Non UK Weekend in Paris: locations and travel tips pls

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naveen.nag

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Naveen
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Hi All,

I am planning a weekend (saturday morning to sunday evening) in Paris in September mainly for photography. Accommodating the transit visit on the way to London. I am aware that it is very short stay but would like to make the most of my stay. I am more keen on night photography for which I got only the Saturday night. Notre same, Eiffel tower, arch de triumph Louvre are some of my focus. Also Montmartre as well if possible.

1) Are these places all near to each other? If so, Is it walkable? Or are buses or trains that I need to take? How do I get around soon from one spot to the other?

2) would like to shoot street cafes. which are the best locations for these?

3) are there any other locations you recommend? How about the entry into Notre same? Do we have to buy tickets?

4) lastly, is it safe to walk around these places at night or mid night for tourist like me? I had been there earlier this year and found it fine. But how about late into the night?

Any tips would be really appreciated.
Please feel free to share some if your best Paris images.

Thanks
Naveen
 
Hi Naveen, Paris is a very compact city and although walkable, I would suggest the Metro... If you are familiar with the London underground then the Metro will be easy. You will have to pay to enter Notre Dame and walk up to the top, however the Cathedral itself is free. The Eiffel tower is a must see, although the amount of people peddling cheap trinkets is unbelievable and sometimes annoying. Montmartre is also a beautiful location to visit, but be aware that tourists are everywhere and it can become packed. As to safety at night, as in London, keep to well-lit areas and you will be fine. I also suggest a river boat tour of the Seine (Starting from the Eiffel tower end of town) which is handy for a photographic point of view. There is so much to see and photograph, you will have a great time.
 
Early morning at Arc de Triomphe is nice. You might be too late in the year for it to be sunrise AND still quiet, but if sunrise is early enough you can get some great images. Eiffel Tower from Trocadero is nice, either at sunrise or sunset. Also avenue des Grand Armee (toward La Defense) or Champs Elysee (from river end), at blue hour (nice traffic trails from the middle of the road).

You're spoiled for choice in Paris, so many great places. One difficulty is the sun tends to be very strong, so even indoors during the day can be very large dynamic range. Best time is for sure morning/evening, but that takes a bit of planning over where you want to be at those times.

Here's a few of mine from a couple of weeks ago;

Louvre entrance
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Arc de Triomphe early morning
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Arc de Triomphe early morning
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Les Invalides
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Les Invalides
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Church in St. Germain
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:) Ji Cheng (He was the Lantern Rouge)
2014-07_Paris-00007.jpg


Galleries Lafayette
2014-07_Paris-00009.jpg
 
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Should add, as feek mentioned take same care as London. I'd heard can be a bit shady down on the river early morning, but I think just use common-sense. Getting around is easiest by subway, as the distance can be quite far (Montmartre to Arc de Triomphe, to Eiffel Tower)
 
From the Eiffel tower to the Louvre is an easy walk and nice at night, nice to carry onto the island of paris.... Last time I really enjoyed going up the eiffel tower and the view is pretty cool from up there. Looking down the palet de chaillot and trocadero!

Really nice picture moadib by the way!
 
Just one other query. I hope Paris does not sleep early. Till how late in the night does the metro run on Saturdays? I plan to stick to the tourist places, considering that is it OK to roam around till say about 2 am?
 
  • Metro trains depart from the end of the line:
  • Mon - Fri: 05:30 - 00:30
  • Sat - Sun: 05:30 - 02:15
  • Nights before holidays: 05:30 - 02:15
, but there are night buses.
 
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There are a few Paris threads already, quickly summarising my recommendations on the earlier threads..
  • Tour Montparnasse and Institut du Monde Arabe have the two best views in Paris
  • Père Lachaise Cemetery is beautiful on a fine Autumn day
  • For Sunday lunch go to Bistro de la B (bistro-de-la-b.com) on la rue de Bièvre (about ten minutes walk from Notre Dame). The fixed price three course lunch menu with a glass of wine is EUR16.50 and it's a proper (non-tourist) Parisian Bistro (Google Map link)
  • For an interesting (and slightly different) guide book, get Parisian's Paris by Bill Gillham. It will come in handy for translating the menu at Bistro de la B.
  • In two days you won't see everything, so try and immerse yourself in a smaller area rather than flit about all over the city and spending more time looking at the adverts on the metro than anything else. My suggestion would be to concentrate on Île de la Cité (Notre Dame), Île Saint-Louis, and the left bank from Jardin du Luxembourg, through the Latin Quarter and down to Institut du Monde Arabe.

View from Institut du Monde Arabe:


Pantheon at night (within the narrower area I described above):


View from Tour Montparnasse (better than the view from the Tour Eiffel because it includes the Tour Eiffel):
 
Alastair said:
  • For Sunday lunch go to Bistro de la B (bistro-de-la-b.com) on la rue de Bièvre (about ten minutes walk from Notre Dame). The fixed price three course lunch menu with a glass of wine is EUR16.50 and it's a proper (non-tourist) Parisian Bistro (Google Map link)
Click to expand...

Visited this place today. Sorry to say it has permanently shut down. Pity - it seemed like a nice establishment and the owner was really friendly!
 
Oh, that's a shame. It was a really nice little bistro.
 
Hope your weather is better than mine was...7 days of cold overcast and rainy
 
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