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Mon Jan 08, 2007 10:55 am  |
My lovely Husband has just told me he is taking me to Paris for my 40th in May !!!
I would love to hear from anyone who has been or lives there telling me where I MUST visit and what is the best area to book a Hotel - also the best SHOPPING area of course !!! |
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Mon Jan 08, 2007 10:58 am |
I haven't been there. Just wanted to congratulate you and hope the trip is absolutely wonderful!
Ari
p.s. I'm jealous. |
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Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, "Oh Crap, She's up!" Unknown |
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Mon Jan 08, 2007 11:19 am |
Congrats! I was there in sept last year. The city is absolutely lovely and has so much to offer!
i am at work now. i can give you a list of places and restaurants and department stores when i get back home. |
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Mon Jan 08, 2007 12:42 pm |
| How fantastic! What a great 40th present. I've never been, but hope you'll give us a trip synopsis. |
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40, fair skinned, dark hair, blue eyes |
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Mon Jan 08, 2007 12:54 pm |
| Congratulations! What a great gift. I'm glad you started this thread because I hope to suck up some info. My hubby and I will be there for a 24 layover in April. He's never been to Paris so I want to show him a fun area of town. |
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Mon Jan 08, 2007 1:48 pm |
That's awsome, should be a VERY happy birthday! 
I'm going to Europe for a month in Sept. (Paris for a few days), so will be watching this thread closely for tips!
Have a great time!  |
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51 years old/brunette/normal- oily medium skin. |
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Mon Jan 08, 2007 1:53 pm |
Wow - what a birthday present!!! I'm jealous for two reasons: going to Paris and turning only 40!
I really like to stay in the St. Germain-des-Pres (Left Bank) area which spans (I think) the 6th and 7th Arrondissements. Bon Marche is a terrific department store there that has a huge gourmet food section with take-out meals. There are many (and famous) bistros and cafes in this section as well. Some of my friends prefer to stay in the 1st or 8th which are on the Right Bank, generally around the Champs Elysees, Louvre, etc. In the Marais district, check out the Place des Vosges, Picasso Museum and [main drag] Rue des Rosiers. Ile St-Louis is nearby and fun too. Really, you almost can't lose no matter where you go. And there's great shopping all around, but the huge department stores along the Right Bank blvds. are chic and worth stopping in, if only to lunch in Printemps. I enjoy the Luxembourg Gardens for a peaceful escape. The Metro is very user-friendly if you want to use public transportation other than taxis.
This is all from a tourist's perspective though and I'm sure there are forum members who can offer much better insights. |
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Mon Jan 08, 2007 2:09 pm |
Lucky you! Paris is my favorite city. I haven't been there for a few years, but about six years ago I spent a lovely summer living in a fifth floor walkup in the 5th Arrondisment.
I think the "must sees" depend on what you like...museums, parks, monuments, etc. My "must-sees" would be the Musee d'Orsay, Sainte Chappelle (go on a sunny day, and as you come up the stairs from the lower chapel the stained glass will take your breath away), Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe/Champs Elysees...
Shopping...it's too bad the Euro is so strong. One of the things I always stock up on when I visit are Petit Bateau t-shirts which are about 1/3 of the price that they are in the US and the fit is great if you are petite. There are lots of other great shops that are escaping me right now, but I'll see if I can find them in my travel notes.
Hotels...totally depends what you are looking for. 5 star? cozy little independent hotel? big american chain? Location-wise, I love the 5th & 6th arrondisments on the left bank as they are great neighborhoods to walk around and you are close to metro and everything. There are some good little hotels around the Sorbonne. If you provide a little more detail about what you're looking for/price range, I can probably be more helpful! |
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29; fair skin, dark blonde hair, hazel eyes; very oily skin. Concerns: large pores, improving skin texture and minimizing/preventing signs of aging. |
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Mon Jan 08, 2007 3:12 pm |
What a wonderful present! I have no suggestions or advise, as I've not been lucky enough to go there.....yet!
But my best wishes for a most wonderful and lovely, loving time... We'll all be waiting for a full report... |
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Colorful Colorado! Highlands Ranch, a burb south of Denver... |
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Mon Jan 08, 2007 3:20 pm |
| Congrats and Happy Birthday!!!! |
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Mon Jan 08, 2007 4:16 pm |
Oh, Happy Birthday to you!
I went to Paris for my 30th ( in the dim and distant past..) and It was sooo lovely.
What sort of things do you like - will you go to Galleries, or just potter about, seeing the Pompodour Centre and wandering along the Left bank? Maybe you will even take a little train and go to Versailles?
So much wonderful food!
And as far as I recall, Galleries Lafayette is a great shopping place, as is Les Halles.
You will have a ball! |
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Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:22 pm |
landmarks:
Arc de Triomphe
Grande Arche
Notre-Dame
Sacre-Cour
Tour Eiffel
a boat tour on lake seine at night
Museums:
musee du louvre
musee d'orsay
musee picasso
musee marmottan monet
centre georges pompidou
There are 4 shoppping zones:
1. Faubourg st-honore -most welknown couture houses
2. le marais - trendy clothing boutiques
3. around opera - large department stores such as galeries lafayette and printemps
4. st-germain-des-pres -designer boutiques
also the champs elysees avenue where there is a giant sephora store.
restaurants:
1. au pied de cochon ( 6 rue coquillere, les halles) - great restaurants, i work in a french bank and this is recommended by parisians.
2.Laduree - on champs elyses , a great tea room serving macaroons.
3. La tour d'argent- the most expensive one, great views over lake seine.
hotels:
we stayed in hotel de la concorde, which is close to subway and train station, very convient! |
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Tue Jan 09, 2007 1:01 am |
| Oh how lovely, lucky you!! I haven't been to Paris in years, but you've had some great suggestions already - I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time . |
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Tue Jan 09, 2007 1:11 am |
Juls, so many advices, what now ?
Paris is wonderful and for european condition a huge city. Never mind the exchange rate : the GBP is pretty strong against the EUR (but Paris is rather expensive, quite the London price-level).
My hb is french so we here&there visit Paris, this town was made for a romantic getaway (and a lovely BD-present).
Are you a museum type ? - Centre Pompidou and D'Orsay are absolutely fab.
For shopping don't miss the Galerie Lafayette.
For hotel recommendation/review go towww. tripadvisor.com - they have a very useful forum as well.
Paris in May - will be absolutely lovely !
rgds,
lin23 |
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Tue Jan 09, 2007 3:30 am |
| gracedhy wrote: |
3. La tour d'argent- the most expensive one, great views over lake seine.
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This is a LOVELY resturant! Beautiful view, remember to ask for a table by the window. Lunch is more affordable than dinner, also it's easier to get a table on short notice for lunch. |
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Live in Switzerland, age 32, dehydrated combination skin, sensitive to climate changes, some food and cosmetic products. Very fair. |
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Tue Jan 09, 2007 6:15 am |
Oh, and Smoothskin would never forgive me if I didn't also recommend this place for anyone who is at all interested in fragrances: http://www.salons-shiseido.com/
Serge Lutens' delights are to be found there. I also used to enjoy spending time in the Jardin du Palais Royal and the lovely arcaded boutiques. |
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Tue Jan 09, 2007 7:15 am |
| Majorb, you are not helping me stick to my New Year's resolutions in the slightest!!! |
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Tue Jan 09, 2007 7:22 am |
| fifi wrote: |
| Majorb, you are not helping me stick to my New Year's resolutions in the slightest!!! |
If I have to suffer from extreme chocolate deprivation temptation, then I'm going to make damn sure that I take as many of you lot with me as possible!  |
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Tue Jan 09, 2007 12:42 pm |
Wow thanks for all the replies and great advice - I will only be there a couple of days so wont be able to fit in everything mentioned ! (Though the thought of all that chocolate does appeal to me!) I of course have to see the Eiffel Tower and a boat tour on lake seine sounds lovely - well anything that doesnt involve dragging the kids with us sounds great at this time ! (Just hope we can get someone to look after them while we are away) I'm not really a museum type of person just walking around taking in the sites and a bit  of shopping and I will be happy !
Thanks for Hotel advice too I will go have a look now at prices etc.... |
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Tue Jan 09, 2007 1:11 pm |
How lucky , you will have a wonderful time.My favourite city
We went for our Honeymoon, and stayed at the Hotel de Crillon,soooh expensive, couldn't affored it now. |
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Tue Jan 09, 2007 3:47 pm |
What a lovely birthday present!!
I am extremely envious!  |
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Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:10 pm |
Hotel de Costes...  |
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Wed Jan 10, 2007 1:40 am |
Congrats Scottishjuls for having such a lovely husband.
I'm planning to visit Croatia in June and may stop over in Paris if I fly Air France. Hopefully the tips will be useful to me.  |
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Thu Jan 18, 2007 4:04 pm |
| Lucky you!! and happy b-day! |
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