My first trip to Paris
by b1bob
My first trip to Paris was, unfortunately, on one of those whirlwind group tours. On our bus was our group plus others from Baltimore, Scranton, and Winchester. We weren't there long enough to really even get a flavour for Paris. We only saw the obligatory must see activities for Paris (Les Invalides, Notre Dame, Les Bateaux Mouches, the Eiffel Tower, etc.) plus an obligatory stop at a parfumerie ("perfume joint" for those from Roxboro), no doubt as a result of collusion between the tour group and said perfume joint. I had more autonomy in Paris than in most other places because, even back then, I was fluent in French. I assisted our guide Harriet by translating things in French for our group, the majority of which didn't speak French. The included pic is a group photo taken by the tour company of the lot of us in front of the Eiffel Tower. I challenge y'all to find b1bob in that photo.
en español, en français, em português
I would like to give you...
by Giulia_ua
I would like to give you advise (it is the same as I gave you on my Rome travel page): when you are in Paris, try to plan your day in advance and walk around city. I do not like to use transportation. If you want to see city or town – walk. Tourist spots are not the heart and soul of the city. You will never catch the spirit of Paris near Eiffel Tower. So many tourists, from different places of our planet; sales people who sell souveniars are noisy; children together with parents go crazy… ah… This is not Paris that I love. I found my own Paris in the streets, wandering around the city, comming into amazing cathedrals, stopping for a cup of coffee in a small cafes…
Notre Dame Cathedral
by CandS
The Notre Dame cathedral is fantastic! We waited in line for a bit so that we could climb to the bell tower. It was a fantastic view from up there, with the gargoyles looking out over the city.
It is pretty high up though and I was a little too scared to go close to the edge in some spots. ;)
Tours of the Cathedral are available in English on Wednesday and Thursday at 12 pm. Towers are open daily from April to September 10 am to 6 pm; October to March 10 am to 5 pm. Cathedral open daily from 8 am to 6:45 pm.
Forgive but Do not Forget
by BeatChick
Throughout Paris you'll find memorials to the Jewish chilren who were shipped off to the death camps, many to never return home. Heart-wrenching statements that the City of Paris has only in the past few years deemed fit to erect.
The first photo was taken at the Centre Israélite de Montmartre at 27, rue du Chevalier de la Barre, on a street leading east down a flight of stairs behind Sacré-Coeur. The sign may be translated as:
79 Jewish children lodged in this establishment until the bombardment of April 20, 1944 were then installed at 70, avenue Secrétan were arrested by the gestapo on July 21, 1944 and sent off to Auschwitz where 71 of them were assassinated.
Which means that only 8 of them returned home.
The second photo shown is a Jewish Memorial located at 16, rue Julien Lacroix in Belleville in the 20th arrondissement practically next door to Eglise St-Julien-le-Croix (not too far from Père Lachaise cemetery). It reads:
In memory of the pupils of this school who were deported between 1942 and 1944 because they had been born Jewish, innocent victims of the barbaric nazis with the active complicity of the Vichy government. They were exterminated in the death camps.
What a powerful statement.
Photos: February 2006 & November 2007
I hate ironing...
by Canadian_girl
But be sure to bring a travel iron with you!! I was dismayed to learn that apparently irons are not allowed in hotels in Paris, and therefore I couldn't borrow one from the front desk as I have always done in the past. This was a serious problem since I had a job interview early on Monday morning, and all the dry cleaners' / tailors are closed on Sundays! Ack!
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Opera Garnier
la Tour Saint-Jacques - Nov 2010
Panorama view of Tour Eifel
Part of the market.
