Paris!

J'Adore Paris!

Places to Stay:

Eden Hotel Montmartre
90 Rue Ordener
75018 Paris
http://www.edenhotel-montmartre.com/
Picturesque neighborhood (with fruit/vegetable/cheese & bread markets just around the corner)
At the foot of Montmartre
Continental Breakfast
Close to Sacre-Coeur
Closest Metro stop Jules Joffrin

The staff here was great. Very sweet and always tried to help out with directions and questions even with my horrible French. Some of them did speak a little English which helped out tremendously. :) Beware of the elevator....it's ridiculously small! Basically we used it to take up our bags but used the stairs the rest of the time. 2 people in it is tight. And awkward if you are in it with someone you don't know. I know this from experience. ha ha!

Things to Do:

Musee du Louvre
http://www.louvre.fr/
Mona Lisa
Venus de Milo (Aphrodite)

Winged Angel
8.50 EUR

La Tour Eiffel
http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/
To the Top: Approx 11 EUR
Children: Approx 6 EUR
Sunset is a great time to go. Make sure you stay until it's lit up at night. Also, try out the delicious crepes at the stand near the bottom of the Eiffel Tower! It's an octagon like brown stand. My favorite is the Nutella crepe!

Arc De Triomphe-
Memorial to the fallen soldiers from World Wars 1 & 2

Located on the Champs Elysees

Notre Dame
(The Hunchback!)

Les Champs Elysees
Fancy Shopping. :)

Moulin Rouge
Opened October 6, 1889
The dinner shows were too expensive for me, but that didn’t stop me from stopping by to take pictures in front of the famous Moulin Rouge windmill!

Sacre-Coeur & Montmartre
Cathedral and artist town. I suggest finding a taxi to drive you up the hill to get to the Sacre Coeur. There is also a tram that will take you up. If you are adventurous or can’t find the tram (like me), you can hike up the million staircases that will eventually take you to the top. It is very rewarding once you are there. The Sacre-Coeur is at the top along with an artist square with painters, tourist shops, small cafes and street performers. It’s one of my favorite places in the city.

Paris Metro
http://www.ratp.fr/

The Metro is pretty easy to navigate. However, if you've never used a subway or underground service, you may not want to start in Paris. Take a taxi!

*A perfect Paris day:
Start at the Musee du Louvre. Walk through Jardin du Carrousel (sort of a mini arc du triomphe). Enter Jardin des Tuileries (garden). Walk straight through the middle. Why not stop for a sandwich or a yummy gellato. :-) It’s a long walk, but very beautiful! You will run into Place de la Concorde. Keep walking straight and you will end up on Avenue Champs Elysees. Your walk ends at the Arc De Triomphe!! Check it out on a map! It's a straight shot.

*Live like a Parisian:

Paris Cafe's are the best place to people watch. Parisians are known for spending a whole afternoon sipping cappucinos, chatting & visiting with friends at the local cafe's. Don't be surprised if your server does not bring your check right away. They feel it is rude to rush you. If you are in a hurry, just catch your server's glance and do the universal sign for "check please!".

*Be Respectful:

I've found that if you know your basic French vocabulary, The French are very friendly. I believe if you try to use their language for the basics, they will be more willing to help you out. Learning how to say a few key phrases such as Hello, Good Afternoon, Please, etc will help you out and they feel that your are respecting them. This tip works in most countries. It all goes back to the saying, "Treat people the way you would like to be treated"!

Movies to See:
Funny Face
An American in Paris

Sacre Coeur

Some of those stairs I was talking about. And these are not all....there are more!

Travel Video Log (VLOG)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gvdPn8XIbaA&feature=related