[Idyllchat] Paris, here we come!

[Ann Cricchi]

Jayne,
Here are some notes for your upcoming Paris Untour:

We also stayed at Convention and found it very convenient and comfortable.  It's especially fun to watch the folks coming home from work and kids playing in the courtyard below.  

Re nightlife:  We attended the opening concert of the Orchestre de Paris at the Salle Pleyel (Paris's principal concert hall) when we were there. Kurt Mazur conducted and Anne-Sophie Mutter was the guest violinist.  In fact, when we stopped by the concert hall (only three days before) to buy tickets, Kurt Mazur walked right by us probably on his way to rehearsal.  We had terrific seats (orchestra aisle) and the people watching at intermission was great fun.  I'd definitely just see what's going on while you're there and go to the box office to find out what options you have.  I agree with others that you can travel around Paris in the evening with little worry.

Another evening must for us was a trip on the Seine.  There are several companies - we got discounted tickets from the Paris USO for the Bateaux-Mouches that leaves from Pont De L'Alma.  I thought it would be too touristy but I was in awe the whole time.  As someone said, the Eiffel Tower lit up at night, especially from the river, is a sight one can never forget.  If you go in early evening daylight, you will see the river sights and then come back with the beautiful night lights shining everywhere.

You may want to check out the schedule for Paris Walking Tours http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/pariswalking/   We did a Sunday morning Montmartre tour that was great!

Food:  A nice lunch spot on the Left Bank is The Tea Caddy 14, rue Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre around the corner from what one guidebook calls "the most famous English-language second-hand bookshop on the continent," Shakespeare and Company on the Rue de la Bucherie.  The proprietor of the bookstore when we were there, George Whitman, is supposedly the great-grandson of Walk Whitman - rather gruff but helpful.  We had a fabulous three course lunch at Au Pied de Cochon in the Les Halles area - it's been there for many years and has some very traditional old style (and delicious when we went) French food. It does attract a large number of tourists as a result. Another terrific three course lunch we had was over near the Eiffel Tower, Au Bon Accueil at 14, rue de Monttessuy.  In fact, we found that a nice two hour lunch rested us for lots more sightseeing and later we often had just a very light supper in our apartment while planning the next day.  Another quicker option, when convenient, are the cafes with great rooftop views at two department stores (La Samaritaine and Printemps).

I always recommend a day trip to Chartres if you have the time.  Trains run regularly (I think from Paris-Montparnasse) for the hour trip and you can easily walk all around the town from the train station.  The cathedral is magnificent and don't miss a tour of the cathedral by Malcolm Miller if he's in town.  He used to give them twice a day (around noon and 3 PM but not on Sunday) and you can just buy tickets at the church itself.  The Cadogan guide suggested Le Pichet restaurant in Chartres (near the cathedral on Rue du Cheval Blanc) and we had a delicious three course lunch there.  

 Have a wonderful time and don't forget to let the chatline know what new things you discover on your Untour.
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