Are you visiting Paris for the Intermat conference from 23rd-28th April? Don’t want to waste the opportunity to experience the highlights of one of the world’s most iconic cities? We’ve rounded up the best places that will fit around your busy schedule.
Getting Around Paris
If you’re coming in from Charles De Gaulle Airport (Paris-CDG), your journey to the conference couldn’t be easier. Jump on the RER Line B towards Paris and Pac des Expositions is the first stop. Five minutes and you’re there!
From Orly Airport, it’s a slightly longer trip - but still a breeze. Take the ORLYVAL to Antony, change onto the RER Line B going towards Roissy CDG, and alight at Parc des Expositions.
The Paris’ Metro’s 300 stops not only connect up every corner of the city; the iconic Art Nouveau signs and earliest stations are something of a tourist attraction in themselves. This is by far the fastest, easiest and most cost-effective way to zip around the city.
But, of course, this is April in Paris: a time of year so lovely that songs have been written about it. Springtime is glorious in the French capital – and staying underground means you miss Paris’ incredible wealth of architectural gems, from Gothic greats like the Notre-Dame and Saint-Étienne-du-Mont to modern classics by Le Corbusier, Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers. So get out your Google Maps app and walk wherever you possibly can!
Notre-Dame Cathedral
Finally, taxis. These can be hard to track down, aren’t always totally clued up about where they’re going and, if you order one, will charge for the time it takes to reach you as well as your actual journey. Your best bet is to find a taxi rank (marked with a blue sign) – the meter starts at €2.10. Most journeys in central Paris shouldn’t set you back more than €10.
Local Eateries and Bar Hotspots
Where do you begin? Parisien cuisine is, perhaps, the most famous in the world.
Of course, in the most touristy areas, there are plenty of sub-standard eateries lurking around to take advantage of the city’s reputation – and the inexperience of new arrivals. But pick one of the best and you’ll enjoy an exquisite meal that you won’t forget in a hurry.
The oldest restaurant in Paris, and still one of the very best, is Le Grand Véfour (17, rue de Beaujolais 75001 Paris), which is sublimely situated overlooking the Palais Royal’s gardens. It’s now run by Michelin-starred chef Guy Martin and continues to receive rave reviews. Note that the restaurant is closed at weekends.
For something a little less flashy but just as authentically Parisian, head to the much-loved La Tour de Montlhéry-Chez Denise in Les Halles (5 rue des Prouvaires, 75001). This highly carnivorous bistro with its huge casks of wine is about as Gallic as it gets. Again, it’s closed at weekends – but during the week you can dine until 5am, should you get carried away on the steak and Côtes du Rhône.
Then there’s the laid-back but excellent Frenchie, just down from Opera (5 Rue du Nil, 75002 Paris, France). There’s a focus on fresh, organic, seasonal ingredients and, while it’s primarily French cuisine, it’s not purist – head chef Gregory Marchand (given the nickname “Frenchie” by old boss Jamie Oliver) is open to experimenting with international influences and flavours, too.
Or, if you’re out near the 6th Arrondissement, check out local favourite Allard (41 rue Saint-André des Arts), founded by Bergundy peasant Marthe Allard in 1932 and still serving up sensational versions of traditional classics under the watchful eye of chef-turned-restaurateur Alain Ducasse.
Finally, for a wonderfully Parisian place to grab a drink, pop into Le Bistrot des Dames (18 Rue des Dames, 75017 Paris), a locally-loved suntrap with the perfect garden for an early evening glass of wine. Or, for something a little more glamorous, try out the phenomenal Experimental Cocktail Club in Les Halles (37 Rue Saint-Sauveur, 75002 Paris).
Panthéon Sacre Coeur
Evening Entertainment
Skip the Moulin Rouge: Paris is a true city of culture. Whether you’re in the mood for a film, a play or musical, ballet or opera, or just an evening of great music, you’re sure to find something to suit your tastes.
For a quintessentially Parisian breed of hedonism, don’t miss La Java (105, rue du Faubourg du Temple, 75010, Paris), the famous nightclub/music venue that’s housed performances by everyone from Edith Piaf to Jill Saboule.
Film lovers will drool over Accattone, the vintage cinema once managed by François Truffaut, as well as much loved indie cinemas like Action Christine and La Filmothèque du Quartier Latin. The Cinémathèque Française, which comprises a cinema, movie museum and research library, is worth the trip purely to appreciate Frank Gehry’s unique design.
For great theatre, check out the lineup from Soif Compagnie and Galerie de Nesle. Both sometimes perform English language plays, as well as French. World-class ballet and dance is on offer at Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, with more experimental theatre and dance housed at Théâtre de la Ville and Théâtre des Abbesses.
Opera connoisseurs can choose between a performance at the sumptuous 17th century Palais Garnier, with its ceiling designed by Marc Chagall, or the Opera Bastille – a striking Modernist building designed by Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott. Or, for something a little less highbrow, until the end of April you can also catch “Carmen La Cubana”, a Cuban “musical” style retelling of Bizet’s classic opera, over at the gorgeous Théâtre du Châtelet.
Health & Fitness
Don’t want to miss out on your morning run? The main streets of Paris are pretty congested, both with people and pollution, at more or less any time of day – but you can escape the smog with a jog around the lovely Jardin du Luxembourg. Alternatively, take the riverfront route down Boulevard de Bastille and along the Seine to Notre Dame.
But if you want to work out the way the locals do, go for a swim! Paris is bursting with public pools, many of them impressive architectural pieces in their own right. Among the best include the gorgeous Art Deco Piscine Pontoise Quartier Latin in the Latin Quarter (which film buffs might recognize from Kieslowski’s masterpiece, Three Colours: Blue) and the spectacular Centre Aquatique de Neuilly-sur-Seine in Hauts-de-Seine, which has a mixture of indoor and outdoor pools, as well as onsite spas, hammams, saunas and sunbeds.
Seine River Paris Outdoor Stairway
Retail Therapy
In the eyes of much of the world, Paris is synonymous with chic - and the city’s chicest shopping centre is Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, home to many a haute couture flagship store. Nearby, in the arcades alongside the Palais Royale, you’ll also find many gorgeous shops oozing old world charm.
The lesser-known but equally glamorous Rue Etienne Marcel is a must if you’re looking for cool boutiques and sharp designers like Thierry Mugler or Kenzo. Just by here you’ll also find the Passage du Grand Cerf, a famous spot for snapping up unique pieces of antique jewellery.
Or, if you’re looking for slightly more avant-garde fashion, vintage gems, fine art and antiques, or glorious gourmet treats, head to the Marais. While you’re in the area, don’t miss Merci, an achingly cool concept store featuring numerous up-and-coming designers, a library and a cinema-themed café projecting old films onto the wall.
And Now for Something Completely Different…
Want to see what’s literally under the surface of Paris? The labyrinthine catacombs beneath the city streets are crammed with the bones and skulls of six million people, many of them relocated from overflowing graveyards in previous centuries.
It’s a creepy side to the city and not one for the faint hearted, but for those interested in exploring Paris’ ancient tunnels and tombs, there’s an excellent 1.5 hour evening tour!
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