4 Stars
Louvre
Le Grand Palais
Paris cafe near the Rodin Museum
Romanesque Art Deco tower, Oct 2009
Need advice re: cheap accommodation options accessible from Port Maillot late evening with 3 kids (aged 6-9) in tow! Only staying 2 nts, so need early access to beds on first evening. Appreciate Port Maillot not offering too many bargains. Anyone any experience of Hotel Belidor on rue Belidor? Are there any guest house options within relatively easy reach either on foot / via Metro? Is apartment rental viable for such a short stay and/or late arrival?
Advice very much appreciated. Slainte,
P et al
go to the Louvre. If you go, do not go through the main entrance on ground level; enter via the metro entrance - the lines are a lot shorter. Who can explain the feeling of seeing and standing next to the Venus de Milo (picture), Winged Victory, and the Mona Lisa.
If you are a jetsetter, you already know that having a map is crucial to all your travels.
Request a Paris map at your hotel. They don't usually offer you but go ahead and ask from the reception counter. Although most receptionists are not fluent in English, some are good in conversing in English.
The map of Paris has both train map and the metro map. When I travel, I rely mostly on maps especially when the buildings are on the same heights. Updated maps are my best friends when travelling. Besides all the things that I have already said on my previous general tips, I also had a big blast watching a Parisian police officer chase the illegal sellers of souvenirs at the base of the Eiffel Tower. The police officer on a bike chased five illegal sellers until he almost grab one. But, the seller was lucky to get out of the street onto the pavement. Because of the height of the pavement, the police officer cannot maneuver his bike fast enough to catch the seller!
If you are wandering around the Palais Royal Gardens maybe you will notice this small and curious cannon. In 1786 M. Rousseau, watchmaker from 95 Galerie Beaujolais, indicated midday everyday to people walking around Palais Royal. He did explode this little canyon situated on the meridian line of Paris. A small magnifying glas was supposed to light a wick on sunny days. Thirteen years later this canyon was moved to its current position and it worked until 1914. It will work again all days at midday since 13th July 1990. It has an inscription “ Horas non numero nisi serenas” (I only count the happy hours). Nowadays we can see a replica as the original canyon was stolen about 8-10 years ago.
This was to be a “Things To Do” tip, but on further thought it’s very much also a “Local Custom” topic. Living in an (often cramped) apartment during the week, Parisians love to spend sunny weekend days in the park. Here they can soak up some sunshine, let the kids run and play, and enjoy the greenery. As you see them doing in these photos.
Why was I in this particular park? Convenience was a factor, it was near my hotel: apart from that, this was the site of the Temple of the Knights Templar, which held an important place in Parisian history. It appears the Temple may have been a similar fortress to the Conciergerie. After the Templars were despatched by the truly dreadful King ‘Phillip the Fair’, their building became a State prison. It again rose to fame when the French royal family were incarcerated there during the Revolution. Finally it was demolished on the orders of Napoleon in 1809 and Baron Haussmann created the “Square of the Temple” park (one of 25 such parks) in 1857. Somehow I doubt all that history is the slightest concern to the little boys running around in photo 2!
Pont Neuf is the western tip of the island in the Seine that houses Notre Dame. Grab some wine and some food, go down the stairs to the park area, and watch the sunset. It is definitely a relaxing place to gather your thoughts after a hectic day of sightseeing. There are also quite a few locals here in case you wanted to mingle with them.
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Address: 5 rue Belidor, Paris, 75017, France
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