AIBU to ask about what sights to see/things to do in Paris?

[PamplemousseRouge]

Hi everyone (or bonjour!! )

So I'm going to Paris later this week, and was wondering if you had any ideas on what sights to see or activities to do while I'm there?

There's obviously all of the very well-known sights to see like the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe (hoping to try and go up it while I'm there!!), Sacré Coeur, but I'd be really interested to hear if you have any other ideas on what to see please? Particularly the less well known parts of Paris, or hidden gems :)

Thank you!! :)

Parc des Buttes Chaumont, very striking to wander around this.

If you're a music (all music) lover, there is a museum of music history (don't remember what it's called) quite close by there. You get headphones with directions and can hear the old instruments played while studying them. Also old manuscript and the way music scores developed over time to the system we have now.

The nitre dame tour where you can go up across the roof is really good.

As is the Bastille museum - definitely worth a visit.

You can also try le bouillon Chartier for a meal, traditional old workers restaurant been going for over 100 years. And a walk through the passages , they're covered passages that go through the buildings the passage jouffroy is nice.

If you are here for a week make sure to get a "pass navigo découvert rather than any touristy tickets they'll try and sell you. You'll need àn ID photo but it's about 20 for the whole week unlimited to the whole of Ile de France.

You could also head out to saint germain en laye for an afternoon to get a (sort of) countrysidish vibe. It's direct from Paris on the ouest bound RER A and takes less than an hourThere's a chateau there and an amazing le notre garden. And the town itself is pretty!

Where abouts are you staying ?

Book dinner at Les Ombres. It has the most amazing view of the Eiffel Tower.

If you are going to the flea market in St Ouen there is an amazing cafe called Chez Louisette that has an Edith Piaf tribute act amongs other things. The atmosphere is great.

The Roudin museum is stunning.

We used to go to Paris all the time but not so much since kids came. This thread is making me jealous. Yes to the person who said flea markets at d' orsay ; really interesting. The palace at Versailles is good but even better is Versailles itself, lovely to potter around.

Nothing to add in terms of sights, although don't under estimate just walking around - there's so much to see! Also the open top bus tours are good fun to tick off some sights. We ate a Bistrotters - its to the south of the city, the area around it is nothing special at all but the food was amazing!!

Bouillon Chartier Restaurant

www.bouillon-chartier.com/fr/

Transport
Metro Tickets are valid forever ( really you can still use the yellow ones from the 80`s)

But if you are here from a Monday onwards the Navigo pass will probably be cheaper, 22,15 for the whole week, Monday to Sunday, unlimited travel in the whole ile de France ( so versailles included etc).

www.ratp.fr/fr/ratp/c_20585/titres-tarifs/

(For some reason the RATP ( Regie Autonome des Transports Parisiens our équivaillent of Transport for London) website says that weekly passes aren't de zoned... they have been since last September, and the navigo website conforms this)

The passages

fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passage_Jouffroy

And I would recommend going to Montmartre/Sacré Coeur in the evening, you can use your metro tickets or Navigo to get the funiculaire if you don't want to walk the steps. Sacré Coeur is open till 10.30 If I remembrer correctly the nuns sing at 9.30, also there aren't many people left inside visiting from 9pm onwards it will still be busy in front though.

Rue Mouffetard in the 5th on a Sunday, hosts a food market and is lined with cheese shops, bakeries etc with a lovely atmosphere. Could combine it with a look at the Pantheon.

Also hot chocolate on Saint Etienne.

Wow thanks for all of this, everyone! :)

I'd only heard of Bouillon Chartier restaurant a few months ago, so really looking forward to finally being able to go :)

Also, just another question - I'll be going on my own, so just wondering if there's any specific things you'd al recommend for solo travellers?

Thanks again!

I have visited Paris since I was 9 and on the last visit perhaps two years ago I felt it was much rougher. Maybe because we had the dc in tow I noticed potential threats more? Men hanging round play parks, drinking, urinating in view, in general lots of men loitering, a man on train looked high and agitated, out of hole carriage caught my eye and came up to me to eye ball me ( I had given one very quick glance as boarded train then busied myself and yet there he was ) It seems far tougher than London, in areas and the metro and trains I found.

Dont get me wrong, will visit again and love it, but I just don't feel same threat level as London so be aware....aggressive street hawkers, aggressive beggars etc.

There is a bakery on rue des rosiers (Jewish district) called Sacha Finkelstein. The stuffed latkes are in the top ten most delicious things I have ever eaten (and I eat a lot). Area is great for wandering and little shops, never got round to Jewish museum (too busy eating) but it is meant to be good.

I love Paris but I have to agree with Elf. The last 2 times I was there (June and September 16) it did seem a lot more menacing.

There was a very heavy armed police presence (this was just before the Bataclan attacks so maybe they had some sense of what was to come) but also people on the Metro and aggressive hawkers (especially around Montmatre and the Effiel Tower)

Don't be put off though - it's still amazing and you'll have a great time, but just a word of warning especially in those areas.

Lovely little restaurant in Montmarte called Rouge Bis. Nice at night as Moulin Rouge is all lit up. Good cocktails

Also definitely pay a visit to Jardin du Luxembourg like a PP suggested.

Have a fab time

It's funny Elfon, I wonder if thats because of having dc. As I was recommending the flea markets I was thinking oh that was a bit of a rough area. But at the time I didn't give it a second thought , and we went to that area on every visit. It's only looking back, now I have dc, that I remembered the dodgy pubs, the men hanging around etc.

This one is definitely a hidden gem!

Le Musee des Arts Forains

It's a private collection of fairground activities and rides. You need to book onto a tour in advance - I went on a French-speaking tour as no English-speaking available on the day, and we booked in advance. You get to go on some of the rides too! It took about two hours and the guide was very charming - dd particularly enjoyed doing the Arabian Derby :).

It's next to a shopping complex - if you go, I would avoid the crepe restaurant!!

Can I add the Musee Jacquemart Andre?

www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com/

It's a really beautiful mansion house with lots of lovely things to look at. Also a nice place for tea or lunch.

Also recommend the Dali museum in Monmartre

Have a fab time

definitely pere lachaise

If shopping is your thing (or just a bit of window shopping!) then Galerie Lafayette is a must do! Also worth a visit just to marvel at the architecture!

Do you know which district ( arrondissement) you are staying in ?

If you are staying at a hotel and have the address the district will be the number from 1 to 20 at the end of the postcode if that makes sense.

I'm trying to think of things that could be specific to solo travelers but can't think of any at the moment!

Seconding the Musee Jacquemart Andre. They have a nice lunch/ tea room too.

The stained glass windows at Saint-Chapelle inspired such awe that I temporarily forgot I was an atheist. Amazing.

Oh, and if you have a smart phone the app "citymapper" works really really well for getting round!

Rue st honour then up to the arc de triumphe.

It's funny Elfon, I wonder if thats because of having dc

Probably, I am v aware of not being able clear danger with DC in tow!

We took wrong turn one day at bottom of Momatre - les halles? one area was lovely and the next minuet the atmos changed and people closed in on us - hands everywhere, even dh who is blissfully un aware took notice and we had a right time trying to just get out - with DD who is in another world, wandering along and toddler etc....and the play parks - WHY??? Why do men need to be in play parks drinking? This was round eiffel towe.