The little black skirt theory still holds true. A little black skirt is light, comfortable, versatile, doesn’t take up much suitcase room, and with the appropriate accessories, it can take you anywhere. And if “anywhere” is Paris, the general dress code is “make it black & make it tight.” Perfect. I have just the thing.
Other than dressing to blend in, planning the hell out of a trip (to make the most of it & to not look like a baffled tourist) is de rigueur. I was well-researched, studied the language & customs, formed an impossibly long list of must-do’s, and efficiently mapped out an itinerary. But Paris isn’t Parma, so I traded the backpack for an “it” bag and ramped up my reservations -- good Paris tables are tight even in low-season. Also different from many other destinations, there’s no shortage of information on Paris; the challenge rather, is to wade through it all & find just what you need.
Here are some helpful tips & resources to design the perfect trip:
.
.
Hungry for Paris by Alexander Lobrano
A great read, even if a trip to Paris is not on the horizon. It’s a collection of Mr. Lobrano’s epicurean experiences in a long, varied list of the city’s best restaurants -- his descriptions are so vividly written, you can almost taste the words.
Gourmet Magazine online also has many restaurant reviews by Alexander Lobrano after his book was published. I read one just before I arrived in Paris & made an impromptu reservation - turned out to be my favorite funky restaurant.
David Lebovitz.com
David Lebovitz tells it like it is. He consistently updates his site with useful, concise information from an “American in Paris” point of view. The articles on finding something to eat on Sundays and the search for good coffee were especially helpful. Can’t wait to check out his latest book - The Sweet Life in Paris
Edible Adventures by Clotilde Dusoulier
Clotilde, a hip, young Parisian whose former career was computers in Silicon Valley before finding her true calling, lucky for us, as food writer/blogger extraordinaire. Her ties to America bridge the gap with necessary information such as etiquette & custom differences, the mystery of French waiters, and the all-important chef/restaurant/guest relationship. Clotilde also accurately portrays the exhaustive gamut of food shops in Paris as well as reviews on vegetarian-friendly lunch spots, tea salons, trendy neo-bistros and haute cuisine.
Frommer’s Paris or Rick Steve’s Paris
Not food-centered, but excellent information on other things to do between patisseries and fromageries -- the digestive hours, if you will.
The good news is it’s nearly life-size; the bad news is it’s nearly life-size. This very detailed map of all 20 arrondissements is astoundingly perfect during the planning stages, but a little more difficult to refold and reposition discreetly while traveling between various neighborhoods. I ended up "trimming" it, which helped immensely. Still my favorite map!
Street Smart Paris Map by Vandam
Small, sturdy, fairly detailed information, covers the city’s center arrondissements, metro & parking location dots, most tourist destinations, and a much-needed metro map on the back. Destinations can be marked with a thin Sharpie - just let it dry quite a while before refolding.
Carte Navigo Decouverte
Navigo Decouverte is by far the most efficient and inexpensive way to get around the Paris metro system. It can be renewed weekly (time starts on Monday morning and ends with the last train Sunday night) or monthly. It’s 5€ for the card itself, which can be easily purchased inside any of the subway stations from the nice folks behind the counter, then you load it yourself at the electronic kiosk -- 17€ for (2-zone) unlimited rides throughout all 20 arrondissements. Navigo requires a 2.5 cm x 3 cm photo; there are photo booths in most of the major stations, but bringing a photo from home saves time.
There are horror stories out here about cranky station attendants refusing to sell the card to visitors, so I was a bit anxious, but ready to deal with it. My first night in Paris, I happened across St. Georges metro station in the 9eme, near my hotel. (Just look for the tall, usually lit signs that say “Metropolitan” and head downstairs.) The station was empty except for the very pretty, young man behind the counter. “Bonsoir, Monsieur.” I said, “je voudrais acheter Navigo Decouverte, s’il vous plait?” He looked at me inquisitively, paused for a moment and said, “Ahhhh, Carte Navigo. Oui!”... and then a bunch of stuff I couldn’t make out. (My turn for the stumped expression.) Then he spoke English. Perfect. I gave him 5€ and he gave me the card. But then, he came out from behind the counter, showed me to the kiosk and led me through the process. And if that weren’t enough, he then attached my photo, had me sign it, and snapped it together. Voila! Who says metro attendants aren’t sweet as pie? And I’m sure the story would have ended the same, even if I had surrendered my phone number. That was one of the nicest experiences of my whole trip. Of course the next morning, the woman working the same booth nearly ran me down over a simple question. Perhaps it’s hit or miss.
Restaurant Reservations
Restaurant reservations are absolutely essential if you plan on eating anything but pastries. If your French is shaky, don’t worry - call during a restaurant’s downtime (before lunch or between lunch and dinner - 3 to 5 a.m. Seattle time) and politely say what you can, most hosts are very nice and most know at least a little English.
Not Well-known Museum Tips
Musee Louvre - Wednesday & Friday they close late (9 pm), since most of the tourists are heading out to dinner or their hotels, you can have the place almost to yourself. Also, tickets are sold online; during high-season, that’d save a lot of valuable time. Along the same lines, Musee d’Orsay closes late on Thursday.
