36 Hours in Paris

This is a complete rip off of the New York Times Travel section. They write amazing travel guides with tips on what you can do for 36 hours in a certain city.

I just so happened to swing through Paris for 36 hours and so thought i'd share some pointers - considering we had such a great time you should do yourself a favour and head to Paris for 36 hours (or preferably longer!).

Thanks to Emma, Aurore and Jimmy for their tips.

So here goes:

Afternoon:
-> Stay in the latin quarter (5th and 13th) if you want to escape the tourists. For a little more of an upmarket experience the 6th and 7th are a good place to be based centrally. It's definitely worth trying to find a serviced apartment if you can.
-> The rue Mouffetard is a street full of activity at all hours of the day. In the morning, there are food markets (smell the fat on the roast chickens!), during the day buskers and later in the evening: restaurants and (mainly student) bars.


Evening:
-> Drink at Le Coup de Grâce (Rue Berthollet). Just wander in and browse their wine library. You can also find a bottle of bubbles as we did and enjoy a glass there. Corkage is 6 euros. We had a Blanc de Blancs, Brut Nature. It's a naturally fermented Champagne without additional sugar added.
-> Dinner at Les Papilles Bistroy. (Rue Gay-Lussac) You'll have to book early but it's well worth it. They offer a fixed menu eg you get what you're given. Also simply choose a bottle to accompany your meal from the wide selection displayed on the wall.
-> The Mouffetard is not far so there are plenty of options for a night cap or some jumping around with the frenchies.


Morning:
-> The Boulangerie "Le Boulanger de Monge" on the corner at Place Monge is a delicious example of French baking.
-> Being the coffee snob I am, finding an Australian style coffee is hard to come by due to euro desire to burn the milk or make it too thin. In Paris go for un Cafe Noisette. It's an espresso macchiato; short espresso with a dash of emulsified milk.
-> Cut a lap of the Seine, Notre Dame Island, the Louvre Gardens, Tuileries and other great attractions. You'll be able to park your bike wherever you feel like stopping to go into a museum or stop for another Cafe Noisette.
-> The best way to see Paris is by Velib bike. They are easy to find and hire; just look out for the grey rows of bikes and sign up at the machine with your VISA card. On the bike you are free to roam.
-> The Jardin du Luxembourg is a lovely park where you can check out the small sailing boats being pushed around by the kids or simply catch some rays.
-> It wouldn't be Paris if you didn't make yourself a picnic. Stop by a Boulangerie and get some baguettes. Grab a bottle of champagne (Pol Roger if you're getting serious) at a wine store. Either at a supermarket or at a Fromagerie and (Butcher) grab some Fromage / cheese, Jambon / cured meat, olives etc and importantly some plastic cups and find yourself a lovely stop for a picnic break (for example Jardin du Luxembourg) . You'll feel very french and it'll probably taste pretty good!


Afternoon:
-> The Champs Elysee is usually jammed with tourists but still makes for a great walk along one of the worlds most famous boulevards.
-> The best place to appreciate the Eiffel Tower, either after climbing it or simply to view it - is a little cafe in the Museum of Architecture. This cafe is almost always empty and yet it is the best seat in the house to view the Tower. It takes a little finding but well worth it. So, when walking away from the Eiffel Tower, with it to your back, cross over the Seine and walk up the stairs towards the gap between the two big buildings on the hill ahead of you (direction Trocadero). Go through this gap and turn immediately to your right around the back of the building and go into the entrance of the Museum of Architecture. Don't stop for a ticket as you don't actually enter the exhibition. Simply walk, once inside, directly toward the tower again past the ticket counters. At the front of the building is a terrace overlooking Paris and the Eiffel Tower. Just to the left is the cafe where you can order macaroons and coffee. Enjoy the view away from the hecklers and tourists! At sunset the lights come on and the Tower puts on a great show.


Evening:
-> Dinner at Chez Julien (Rue du Pont Louis-Philippe). Set on the end of a building near the Notre Dame here you will enjoy delicious french cuisine. The French sure know how to cook lamb.

Enjoy...