Anyone got recommendations for what to see in Paris?

[lethargic_man]

I used to listen to my then boss going on about how much she loved Paris, and I couldn't see what was so great about it. But my experience of Paris was (with the exception of a course in La Défense) all bar limited to getting between the Eurostar terminus in Gare du Nord and whichever train station I was connecting to for my onward journey; it took a riverboat cruise on the Seine for a friend's wedding reception for me to appreciate there was a beautiful city above ground that I had been repeatedly completely bypassing. So now I'm going with aviva_m for a long weekend; it's my (somewhat delayed) fortieth birthday present from her.

I've actually done Paris as a tourist before, but the last time was twenty-three years ago; I can remember little of it. So I'm intending to skip the few things I remember from then—the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs Elysées. The question is what else to see. Googling reveals a wealth of Paris tourist sights; the difficulty is narrowing it down. The Louvre is a given, I'll do that on the Friday (and Notre-Dame is ruled out as cohen-unfriendly). And I intend to spend Shabbos afternoon wandering around the Île de la Cité and surrounding area. But what else counts as a must-see; any recommendations?

Comments

[green_knight]

Funny you should ask. I was in Paris last week, and while I heartily reccommend the conference I attended, this might be slightly difficult, since time travel is... well, we're not supposed to talk about time travel.

I'd agree on the Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysées - seen 'em once, seen them often enough. (Arc de Triomphe: you can only see it from a distance unless you pay £££ to get closer. I didn't.)

The Eiffel Tower, however, was such a fantastic spectacle - and I had such fantastic light for it - that I'd do it again; particularly if aviva_m hasn't been.

The Louvre - for me it was a case of 'must do once' but I wouldn't do it again; there's a veeeerrrryy long queue, and then there's another for tickets (you think you've managed it, but nope), and it's a veritable labyrinth; be prepared to climb a lot of stairs.

I went to the zoo (which was ok, but not a must-see, but every time I go to the conference I go to a zoo, so I kept up the tradition), I want to the jardin des plantes (which is nice if you like plants, but every time you turn around there's another fee; it's still a nice park), and I went to Montmartre which has a lot of artists and quaintness and galleries (including a large Dali museum I had no time for).

One of the museums - I forget which, I've only seen the adverts - has a 'Paris in 1900' exhibition going that sounded very interesting, but I was kind of museumed out and opted for fresh air and green stuff.

Have a great time!

[liv]

Hmm, most of what I like about Paris isn't really calculated to appeal to you. It has some of the best art galleries in the world, not just the Louvre, but you're not much of a fan of fine art. And really tasty food which is nearly all treif apart from in the Rue des Rosiers. A brilliant street market with lots and lots of tiny (literally box-sized) bookstalls, but most of the books are in French. And yeah, cathedrals which are full of dead people.

In terms of just urban exploring, I do recommend Montmartre. The Sacre Coeur is worth seeing even from the outside, and the area is a little bit self-conscious about being arty and quirky, but still a fun place to explore. You should also see the Grande Arche in La Défense, preferably at night. Because whatever your opinion is of it, the contrast with the Arc de Triomphe and the general Haussmann style is something that should be experienced.