A guide by capitalistsockpuppet
For an idyllic escape from the hustle and bustle of Paris head to Fontainebleau for it's chateau, once a residence of French kings, now the summer residence of the French presidents. The palace and gardens are just as attractive as that of Versailles. The forest of Fontainebleau is perfect for walks with your beau.
Trains from Gare de Lyon station. Journey takes 40-60 minutes.
Fantastic laid back cafe bar and restaurant complete with deep leather armchairs, glorious cocktails and the sort of cuisine that makes France great...but without the tourists and prices that come with tourists! Unhurried and relaxed...one can turn up in the early afternoon and just sit and chat, read or simply watch Parisians until ordering dinner and still being there at midnight.
Avenue de la Republique on the corner of Av de la Republique and rue St Maur (Metro St Maur)
With a set menu at 19euros for 3 courses, the quality of this restaurant’s food is surprisingly good, with fresh ingredients and a lovely mix of herbs and sauces. Last night we went there. I had the salade landaise which comes with duck and mushrooms and a lovely seasoning and the lambchops as a main dish, seasoned with herbs. Dinner for 2, including a bottle of Buzet was a very reasonable 68euro. The service is incredibly good, fast and friendly. The clientele is a mix of locals and tourists but the food is authentic French.
If you can't stand small Parisian restaurants because there is no clear separation for smokers and non-smokers, this might not be the place for you. The perfect place to end an evening after having visited the Invalides or the Musee Rodin, both nearby. Oh, yes: make a reservation.
56, Boulevard de Latour-Maubourg, 7th arrondissement, close to les Invalides;
metro: Invalides;
tel: 01 45 51 93 08;
e-mail: bistrot7@wanadoo.fr;
Open every evening, closed Saturday and Sunday lunchtime
Renamed Maison Collignon after its role in the fabulous film Amelie - the sign above the awning has remained since filming - the grocery shop Marche de la Butte and it's owner, Ali, have found themselves local celebrities. He's really run with the fame the film brought him, and the shop is decorated with film memorabilia. Fending off hordes of dreaming Amelie-philes could have been too much for a small shop, and the Cafe des Moulins round the corner has certainly gone downhill since filming, but that's not the case at the Marche de la Butte. It's fun to visit - and also a great grocers!
Rue des Trois Freres, Montmartre, Metro: Abbesses
Sail down the Seine in a bateau mouche. Have your camera ready for some night time shots of the Eiffel Tower when you pass and it's all lit up.
Adults: €8,5/person (before 8 p.m.), €9/person (after 8 p.m.) ; Children (under 12 years of age): €4,1/person.
www.discoverfrance.net/France/Transportation/Water/Bateaux-Mouches.shtml
When I was a happy Sorbonne student, me and my "Amphithéâtre" mates used to meet up at this hidden but crowdy pub after class. Drinks are cheap, the landlord's pitbull doesn't bite and the setting is great. Inside, the Pantalon (Trousers) looks like a microscopic Parisian street where all customers can leave their artistic touch or simply stick their chewing gum under the table. Happy hour between 17h30 and 19h30. Open at 10 am till 2 am, everyday.
Le Pantalon, near the Panthéon 7, rue Royer Collard 75006. RER or Métro Luxembourg. Tel:01 40 51 85 85
It is a cafe where they do brilliant cocktails or pints of beer for 4.50 euros from 7pm til 9pm. The waiters are charming and friendly and with each drink you order they bring a dish of delicious olives and another of peanuts. Whisky Dewalis were especially good, with a whole fruit salad balanced on top!
We were particularly grateful after the appallingly rude behaviour of the staff at Brasserie Lipp, down the road, our original intended destination.
164 Boulevard St Germain
For those who want to turn boring weekday nights into party intervals between work - generous happy hour policy, creative cocktail arrangements and eclectic dj workouts. Arrive at ground level, you'll encounter a Parisian Anglophile ambiance (great brunch and anglosaxon press), then go into the basement to impress your English to an unpretentious cosmopolitan crowd, eager to mix with the English enemy in very sense.
18 rue du Bourg-Tibourg, 75004: 00 33 (1) 42 72 81 34: Metro Hotel-de-Ville/Saint Paul
In a street shyly hidden from tourists unless you're returning home after a late one on the Grands Boulevards. Part of this small bar is celtic open-plan, for the usual wide-screen-loving rugby shirts. After 10 pm, the dj turns the turntables on for indiebeatpunkdiscomodeighties music (it's the name of one of the nights). A rare delight for French students looking for a pub "comme a Londres". The crowd's a mixture of self-styled fashion throwbacks and relaxed trendsetters, in an alcohol-fuelled (try the vodka-caramel) but relaxed atmosphere.
10-12, rue Feydeau, 75002: 00 33 (0)140265997: Metro Bourse/Grands Boulevards
If you are staying in or near the Latin Quarter and are looking for a budget restaurant, with great atmosphere serving really excellent food, then look no futher than Le Petit Prince.
It is very popular with the locals so booking is pretty essential. I ate there on a wet Tuesday evening in February: by 8:30 the place was full and I saw a number of disappointed people turned away.
The fixed-price menu is imaginative, using quality ingredients, and the food is beautifully presented. For a good, reasonably priced bottle of wine, search the 'Coup de Coeur' section of the list.
The only slight drawback with the restaurant is that some of the tables are very close together which may bother those who like a bit of privacy - but, being France, everyone else just minds their own business and concentrates on enjoying the good food and drink!
Rue de Lanneau, off Rue St Jacques, near the Sorbonne.
Nearest Metro station is Maubert Mutualite.
If you’re in Montmartre, don’t fail to come and look around this pretty square with its abundant trees and character shops and houses. The Art Nouveau metro entrance – one of the few remaining originals - was famously photographed and turned into a poster that became an icon of Parisian style. An early morning visit is probably necessary if you want to avoid the bustle.
Place des Abbesses
Nearest Metro: Abbesses
You’ve seen the Moulin Rouge, now go and have a look at a proper windmill and get a little exercise at the same time. This windmill and the nearby but less visible Moulin de la Galette were originally flour mills, but are now transformed into restaurants – though both are still considerably more picturesque than their famous cousin.
Rue Lepic
Nearest Metro: Abbesses
Restaurant: Rene-style waiters scribble your order onto the tablecloth, simple but delicious food and wine which is extremely good value - less than £40 for three courses inc wine for three people. Fabulous mirrors and atmosphere. No bookings taken so get there early and they will seat a lone diner at any spare place!
Tucked away on the left at 7 rue du Faubourg-Monmartre, 75009 (off Bvd Monmarte)
Much more than a cemetary. This restful place has beautiful tree-lined lanes, benches on which to rest and remember the permanent guests; Simone Signoret and Yves Montand, lovers buried together, or watch the pilgrims to Jim Morrison's grave. This must be the best place to visit on a quiet winter Sunday.
Metro: Gambietta
Fantastic crêpes, good quality food, mesmerizing decor, interesting music, accommodating young waitresses, very good prices. Not to be missed!
33, rue Saint-André-des-Arts,75006, Paris
Métro : Métro : Saint-Michel/ Bus : 24, 27, 38, 85, 96
MAP url
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A fantastic little cafe situated on Didzioji in the heart of the old town. The cafe is very small and cosy and serves superb coffee and sandwiches. The clientele are superb and the staff very helpful.
Didzioji 1
As seen in the film Amelie, Canal St Martin is good for a wander away from the busier, more touristy areas of Paris.
Beautiful in spring when the trees are in leaf, this area provides a welcome retreat any time of the year.
Canal St Martin can be found running parallel-ish to Blvd Magenta (between Place de la Republique and de la Bastille).
An old railway line overlooking Paris streets it stretches out for 4.5 km from touristy Bastille to the Bois de Vincennes. To get it to it, go round the back of the Opera Bastille and you'll see the viaduct. Ideal for a jog, brunch or simply getting away from the Parisian hustle-and-bustle. Very Railway Children.
Promenada Plantee, Avenue Dausmenil, 75012
The famous cemetery where many artists rest is worth the visit, and not just for the mandatory pilgrimage to Jim Morrison's grave. The bloated monuments, the peaceful atmosphere and the shade of the trees will appeal to art lovers as well as romantic souls in search of a serene place in the middle of busy Paris.
Nearests stations: Père-Lachaise, Gambetta, Philippe-Auguste www.pere-lachaise.com/ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A8re_Lachaise
A very relaxing place. There are Parisians who go there to take a nap, and you won't pay more than a euro to enter the garden.
77, rue de Varenne, 75007 Paris (VIIe); tel: 01 44 18 61 10;
Métro (13): Varenne, Invalides ou Saint-François-Xavier;
R.E.R (C): Invalides;
Bus: 69, 82, 87, 92;
www.musee-rodin.fr
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