Paris recommendations pls

[kaberett]

Because I have left planning this trip awfully late: anyone particularly want to recommend anything in Paris for me to do? Vegetarian food esp. appreciated. I am already planning to take full advantage of the free queue-jump at all the museums and galleries (I particularly want to stare at the Impressionists some more but recommendations for bullshit optionally-ceramic sculpture very much appreciated); A has been Informed that I will be going to visit État Libre d'Orange (so that I can smell some of their more horrifying perfumes without having to buy them); and depending on the weather I intend A Stroll Through Some Gardens. Any other requests?

Comments

[cesy]

Saint Chapelle is beautiful but the stairs are killer and there's no accessible way to the good bit. It was worth the pain for me.

[rydra_wong]

A has been Informed that I will be going to visit État Libre d'Orange (so that I can smell some of their more horrifying perfumes without having to buy them)

Good luck! I salute you! Just take care to avoid any accidental contact with skin or clothing!

[kaberett]

I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT APPRECIATE MY PILGRIMAGE.

[swingandswirl]

I live not too far from Paris!

Saravana Bhavan just outside Gare du Nord has excellent authentic South Indian food, excellent especially if you have a tolerance for spices. I recommend the masala dosa. Exki is... not terrible, but for vegetarian food I really do prefer Pret à Manger, or even Marks and Spencers.

I am not much of a museum person so I am not much help there. I loved Quai Branly much more than the Louvre, but then again I hate the Louvre, so.

Sandemann's New Europe does tours; I believe their general Paris tour is free and accessible, but as I did it five years ago I may be misremembering.

[kaberett]

Oooh, excellent, thank you for the tip -- there is lots of fab masala dosa available in London (I really like living here) but knowing that there is an Easy Option near the Gare du Nord is fantastically helpful, thank you. :D

[swingandswirl]

Oh man, I miss London! Not enough to deal with the shitshow that is actually getting a British visa, but.

The only problem with Saravana Bhavan is that it is incredibly un-wheelchair-friendly, as most holes in the wall are. I can recommend Sangeetha, two doors down, as also being vegetarian, but avoid Thalapakatti Biryani on the same street like the plague - their food is stupidly spicy, and there's nothing vegetarian on the menu, if memory serves.

Honestly my favourite thing to do in Paris is just explore the city and go poke around in various shops - let me know if you want more specific recs!

[ninetydegrees]

Are you going to be there for Easter? If so and if you're into that sort of thing Notre Dame will probably ring some of its special bells for the occasion.

[lunabee34]

I can't wait to hear what you think about the horrifying perfumes you'll smell!

[stultiloquentia]

Monet's Giverny house is a lovely day trip. The house itself has steps at the entrance, but the garden has accessible paths.

[kihou]

The Monet museum (http://www.marmottan.fr/uk/) was pretty cool. I think there was an elevator, but I'm not completely sure.

[kindkit]

It's been twenty years since I was in Paris, so I can't recommend specific places. But there are experiences I remember fondly.

My suggestions:

See Notre Dame at night as well as in the daytime. The way it's lit up is beautiful, and the nearby neighborhood around the Blvd. St. Michel gets lively. It's also nice to hang out by the Seine at night and watch the tour boats go by.

Buy a crepe from a street vendor, with Nutella or whatever suits your fancy. Also get roast chestnuts if they're still available when you visit; they're mostly a winter thing. And there used to be a great ice cream place, um, somewhere on the Ile de la Cite, but I haven't a clue if it's still around.

Browse the bookstalls along the Seine (which are in the same area as Notre Dame).

Go to a farmers' market. You should be able to find out locations and times online, but at least when I was in Paris, they were held right in the center city, often near Metro stops.

Try a North African restaurant (as I recall--I was a vegetarian when I lived in Paris--there are usually vegetarian options, but of course it'll depend on the individual restaurant).

If you have the time and inclination, a visit to one of the suburbs, where there are many more working-class people and immigrants than in central Paris, can be enlightening. I lived for a little while in Montreuil, and among other things I vividly remember the competing posters for the Communist Party and the National Front.

[vass]

I haven't been there since I was a tiny child, but Ursula Vernon was talking about it in one of her podcasts, and from what she said: PASTRY. Pretty much any pastry, anywhere in Paris.

[syderia]

Amorino (Link) makes really good ice-cream.

If you have the possibility, you could go to The Saint-Cloud park (Link). The Luxembourg Gardens are nice, to.

The Paradis du Fruit franchise has some nice vegetarian options on their menus.

[el_staplador]

My top tip for Paris is Don't Go In June, so you're already doing well! Hope you have a fantastic time!

[hairyears]

Best museums: Musée d'Orsay (the old Quai d'Orsay railway terminus), and the Rodin Museum.

The definitive gallery of the Impressionist movement is the Musée de l'Orangerie, by Concorde Metro:
.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mus%C3%A9e_de_l%27Orangerie
.
.

[sebenikela]

The one Very Tourist Thing I did in Paris was Notre Dame, and I actually loved it despite all the waiting in line. A lot of bits are the opposite of accessible, but just looking around going "Holy shit humans can do some neat stuff when they really decide to" is pretty worthwhile to me.

Also: crêpes are delicious.

[kht]

Music museum: https://philharmoniedeparis.fr/en/musee-de-la-musique
Wafflerie with some good veggie options (falafel waffles!): http://www.lagaufrerie.fr/
Paris Pass might be worth it if you're doing lots of museuming. Also some attractions are 2 for 1 with Eurostar tickets.

[kaberett]

Wheelchair users plus a companion get into all the museums for free with automatic queue jump :-)

[kaberett]

I think that is more or less our plan, to be honest :-)

[kaberett]

Yes, but I'm not terribly observant of most things and have attended services in Notre Dame before so maybe we'll find a nearby cafe or something :-)

[kaberett]

I will report back! I have a notebook and everything ;-)

[kaberett]

Pastries are very much and always on the list :-)

[kaberett]

Yep! I have cheerfully spent some time wandering about it in the past but A hasn't spent any quality time with it yet so we'll at least wander around the outside, weather permitting :-)

[kaberett]

Orsay was very much on the itinerary :-) will investigate the other too, time/energy permitting - thanks!

[kaberett]

Planning lots of wandering around shouting at architecture and eating food :-)

[kaberett]

Thank you!

[kaberett]

Yep, North African very much on the default food-to-eat list, and I know the markets! How much time we spend wandering around outside is somewhat dependent on my energy levels and how much it's raining, but thank you enormously for the suggestions :-)

[tree_and_leaf]

I've only been to Paris once, but the Orsay is great, and we had a good time walking in the Tuileries and the Jardin de Luxembourg. We exhausted ourselves walking and succumbed to a trip on one of the tourist boats (around sunset) - and it was actually really nice.

[ninetydegrees]

Yeah no, I don't think it's worth going inside. Plus it will probably be very crowded. It's just something to listen to if you're in the area. :) My favorite things to do in Paris are the Orsay and Guimet museums and the Palais de la Découverte. Otherwise exploring is best (and going to a café or a tea room when it inevitably starts raining... :)

[lunabee34]

Hooray! \0/

[kaberett]

Brief notes now, more detailed ones on the things I actually acquired to follow :-)

[lunabee34]

Looking forward to the detailed notes!