Paris Travel Advice

[manhn]

In 2 and a half weeks, I will be going to Paris! I will be there for 8 days. I am intending to stay put with a couple day trips, one to Versailles and another maybe to Brussels. As you may have noticed, I am not one of those "So....what's fun to do in ________?" people. My questions are very precise and specific. Any and all suggestions are welcome. I have already received some wonderful and helpful suggestions from a FSUer or two. I normally do a good number of things suggested by posters.

1. Best Coffee in Paris: A very important question for me. Any and all suggestions will likely be tried out.

2. Best Croissant in Paris:

3. Best Baguette in Paris:

4. Best Cheese in Paris:

5. Best Macaroon in Paris:

6. Best Hot Chocolate in Paris:

7. We will be there during Easter. Any special events we should look out for?

8. Best places to run?

9. I am staying in Rue Cler in the 7th arrondissement. Any special places to check out?

10. My mom wants the best French onion soup.

11. Best pate and fois gras.

12. I will be running the Paris Marathon. The Expo is located at the Porte de Versailles metro stop. Anything else of interest there?

13. The two operas occurring in the Palais Garnier are Benvenutu Cellini and Le Chateaux de Barbe-Bleue / La Voix Humaine. I know nothing about opera. Which one should I attend? Also, a nice eatery to visit after the opera.

14. Best Place to Observe Hipsters:

15. Best bookstore in Paris:

16. Best Vietnamese in Paris:

I think that is it. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Vagabond]

1. Best Coffee in Paris:

2. Best Croissant in Paris:

3. Best Baguette in Paris:

4. Best Cheese in Paris:

5. Best Macaroon in Paris:

6. Best Hot Chocolate in Paris:

10. My mom wants the best French onion soup.

11. Best pate and fois gras.

You're kidding, right? Just go anywhere and stop being so hung up on finding the "best."

8. Best places to run?

Along the Seine. You're staying near the Champs de Mars, Esplanade des Invalides, and Esplanade Jacques Chelban-Delmas, so check them out.

9. I am staying in Rue Cler in the 7th arrondissement. Any special places to check out?

Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, which is quite close to a certain well-known tower.

The 7th is notoriously quiet at night because it contains so many government offices and a few very expensive flats. You may want to spend more time in livelier neighborhoods like the 6th, 8th, and 14th.

14. Best Place to Observe Hipsters:

I'd suggest Belleville (19th Arrondissement), the Halle Pajol (18th Arrondissement); Le Cent Quatre (19th Arrondissement), and the Upper and Lower Marais (3rd and 4th Arrondissements).

15. Best bookstore in Paris:

Head to the Latin Quarter. The two best English-language bookstores are Shakespeare and Company and The Abbey Bookshop. There is a host of good French-language bookstores in the neighborhood, especially around the Pantheon and the Sorbonne.

16. Best Vietnamese in Paris:

I haven't been to one recently enough to make a recommendation, but it's probably near the Place d'Italie, which is the center of the Vietnamese community. It's also worth looking out for Laotian places. I liked Chez Alfred in the 11th, but I noticed some in the 14th that I would like to try the next time I am there.

 

[Spun Silver]

Those operas are both challenging. Cellini is a big, romantic 19th C comedy-drama. I would pick that one in a heartbeat because Berlioz is one of my very favorite composers but not everyone loves him -- he is both grandiose and subtle, and unique, so hard to get used to quickly. It might help if you listened to a bit of it beforehand. Given that the production is being directed by Terry Gilliam of Monty Python I guess they will be stressing the comic side, which may be fun (or may flop... he would not be my pick!). As for the other program, it is actually two rather harsh 20th C. operas by different composers (one is a long solo piece), Bartok and Poulenc. It might be interesting if well staged, but unless you are fond of modern music it might be offputting.
Cellini, aria: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jYmt1ZqBltU
Cellini, Overture: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MkV8_QPfJt0

 

[MsZem]

In 2 and a half weeks, I will be going to Paris! I will be there for 8 days. I am intending to stay put with a couple day trips, one to Versailles and another maybe to Brussels.

I'm not really a castle/palace person, so I enjoyed the gardens much more than the palace at Versailles, plus they're free. You might want to skip Brussels and do another day trip near Paris (e.g. Chartres, Giverny).

2. Best Croissant in Paris:

3. Best Baguette in Paris

I was partial to Ble Sucre in the 12th for croissants. I've heard it's still good under new ownership but have yet to check if this is true.

I do not agree with Vagabond that you can pop in anywhere for baked goods; some places are mediocre at best. Look online for finalists in the annual best baguette in Paris competition. I usually bought mine from a branch of La Parisienne near where I lived, and they were excellent. Wherever you go, always ask for a tradition instead of a plain baguette.

I will be running the Paris Marathon. The Expo is located at the Porte de Versailles metro stop. Anything else of interest there?

Not really?

Parc Andre Citroen is not too far away, but it's not all that exciting.

15. Best bookstore in Paris

No idea, but I found Shakespeare and Company to be an overrated tourist attraction. Maybe go to one of the nice libraries instead? There's also the Taschen art book store in the 6th, I think on the Rue de Buci, with some unusual books in stock.

 

[MsZem]

Continuing on...

4. Best Cheese in Paris:

Best cheese or best fromagerie? Obviously different people are going to like different cheeses You could check out Laurent Dubois. I've only been to their shop in the 5th @Place Maubert, where the quality was very good and they were happy to let me taste different cheeses (not all places are). OTOH, it's not cheap. You can also go to one of the markets, where there are always seem to be some cheese vendors. Or if you know what you like, just grab some at the Monoprix or whatever supermarket is nearby. The quality will still be good.

When you go to a fromagerie, ask what's seasonal, of course.

 

[JJH]

Bluebeard's Castle has only 2 singers. La Voix Humaine has only 1. Both are moody introspective works. They're quite static. The only action is psychological. I've seen them both and enjoyed them, but they are not mainstream operas. I would suggest you try to listen to them before you decide.
I have never seen Cellini, but I would love to. It just depends what you're in the mood for.

As for cheese, I have a sentimental attachment to Androuet, but I don't think they offer samples.
There are many excellent fromageries in Paris.

 

[MsZem]

As for cheese, I have a sentimental attachment to Androuet, but I don't think they offer samples.
There are many excellent fromageries in Paris.

I think at Laurent Dubois they have some things prepped for sampling, and others that they let people try if they ask. Some cheeses do have to be bought without tasting.

There are definitely a lot of good fromageries! I did most of my shopping at Beillevaire and some at the supermarket.

 

[skategal]

Awesome! I love Paris.

I loved the Musee Rodin - Beautiful garden and you can see "The Thinker" and "The Kiss."

"The Kiss" is the sculpture that Gordeeva and Grinkov emulated in one of their Professional programs.

http://www.musee-rodin.fr/

I also loved the Musee D'Orsay. It's not too large and intimidating like the L'Ouvre and there are many famous paintings there that you will recognize.

http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/home.html

I would forget going to Brussels. If you have your heart set on Belgium, Ghent or Bruges are way nicer and are only another 30-40 minutes by train beyond Brussels.

For day trip ideas, the Loire Valley is gorgeous especially if you want to explore a Chateau. We did Chenonceau. I think the train goes there directly but if not, there was just one change.

https://www.loirevalley-france.co.uk/

https://www.chenonceau.com/en/

You could also look at doing the Reims/Eparney area.

There are many excellent champagne houses in the area. Plus, you can check out Reims Cathedral where all the kings of France were coronated and where Joan of Arc made the triumphant liberation to coronate Kings Charles.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reims_Cathedral

If you are interested in Vimy Ridge, you can take a train to the nearest town (I forget which one, but will find out if you want to do this) and then pick up a rental car or tour.

This town also had lots of WWI tours through southern Belgium/Northern France if that is what you are interested in. I could only take so much of it because it was so heart-wrenching but Vimy was amazing.

Vimy and WWI tours probably would require an overnight stay but there is a Holiday Inn Express in the town that was reasonably priced.

 

[vesperholly]

For macarons try Gerard Mulot - sort of near you in the 6th north of the Luxembourg Gardens (a good place to run).

Brussels is boring AF and not really a touristy city. Try Bruges if you want Belgium.

The Versailles inside tour is fairly zippy - a church, a line of state rooms and then the Hall of Mirrors. Not a huge time committment but the Hall of Mirrors is really the main attraction. An optional museum portion that is so-so. The gardens are huge, would be a gorgeous place to run.

I've heard Honfleur (Normandy) is really pretty, plus you could hit the WWII stuff. Mont Saint Michel would be another good day trip.

 

[MsZem]

The Versailles inside tour is fairly zippy - a church, a line of state rooms and then the Hall of Mirrors. Not a huge time committment but the Hall of Mirrors is really the main attraction. An optional museum portion that is so-so. The gardens are huge, would be a gorgeous place to run.

I've heard Honfleur (Normandy) is really pretty, plus you could hit the WWII stuff. Mont Saint Michel would be another good day trip.

Mont Saint Michel is really more of an overnight. Bruges would require a car, there are no direct trains so it's a bit time-consuming to go by public transport as a day trip. Lyon would be more easily accessible.

Agreed about the Parc de Versailles being a great place to run, though I wouldn't want to run if I couldn't take a shower immediately afterward If manhn doesn't mind that, the Promenade Plantee in Paris would be a great place for a run.

 

[vesperholly]

Bruges would require a car, there are no direct trains so it's a bit time-consuming to go by public transport as a day trip.

Yes time-consuming but a car isn't required per se. Google says I can take a Thalys train to Brussels then take the local train right to Bruges. Direct train from Paris no, but local trains yes: http://www.belgianrail.be/en

Plenty of train options: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g188644-i205-k8385510-Brussels_to_Bruges_train-Brussels.html

 

[MsZem]

Yes time-consuming but a car isn't required per se. Google says I can take a Thalys train to Brussels then take the local train right to Bruges. Direct train from Paris no, but local trains yes: http://www.belgianrail.be/en

Yes, I know. But it's more than two and a half hours each way, and that's without counting travel time to Gare du Nord. Seems to me like a lot of travel for one day, and given that manhn is only going to be in Paris for 8 days and has a marathon while there, an overnight might not seem that appealing.

 

[Erin]

I didn't find it hard to get to Bruges without a car (I went from London) and it didn't involve overnight. I'm a little surprised to see so much dissing of Brussels though! I agree that Bruges is better but I felt that Brussels had lots to offer too. And logistically easier given the short trip time.

Other than that, I don't have a whole lot to contribute, but if you do go to Belgium, save the hot chocolate until you go there. They melt real chocolate in it (maybe they do in Paris too but I expect Belgian chocolate would be better anyway).

 

[Vagabond]

I do not agree with Vagabond that you can pop in anywhere for baked goods; some places are mediocre at best.

I did not mean to suggest that you can pop in anywhere for baked goods. It is, however, usually not that difficult to discern whether what is selling is any good by using one's eyes and nose. It's cheaper, quicker, easier, and much more fun to stumble into a good bakery than to trek across town to find the mythical Best Croissant in Paris.

 

[manhn]

I happen to enjoy trekking across towns to find mystical great baked goods. Not sure why you're judging. I could have written the word "favourite" instead. Any places that posters enjoy, even if they are not judged the "best".

 

[MsZem]

I did not mean to suggest that you can pop in anywhere for baked goods. It is, however, usually not that difficult to discern whether what is selling is any good by using one's eyes and nose. It's cheaper, quicker, easier, and much more fun to stumble into a good bakery than to trek across town to find the mythical Best Croissant in Paris.

I'm not sure it's that easy to discern, but I agree that it's not necessary to go out of one's way in search of a good baguette. For a good croissant, I'd make the effort (within reason).

As for cheaper, these aren't pricey to begin with, even at a good boulangerie/patisserie

 

[Vagabond]

"Cheaper" = no additional price to find a decent bakery in one's own neighborhood.
"More expensive" = Métro ticket to get from the Rue Cler to Au Duc de la Chapelle in the Rue Tristan Tzara.

 

[MsZem]

For day trips, the most convenient would be places that can be reached by taking the RER C, or trains from Montparnasse or Saint Lazare as both are easily accessible with line 13. So as I wrote earlier, Chartres and Giverny would be good options, and of course Versailles.

"Cheaper" = no additional price to find a decent bakery in one's own neighborhood.
"More expensive" = Métro ticket to get from the Rue Cler to Au Duc de la Chapelle in the Rue Tristan Tzara.

I get the feeling manhn will venture beyond just the Rue Cler area it's fun to explore different food destinations in Paris!

Also, manhn - if you're going to be using the metro a lot, you might want to get a Navigo pass (if the days work out right).

 

[allezfred]

Le Marais for hipsters definitely.

 

[manhn]

I am there Sat Apr 1 to Mon Apr 10. Would a one-week Navigo Pass be good. It would be good for Monday - Sunday. And get those 10-book tickets for the other days?

I also read that you need a passport-sized photo of yourself to get a Pass? Can I take a picture of myself and get them developed at a Costco or something (Walmart does the tiny sizes)? Or do I need to get an official passport photo taken?

 

[MsZem]

I am there Sat Apr 1 to Mon Apr 10. Would a one-week Navigo Pass be good. It would be good for Monday - Sunday. And get those 10-book tickets for the other days?

Yes. Unless you plan to use the metro a lot on any of the other days, in which case you're better off with a day pass.

A zone 1-5 Navigo should cover any destination within the Ile de France, even ones well away from Paris, so it's good for day trips. Even if you do venture into another region, you'd only need to buy a ticket from the last Ile de France station to wherever it is you're going.

 

[Vagabond]

@manhn Although Brussels is not without interesting things to see (especially around the Grande Place), I would agree with those who suggest going somewhere else if you are going to do a second day trip outside of Paris. I would not recommend Bruges, which, unlike Brussels, is not served by high-speed rail and thus would require three hours' travel in each direction.

I would say go to Chartres if you haven't been there before. Otherwise, maybe Giverny, Lille, Amiens, or Rouen.

 

[gkelly]

Sorry to piggyback on manhn's thread, but since I will be in Paris later this week:

Any recommendations for vegetarian food?

 

[DannyCurry]

I do not agree with Vagabond that you can pop in anywhere for baked goods; some places are mediocre at best.

Absolutely, out of 5 boulangeries at 2 minutes walking distance from my place, only 2 have very good bread. That's still a good ratio though, and Paris does have the best baguettes <3. So, I would usually get a not overcooked "Tradition" baguette at Honoré and croissant and "pain au chocolat" at Ernest & Valentin's.

Then, for hot chocolate, Angelina's is indeed very good (but the tearoom is overrated, and at times not so clean).

As for macaroons, although the quality isn't as great as it used to be, Pierre Hermé's macaroons are still delicious. My favorite, the Mogador (passion fruit and chocolate). Ladurée is IMO overrated but you might enjoy its tea rooms, macaroons and other pastries. Pouchkine's macaroons are decent and their packaging is nice. At either Hermé or Ladurée, the Ispahan (rose, lychee and raspberry) is quite good. Anyway, we don't just have the best macaroons in France. We have the BEST "pâtisseries", among which I might suggest :

• Philippe Conticini's Pâtisserie des Rêves where you'll find the best Paris-Brest (which everyone has been trying to copy).
• L'éclair de génie (by Christophe Adam) : Yummy salted caramel éclair
• Sadaharu Aoki : ok, this one is Japanese but French-inspired to create some wonderful pastries.
• Aux Merveilleux de Fred : I discovered those when I lived in the North of France, but you have several shops in Paris as well. The Merveilleux are wonderfully sweet little clouds that will melt lightly in your mouth. My favorites : "L'Incroyable" (speculoos and white chocolate) and "Le Magnifique" (praline, caramelized hazelnut and almond).

Gosh, writing this post makes me so 'hangry' haha.

Lastly, for other cities, if you do pick Lille (which is a lovely city for one day), try to have your breakfast at Méert (pretty good quality, nice tea room and unlike in Paris, not pricey). Amiens has the best cathedral (I'm biased), a nice park to run (parc saint pierre) but it wouldn't be my pick for a tourist who spends only a few days in Europe. And I also agree with others, Brussels is not worth visiting ! (Quite an awful city, actually, if you ask me). Ghent and Bruges are definitely lovelier (but Vagabond is right, those will take too much time to reach from Paris).

Have fun in Paris !! Just don't stay on the left on the escalators (Btw, for your Pass Navigo Découverte, you won't need an official passport photo, a small-sized pic will do).

 

[allezfred]

• Sadaharu Aoki : ok, this one is Japanese but French-inspired to create some wonderful pastries.

Sadaharu Aoki is probably the one place in Paris I have encountered extremely rude service (and I've been to Paris 13+ times).

 

[manhn]

Sorry to piggyback on manhn's thread, but since I will be in Paris later this week:

Any recommendations for vegetarian food?

I would like to try out a vegetarian restaurant too, to balance all of the pork, roasted chicken and duck I will consume. Do baguettes count as vegetarian? I suspect the Marais area will have those types of eateries.

 

[Vagabond]

How "vegetarian" are we talking here?

There aren't very many truly vegetarian restaurants in Paris, but many etablishments have at least one vegetarian entree. You should always check to be sure there isn't chicken stock or something in it. If you eat fish, however, Paris has plenty to offer.

 

[made_in_canada]

Yes time-consuming but a car isn't required per se. Google says I can take a Thalys train to Brussels then take the local train right to Bruges. Direct train from Paris no, but local trains yes: http://www.belgianrail.be/en

Plenty of train options: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g188644-i205-k8385510-Brussels_to_Bruges_train-Brussels.html

I've taken this train many times. It's easy but not high speed rail. I adore Brugge but probably not worth the travel time attached to a trip to Paris. I can't help you with Brussels unless you want to find prostitutes

 

[MsZem]

Any recommendations for vegetarian food?

I'm vegetarian, and my approach was to get non-meat dishes at restaurants and not look too closely at their provenance. Ethnic food is probably your best bet (Lebanese food should work well, and Miznon in the Marais). The only specifically vegetarian place I can recall trying was at the Marche des Enfants Rouge. It was decent, but nothing spectacular.

• Philippe Conticini's Pâtisserie des Rêves where you'll find the best Paris-Brest (which everyone has been trying to copy).
• L'éclair de génie (by Christophe Adam) : Yummy salted caramel éclair
• Sadaharu Aoki : ok, this one is Japanese but French-inspired to create some wonderful pastries.
• Aux Merveilleux de Fred : I discovered those when I lived in the North of France, but you have several shops in Paris as well. The Merveilleux are wonderfully sweet little clouds that will melt lightly in your mouth. My favorites : "L'Incroyable" (speculoos and white chocolate) and "Le Magnifique" (praline, caramelized hazelnut and almond).

I might be the only person who does not care for L'éclair de génie. The salted caramel one I tried was just meh, and the dark chocolate was lacking in flavor. Both seemed kind of artificially flavored, though that's probably not the case. But I'd rather get my sweet fix elsewhere (manhn already has a list from me).

The Merveilleux I tried were very sweet.

 

[hanca]

I usually check the reviews on trip advisor. If a restaurant has several hundred of reviews and still has high rating, they can’t all be wrong.