Bonjour, Mefi! Paris tips for two NY travelers, s’il vous plaît?
April 28, 2015 2:18 AM Subscribe
inertia and I will be spending a week and a half in Paris at the end of May. I’ve read the relevent wikitravel and tripadvisor pages and I’m familiar with all of the main tourist attractions. But we’re not sure what we should go see. She’s been twice before but I’ve never been. Give us all of your off-the-beaten-path Paris-related travel recommendations!
Our interests vary, but to give you an idea, our last big trip was to Vienna, Salzburg and Berlin. We had some tickets to the Salzburg Music Festival and enjoyed that as much as Alternative Berlin’s street art tour. That tour was the only tour I think we’ve ever done, we’ve mostly explored on our own because we like to go out our own pace and take photos.
Generally speaking, interests include:
She’s an adventurous pesceatarian and I’m a picky eater (my diet primailrly consists of things like burgers, pizza, pastas, fruit, etc.) so any food recommendations would be welcome.
Also, we might want to do a bit of shopping while we’re there. Things of interest would be flea markets, consignment shops and stationary shops.
Aside from general “you should go see this” recommendations, any advice on what company to order a data-only SIM card from for my iPhone would be welcome. I called up Chase and asked that my credit card be upgraded to chip-and-Pin; they sent me a card with a chip (but said they don’t do PINs). Ideas for a French playlist would be nifty too. So far, we’ve got Charles Trénet’s La Mer and Spider Nick and the Maddogs’ Ca Plane Pour Moi. Thanks!
Our interests vary, but to give you an idea, our last big trip was to Vienna, Salzburg and Berlin. We had some tickets to the Salzburg Music Festival and enjoyed that as much as Alternative Berlin’s street art tour. That tour was the only tour I think we’ve ever done, we’ve mostly explored on our own because we like to go out our own pace and take photos.
Generally speaking, interests include:
- photography (her: street, him: landscape/architecture)
- urban planning
- weird history
- music
- weird art
- beers
She’s an adventurous pesceatarian and I’m a picky eater (my diet primailrly consists of things like burgers, pizza, pastas, fruit, etc.) so any food recommendations would be welcome.
Also, we might want to do a bit of shopping while we’re there. Things of interest would be flea markets, consignment shops and stationary shops.
Aside from general “you should go see this” recommendations, any advice on what company to order a data-only SIM card from for my iPhone would be welcome. I called up Chase and asked that my credit card be upgraded to chip-and-Pin; they sent me a card with a chip (but said they don’t do PINs). Ideas for a French playlist would be nifty too. So far, we’ve got Charles Trénet’s La Mer and Spider Nick and the Maddogs’ Ca Plane Pour Moi. Thanks!
We (two vegetarians) had a great Italian dinner here (there was also plenty of meat/fish on the menu). Large quantities of tasty food.
I don't know how well falafel intersects with picky eating, but this place does life-altering falafel, and plenty of other meaty non-falafel things like schwarma, grilled chicken, etc.
posted by terretu at 4:54 AM on April 28, 2015
I don't know how well falafel intersects with picky eating, but this place does life-altering falafel, and plenty of other meaty non-falafel things like schwarma, grilled chicken, etc.
posted by terretu at 4:54 AM on April 28, 2015
I'd suggest my friend's blog Cool Stuff in Paris - there's probably a thing or two on there that'll fit what you're looking for.
posted by komara at 7:12 AM on April 28, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by komara at 7:12 AM on April 28, 2015 [3 favorites]
I really enjoyed poking around at Les Puces de Vanves. It's smaller and less touristed than the big flea market at Cligancourt. There were lots of locals as well as a handful of tourists but everyone mingles cheerfully.
Ave Marc Sangnier & Ave Georges Lafenstre, 14th Paris
Metro Porte de Vanves
Open Saturday & Sunday 7am to 1pm
posted by PussKillian at 8:48 AM on April 28, 2015
Ave Marc Sangnier & Ave Georges Lafenstre, 14th Paris
Metro Porte de Vanves
Open Saturday & Sunday 7am to 1pm
posted by PussKillian at 8:48 AM on April 28, 2015
If you want to splurge a little, have a meal at La Coupole in the Montparnasse district. Easy to walk to from the Métro.
There's super-fresh seafood for your wife (just don't order the cold platter for two like I did, it's really for 8 people. Get the appetizer size.), and you can never go wrong with a "steak frites" for yourself.
The room itself is an amazing work of art and has a deep history of many famous Parisians and celebrities hanging out there.
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:50 AM on April 28, 2015 [1 favorite]
There's super-fresh seafood for your wife (just don't order the cold platter for two like I did, it's really for 8 people. Get the appetizer size.), and you can never go wrong with a "steak frites" for yourself.
The room itself is an amazing work of art and has a deep history of many famous Parisians and celebrities hanging out there.
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:50 AM on April 28, 2015 [1 favorite]
If you can swing a day trip, I'd highly recommend a day in Normandy/Brittany and seeing Mont St Michel. Take an early morning train to Rennes, tour a couple amazing towns, then Mt St Michel, then an evening train back to Paris. I went with these guys.
http://www.westcapades.com/
a few years back, and they were awesome. Definitely a highlight of my trip.
posted by johnvaljohn at 9:13 AM on April 28, 2015
http://www.westcapades.com/
a few years back, and they were awesome. Definitely a highlight of my trip.
posted by johnvaljohn at 9:13 AM on April 28, 2015
Stop at a supermarket, buy some provisions (fruit, cheese, bread, sausage, water, wine) and head over to the Bassin de la Villette, Quay de la Loire side, on some warm evening. There will be tons of Parisians picnicking there. If you want a daytime picnic, bring a blanket (maybe one you borrowed from your flight over?) and the aforementioned provisions and spend all afternoon at the Buttes-Chaumont park in the 19th. Again, tons of Parisians enjoying the weather. Also climb up to the cupola on the tower in the middle of the lake in the park and you'll get some nice views of Paris. If you find yourself in the Buttes Chaumont park in the evening, hit up the excellent drinking place Rosa Bonheur, located in the park, where you'll see tons of hipsters and hear good music.
Another park that only locals seem to go to is the Parc de Belleville in the 20th. Another place with great views and lots of Parisians enjoying the weather. Up top just outside that park is a great bar on the corner of rue Piat and Rue des Envierges which used to be called La Mer à Boire but I've heard it's changed name. Anyway they've got a great terrace overlooking the park.
About the chip-and-pin, good thing you got one. Almost every handheld machine will take a regular (magnetic strip+signature) credit card, but a lot of times people working in shops or restaurants will tell you that the machines "can't take such a card", even though they do. So just fail to mention that your card requires signature, hand it over, they'll stick it in the machine and hand it back to you to enter your pin, then you just smile and hand the machine back and they'll get a receipt spit out that you have to sign. By then it's too late for them to tell you that your card "won't work". The main thing though is to make sure that your credit card doesn't charge for each international transaction. Capital One and Bank of America both have no-foreign-transaction-fee cards, not sure about Chase. As far as your iphone, I've used Bouygues and Orange successfully in the past. Just make sure your phone is unlocked and go into a shop there once you arrive and ask for a two-week sim. You have to show a passport when you buy a payg sim in France so I'm not sure if you can order in advance (if you can I imagine it would be much more expensive). Then don't walk out of the shop until they've set it up and you've made sure it works. You can get a ten day, unlimited sms/calling (in France)/ half a gig of data for ten euros at Bouygues. Looks like it also includes ten minutes of calling to the US. Have fun!
posted by tractorfeed at 10:14 AM on April 28, 2015 [1 favorite]
Another park that only locals seem to go to is the Parc de Belleville in the 20th. Another place with great views and lots of Parisians enjoying the weather. Up top just outside that park is a great bar on the corner of rue Piat and Rue des Envierges which used to be called La Mer à Boire but I've heard it's changed name. Anyway they've got a great terrace overlooking the park.
About the chip-and-pin, good thing you got one. Almost every handheld machine will take a regular (magnetic strip+signature) credit card, but a lot of times people working in shops or restaurants will tell you that the machines "can't take such a card", even though they do. So just fail to mention that your card requires signature, hand it over, they'll stick it in the machine and hand it back to you to enter your pin, then you just smile and hand the machine back and they'll get a receipt spit out that you have to sign. By then it's too late for them to tell you that your card "won't work". The main thing though is to make sure that your credit card doesn't charge for each international transaction. Capital One and Bank of America both have no-foreign-transaction-fee cards, not sure about Chase. As far as your iphone, I've used Bouygues and Orange successfully in the past. Just make sure your phone is unlocked and go into a shop there once you arrive and ask for a two-week sim. You have to show a passport when you buy a payg sim in France so I'm not sure if you can order in advance (if you can I imagine it would be much more expensive). Then don't walk out of the shop until they've set it up and you've made sure it works. You can get a ten day, unlimited sms/calling (in France)/ half a gig of data for ten euros at Bouygues. Looks like it also includes ten minutes of calling to the US. Have fun!
posted by tractorfeed at 10:14 AM on April 28, 2015 [1 favorite]
I like taking photos in Le Marais district. Here are some cafes and Brasseries that my family and I have enjoyed in recent trips to Paris
( my mobile is making it difficult to do links-- apologies)
Le Dome-- yummy seafood ( Montparnasse area)
Coquelicot-- bakery, great breakfast ( Montmartre)
La Palette- drinks, apero, coffee ( near Notre Dame)
Le Baratin - delicious food (19 th )
My favorite museum in Paris is the Cluny museum also called musee national du Moyen age --- so much cool stuff from ancient Paris and a nice break from typical sights. It's walking distance from Notre Dame.
Also try musee de l' orangerie-- in the Tuileries gardens. It has ever changing expos and art shows-- I've seen some great shows there.
posted by Rapunzel1111 at 10:32 AM on April 28, 2015
( my mobile is making it difficult to do links-- apologies)
Le Dome-- yummy seafood ( Montparnasse area)
Coquelicot-- bakery, great breakfast ( Montmartre)
La Palette- drinks, apero, coffee ( near Notre Dame)
Le Baratin - delicious food (19 th )
My favorite museum in Paris is the Cluny museum also called musee national du Moyen age --- so much cool stuff from ancient Paris and a nice break from typical sights. It's walking distance from Notre Dame.
Also try musee de l' orangerie-- in the Tuileries gardens. It has ever changing expos and art shows-- I've seen some great shows there.
posted by Rapunzel1111 at 10:32 AM on April 28, 2015
Even though it is a classic tourist attraction, I always visit Sainte Chapelle. To me, it is the most wonderful of all gothic buildings. I've have brought several people who are too blasé for mainstream attractions there (forcefully), and they have all been amazed.
The Palais de Tokyo is a very different museum of contemporary art - it's open quite late at night, among other unusual things. Almost right opposite it on the other side of the Seine is the Musée de Quai Branly, which is maybe not a must-see, but I love the green facade.
Sadly, I haven't been on holiday in Paris for ages, I go there for short business trips - often just one day and night where I must often eat alone in strange arrondissements. So I study blogs like David Lebovitz' for suggestions for good food. Unfortunately, it has been decades since a French bistro was a reliable source for a good steak-frites or salade. Many places have industrial food they just heat, like everywhere else in the world.
My dream is to go to Giverny, as suggested above. Friends did last year, and they really enjoyed it, but emphasized that you need to go early in the morning. It is popular.
posted by mumimor at 10:35 AM on April 28, 2015
The Palais de Tokyo is a very different museum of contemporary art - it's open quite late at night, among other unusual things. Almost right opposite it on the other side of the Seine is the Musée de Quai Branly, which is maybe not a must-see, but I love the green facade.
Sadly, I haven't been on holiday in Paris for ages, I go there for short business trips - often just one day and night where I must often eat alone in strange arrondissements. So I study blogs like David Lebovitz' for suggestions for good food. Unfortunately, it has been decades since a French bistro was a reliable source for a good steak-frites or salade. Many places have industrial food they just heat, like everywhere else in the world.
My dream is to go to Giverny, as suggested above. Friends did last year, and they really enjoyed it, but emphasized that you need to go early in the morning. It is popular.
posted by mumimor at 10:35 AM on April 28, 2015
This question is asked frequently on Metafilter; you should research previous questions. I'll repeat my usual suggestion, the Musée Carnavalet. It's Paris' city museum and has a lot of lesser historical works, I really like the random curation. Also it's free entry and in the middle of the Marais, so is perfect for popping in for 30 minutes and then leaving when you're tired of, say, looking at 15+ giant canvases of the Siege of 1870.
Your US chip-and-signature card will work better than a card with no chip, but is still weird. People will ask for a signature. Automated machines are supposed to work but my experience was about 50/50.
posted by Nelson at 10:36 AM on April 28, 2015 [1 favorite]
Your US chip-and-signature card will work better than a card with no chip, but is still weird. People will ask for a signature. Automated machines are supposed to work but my experience was about 50/50.
posted by Nelson at 10:36 AM on April 28, 2015 [1 favorite]
My suggestions aren't obscure, but since you mention weird art ... At Musée Gustave Moreau, you climb a little spiral staircase that takes you from the rooms showing how the artist lived and into two large galleries where you can see his most famous pieces but also dig through racks of his smaller pieces with your own hands--maybe not great conservation, but an amazing experience. At Père Lachaise Cemetery, you can wander around in a relatively scenic graveyard and visit for example Oscar Wilde's tomb, covered in lipstick kisses. And be sure to visit a comic shop that has a good selection of French comic books--large-format volumes of beautiful and strange art, really, not like most American comics.
posted by Monsieur Caution at 10:49 AM on April 28, 2015
posted by Monsieur Caution at 10:49 AM on April 28, 2015
You have to go to the Museum of Fairground Art (Musée des Arts Fourains). It's guided tours only. The website is in French, but you can reserve tickets in English. No one we know who's been to Paris has ever been there, or even heard of it. It is marvelous. Don't worry if you can't get an English-language tour. You'll enjoy the French tour just as much, and there is an English-language info sheet.
posted by Joleta at 8:54 PM on April 28, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Joleta at 8:54 PM on April 28, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: You guys are all awesome, thank you!
posted by Brian Puccio at 7:15 AM on May 2, 2015
posted by Brian Puccio at 7:15 AM on May 2, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
The lack of chip-and-pin is a bit of a pain, vending machines (like for the metro) won't take your card so I would recommend getting some euros out of the bank before you leave. You might even want to change some of your bills into coins (by buying something small at the airport)-- some ticket machines wouldn't take bills, only coins.
posted by matcha action at 4:04 AM on April 28, 2015 [1 favorite]