General Museum Admission
by peavey
I don't know about buying on-line, but the Paris Museum pass which includes admission to a lot of museums will save you from standing in line. We by-passed a huge line at D'Orsay last November by using it. You can buy them for up to a week but also one day, two day...etc parismuseumpass.com The Food!!
I lived in the outskirts of...
by revallen
I lived in the outskirts of Paris 1961-62 and attended the Sorbonne. Among my favorite places, there are so many that it would take a year to talk about them. The Louvre, the Musee d'Orsay are among my favorites.
Why bother naming restaurants? You can eat well and inexpensively almost anywhere. Young love, which has lasted all my life.
My first acquaintance with Paris was in 1954 - 56 as a G.I. I lived there from 1961-62 and have many friends there. Since then I have been back to Paris a number of times, the last being 1997, 98, 99.
I am fluent in French. Unlike many people in the '50s and '60s, I NEVER had a problem with the French. Paris is as different from the rest of France as New York is from the rest of the USA.
I am an unabashed Francophile and love all of France, including Corsica.
Bonjour Paris!
by lmkluque
One of my fondest memories has to be waking up to a typical French breakfast. Delicious breads, Pain Chocolat, my favorite. Delectable cheeses, Camenbert, Brie, Raclettes for a start. Juice and strong black coffee. Not too much conversation at first.
Though we have to leave soon, the mood is relaxed and graceful.
Not overly friendly people in Paris
by Vinoba
Of all the countries I have visited, the people with the least warm attitude towards others are the Parisians. I have lived in two main countries (Nigeria and UK) and come from Srilanka. I must say when it comes to smiling, the French people I came into contact with were less than generous especially in comparison to the Italians, Spaniards and Austrians! However all that changed around mid-night on New Years' day! Suddenly everyone loved everyone. It was the most amazing transformation!
Also the only French words I had to use were Bonjour and Merci. I was more than happy to try other phrases but most of the Parisians switched to English without any hesitations and our waitors always went out of their way to translate the French menus when we asked for it again without any hesitations. I did not feel the need to speak French for their benefit at all.
So I think that the lack of smiling might have been because it was freezing cold over there in mid-Winter. I should go back in a Summer and see how the people compare to other Europeans. Perhaps the sterotype must-speak-French attitude is being slowly wiped out and this can only be a good thing in terms of welcoming other cultures into a country.
Window displays with humor!!
by shrimp56
Window-shopping in Paris, or as the French call it "lecher les vitrines" [literally "lick the windows"] is a rewarding pursuit -- the windows in Paris are as chic as the residents:)
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I looked at this window in the 6th near St. Germain very quickly and couldn't understand why I was seeing "fur" -- then I looked carefully and voilà -- tiny goats among the beautiful little goat cheeses!
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On my most recent trip I ran across these window displays also showing the French style and wit.