Paris

[mikeorr]

So I'm going to Germany next month for business, and I'm hauling Kim along with me (she's never been to Europe). Our plan is to take the high speed train to Paris after my week of meetings (and doing some wandering around in the afternoons/evenings I'm sure) in Germany - and spend the Valentine's Day weekend in Paris.

So, has anyone been to Paris and can recommend an area / hotel that I should look into? The city is huge, and I know the metro system is fantastic, but I'd like to be somewhere central / walking distance to interesting places.

Advice, tips, recommendations? Thanks!

[Keith]

Mike,
Talk with Erin, a few years ago 4 of them made a day trip (from wherever they were) and may be able to offer some insight.
I'm sure her mother still has all the stuff from their trip and I could probably get that stuff for you to look at in a week or so.

[GuingesRock]

If it is Valentines, make it all about her and not all about beer.

[HoweFox]

I would recommend: http://www.hotelduminyvendome.com/en/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
My wife and I stayed here in 2012 and it was great! Breakfast was included and very very good location. Price is reasonable as well.

[Juniper Hill]

Was just in Paris on holiday. Left 3 days before the recent events. Stayed in an apt close to the Eifel Tower in the 7th Arrondissement/District. Lots of Nichols wine shops, not so much beer. Tons of neighbourhood brasseries for casual dining.

You can get by with English, but it does help ot know a little French. One of my new year's resolutions is to apprendre en peu Franscais.

[Juniper Hill]

Touristy things I liked:
1. Eifel tower - be prepared for a 2+ hr queue. If you advance book a lunch you can skip the nasty line-up. Great views of the city. Watch out for pick pockets!
2. Metro - great way to get around. Fairly well layed out.
3. Museums - tons if at all interested in Impressionist or Modern art. My kids weren't too keen, so we didin't make it to many.
4. Catacombes - tried to get in but line up was 3+hrs - spooky, weird but cool. 3000 kms of underground tunnels, parts of which are filled with the bones of 6 million Paresians. You need a flashlight.

I didn't care much for the famous shopping district Champs de Lysee. Lots of high-end flagship stores, but nothing remotely quaint or interesting.

[CorneliusAlphonse]

Metro is quite cheap on weekends, I think €8.70 for an all day/zone 1-5 metro pass. The 14 is a Saturday. But like juniper hill said, be careful for pickpockets.

No recommendations on where to stay unless you're looking for a hostel

Good beer is quite difficult to find, but good wine and baguette and cheese is incredibly easy. The choice was a no brained for me. There's a small, very very nice chocolate makers called Patrick roger. Expensive but worth it. There are also others, but Patrick Roger was the one recommended me by a local

[dexter]

Sometimes airbnb offers great locations for a cheaper rate.

[canuck]

Mike, I was in Paris last year and stayed at the Hotel du Lys in the 6th arrondissement. Reasonably priced and the location was top notch as you could walk to a lot of things. http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Review- ... rance.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's also about a 45 second walk to La Taverne de Cluny. Excellent live music and lots of fantastic craft beer available on tap and in bottle.

http://www.latavernedecluny.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mikeorr]

Thanks for the tips everyone!

[amartin]

I was in France two years ago, including 5 days in Paris. It was fantastic, but my wife did most of the planning and knowing where we were most of the time. I'll ask her later. My tip though, is to eat everything, they really can cook there. Except the andoulliette (tripe) sausage, that was the worst thing I ever ate, by far. It has the kind of smell you go to therapy for.

Also, I found the people there very nice. They seemed to appreciate when I'd at least try to speak to them in French first, but I never fooled them, and they usually spoke some English.

If you're going there from Germany, Alsace-Lorraine is worth stopping in, that was our favourite part of the country (not that we saw all of it). It was like visiting a Disney fairy tale cartoon, except that there's wine (and beer!) everywhere. And pork, and sauerkraut, and sausage and potatoes and everything else.

[chalmers]

La Cave A Bulles, great beer store I visited. I brought the owner some beer from NS, and he sent me packing with a nice care package. He likes/d hops, the more American the better. http://www.caveabulles.fr/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Loved walking around at night, we did enjoy the Louvre.

[darciandjenn]

I booked this hotel in Montparnasse (in the 14th arr) for my upcoming trip in April because it had a good promotion on at the time with breakfast included and free cancellation:
http://www.paris-hotel-aiglon.com/en/ra ... al-offers/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
They have another promotion on now that ends in Feb. The hotel looks nice (though perhaps small, but it is Paris, after all) and is handy to the metro. I don't know anything about it other than that!

I'd be interested in hearing about your trip when you get back! I'm not huge on wine (and it actually makes my wife sick) so we'll be looking to pick up some crafty beers more often than not. If you have any brands that were worth noting, let me know

[robcoombs]

I stayed at Novotel Hotel Paris. It was modern, nice and only about 5 minute walk to the Eiffel tower.

[Juniper Hill]

RE Pickpockets

The latest scam involves a girl or group of girls asking you to sign some sort of petition. It is a rouse to distract you while someone lifts your wallet. I was warned about it, and then encountered it in line at Notre Dame. Holy Mother!