01 541250 FM.qxd 11/10/03 8:45 AM Page i Paris from $90 a Day 9th Edition by Haas Mroue Here’s what the critics say about Frommer’s: “Amazingly easy to use.Very portable,very complete.” —Booklist “Detailed,accurate,and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.” —Glamour Magazine “Hotel information is close to encyclopedic.” —Des Moines Sunday Register “Frommer’s Guides have a way of giving you a real feel for a place.” —Knight Ridder Newspapers 01 541250 FM.qxd 11/10/03 8:45 AM Page ii Published by: Wiley Publishing,Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5744 Copyright © 2004 Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved. 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Manufactured in the United States of America 5 4 3 2 1 01 541250 FM.qxd 11/10/03 8:45 AM Page iii Contents List of Maps vi What’s New in Paris 1 1 The Best of Paris from $90 a Day 4 1 Frommer’s Favorite Affordable 3 Best Affordable Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Restaurant Bets . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 2 Best Affordable Hotel Bets . . . . .6 2 Planning an Affordable Trip to Paris 12 1 The $90-a-Day Premise . . . . . . .12 Frommers.com: The Complete 2 55 Money-Saving Tips . . . . . . . .13 Travel Resource . . . . . . . . . . . .38 3 Visitor Information . . . . . . . . . .18 Online Traveler’s Toolbox . . . . .40 Paris, Je T’Adore . . . . . . . . . . .19 12 Getting There . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 4 Entry Requirements & Travel in the Age of Customs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Bankruptcy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Getting Your Passports . . . . . . .21 Flying with Film & Video . . . . . .46 5 Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Driving Times to and from Paris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 What Things Cost in Paris . . . . .23 13 Packages for the Independent 6 When to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Traveler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Paris Calendar of Events . . . . . .25 14 Escorted General-Interest 7 Travel Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 8 Health & Safety . . . . . . . . . . . .30 15 Tips on Accommodations . . . . .50 9 Specialized Travel Resources . . .32 16 Tips on Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 10 Planning Your Trip Online . . . . .37 17 Recommended Books 11 The 21st-Century Traveler . . . . .38 & Films . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 3 Getting to Know the City of Light 54 1 Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 2 Getting Around . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Arrondissements in Brief . . . . . .58 Fast Facts: Paris . . . . . . . . . . . .70 4 Accommodations You Can Afford 76 1 On the Right Bank . . . . . . . . . .77 2 On the Left Bank . . . . . . . . . . .91 Living Like a Parisian . . . . . . . .82 3 Hostels & Dorms . . . . . . . . . .102 01 541250 FM.qxd 11/10/03 8:45 AM Page iv iv CONTENTS 5 Great Deals on Dining 105 1 Eating Like a Parisian . . . . . . .106 5 On the Left Bank . . . . . . . . . .131 Cheap Streets: The Lowdown . . .108 6 The Best Cafes . . . . . . . . . . . .143 2 Restaurants by Cuisine . . . . . .109 7 Tea Salons (Salons de Thé) . . .148 3 The Best of the 8 Wine Bars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150 Budget Chains . . . . . . . . . . . .111 9 Patisseries & Boulangeries . . . .152 4 On the Right Bank . . . . . . . . .112 Three-Course Meals after Midnight . . . . . . . . . . . .117 6 Seeing the Sights 154 Suggested Itineraries . . . . . . .154 7 8 & 17e Arrondissements:The 1 Attractions by Type . . . . . . . . .155 Champs-Elysées & Environs . . .192 2 The Top 10 Sights . . . . . . . . . .159 8 18e Arrondissement: Montmartre . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197 Paris’s Top Free (or Almost) Attractions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160 9 16e Arrondissement:Trocadéro & Le Seizième . . . . . . . . . . . .200 Some Louvre Tips . . . . . . . . . .167 10 12,19 & 20e Arrondissements: Great Spots for Getting That Eastern Paris . . . . . . . . . . . . .205 Panoramic Shot . . . . . . . . . . .169 The Canals of Paris . . . . . . . . .209 3 Ile de la Cité & Ile St-Louis . . .170 11 5 & 6e Arrondissements: Pretty Place Dauphine . . . . . . .171 The Latin Quarter . . . . . . . . . .209 4 1er Arrondissement:The Louvre, 12 6 & 7e Arrondissements: Tuileries & Les Halles . . . . . . .176 St-Germain-des-Prés . . . . . . . .214 Baron Haussmann: The Man An American Bookseller Who Transformed Paris . . . . . .181 in Paris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216 5 2,9 & 10e Arrondissements: 13 7e Arrondissement:The Eiffel The Opéra,Bourse & the Tower & Invalides . . . . . . . . . .217 Grands Boulevards . . . . . . . . .181 14 6,14 & 15e Arrondissements: 6 3,4 & 11e Arrondissements: Montparnasse . . . . . . . . . . . .220 The Marais,Beaubourg & 15 Organized Tours . . . . . . . . . . .221 Bastille . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184 7 Paris Strolls 224 Walking Tour 1: The Marais . . .224 Walking Tour 4: Walking Tour 2: Montmartre . . .228 The Latin Quarter . . . . . . . . . .235 Walking Tour 3: The Literary & ArtisticLeft Bank . . . . . . . .231 01 541250 FM.qxd 11/10/03 8:45 AM Page v CONTENTS v 8 Shopping 239 1 The Shopping Basics . . . . . . . .239 2 The Best Shopping from A to Z . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240 9 Paris After Dark 251 1 The Performing Arts . . . . . . . .252 A Bar Crawl in Trendy 2 The Club & Music Scene . . . . .255 Ménilmontant . . . . . . . . . . . .264 3 The Bar Scene . . . . . . . . . . . .261 10 Side Trips from Paris 266 1 Versailles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .266 5 Giverny—In the Footsteps 2 Fontainebleau . . . . . . . . . . . .270 of Claude Monet . . . . . . . . . .276 3 Chartres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .272 6 Reims:Champagne Tasting & Culinary Adventures . . . . . . .277 4 Disneyland Paris . . . . . . . . . . .274 Appendix A:Paris in Depth 280 1 History 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .280 2 Parisian Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . .288 Dateline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .280 Appendix B:Glossary of Useful Terms 290 Useful French Words & Phrases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .290 Index 294 General Index . . . . . . . . . . . . .294 Cafe Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .305 Accommodations Index . . . . . .304 Tea Salon Index . . . . . . . . . . . .306 Restaurant Index . . . . . . . . . . .304 Wine Bar Index . . . . . . . . . . . .306 01 541250 FM.qxd 11/10/03 8:45 AM Page vi List of Maps Paris Arrondissements 60 Attractions in the 1er 177 Accommodations on the Right Bank Attractions in the 3 & 4e 185 (1–4, 8–11 & 16–18e) 78 Attractions in the 8e 193 Accommodations on the Right Bank Attractions in the 18e 199 (8 & 16–17e) 89 Attractions in the 16e 201 Accommodations on the Left Bank Bois de Boulogne 203 (5–7 & 13–14e) 92 Attractions in the 12 & 19–20e 207 Accommodations on the Left Bank (7e) 101 Attractions in the 5–6e 211 Where to Dine on the Right Bank Attractions in the 7e 219 (1–4 & 9–12e) 114 Walking Tour: The Marais 225 Where to Dine on the Right Bank Walking Tour: Montmartre 229 (8 & 16–17e) 127 Walking Tour: The Literary & Where to Dine on the Right Bank Artistic Left Bank 233 (18e) 129 Walking Tour: The Latin Where to Dine on the Left Bank Quarter 237 (5–6 & 14e) 132 The Ile-de-France 267 Where to Dine on the Left Bank Versailles 269 (7 & 15e) 141 Fontainebleau 271 Top Paris Attractions 156 Notre-Dame de Chartres 273 The Louvre 161 Reims 278 Notre-Dame de Paris 163 Père-Lachaise Cemetery 172 01 541250 FM.qxd 11/10/03 8:45 AM Page vii Acknowledgments I would like to thank Veronique Surrel for her endless insights, Brian Bost for the endless walks, and Patricia Stott for the endless laughter—my time in Paris would not have been the same without you. —Haas Mroue 01 541250 FM.qxd 11/10/03 8:45 AM Page viii An Invitation to the Reader In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants, shops, and more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommendation, we’d love to know that, too. Please write to: Frommer’s Paris from $90 a Day, 9th Edition Wiley Publishing, Inc. • 111 River St. • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5744 An Additional Note Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time—and this is especially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirma- tion when making your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the experiences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us, however, so we encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets. About the Author Haas Mrouestudied at the American University of Paris for 2 years before graduating from UCLA Film School. He went on to receive an M.A. in creative writing from the Uni- versity of Colorado, Boulder. His travel articles, poems, and short stories have appeared in such publications as Travel Holiday, Interiors, The Literary Review, andEncyclopaedia Britannica, and have been broadcast on the BBC World Service. He has co-authored guidebooks for National Geographicand Berlitz. He’s the author of Frommer’s Memorable Walks in Parisand is a contributor to Frommer’s Europe from $70 a Day,Frommer’s Gay & Lesbian Europe,Frommer’s Argentina & Chile,and Frommer’s South America.When he’s not on the road, he makes his home on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. Other Great Guides for Your Trip: Frommer’s Paris Paris For Dummies Suzy Gershman’s Born to Shop Paris The Unofficial Guide to Paris Frommer’s Irreverent Guide to Paris Frommer’s Memorable Walks in Paris Frommer’s Portable Paris 01 541250 FM.qxd 11/10/03 8:45 AM Page ix Frommer’s Star Ratings,Icons & Abbreviations Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system.In country, state, and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices and budget your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (rec- ommended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and regions are rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star (highly recommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see). In addition to the star-rating system, we also use seven feature iconsthat point you to the great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from tourists. Throughout the book, look for: Finds Special finds—those places only insiders know about Fun Fact Fun facts—details that make travelers more informed and their trips more fun Kids Best bets for kids, and advice for the whole family Moments Special moments—those experiences that memories are made of Overrated Places or experiences not worth your time or money Tips Insider tips—great ways to save time and money Value Great values—where to get the best deals The following abbreviationsare used forcredit cards: AE American Express DISC Discover V Visa DC Diners Club MC MasterCard Frommers.com Now that you have the guidebook to a great trip, visit our website at www.frommers.com for travel information on more than 3,000 destinations. With features updated regularly, we give you instant access to the most current trip-planning information available. At Frommers.com, you’ll also find the best prices on airfares, accommodations, and car rentals—and you can even book travel online through our travel booking partners. At Frommers.com, you’ll also find the following: • Online updates to our most popular guidebooks • Vacation sweepstakes and contest giveaways • Newsletter highlighting the hottest travel trends • Online travel message boards with featured travel discussions