Nearest Subway Stations
Line 11 - Fast access to the city center (Chatelet) and Le Marais (Hotel de Ville) - From 5am30 to 12am30 (1am30 on fridays & saturdays)
150 abantu bendawo batusa
Goncourt station
Line 11 - Fast access to the city center (Chatelet) and Le Marais (Hotel de Ville) - From 5am30 to 12am30 (1am30 on fridays & saturdays)
Line 3 - To/from Sentier, Grands Magasins, Gare St Lazare - From 5am30 to 1am (2am on fridays & saturdays)
123 abantu bendawo batusa
Parmentier station
Line 3 - To/from Sentier, Grands Magasins, Gare St Lazare - From 5am30 to 1am (2am on fridays & saturdays)
Lines 3, 5, 8, 9 & 11 - Big Hub - To /From Bastille, Opera, Champs Elysées, Invalides, Trocadero, Gare de l'Est, Gare du Nord
5am30 to 1am - 2am fridays & saturdays
674 abantu bendawo batusa
République
Lines 3, 5, 8, 9 & 11 - Big Hub - To /From Bastille, Opera, Champs Elysées, Invalides, Trocadero, Gare de l'Est, Gare du Nord
5am30 to 1am - 2am fridays & saturdays
Boulangeries
Nearest to the appartment - very decent bakery with good choice of cakes and pastries. Very smiling saleswomen
Les Saveurs De Parmentier
103 Ave ParmentierNearest to the appartment - very decent bakery with good choice of cakes and pastries. Very smiling saleswomen
Benoit Castel - La Pâtisserie Boulangerie
72 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud🥖 🥐 🥧 🍰
No bread, but exquisite, yet expensive, pâtisseries.
100 abantu bendawo batusa
Patisserie Yann Couvreur
137 Ave ParmentierNo bread, but exquisite, yet expensive, pâtisseries.
Best baguette 2024 - also funny charcoal bread and delighfull sandwiches
120 abantu bendawo batusa
Boulangerie Utopie
20 Rue Jean-Pierre TimbaudBest baguette 2024 - also funny charcoal bread and delighfull sandwiches
Boulangerie Polka
Recent addition in the neighborhood - Try their babkas !
Where to buy Food & Essentials
local supermarket.
Until 9pm - Closed on Sunday afternoon - appealing, clean, big - a little expensive but very good products
1004 abantu bendawo batusa
Monoprix
70-72 Rue du Faubourg du Templelocal supermarket.
Until 9pm - Closed on Sunday afternoon - appealing, clean, big - a little expensive but very good products
Carrefour Express
12 Rue LagrangeOpen everyday until 11pm. Tiny but efficient
Open everyday, until 10pm except sunday afternoon. Automatic cash register. Clean and nice products
1038 abantu bendawo batusa
Franprix
108 Av. Jean LoliveOpen everyday, until 10pm except sunday afternoon. Automatic cash register. Clean and nice products
In France, we don't have drugstores. Pharmacies are for medical purpose only. So if you got stomach ache or headache, that's the good spot; for shampoo, see above ;-)
Pharmacie Delalande Le Dantec
130 Ave ParmentierIn France, we don't have drugstores. Pharmacies are for medical purpose only. So if you got stomach ache or headache, that's the good spot; for shampoo, see above ;-)
Avoid buying wine in small supermarket. You'll be lost... This shop offers fresh rosé and white wines and a nice selection of red wines. Sellers are friendly. Bottle of rosé costs less than 10 euros , white are between 10 and 20, red are between 15 and 25 euros (higher for Bordeaux and Bourgogne).
if you're into "easy" wines, why not taste a Viognier (white) or a Bourgueil (red) ?
Nicolas Temple Faubourg
61 Rue du Faubourg du TempleAvoid buying wine in small supermarket. You'll be lost... This shop offers fresh rosé and white wines and a nice selection of red wines. Sellers are friendly. Bottle of rosé costs less than 10 euros , white are between 10 and 20, red are between 15 and 25 euros (higher for Bordeaux and Bourgogne).
if you're into "easy" wines, why not taste a Viognier (white) or a Bourgueil (red) ?
Shopping around
Klin d'oeil
6 Rue DeguerryEtsy in a shop
Eating around
Soya
20 Rue de la Pierre LevéeVegan restaurant. Good atmosphere
Le Camion Qui Fume
66 Rue OberkampfFrench burgers at their bests
Canal Poké - Canal saint-martin
25 Rue BichatBest poké - cheap & healthy food
Tigermilk Paris Canal
37 Quai de ValmyFor a drink or a small meal - lovely room
Very, very expensive restaurant.
"You’re at the whim of Basque chef Iñaki Aizpitarte at this laid-back, hip Paris institution. There are no menus available, with the no-choice taster changing daily and by the season. Aizpitarte is known for his provocative flavour pairings (think steamed turbot with rhubarb and elderflowers or cherry ice cream with dried capers), while the wine list steers clear of French vineyards in favour of focusing on biodynamic and organic bins from far-flung corners of the world..."
231 abantu bendawo batusa
Le Châteaubriand
129 Ave ParmentierVery, very expensive restaurant.
"You’re at the whim of Basque chef Iñaki Aizpitarte at this laid-back, hip Paris institution. There are no menus available, with the no-choice taster changing daily and by the season. Aizpitarte is known for his provocative flavour pairings (think steamed turbot with rhubarb and elderflowers or cherry ice cream with dried capers), while the wine list steers clear of French vineyards in favour of focusing on biodynamic and organic bins from far-flung corners of the world..."
Little brother of le Chateaubriand.
Cheaper, but tapas style food, so at the end, also expensive ;-)
144 abantu bendawo batusa
Le Dauphin
131 Ave ParmentierLittle brother of le Chateaubriand.
Cheaper, but tapas style food, so at the end, also expensive ;-)
if it's getting cold outside, this is the place to warm up. Taste Savoyard plates like Raclette, Fondue or Tartiflette.
25 abantu bendawo batusa
Les Fondus de la Raclette
107 Ave Parmentierif it's getting cold outside, this is the place to warm up. Taste Savoyard plates like Raclette, Fondue or Tartiflette.
Ice Cream
La Combine - Glaces à l’italienne
JJ Hings Ice Cream
Sucre Glace : Le Glacier du Canal Saint-Martin
61 Quai de ValmyIzeluleko zedolobha
Ungaphuthelwa
Louvre museum
Late opening every first Friday of the month : the museum closes at 9pm45.
About Mona Lisa : don't go to the Louvre just to see The Joconde Painting. This museum offers so much to see like major French Paintings, Italian Sculptures, Antiquities or Middle Eastern Art. Take your time to plan your visit between 3 wings and 4 floors ! I can help you to do that 😉
Imikhuba namasiko
“ Picnic sur les quais”
Grab some “easy to eat” foods, a bottle of rosé that can be opened easily and plastic cups at a grocery store and go to the river banks (around Pont des Invalides, Pont Neuf or Pont Marie) to enjoy sunny day or hot night surrounded by locals (mostly youngs). From 1pm to 1am… and if you forget your tire-bouchon (corkscrew), just ask around to a 30-something group (at their 20’, youngs only drink beer).
Ukuzulazula
Buses are slow & RER stressful, better use subways
Avoid buses, always caught on traffic jam even during weekend, except at night when they are super efficient, but rare…
RER (Regional Express Network) are mandatory for airports, Versailles Palace and DisneyLand, but avoid it during evening and night except if other tourists are nearby. Subway network (Metro) is quick and you can find anywhere a station nearby. Use Citymapper App to be guided.
Izindlela zokonga
Tap water drinkable
Tap water is drinkable everywhere in France. So enjoy french free water at my place or anywhere in France as long as it is fresh (some places put only hot water in the toilets so you need to pay to get one fresh). In Paris, look for public drinkable fountains to refill your bottle.
Imikhuba namasiko
" Et une carafe d'eau, s'il vous plait..."
Free water service is mandatory at any restaurant in France, from McDonald's to 5stars restaurant.
So, do as any local : at the end of the order, ask for tap water in a jar : "une carafe d'eau". Waiters will offer you expensive mineral water or even wine, so stick to it with a smile.
Imikhuba namasiko
Say Bonjour !
Don't hesitate to say hello to your building neighbors or to a seller in a shop or a restaurant
1. when meeting :
- during daytime : Bonjour
- during evening and night : Bonsoir
2. when leaving :
- during morning : Bonne journée
- during afternoon : Bonne après-midi
- during evening : Bonne soirée
Ungaphuthelwa
Night at Orsay Museum
Musée d'Orsay is open until 9pm45 on Thursday. Evacuation begins at 9.20pm. Less people, more time in the city and nice sunset light from the Impressionists' floor.
Ukuzulazula
Access to Montmartre / Sacré Cœur
Anvers, Barbes-Rochechouart and Château-Rouge subway stations on line 2 & 4 are the closest but surroundings are full of crappy stores and fake cigarettes sellers. Better use line 12 (from my place, take line 3 at Parmentier and change at St Lazare). Each station (Abbesses, Lamarck-Caulincourt & Jules Joffrin) are blessed with nice surroundings and quiet little streets.
Imishwana ewusizo
Ground floor
In French, the floor of a building which is level with the ground is called Rez-de-chaussée (« ray the show say » in phonetics, and RDC in elevators). It’s the equivalent of Ground floor in British English. The first floor - le 1er étage - is the floor above the RDC. Then there are 2ème étage, 3ème étage and so on … that means my apartment is on the first floor 😉
Ungaphuthelwa
Selection of Parisian Churches
All these churches are free of charges and open generally until 7pm :
- Saint Eustache : as an alternative of Notre Dame : huge volume inside
- Saint Sulpice : elegant 18th century church
- Saint Severin : old middle age (13th) neighbourhood church with a nice twisted column
- Saint Etienne du Mont : Renaissance style (16th) church
- Saint Roch : baroque church, dedicated to artists; lot of funeral monuments
- Saint Germain des Près : recently regained its 19th colorfull decoration
- Sacré Coeur : massive and neo-byzantine 19th style
Bhukha ngaphambi kokuthi uhambe
Paris Museum Pass
For the museums, there is the Paris Museum Pass (PMP - www.parismuseumpass.fr/t-en) which I think is very convenient and cheap for 4 days (66€). You can see le Louvre (Antiquities to 1848), Musée d'Orsay (1848 to 1914) and Pompidou (1914 to today) + specialised museum : Picasso, Rodin, Hotel de la Marine (newly opened !! closing at 21h30 friday), Orangerie (for Monet) + famous monuments : Arc de Triomphe (closing at 22h30), Sainte Chapelle, Tomb of Napoleon at Invalides. Just look at the website, there are plenty of choice, even Chateau de Versailles in the suburbs.
Ungaphuthelwa
Free museums
These 2 museums are free of charge :
- Musée Carnavalet : museum for Paris' history; very big and dense !
- Musée Cognacq Jay : small but lovely Hotel Particulier, specialised in 18th stuffs
Don't hesitate to take a look for 30' or 1h max and kindly asking to the welcome desk what to see.
Petit Palais is aslo free and quite charming outside, but Louvre beats him in every category so no need to spend time inside.
Ungaphuthelwa
Eiffel Tower
Take the stairs and just go to the 2nd floor. It's fun and cheap. 3rd floor is expensive and too high.
If you want to see Paris from above, enter freely the Centre Pompidou (before it closes for renovation) and use the main outdoor Escalator to see the view on 6th floor.
Bhukha ngaphambi kokuthi uhambe
Activities
All come from Paris tourist office website : booking.parisinfo.com
Price Infos
12 € Visit Opera Garnier interiors
15 € Walking tours - try Parisian Gossip, it's fun !
15 € Day Cruises on the Seine
16 € Tour Montparnasse - highest point in Paris ... and a great way not to see this horrible tower on your picture ;-)
25 € Early evening Cruises with a drink
30 € Guided bike tours
87 € Crazy Horse - cheaper, but more kinky than Moulin Rouge ...
Ukuzulazula
Navigo Easy Travel Card
Buy a Navigo Easy Pass for 2 euros at any agent desk of a subway station and go to the violet machine "Rechargement Navigo" to fill in it with solo tickets or a one-day pass.
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Olympic games Warning :
daily pass costs 16 euros for olympics time - 07/15 > 09/08