Rick Steves - Rick Steves Paris

PARIS

Rick Steves, Steve Smith & Gene Openshaw

Travel is intensified livingmaximum thrills per minute and one of the last great sources of legal adventure. Travel is freedom. Its recess, and we need it.

I discovered a passion for European travel as a teen and have been sharing it ever sincethrough my bus tours, public television and radio shows, and travel guidebooks. Over the years, Ive taught millions of travelers how to best enjoy Europes blockbuster sightsand experience Back Door discoveries that most tourists miss.

Written with my talented co-authors, Steve Smith and Gene Openshaw, this book offers you a balanced mix of Paris blockbuster sights and lesser-known gems. Its selective: Rather than listing every sight and neighborhood in Paris, we recommend only the best ones. And its in-depth: Our self-guided museum tours and city walks provide insight into Paris vibrant history and todays living, breathing culture.

We advocate traveling simply and smartly. Take advantage of our money- and time-saving tips on sightseeing, transportation, and more. Try local, characteristic alternatives to expensive hotels and restaurants. In many ways, spending more money only builds a thicker wall between you and what you traveled so far to see.

We visit Paris to experience itto become temporary locals. Thoughtful travel engages us with the world, as we learn to appreciate other cultures and new ways to measure quality of life.

Judging by the positive feedback we receive from our readers, this book will help you enjoy a fun, affordable, and rewarding vacationwhether its your first trip or your tenth.

Bon voyage! Happy travels!

Paristhe City of Lighthas been a beacon of culture for centuries. As a world capital of art, fashion, food, literature, and ideas, it stands as a symbol of all the fine things human civilization can offerand adds a dash of romance and joie de vivre.

Two thousand years ago, Paris was a humble Celtic fishing village by the river; today its a sprawling city, with a core population of 2.3 million. It offers sweeping boulevards, riverside book stalls, world-class art galleries, and farmers markets. Enjoy cutting-edge architecture, medieval tapestries, Gothic cathedrals, and an excellent Mtro system that whisks you wherever you want to go. Sip un caf crme with intellectuals at a sidewalk caf, then step into an Impressionist painting in a tree-lined park.

Paris sights are incomparable. Armed with a Paris Museum Pass, visit Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo at the Louvre, and marvel at the buoyant art of Monet and Renoir at the Orsay. Pay homage to beloved Notre-Dame Cathedral, recovering from a devastating fire. Zip to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and saunter down Avenue des Champs-Elyses. Take a day trip to visit the lavish palace of Versailles to understand the inevitability of the French Revolution...and the rise of democracy. Few countries can equal Frances impact on the global stage.

People-friendly Paris: Relaxing at Luxembourg Garden; picnicking on the Seine

Yet Paris is also intimate and people-friendly. Prioritizing people over cars, the city turned a riverside arterial into a beach-like park, known as Paris Plages, perfect for strolling along the Seine. Waterfront pedestrian promenades run between Pont de lAlma (near the Eiffel Tower) and the Orsay Museum on the Left Bank, and between the Louvre and Place de la Bastille on the Right Bank. The citys lovely parks are playgrounds for all ages. Luxembourg Garden offers puppet shows, pony rides, rental toy sailboats, and a wading pool. The Esplanade des Invalides, near Napoleons Tomb, is just right for afternoon lawn bowling (boules).

As you dodge Parisians walking their poodles and pushing baby strollers on a residential market street such as Rue Cler, youll experience real people making cozy communities in the midst of this vast, high-powered city. If youd like to learn the fine art of living like a Parisian, a walk down a neighborhood market street provides an excellent classroom. And if you want to assemble the ultimate French picnic, theres no better place. Youll find a warm and human vibrancy you miss when just hopping from big museum to museum. Chat with the woman who makes your crpe, pop into chic boutiques, and stop by a neighborhood fromagerie to sniff fragrant cheese that smells like zee feet of angels.

The Language Barrier and That French Attitude

You may have heard that French people are cold and refuse to speak English. In my experience, the French are as friendly as other people (though a bit more formal) and many Parisians speak English well. But be reasonable in your expectations: French waiters are paid to be efficient, not chatty.

The best advice? Slow down. Impatient travelers unaware of the joys of people-watching from a caf often misinterpret French attitudes. With five weeks of paid vacation and a shorter work week than ours, the French dont understand why anyone would rush through their time off.

The French view formality as being polite and prefer to avoid eye contact with strangers. When tourists stroll down the street grinning and blurting Bonjour! to everyone, the French find it odd rather than friendly.

Youll get better reactions if you use the pleasantries. Learn these five phrases: bonjour (good day), pardon (pardon me), sil vous plat (please), merci (thank you), and au revoir (goodbye). Begin every encounter (for instance, when entering a shop) with Bonjour, madame (or monsieur), and end every encounter with Au revoir, madame (or monsieur).

The French take language seriously. To ask a French person to speak English, say, Bonjour, madame (or monsieur). Parlez-vous anglais? They may say non (because they dont speak English fluently), but you may soon find out they speak more English than you speak French.