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Home , History of Paris

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CONTENTS

List of Maps XV About the Author XII Acknowledgments XVII

Introduction 1 Welcome to Unofficial 1 About This Guide 4 Why Unofficial? 4 About Unofficial Guides 4 How This Guide Was Researched and Written 5 Letters, Comments, and Questions from Readers 6 How This Guide Is Organized: By Subject and Geographic Districts (Arrondissements) 6 Hotels 7 Attractions (Museums, Monuments, Parks, Churches, Landmarks) 7 Restaurants (Bistros, Brasseries, Cafés) 8 Entertainment and Nightlife (Clubs, Bars, Cabarets) 8 Neighborhoods and Arrondissements 8 The Arrondissements 13 On Being a “Tourist” 14 UnderstandingCOPYRIGHTED Les Bises 14 MATERIAL Commas versus Decimal Points 15 FAST FACTS ABOUT PARIS AND 16 PUBLIC HOLIDAYS 16

PART ONE Understanding Paris 17 A Brief History of Paris 17 Les and the Romans 17 02_595385_ftoc.qxd 11/11/05 9:39 AM Page vi

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Barbarian Invasions 18 18 Renaissance and the Reformation 18 Louis XIII and Louis XIV 19 The 19 Napoléon I (Napoléon Bonaparte) 20 Haussmann and the New Paris 20 Commune de Paris 20 FRENCH PERIODS AND RULERS 21 The Third Republic 21 World War I 22 Between the Wars 22 World War II 22 The Fourth Republic 22 The Fifth Republic 23 The Socialist Years 23 Turn of the Millennium 23 The Language: Français 24 Getting Linguistically Equipped: Parlez-Vous Français? 25 Survival French 25 MISNOMERS 26 Numbers and Prices: The 27 CURRENCY CONVERSION TABLE 28

PART TWO Planning Your Visit 29 How Far in Advance Should You Plan? 29 When to Go 31 Price 32 Weather 32 PARIS AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 32 PARIS RAINFALL 33 Package Deals and Travel Agents 34 Finding a Package Tour, Tour Operator, or Consolidator 36 PARIS PACKAGE ON THE WEB 37 Finding Airfare Deals and Making Reservations 38 Start with Your Local Travel Agent 38 Skim the Travel Section of Your Local Paper 39 KEY WEB SITES FOR AIR-TRAVEL RESERVATIONS 39 Surfing for Inexpensive Airfare 39 Call the Airlines Directly 40 Tricks for Cheap Airfare 42 The Paris Airfare Game 43 Charter Flights 44 02_595385_ftoc.qxd 11/11/05 9:39 AM Page vii

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Reducing the Confusion of Choice 46 Maison de la France (French Government Tourist Office) 46 The Alliance Française 47 Franco-American Chambers of Commerce 47 What to Pack 49 Cell Phones 51 Passports and Visas 51 Travel Restrictions 54 How to Dress 54 Estimating Your Budget: A Ballpark Idea 56

PART THREE Accommodations 58 Understanding Your Options 58 The Hotel Scene 59 Location 60 Types of Lodging 61 Small versus Large Hotels 61 Hotel Chains versus Independents 61 About French Hotel Chains 62 Some Have Stars, Some Have None Upon Thars 63 Alternative Lodging Options 65 Hostels in Paris 67 Hotels for Business Travelers 71 Paris’s Major Conference Centers 71 Hotels at the Airports 71 Rates, Rules, and Recommendations 72 Making Reservations from Home 75 Arriving without Reservations 78 The Parisian Hotel Room 79 Elevators 79 Beds 79 Bathrooms 80 Showers versus Bathtubs 80 The Bidet 82 The Toilet 82 Closets 82 Hotel Clocks and Time 82 Automated Wake-up Calls 83 Radios 83 RADIO STATIONS 83 No Bible in the Drawer 84 A Word on Noise (Yours and Others’) 84 Heating and Air-conditioning 84 02_595385_ftoc.qxd 11/11/05 9:39 AM Page viii

VIII CONTENTS

Minibars 85 Making Calls from Your Hotel Room 85 Watching French Television 85 Keys and Outer Doors 86 La Cour versus La Rue 86 The Lobby 86 To Breakfast or Not to Breakfast 87 Hotel Concierges 87 Apartment Concierges 88 Hotel Staff 88 Paris Hotels Rated and Ranked 88 Prices in Profile Listings 91 Discounts for Guidebook Readers 92 Crème de la Crème 92 Notable Paris Lodging 93 HOW THE HOTELS COMPARE 94 Hotel Profiles 102 Reminder on Deposits 102

PART FOUR Arriving, Getting Oriented, and Departing 135 BEATING JET LAG 135 Arriving: Day One 136 Those First Minutes 136 Paris Airports 136 That First Phone Call 144 Changing Money at the Airport 145 Departing 145 Confirming Your Flight: Reaching the Airlines 146 MAJOR AIRLINE OFFICES IN PARIS 146 Getting to the Airport on Time 146 Claiming Your VAT Refund on Purchases 149 Arriving and Departing by Train 150 Train Stations 150 The Famous TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) 151 Train Reservations and Tickets 151 Lockers and Other Services 151 Disabled Facilities 152 Taking the Eurostar 152 Arriving and Departing by Car 152 Rules of the Road 153 Parking 153 Gas 153 Traffic 154 Understanding Those First Signs and Getting Directions 154 02_595385_ftoc.qxd 11/11/05 9:39 AM Page ix

CONTENTS IX

Telephones, E-mail, and Postal Services 155 Calling from Your Hotel 155 Come Prepared 156 Using Parisian Telephones 157 Ordering Prepaid Phone Cards 158 Internet Telephony 158 Dialing 01 versus 1 158 E-mail 158 INTERNET CAFÉS 159 Using Cell Phones in France 160 Understanding the Busy Signal 160 Using the French Post Office 160 Understanding 162 Changing Money 162 Banking in Paris 164 Using Credit Cards 165 Travelers’ Checks 166 Tipping 166 Things the Locals Already Know 167 Getting an English-Language Newspaper 167 Other Paris Publications 167 Public Toilets 168 Uncurbed Dogs 169 Doing Laundry 169 Smoking 170 Health 172 Religion and Houses of Worship 176 Travelers with Disabilities 176 Hotels Equipped for Travelers with Disabilities 178 Using the Métro 178 Restaurants and Disabled Access 180 Monuments and Disabled Access 180 A Useful Contact 180 Traveling with Children 180 Eating Out with Kids 181 Baby-sitters 181 Special Parks for Kids 182 Theme Parks for Kids 183 Museums for Kids 183 Publications and Listings 184 Safety and Security 184 Lost and Found 184 Emergency Numbers 184 Lost Credit Cards 185 02_595385_ftoc.qxd 11/11/05 9:39 AM Page x

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If You’re a Victim of Crime . . . 185 Hotel Security 186 Your Embassy or Consulate 186

PART FIVE Getting Around 187 Visualizing the City 187 Paris Pratique 187 Spotting the 188 Walking in Paris 188 Street Addresses 189 Public Transportation 189 The Métro 189 The RER 195 Buses 196 Taxis 198 Train Passes and Reservations 200 Renting a Car 200 Rental Car Contact Information in the United States 201 A Tip about Price Quotes 202 Chauffeured Touring 202

PART SIX Sightseeing, Tours, and Attractions 203 Planning for Paris Touring 203 Opening and Closing Times 203 Planning Visits of Three, Five, and Seven Days 204 Tours and Guides 206 City Tours 206 River Tours 207 Biking and Walking Tours 208 Suggested Walking Itineraries 209 Exploring Points of Interest 211 Anglo-Americans in Paris 211 Getting the Best View: Micro and Macro 213 Literary and Artistic Landmarks 213 Taking Classes 215 Getting Tickets 215 Paris Façade Spotting 215 Cultural Paris 218 Absolutely Necessary: The Museum and Monument Pass 218 Touring Neighborhoods 219 Latin Quarter 219 220 Châtelet– 220 Île Saint-Louis–Île de la Cité 220 02_595385_ftoc.qxd 11/11/05 9:39 AM Page xi

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Saint-Germain-des-Prés 220 /République 220 Champs-Elysées/Concorde 221 Invalides/Eiffel Tower 221 221 Grands Boulevards 221 222 Outer Arrondissements 222 Neighborhoods for the Adventurous 222 Attraction Profiles 223 PARIS ATTRACTIONS BY TYPE 223 PARIS ATTRACTIONS BY LOCATION 223 Museums, Monuments, and Churches 231 Parks, Gardens, City Squares, and Cemeteries 277 The Bridges of Paris 291 A Tour of Paris by Bridge 291 The Bridges by Night 293 Day Trips and Excursions 294

PART SEVEN Dining and Restaurants 300 Bon Appetit! 300 When to Eat 301 General Hours 302 A Word about Toilets and Telephones 302 Paris Restaurants Defined and Explained 302 Café and Café Tabac 303 Café Tabac 304 What to Order in a Café 304 Restaurants, Haute Cuisine, and La Gastronomie 309 The Baguette and Boulangerie 312 Fast Food and French Chains 313 Street Food 314 A Gourmand’s Paradise 314 Ethnic Food 314 Understanding French Restaurants 317 Message from French Restaurant Owners to American Visitors 318 A Note for Nonsmokers 319 Manners 319 How to Settle a Dispute 319 The Restaurant Ratings: Stars, Forks, Toques, and More 320 The Menu versus La Carte 322 Size of Portions 323 Cooking Instructions 323 A Note on French Beef 324 02_595385_ftoc.qxd 11/11/05 9:39 AM Page xii

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Ordering and Tasting the Wine 324 The Structure of the Meal 325 The Bill (L’Addition) 329 Doggie Bags 329 Dressing for Dinner 329 A Reminder on the Smoking Situation 329 The Restaurants 330 Paris Restaurants Rated and Ranked 330 PARIS RESTAURANTS BY LOCATION 331

PART EIGHT Shopping 378 A Browser’s Paradise 378 An Unofficial Suggestion 378 VAT Tax Refunds on Your Purchases 379 Mailing or Shipping Home Your Purchases 380 Using Credit Cards 380 Returns and Refunds 381 Duty-Free Shops 382 Museum Gift Shops and Bookstores 382 Shopping Areas and Favorite Streets 383 /Rue Etienne Marcel 383 Les Halles 383 Le Marais 383 Saint-Germain-des-Prés 383 Boulevard Haussmann, Rue Saint-Honoré, La Madeleine 384 The Champs-Elysées 384 The Bastille 384 /Avenue 385 Department Stores 385 A Selection of Special Shops 386 Cool Cheap Shopping 388 Haute Couture: Discounted and Marked Down 389 Open-Air Markets 391 Tips for Shopping in the Open-Air Markets 390 Permanent Markets 391 Roving Markets 391 Organic Markets 392 Flea Markets 393 Specialized Markets 393 Fabric and Clothes Market 394 Great Parisian Gifts and Where to Find Them 394 Antiques 394 Aprons and Knives 395 02_595385_ftoc.qxd 11/11/05 9:39 AM Page xiii

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Bathroom Accessories 395 Bread 395 Café Tables and Other Authentic Items 395 Cheese 396 Children’s Books in French 396 Chocolate 397 Confitures 397 Dishes 397 Dolls, Bears, and Puppets 398 Foie Gras, Escargots, Caviar, and Saumon Fumé 398 Gold Jewelry 398 Hardware 398 Kitchen, Cooking, and Dining Room Supplies 399 Linen 399 Lingerie 399 Music and French CDs 399 Mustard 399 Original Ready to Wear and More 400 Pens 400 Perfume and Fine Cosmetics 400 Stationery 401 Trendy Clothing 401 Wine and Spirits 401

PART NINE Exercise and Recreation 403 Sports and Fitness 403 Jogging and Running 403 A Special Report for Serious Runners 404 Swimming 407 Fishing and Boating 408 Hiking 408 Parks and City Squares 408 Tennis 408 Gym Clubs 409 Body and Mind 409 Cycling 410 Inline Skating 412 Golf 412 Horseback Riding 413 Down at the Beach: Paris Plage 413 02_595385_ftoc.qxd 11/11/05 9:39 AM Page xiv

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PART TEN Entertainment and Nightlife 414 Paris by Night 414 The Lights of Paris 415 Self-Guided Night Tour by Taxi 415 Cultural Evenings 416 Where to Go for Listings? 416 Music, Opera, and 416 Church Concerts 419 Theaters and Spectacles 419 Readings and Lectures 421 Cinema 421 The Red Lights of Paris 422 Tips for Going Out on the Town 423 Dress Codes for Paris Clubs 423 Prices and Entrance Fees (Prix d’Entrées) 423 Sexuality 423 Notable Paris Nightclubs 425 PARIS NIGHTCLUBS BY LOCATION 426 Nightclub Profiles 427 Note on the Mix of Clubs 427 Note on Food at the Clubs 428

Accomodations Index 445 Restaurant Index 447 Subject Index 450 Reader Survey 461 02_595385_ftoc.qxd 11/11/05 9:39 AM Page xv

LIST of MAPS

Paris Arrondissements 10 Accommodations on the Right Bank (1er–4e, 8e–12e, and 18e) 98 Accommodations on the Left Bank (5e–7e and 13e–14e) 100 Top Paris Attractions 232 Attractions on the Right Bank (1er and 2e) 234 Attractions on the Right Bank (3e, 4e, 11e, and 12e) 235 Attractions on the Left Bank (5e, 6e, and 14e) 236 Attractions on the Left Bank (7e and 15e) 237 Attractions on the Right Bank (8e) 238 Attractions on the Right Bank (9e, 17e, and 18e) 239 Attractions on the Right Bank (16e) 240 Restaurants and Nightclubs on the Right Bank (1er–4e, 8e–12e, and 18e) 340 Restaurants and Nightclubs on the Left Bank (5e, 6e, 13e, and 14e) 342 Restaurants on the Left Bank (7e and 15e) 344 The 255 Notre-Dame de Paris 242 279 Père-Lachaise Cemetery 282