Paris
Paris needs no introduction as a great travel destination. Rather than try to replicate or replace the plethora of tourism sites, videos, blogs, articles, etc. that will guide you around Paris, we've selected a few of our "insider" places to share with you.
The Galeries Lafayette Haussmann (shown above), is as close to a luxury shopping mall as you can find -- but it's all one store. In the middle of the gallery is a stained glass cupola and balconies overlooking everything. Also the top floor has an incredible roof top terrace with amazing views of the city including the Eiffel Tower. It's right near The Opera which is also very beautiful so a trip to that area is worth the trouble.
Of course your 1st visit to Paris will bring you to the Eiffel Tower but, honestly, this beautiful landmark is best seen from a distance. Many tourists wait in line for hours and hours and spend almost $50 to go to the top. As strange as it may sound, once they're up there they get a good panorama of Paris but they're disappointed because there is obviously no Eiffel Tower in the Paris landscape. As an alternative, the view from the 7th floor terrace of Galeries Lafayette (shown above) is priceless and the best part is that it is free!
An English bookshop in the heart of Paris?!? A visit to Shakespeare and Company (shown above), located on the Left Bank, is fascinating. There you will find an incredible amount of both popular and obscure English-language titles tucked away in a number of rooms, nooks and crannies. The best part is that they are happy to have you explore and even have reading tables with lamps for you to sit down and peruse their inventory.
The Pere Lachaise cemetery is the resting place for musicians (e.g., Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison, Yves Montand), authors (Victor Hugo) and many notable Frenchmen. You can go there to pay your respects and see funerary art (shown above) to rival that of New Orleans.
While it may be uncomfortable for some to visit, the extensive Paris catacombs (shown above) are rich in history and hold the remains of over six million people.
For a great meal without being gouged by surly waiters or being unpleasantly surprised by the wait time, head back to the Galeries Lafaytte where their cafe (shown above) offers a full menu with surprisingly reasonable prices. Otherwise we always find useful recommendations for restaurants in Paris on Yelp
Do you need a place to stay in Paris?
When we choose hotels we look at many factors, such as:
- Proximity to Train Station/Airport
- Access to Tourist Sites
- Hotel Amenities
- Cleanliness
- Safety (Surrounding Area, Room Locks)
Hotel Types
- Economy: These are the most basic accommodations but they are safe and clean
- Medium: These offer some amenities and/or room features not found in Economy types.
- Premium: These are a step up from the Medium type because of special amenities and/or room features.
- Luxury: Sorry but we like to travel on a budget and do not bother with luxury accommodations.
Our host is happy to present some of his favorite hotels in Paris.
| Hotel Name | Per Night | Reservations | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| The People - Paris Bercy | $88 | hello@thepeoplehostel.com | Economy. Shared kitchen to cook your own food. |
| Hotel Gavarni | $153 | reservation@gavarni.com | Premium. Near Eiffel Tower. |
| St Christopher's Inn Paris - Gare du Nord | $76 | gdnreception@st-christophers.co.uk | Medium. At Gare du Nord which is convenient for travel outside of Paris. |
| Hipotel Paris Gambetta Republique | $71 | hipotelgambetta@orange.fr | Economy. Near Pere Lachaise cemetery which has notable funerary art. |