I Love Paris

When you think about Paris, what is usually the first thing that comes to mind?  Well, it is not usually the tall buildings like New York, but I have to say that the Montparnasse Tower is certainly the first thing that comes to my mind.  This beautiful tower actually offers a fairytale view of the city and it is accessible via the fastest elevator in Europe.

The Montparnasse Tower elevator will whisk you away to the top in just about 38 seconds … from there, you will be about 685 feet up and there is actually a bar/restaurant on the 56th floor.  You can have some lunch or dinner or even breakfast there and see all of the city, which is fantastic!

Just by the restaurant is an exhibition that traces all of the history of Paris since about 1858 – which is really nice if you are a history buff!

Paris in December is a true experience. Strolling along the Champs-Elysees takes on a whole new meaning. Holiday lights sparkle along the streets, the buildings, and even the monuments, and along the avenue, they dazzle from within the trees. One thousand fir trees, freshly cut, go up around town.

Window shopping becomes a brand new experience as well — you can join the Parisians in this favorite past time, going from one window display to the next, each one wilder and more inventive than the one before it.

There are plenty of ice skating rinks as well — including one on the Eiffel Tower’s first level, a stunning two hundred feet up in the air.

There are Christmas carousels, Christmas Eve dinners, the arrival of Father Christmas — and so much more.

Paris is always a beautiful, sparkling city to visit, but in the winter, it is even more special. Not only are the crowds significantly smaller, but airfare can be much less expensive as well. It belongs to the native Parisians in winter, meaning that you can get a truly authentic experience — and yes, there is more than enough to do.

For instance, consider this: since winter is the off season, not only can you yourself feel like a native, but the lines to all those famous museums and theatres are apt to be almost non existent.

In October and November, the streets are adrift with colorful fallen leaves, and the barren branches illuminate the beautiful buildings and architecture. As well, mid November through mid December is the time for the Beaujolais Nouveau to arrive, leaving wine bars buzzing.

Now that we have talked about getting around Paris – what about food?  Honestly, this is what people will spend the most money on because why wouldn’t you want to eat right when you are in Paris?  There is a way around it though and that is by having a picnic. 

Think about it – getting some fantastic sandwiches and really sitting down in one of the many, many parks that Paris has?  How great does that really sound?

To me, that sounds like heaven and that is truly how I got around.  Baguette bread was definitely my best friend when I was in Paris and it is definitely a hearty and good treat.

Paris is the city of love … and money.  Face it, when you go to Paris, no matter how much money you save, you are definitely going to have to cheap it on some days and honestly, there are a ton of different things that you can do in Paris that are awesome yet inexpensive.  That is what we are going to talk about in the next couple blogs, how you can go inexpensive in Paris.

The first thing is not renting a car and just relying on your legs and also the public transportation.  While this is definitely going to take a while to get used to and you are probably going to get lost a heck of a lot, which is all part of the charm.

In the next blog, we will talk about how you can eat cheap – yet awesome.  Stay tuned guys, it is so worth it!

As mentioned in the last post, you will never have an easier time of learning French.  I also mentioned I had five years of it in high school.  I plan on going to Paris for my honeymoon, and guess what?  I do not remember all that much from my high school classes, so one goal of mine is to become as fluent as possible before I go.  So I have researched how I can, and lo, I am going to share my gleanings with you.

For starters, you can always take a class at your local college campus.  Community colleges are especially ideal because taking a class there tends to be less expensive.

Lacking that, you can look for a tutor who is proficient in the language; still look to the campuses in your area, because anyone majoring in French will likely be happy to help you.

Programs like Muzzy and Rosetta Stone are also extremely helpful.  Muzzy is a kids’ program, sure, but that is what makes it great if you are coming to the language as a novice.  You can learn French simply and easily, without all the clutter.

This is a new day. To really experience life in a foreign country, we need to let go of the old tourist stereotype of days gone by, when it was perfectly okay to go to another country and yammer away in a mix of your own language and a pidgin version of the language spoken in the place you are visiting.

French is one of the most difficult languages to learn, and having taken it for five years in high school, I speak from personal experience. However, when you can learn it, even if you learn just enough to get by, it is a very rewarding experience, especially if you can visit Paris and actually converse with the people you meet there.

And these days, it is much easier to learn another language. In fact, it is easier now than it has ever been before. Check back this week to see how!

Sightseeing in Paris is an absolute must, and there are any number of different ways to do it. It all depends on what you actually plan to be doing.

If you just want to explore at your own pace and see what you can see, then undoubtedly walking will be your best option. You may even want to rent a bike — now, that does not mean going on a bike tour, although that is available as well. However, renting a bike just for you — and whomever you are with, of course — will allow you to set your own pace.

For sightseeing, the double decker buses are a whole lot of fun, and you will get to see all of the most famous sites.

And if you are just hanging out, do not be afraid of the Metro.

Travelers to Paris tend to make one very big mistake: they underestimate the amount of pictures they are going to want to take during their stay.

Sure, you might be saying, but there are all kinds of little stores around which will allow you to buy as many disposable cameras as you need. That is certainly true, I will not dispute that — but do you know how many rolls of undeveloped film I have hiding around the house?

People rely more and more on digital cameras, either stand alones or cameras attached to their cell phones.

On a visit to a visually stunning place like Paris, you need to make sure you have plenty of memory cards, so that none of your precious memories will be lost.

There are many, many ways to see Paris. You can take a walking tour, you can go on a bike tour, you can even just wander willy nilly as you please. One of the most popular ways to tour this beautiful and romantic city, however, is through an open bus tour.

They are ideal for visitors who do not really have the time to see the city on foot, or who do not know how to navigate the city particularly well.

The buses come regularly so you can always find one ready to take you all over the city’s most renowned sites. There are even special two day passes which allow you to see all those must see sites within that time period.

Many of the tours will even take you to places off the beaten path that may not be detailed in all of the guide books.