I can’t find the weekend post where I asked for advice about visiting Paris after a conference in Chambery, so this is a general thanks for all the great tips and advice!
I can’t do the trip justice, but I thought I’d share what I did as briefly as possible. I’ve started copying the great travel advice shared here for various destinations into a document in case I ever get a chance to visit some of the places people ask about.
About the language: I studied French for a total of 3 years in high school and college, and occasionally watch TV/movies in French with subtitles (Astrid et Raphaël is a favorite). In anticipation of this trip I used the Fluent Forever app to really expand my vocabulary and start practicing pronunciation (AI-based feedback at that). So glad I could use my basic skills to conduct transactions and small conversations. Zero language snobbery encountered, only nice helpful people who would switch to English if I got over my vocabulary barrier.
Chambery:
– Stayed in an AirBnB in the center of the old town: perfect location (even with 60 winding stairs up/down), just steps from the Chateau des Ducs de Savoie, and a very nice apartment.
– Although I didn’t bike there, there is a bike rental place right inside the railway station. There are a lot of bike lanes, a lot of people ride.
– The tourist map with “Elephant Walk” leads you to the sights, with round brass elephant plaques in the cobbled streets along the way.
– Musée Savoisien, Elephant Fountain, cathedral, some shopping in a former convent.
– If you are fond of knives then buy locally made Opinal. I didn’t need folding knives, but did get a set of four steak knives with beautiful wooden handles in different colors.
– The cuisine of the Savoy region is full of hearty cheese goodness! I went to a local cheese maker and bought a few different types of cheese. Unfortunately missed out on getting the Reblochon, which is one of the types they are known for.
– During the days I was there, carillons were not played.
Paris:
Strategic error – didn’t book ticket in advance so I couldn’t go to the stay. Chapel. next trip! However, tickets for everything I wanted to see were available in just a few days’ time. The good thing is that it was not peak tourist season. Sadly the catacombs were closed. Thank God for the metro and buses to get me back to my apartment after walking every day. I’m just listing the major attractions, leaving out where I ate and other details. Stayed at another AirBnB in the Marais.
First day:
– As I walked I saw the outdoor sculpture garden along the Seine.
– Pantheon. Foucault’s pendulum was not hanging due to repairs on the ceiling, but at least I could see it and the circle with the markings. Scientific discovery sites give me goosebumps.
– Luxembourg Gardens. It’s fun to sit there and watch kids drive their RC sailboats in the big pond; There are chairs and lots of people sitting all around.
– Weird museums discovered via Atlas Obscura that fit my personal interests: Mundolingua, a fun, weird little place full of information on language and languages (not a shiny glass case like museum at all), and the Curie Museum; Marie Curie was my scientific hero when I was a child.
– Walked along the Seine, checked out the bouquet stalls
Day 2:
– Sacre Coeur
– Musée de Montmartre with Le Chat Noir (the original cabaret) as well as an exhibition about the history of the area and the Café Renoir
– Eiffel Tower: bought tickets without prebooking while standing in line
– Walking: Place de la Concorde, Jardin des Tuileries, Seine
Day 3:
– Fun bike tours with Unlimited Biking (formerly Fat Tire Bike Tours). It is highly praised for being a great way to visit many sights and learn some history and fun facts along the way. Our tour guide Bart was happy to take pictures of us at various stops. Paris is definitely a biking city.
-Arc de Triomphe
-Musée des Hommes: huge anthropology-focused museum. Just when I thought I had seen everything I discovered an even bigger exhibition area. It’s right next to the other so you can spend half a day just in that place. It is in the Trocadero and the large plaza there provides spectacular views.
Day 4:
– Coulee Verte René Dumart, formerly Promenade Plantée. A converted train line like the High Line in NYC, only about 15 minutes from where I was living. I also wanted to walk to Petit Sencture, but couldn’t find time.
– Viaduc des Arts beneath the Promenade, where the arches of the railroad have been enclosed to create space for creative work, shops, restaurants.
– Notre Dame; Got advance tickets for the tower tour and did that first, then went into the cathedral.
– Crypt Archéologique de l’Île de la Cite. An archaeological dig site with Roman ruins is great, made into a small museum, right down to the plaza everyone is wandering around.
Day 5:
– Fragonard Musée de Parfum: Smells delicious! Souvenir perfume for me, soap/lotion as gift for others
– Angelina Cafe: Thanks for the tip, whoever said that! I had no luck and I only had to wait a few minutes in line to be seated and got the heavenly hot chocolate, which is basically melted chocolate in a cup and they give you a small cup of whipped cream and a teaspoon, and their signature pastry Mont Blanc. They sell bottled chocolates in their boutique and yes, some came home with me.
– Louvre, with afternoon entry ticket. I did the Louvre until I couldn’t do the Louvre any more. It was a Wednesday, when they stay open later, so I could have gone longer than the 4.5 hours I spent there if I wanted to.
Day 6-Last full day, sadly:
– Orangery: Monet’s water lilies are installed in a special room designed for them.
-Musée d’Orsay: my favorite of them all. In a gorgeous converted train station, and at a manageable size with amazing pieces that you can actually get up close and see (I took a selfie posing as Rodin’s The Thinker next to an actual piece).
– One-hour sightseeing cruise on the Seine along the Bateau Parisienne. I got his ticket along with my bike tour booking. The timing was perfect; We came back to the dock at the Eiffel Tower just as they did a 5 minute flashing light over the entire tower like they do once an hour after dark. A whole huge boatload of people went “Oh!” Said.
– One of the best things: dinner at the apartment of one of the people on the committee I’m on (the reason I went to the conference), who fixed up a wonderful meal for me and her husband. Delightful.
I have to go back!
