May 2007

Table of Contents

· Paris Walking Tours
· May in Paris
· La Nuit des Musees
· Versailles Fountain Display
· May's Addresses
- Eating
- Sleeping
 
Last Chance for Paris in September! (link)

Registration for our September ’07 trip to Paris closes on June 1 ! If you are interested in joining us, you only have until June 1 to sign up!

Check Out the Trip Info:

Join us for the trip of a lifetime! You can contact Lesley directly by email at lesley@paristriptips.com

 
Take Walking Tours with You to Paris
If you or someone you know are going to Paris be sure to take our self-guided walking tours with you.  These tours are a great way to see Paris!

Each tour has a theme and they are filled with great stops and useful information.

Each tour comes with its own map!  This is a very affordable way to make sure you get the most from your Paris trip.  Click here to see the tours!

 

 
May in Paris

May is a great time to be in Paris. Between the excellent weather and few tourists, you really are at a great advantage if you are traveling to Paris in May.

The sun will be shining as well: this April has been pretty warm, so expect some of the same for May!

Don’t forget, there are a few national holidays in May, where many shops and restaurants will be closed:

  • May 1, Labor Day

  • May 8, V-E Day

  • May 25, Ascension Day (you will find more open on this day than on the other two holidays)

 
La Nuit des Musées

May 19 is your chance to experience a really unique even in Paris: La Nuit des Musees. This night, museums throughout the city will be open late, allowing you to see their art through beautiful lighting effects. There will be talks, concerts, screenings and shows at the various museums throughout Paris.
And the best part? The museums are free that night. Most are free of charge as of 7:30 or 8:00 p.m.
Here’s the short list of participating museums, and their hours:

  • The Louvre will be open until 11:45 p.m.
  • Picasso Museum will be open until 11:00 p.m.
  • Pompidou Center will be open until 1:00 a.m.
  • Cluny Museum will be open until 11:45 p.m.
  • Musee d’Orsay will be open until midnight.
  • Invalides will be open until 1:00 a.m.
  • Rodin Museum will be open until midnight.

For more information on other participating museums in Paris and throughout France, go to the site: www.nuitdesmusees.culture.fr

 
Versailles Fountain Display
Les Grandes Eaux Musicales de Versailles:
From now until September 30, 2007, you can enjoy the gardens of Versailles and their fountains set to music. All of Versailles’ fountains and pools are timed to produce a ballet accompanying beautiful music by French composer Jean-Baptist Lully. It’s truly a remarkable experience you don’t want to miss. But be sure to check the schedule so you don’t miss the fountains. Another helpful hint with Versailles, especially on a Saturday, is to arrive when it opens. That way you can tour the inside without worrying about too much of a crowd, and continue on to the gardens at your leisure.

Dates and Times
From April 7 - September 30, 2007 during the following days:
Every Saturday and Sunday
Monday 16 April (Easter)
Thursday 24 May (Ascension)
Saturday 14 July
Wednesday 15 August.

Website Information

Itinerary:
11am to 12 noon: la Grande Perspective
11.15am to 11.30: le Bosquet des Trois Fontaines
11.45am to 12 noon: le Bosquet des Rocailles
3.30pm to 5pm: la Grande Perspective and all the pools and groves
5.20pm to 5.30pm: finale at the Bassin de Neptune (except days of the Fete des Nuits)

PARC DU CHATEAU DE VERSAILLES
78000 VERSAILLES
RER: C: Versailles Rive Gauche

May’s Addresses
eating
Looking for a great bakery to try some of Paris’s best croissants and baguettes? Here are a few where you can’t go wrong:

Croissants
Maison Kayser
14 rue Monge, 75005

Sourdough
Le Boulanger de Monge
123 Rue Monge, 75005

Baguette
Gosselin
125 Rue St. Honoré, 75001
(closed Saturdays)

Pain aux Raisins
Moulin de la Vierge
166 Ave. de Suffren, 75015
(closed Thursdays)

Pain au chocolat
Boulangerie Bechu
118 Ave. Victor Hugo
(closed Mondays)

Croissant aux Amandes
La Flûte Gana
226 Rue des Pyrénées, 75020
(closed Sundays and Mondays)

Fougasse
Pain d’épis
63 Ave. Bosquet
(closed Saturdays)
sleeping

Four Seasons George V
31, avenue George V
75008 Paris, France
Information
: 33 (0)1 49 52 70 00
Reservations: 33 (0)1 49 52 71 00

I normally don’t recommend luxury hotels, since most of my readers are not looking to spend so much money on their hotels. But, this month I am making an exception for the gorgeous George V. The exquisite hotel has been named the “world’s top large hotel” by a Zagat survey of travelers and travel agents. For anyone who has been there -- or even taken a peek into the front lobby – it is no wonder why. If you get a chance, put on something nice and go for a drink or tea at the very least, it’s simply dreamy and you will experience a level of service that is beyond reproach.
If you are interested in a stay, know that a standard room runs about 730 euros. If you have something special to celebrate, this might be worth your euros! I’m sure it would be a very memorable stay.

For those of you looking for a more inexpensive place to stay, the New York Times has recently compiled this list of great places at great prices:

Hôtel Langlois
63, rue Saint-Lazare
Ninth Arrondissement
Tel: 33-1-4874-7824
www.hotel-langlois.com

Hôtel Chopin
46, passage Jouffroy
Ninth Arrondissement
Tel: 33-1-4770-5810
www.hotelchopin.fr

Hôtel Amour
8, rue Navarin
Ninth Arrondissement
Tel: 33-1-4878-3180
www.hotelamour.com

Hôtel Verneuil
8, rue de Verneuil
Seventh Arrondissement
Tel: 33-1-4260-8214
www.hotelverneuil.com

Hôtel Muguet
11, rue Chevert
Seventh Arrondissement
Tel: 33-1-4705-0593
www.hotelmuguet.com

Hôtel Lindbergh
5, rue Chomel
Seventh Arrondissement
Tel: 33-1-4548-3553
www.hotellindbergh.com

Hôtel de Varenne
44, rue de Bourgogne
Seventh Arrondissement
Tel: 33-1-4551-4555
www.varenne-hotel-paris.com

Hôtel Eldorado
18, rue des Dames
Seventeenth Arrondissement
Tel: 33-1-4522-3521
www.eldoradohotel.fr

Hôtel de Nice
42 bis, rue de Rivoli
Fourth Arrondissement
Tel: 33-1-4278-5529
www.hoteldenice.com

Hôtel Windsor Home
3, rue Vital
Sixteenth Arrondissement
Tel: 33-1-4504-4949
www.windsorhomeparis.fr

Hôtel des Grandes Ecoles
75, rue Cardinal Lemoine
Fifth Arrondissement
Tel: 33-1-4326-7923
www.hotel-grandes-ecoles.com

New Orient Hotel
16, rue de Constantinople
Eighth Arrondissement
Tel: 33-1-4522-2164
www.hotel-paris-orient.com