne style - courtsey Alamy
Parisian
style isn't really about dressing to the nines; the French are quite casual
these days - they've just mastered the art of the clean, coordinated look. Here
are a few tips to keep your attire simple, tidy, and thoughtfully assembled: Black
is always a good bet (or gray, if you really want to go nuts); accessorize with
a single bold scarf, hat, or jewel (but, please, not all three at once); and
make sure things fit the way they should (no sagging or squeezing). Complete
your outfit with a fitted jacket and the best shoes in your closet. The final
effect should look utterly effortless.
6) Don´t get around town in a cab
Taxi stand at Avenue des Champs-Élysées - courtsey Alamy
Taxis
can be hard to come by and can't be flagged down on the street (you need to
call ahead for one or find a taxi stand). Cabbing around town also leaves you
vulnerable to Paris's famously snarled traffic: Careening to a halt on a narrow
one-way street, then watching the meter tick ever upward while you're trapped
behind a double-parked car, is a definite buzzkill.
Instead: Take to heart the French word flâner
In 19th century there has been published a popular tourist guide PROMENADES DANS PARIS by George Cain. I cherished that gift from my aunt. You definitely see much more while strolling on your own feet in Paris.
While flâner (listen) technically means "to stroll," it
more generally suggests "to walk the city in order to experience it"
- words to live by in the ville de lumière. The center of Paris is only a
couple of miles wide, maps are ubiquitous, and the rewards for taking to the
streets on foot include world-class window shopping, observing flirtatious
exchanges taking place in sidewalk cafés, and walking off that extra croissant.
And there is, to me, no other way to explore the Île de la Cité (google maps) with Notre-Damede Paris (Wiki), you will no longer find Quasimido, or Île St.-Louis.
Notre Dame de Paris on Île de la Cité - Source: Wikipedia (original seize)
Worried about dog droppings? Fear
not, the city has cleaned up its act. When going longer distances, hop on the
Métro. From any given spot in Paris, you're never more than 457 meters / 500
yards from the nearest station; it's cheaper than a cab and often faster, too! A
5 day pass `PARIS VISIT´ costs € 41,00. A day ticket is € 12,85 (RATP). So there's really no excuse - unless you've stayed
out late (the Métro closes at 2 am on Friday and Saturday nights and 1 am the
rest of the week). We wish we could recommend Paris's inexpensive Vélib' bikes
(the gray models you see lined up on the street), but the rental program is
off-limits to most visitors since a smart chip–enabled credit card is required
to access the system.
7) Don´t seek out Bohemian ambience on the left bank - rive gauche (google maps)
Restaurants and bistros in Rive Gauche - courtsey Alamy
Sartre
and de Beauvoir may have loved Les Deux Magots on the Boulevard St. Germain
(google maps), but these days, this onetime hangout of intellectuals has all the authenticity
of Times Square. You're far more likely to find yourself cheek to jowl with
your tourist brethren than eavesdropping on any famous philosophers. You may,
however, find yourself delivering a tirade on the immorality of charging $16
for buttered toast and orange juice.
Instead: Find the "ideal" Paris on the Canal St. Martin
Canal St. Martin - courtsey Alamy
Bobo
(short for bourgeois bohemian) hipsters have laid claim to the area around the
Canal St. Martin (google maps), a once-derelict part of the tenth arrondissement that now
buzzes with cafés and hip boutiques, particularly along the Rue Beaurepaire
(google maps). Settle at a sidewalk table at ChezPrune, the see-and-be-seen ground zero for this trendy Right Bank 'hood (36
Rue Beaurepaire; 33-1-42-41-30-47), sip your café crème, eavesdrop on the
locals, and enjoy the views of the picturesque canal - and bask in the smug
knowledge that you've found a corner of real Paris.
8) Don´t waste time at the tour Eiffel (listen) / Eiffel Tower
In
2009, 6.6 million people visited the tour Eiffel (google maps)and, like lemmings, embarked
on the laborious task of reaching the top. After trudging through one
labyrinthine line for tickets and re-queuing for the cattle car–like elevators,
you'll start to lose faith in the whole endeavor. And just when you think the
ordeal is over, there are the lines to get back to terra firma.
Instead: Enjoy dinner and a view
View from Lea Ombres to the Tour Eiffel - courtsey Alamy
An
infinitely more civilized approach to the whole Eiffel Tower business is to
book a table at Les Ombres, the rooftop restaurant of the Musée du QuaiBranly (google maps). The restaurant's glass latticework ceiling (like a dragonfly's wing)
makes the most of its tall neighbor by enabling diners to feast their eyes on
the tower in its gorgeous entirety while dining on French classics such as foie
gras, oysters, and grilled steak. The view is at its most magical at night,
when the tower glows ethereally and bursts into manic sparkling every hour. At
dinner, main courses start at $40, but there are excellent deals to be had at
lunchtime ($34–$52 for two to three courses). Or you can just head to the
adjoining salon de thé to toast your savvy tourist skills with an alfresco
flute of champagne.
9) Don´t book the cheapest hotel
BEST WESTERN BRETAGNE MONTPARNASSE
Finding
a decent Paris hotel for a reasonable price can bring even the savviest
travelers to the brink of despair. You might find a screaming deal at a big
chain hotel and think you've got it made, but once you're sitting in a beige
I-could-be-anywhere cube on the outskirts of town, you'll realize that you're
missing out on the Parisian atmosphere in the city center.
Instead: Book a furnished apartment.
Furnished
apartments can be found to suit absolutely every budget and taste. You'll be
amazed at how much living space you get for your money - especially if you plan
to stay for more than a couple of days—and you don't have to eat out for every
meal. The real estate mantra "location, location, location"
definitely applies. When in doubt, opt for an apartment in a single-digit
arrondissement and check how close the nearest Métro station is. And if the
price seems too good to be true, try to find out what they may be hiding.
Do-it-yourself services abound (Airbnb, VRBO),
but if you want to leave it to the experts, try a rental agency (Paris Perfect Guest Apartment Services and Haven in Paris are reputable options). Once you're in
your private pied-à-terre, glass of wine in hand, listening to the sounds of
the neighborhood through the open windows, you'll feel like you've truly
arrived.
BEST WESTERN BRETAGNE MONTPARNASSE Mezzanine room 2 - courtsey BEST WESTERN BRETAGNE MONTPARNASSE
Or
take a hotel room in Montparnasse, where originally the artists lived, and the
art scene of Paris started. BEST WESTERN BRETAGNE MONTPARNASSE, 33 Rue Raymond-Losserand,
75014 Paris. The BEST WESTERN BRETAGNE MONTPARNASSE is a 4star hotel just 10 minutes walking distance from Gare Montparnasse (google maps). Or take the line 13. It is ideally situated in Paris' fourtenth arrondissement (google maps),
conveniently close to lively shopping areas such as Rue de la Gaite (google maps) and RueDaguerre (google maps), the business district around the Tour Montparnasse and PlaceDenfert-Rochereau with the Catacombs Museum. When comming by train via Gare DuNord, with the THALYS or EUROSTAR f.e., you will take the Metro line 4, (Metro map) change at the
station Tour Montparnasse into Line 13 and leave at Pernety station. Take the
oposite stairs up, as the train is entering, it is nearer to the hotel.
Tour Montparnasse and Tour Eiffel - Source: Wikipedia
10) Don´t fill up om croissants
Le croissant - Source: Wikipedia
We
all swoon over those flaky golden crescents. But it would be a big mistake to
limit yourself to Paris's best-known pastries and miss out on deluxe
confections that aren't as well known, or as easily accessible, across the
pond.
By
the way these half moon shaped pastries are said to be originally from
Wien/Vienna and are dating back to the first siege of Wien by the Turks in September/October 1529.
Instead: Munch on macarons
Macarons - courtsey Ladurée
Unlike
macaroons, the dense coconut cookies in the United States, French macarons consist of two meringue-like cookies bound
together by a delicious ganache. A few patisseries, Ladurée in
particular (pictured), have been carrying macarons for ages, but recently these
have become the hottest sweet in town. Debate rages among Parisians over which
are the city's best; to decide for yourself, sample rose at Pierre Hermé, caramel
with sea salt at Ladurée, and orange-ginger at Gérard Mulot.
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