Velib' Plus at higher altitudes
by Nemorino
Most of Paris is reasonably flat, but there are some hilly places in the north (Montmartre) and northeast (Buttes Chaumont, Belleville) parts of the city.
This has proved to be something of a problem for Velib', since more people ride downhill than up, so the stations at higher altitudes quickly lose all their bikes and don't get as many back.
One thing they do about this is to have electric trucks circulating to redistribute the bikes, but another thing is that all stations at an altitude of 60 meters or higher have been declared "Velib' Plus" stations, and the software has been amended to award an extra free fifteen minutes ("indivisible") to anyone to returns a bike to one of these stations.
So I seem to have earned an extra fifteen minutes simply by riding up to the top of this hill in Belleville (not a very challenging hill, frankly) and docking it here at station 20113 on Rue Piat at the top end of Belleville Park.
Those extra fifteen minutes came in handy the next day when I went to Passy, where I had never been before so I had to keep stopping to look at the map.
Second photo: You can tell which stations are "Velib' Plus" because they have a special logo with a white plus sign in a red circle, at the top of the computer terminal.
Third photo: Here's the same terminal from the other side, also with the "Plus" logo.
Bougival Confidential
by alza
I ate at the Restaurant Le Camélia and recommend it highly to gastronomes. Then I walked through the town and along the Seine, also highly recommended. It's really fantastic to get away from Paris traffic to spend a few hours in a village atmosphere only minutes away.
I know you can do all that in Versailles, and I love the sculptures and parks there, but by now, in my experience, I prefer places like Bougival, where artists used to go and paint.
Le Comptoir
by BeatChick
Lo, the shiny brass comptoir! In any bar in Paris it is the cheapest place to get a drink. Go to the bar, order a drink, pay cheaper & drink it there. Prices go a bit higher if you go to a table & even higher on le terrasse, which affords fab people-watching.
This one is located at Tabac le Marly - 252 rue de Rivoli.
Palace of Versailles Day Trip
by WYLENEoftheWORLD
If you are at all interested in beautiful architecture or incredible interiors, fabulous gardens and wonderful history, visiting the Palace of Versailles is a must. The town of Versailles also has some great food options as well, and altogether makes for a great trip off the beaten path!
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Ice Kube Bar 1
Ice Kube Bar 2
Les Invalides
Another view of the gallery from the other end.
