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[Tim]

I'm visiting Paris next weekend, heard it's a great city but I know very little about it.
Any Parisians here? If so what highlights of the city do you recommend? I'll only be there for a few days, so I'm looking for simple things that are worthy of being checked out. Any tips on where to go at night?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Lil' Dice]

Don't come back.....Seriously, why come back to this dump of a country after visiting Europe?

 

[Dilbert]

I'm pretty sure we had a thread about this a while ago...

 

[AssMan]

Don't tell them you're american. If you do, then they will throw rotten tomatoes at you.

 

[Tim]

Don't tell them you're american. If you do, then they will throw rotten tomatoes at you.

I'm not American
Thanks Jinx.

Edit: Thanks guys, appreciate it.

 

[Draff]

Well, as a Canadian, everyone assumed I was American anyway and in spite of that I didn't really notice any animosity.

Just don't wear a Canadian patch (If you are Canadian). If anything annoyed me on the trip it was meeting obnoxious tourists then seeing Canadian flags sewn on to their backpack.

As for Paris. If you want a really nice view of Paris (I recommend at night), I would go to the Tour Montparanasse. You should go when the Eiffel Tower is set to illuminate.

The Eiffel Tower is obviously a must see although make sure you give yourself enough time. It takes a long time to climb up the tower due to the waiting times. I must say though that I went during peak tourist season.

If you're bored go to the Arc de Triomphe. You can literally spend hours watching drivers maneuver into or out of the roundabout.

At night, there's a nice island whose name I forget. It's right by the Notre Dame Cathedral and just south of there there's a bunch of restaurants and stuff. If you mean clubs, I didn't get a chance to check it out.

 

[number386]

effeil tower, the louve, and champs elysee especially at night. Also visit london you can take the eurostar train from paris to london it only takes about 2.5 hours. I wish I could go on vacation =(

 

[Rei_Toei]

Well, I guess everyone is going to name all the historic places everybody knows, but if you are into modern architecture, you should check out La Defence. One of Mitterand's megalomanic projects. Not exactly stuff Paris is known for but still very cool at day, boring at night.

 

[Everdredbanned]

I whole-heartedly recommend going to the Sainte Chapelle. It quite literally made my jaw drop. Other interesting sites (ignoring the few that are a given for anyone) include the Basilique de Saint Denis (with the tombs of the many of the kings), Museé Nationale du Moyen Age (aka Museé Cluny), and the Catacombs.

 

[Doth Togo]

Paris / Versailles is my second home.

Go to Boulevard St. Germain. Great area for bars and cool people. Le Marais is also good for bars and low key places to hang out. Also, les Catacombs, as stated earlier, is really, really fun. There are cult groups that go down there in the off hours and have all sorts of sex parties.

 

[fennec fox]

If you're bored go to the Arc de Triomphe. You can literally spend hours watching drivers maneuver into or out of the roundabout.

I studied abroad in Paris for a summer in high school and one of the first things my host father did for me was drive around this roundabout for about 15 minutes. It was spectacular, and he had a very creative approach to traffic laws, so I don't think I'll ever forget the experience. Those Vegas rides have nothing on it.

Nowadays I try to speak French and Japanese comes out.

 

[Belfast]

Make sure to bring a video camera with night-vision, margarita mix, and a pack of condoms!

 

[Ill Saint]

Sit in one of the many wonderful cafe's and watch the people go by. I could spend hours just doing that... magical place.

 

[ConfusingJazz]

Just don't attempt to drive. The roads are all old horse trails that don't make sense. Do visit Saint Chappelle and Norte Dame on the Ile de Cite, set a day for the louvre, set a day for versailles, and try to see the musee d'Orsay if you are into the impressionists. see napoleon's tomb, and eat at a cafe on the champs elysee. oh...and people watch.

 

[Tim]

Paris / Versailles is my second home.

Go to Boulevard St. Germain. Great area for bars and cool people. Le Marais is also good for bars and low key places to hang out. Also, les Catacombs, as stated earlier, is really, really fun. There are cult groups that go down there in the off hours and have all sorts of sex parties.

This is exactly the type of tips I was hoping for when starting this thread, thanks a bunch man. I am driving there with a friend so I'll have to see how bad the traffic/road(s) is, although I don't think we'll be doing much driving in Paris, but more around it anyways. Thanks everyone.

 

[kgHavok23]

effeil tower, the louve, and champs elysee especially at night.

Shit, ESPECIALLY at night is right. Oh, and if you visit the Louvre, go to the hall called Sully. If you get lucky, you may find this girl:

God I love Paris. Favorite city ever.

 

[Raistlin]

Go to Les Catacombs and Morrison's grave

 

[Blimblim]

I live in Paris (well, near Paris), and all I can say is : Do not attempt to drive a car in Paris. I've lived here for 12 years and I'm still scared each time I have to go through the city. For someone who never went there, does not know some of our most peculiar traffic laws, it's just cheer madness.
Luckily our public transportation is very nice, if a bit stinky at places (this is due mostly of some type of rock underneath Paris, and not because french people don't wash ). So take a full subway pass for the length of your stay in the city. Just make sure you take one that allows you to go outside Paris if you plan to do so, like going to Versailles or even Disneyland (not recommanded this time of year, it's horribly cold, I live right next to it so I would know).
As for what to visit, people already recommanded the usual places, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Le Louvre, Saint Chapelle (a must see) and Notre Dame, Champs Elysées, you name it. For more modern art there is Beaubourg, La defense is nice to go see if you have 2 hours to spare, and of course there many smaller things to go to.
Enjoy your stay, just make sure you stay out of Subway at the big hours (7-9 AM, 6-7 PM), it's a nightmare especially if you have big bags with you and are not used to how it all works.

 

[Lathentar]

Sit in one of the many wonderful cafe's and watch the people go by. I could spend hours just doing that... magical place.

Just like you can in any other major city.

 

[AstroLad]

Just like you can in any other major city.

Fuck that. There's plenty of "major cities" where that would suck. There's nothing wrong with saying "I really like to sit back in X City's cafes and watch the people;" cities and their people are actually sometimes different. I know this is hard to believe after the Malling of America, but it's still true in some places and sitting in a particular city can actually be more unique than sitting in the Starbucks at the uptown plaza vs. the suburban plaza.

 

[Ill Saint]

Just like you can in any other major city.

Not in Hong Kong, not in NYC, not in San Francisco, not in Sydney, not in Beijing, not in Tokyo, not in London. Just a few of the Cities I've travelled... sorry, but the equivalent in these places is just not the same. Unless you've actually been to Paris, you'd have no clue what I'm describing anyway.

 

[Rei_Toei]

Prague comes to mind, regarding the cafe's.

 

[Coen]

Well, I guess everyone is going to name all the historic places everybody knows, but if you are into modern architecture, you should check out La Defence. One of Mitterand's megalomanic projects. Not exactly stuff Paris is known for but still very cool at day, boring at night.

Seconded. Visit this place at day, picnic on the stairs near the giant thumb (don't ask...) and you've got yourself a great view.

 

[Blimblim]

Seconded. Visit this place at day, picnic on the stairs near the giant thumb (don't ask...) and you've got yourself a great view.

Yeah I eat there quite often (work place is 10 minutes from there on foot), it's very nice in summer.

 

[seanoff]

try to speak french.

they seem quite forgiving of that. (at least they have been to me)

I struggle to say something in French and a lot of times they will offer to speak english to me.
unlike the english who just speak loudly and slowly in english.

Versailles. try and get a train out and back with american tourists. myself and the wife had that one day, we were in tears coming back. We got off the RER at Champ de Mars so as not to upset the people in the carriage. The french who understood english were also laughing but they were covering it by speaking in french and then laughing.

One guy speaking very loudly was in awe of ver-sales(his pronunciation not mine)

then this couple got on and they trying to get Chatelet-Les Halles which is one train change at one stop and the map is obviously too easy to read, so they started arguing. very funny too.

Then hysterical when we went past the statue of liberty in the Seine. the guy goes "What are the french fucking doing with our fucking statue of liberty" 20 second pause "which they gave to us" . If u've ever seen the life of brian where the guards are trying not to laugh, that was us. fantastic.

 

[puck1337]

Don't try to see everything. You won't succeed, as there's way too much to do. And have as much cheese and wine as you possibly can.

 

[Deg]

Paris trainstations stink very badly. Bring a mask. Lots of bits of Paris smell bad. They need to clean the place. You see loads of rats in the middle of the day.

 

[BojTrek]

Well... from the videos I have seen, she likes to give blow-jobs. She also likes to talk dirty. But I would personally wear a condom... she has been with a lot of people. Recently she has been spotted with one of the Wilson boys...

From the pictures on the web, she has a really nasty looking and used kitty... so be careful...

You might have to watch out for that Richie girl too... she is always seen with Paris lately.

 

[ChumsGum]

Work from the bottom up.

 

[Lathentar]

Not in Hong Kong, not in NYC, not in San Francisco, not in Sydney, not in Beijing, not in Tokyo, not in London. Just a few of the Cities I've travelled... sorry, but the equivalent in these places is just not the same. Unless you've actually been to Paris, you'd have no clue what I'm describing anyway.

Maybe I'm just uncultured. I travelled a ton during my high school years and I've really not been overly impressed with any city other than Dubai and Rome.

I could go to Palo Alto, Barcelona, Austin, Nice, Rome and Seattle and experience the exact same thing I could in Paris by sitting at a coffee shop in gorgeous weather just watching people. Just my personal opinion, of course. Maybe I'm just bitter that my ex-girlfriend decided that she MUST spend a semester in London, because its like got history and stuff.

 

[Draff]

Although I didn't sit and people watch, I have to say it IS different in every city. The way people dress, act, etc., does vary and it's pretty interesting, I must admit, when you notice these things.

And to only be impressed by Dubai and Rome, well I guess you must have really high expectations.

 

[Ill Saint]

Maybe I'm just uncultured. I travelled a ton during my high school years and I've really not been overly impressed with any city other than Dubai and Rome.

I could go to Palo Alto, Barcelona, Austin, Nice, Rome and Seattle and experience the exact same thing I could in Paris by sitting at a coffee shop in gorgeous weather just watching people. Just my personal opinion, of course. Maybe I'm just bitter that my ex-girlfriend decided that she MUST spend a semester in London, because its like got history and stuff.

Well, it's all subjective. I have not been to the places you listed, I just know that the cafe "culture" for lack of better word -- all those tables directly facing the wide open streets, people just sitting and watching the world go by... it was something kinda special. I don't think by any stretch I'm the only one to have felt this.

Not that it's necessarily unique to Paris, but I have not yet experienced a similar vibe anywhere else (yet).

 

[ConfusingJazz]

Oh, don't forget, buy cheese, lots of cheese to take home. They just make it right, and its not Pasturized, which kills the goodness.

 

[Kobun Heat]

Wallet in the front pocket, and don't stop to watch any little kids playing the accordion.

Also: Versailles smells like urine. Bring Listerine strips.