 | Paris Tourist Traps | Tips 1 - 10 of 493 |  |
Those Greek guys in the Latin Quarter seem to be a bunch of fun chaps with whom I would not mind hanging out. They stand in front of their restaurants 8 hours a day, breaking plates left and right as if pottery grows on tree. Periodically, they burst out to a chorus of "Opa!" (Roughly translated: "Here comes another unsuspecting tourist with an indiscriminating palate; let's celebrate their shortcomings!").
The food is mediocre at best, the price is high, and the décor is straight out of What To Do With Thrift Shop Leftovers. After 30 minutes of getting your fingers smelly with cheap food and asking yourself why on earth you ended up here, you leave the restaurant feeling foolish. (OK, so perhaps feeling foolish is not that big of a deal to some of us, but do we really need to pay hard-earned money for the experience?)
If you truly want Greek food, find it where there is no human bait and broken plates at the front door. Either that or go to those take out gyro places -- it is not the best Greek quality, but it is not going to cause any damage to your budget or your pride either. Leave a Comment
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Remember John Nada : he saw the extraterrestrial invasion of the world that has already begun... Subversive messages that you can't even guess : Consume, Buy, Reproduce, Don't think.... Ugly monsters dressed like us and hidden thanks to mental micro waves... but above all, he was a hell of a wrestler !!! Stil... Be careful in Paris, the "consume" message is everywhere !!
Vous vous rappelez de John Nada, ce catcher qui voyait tout a coup que l'invasion extraterrestre avait deja commence ? Leurs messages subliminaux s'affichaient partout : achetez, buvez, mangez, reproduisez-vous ? D'horribles monstres se cachaient dans la foule grace a des micro-ondes agissant sur les esprits ? Attention a Paris : le message "achetez" est partout !!!
Please be patient and compare the prices, if you really want to buy something ! Generally, any stuff is cheaper in the "2-figures" districts of Paris (beginning with number 10) rather than in "1-figure" district (beginning with... number 1 !).
Soyez patients et tentez de comparer les prix si vous voulez vraiment acheter quelque chose : tout est generalement moins cher dans les arrondissements a deux chiffres plutot que dans ceux a un chiffre !
Enjoy Paris throughout its monuments, its landscapes and its people (unbelievable but possible !) !
Profitez plutot des monuments, des paysages et des gens (incroyable, mais possible !!) ! Leave a Comment
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La Tour Eiffel
I think going to the top of the Eiffel Tower, day or night, is just an overrated experience. I won't quote Oscar Wilde or Guy de Maupassant but I will say that there’s not much of a view from the top. At night there's only the myriad pinpoints of light (see attached photo). Although you will be able to make out the Arc de Triomphe hardly anything else is discernable. During the day Paris tends to be hazy so you don't see much then either. But, again, you will be able to make out the Arc de Triomphe (and the Tour Montparnasse ~ that's a hint for you). ;)
Sandwiches, bagels, youart, and the like may be purchased from the Mezzanine level. I had a pretty decent jambon et gruyere on baguette from here. Also, there is a post office on this floor where one may send postcards complete with a cancellation stamp indicating it was mailed from the Eiffel Tower!
Does not accept Carte Musées et Monuments.
Photo: April 2003
Well, OF COURSE, you want to go here! It IS Paris, after all, and the Eiffel Tower IS her symbol, and a very beautiful one at that. You have to go to the top at least once. So here's my suggestion (but don't tell anyone else otherwise everyone'll be doing it):
Go to the top for the sunset. Admittedly, it'll be during the day and there will HUGE crowds and the wait will probably be about 2 hours BUT you will get to see all of Paris in her finest glow.
You can't come here for the sunrise; La Tour opens too late for that, so sunset will have to do. It'll be glorious, trust me.
OR just go to the 1st level - much better view, Paris' monuments are more discernable. I walked up the 328 steps this last trip in order to take photos of the sunset views. Now while that may seem like a lot (Notre Dame's tower & the Arc de Triomphe have more steps) there are plenty of places to pause for a breath & to take in the view. There's plenty of space for people to get around you so you don't need to feel as if you're holding up a line of people. There're also great signs about the tower detailing its history (French, German & English) so you can learn as you climb. Keep in mind, that entrance to the steps closes at dusk.
Otherwise, you might try one of the 2 restaurants: the ultra-expensive haute cuisine Jules Verne or the more affordable Altitude 95. I recommend reserving at least 2 months in advance for both.
Alternatively, to catch a view of the E.T. and to get a crowd vibe (but without wading thru those horrid hawking vendors that refuse to get out of your face - tell them "no habla") go to the opposite side of the Seine, to the Trocadéro for a lovely glimpse of the lady girdled in iron. This is where the teens hang out, there are no hawkers (although there are some crossing the bridge) and the view is gorgeous.
THE OTHER THING you can do (this is for the adults now) is go to the top of La Tour Montparnasse and have a drink at Le Ciel de Paris (price of a drink takes care of the elevator fee). Now isn't that lovely? A drink in hand and a view of the Eiffel Tower. Sigh! Leave a Comment
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I've been to Versailles on 2 separate trips and both times, we arrived on early trains and were able to visit the property without throngs of people.
We didn't realize it the first time but this was CRUCIAL to a positive visit. When we were leaving (around noon) there was a huge line waiting to get in. Not fun.
I have 2 tips for you...
1) If you're not sure you want to go, GO! At least go and see the palace itself even if you don't visit the other buildings. The hall of mirrors (see pic left) is amazing. Truly amazing.
2) If you go, be there BEFORE it opens and try to get in and out by noon. Noon is when all the TOUR BUSES start arriving so it gets really packed in the afternoon.
If you play your cards right, you can visit the highlights and be back in Paris proper by 2-3 pm.
The Hall of Mirrors was the opulent setting for state events and is where the Treaty of Versailles was ratified in 1919 ending World War I.
The room is 233 feet long. Leave a Comment
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Place du Tertre, the artists' square, crowds galore. This is the way it is during the daytime, but if you can get there early in the morning...
then perhaps you can watch the sunrise over Paris on the edges of the Place du Tertre, perhaps down rue Calvaire the street that is also stairs. Or come in the evening after the crowds have gone away and enjoy the Place then. It's especially peaceful at midnight
To avoid the grasping artist (and they're not all like that) the easiest thing to do is avoid eye contact. If they reach out for you move away.
Montmartre is a large area, noted for it's "village-like" atmosphere. Go down the side streets, visit the area around Au Lapin Agile, Le Clos Montmartre, Cimetiere St-Vincent (rue des Saules & rue St-Vincent) or to the area to the east and down from Sacre-Coeur or even the area behind this monumental church for some peace & quiet.
Or hunt down the sites associated with Amelie to feel more of the Montmartrois flavor. Or shop at the rue Lepic street market!
Montmartre is so much more than Sacre-Coeur or the artists' square.
One of the photos features La Mere Catherine where the term "bistro" was first used for a place that prepared quick meals. The Russians who were occupying this area in the late 1800s would stomp on their tables shouting out "bistro, bistro" ("quickly, quickly") in order to get their food faster!
Photos: April 2003 & Feb 2006 Leave a Comment
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street seller, selling dancing mickey mouse.
Dont buy one, they look very cute and quite impressive, but it is another con. They seem to dance to the music, kind of magically, but when you get them home and undo them you find a paper cut out that you have to tie a piece of cotton to, to make it "Dance " Conned again!!!!
Found near to Louvre
Dont be fooled, as our unusaul gifts ended up in the bin!!!!! Leave a Comment
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This triangular square ("tres charmant, tres pittoresque, tres tranquille") that I'd read so much about is cute but didn't exactly live up to my expectations. Lovely leafy trees, to be sure, but with no grass to temper the crunchy gravel/dirt/mud underneath.
The Surrealists loved the Place Dauphine due to its suggestive V-shaped area; they called it "le sexe de Paris"!
UPDATE: I've changed my mind now about Place Dauphine and can at last say I understand its charms. Check out the night photo!
Photos: April 2003 & Feb 2006
Nearby is the statue of the Vert Galant, King Henri IV.
Square du Vert Galant (the tip of the Île de la Cité)
Ste-Chapelle
Nôtre-Dame Leave a Comment
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La Rotonde de la Muette
12, chaussée de la Muette, Paris 75016
Don't get sucked into eating at this restaurant in the 16th arrondissement just because it's convenient to the Marmottan! Although it's listed on one of my new favorite Paris websites, Philocafés, the food was just "okay" and I couldn't highly recommend it. I made the mistake of assuming this was like the historic café in Montparnasse, La Rotonde, which goes to show you where assumptions will take you.
I'm not one who expects to get chummy with her servers and expect an aloof yet professional staff but the personnel here was rather distant, both physically & personality-wise. Because it is near the Musée Marmottan, out in the 16th arrondissement so I thought it would be a safe bet, meaning out of the touristy sections, but I was wrong.
Out of three trips to Paris, this is only one of two places with which I've ever been dissatisfied.
For 31.50€ I had a Filet de "bœuf de Cantal" grillé (grilled fillet of beef from the Cantal region)(with frites) and a fromage blanc au miel (white cheese with honey) accompanied by a 1/2 carafe of the house wine. Not bad but for that price I've had better.
Photo Credit: Pages Jaunes
Go to the Musée Marmottan. Too bad they don't have a café on-site like the Louvre, the d'Orsay or the Centre Pompidou.
It seems like all the good restaurants in the 16th are north of Palais de Chaillot so if you find yourself in this area pick up a sandwich (and some macarons) at Boulangerie Paul, located at 44 rue l'Annonciation, about a block or 2 past La Muette Métro station.
Or if you're on your way to la Tour Eiffel after this little jaunt then go to one of my fave small not-well-known restos, Restaurant Chez Ribe at 15 avenue Suffren, 5 minutes south from La Tour.
Photo: August 2005 Leave a Comment
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When heading up the stairs to Sacre Coeur, you will undoubtedly meet up with a group of individuals who approach very quickly, and ask you to hold out one finger, and they loop some hemp-like yarn around it, rapidly creating a braided bracelet for you while chatting you up. My son got talked out of 10 euro for his, I got annoyed and had them cut imine off. The story is, the Japanese pay 20 euro for this valuable service, and the "good luck" that is guaranteed to come with it.
Don't let anyone touch you, and decline offers. Leave a Comment
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You do not know where to leave your luggages ?
Ask to you hotel if they can keep your luggages.
Sometimes you can leave them at the Airport, the hotel or some big stores in Paris in a big SAFE, called "Consignes Automatiques".
AUTOMATIC LUGGAGE BOX (in 2003):
check at www.sncf.fr (Consignes a Bagages)
* SNCF Station:
Angers, Avignon-centre, Bordeaux, Cannes, Lyon-Perrache, Marne ?la Vall?e Chessy, Marseilles, Nantes, Nice, Toulouse.
* Stations of Paris:
Austerlitz/Est/Lyon/Montparnasse/Nord.
The rate is depending of the size:
3,40 Euros (1), 5 Euros (1) ou 7,5 Euros (1) for 72 hours.
MANUAL LUGGAGE BOX:
* Dijon, Lille-Flandres, Lyon-Part Dieu, Metz, Mulhouse, Rennes, Strasbourg. Ouverture p?riodique en gares de Saint-Raphael, Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Moutiers et Saint-Gervais-les-Bains.
Rates: 4,50 ? (1) per lugage (valise, colis), for 24 hours.
Rates: 5,30 ? (1) bike, fauteuil roulant for 24 hours.
(1) Rates on 01/08/2002.
* ATTENTION: for security reasons, it may be closed. Leave a Comment
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More Paris Tips Overview
| General Tips
Tips: 2,394 - Photos: 2,329 | Restaurants
Tips: 2,512 - Photos: 2,325 | Hotels and Accommodations
Tips: 1,949 - Photos: 1,530 | Things To Do
Tips: 9,840 - Photos: 16,293 | Nightlife
Tips: 863 - Photos: 774 | Off the Beaten Path
Tips: 1,680 - Photos: 2,347 | Tourist Traps
Tips: 493 - Photos: 317 | Warnings or Dangers
Tips: 767 - Photos: 384 | Transportation
Tips: 1,560 - Photos: 1,301 | Local Customs
Tips: 800 - Photos: 668 | Packing Lists
Tips: 270 - Photos: 157 | Shopping
Tips: 794 - Photos: 908 | Sports Travel
Tips: 104 - Photos: 122 | Flights
Tips: 99 - Photos: 0 |
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- Damremont
110 Rue Damremont 18th Arr., Paris, France - Exclusive Hotel Cecilia ***
11, Avenue Mac-Mahon 17 Arr., Paris, France - Montreal
23 Rue Godot-de-Mauroy 09 Arr., Paris, France - Hotel Bleu Marine Montparnass
40 Rue du Commandant Mouchotte 14 Arr., Paris, France - Timhotel Tour Eiffel
11, rue Juge, Paris, France - Tryp Blanche Fontaine (36 Rue Fontaine.)
34 Rue Fontaine, Paris, France - Pavillon Opéra Bourse
15 Rue Geoffrey Marie, Paris, France - Best Western Premier Elysees Regencia
41 ave Marceau, Paris, France - Regetel Eiffel Capitol
9, rue Viala 15 Arr., Paris, France - Westend Hotel
7, rue Clément Marot, Paris, France - Louvre
Place Andre Malraux, Paris, France - Hotel du Louvre (Place Andr Malraux.)
Place Andre Malraux, Paris, France - Burgundy Hotel
8 rue Duphot 1st Arr., Paris, France - Jardin Opera Morny
4, rue de Liege 9th Arr., Paris, France - Arvor
8, rue Laferriere 09 Arr., Paris, France
Destinations near Paris- Île de la Cité, 1.22 km / 0.76 miles
- Clichy, 4.44 km / 2.76 miles
- Neuilly-sur-Seine, 5.22 km / 3.24 miles
- Asnières, 6.65 km / 4.13 miles
- Boulogne-Billancourt, 7.13 km / 4.43 miles
- Courbevoie, 7.13 km / 4.43 miles
- Suresnes, 7.31 km / 4.54 miles
- Puteaux, 7.31 km / 4.54 miles
- Bois-Colombes, 7.39 km / 4.59 miles
- Issy-les-Moulineaux, 7.39 km / 4.60 miles
» See all locations nearby» Popular Île-de-France locations» Popular France locations
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on February 20, 2006
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