The Seine River (780km) is the second longest river in France after the Loire River. The earliest recorded Parisians lived on the Ile de la Cité, which is an island in the Seine. The Seine was as indispensable to ancient Parisians as it is to modern Parisians. The Seine has inspired many paintings and romantic interludes. Remember An American in Paris? Although you may not find Gene Kelly here, you will still find book vendors and souvenirs for sale along the Quais. Historical bridges such as Pont Neuf, Pont des Arts or Pont Alexandre III are also beautiful.
Source: cahierdeparis.us
La Vallée Village Outlet Shopping
Published on: 2008-09-29
Shopping
La Vallée Village Outlet Shopping is the first and the largest outlet in France. Only 40 minutes by train (RER A) from Paris, and you arrive at a gorgeous shopping center.
All the items from previous collections of many exclusive must-have brands are 33-55% OFF, and plus, you can get 15% tax free if the total amount is more than 175.01 euros. If your tired after all that shopping, you can recharge and rest your feet at Starbucks and Bert's. And it's open Sunday! Take advantage of this rare occurrence.
Also, Disneyland Paris is just next to the village. What an ideal weekend, Disneyland and shopping!
How to get to La Vallée Village ?
Take RER A from Paris (see Metro Map for central Paris stations) toward Parc Disneyland. Take the train until the end of the line, as Disneyland is the last stop. When you exit the station, you will see a big shopping mall on your right. Go all the way through the mall and you will see the entrance of La Vallée Village. On Sundays when the mall is closed, walk along the side of the mall through the parking lot.
Main brands:
Agnes b., Aigle, Anne Fontaine, Bodum, Barry, Cacharel, Calvin Klein, Camper, Celine, Charles Jourdan, Lacroix, Dunhill, Fulra, Kenzo, Longchamps, ST Dupon, Max Mara, Ferragamo and more....
PRINT YOUR GIFT TICKET NOW !
La Vallée Village Outlet Shopping
3, Cours de la Garonne 77700 Serris (Marne-la-Vallée)
Area: Suburbs
Tel : 01 60 42 35 00
Metro : Val d'Europe/Serris-Montevrain RER A
(Shuttle bus of Cityrama on Tue., Thu. and Sun.)
Open : Mon-Sat 10am-7pm(-8pm in summer time)
Sun 11am-7pm
Close : Open all year around (except for 1st Jan., 1st May and 25th Dec.)
La Vallée Village Outlet shopping Official Site
www.lavalleevillage.com
Source: cahierdeparis.us
Bar à Vins Nicolas
Published on: 2008-09-25
Restaurant
'Nicolas' is a very famous wine celler established in 1822. You can find their shops everywhere in France. This is their own wine bar where you can enjoy traditional French cuisine accompanied with glasses of tasty wine for reasonable prices. Very casual and typical Parisian atmosphere will give you a relaxed moment. The good thing is that you can choose any bottle of wine sold in the shop next to the bar and drink it at table with adding only 1.5 on the shop price. Also, they have wine parings for every item on the menu, so you can't go wrong!
Especially in summer, it is lovely to enjoy a glass of wine with delicious foie gras, ham or salmon on the terasse.
Of course, you can purchase a bottle of wine after your meal to take home.
Bar à Vins Nicolas
Cour Saint Emillion - Chai No.24 75012 Bercy Village
Area: Bercy
Tel : 01 44 74 62 65
Metro : Cour Saint Emillion line14
Open : Everyday 10:00am-9:00pm
Close : Everyday Open
Budget : Salad, Quiche, Foie gras, Main dishes 9-15
Glass wine 1.8-3.4
Bottle wine (add 1.5 on the price indicated in the shop)
Source: cahierdeparis.us
L'Ebauchoir
Published on: 2008-09-18
Restaurant
We had lunch at l'Ebauchoir recommended by a French friend who lives near by. The district around the metro station Faidherbe Chaligny' is popular and stylish, not so far from Bastille and its trendy boutiques. L'Ebauchoir is a casual eating spot for the Parisians, where even tourists can feel at home.
3-course menu at lunchtime is 13.50 and 25 . Rabbit terrine with prune or fennel salad as appetizer, cream stewed chicken or Hachi Parmentier (minced meat with mashed potato) as main course, crème caramel or chocolate mousse as dessert. You will enjoy homemade taste meals. You can eat only a la carte' at dinnertime, the budget is around 40.
L'Ebauchoir
43 rue de Citeaux 75012
Area: Bastille
Tel : 01 43 42 49 31
Metro : Faidherbe Chaligny line8
Open : Tue-Sat 12:00pm-2:30pm
Mon-Sat 8:00pm-11:00pm
Close : Sunday
Budget : lunchtime 3 course menu 13.50 ,25
dinnertime à la carte 30-40
www.lebauchoir.com
Source: cahierdeparis.us
The Stade de France
Published on: 2008-08-29
Exhibition
The Stade de France is the national stadium of France. The stadium plays host to major sporting events, mainly international soccer and rugby matches, and Olympic caliber track and field events. Occasionally, bands like U2 have also used the stadium as a concert venue. It was built for the 1998 World Cup, coincidentally it was France who won the tournament that year, the countries first world soccer championship. Its 80,000 person capacity (seated and covered) is equivalent to the population of the french town of Avignon. With a level of comfort superior to that of existing stadiums and equipped with facilities unequalled in France, it is set to be an exceptional arena hosting far from ordinary events. Currently the stadium plays host to about 40 events a year for a total of about 1,750,000 spectators a year.
Source: allparisnews.com
Sports all Year Round
Published on: 2008-08-19
Having fun
International sports events such as the rugby and handball world cups at world-class venues such as the Lagardère Paris Racing club and Roland Garros, Paris is truly a sporting capital. What price you can expect to pay, you may ask... Any price you like, because Paris offers to play sport at your level, your preference or your budget.
Did you know that the Paris City Council offers a host of free-of-cost opportunities to play open-air sport in parks, stadiums and gardens, with qualified instructors? For details, call 39 75.
Source: allparisnews.com
Rock Festival (Rock Seine)
Published on: 2008-08-19
Having fun
Do you like Rock?
The Rock Seine is a Rock Festival just next to Paris. No need to travel for hours on end to get to a festival. The Rock Seine has been around for 5 years now. There will even be "Rage Against the Machine".
This year, to give you and idea, there will be: Amy Winehouse, REM, The Roots, Justice, System of Down.
The 28th and 29th of August 2008
Practical Information:
PARC DE SAINT-CLOUD
92210
Metro:
Pont de Sevres
tel: 0 892 390 100 (0,34 /min)
Source: allparisnews.com
Moonlight Cinema in Paris
Published on: 2008-08-19
Having fun
Every summer in August "Cinema au clair de lune" sets up its giant screen in famous parts of the capital and invites the public to enjoy moonlight cinema. It is free!! They play great classic films of the past and present about Paris.
From the 6th to the 24th August 2008
Source: allparisnews.com
Parisian Bikes (Velib)
Published on: 2008-08-19
Having fun
Since July 15, 2007, Paris has a self-service "bicycle transit system" called Velib'. Parisians and visitors alike can pick up and drop off bicycles throughout the city at 750 locations-offering a total of 10,648 bikes. By the end of the year, there will be a Velib' station approximately every 900 feet for a total of 1,451 locations and 20,600 bikes.
To access the bikes, riders can select a one-day card for 1 euro, a weekly card for 5 euros or an annual card for 29 euros. After the purchase of an access card, riding for the first half-hour is free and a supplement of 1 euro will be charged for an additional half-hour, 2 euros for another 30-minutes and 4 euros for every addition half-hour after that. Example: a 25 minute trip = 0 euros, a 50 minute trip = 1 euro, an hour and 15-minute ride = 3 euros.
Source: allparisnews.com
Yachts de Paris
Published on: 2008-08-19
Having fun
All around you, the city of lights, play along with the river.Inside, let you invade by the warm and intimate atmosphere of this luxury yacht. On your table smartly set up, the wines and the refined cuisine promise you a great dinner.
Welcome to Paris! This page was designed especially for you who may visit Paris for the first time. The idea is to give you advices to acquaint you with the City of Light, and help you prepare for this exciting trip. Read on!
"I love Paris every moment.
Every moment of the year, I love Paris.
Why! Oh why do I love Paris?
Because my love is here..."
- Frank Sinatra
Prepare well for a stroll
Once you have settled down in your comfortable hotel room and are getting ready to take your first stroll, take some time to dress appropriately.
First, put on a really good pair of walking shoes to feel comfortable in the Parisian streets. Walking in Paris means stopping often to look at amazing details and buildings. This constant stop-and-go will wear you down if you aren't comfy in your shoes.
Visiting the Eiffel Tower means waiting often over 30 minutes to gain access to the ticket booth, then waiting some more for the elevator on the way up, and waiting some more for the elevator on the way down. So to your feet, a pair of good shoes will make a big difference!
Parisian weather is fickle in springtime and during fall: what starts out as a great clear day can turn rainy and chilly in the afternoon. Pack a sweater and a rain breaker if you are visiting during these seasons. Summer is usually fine (70-85°F), August is generally hotter (80-95°F). Winter is rainy and cold, almost as cold as in NYC.
In any case, take your umbrella along, it may become your best friend -- especially if you intend to take pictures of everything. Rain and camera lenses don't like each other.
Street-savy tips
Now that you're dressed and all ready to venture outside, here are a couple of useful tips:
Avoid taking a taxi during the day, and notably in the morning until 11:00, and in the late afternoon from 4:00 to 8:00. Streets are jam-packed during those periods, and seeing the meter run while you're a sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic is a disheartening experience.
Taxi fares: taxi meters show your fare and one of three letters: A, B, or C. If you are within Paris and on the ring outside Paris (the peripheral boulevard), the A rate applies from 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM, and the B rate turns on from 8:00 PM till 6:00 AM. When you leave Paris intra-muros, the driver will turn on the B rate during the day and the C rate from 8:00 PM. If you are far from Paris, the C rate always applies. You will pay extra for every luggage you load in the trunk and if you take the cab from an airport. Don't try to hail a cab in the street too close to a train station: taxi drivers can't load passengers within a 100-meter radius from the train stations. Go to the station taxi head instead, or further away from the station.
French people do lunch between 12:00 and 1:30 PM, and dinner between 7:30 and 10:00 PM. If you wish to avoid the crowd, lunch at 12:00 tops and dine out from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. Restaurants rarely serve between 2:00 and 6:00 PM.
Having a drink at the terasse of a sidewalk cafe is a necessary experience in Paris (skip it between November and March though,except if weather permits). However, terasse drinks are often charged premium prices.
Although they are saddled with a reputation, cafe waiters are not necessarily rude: they're just in a hurry. So don't take offense if they are impatient with you. Smile and show them what you want on the menu. They won't return the smile, but you will get your order quickly.
In Parisian restaurants, it is not customary for your waiter to come back to you once you are served to see if everything is allright: they assume this is the case. So don't feel you are ignored: just call the waiter when you wish to have your bread basket replenished. If you dine out at an expensive restaurant, waiters will tend your table diligently. Otherwise, it won't be the case.
Gratuity: your restaurant/cafe check already includes a 15% gratuity. If you feel like giving an extra tip to your cafe waiter, leave EUR 1 ($.97) on the table. In a restaurant, you may leave EUR 3-5 ($2.7-4.5, more if you are in an expensive place) but again, that's not expected in either case. Your credit card receipt won't show any gratuity line.
Armed with these few basic advices, you are ready to conquer the asphalt. On to places to visit!
This world-famous landmark was built for the Universal Fair of 1889, held to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution. It stands 1050 ft high. Admission (elevator to the top) is EUR 9.90 for adults, EUR 5.30 for children under 12. Opening hours: Jan 1-Jun 13: 9:30am-11pm daily (stairs: 9:30am-6pm); Jan 14-Aug 31: 9am-midnight daily.
Work on the Hunchback's gothic home began in 1163 AD and was completed circa 1345 AD. The house of God can accommodate over 6,000 worshippers. Admission in the Cathedral is free, going to the towers costs about EUR 6. No elevator, people with a heart condition should abstain. Opening hours: 8:00AM-6:45PM daily. Towers: 9:30AM-6:45PM daily. Masses: 8AM, 9AM, 12AM, 6:45PM.
The Champs Elysees avenue probably only deserves its nickname of "most beautiful avenue in the world" for its lower section, starting Place de la Concorde and ending at Grand Palais. The rest of the avenue mainly features overpriced shops and restaurants - with a few exceptions in the side streets. Walk to the Arch of Triumph, at the top of the avenue, and visit the 50-meter high structure built to commemorate Napoleon's victories. Admission is about EUR 6, and free for children under 12. Opening hours: 9:30AM-11:00PM daily from April to October, and 10:00AM-11:00PM daily from Nov-March.
The Romano-Byzantine basilica crowns the Montmartre hill. Its construction began in 1875 and was completed in 1914. Admission is free, except for the crypt and dome (about EUR 5). For a fun ride, go to the Anvers metro station, walk to "Rue Tardieu" and take the "funiculaire" (a one-car train which brings you almost to the top of the hill). Montmartre itself used to be a village outside Paris. The hill is famous for its architectural landmarks, its artistic life, and more recently, for 'Amelie'. It counts no less than 7 museums!
Its building started in 1671 under the reign of King Louis the XIVth, and about 30 years later. From its inception, the place was designed to serve as a home to impoverished soldiers and wounded veterans of the French army. It comprises the veteran hospital itself, a church, several museums, and the tomb of Napoleon I. Admission is EUR 6 for adults, and free for children under 12. Opening hours: October to March 31: 10AM-4:45PM, April-September 30: 10AM-5:45PM
Even today this quarter is associated with the existentialism of the 1950's, with Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir writing at the Cafe Flore, and with Boris Vian and Raymond Queneau. The "invasion" (over the past 30 years) of luxury boutiques is replacing the book stores and cinemas from this aera, although a historical preservation association has now been created to preserve that which still remains.
Its construction started in the early XVIIth century under Henri IV. It was completed in 1612. Initially named 'Royal Square', it was renamed 'Place des Vosges' by Napoleon I as an homage to the inhabitants of the Vosges region who had been particularly quick to pay their taxes. The square is remarkable both by its style (it is lined with 36 buildings, all dating from Henri IV) and by its shops and its little park where Parisians like to loaf on sunny Sundays.
Paris offers a number of interesting itineraries for strollers. You can follow the waterways (river Seine, St Martin Canal, river Bièvre) or the 17-km long railway transformed into a most surprising walkway hung some 50 feet above the hustle-bustle of the city. You can also spend some quality time in any of the large public parks which the city counts (Luxembourg, Buttes-Chaumont, Montsouris, Georges Brassens), discover the gardens of the 14th district, or else decide to learn live history and architecture in areas like St-Sulpice and St Germain-des-Prés.
A lively and interesting city
This is but a glimpse of the many places you will want to visit during your stay in Paris. Guests of the hotel are offered a Complimentary Pass to the Members Only section of the Paris Eiffel Tower News website, which features a lot more information on Paris.
The Complimentary Pass can be retrieved from the Thank You page which displays after your reservation request has been received by the hotel.
The hotel personnel wishes to be of service to you during your stay in Paris.
