Moon Paris Walks

MOON PARIS WALKS

Step off the plane and head right for the newest, hippest café in town. Find out where to get the best fish in the city or where to drink locally brewed beer on tap. Local authors share with you only genuine highlights of the city they love. This way, you can skip the busy shopping streets and just stroll through the city at your own pace, taking in a local attraction on your way to the latest and greatest concept stores. Savor every second and make your city trip a truly feel-good experience.

PARIS-BOUND!

You’re about to discover Paris—the city of wide avenues, world-famous monuments, and of course la vie Parisienne. Start the day with a cup of coffee and a croissant, which—just like the locals—you can have in a café standing at a counter. Shop in amazing stores, from those of top designers to small, vintage boutiques in one of the city’s charming neighborhoods. Don’t forget to take in some culture with a visit to a museum or a walk in one of the many parks and gardens. Plus, there is good food and good wine to be had in every neighborhood. We’ll show you where.

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Discover the city by foot and at your own pace, so you can relax and experience the local lifestyle without having to do a lot of preparation beforehand. Our walks take you past our favorite restaurants, cafés, museums, galleries, shops, and other notable attractions—places in our city we ourselves like to go to and that we really enjoy. So who knows, you might even run into us.

None of the places mentioned here have paid to appear in either the text or the photos, and all text has been written by an independent editorial staff.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

The six walks in this book allow you to discover the funnest neighborhoods in the city by foot and at your own pace. The routes will take you past museums and notable attractions but, more importantly, they’ll show you where to go for good food, drinks, shopping, entertainment, and an overall good time. Check out the map at the front of this book to see which areas of the city the routes will take you through.

Each walk is clearly indicated on a detailed map at the beginning of the relevant chapter. The map also specifies where each place mentioned is located. The color of the number lets you know what type of venue it is (see the key at the bottom of this page). A description of each place is then given later in the chapter.

Without taking into consideration extended stops at any one location, each walk will take a maximum of three hours. The approximate distance is indicated at the top of the page, before the directions.

Next to the address and contact details of each location, we give an idea of what you can expect to spend there. Unless otherwise stated, for restaurants the amount given is the average price of a main course. For sights and attractions, we indicate the cost of a regular full-price ticket.

GOOD TO KNOW

Paris consists of the area between the two ring roads that encircle the city: the Boulevard Extérieur and the Périphérique. Everything outside these roads is considered the banlieues (the outskirts). The River Seine runs through the city, splitting it into the Rive Droite (Right Bank) and the Rive Gauche (Left Bank). In addition, Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements (administrative districts). Each arrondissement has a name and a number. The first is called “Louvre” and is located in the very center of the city. From there, the arrondissements spiral outward clockwise through the city. The number of the arrondissement is generally indicated on the street signs.

Most stores in Paris open around 10am and close around 7:30pm, although small shops and some grocery stores close between noon and 3pm. Small neighborhood convenience stores are an exception and usually don’t close until midnight. Many grocery stores and food markets are open Sunday mornings but closed on Mondays. In the traditionally Jewish neighborhoods of the Marais and Montmartre, most shops are open on Sundays.

Twice a year, stores in France have clearance sales: three weeks in July/August and three weeks in January. Some really good deals can be found at these sales. Check the exact dates ahead of time because you won’t want to miss this.

In August, many restaurants, cafés, and shops (such as bakeries and butchers) are closed the entire month for vacation. Be sure to keep this in mind.

PRICES

Next to the address and contact details of each location, we give an idea of how much you can expect to spend there. Unless otherwise stated, the amount given in restaurant listings is the average price of a main course. For sights and attractions, we indicate the cost of a regular full-price ticket.

MUSEUMS

With its beautiful, prestigious museums, Paris has become a paradise for museum lovers. However, when it comes to opening hours, beware—some museums are closed on Mondays, while others are closed on Tuesdays—there is generally no rhyme or reason to it. The Paris Museum Pass (www.parismuseumpass.com) offers access to more than 60 museums and monuments. A two-day pass costs €48, a four-day pass is €62, and a six-day pass is €74, although you often have to pay extra for temporary exhibits beyond the permanent collection. You can purchase one of these passes at the register of participating museums and monuments or at the tourist office at 25 Rue des Pyramides. If you’d rather not wait in line, consider buying your tickets online beforehand. Often there is a separate entrance for people with prepurchased tickets. Note that many museums offer free entrance to people from within the European Union (EU) under the age of 26 and discounts to the disabled and to seniors over 60. On the first Sunday of the month, some museums are also open to the general public free of charge.

FRENCH FOOD CULTURE

People take their food seriously in France. The French love to eat and to talk about food. The two most important meals are le déjeuner (lunch) and le dîner (dinner). Le petit déjeuner (breakfast), on the other hand, tends to be a relatively simple affair: coffee, tea, or hot chocolate and a tartine (bread with jam) or croissant. Breakfast is eaten at home or in a café, most of which open early. In the morning, people in cafés have their coffee and croissant at the counter, which is perhaps not as comfortable as getting a table, but it is definitely cheaper—it can sometimes be half the price. Order a café (espresso), café allongé (espresso diluted with hot water), café crème (espresso with warm milk), café au lait (espresso with cold milk), or a noisette (a small cup with a splash of cold milk). Lunch is usually eaten out. Many companies give their employees meal vouchers called “Ticket Restaurant,” and lunch is often used to discuss business. Between 12:30pm and 2:30pm restaurants are therefore generally quite busy. A traditional French lunch consists of three courses, although you can opt for just an entrée (starter) or plat (main course). Don’t forget to ask for a menu du jour or plat du jour (daily specials). An increasingly popular dessert in Paris is the café/thé gourmand: coffee or tea served alongside a dessert sampler. In the evenings, Parisians often work late, and during the week they generally don’t eat until 8pm, so restaurants don’t open for dinner until around 7:30pm. On weekends restaurants don’t start getting busy until after 9pm. Parisians love to eat out, so restaurants are usually packed. If you want to be sure to get a table, reserve one ahead of time. After a meal, tipping isn’t necessary. If you do leave a tip, it means you were especially satisfied. Good to know: never seat yourself in a restaurant, always let the server take you to a table.

You may find that Parisians come across a little stuffy, but a friendly bonjour whenever you enter a restaurant or shop can work wonders. Make sure it’s always the first thing you say wherever you go, and you’ll be surprised at the service you get.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

In addition to Easter, Pentecost, and Ascension Day, which don’t fall on specific dates, the following are official holidays in France:

January 1 > New Year’s Day

May 1 > Labor Day

May 8 > Victory in Europe Day (end of WWII 1945)

July 14 > Bastille Day (Quatorze Juillet)

August 15 > Assumption Day

November 1 > All Saint’s Day

November 11 > Armistice Day (1918)

December 25 > Christmas Day

On June 21, the evening of the summer solstice, Paris celebrates the Fête de la Musique. It is a day of musical revelry when people everywhere—in the streets, cafés, bars, concert halls, or at home—listen to and make music and dance in the streets.

From the evening of July 13 until early in the morning of Quatorze Juillet you can dance in fire halls at the Bal des Pompiers—Firemen’s Ball. Various festivities are organized throughout the city on July 14.

Starting in early January, cakes known as galettes des rois—each with a little charm baked inside—begin to appear in French bakeries. Every French family buys these cakes. According to tradition, once the cake is cut, the youngest person at the table gets to decide who gets which piece. Whoever finds the charm then has to buy the next cake.

HAVE ANY TIPS?

Shops and restaurants in Paris come and go fairly regularly. We do our best to keep the routes and contact details as up to date as possible. We also do our best to update the print edition as often as we can. However, if despite our best efforts there is a place that you can’t find or if you have any other comments or tips about this book, please let us know via email at info@momedia.nl.

TRANSPORTATION

Paris is not only the City of Light, but it is also a city of cars. In an effort to reduce traffic, Paris developed a reliable public transportation network that includes metros, commuter trains (RER), and buses. The same ticket can be used for all of these different types of transportation. Tickets can be purchased at a ticket window or from machines in metro stations, RER stations, and RATP bus stations, which are part of Paris’s public transportation system. Planning on using public transportation a lot? Buy a carnet de dix (ten tickets): this is cheaper than buying ten individual tickets.

The metro runs every day between 5:30am and about 1am, or 2am on Saturdays—exact times vary per station. On Sundays, metros run less frequently. Tickets are valid for one ride, and transfers are allowed, provided you stay underground. The RER is a regional commuter train that extends into the suburbs but can also be used within Paris. RER lines don’t stop as frequently as the metro. The RER runs from 4:45am to 1am. Paris’s many buses are also convenient, especially to get to know the city. You can find a map of metro and RER lines at the back of this book. Paris’s public transportation company RATP has a free app, Next Stop Paris (Visiter Paris en Metro), which is really useful.

As far as taxi prices go, Paris is very reasonable. It’s also fairly easy to hail one of the 15,000 cabs that drive around the city. Note, however, a taxi will stop only if it is at least 165 feet (50 m) away from a designated taxi stand. When both the light and the big taxi sign on the roof are illuminated, then the taxi is available, but if the big taxi sign is not on, then the taxi is occupied. You can also arrange a cab by phone: Taxis G7 (01 41276699) and Taxis Bleus (08 91701010).

BIKING

Paris is becoming increasingly more bike-friendly. The city currently has some 250 miles (400 km) of pistes cyclables (bike paths). Every Sunday certain roads, such as those near the Canal Saint-Martin, are closed to cars. However, the average Parisian driver is still not accustomed to sharing the road with cyclists, so always be alert. Also, sometimes bike paths suddenly end or go over sidewalks, and pedestrians might not recognize the sound of a bike bell. So remember the word attention and be ready to use it to let people know you’re coming.

The city has a bike share program with more than 20,000 bikes spread across 1,800 stations. It is called Vélib’ (www.velib.metropole.fr). You’ll see the docked gray bikes and information kiosks all around town. The system is simple: use your credit card at any station’s kiosk to buy a day pass or week pass, then borrow any bike from a dock with a green light. You pay based on how long your bike is out of a dock. You can put your bike back in any dock you want but be sure that the green light goes back on when you do, otherwise it will make for a very expensive ride. The first half hour of each ride is free, the next half hour costs one euro, and from there it gets continuously more expensive. So Vélib’ is the least expensive for short rides. Since 2014, Paris now also has P’tit Vélib’ for kids ages two to eight. You’ll find these bikes for kids in select spots, including Berges de Seine, the Bois de Boulogne, and Canal de l’Ourcq.

There are increasingly more opportunities in Paris to take guided bike tours. Numerous bike stores rent bikes, and tours are offered by companies such as Holland Bikes (www.hollandbikes.com), Paris Bike Tour (www.parisbiketour.net), and Paris à Vélo c’est Sympa! (www.parisvelosympa.com).

TOP 10: SHOPPING

1   Visit Les Grands Magasins department stores > here

2   Stroll through Galerie Vivienne’s shopping arcades > here

3   Indulge at La Maison de la Truffe > here

4   Try some samples at Le Bonbon au Palais > here

5   Find treasures at Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen > here

6   Plunge into a world of fabrics at Marché Saint-Pierre > here

7   Pick up tasty French treats Fauchon > here

8   Mingle with locals looking for deals in Rue de Marseille > here

9   Find handmade knickknacks at Made by Moi > here

10 Let yourself be surprised at Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche > here

TOP 10: RESTAURANTS

1   Have a romantic dinner on Minipalais’s columned terrace > here

2   Dine in the bedroom or by the Ping-Pong table at Le Derrière > here

3   Enjoy the great terrace at LouLou > here

4   Order typical French fare at Bouillon Chartier > here

5   Go for a healthy lunch with locals at the hip Café Pinson > here

6   Savor exquisite French cuisine at Le Chateaubriand > here

7   Dine under a glass ceiling at Le Dôme du Marais > here

8   Enjoy the best pita bread in Paris at Miznon in the Marais > here

9   Splurge and enjoy the amazing view at Georges > here

10 Eat in a secret courtyard at Le Très Particulier > here

TOP 10: SUNDAYS

1   Start the day with breakfast and a macaron at Ladurée > here

2   Take in the neighborhood market Marché Aligre and drink wine at Le Baron Rouge > here

3   Enjoy brunch at Le Marché des Enfants Rouges > here

4   Stroll along the Canal Saint-Martin and the Bassin de la Villette > here

5   Have a picnic in Parc des Buttes-Chaumont > here

6   Up for an exhibit? Go to the photo museum MEP > here

7   Enjoy a stroll around Luxembourg Gardens > here

8   Sip an apéro (aperitif) outside at Café de Flore > here

9   Have a rooftop drink at Le Perchoir > here

10 Head to Au Lapin Agile for a fun night of French music > here