I Love Paris

If you are looking to experience some serious luxury during your visit to Paris, then Les Thermes du Royal Monceau is an absolute must. This palatial hotel opened in a very prestigious and well known business and shopping district in 1928. It is a mere four hundred meters from such infamous sites as the Champs Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Parc Monceau.

It has two hundred and three rooms for guest, all of them filled with ornate, exquisite period furnishings, as well as separate entrance halls.

The rooms feature such modern luxuries as satellite televisions, minibars, video game consoles, and a number of other high quality amenities.

In addition, the hotel has a fitness center and a day spa where visitors can enjoy massages, exercise classes, body treatments, a beauty salon, and mineral baths.

As we have mentioned many times, one of the greatest ways to see Paris is on a bike. Just think about it — it is less tiring than walking, but you get to go at your own pace, which means that you get to see everything much more clearly and personally than you would be able to otherwise.

There are a number of biking tours available, if you choose to go that route. However, before deciding on just one touring group or company, you should do a little research. Check out the reviews from former customers so you will know if you can expect a really good experience. There are enough bike tours available that you do not have to go with something that will not ultimately make you happy.

With the premiere of Julie and Julia, lots of people are becoming interested in cooking, and that brings up an interesting point.  While visiting the museums and the sites when you are in Paris are practically must dos, the conventional excursions are definitely not the only ones you can enjoy.

If you have an interest in cooking, especially in French cuisine, in baking, or in making pastries, then why not take a short cooking class while you are visiting Paris?

There are actually a number of these available, some of which may only last a week, some which last two; there are even little weekend workshops which will be easy to fit into your trip.  It is a great way to truly experience the art of French cuisine — and you will definitely be able to take a little bit of Paris back home with you.

When you look around Paris, there is so much to see and so much beauty, it is very hard to take it all in … however, if you are looking for a particular place or sight that you should be seeing, it should be the Luxembourg Gardens.  These gardens were actually open only to the royalty before the French Revolution and now – they actually serve as one of Paris’s premier spots to relax.

The Luxembourg Gardens is actually something that is so breathtakingly beautiful and so awesome that you truly have to see it up close and personal.  The backdrop alone makes for a fantastic picture and the beautiful buildings that are within the Luxembourg Gardens are simply the best.

The fountain that is there is incredible and all around – the Luxembourg Gardens are the sight that you should be seeing!

When you are looking for something different and something that not everyone has done – you need to make sure that you book yourself into an O Chateau Wine Tasting.  Paris is known for their beautiful and awesome wine and when you partake in an O Chateau Wine Tasting, I can assure you that you will never, ever be the same again!  The great thing about O Chateau is the fact that it used to be a former royal cellar of wine that is located right in the heart of Paris.

An O Chateau Sommelier will provide you with a very beautiful and friendly introduction during your O Chateau Wine Tasting and you will be able to taste some of the best French wine of the world in a very friendly environment. 

You will learn all types of great tips, insight and certainly some of the best ways to appreciate fabulous French wine.  A O Chateau Wine Tasting is certainly a fantastic thing to do if you are a wine-lover!

If there is one thing that I have known about Paris, it is that they hold some of the best museums in the world.  The Cite des Sciences et de l’industrie is one of those museums that is not only beautiful to look at, but the knowledge that is held inside this incredible science museum is awesome.  The best known thing about the Cite des Sciences et de l’industrie is the Geode dome with an impressive 180-degree cinema.

The great thing about this particular museum is that it is absolutely geared for children.  Any kids aged three and over will absolutely be in love with the Cite des Sciences et de l’industrie, as there is a real submarine, the Argonaute and finally they can explore the Espace Explora. 

Sightseeing in Paris is beautiful and fun and when you have something like the Cite des Sciences et de l’industrie … you know you are definitely going to be seeing something amazing!

When you are looking for something to do in Paris – what is the first thing that you think about?  Opera!  Going to the opera is something that is a favorite past time for many, many different Paris-dwellers and when you are on vacation in Paris, it is very important that you experience everything that this beautiful city of love has to offer.  The Palais Garnier Opera national de Paris is definitely the place to be – after all, it was built in 1862.

The Palais Garnier Opera national de Paris was named after Gaston Leroux in his Phantom of the Opera.  The architecture is beautifully done with a mixture of baroque, classical, Napoleonic and Greek styles.  The Palais Garnier Opera national de Paris is adorn with all sorts of different mosaics, the foyer has a cupola decorated by painter Marc Chagall and an impressive Rococo staircase which leads to all of the beautiful reception rooms.

Outside of the Palais Garnier Opera national de Paris is four different stone statues which represent Lyric, Poetry, Lyric Theater, Dance and Music!

Paris is one of the most stylish, avant garde fashion capitals in all the world.  It lives and breathes haute couture.  Fashion Week there is truly a thing to behold … but do you know why they call it Fashion Week?  Because it does not happen all the time.

You may feel like you need to take out a loan in order to replace your wardrobe before jaunting off to Paris, but that is not at all true — and it definitely is not necessary.

Do you know what the staple of street style is in most areas of Paris?  Jeans.  Just jeans.  Skinny jeans, wide legged jeans, bell bottom jeans, dirty jeans, ripped jeans, stylishly bleached jeans — you get the idea.  Cargo pants are seen as well.  Barring that, if all else fails, just wear black — nothing beats a sleek, chic black outfit in Paris, and you will fit in flawlessly.  But don’t worry, your jeans will keep you hip as well.

Now, this next series of post is not meant to be culture-centric, as it were, but the majority of us have to be aware of the stereotypes Americans have about Parisians — and the stereotypes Americans perceive that Parisians have about us.  It is vital to scrap those stereotypes — and to remember that if any Parisians do have preconceived notions about you, it is far better to prove them wrong by going in and acting friendly than it is to prove them wrong by going in with an attitude out to there and a chip the size of the Eiffel Tower sitting on your shoulder.

One stereotype a lot of Americans — and even people from different countries — seem to have is that everyone in Paris is rude.  Is this true?  Of course not!  They’re French, they are unique individuals, just like everyone else.  Are some of them rude?  Sure — just like some people in America, Mexico, China, and Australia are rude.  It happens.  Don’t let it ruin your trip or color your views.  Be nice, be polite, be yourself — it will take you far.

We have already said that the Louvre is a must see when you visit Paris. That is a pretty undeniable fact. The real question is, how can you see the Louvre? How can you see as much as possible, make sure your visit is thorough, and manage to make it through without getting entirely stressed out and frustrated? Remember, this is an enormous museum we are talking about here.

First of all, make sure you plan the trip just right. Try to get your tickets in advance, so you do not have to stand in line when you get there. Get a printed guide for the museum as well, and study it before you go. Mark down every item and exhibit you want to see the most. You can save a relaxed walk through other parts of the museum for another visit.

An audio guide may be helpful as well, especially when it comes to seeing the major collections. Again, just earmark your favorites.

Last but not least, pack a lunch for yourself because eating spots are crowded and the food can get expensive!