April in Paris - your top tips/hotel options etc...

[JandLandG]

We were planning an autumn getaway sans enfants to Paris in the Autumn but it never happened; however, we've booked flights for 13 April now, so nothing can stop us!

Probably get there friday night, leave sunday after lunch...anyone have any top tips and ideas for the perfect weekend.

Hotel - don't mind forking out a bit for a really nice couple of nights. Best areas?

Where to eat Friday...

Saturday daytime stuff to do/place to lunch

Decadent Saturday restaurant/night out....where does Carla Bruni have her tea on a Saturday?!

Sunday stroll round a market or something.

Any suggestions/thought would be most welcome

Many thanks.

I am so jealous

Our favourite hotel is the Sainte Beuve. We don't have a massive budget but this is a friendly, boutiquey townhouse 5 mins from the Luxembourg Gardens. It's not right in the centre of things but it's just a walk through the gardens to St Germain. There's also a fabulous tiny restaurant in the same street called Le Timbre.

We also liked Polidor. It has a real neighbourhood feel. You can't book and everyone eats together at long tables. You have to get there early though because they're queuing down the street later in the evening.

My favourite bar is Rosebud. It has a feel that's just the right side of sleazy. And Sartre used to drink there don't-you-know.

Our favourite Sunday stroll was round Pere Lachaise in the rain. Much, much more interesting than it sounds. Jim Morrison is buried there, and Oscar Wilde's grave is something to behold. I plan to try the cemetery in Montmartre next time.

Wherever you stay and whatever you do I'm sure you'll have a great time.

wow...Superbo!

Thanks so much for this...great detail.

Will investigate fully when I can

Any more for any more?

We've just booked for a weekend in May ( sans enfants) . I've booked the Joyce hotel ,not good at links but try this www.astotel/Joyce.comAstotel are an independent with 16 boutique type hotels in Paris and they all look lovely. Spent absolutely ages deciding which one to stay in . .i don't know any good places to eat unfortunately, staying on your thread and hoping to pick up some hints myself

hese are great...many thanks...i'll look into things more and get properly planning soon

any good saturday night restaurants/cabarets, anyone?

Having lived in Paris for years (and going back to live there at the end of the week), here is what I would do:

On Friday night, I would go to the Louvre, it is open late at night on Fridays and it will be completely empty, you will have the feeling to have the museum only for you.
Then I would go to have a very Parisian dinner at Le Marly or Pinxo (both at walking distance), if you want to continue later in the night, I would go to the Meurice 882 bar for a cosy and so chic drink (also very close by). It is open until 2am?

Saturday, I would just walk around: in April you will surely have a wonderful weather.
I would go to the 5th arrondissement: start from St Germain, cross the Luxembourg gardens then climb to the Pantheon, Rue Mouffetard, eat at the terrasse of Chez Lena et Mimile on a very quiet square, then stop for a mint tea with biscuits in the Parisian Mosque and arrive in Jardin des plantes.
You can then walk on the bank of the River to come back, have an ice cream on Ile St Louis and finish at Notre Dame, not far from where you started!

For the evening, I would recommend le Kong (not Carla Bruni, but seen in Sex and the City?). Refurbished by Stark, the restaurant is on the top floor and has a wonderful glass ceiling, there is a bar downstairs and it becomes a club later in the night! Music can be quite loud even in the restaurant, but if you want a decadent night...

For Sunday, I would recommend a brunch somewhere. For a romantic athmosphere, I would say in the Jaquemard Andre museum. If you prefer to feel like a real Parisian, I would recommend to go to the marais, where all the shops are open on Sunday and get a brunch in one of the many restaurants around.

wow, magde...this is absolutely great.

thanks so much...loads of great knowledge and fab ideas.

and going back to live there....lucky you! how long have you been away?

might even see you Meurice 882...i owe you a cocktail!

The Musee Rodin is great - lots of sculptures in the gardens so lovely to visit on a nice day.

The Musee d'Orsay has just undergone massive renovation and is stunning so I would highly recommend this too.

The restaurant Le Timbre is good, although I have not been back recently. It is intimate. The chef is British but the food is excellent.

I would avoid the Latin Quarter restaurants. They cater for tourists only. The food is average and not particularly good value.

For a late-night drink, I would recommend the bar at the top of Tour Montparnasse. You get a fabulous view of Paris. However, it is being renovated at the moment. The work is meant to be completed in early April but it might not be quite ready by the time you go.

The rue des Francs Bourgeois is nice. Lots of interesting shops which are also open on a Sunday (only place in Paris apart from the Champs Elysees, I think).

On the Champs Elysees, head to Laduree for a cake or their associated shop and walk away with some of their 'macarons'. They melt in the mouth.

You should be able to find the addresses for all these places on the internet, but let me know if you need more help.

Hey thanks again for all this info....we're going on Friday!

any last minute additions?

flight back until 8pm sunday....what to do all afternoon? where to sit and drink and eat?!

many thanks again

x