65 rue de Lyon
75012 PARIS
Tel : +33 (0)1 43 43 65 65 - Fax : +33 (0)1 43 43 96 52
eMail : info@pavillonbastille.com
Home Page : www.paris-hotel-pavillonbastille.com
     
 
Discover Paris.pdf
 
Out for an adventure in Paris
With our thanks to ‘Paris Eiffel Tower News’

"Les amants de Paris couchent sur ma chanson.
A Paris, les amants s'aiment à leur façon.
Les refrains que je leur dis,
C'est plus beau que les beaux jours.
Ça fait des tas d'printemps et l'printemps fait l'amour..."
- Edith Piaf

Welcome to Paris! This page was designed especially for those of you who are coming to visit Paris—perhaps for the very first time. We wanted to give you a few pointers to help you prepare for your trip, along with some suggestions on interesting things to do while you are in the City of Light.
Read on!


Getting ready to go out

Now that you’ve rested up from your trip and are properly settled in your comfortable hotel room, you're ready to go out and explore the streets of the capital! But before you set out, be sure to dress comfortably for the occasion. First, put on a really good pair of walking shoes and get ready to spend some time on your feet, because you’ll be stopping often to look at interesting details.
You know how hard shopping can be on your feet and legs... all that stopping and starting and stopping again. It will certainly wear you down if you don't have on comfortable shoes.

For example, visiting the Eiffel Tower often means waiting half an hour to buy a ticket, another few minutes for the elevator, a little less than an hour standing about on the tower's observation decks, and then another few minutes for the elevator to go back down...So wear sturdy, comfortable shoes, even if they are not your most fashionable ones!

Parisian weather can be fickle: a beautiful, sunny morning can quickly change into a cloudy day with a chilly wind. To Canadian visitors accustomed to Montreal weather, Paris temperatures may seem quite pleasant. But those who hale from further south should be aware that Paris is only (relatively) warm from May through September. So remember to bring along a warm sweater and a windbreaker, and be sure not to forget your umbrella. It may be your best friend in the streets of Paris, especially if you want to take photos...because rain and cameras just don’t get along.

Street-savvy tips Now that you're all ready to go out, here are a few more pointers: Avoid taking a taxi during the day, particularly in the morning before 11:00 am and in the late afternoon and early evening (between 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm). Streets are jam-packed during those periods, and seeing the meter run while you’re sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic is a disheartening experience. Take the metro instead. It’s easier, less expensive and very fast. Here is a map of the Paris subway system, known as the 'metro'. (Click on the image.) Taxi fares: The meter displays the current fare and one of the following letters: A, B or C. If you are in the city itself or on the Paris ring road, rate A applies from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm, and rate B at other times. If you leave the city, however, the driver will switch to rate B during the day, or rate C after 8:00 pm. If you are far from Paris, rate C applies at all times. You will pay an additional charge for any luggage loaded into the trunk of the car, or if you take the taxi from an airport. Do not try to hail a taxi in the street if you are within 100 meters of a train station. Taxis are not allowed to pick up passengers in these zones; they must go to the station’s designated taxi loading area and wait their turn. So either move further away from the station, or go to the station’s taxi stop and catch a cab from there.

At lunchtime, restaurants beginning filling up at around 12:15 pm and stay full until 1:30 pm. In the evenings they begin filling up at 7:30 pm and are usually busy until after 10:00 pm. If you don't like waiting to be served, have dinner early, for example between 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm. But note that restaurants are rarely open between 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm.
What could be more pleasant than having a drink on the terrace of a sidewalk café and watching the Parisians and foreigners passing by? But be aware that what you order will usually be more expensive if served outside.
Parisian waiters are impatient, but they’re not being rude; they're just in a hurry. So don’t take it personally if they turn their backs on you when you take a little too long to order: they just want to serve other customers more quickly. They'll come back to your table later.
In Paris restaurants, waiters do not necessarily come back to your table to ask how everything is. They’re not ignoring you. They just don’t want to disturb you while you’re enjoying your meal.

Tips: the amount you see on your bill is “service compris” which means you don’t have to leave a tip. If you want to make the waiter happy, leave him 1 euro in a café or a few euros at a restaurant, but tips are not expected of you in either case. Our Canadian friends should be aware that their credit card slips (the ones you sign) will not include a ‘gratuity' line.

Armed with these pointers, you’re all set to hit the streets. On to the places you really must visit! Paris monuments and landmarks

Notre Dame Cathedral
 
    The Eiffel Tower
 
Construction of the cathedral began in 1163 and was completed nearly 200 years later, sometime around 1345. The cathedral can accommodate over 6000 worshippers. Entrance is of course free, but going up into the towers costs about €6. The architects didn’t think to leave space for an elevator, so people with heart conditions will have to wait at the bottom. Opening hours: 8:00 am – 6:45 pm every day Guided tours: 9:30 am – 6:45 pm every day Masses: 8:00 am, 9:00 am, noon, 6:45 pm
     
    Notre Dame Cathedral
 
Construction of the cathedral began in 1163 and was completed nearly 200 years later, sometime around 1345. The cathedral can accommodate over 6000 worshippers. Entrance is of course free, but going up into the towers costs about €6. The architects didn’t think to leave space for an elevator, so people with heart conditions will have to wait at the bottom. Opening hours: 8:00 am – 6:45 pm every day Guided tours: 9:30 am – 6:45 pm every day Masses: 8:00 am, 9:00 am, noon, 6:45 pm
     
    The Champs Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe
 
Only the portion of the Champs Elyées between the Place de la Concorde and the Grand Palais deserves the title of ‘most beautiful avenue in the world’. The rest of the avenue features shops and restaurants that are mostly overpriced, so try the side streets instead. Don’t forget to visit the Arc de Triomphe, at the top of the avenue. It was built in the middle of the 18th century to commemorate Napoleon’s victories. Admission: about €6. Free for children under 12. Opening hours: 9:30 am to 11:00 pm every day from April through October, and 10:00 am to 11:00 pm every day from November through March
     
    Montmartre and Sacré Coeur Basilica
 
The Romano-Byzantine basilica crowns Montmartre hill. Construction of the church began in 1875 and was completed in 1914. Admission is free, except for the crypt and dome (about €5). To save yourself a steep climb, you can take the 'funiculaire', a funny little tramway with a single car. From the Anvers metro station, begin walking up the hill to Tardieu street. The funiculaire station is right there. Until the 19th century, Montmartre was a village located outside the walls of the city of Paris. The movie ‘Amelie Poulain’ includes many scenes from Martmartre, a place you really must visit, if only because it is home to no fewer than 7 museums!

http://www.tecnilog.com/cartes/cpa/montmartre/mont.htm
     
    Invalides Church
 
Construction of the Invalides hospice began in 1671 under Louis XIV, who wanted to provide a home for the impoverished and severely wounded soldiers returning from his many wars. The hospice was quickly finished, but construction of the adjoining church took about thirty years. You can visit the church, several museums and the tomb of Napoleon I, whose body was brought here from Sainte Hélène island in 1830. Admission is €6 for adults, but free for children under 12. Opening hours: October through 31 March, 10:00 am to 4:45 pm. April through 30 September, 10:00 am to 5:45 pm.

http://www.invalides.org/
     
    Sainte Chapelle
 
Construction of this Gothic church, built on the Ile de la Cité, began in 1240, during the reign of Saint Louis. It was built to house relics believed to be the Crown of Thorns worn by Christ and pieces of the Holy Cross. Amongst other remarkable details, the church has astonishingly beautiful and very tall stained-glass windows. Admission is approximately €6. Opening hours: 10:00 am – 5 :00 pm.
     
    Place des Vosges
 
Henri IV ordered the construction of this famous square, but work on it was not completed until 1612, two years after the king from Gascony was assassinated by Ravaillac. Initially called ‘Place Royale’, it was renamed ‘Place des Vosges’ by Napoleon I, as a tribute to citizens of the Vosges department, who were quick to pay their taxes. The square is remarkable for its style (36 buildings all dating back to 1612) as well as for its shops and small park, in the center of which is a statue of Louis XIII.
     
You can find more details (in English) on Paris monuments at:
http://www.paris-eiffel-tower-news.com
 

A good stroll through Paris

Paris has many interesting routes for those out for a stroll.
You can follow the waterways (the quays of the Seine, of course, but also the banks of St.
Martin Canal) or the old Strasbourg railway line, which is 17 km long and takes you on a path (the ‘Coulée Verte’) 15 meters above street-level in the heart of the 12th district.
You can also enjoy a moment of relaxation in one of the city's parks:
the Luxembourg gardens or the Buttes-Chaumont, Montsouris or Georges Brassens park.
And don't miss the gardens of the 14th district.
If you’re interested in history and architecture, go for a walk in the St. Germain des Près district
and the area around St. Sulpice church.

A lively, interesting city

These are just a few of the walks you can take in Paris.
To discover Paris, hotel guests can access the Members Only section of Paris Eiffel Tower News' website, where they will find much more information on France's capital city.

The site is in English and includes many photos. You can even send your loved ones electronic postcards with photos of Paris. To visit the site, follow the instructions on the screen that will appear to thank you for requesting a hotel reservation. The personnel at our hotel hope to serve you during your stay in Paris.

     
Discover Paris.pdf