Spring in Paris

~ My sojourns in France, 2010-2019

Spring in Paris

Tag Archives: Musée Carnavalet

Paris – After the Top Ten Sights

21 Monday Jul 2014

Posted by Robert Mack in Photos, Practical Information

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Albert Kahn museum, Alcohol, Alfred Sisley, An Hour from Paris, Arc de Triomphe, Bastille, Bercy Village, Bois de Vincennes, Canal Saint-Martin, Catacombs of Paris, Château, Château de Vincennes, crime, day trips, drinking, Eiffel Tower, Grand Palais, Institut du monde arabe, Jardin de Luxembourg, Jardin de Reuilly, l'Oasis d'Aboukir, Latin Quarter, L’Étoile Manquante, l’officiel des spectacles, LB Café, le Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, le musée du quai Branly, le Musée Jaquemart-André, Marais, Metro, Montmartre, Montorgueil, Moret-sur-Loing, mugging, Musée Carnavalet, Musée d’art moderne, Musée des Arts et Métiers, Musée Rodin, Musee d'Orsay, museums, Opéra Garnier, Open Café, Palais de Tokyo, Palais Royal, Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, Parc Floral, Parc Monceau, Parc Montsouris, Paris, Pariscope, Passy-Auteuil, Petit Palais, pickpockets, Place des Vosges, Pompidou, Pompidou Center, Promenade plantée, Provins, Public Drinking, Rambouillet, Rosa Bonheur, rue de Charonne, rue Montorgueil, safety, Seine, Senlis, train

The Top Ten Sights

[If you just want to see what my life in Paris has been like you can skip this post.]

On your first visit to Paris, like everyone else, you will go up the Eiffel Tower.

Iconic!

Iconic!

You will go to the Louvre and take a snapshot of the Mona Lisa.  You will gaze in awe at the facade of Notre-Dame. You will have an ice cream made by Berthillon on l’Île Saint-Louis. You will take a Bateau Mouche tour of the Seine. You will stroll along the Champs-Elysée up to the Arc de Triomphe.

Arc de Triomphe

Arc de Triomphe

You will eat a soggy crêpe at a stand in the Latin Quarter. You will climb the south slope of Montmartre up to Sacré Coeur and be dazzled by the view.

IMG_1188

In all of those places you will be surrounded by other tourists doing exactly the same things, clutching their maps and mobile phones to ensure that they never stray from the well-worn Tourist Track.

Not only will you do these things, you must do them, and you should do them. Why? Because these places are iconic, and your friends would never forgive you if you didn’t. Because that’s what it means to go to Paris for the first time. And, last but not least, because they’re fabulous. It is not tragic that everywhere you go those first few days will be excruciatingly touristy. It’s normal.

Every travel book will tell you how to see the top ten tourist spots over your first few days, and I leave this task to them. But when you have gotten this out of your system — after your first few days, or on your second visit — read on. This post is about what to do after you’ve seen the top sights.

Getting Ready for More

First off you will need some technology. Get the RATP app, the Métro app and the TripAdvisor City Guide app that I describe in my Getting Into Paris post. These will help you get around and enable you to stray as far as you like from the beaten path without anxiety. And if your battery runs out just stroll for a bit until you run across a métro station. They all have detailed maps with a red dot labelled « Vous Etes Ici » (You Are Here). While you may have to change lines once or twice there will always be a station within a few blocks of your hotel.

Next, find out what’s happening in Paris. One excellent resource is the City of Paris English web site at this link (and there’s lots more on the French language site). For under a euro you can pick up a copy of Pariscope or l’officiel des spectacles at any newsstand (they come out on Wednesday). The text is in French but you should be able to puzzle out most of the listings even if you don’t read the language. Look in particular for exhibitions at the Grand Palais and Petit Palais.

Last but not least, shift gears. You are no longer checking off “must-see” sights. It is not important that you see the eleventh through twentieth best things in Paris. What you want now is to have some personally rewarding experiences, connecting in one way or other with this big, complex and fascinating city. Slow down, let your blood pressure drop a few points, and look up from your maps! What aspects of the city do you want to explore over these next few days?

Indoor or Outdoor?

The first big question is whether you’ll be exploring outdoors or looking for something under a roof. This obviously depends on weather as well as your own preferences. My one additional observation is that Paris can be lovely in the rain if you have the right gear to keep warm and dry, and you’ll want that gear anyway to get to an indoor destination if it’s raining.

Indoor Options

These are just a few suggestions out of a myriad of wonderful indoor options. Do two things in each case on line before you set out: Check the opening days and hours, and see what special exhibitions are on offer.

  • Musée d’Orsay
    This wonderful museum is on many top-ten lists, but if not it certainly deserves top consideration as your next indoor destination. Buy your tickets on line or at a travel agent to avoid the ticket line, which can be more than an hour long. When you enter go left and take the elevator or escalators up to the fifth floor, to start with the Impressionist masterpieces. There’s plenty more on lower floors but you don’t want to risk getting tired before you reach the top.
  • Pompidou Center
    The Pompidou is fun to look at since its structural elements and mechanical systems are on the outside, color coded. But it also has a great collection of modern art, an ok collection of contemporary art, and interesting rotating exhibitions. Your ticket also lets you see whatever is going on an the French first floor, opposite the escalators to the main floors. And whatever you do, check out the view from the top floor.
  • Musée des Arts et Métiers
    If you like machines and technology allow a half-day for this enormous grab-bag of mechanical stuff, ranging from tiny scientific instruments to giant steam engines.
  • Musée Carnavalet (closed for renovations until the end of 2019) This is the museum of the history of Paris. It’s also a marvelous grab-bag — of art, furnishings and memorabilia. Like all the City of Paris museums, it’s free, and closed on Mondays. But note that until the end of 2019 collections from the French Revolution, 19th century and the Belle Époque are closed for renovation.
  • Opéra Garnier
    Strangely, I’ve never taken the tour of this utterly gorgeous building, but friends tell me it’s excellent. (I have been to several performances in the new opera building at Bastille. It’s a great space but you must reserve in the first few days tickets go on sale to get affordable tickets.)
  • Catacombs of Paris
    These vast underground tunnels are where the bones are stashed when construction work wipes out a cemetery, most notably by Haussmann’s renovation of Paris in the mid 19th century. It’s ghoulish but fascinating. I’ve described the experience thusly: Ten minutes of “When do we get to the bones?” Ten minutes of silence. Then half an hour of “When do we get to the end of the bones?”
  • Other Museums
    There are a hundred museums in Paris!  Among those I’ve enjoyed are le Musée Rodin (which needs good weather because at least half the masterpieces are in the extensive gardens), the odd and wonderful le Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, the informative Institut du monde arabe (which offers a great view from the roof even if you don’t want to buy a ticket to the museum), the primitive-art-museum-that-dare-not-speak-its-name le musée du quai Branly, one of several house-museums, le Musée Jaquemart-André, the city’s answer to the Pompidou, the Musée d’art moderne, and the adjacent — wild and wooly — contemporary art museum, the  Palais de Tokyo (but confirm first that the exhibitions are open). Some are quite obscure, but nearly all will reward your time. How about trying a museum that isn’t in the guidebook, or even in this post??  A full list is at this link.

Outdoor Options

    • People-Watching from a Café
      This is one of the most delightful things you can do in Paris. You can do it almost anywhere, but here are some of my favorite spots.

      • My favorite street for people watching is rue Montorgueil in the 2e, and my very favorite table is at the LB Café with a view down rue Tiquetonne as well as up and down Montorgueil. You will see all sorts of people, from stylish youths to women pushing baby carriages, to still-elegant retirees. Some foreign tourists — increasing every year — but still mostly French. Order an expensive coffee or kir and nurse it for an hour or two as you take in the passing parade!  Then become part of the parade yourself as you stroll up to the top of the street, beyond the arch, to check out the L’Oasis d’Aboukir.
      • A close second, though much more touristy, is L’Étoile Manquante on rue Vielle du Temple in the Marais, at the intersection with rue Sainte-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie. Or if you want a stronger gay flavor, the classic Open Café on rue des Archives.
      • Another busy and stylish place is Bercy Village, a posh shopping area at the Cour Saint-Émilion métro stop.
    •  Stroll Along the Promenade Plantée
      This is a linear park along the top of a disused railway viaduct – the (earlier) Parisian version of New York’s High Line. Depending on the season it has beautiful flowers, and always offers commanding city views. The elevated portion ends with a pedestrian bridge over the green center of the Jardin de Reuilly, a favorite sunbathing spot. You can plan lunch at le Janissaire, then continue another mile or so along a portion of the tracks that ran through a depressed cut. Or you can window shop your way back to Bastille by dozens of artist studios and art-related stores that have been created in the arches of the viaduct.
    • Have a Picnic
      There are so many great parks to choose from!  A few of my favorites are:

      • the lovely little Place des Vosges and the similar garden of the Palais Royal
      • the big and beautiful Jardin du Luxembourg
      • posh little Parc Monceau
      • large and hilly and un-touristy Parc Montsouris
      • spectacular though somewhat remote Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, which has the wonderful ginguette Rosa Bonheur in the top corner (near métro Botzaris), and the delightful little Temple de la Sibylle overlooking its man-made lake.
      • The Bois de Vincennes on the east side of Paris (like the Bois de Boulougne on the west) is dauntingly enormous, but there are great things to do there: rent a boat on the lake, visit the gorgeous Parc Floral, go to the brand-new zoo, tour the Château de Vincennes, etc. Just make sure the métro stop you go to is within walking distance of the part of the park you’re aiming for!

      But don’t limit yourself to parks. There are other lovely spots to picnic.

      • The banks of the Seine are classic spots for a picnic, especially around or in the vicinity of the two islands at the city’s center. Just go down one of the flights of steps and find your perfect spot.
      • Another favorite place to picnic is along the banks of the Canal Saint-Martin in the 10e. Most charming is the section from rue du Faubourg du Temple (where it emerges from its long tunnel) up to the bend when it turns towards the east.

      Everyone seems to have wine or beer with their picnics, except in parks where a sign specifically prohibits alcohol, but the legal picture in theory appears to be quite complex. My thought is that if others are drinking in the same area and you aren’t rowdy you are unlikely to get more than a warning. In particular there doesn’t seem to be an “open container” law like in the U.S., just prohibitions on actually drinking in public.

    • Take a Walking Tour
      Strangely, I’ve never taken an organized tour, but it should be worthwhile. There are good self-guided walking tours in the TripAdvisor City Guide app mentioned above, and if you speak French and have data on your mobile there are fascinating (albeit uneven) self-guided tours at ParisInconnu.com that I enjoyed in 2014.
    • Get Lost on Your Own!
      This is my favorite thing to do in Paris. You always find something interesting, especially if you’re willing to divert from your original plan to do down a curious alley or investigate an attractive patch of greenery. Here are some possible areas to try, but don’t let this list limit you. In each case zig-zag through the area, exploring side streets, arcades (passages) and alleys as well as the main street.

        • Le Marais, 4e
          The lower Marais, the 4e arrondissement, is a classic area for strolling — and getting lost. There are plenty of restaurants and shops, open even on Sunday. The busiest and most touristy area is north of rue de Rivoli but I recommend a quieter stroll also on the other side of rue de Rivoli, including the little pedestrian area called Village Saint-Paul.
        • Montorgueil, 2e
          This is a nest of narrow pedestrianized streets chock full of shops, restaurants and bars.
        • Latin Quarter, 5e and 6e
          There are curious walking areas in every direction from the fountain of Saint Michel. Notice the throngs of tourists to the east. Check out the many bookstores downhill from Odéon. Stroll up past the Sorbonne to the Panthéon, then continue down to the charming old market street rue Mouffetard.
        • rue de Charonne, 11e
          This is a hip and slightly edgy area. Be sure to go up and down the side streets!
        • Montmartre, 18e
          Lots of tourists, but also lots of fun windy streets. Be sure to explore the north side of the hill as well as the busier south side.
        • Passy-Auteuil, 16e
          Yes, this is where the rich people live. And indeed there are sterile canyons of wealthy apartments. But some of those buildings are gorgeous, and there are some nice restaurants and bars there if you can put up with locals dripping with money and privilege (and English). Start at with a coffee at posh La Gare, at métro La Muette.

      I never worry much about safety in the daytime – you can basically go anywhere within the Peripherique highway (which you can’t cross without noticing!) At night you might want to ask your hotel if you plan to stray far from the touristy zones, but even in the dark much of the city feels quite safe. The type of crime you’re more likely to encounter is a pickpocket or mobile-snatcher on the métro, at a railroad station or in a crowded museum or other tourist area, though kids from the rougher suburbs are reputed to go in for street robberies now and then. There are also scams such as petitions, shell games, gold rings, etc. that you should just ignore. Paris is beefing up its police presence to reduce crime against tourists.

Day Trips Outside of Paris

In the unlikely event that you run out of things to do in Paris proper I am a big fan of the guidebook, An Hour From Paris. I’ve done a dozen day trips from it over my years in Paris, each accessible by train:

      • Chantilly
      • Château d’Écouen – Musée national de la Renaissance
      • La Ferté-Milon and a 4-1/2 mile walk along the Canal de l’Ourcq (wonderful)
      • The Jean-Jacques Rousseau museum in Montmorency
      • Parc de Sceaux (only 15 minutes from Paris; gorgeous though rather recent restoration of Le Nôtre park)
      • Crécy-la-Chapelle (wonderful though requires a train change)
      • Conflans-Sainte-Honorine and Andrésy (wonderful)
      • Champs-sur-Marne (where the château has now reopened)
      • Albert Kahn museum and garden in Boulogne
      • Alfred Sisley Pilgrimage to Moret-sur-Loing
      • Senlis
      • Provins
      • Rambouillet

Eating!

Last but not least, Paris is a paradise for food. My own forays have only scratched the surface but you can check out Dining Off (and On) the Beaten Path if you like. The TripAdvisor City Guide has suggestions and reviews. You might also like the The Fork site or app, which allows online reservations and also offers discounts.

Jason’s Last Day

04 Wednesday Jun 2014

Posted by Robert Mack in Experiences, Photos

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Alexis, Candelaria, crepes, Experimental Cocktail Club, gallettes, Hôtel de Sauroy, Jason, meals, Musée Carnavalet, Nanashi, Proust cork lined room, rue Charlot

Jason and I had planned to rent bikes at Versailles on his last day in Paris, but the forecast was discouraging so we made it a museum day instead.

After a sleepy start we set out to search for Breton food, and landed at the Bar du Marché des Blancs Manteaux on rue Vielle du Temple. The service and decor were nice, and we had pretty good gallettes (similar to crêpes but made with a different batter and with a salty filling) despite the iffy Yelp ratings.

After lunch we visited the Carnavalet, the museum of the history of the city of Paris. It’s a wonderful omnium-gatherum of art and artefacts relevant to Paris that don’t quite make the cut to get into one of the fine art museums. It’s hard to give any real idea of the scope of the collection but here are a few pics.

Yves Alix, L'escalier roulante (1928). Musée Carnavalet.

Yves Alix, L’escalier roulante (1928). Musée Carnavalet.

Marcel Proust's cork-lined room at Musée Carnavalet.

Marcel Proust’s cork-lined room at Musée Carnavalet.

Bob with peacock at Musée Carnavalet.

Bob with art deco peacock at Musée Carnavalet.

After the museum Jason and I shared a delicious apricot-pistachio tart, did some shopping and took afternoon naps. Then we headed out to Nanashi for dinner with my French friend Alexis. As we were waiting outside the restaurant this tranquil doorway caught my eye.

Hôtel de Sauroy, rue Charlot in the Haute Marais.

Hôtel de Sauroy, rue Charlot in the Haut Marais.

After a good meal, and a good conversation, Alexis led the way to Candelaria, a hip cocktail bar quite nearby. The entrance is through a tiny, garishly-lit taco bar, but if you get past the doorman you’re ushered through the back door into a large, candle-lit bar, reminiscent of the Experimental Cocktail Club in Montorgueil. We enjoyed tasty and remarkably complex cocktails, and more good conversation, as a fitting end to Jason’s visit.

Bob and Jason toasting Alexis at Candelaria.

Bob and Jason toasting Alexis at Candelaria.

This morning Jason packed, ate a quick breakfast and headed to the airport. In an excess of caution I checked the RATP Etat du Réseau site in case there might be any delay. It was lucky I did since the train to Charles de Gaulle airport was skipping Châtelet due to an abandoned package! We figured out an alternate route and Jason is on his way to Bulgaria for the second part of his European trip.

Musée Carnavalet, Michael and the Louvre

14 Friday May 2010

Posted by Robert Mack in Art, Experiences, Photos

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Art, Ave Maria, Louvre, Marais, meals, Musée Carnavalet, Place des Vosges

Michael went for a run this morning — all the way to the Eiffel Tower — while I got breakfast ready like a good host.  Then we went out to the Musée Carnavalet (closed for renovations until the end of 2019), a free museum of the history of France that I had never seen in all my time here.  It proved to be a lovely mish-mash of artifacts and art, that I really enjoyed.  Here’s a glimpse, and there are more photos in Paris-13.

Pont Neuf seen from Place Dauphine on l’Ile de la Cité, about 1665. (Musée Carnavalet)

We then wandered on through the Marais to Place des Vosges, where we had a picnic lunch.

Michael at Place des Vosges.

Then we walked to the Musée d’Orsay, but since the line was too long we crossed the river and visited the Louvre instead.  Even though it was my third time there this trip I still found lots of new things to see and enjoyed myself thoroughly.  For the first time in thirty-some years I saw the Mona Lisa!

The Mona Lisa!

Seriously, though, the museum is magnificent and there are highlights in Paris-Louvre.

We then had dinner at Ave Maria near Oberkampf with an old friend of Michael’s (Daniel), and his friend’s sister and boyfriend (Ric).  We had a great meal, then repaired to a local bar for a few more after-dinner drinks.  Michael and I got home on one of the last métro trains of the night and we’re expecting to sleep very well.

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