Brain Travel: Paris, France

Money

euro is currency, Exchange – 146 E = 100USD, 100 E = $68 (Dec 2007)
Tipping:, service is usually included (service compris) but leave small change for good service – if no service included tip 15-20%, 12-15% for cabs, 1E for each bag at hotels & 1E/day for maid, when in doubt tip (cloak rooms, WCs)

Transportation

Orientation - quadrant system, called arrondissements. Right bank is north of the river, left is south.

Lodging:

Edouard VII - nice hotel with great service. Very close to the Opera House. Excellent location for seeing sights in Paris.
Hotel de Grandes Ecoles - 75 rue Cardinal Lemoine - travel article rec
Meurice - 228 rue de rivoli - location right by the Louvre

Attractions

Versailles – Chateau 1 November - 31 March, 9am to 5.30pm, last admission: 5pm – CLOSED M; The Marie-Antoinette's Estate and the Grand Trianon 12-530, about 7-16E, 25E total pass, By train: the nearest station is Versailles Rive Gauche on Line C of the RER; the Palace is an 8-minute walk away.
Latin Quarter – getting more touristy - has Sorbonne University in it – 5^th Arr,
NotreDame – 745-19 daily (7.5E), towers 10-1730, treasury 930-6 M-F (3E), crypt 10-6 (closed M) free
Ste Chappelle – near Notre Dame, 9-5 daily, cost with Concierge and one other building
5^th Q – Sorbonne and Pantheon 10-1830
Eifell – 930-2300, (3-11E)
Arc de Triumph – view at top 10-2230 (8E)
Catacombs – closed M, 10-16, (5E)
Louvre – closed Sun & Tues, open 9-6 (8.5E)
Musee d Orsay – closed Sun & Mon, 9:30-6 (7E)·

Food –

Resa au Drouant - 16-18 Gaillon - relatively new restaurant - excellent tastes here with superb service. Very close to the Opera House.
L'Astrance - recommended in travel articles, closed Sundays
Le Colimacon - good food, poor service
Angelina - 226 Rue de Rivoli 1st Arr - great Parisian breakfast - also a location in the 17th
Allard (reserve rec for lunch) – Left Bank – French bistro;
Au Boeuf Couronne ( off the beaten path) 8 rue laplace;
Le Meruice – prix fixe 2 michelin chefs – 228 rue de rivoli ;
La Petite Hostelleri – 35 rue de la harpe – mussels are good;
Bar Hemingway, hotel ritz, 15 place Vendome
1^st/2^nd – Le Carre Blanc. Les Noves de Jeannette;
7^th/8^th – Mood (japan –fusion);
Berthillion and Amorino for desserts;
Brasserie Balzar – 49 rue des ecoles

Laduree, 21 rue Bonaparte
Fondation Cartier por l'Art Contemporain, 261 boulevard Raspail - cool views from above in cafe
Cafe de Flore - 172 blvd. saint-germain - expensive cafe

http://www.leboulangerdemonge.com/ - 123 Rue Monge – 5^th – closed M;
Maison Kayser -8, rue Monge V - 14 rue Monge - 87, rue d'Assas Vie - 79, rue du Commerce XVe - 49, rue Linois XVe - 87, Rue Didot XIVe;
Poilane;
Maison Gosselin - Rue de Verrüe St Vaast La Hougue;
GANA CHAUD. - 226, rue des Pyrénnées;
LE MOULIN DE LA VIERGE;
Pain d’epis - 63 avenue Bosquet – VIIème;
Ma Bourgogne – Place des Vosges - order the hot chocolate

SHOPPING

Sunday flea market – March eau puces – café nearby;
Le Louvre des Anitquaries – antiques near Louvre;
Viaduc des Artes – 12^th district, collection of artists and crafts;
Baccarat, Lalique, L Tuile a Loup (5^th) pottery and crafts, Au Printemps, Anna Lowe, Fauchon, Catherine
Camille Fournet - boutique
L'Eclaireur - 10, rue herold, boutique
Colette - 213 rue saint honore
Ornements - jewelery rec from travel magazine - 96 rue de grenelle
Loxwood - boutique fashion - 14 rud du Cherche Midi

ARTICLES OF INTEREST:

Recommendations: Restaurants The Top 10 Places to Eat (Very Expensive)

· 1. Lucas Carton - 9 place de la Madeleine, Paris 8th - métro: Madeleine
· 2. L'Ambroisie - 9 place des Vosges, Paris 4th - métro: Saint-Paul
· 3. Alain Ducasse - 59 av. R. Poincaré, Paris 16th - métro: Victor Hugo
· 4. La Tour d'Argent - 17 quai de Tournelle, Paris 5th - métro: Cardinal-Lemoine
· 5. Les Ambassadeurs (Hôtel de Crillon) - 10 place de la Concorde, 8th - métro: Concorde
· 6. Cercle Ledoyen - Carré des Champs-Elysées, 8th - métro: Concorde o Champs-Elysées
· 7. Taillevent - 15 rue Lamennais, Paris 8th - métro: Charles de Gaulle-Etoile
· 8. Guy Savoy - 18 rue Troyon, Paris 17th - métro: Charles de Gaulle-Etoile
· 9. Le Grand Véfour - 17 rue de Beaujolais, Paris 1st - métro: Palais-Royal
· 10. L'Arpège - 84 rue de Varenne, Paris 7th - métro: Varenne

· The Top 10 Places to Eat (Inexpensive)

· 1. Chez Clément - 6 addresses in Paris, including: 47 av. de Wagram, Paris 17th - métro: Ternes or 123 av des Champs-Elysées, Paris 8th - métro: George V
· 2. Restaurant des Beaux-Arts - 11 rue Bonaparte, Paris 6th - métro: St-Germain-des-Prés
· 3. Les Noces de Jeannette - 14 rue Favart, Paris 2nd - métro: Richelieu-Drouot
· 4. Le Patio Provençal - 116 rue des Dames, Paris 17th - métro: Villiers
· 5. Osteria del Passe-partout - 20 rue de l'Hirondelle, Paris 6th - métro: St-Michel
· 7. Dame tartine - 2 rue Brisemiche, Paris 4th - métro: Hôtel-de-Ville or Les Halles
· 8. Lescure - 7 rue de Mondovi, Paris 1st - métro: Concorde
· 9. Chartier - 7 rue du Faubourg-Montmartre, Paris 9th - métro: Rue Montmartre

The Top 10 Restaurants with a View

· 1. La Tour d'Argent - 17 quai de Tournelle, Paris 5th - métro: Cardinal-Lemoine A very famous address with the best view of Notre-Dame.
· 2. Jules Verne - Tour Eiffel (second floor)
· 3. La Maison Blanche - 15 av. Montaigne, Paris 8th - métro: Alma Marceau From the rooftop of the Theâtre des Champs-Elysées, nice view over the Seine and the capital.
· 6. Altitude 95 - Tour Eiffel (1st floor), Good address, less expensive than the Jules Verne
· 7. Morot-Gaudry 6 rue de la Cavalerie, Paris 15th - métro: La Motte-Picquet
· 8. Toupary - Samaritaine (5th floor) - 2 quai du Louvre, Paris 1st - métro: Pont-Neuf
·

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