Tales of 4 Cities - Paris

Paris. The second leg. We spent a relaxed week in the romantic city.

Getting around: Metro tickets can be bought in batches of 10.

Accommodation: We booked a room at Boissiere (53, rue Jean Jaurès, Levallois Perret) for a few days before walking a few metres down the road and checked into another hotel - My Hotel in France . It was a really good deal as breakfast was provided and each day, you are entitled to a brown bag of sandwich, bottled water and cut fruits. =) Oh yes, there's free wifi. =))

Some of the places that we visited:

1. Musee du Louvre (the very famous Mona Lisa painting is a draw! There are some eateries in the museum so no worries. You can take pictures of the paintings unless otherwise told. Closed on Tuesdays and public hols; free 1st Sun of the month. I find the audio guide helpful)

2. Eiffel Tower. We did not go all the way up but just lingered at the bottom. It's good enough. (Exit Champ-de-Mars)

3. Notre-Dame. Then go and search for Berthillon ice-cream located on the smaller island (Ile St-Louis) next to Notre-Dame. Recommended by a colleague and it's really yummy!

4. Sacre- Coeur. Nice and of course the cafes and sidewalk in Montmartre. Moulin Rouge is located there but nothing fantastic about the show. Email them to make reservation; pay on the spot.

5. Arc de Triomphe. Located at the top of the Champs-Elysees (where the shopping area is).

6. Pantheon. We didn't go in (not really worth it).

7. There is a group who organised FREE Paris walk for tourists. They meet at the fountain of the Metro exit, St-Michel. Good English speaking guides. We went with them to Versailles and they explained well the history too. Nice big gardens at Versailles and great history lessons!

8. La Vallee Village. Big brand names at discounted prices. Take RER A and exit at Val d'Europe.

9. Parks & Gardens: Have some sandwiches and a book and bum there. Jardin du Luxembourg & Jardin des Tuileries are beautiful, esp the former.

Things to do:
- Have at least one nice French meal.
- Be like the Parisians. Take your time to sip your expresso @ cafes/bars, watching people pass by you.
- Always start any conversation with Bonjour!
- Walk down La Seine with your loved one(s). It's really a romantic thing to do!