(Re)discovering Paris. After a year living in Paris way-back-when (over the turn of the year 2000 to be exact), I figure I know the city pretty well, but like anywhere, there is always something new to discover.
Here I’d like to share some of the ‘old’ places I love, as well as new things I discovered on my recent trip, plus my top tips for getting the most out of your stay in the City of Light. 1. Take a tour My first tip would be to take a tour to get your bearings and (dare I say?!) ‘tick off’ the key sights. Of course there are the standard city bus tours, but as I was going with a friend who had never ‘done’ Paris properly, I really wanted to do something a bit special, so I was delighted when I came across this wonderful Citroen 2CV tour on Viator. Matthieu, our guide, did not disappoint and proved a font of knowledge on the places we passed, not to mention interesting little tid-bits I doubt you would get on a bus tour. Me and Mathieu on a 2CV tour 2. L’immeuble Lavirotte 3. 4. Les Catacombes de Paris - The Catacombs. Skulls forming a cross at the top of an altar of bones in the Paris Catacombs. 1, Avenue Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 75014 Paris (Map) Métro: Denfert-Rochereau | Website "Stop.
This is the land of the dead. " That's the charming greeting that awaits you as you arrive at the ossuary of the Paris catacombs. In the catacombs. Visitors to the catacombs can buy a ticket at the little office at the address above, descend 130 steps, and creep through tunnels walled with the bones of thousands of Parisians. Getting there Finding the entrance to the catacombs' office can be a little tricky when you come up from the Métro, as there's no large sign outside. A few warnings (surprisingly not about angry skeletons) Visitors should be advised that there are two long, narrow spiral stairways involved in descending into the catacombs (130 steps) and coming back up at the end (83 steps).
Paris: The city of heavenly pastries. Reporting from Paris— The next time you're in Paris, drop your concern about carbs and surrender to sugar.
The jewelry-like pastries these top-tier tastemakers turn out make it worth putting aside your intestinal fortitude for a bit of heaven. Pierre Hermé: In this chic shop on Rue Bonaparte in the St-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood, a serious discussion is taking place between a well-dressed Frenchwoman in her mid-40s and the store clerk. The salesperson is inquiring about what cuisine and wines the hostess will be serving, the purpose of the occasion and even the dress code. After gathering all the information he deems necessary, the merchant makes his recommendations. Panorama: 360-degree view from the Eiffel Tower Pierre Hermé is one of several famous patisseries in Paris that have become well known for their macarons — a delicate cream-filled cookie with a crisp outer shell.
Nowhere is this architectural approach to pastry more apparent than at ultra-chic Café Lenôtre. Wild Things Beads - Article - Bead Shopping in Paris. Bead Shopping in Paris A lot of people go to Europe to hunt for glass beads, and think that they have to go to the centers of bead production to find beads, such as Jablonecs nad Nisou in Czech Republic, or Neu Gablonz in Germany, or Venice, Italy.
And while you can find beads at these locations, usually it means buying directly from the factories at enormous quantities and requires large amounts of money. Leave that to the importers who specialize in doing just that. Instead, head to the city that most of Europe goes to when they need to buy beads in wholesale quantities, or even just retail quantities, but need variety of many styles and types: Paris, France. Paris has two main ways of shopping for beads – the bead district and the flea market. The bead district is located in the heart of Paris, in the region of Les Halles, in the eastern side of the city, arrondisiment 3. Although I have not listed every wholesale business, these are some of the bead businesses within this area. Free Paris Landmarks Sightseeing Tour. Brochure. Les Arts Décoratifs - Site officiel.