Get Your Visit Started

Need to Know – Need to Have
The essential travel items to obtain when you first arrive are good maps.

I recommend  two in particular:
1. The Map Book:

The best book for street map of the arrondissements that I use is the “Paris Pratique par Arrondissement“. It is published by L’Indispensable. In this book they provide one-way streets, pedestrian streets, metros, RER, buses, tramways, post offices and mayor offices (each arrondissement has its own mayor).

2. Metro/Bus map:

The best of the maps available is the No. 2 Grand Plan de Paris. Pick it up for free at any metro station. On one side are the metros and street names; on the other the color-coded bus system and street names.

Finding Paris maps
A question came in from a reader about walking tour maps. Here are a couple of suggestions:
Paris Tourist Office (Main center)
25, rue des Pyramides 75001 Paris The Paris Tourist Office, Metro Pyramides offers walking tour maps to.
RER : Auber (line A)
Métro : Pyramides (line 7 or 14)
Open: November 1 to April 30, Monday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Closed May 1)
May 2 to October 31 Monday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Paris Tourist Office Pyramides

Radio in English – World Radio Paris – “WRP is the first radio station licensed to broadcast in English in Paris. WRP broadcasts from the American University of Paris and is a not-for-profit service financed by its listeners, available on the new DAB+ radio band. WRP aims to bring quality news-oriented programming to the 200,000+ English speakers living in the French capital in partnership with the BBC, NPR and RFI.”

Souvenir Ideas

Jardins des Tuileries gift store:
Jeux de cartes (playing cards)
Bookmarks

Books in English:
Dusserre fleurs butterflies birds
Jardins des Tuileries
The Tuileries
Louvre to Place de laConcorde
Editions du patrimoine

Accroche du sac (purse holder) – with a Paris theme

Christmas ornaments with a Paris theme

The Mayor’s Walks Website of Paris Walks offers self-guided from movie walks to following a trail of the middle ages. These are different ways of exploring Paris!

Life in France, including French and School Holidays

For French Web sites use Google Translate

Allergies – April Spring Easter Monday — Or Is It June in Paris?.

Audio Guides for Museums using phone applications

Brocantes in France
Living in France or traveling to France here is a list of Brocantes, vide greniers, Puces and general information listed for easy viewing in each department. Many of these listings also provide Christmas market information around France and Paris.

• Brocabrac
• Vide-Greniers.org
• AnticStore.com (site available in English)
• Info-Brocantes.com – Guide for flea market browsers
• Calendrier des Brocantes – calendar of flea markets, lots of stuff …. Paris is No. 75 (department) “Retour” means return to the previous page. Click on the image to find out the current events:

chair = used goods
guy pushing wheel barrow  = anything for sale
doll = flea market
odds and ends = garage sale
toys = toy sale
clothes hanging = clothes sale
flower = plants for sale

Cheese on-line
Fromages.com is the oldest internet French cheese website (since 1997). From our French sellers to your table. We deliver French tradition worldwide to you by express delivery. Visit their extensive cheese library!

Education questions about France – AngloInfo

Expats in Paris
Expat Paris – InterNations
InterNations is the biggest global networking site for expats of various nationalities and their family members. At the moment, InterNations unites more than 200,000 members in 235 cities worldwide.

French Health Care – in English
AMELI – Assurance Maladie de Paris has an advice line in English . Their phone numbers are 0 811 36 36 46 from France (local call price from fixed-phone line) or 0033 811 36 36 46 from foreign countries (call rates vary between operators).

Other Health Tips – Pharmacy tips

Hair Care

Jim Haynes (b. 1933) – Sunday dinner – NPR recording
I have lived in Paris since 1992/1993 – The name, Jim Haynes, is common in Paris – after visiting his Website, it appears I will have to compete with thousands to get a Sunday dinner reservation. A letter arrived in the Colleen’s Paris mailbox asking about “Dinner with Jim Haynes”. Buried in my Web site was information. Although a bit curious, I was never curious enough to find out more or to visit the infamous Sunday dinner. I am now sending in a reservation.

You have probably heard about this gentleman who invites whomever to his home for dinner. He is still up to the invitations, except for the month August. “He goes away for two or three weeks in August” to Edinburgh. His dinners have been on the agenda for the past 30 years.

The following comes from the Paris Tourist Office:

“…For a totally out of the ordinary dinner, make a reservation with Jim Haynes.

For over 25 years, this extravagant American has been inviting perfect strangers to dinner every Sunday in his beautiful artist’s studio in the 14th arrondissement, at 8 p.m. on the dot! The atmosphere is very friendly, and one leaves with a list of new acquaintances. An international public vies to take part in this weekly happening; it is necessary to reserve well in advance. Take note: Jim goes away for two or three weeks in August.”

JIM HAYNES Atelier A-2 83 rue de la Tombe-Issoire 75014; Telephone: 01 43 27 17 67 (between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.)

General Open Times:
To read about general open times for their listings: Commerces – Musées et monuments – Poste, banques, bureaux et administrations – Restauration – Transports – USE GOOGLE TRANSLATE . These pages are not available in English.

Romance – ApoteoSurprise“, which is the official name of his French Web site (Propose in Paris is the English site name)

Time Changes in Paris
GMT = Greenwich Mean Time
In Winter:
Paris is GMT + 1 (when it is noon GMT, it is 1 p.m. in Paris)
In Summer:
Paris is GMT + 2 (when it is noon GMT, it is 2 p.m. in Paris)
In France, the time change for summer is the last Sunday in March at 2 a.m. (spring forward) advance your watch to 3 a.m.
For winter, fall back on the last Sunday in October at 3 a.m. Turn your clock back to 2 a.m.

Toilets

Travel Guides
SimplyParis – a Paris Travel Guide
Your Paris travel guide about all to see in this beautiful city.

 Use the official Paris tourist office Web site to explore, where to stay, eating out, what to see, going out, transport, practical Paris, etc.

LE NOUVEAU PAR!S is the official Website for Paris Ile-de-France.

I would tell you about their hotel ideas, but I highly recommend reserving  your hotels and apartments through my site.

Instead of my keeping up with every sliver of information, why not find almost everything you need to know about everything you want to do on the official Website for Ile-de-France.

When I search the Web for travel information, the first thing my eyes seek out is the phrase “official Website”. Here it is.

On this site are current events, museum information and exhibitions, music, bars, guides, attractions, transportation.

Enjoy!