Paris Anyone?

prettyaka88 · December 2012

My fiance and I are in the process of planning an October wedding and we want to go to Paris for our honeymoon. Has anyone here been to Paris? What are some nice hotels,places to go in Paris?

dazyabbey · December 2012

We went to London and Paris for our honeymoon. We were on a bit of a budget so our hotel was Hotel Cervantes. It was decent but not amazing. The location was very close to the subway stops Rome and Europe.

Overall Paris was great for History but it was a little disappointing and not really what I was expecting. I kind of wanted to see this romantic beautiful city full of culture and art but in reality it is very dirty and smokey and lots of homeless people and beggars on the streets and subways. I really wanted to drink s cafe-au-lait on a patio and people watch but all the patios were completely full of people smoking. I am not a big fan of people that smoke and it seems like in Europe there are so many more smokers and they aren't as subtle or caring about other people if that makes sense. Also it seems like all of the places you go there are thousands of people. At Versailles we waited in line for over an hour to get in. And then when you get in there are so many people you can barely move. Just little things like that made the experience not nearly as beautiful and romatic as we were expecting.

We did have a great impromptu dinner on the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower which was fun. It was expensive but worth it for the experience. Usually you have to make reservations about 4-6 months ahead of time. Also Disneyland Paris was fun. It wasn't as busy as ours here in the US. Much more relaxed and calm. My favorite part of Paris though was just wandering around and finding restaurants. I loved trying to communicate with people and finding a random restaurant to eat at. We ate at this great Sushi restaurant that we just kind of found near our hotel. We also ate from a street vendor seeling Crepe's. Seeing all the people on bikes and motorcycles was interesting. They just fit in the most awkward of spots. You think US motorcycle drivers are crazy, wait till you go to Europe.

We didn't get a chance to go to the Louvre because I was pretty sick for two of the days we were there. Which really sucks because I love history and museums in general. Other then that make sure you go to the usuals. Notre Dam, River Cruise, Arc de Triomphe, Versailles, Eiffel Tower, or anything else you want to do. I think it really depends on your interests and what is really drawing you to go there.

AdeleDazeem · December 2012

I loved Paris. It's a city - okay? It's not going to be some pristine place where there's only arts - it's full of people who live, work, and have their own troubles there. Think of it like NYC except that they smoke, eat lots of cheese, and drink lots of wine.

I highly recommend The Louvre, but try to see more than La Jaconde (the Mona Lisa), David and Winged Victory. The place is VAST. Buy a book and really go see the place. If you are also into art, check out the Musee D'Orsay, as well. There are lots of impressionists there.

I really like the square outside the Pompidou Center, as well. The Center itself has really interesting architecture so it's cool to see, but there are also several cafes right there where you can sit and eat lunch.

I love the Champs Elysees - the lay out of it is beautiful with lots of trees and benches. The Arc de Triomphe is at one end at the Place de la Concorde is at the other. It's a great walk with lots of high end shopping.

I'm sure there are more out of the way places to see, as well, but I haven't been there since I was 21. We stayed at a fun hotel in the Greek district where we heard crashing plates and lots of singing all night long. It was super fun.

The metro system is quite extensive. It'll get where you need to go, but read up on it before you are there so you understand how it works. It's pretty straight forward, though. I remember taking it when I was 16 to go see Jim Morrison's grave. Weird. :-)

EDIT: OH!! Versailles. I looooved Versailles. We went when the fountains were off which was so disappointing. But we walked all over the grounds. Once we were through the Hall of Mirrors, we left the crowd and took a long, amazing walk. The gardens and lanscaping are just beautiful.

dazyabbey · December 2012

I know that my previous post was a little harsh but it was what I experienced. We had just left London and it was a completely different experience so I don't necessarily agree that all large cities are dirty and full of beggars because it was completely different for me in NYC and London as it was in Paris. I was not saying that Paris isn't worth visiting because it is, but so many people want to go to Paris for their honeymoon because it is this gorgeous romantic city in reality it is not. I had a friend that went the year before and after we got back she said the same thing. I think if she had warned me about it ahead of time I would have had more realistic expectations. There Paris marketing department does a great job.

Saying that there are tons of things to do and see and it is really just a huge city with millions of people but it is still worth a visit. Some people leave and absolutely love it and want to come back. I do eventually want to come back and I would again and I think a 2nd trip would be better because we know what to expect.

One of the things I forgot to mention in my first post is that French people are not rude or arrogant like people always seem to say. I know a little tiny bit of French so that may have helped but we never had a problem communicating with just a few words and the people we did encounter even if they didn't speak any English were always very friendly and helpful. One of the pleasant surprises about Paris. You always hear that the French are stiff and not very open with newcomers but we never experienced that.

My husband and I tend to be budget travelers. We were both in school up until this summer when I graduated and he is still in school. So we save and work hard for our vacations and when we do go we don't have a ton of money for the fanciest hotel rooms or the best district. However, I liked our neighborhood more than I liked most places in Paris. I liked seeing the people walking to and from their business and just the neighborhood feel. This was the one place I didn't see the dirt, debris, beggars and pickpockets. Which was prevalent in all other touristy areas. You really have to watch out because kids will swarm you trying to get your signature but really be trying to get your wallet.

One of my favorite things about Versailles I forgot to mention was the gardens and The Petit Trianon which is Marie Antoinettes 'estate'. Seeing her little palace and her farm was amazing. It was gorgeous and it was exactly what I was expecting reading about her. As crazy and packed as Versailles was, the farm was the exact opposite and completely worth the trip outside of Paris.

The hotel size didn't bother us. We were barely there except when we were sleeping and the day I was sick (which I was sleeping). I always think it is funny when people talk about how much smaller European hotels were. We were expecting them to be so much smaller which they were, but there was plenty of room. We had room for our luggage and for us. Didn't think we needed much more. Although if you have the opportunity to get an apartment that might be good. We like hotels because of included breakfast but breakfast in Paris is nothing like in the US as to be expected. They more have cheese and sliced meats and a croissant or two. Also their milk is warm... at least at our hotel. That was a bit odd. (Not sure if that is standard...)

One of my favorite things was finding a random Patisseries and going in to get some pastries or a baguette (I had to get a baguette when we were there!) There is nothing that can compare to a French Patisserie. Absolutely amazing.

The metro is awesome. I love that it is color coordinated so it makes it easier to navigate if you do not speak French. Even if you have never used a metro/subway before you can use it super easily. We ended up getting a 5 day pass as we were there for 5 whole days. It was very affordable too. I think somewhere around 30 Euro's.

I am not trying to offend anyone with my opinion of Paris. But it was just my experiences and expectation. It really is a great city but I think you shouldn't expect it to be pristine and perfect.

bchinchilla · December 2012

We're going to Paris. (London, Paris, and a few stops in Belgium). Our plan is to stay in cheaper places some of the time and splurge on a nicer place the nights we're in Paris. We're looking at hotel montmartre mon amour. It looks like what I always thought a honeymoon hotel would look like. I've not been, so i'm not sure if its all its cracked up to be. But I think its important for a honeymoon to squeeze in a little luxury, even if it can't be luxurious every moment. I would suggest if you have time for day trips, taking the train is a great way to take in more. European rail travel isn't like it is in Canada (and maybe the US too) where things run late all the time. Things run on time, generally, and you can get to all sorts of wonderful places quickly. You can experience a whole different culture an hour or two away and come back to your hotel at night. Something to keep in mind if you land in Paris and it isn't your thing.

prettyaka88 · December 2012

Thanks everyone for your reccomendations. I think that October will be a perfect time to go to Paris, I have heard from many individuals that October is the peak time to go to Paris.

Ofiliializ · December 2012

Check out VRBO.com

We are going in March and got a apartment for 420 euros for 7 nights. My fiance and I have both been there and loved it. We are going to rent a car for a few days and go to Amsterdam and Luxembourg. Renting a car was much cheaper then the train and my FI lived in Europe and is comfortable driving there.

Overall there are a ton of places to go there, but honestly the best times i've had in Europe was just walking around and seeing where I ended up. Whatever you decide just enjoy yourselves

hz80408 · December 2012

We went to Paris (for the first time) in April and loved it! We were there slightly off season and really enjoyed the time we were there. Here are my blog posts about it: http://shineisntalwaysshimmer.blogspot.com/2012/05/paris-day-1.html

We rented an apt via Homeaway.com (after scouring homeaway and VRBO.com; I prefer Homeaway's searching abilities).

What's your budget for a hotel? I have a long list I accumulated from friends/family during my research. If you have any specific questions, I'm sure we can help!

I definitely recommend checking out the Paris Museum Pass, which gets you into the majority of major attractions/museums.

Also, be sure to place reservations for Eiffel Tower! We booked and were able to walk in with no issues. It was during the week day at 10 in the morning and the gaurd told us the line was already 3+ hrs long otherwise.

jemmini6 · December 2012

I'm going to threadjack for a sec here since this already has tons of good info...

H and I are going to France and Italy sometime next year too (we are gauging airfares to see when is cheaper to go, right now we are shooting for late August/early Sept). We will only be in Paris for 2-3 days (H doesn't want to stay longer), then we'll be visiting some family near Bordeaux, and then going to Florence/Cinque Terre. So my thread jack is...with only 2-3 days in Paris, what are the top recommendations of things to do since we won't be able to do everything?

Also, what are good travel books/sites for Paris/Florence/Cinque Terre? I've looked a little, but there's so many that I wondered if anyone has experience with any of them.

hz80408 · December 2012

Jemmini, I would say it truly depends on your interest, budget and how leisurely you want your time to be/what you want to cram in.

We did a lot in 3.5 days time last April. My favorite memory was our first night. We want to Tour Montparnesse (the only skyscraper in Paris), at night and watched the Eiffel Tower twinkle. It was romantic and a "holy crap, we're in Paris!" type moment.

We also did took the Fat Tire Bike Tour our first afternoon, which was really nice. It gave us plenty of history, tips about site-seeing (like going in the side at the Louvre) and a decent idea on the layout of the city along the Seine.

Those are my top 2 recs in general.

We did a ton of stuff: Catacombs, Mona Lisa, Sacre Cour (highly disappointed after my SIL said this was their favorite afternoon), L'Orangerie, lunch at Printemps (kind of cool with their roof patio), Eiffel Tower, walked by Arc de Triump, Champs Elsees, Moulin Rouge, d'Orsay, Notre Dame (although we didn't go inside. I regret that), and Le Perchaise Cemetary (Jim Morrison and other famous are buried here)

http://shineisntalwaysshimmer.blogspot.com/2012/05/paris-day-1.html

I'd be happy to answer any questions or help! My SIL/BIL did Italy and Paris for 2 weeks last summer and had a great trip!

Paris Anyone?

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