5 things to do in Paris

Brian Crisp finds 5 things to do in Paris – the most romantic city in the world.

Move in style

IT’S a mode of transport for those of us who like to be noticed.

When you tour Paris in the back seat of a Citroen 2 CV, you can’t help but be seen by everyone.
The tiny iconic car was produced by Citroen from 1948 to 1990. Today, they are rare on the streets of the French capital unless you take a (Re)Discover Paris tour with 4 roues sous 1 parapluie.

A young French driver picked us up from the Shangri-La Hotel at 1.30pm on our first day in Paris. Surprisingly, despite being a tight squeeze to get in, there was lots of room for two of us in the back. The roof was peeled down, which meant that when we wanted a better view all we had to do was stand up.

We used the 90-minute tour to get our bearings. It had been a while since either of us had been to Paris so it was great to let someone else connect the dots for us before we explored on foot.
Rides start from E19 ($24) a person. See 4roues-sous-1parapluie.com

Pucker up

Not everything in Paris costs money. A kiss is free if you can find a willing partner. I bought Thierry Soufflard’s book The Best Places to Kiss in Paris just in case the world’s most romantic city worked its magic on my wife.

Here are some of Soufflard’s suggestions for kisses to remember:

• Under the Pont-Neuf a classic, one of the 37 bridges that cross the Seine.
• Village Saint-Paul, the former Royal Gardens of King Charles V out of sight.
• Quai de Montebello and a boat cruise. Think Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. Think Charade. “You don’t look so bad in this light” . . . “Why do you think I brought you here?”

Isle be yours

If you want to discover the real Paris, take a stroll down rue Saint-Louis en I’lle. It is the small island near Notre Dame cathedral.

Discover tiny restaurants with innovative and delightful menus, second-hand shops selling vintage Chanel, and the most amazing ice cream I have tasted.

I stayed on the island at Carol’s Bed & Breakfast Apartment No.359, rented from Petite Paris (petiteparis.com.au). Apart from the several steep sets of stairs, it was perfect. Carol Guay is an exceptional host. She met us with a cup of tea, showed us where everything was and made us feel as if we were on holiday with friends. Our room was small but it had all that we needed.
It is Carol’s home and, as such, offers a true Parisian experience. And that starts first thing in the morning with warm croissants.

Past de deux

Even if you don’t like museums, in Paris you have to make an effort as it is the home of beautiful history.

Of course there’s the Musee du Louvre and every visitor to Paris should go there but there are plenty of other options. The Musee National du Moyen Age is home to tapestries, sculptures, glass and jewellery from the Middle Ages (6 Place Paul Painleve).

If you like hunting, head to Musee de la Chasse et de la Nature. It is a quirky collection of all the things used through history to hunt. (62 Rue des Archives).

If you want to go underground then explore Les Catacombes. It is said that there are more than six million skulls and bones housed under the city (1 Avenue du Colonel).

All that’s Left

The Left Bank now has another reason to visit. Last month the Musee du quai Branly opened (two years late), adding its considerable weight to an area that already includes the Pantheon, the Eiffel Tower and the Musee d’Orsay.

The Musee du quai Branly was built to house the collections from the Musee de l’Homme and the Musee national des arts d’Afrique et d’Oceanie. It costs E8.50 to enter.
You don’t need transport in this part of Paris everything is within walking distance.

Getting There:

Flights to Paris
The author flew to Paris with Etihad, via Abu Dhabi. See etihad.com

Staying therepetiteparis.com.au has a range of B&B accommodation available throughout the city.

Tips

Get a train from the airport. The morning traffic is horrendous. The train is cheaper and quicker.

10 most-visited sites in Paris

• Disneyland Paris
• Notre-Dame de Paris
• Sacre-Coeur de Montmartre
• Musee du Louvre
• Tour Eiffel
• Domaine de Versailles
• Centre Pompido
• Cite des sciences et de l’industrie
• Musee d’Orsay
• Museum national d’Histoire naturelle

Have you been to Paris? What are your top things to see and do in Paris?