Not always mentioned in guides, the Montmartre vineyards give a country-like look to one side of the hill, which is quite surprising: http://www.phan-ngoc.com/fred/paris/h.... The area was planted with vines in 1932 and spreads on 1556 square meters. The Clos Montmartre wine production is 1000 kg. You can try it, but it is not a grand cru. You could still bring a bottle back home as a souvenir of a very unusual place in Paris.
La Commanderie du Clos Montmartre
9 bis, rue Norvins 75018 Paris
Tel: + 33 (0) 1 44 92 35 34 - Fax: + 33 (0) 1 42 62 96 88
Go to the movies! May sound simple but Paris is a - movie capital of the world. It is said that there are more than 500 different movies playing in Paris and almost half are in English. Many of them are classics - Hitchcock, Woody Allen etc. Pick up a copy of Pariscope for 40 cents at any newsstand and you can find movies by title, genre, location etc. An English language movie playing in English with French subtitles (not dubbed) will be marked VO or VOST. There are also an enormous number of films dubbed in Spanish and other languages.
Old books market
Not as popular as the flea markets of Paris, this market is fully dedicated to ancient books and aimed to bibliophiles. If you are a collector or just a book lover, you will find gems here. Square Georges Brassens
104, rue Brancion – 75015 Paris.
Saturday & Sunday from 9.30 am to 6.00 pm.
Metro: Convention or Porte de Vanves
Cour Saint-Emilion (Bercy Village)
A little bit away from the center of Paris, between Bercy and the Grande bibliothèque, the Cour Saint-Emilion is a village of spacious boutiques and restaurants recently built in old Bercy storehouses. This commercial area retains a nice genuine atmosphere and is not the most crowded in Paris.
Metro: Cours Saint Emilion
The Viaduc des Arts and its Promenade Plantee
Traditional craftsmen have opened their trendy boutiques under the arcades of a former viaduct going from the Place de la Bastille to Gare de Lyon and well beyond, on the Avenue Daumesnil. Find the stairways that go up on the viaduct every 100-150 meters and you will discover a long and thrilling pedestrian promenade called “Promenade Plantee” or “Coulée vert”.
Metro: Daumsenil, Batsille or Gare de Lyon.
The Arsenal Marina
At the intersection of the Canal Saint Martin and the Seine, the Arsenal marina is a cute hidden spot to wander around and admire the nice boats.
Metro: Bastille
The Rue Cler
Located in the 7th Arrondissment and a short walk from the Eiffel Tower, the Rue Cler is a popular market street that will give visitors a taste of everything typically Parisian in just a short walk. Within a 2 block span, you will find a cafe, a supermarket, an outdoor fruit and vegetable market, a floral shop, 2 hotels, a post office, a pastry shop, and a butcher shop. A true hidden gem! Closest metro is Ecole Militaire.
Musee Carnavalet
This museum documents the history of Paris from its beginnings
through modern times and includes impressive exhibits on Voltaire and
Rousseau.
Located in the Marais, it is an interesting exhibit. Admission is free.
Attraction type: History museum; Architectural building; Historic home
Sewers of Paris (Les Egouts de Paris)
For an alternative view of Paris, take the hour-long tour that is
offered of the 1,300 miles that make up the Parisian sewer system.
Fascinating. Near
Eiffel
Tower
, at the Pont de Alma. If you are in
Paris
in the hot weather, go here to cool off. They also have a humorous video presentation a la “Cops”. Not for everybody. 1 hour.
Attraction type: Historic site; Landmark/point of interest; History museum
Pere-Lachaise Cemetery (Cimetiere du Pere-Lachaise)
This famous cemetery is the burial site of numerous French luminaries - authors, writers, musicians and more.
Jim Morrison, Max Ernst, Maria Callas, Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, and
many other famous names are buried here. Don’t miss the holocaust
monuments. Buy the map at the entrance. You need to consider that the
the cemetery is large, has cobblestone walkways which some may find
difficult to walk on, and may take some time to cover. Web site:
http://www.pere-lachaise.com/perelach...
Attraction type: Cemetery; Landmark/point of interest
The Catacombs (Les Catacombs)
Underground stone quarries that hold the 200-year-old skeletons of several million people.
This place is a lot of fun, but you might find it to be gruesome. Bring a flashlight. Lots of steps. 90 minutes.
Attraction type: Cemetery; Historic site; Cavern/cave
Musee Marmottan
Located in a 19th-century mansion, this museum's fabulous
collection of Impressionist paintings ranks second only behind the
Musée d'Orsay.
The best kept secret in
Paris
. An absolutely fantastic collection of Monet’s paintings are
displayed here in a relaxing atmosphere, quite different from what you
will find at the Orsay. Don’t miss it. A little bit out of the way.
No photos. Museum pass not accepted.
Attraction type: Art museum
Opera Garnier
This performance hall hosts ballet and chamber music performances.
On Thursday afternoons, they have the tour in English. A gorgeous,
romantic building. Home of the “Phantom of the Opera”. The Roissybus
from CDG drops you here. Note: The
Paris
Opera House is not here, it is at the Place de Republique. 1 hour.
Attraction type: Architectural building; Opera; Theater
Rue Cler
This lively cobblestone street effectively preserves the ambience of Paris of old and is home to countless small shops.
Many Americans like this area to dine and relax in. Market is there on Sundays. 1 hour.
Attraction type: Street; Flea/street market
Basilique St-Denis
It is the burial place of nearly all of the kings and queens of
France
. This is one strange place. A long metro ride. You will see the tombs of people you read about in your history books –
Clovis
, Marie Antoinette, Louis XIV. Not for the faint hearted. 2 hours. 45 minute metro ride.
Attraction type: Religious site; Architectural building; Historic site
Musee des Arts et Metiers
Attraction type: Specialty museum; Science museum.
More than fascinating. The first PC (so the French claim), Foucalt’s Pendulum,
Edison
’s machines, TV’s from 1931, Cray Supercomputer and more. Just a great collection of scientific/engineering wonders. 3 hours.
La Cite des Sciences et de L'lndustrie
This large interactive science museum has numerous exhibits dedicated to making science comprehensible for non-scientists.
Located at Parc de la Villette.
This is another one of the best kept secrets in
Paris
. Perhaps the best science museum in the world. Kids are amazed by
this museum, adults are astounded. The music museum is nearby. You
can combine your trip here with a trip down the
Canal St.
Martin.
Attraction type: Science museum
Army Museum (Musee de l'Armee)
Nearly every weapon and instrument of war imaginable can be found in this comprehensive collection of military equipment.
This is a do-not-miss site. Go to the World War II exhibit and see
how De Gaulle won the war. A very somber exhibit on the holocaust.
Fascinating. 2.5 hours.
Attraction type: Military museum
Bateaux Mouches
These boat tours down the River Seine, complete with historical
commentary, depart from a location close to the Eiffel Tower, Pont de
l'Alma.
A very relaxing and worthwhile tour. You may prefer the cruise down
Canal St.
Martin too. 1.5 hours. And don’t forget, the
Bateaux Parisien has a nice dinner cruise.
Attraction type: Tour; Tourist/visitor center
Canal St. Martin-Canauxrama
A lovely boat tour through the canals of
Paris
. Remember the movie “Amelie”? You get a wonderful opportunity to view some pretty neighborhoods of
Paris
. People watch you as you pass through the locks. Complete with
historical commentary, depart from the Parc de la Villette and end up
at the Bastille.
A very relaxing and worthwhile tour. Sit at the very front of the boat. 1.5 hours.
Attraction type: Tour; Tourist/visitor center. Web site:
http://www.canauxrama.com/e_saint-mar...
St-Sulpice
If you read The Da Vinci Code, you have heard of this place. A
glorious example of Classical architecture from the 17th century. The
brass line inside is part of an astrological gnomon, a clock used to
set the date of Easter installed by Louis XV in the 18th century. (Not
to be confused with the Meridian of Paris, which runs behind the church
and is marked outside with brass plaques! Find some of these in the
Louvre courtyard.) ½ hour.
Attraction type: Religious site
* Everything in regular font from “My Favorite Sites” is from www.tripadvisor.com. Commentary has been added in italics .
