Paris Travel Guide

Christmas in Paris 2008

ohbarcelonafhl — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:13:36 +0000

Just before Christmas is the ideal time for booking an apartment in Paris. Why? Because going Christmas shopping is a real treat! The numerous Christmas fairs, the Les grand magazins’ exuberantly decorated shopping windows, and the Christmas decorations in the streets all completely bring you in the Christmas mood!

Paris spares no expenses just before Christmas. From all kinds of different countries people come to Paris to do their Christmas shopping.

So what exactly are the must do’s when going to Paris around this time of year…A brief outline.

Les grandes magazins like Galeries la Fayette, La Samaritaine and Printemps Hausmann all luxuriantly decorated their shopping windows. In case you would want to do Christmas shopping, take a look over there. The picture was taken in La Fayette.

Avenue Mantaigne, Avenue des Camps-Elysées and Place Vendome (on the Rue de la Paix) have the most magnificent Christmas decorations. It definitely deserves a stroll!

The decorations are to be seen form the 24th of November up to the 1st of January 2008.

The Christmas fairs. They start from the first weekend in December and last up to the day before Christmas day.

To conclude here are two more tips for booking an avant Noël trip:

1. Book in advance, for Paris is very popular in December.

2. I won’t have to tell this to the experienced Christmas shopper, but just before Christmas it gets very crowded. My advice is to go early in December.

To learn about Paris accommodation and Paris apartments and Hotels in Paris in particular, go online and check out whats on offer at our site www.all-paris-apartments.com

To learn about Paris accommodation and Paris apartments in particular, go online and check out whats on offer at our site www.all-paris-apartments.com

Christmas in Paris 2008

Popping corks on the Champs-Elys

ohbarcelonafhl — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:13:30 +0000

New Year in Paris. Going to Paris seems to be one of the best ideas to start the new year with. Still there are a couple of aspects that need to be taken into account. Most Parisians have an exstensive meal before going out on the streets to mark the countdown for the new year.This means that if you’d be planning on going to a restaurant, these will probably be full and you’ll have to make your reservation well in advance. Furthermore restaurants apply special New Years menus that are a lot more expensive than the normal prices. Although preparing a good/nice dish at your appartment in Paris also has its charm, I also think it’s a must to enjoy the delicious French cuisine in a good restaurant. So, if you’re planning on coming to Paris and want to eat out, bes sure to make your reservation well in advance.

Enough about food; let’s talk about partying. The most obvious place is the Champs-Elysées. Go there with a bottle of Champagne in your hands and do the countdown with Parisians and tourists. Here on the most famous boulevard in Paris you’ll find the most well dressed people ready to ´pop´ when the clock strikes midnight. At 12 o’clock the Eiffel Tower will shine with all its force for about 30 minutes.

For those who’d like to avoid the crowds on the Champs-Elysées, they can go to the Sacre Coeur. From there you’ll have a wonderful view of the Parisian skyline with all the pomp and circumstance of the colourful fireworks!

oh, and uh…don’t forget this little phrase: „Bonne Année!“

To learn about Paris accommodation and Paris apartments and Hotels in Paris in particular, go online and check out whats on offer at our site www.all-paris-apartments.com

Popping corks on the Champs-Elysées during New Years Eve in Paris!

The Alternative Paris

ohbarcelonafhl — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:13:25 +0000

Of course, it could be the case that you hate the commotion and the chaos of a metropole. But if not there actually isn’t any valid reason why not to visit Paris some day.

The Eiffel tower, Champs Elysées, the Louvre, these are all well known tourist attractions, but next to these Paris has so much more to offer.

For those who want a nice view of the Eiffel Tower and the rest of Paris, can find this at the 209 meters high (but according to many repulsive) Tower of Montparnasse. Other nice viewpoints are the rooftops of the department stores Lafayette and Samaritaine.

Somewhat in the atmosphere of this website: some of the perhaps most famous public toilets in the world can be found underground at the Place de Madalaine, which date form 1905 and are completely designed in art nouveau style. A reassuring thought: you can just sit on them.

And what to think of a true sewer museum? Sewer just too ordinary for you? Human skulls and bones are to be seen at Les Catacombes, the underground cemeteries from the 18 th century. A part of it has been transformed into a museum with human remains (address: 1, place Denfert-Rochereau, fourteenth district).

For whom this still isn’t sinister enough, there is also the possibility to illigally explore the rest of the catacombs.

For those who seek peace, they can find this at one of the regular cementaries. At the 900 years old cementary of Père-Lachaise doctor Guillotin (the inventor of the guillotine), Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaff, baron Hausmann, Jim Morisson and Frédéric Chopin, among other, found their final resting-place. The cementary has an innumerable amount of monuments. Bird lovers and couples in love like to go there. In addition there is a wonderfull view of the city from Père-Lachaise.

The extensive grave-site is that big that it would be wise to get your hands on a map at the entrance or at one of the flowershops.

Yet another spot for couples in love and other with peaceful intentions: the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont in the nineteenth district. People sail on the lake in the park designed by Hausmann. There’s a sort of small shrine at a cliff, from where you’ll get a beautiful view.

To learn about Paris accommodation and Paris apartments and Hotels in Paris in particular, go online and check out whats on offer at our site www.all-paris-apartments.com

The Alternative Paris

Paris sales shopping

ohbarcelonafhl — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:13:19 +0000

After its cultural attractions, Paris is surely best known as a shopper’s paradise. From the chic designer boutiques on Rue du Faubourg to the imposing department stores on Boulevard Haussman Paris’ reputation as one of the shopping meccas of the world has never been so strong. Paris fashion is above all distinguished for its classic lines and chic style rather than inventive designs or experimental fashion, so Paris sales are the ideal opportunity to invest in some quality timeless garments.

Since 1999, when the regulation was put in place to define the official dates that shops are permitted to have sales, the Paris January sales experience has in many ways become much simpler. The 2008 Paris sales will hit the window displays and rails from 9 th January for a period of six weeks in which price tags will often be slashed by a whopping 70% or more.

The large department stores on Boulevard Haussman are the first logical port of call. With a long standing reputation in the Parisian fashion world, dating back to 1865, Printemps and Galeries Lafayette are the best known department stores in Paris and great starting point for attacking the sales. This is the ideal opportunity to snap up luxury goods and classic style garment at severely reduced prices. Forget rock bottom last season’s fashion items, look carefully and select quality items and brands which would otherwise be out of price reach. Another popular department store is La Sarmanitaine, a mammoth five storey complex located in the 1 st arrondissement between Les Halles and Port Neuf.

For those seeking offers in smaller boutiques and a more personal approach, rue des Franc-Bourgeois in the Marais (4 th arrondissement) is the ideal shopping destination.

Soldes by Paris

In order to develop Paris as the ultimate sales shopping destination, the Soldes By Paris’, event was launched for the first time last year to encourage visitors to travel to Paris for the January sales whilst facilitating a potentially overwhelming experience. The event, which will take place between the 9 th and 20 th January, brings together over 1500 shops and over 500 hotels and restaurants with the idea of coordinating certain shopping routes in order to meet the needs of the visitor.

The five themed shopping routes complete with trilingual guides have been developed to suit different tastes, needs and personalities, under the titles of chic, trendy, extraordinary, romantic and creative. Visitors who are willing to participate in this will be able to pick up a welcome pack from one of the participating hotels and a magazine to guide them through the complex maze of the sales. Furthermore a series of shopping stations will be located on each of the shopping routes to give the weary shopper advice (and the courage to go on).

Whether self organized or with the help of Soldes by Paris, a short winter break in Paris is the ideal way to combine sightseeing with some serious sales shopping. From the base of a comfortable Paris apartment the visitor can make the most of a January city break.

To learn about Paris accommodation and Paris apartments and Hotels in Paris in particular, go online and check out whats on offer at our site www.all-paris-apartments.com

Paris sales shopping

Paris on a budget: Paris travel guide

ohbarcelonafhl — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:13:13 +0000

Although normally associated with visions of grandeur and high society, at times of tightly stretched credit cards a trip to Paris doesn’t have to cost the earth. Accommodation Paris is often the biggest stumbling block and choosing an economical yet comfortable option can be really tricky. Paris apartments not only give you the opportunity to ‘live like a Parisian’ but also often work out much more economically than a hotel or guesthouse.

Sights and attractions on a shoestring: For a spectacular view of the city climb up the stairs of the northern tower of Notre Dame cathedral, ogle at the lurid yet strangely appealing gargoyles then take in the spectacular Parisian vista from above. What’s more the cathedral is one of the few major attractions of the city which is free to enter.

Les Tuileries is Catherine de Medici’s magnificent park and most centrally located green space in Paris. This expansive collection of formal gardens, sweeping paths and even one or two galleries connects the Louvre with Place de la Concorde, bordering the Seine. There are various sculptures located sporadically around the gardens and L’Orangerie museum, housing works by Cézanne, Matisse, Renoir, is well worth a visit especially if you are fortunate enough to time your visit with the first Sunday of the month when entry is free.

Eating out every day in Paris can be an expensive affair but a baguette in the park can be equally enjoyable on a fine sunny day. Why not pick up a sublime poulet baguette from the Brioche Dorée boulangerie chain, found all over the city, and take it to the Jardin du Luxembourg (Le Luco). This “people’s park” is frequented by great numbers of students, families and boules-playing retired locals alike, and provides a delightful lunchtime spectacle. Paris’ largest park is also the ideal place for children with an enclosed play area, marionette shows and other attractions to keep them out of trouble.

On a Sunday morning, there is no better pleasure than a meander down the Rue du Mouffetard in the 5 th arrondissement to the home of Paris’ most famous pedestrianised street and street market. Indulge your senses in the divine flavours and appetizing of stall after stall of cheeses, meat and fresh fruit and vegetables. I challenge you to resist! Depending on the time of the day, this is a great district to treat yourself to a very reasonably priced brunch or lunch in a range of bistros and restaurants from all corners of the globe. Just take your pick!

To save on transport costs, if you are staying in Paris for a week or more it is worth investing in a Carte Orange, a photographic metro pass which allows you unlimited access to city transport for around 16 euros for zones one and two, depending on the location of your Paris apartments. Alternatively one day tickets work out economically if you intend to use the transport system frequently.

To learn about Paris accommodation and Paris apartments and Hotels in Paris in particular, go online and check out whats on offer at our site www.all-paris-apartments.com

Paris on a budget: Paris travel guide

Paris Bistros

ohbarcelonafhl — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:13:07 +0000

The bistros are one of the many things that make Paris Paris. A Parisian bistro is something else. The good wine-card, the simple and solid dishes, and of course the furnishings. No fuss, wainscoting and curtains, reasonable prices and a happy atmosphere. These are usually the bistros’ characteristics. In short, a fine reason to get out of your appartment in Paris, because there are a few cosy jewels among them.

The bistro isn’t really a French concept. In the past the French only knew a restaurant, where

You could get a meal with a starter, a main and side dish and a dessert. This changed when Napoleon sent his troops in direction of Russia. There the soldiers got acquainted with the bistro, something in between a bar and a restaurant.

Because soldiers received one plate with everything on it, and their paper placemat also served as a napkin and they used their own knife to eat with, this meant less work for the bistro owner. Because of this a meal in a ‚bistot’ became affordable.

This is probably the way the concept ended up in Paris.

Of course in today’s day and age it’s not usual anymore to bring your own knife when going out to dinner to a bistro in Paris. You can simply leave it at home. To conlude, a couple of personal favourites.

To learn about Paris accommodation and Paris apartments and Hotels in Paris in particular, go online and check out whats on offer at our site www.all-paris-apartments.com

To learn about Paris accommodation and Paris apartments in particular, go online and check out whats on offer at our site www.all-paris-apartments.com

Paris Bistros

Paris for Children

ohbarcelonafhl — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:13:02 +0000

Forget romantic walks by the Seine, candlelit dinners and moonlight stroll into the early hours, now that there are children to consider will never be the same again. Wrong. Paris is a great place to explore not only for children but for the whole family together. Seeing Paris from your kids’ perspective will make you fall in love with the city all over again, but in a totally different way. Although synonymous with Eurodisney, a trip to Paris with children doesn’t even need to involve a large theme park to keep them entertained.

Centrally located between Le Louvre and Place de la Concorde the Tuileries Gardens is the ideal spot for children to let off some steam and adults to take a breather from the buzz of the city centre. With pony rides, sail boats for rent and plenty of space to run about children will love this park. During the summer there is also a small fair on Terrasse des Feuillants with a ferris wheel, merry go round and other attractions.

Don’t be put of by Parc de la Villette’s former history as the site of a large slaughter house (although this may intrigue some older children). Located on the edge of the 19 th arrondissement, this park houses Cité de la science and de l’industrie: Europe’s largest science museum. The museum boasts an entire day’s entertainment with hands-on exhibitions for all ages, a planetarium and even an IMAX theatre.

As a special treat, adults and children alike will find it impossible to resist a selection of delightfully coloured macaroons in an assortment of flavours from the Laduree tearooms. The original Laduree tearoom is located on rue Royale, but there is also a grander but less charming tearoom on the Champs Elysées.

It may seem an obvious suggestion, but the Eiffel tower is one of the most exciting attractions for young children visiting Paris. Go up on the lift up to the dizzy heights of the top floor and admire the stunning view from above, then visit again at night to see the sparkling illumination of Paris’ most emblematic monument. The plastic Eiffel Tower type souvenirs sold at the bottom may well be tacky, but would be the idea memento for children to remind them of a trip to Paris.

A fun and slightly out of the ordinary family activity is a cruise on the Canal St Martin. Unlike a Seine cruise, this cruise includes the excitement and intrigue of double locks and wing bridges. Passing along the canal you can gaze at the small boutiques, passing walkers and discover some of the more secluded, off the beaten track areas of Paris.

When traveling with children it is advisable to rent a Paris apartment rather than staying in a hotel in paris, to give you the freedom to come and go as you please without restrictions on mealtimes or space.

Paris for Children

Metro Paris

ohbarcelonafhl — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:12:56 +0000

The easiest way to get somewhere in Paris is by underground, which is very fast and cheap. Nearly all the subway station entrances have same characteristics, so that you can easily see the next stop.

Just booked your hotel or apartment in Paris and want to know where you can find the nearest subway station? In that case, read on!

A one-way ticket for the subway costs € 1,40 and can be used for one trip on all metro lines in zone 1 and 2. The tickets have a lilac colour and can be bought separately or per booklet

(carnet) of 10 trips for € 10,90, at all ticket sales offices or at the ticket machines. You can also decide to purchase a ‘Carte Orange’, which is valid for a week or a month. Beside these cards you can also buy tickets for 1 or several days. The prices depend on the zones you want to travel in. For a ‘Carte Orange’ a photograph is mandatory.

To learn about Paris accommodation and Paris apartments and Hotels in Paris in particular, go online and check out whats on offer at our site www.all-paris-apartments.com

Metro Paris

Exploring Paris

ohbarcelonafhl — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:12:50 +0000

Who wants to explore Paris, undoubtebly does so best by metro and on foot. For the metro a weekly ticket is fastly cheaper than loose rides. But pay attention: the weekly ticket is valid from Monday to Sunday, even when you only buy it on Friday!

Walking on the Promenade Plantee, across the Viaduc des Arts, provides a special experience which appears in few tourguides. This stroll (from the area of the Bastille along the Avenue Daumesil going out of the city) literally takes you along Paris’s rooftops and offers an anusual view of the city. Pay attention to the more than fourteen replicas of Michelangelo’s Dying Slave.

Exploring Paris can also be done in the ´Amsterdam´ way: by round-trip boat. Here there called bateaux-mouches. Dozens of shipowners sail the Seine and Saint-Martin’s canal. This canal partially goes through a tunnel, but also slides along a few monuments.

Going out in Paris is possible almost everywhere. Nowhere this will be cheap. Those who take the obtrusive pushers for granted, can fill their stomaches for a reasonable amount at the Quatier Latin (between Boulevard Saint-Michel, Boulevard Saint-Germain and the Petit Pont over the Siene).

Of course by going out in Paris one can’t possibly skip the cabarets. Well known are the clubs with the scarcely dressed dancers, such as the Moulin Rouge and the Folies Bergeres. Much more authentic however is the Au Lapin Agile, where singers honour the French chanson. Furthermore it was an artist gatheringplace a century ago, among which Picasso, Modigliani and Appollinaire.

Hotels in Paris are abundant. However, camping is a lot more complicated. This can only be done in the Bois de Boulogne, but the camping is not really clean. During the day it is said to be a good stay at the Bois de Boulogne -with a famous rosarium and an animalpark (bears, monkeys and birds) and playground Jardin d’Acclimation. At night however, it’s an unsafe area where transvestites and transsexuals work as prostitutes. Cabdrivers prefer not to take you to the Bois de Boulogne at night.

Paris has got everything, expcept for one thing: the biggest big wheel of Europe was dismantled in January of 2002 by order of the municipality of Paris. The owner’s licence for La Grande Roue expired.

To learn about Paris accommodation and Paris apartments and Hotels in Paris in particular, go online and check out whats on offer at our site www.all-paris-apartments.com

Exploring Paris

Paris Travel Guide

ohbarcelonafhl — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:12:44 +0000

Visiting the Internet will put you in touch with travel packages to Paris. If you are preparing a vacation, why not visit one of the most fabulous cities in the world. Paris is notorious for its music, nightlife, arts, and many attractions. If you are not familiar with Paris, why not learn about the attractions and packages now.

Traveling down Rhine River:
You have the option of taking a cruise down Rhine River. On your first day of travel, you will depart from the United States of America. (If applicable) Once you leave the US, you will arrive in Switzerland. On board the airplane, you will enjoy drinks and meals as complimentary of your package deal. You will also have entertainment to enjoy aboard the aircraft.

On the second day of your trip, you will fly to Basel, which is one of Switzerland’s cities. On this day, you will be transferred about the ship. Since it is afternoon, the tour guide will introduce you to Basel. During the evening, you will enjoy cocktails, complimentary of the Captain. You will have dinner after.

On the third day of your trip, you will enjoy an afternoon in the lovely city of Strasbourg. Strasbourg is the Capital of France’s Alsace. Here you will admire on your tour the lovely sandstones of the Cathedral Gothic where you will be taking into space. After you will enjoy the Squares, which takes you back to the 13th centuries. By evening, you will board the ship and enjoy a fine meal.

On your fourth day, in the morning you will sail through the lovely area around Speyer. While on board the ship you will continue sailing through France’s city Worm. Here you will enjoy off sea touring through Heidelberg. Throughout the city, you will enjoy fine arts of science. The day continues over to Rudesheim. Down through the lovely channels you will cast you sail to venture at Siegfried, which costs $19 to see the fine Musical Instruments at the Museum. On board your ship again, this evening you will enjoy fine entertainment and dining.

On the fifth day of your trip, you will enjoy a trip through Cochem, followed by a lovely view of the popular villages around France. You will visit Cologne and move onto Rhineland followed by an evening of dining and leisure aboard your cruise liner. Rest up, since in the morning you will take a walk, touring through the ancient environment of Cologne. The cathedral city will inspire you. As the day carries forward, you will enjoy Gothic structures and then enjoy a meal while viewing the Netherlands as you sail past Nijmegen. Have dinner with your captain this evening and rest, since the final day you will enjoy cruising throughout Amsterdam.

On this last day of your venture, you will enjoy shopping as you disembark at Tiel. If you choose the package that takes you to the lovely Gardens of Keukenhof, then don’t forget your camera. You have a lovely view ahead. As you continue your trip, you will enjoy exhibits around France, which includes the globes’ hugest vineries, vegetation and so on. You will also enjoy a visit the Regal Palace on your final day. Here you will move onto view the National Monument, which engraves history that takes you back through the history of France. Throughout the trip, you will feel inspired as you view Skinny Bridge and move onto a glass-top dinner aboard your ship.

Sounds like a dream come true, hey? Well, for $799 you can enjoy this trip. To learn more go online and check out the deals.

To learn about Paris accommodation and Paris apartments and Hotels in Paris in particular, go online and check out whats on offer at our site www.all-paris-apartments.com

Paris Travel Guide