5 Favorite Things to Do in Paris: The Compilation

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful responses to our "5 Favorite Things to Do in Paris" request. Below is the compilation--verbatim from your e-mails, with names removed to protect the innocent. Please feel free to add more thoughts using the "comments" link at the bottom. The number in parentheses indicates how many people recommended the item.

See below for food, art, other museums, tours and monuments, gardens and parks, shopping, things sportif, night time, hotels and a wonderfully random assortment of other favorites.

Food and Food-Related Experiences

Tea Salons:

*Hot Chocolate @ Angelina (226 rue de Rivoli,1st Arr, 01 42 60 82 00) (2) & Cafe Marly (2)(next to the Louvre)*Hot chocolate at Carette, 4, Place du Trocadero; 16th arr., 01 47 27 88 56*Salon de the - all of them; so elegant, so tasty, a little apart from the usual stuff

* Le Marais--On a rainy,cold Sunday,let your steps take you to LE LOIR DANS LA THEIERE (3,rue des Rosiers, 4th, 01.42.72.90.61, everyday from 11:30 AM to 7 PM., ).It is a tea-salon with an incredibly warm and busy ambiance and friendly local crowd.

* Le Quartier Latin--Take a trip back in time at LA PATISSERIE VIENNOISE (8,rue de L'Ecole-de-Médecine, Tel: 01 43 26 60 48, M: Odeon, 6th ) Take a sit,order a pastry,a cup of coffee:welcome to the 40's.

*(2)La Duree: http://www.laduree.fr/ Laudree is a lovely, lovely place to enjoy tea and some of the best macaroons in Paris (which is saying a lot, since good macs can be found many places in Paris). We went to the one that is close to the Opera Garnier (Rue Royale) and it was the epitome of what you expect an elegant salon in Paris to be. It is also the one place where the counter help was visibly less-than-thrilled with my French. Still, a lovely experience.( 16, Rue Royale, 8th, 75, avenue des Champs-Elysee, 8th, 64 boulevard Haussmann, 9th)

*Mariage Freres: http://www.mariagefreres.com/ We stayed literally right next door to this tea salon (if you see the blue door to the right of Mariage that was our apartment!). If you're into tea at all, this is THE place to go. 32 Rue de Bourg-Tibourg, I think. You can eat there also but it's the greatest assortment of loose leaf tea I have seen. (30 Rue de Bourg-Tibourg, 01 42 72 28 11, 4th, 13 Rue des Grands-Augustins, 01 40 51 82 50, 6th, 260 Faubourg Saint-Honore, 01 46 22 18 54, 8th) Open 7 days a week, Les Comptoirs 10 :30-19 :30, Restaurants 12-15h, Salons de the 15-19h, Musees du the 10:30-19:30

*Bread : MUST be Au Levain du Marais at corner of Turenne and Foin (4th Arrdt, 32, rue de Turenne Tél : 01-42-78-07-31 M: Saint-Paul ) and for the best tea and home made pastry : Le Loir dans la Théière – 3, Rue des Rosiers - also in the 4th. 0142729061

Morroccan/Middle Eastern:
*Have dinner at Restaurant 404 in the 3d. It won't quite take you back to Morocco... but in some ways, it's better.
*Roi de Couscous (60, rue de la Tombe Issoire, 01 43 27 53 36, 14th, M: Denfert-Rochereau*Kebabs around the Place Ste. Michelle (M: St Michele)
*The Marais. We stayed in this neighborhood and fell in love with its byzantine streets and alleys. We found the best fallafel place (a sign outside quotes Lenny Kravitz with saying it's the best in the world, and we are inclined to agree). Check it out here: L'As Du Fallafel at 34 rue des Rosiers, 01-48-87-63-60, Métro: Hotel de Ville or Saint-Paul). If you aren't familiar with Rue des Rosiers, its a lively street that runs the length of the Jewish section of this neighborhood and there are lots of great delis here also. But go there for the fallafel-- it's really worth it!

Haute Cuisine:
*Restaurant “Le Meurice”
228 rue de Rivoli, Tel. +33(0)1-44-58-10-10, www.meuricehotel.com (Hôtel Meurice1st Arr, 01 44 58 10 50 Métro: Tuileries, Closed Sun.-Mon., 2 wks in Feb., Aug. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Tues.-Sat. until 11pm)
This Michelin two-star palace raised eyebrows when Yannick Alleno became their new, very young chef in 2003. Modernizing the menu while keeping perfection in sight, Alleno has made Le Meurice a gastronomic “must” for all Paris foodies. The room alone will make you feel like royalty.

*Restaurant Guy Savoy
18 rue Troyon, Tel. +33(0)1-43-80-40-61, www.guysavoy.com (17th, Métro: Charles de Gaulle – Étoile, Open until 10:30pm Closed Saturday noon, Sunday, Monday, End of July to end of August)
Calling it the best of modern French cuisine might lead one to overlook the outstanding service or the sleek sophistication found at Guy Savoy. The relaxed atmosphere makes you feel like you are dining at home, or perhaps at James Bond’s home.

*Pressed duck at Tour D'Argent (15-17, quai de la Tournelle, 01 43 54 23 31, 5th, Métro: St-Michel or Pont Marie)

* go to the 3 star restaurant up the eiffel tower (Jules Verne) 01 45 55 61 44

*Pierre Gagnaire 08th arrondissement Hôtel Balzac 6, rue Balzac, 01 58 36 12 50 www.pierre-gagnaire.com

*Our best not-so-simple and not-at-all-inexpensive dinner was at Hiramatsu. The food was magnificent. I will never forget the red-headed, British sommelier who described the wine we ordered as 'foxy' and later, after we finished drinking it and enjoying it immensely, he elaborated about the word 'foxy' as having to do with a fox hunt, sweaty horses, leather saddles, wet earth, etc. www.hiramatsu.co.jp/lang_french (52, rue de Longchamp, 01 56 81 08 80, 16th, Lunch 12 :30-2, Dinner 7 :30-9 :30 Closed Sunday)

*Taillevent. We went there a few yrs ago for a 7 or 8 course lunch. It's in or near the 8th arrondissement, so we walked back to our hotel on the Left Bank to walk off those calories. Highly recommend it. (15, rue Lamennais, 01 44 95 15 01, 8th, M: Georges V)

*At the high end - a day and night at the Bristol Hotel ( where you can experience near royal service and 19 th century rooms- 112 Faubourg St-Honore ,01 53 43 43 00, 8th) with dinner at three star Lucas Carton (9, Place de la Madeleine, 01 42 65 22 90, 8th) would likely be memorable. (No kids) But then everyone's fantasies differ.

Other:

*"La Muse Vin" Cave & Bistro, 101 rue de Charonne, 75011 Paris
Metro Charonne. Tel: 01 40 09 93 05

*Le Pamphlet
3rd Arr, M : Filles du Calvaire, T-F noon-2 :30pm and M-Sat 7 :30-11pm, reservations required, usually 48 hr in advance for dinner 38 rue Debelleyme, Tel. 33(0)1-42-72-39-24
Solid French southwestern creations keep this little gem of a space packed throughout the year. The kitchen relies on only the freshest of ingredients, delivering authenticity and pure flavour sensations.

*Ze Kitchen Gallerie
6th Arr, M: Saint Michel, 4 rue des Grands Augustins, Tel. +33(0)1-44-32-00-32
Form and function come together beautifully in this new, modern space, offering inventive French cuisine at reasonable prices. The scene at this restaurant is as good as the food.

*Aux Lyonnais
2nd Arr, M: Grands-Boulevards, Tues-Sat noon-2pm and 7:30-11:30pm, 32 rue Saint Marc, Tel. +33(0)1-42-96-65-04
www.alain-ducasse.com/public_us/cest_aussi/fr_aulyonnais.htm
An authentic Lyonnaise bouchon: bright, busy and friendly service. Good honest country cooking based on the very best regional produce, this is the type of place that serves stewed items in the copper pot, pâtés in the original terrine and big daggers to attack dishes of game and beef.

*Le Tambour
2nd Arr, M : Bourse, 24 hours/7 days, 41 rue Montmartre, Tel. +33(0)1-42-33-06-90, www.restaurantletambour.com
This legendary bistro opens nightly to a crowd clamouring for the homemade traditional French fare it’s known for. The ambience caters well to both students and winos.

*Krung Thep
20th, M: Pyrenees, dinner til midnight, 93 rue Julien Lacroix, Tel. +33(0)1-43-66-83-74
It looks like a pizzeria, but this way-out-of-the-way Thai restaurant serves deliciously authentic and modestly priced delicacies. Reservations required.

*Chez Grisette
18th, M: Pigalle, 14 rue Houdon, Tel. +33(0)1-42-62-04-80
Implanted in Montmartre for thirty years and counting, this tiny wine bar and restaurant is known for its foie gras and conviviality.

*Cremerie
6th, M : Odeon, 9 rue des Quatre Vents, Tel. +33(0)1-43-54-99-30
This tiny wine/snack bar in the 6th arrondissement is the perfect pit stop to refuel on charcuterie and cheese while sipping the best of France.

* Creperie Josselin (67, rue de Montparnasse, 01 4320 9350, M :Montparnasse, 14th, Noon-11p Tu-Su)– the best creperie I’ve found in Paris…crowded, but always incredibly good, and they are nice (edgar quinet)

* La Coupole (2) – a little touristy, but a beautiful, huge art deco brasserie (102, bd du Montparnasse, 14th, M: Vavin, Tel 01 43 20 14 20, open 7 days a week)

* Il Barone – a very authentic Italian (5 Rue Leopold-robert, 01.43.20.87.14 , 14th, M: Vavin, Open 12:30-3:00 and 7:30-11:30)

* La Grande Epicerie at Le Bon Marché – a department store, but with a deli counter… great place for great food shopping (38 Rue de Sèvres, 01-44-39-81-00, 7th, M: Sèvres-Babylone, Monday to Saturday from 8.30 a.m. to 9.00 p.m.)

* Dinner at L'ami Louis -- difficult to find, rude waiters, getting a
few too many tourists, but was always the best bistro food for my taste buds. (32 rue du Vertbois, 3e, 01-48-87-77-48, Métro: Temple, Wed-Sun noon-1:30pm and 8-11pm, reservations required far in advance)

* Voltaire for a long lunch after a long morning walk. (Restaurant le Voltaire, 27 Quai Voltaire 75007 Paris: tel: 01.42.61.17.49)

*(4) Going to Café' Marly (with some girlfriends) outdoor (93, rue de Rivoli; 1st Arr, 01 49 26 06 60, M: Palais Royal Musee du Louvre)

* Saint-Germain/Rive Gauche
Slowly sip a glass of wine at LA PALETTE (43,rue de Seine, 01-43-26-68-15, 6th, M: Mabillon or St-Germain-des-Prés, Cafe and bar Mon-Sat 9am-2am; restaurant Mon-Sat 11:30am-3pm ) on the terrace. Splendid location, hidden in the very heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Great raw ham or cheese "assiette", ,just perfect for an "apéritif". Have another glass of wine slightly further up on the street at FISH(69,rue de Seine). Make your way to the loud,lively counter. Superb selection of wines by the glass.

*Positano Pizza 15, rue des Canettes (lunch-6th Arr,01 43 26 01 62, Metro Station: Mabillon, or Saint-Germain-des-Prés, or Saint-Sulpice.) Restaurant Positano 9, Rue Guisarde (dinner); 6th arr, 01 43 26 90 52, )

*Le Relais du Parc- steak, french fries, and the special sauce. Near the bois. Go early.( 55-57, av. Raymond Poincaré, 01 44 05 66 10, 16th)

*Natacha - a lovely little restaurant recommended to us by John, thestylish guy at men's store Butch Blum in Seattle. We tried it, and it wasone of our best dinners - simple, inexpensive, with a great, sexy vibe.( 35 rue Guersant, 01 45 74 23 86, 17th)( 17 Bis Rue Campagne Premiere,01 43 20 79 27, 14th)

*the crepes aux sucre & citron en route to the marionettes in the Jardin Luxenbourg

*Waiting in the kitchen for a table at Allard (41 rue St-André-des-Arts, 6e, 01-43-26-48-23, Métro: St-Michel or Odéon, Mon-Sat noon-3pm and 7:30-11pm)

*Having a kir at an outside table at Les Deux Magots(3) (and simply staring at St. Germain des Pres)

*Having morning coffee with a friend at that cafe on Ile St. Louis, right behind Notre Dame, and then, after a couple of hours, going to the cafe next door and having lunch…all the while casting a glance every few moments on the elegant, graceful flying buttresses.

*Eat at the Hotel Lancaster: It is always dangerous to recommend good food in Paris. There are so many restaurants. The Lancaster is on Rude de Beri near the Arc. It has a beautiful, placid and simple restaurant set in a Japanese garden. Very quiet, peaceful and great food. Wait for a warm spring night. (01 40 76 40 18, 7 rue de Berri - Champs Elysées, 8th)

*A bar I can't remember, very cave-like, in the 6eme, that served pitchers of sangria...

*This is the only city in the world that server huge heaping plates of hot kidneys (rognons I think in French), covered in gravy and best complemented with sharp red wine. The dish is available across the city, and should be ordered on a regular basis

*Every time, I go to Paris in the summer, I buy a roast chicken, large piece of cheese, baguette and some wine, and sit on the tip on Isle St. Louis on the bench which looks up the river. You can watch the boats go by, have a feast and spend the entire day if you are not diligent about moving on.

*There is a studenty, smoky and crowded restaurant called Pauls, near the Bastille (15 rue de Chardonne), which, if you can stand the smoke, is about as French as it gets. And...they have occasionally have kidneys.

*Montmartre: there's a little fondu place near the top, very much like a little cave. I have a vague memory there of tiny tables, cheese and meet fondue, plus plenty of wine, very cheap. We went there a few times. I don't have a clue about the name of the place I went to, but I looked up "fondue" and Montmartre on Google, and came up with this... and sounds as good as anything else. and Jake (and Sedi?) would probably enjoy it, too.Chez les Fondus17 rue des trios freresMetro: AbbessesA Montmartre classic. Greatfondue and you can get anaperitif, hors d’oeuvre and fonduefor €15-20 per person.

*Eating and drinking at the little cafe's in the afternoons (dont recall any names)

*Steak Tartar in a cafe along the Champs Elysses.

*A favorite thing of ours is to pack a baguette, fromage, and vin picnic lunch and go spend a few hours wandering around the expansive Rodin sculpture gardens at the Rodin museum. Lovely. (79 Rue de Varenne, 01 44 18 61 10, 7th, M: Varenne, Invalides or Saint-François-Xavier)

*Passage St. Andre - near St. Germaine; touristy now, but le Procope is reputed to be oldest restaurant in Paris (13 rue de l'Ancienne Comédie - 75006 Paris Tel: 01-40-46-79-00, M: Odeon)

*Don't forget "Le pain quotidien" for brunch
Paris, Saint Honoré,1st,18, place du Marché Saint Honoré
01 42 96 31 70
Paris, Bourse,2nd, 33, rue Vivienne
01 42 36 76 02
Paris, Montorgueil,2nd, 2 rue des Petits Carreaux
01 42 21 14 50
Paris, Marais,4th, 18-20, rue des Archives
01 44 54 03 07
Paris, Mouffetard,5th,138 rue Mouffetard
01 55 43 91 99

*Rue Moufftard (2) - outdoor food market near bibleotheque national in the 5th. Incredible market street; tacky at the top with gorgeous produce at the bottom. The two squares, top and bottom are both unique and beautiful.


Parks and Gardens
*(2) Jardins de Luxembourg: Marionettes in the Jardin Luxembourg- nice to hear the happy laughter of little French gamins, instead of fretting what they are missing in the land of Defense (6th arr, M: Odeon and Luxembourg)

*Hand cranked carousel at the Parc Renlaugh 16th

*Fun for the child in everyone is the carousel ride in the Tuilleries Garden (Rue de Rivoli, M: Louvre)

*Spend a day at the Jardin d'acclimatation in the Bois de Boulogne. A taste of amusement park-life before Uncle Walt came to town. (M : Les Sablons, : De juin à septembre, tous les jours de 10h à 19h. D’octobre à mai, tous les jours, de 10h à 18h.)

* Going to the park de St Cloud for our habitual Saturday tennis and escaping into the woods for a brisk walk. (In Sevres, Take the metro (line 9) to Pont-de-Sèvres and then a bus no. 171 (towards Versailles) or 26 (to La Celle-St-Cloud). Get off at the 2nd stop: Parc de Saint-Cloud. Alternatively, it's a 15 minute walk from the metro OR Take the tram (line T 2, running between Issy Val-de-Seine and La Défense), get off at the station Musée de Sèvres, and catch a bus no. 171 or 26. Get off at the next stop: Parc de Saint-Cloud. Alternatively, it's a 10 minute walk from the tram line.

Art and Art Museums
*Gallery hopping on Rue Louise Weiss; 13th arr

*(3) Musée Rodin: Daydreaming in the Rodin Museum, for the sensuality of his creations and ... the garden.* the Musée de la Shoa, very well presented and again very moving, (4th arr, 17, rue Geoffroy-l'Asnier, 01 42 77 44 72)

* (2) Musee Marmottan-Monet, for Monet. (2, Rue Louis-Boilly, 01 44 96 50 33, 16th, M: Muette)* Nissim de Camondo for a wonderful collection of the 18th century (63, rue de Monceau ,8th arr, 01 45 63 26 32 M: Villiers or Auber)

*(2) Musee Cluny: Unicorn Tapestries (6, place Paul Painlevé, 5th, Métro Cluny-La Sorbonne / Saint-Michel / Odéon, Tous les jours sauf le mardi, de 9 h 15 à 17 h 45Fermeture de la caisse à 17 h 15 Fermé les 1er janvier, 1er mai et 25 décembre.)

*(4) Centre Pompidou & National library at the Centre Pompidou (and lunch at Georges, up top)

*(2)Louvre: Also the French school pastels at the Musee du Louvre especially the large scale portrait of Marie Antoinette

*(3) The Orsay (and especially Manger sur L'herbe), but the crowds -- organize a high end day tour (www.Parismuse.com) or pull a string and get a special museum curator tour!

*(3)As far as public institutions go, highest on the cutting-edge, hip scale would be the Palais de Tokyo. Excellent shows in a groovy, if not a wee bit grungy, space. Good art bookstore and cafe. Love the hours: noon to midnight. They also have children’s' programs that might be interesting to check out. (13, avenue du President Wilson www.palaisdetokyo.com )

*Musee Picasso (5, rue de Thorigny, 01 42 71 25 21, 3rd arr, Métro : Saint-Paul / Saint-Sébastien Froissart / Chemin Vert)

* See the must see exhibits wherever they are: Fondation Cartier, (261 Blvd Raspail, 01 42 18 56 50, 14th, M: Raspail or Denfert-Rochereau, T-Sun 12-8pm) or that jewel-box Musée D'art Décoratif (Union des Arts Décoratifs-Palais du Louvre. 107, rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris. Tel: 01 42 60 32 14. Metro: Palais-Royal-Musée du Louvre, Tuileries).

*Two of my favorite commercial art galleries are on the rue Quincampoix:
* Galerie Nelson - owned by Philip Nelson, an American who married a Parisian. He represents an incredible group of artists. The current shows, up until April 9th, are two of my favorites: Silvia Bachli (gorgeous works on paper) and Helen Mirra (conceptual, abstracted sculptural landscapes). The upcoming shows are good too, especially Joseph Bartscherer, a photographer who previously did a large series of work in Washington state. 59 rue Quincampoix http://www.galerie-nelson.com 4th arr, M: Rambuteau, hotel de ville, chatelet
* Galerie Chantal Crousel - arguably one of the the best contemporary galleries in Paris/Europe. Her current group show certainly has a provocative title: "Beware of a Holy Whore". Many good artists included. 40 rue Quincampoix http://www.crousel.com* Also at 44 rue Quincampoix is the Galerie du jour agnes b - a good gallery affiliated with the clothing store.

Other Museums, Tours and Monuments
*(3) Les Catacombes; 14th arr. Definitely the creepiest "museum" I've ever experienced....head down at dusk and emerge after dark for the extra creep out factor. Not for little kids. (1, Place Denfert-Rochereau, 01 43 22 47 63, 14th, M: Denfert-Rochereau, T-Sun 2-4pm)

*Pasteur Museum at L’Institut Pasteur for the scientific minded

*The Baccarat Museum 11 place des Etats Unis, 16th, M: Iena, Boissiere

*(2) Ste. Sulpice: Made famous by the Da Vinci Code St. Sulpice is a vibrant church in the heart of the left bank, Massive, tattered and still filled with die-hards seeking spiritual and worldly wisdom, it is a great metaphor for the Catholic church itself. It also has a very interested (and possibly pagan) gnomon running across the floor. A gnomon is an ancient sun clock. At the base of the gnomon is an obelisk with the original inscription rubbed out. The story is that the church – which is the same size as Notre Dame – was built on a pagan temple. The Church – as only she could – has felt obliged to post a small, typewritten denial on the wall. Classic. Also a metaphor. (Place St Sulpice, M: St Sulpice)

*Also, the square around St Sulpice: the neighborhood cafe to the left on the square as you're facing the church. Never ending array of tout Paris; the fashionable, the literary, the BCBG, grandmeres avec younger "sons". Then walk straight across the square to Rue Ferou and be transported in time

*(2) Père Lachaise: hanging out at the pere lachaise cemetery for an afternoon, not necessarily at Jim Morrison's grave, but it's worth checking out. Great place to walk around, contemplate, read, drink wine.(20th, Boulevard de Ménilmontant/16, Rue de Repos, M: Philippe Auguste or Père Lachaise or Gambetta)*le Pont Neuf (Ile de la Cite)

*(3) Saint Chappelle: Vivaldi's four seasons at the Saint Chapelle, during sunset. Gothic Architecture at its best, and far more intimate (and therefore interesting) than its big brother down the road. Again, the tour makes it worthwhile. (4, boulevard du Palais, 1st arr, M: Cite or Saint Michel-Notre Dame

*(3)Musee Carnavalet – Museum of the history of Paris, 23, rue de Sévignée, 42 72 41 13, 3rd arr, M: Saint-Paul, Chemin Vert. 10h - 17h40; Closed Mondays and holidays.)

*(3)Jardin des Plantes particularly the Grande Galerie de L'Evolution - one of the greatest, best-installed, most dramatic museums I've ever had the chance to visit. And the wonderful Morroccan restaurant directly across the street from the exit. (5th arr, M: Place Monge)

*(3) Versailles (M: Porte de Versailles, RER)*Napoleon’s tomb

*(3) Tour the Paris Opera. The building is beautiful, and the tours are fantastic: a mini history lesson of French history and architecture.( Palais Garnier - Place de l'Opéra, 9th, M: Opera, Auber)*Les egouts de Paris - creepy boat ride in the sewers of Paris; used to leave from Place de la Concorde, but I think it may not operate any more ( Face au 93 quai d'Orsay , 47 05 10 29, 7th arr, M: Alma-Marceau ,Pont de l'Alma, Winter -11 a.m.-4 p.m. - Summer 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed: Thursday, Friday, 3 last weeks in January.)

*Historical walking tours, when the weather improves http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/pariswalking

*When sun is going down on Pont de l'Archevêché behind Notre Dame. Ile St Louis on your right - Notre Dame on your left (almost no tourists they all want to walk up the towers cant imagine there is so much beauty from the back !). Then walk to the end of the small garden in the back and walk down to the Memorial de la Déportation. You will understand why I am submerged with emotion on this very location. Dont go when sun is hi you'd miss the point.

* La Seine--Take a long stare at Notre-Dame and Ile-de-la Cité(and further,and around !)from the middle of Pont des Arts (one of the scarce pedestrian bridges,between the Louvre and Institut de France).Unique point of view.

* Around Paris : get to Gare de Lyon and buy a ticket "train+ château de Fontainebleau" spend a day with Louis XV, Napoléon and Old Guard. Fontainebleau is a wonderful place to spend the day. A bus will pick you up at the station and will take you to the gate ! There are others to do : Chantilly from gare du Nord, Versailles (of course) from Gare Montparnasse. Vaux le Vicomte (with the RER). And if you dont mind an early start why not taking the TGV to Tours and drive to Chenonceau and Villandry for the day ?

*Drinking a little bit, then going underneath the Eiffel Tower, spinning around with arms flung out and head looking up

Shopping

* I love to buy my books at La procure at Saint Sulpice.( 3 Rue de Mézières, 6th arr)

* I buy my suits at Stanbridge (75 r Vieille du Temple, 3ème, M° Hôtel de Ville ou Saint Paul) or Vercourt. (4, rue du Marche St-Honore )Great and really affordable.

*Shakespeare & Co (37, Rue de la Bucherie, 01 43 25 40 93, M: Saint Michel, Every day noon-midnight)

*Marché aux Puces (18th, M: Porte de Clignancourt)

*Marche of used books, weekends at Parc Georges Brassens; 15th arr, M: Convention)

*bookstalls along the Seine

*(5) I would be remiss if I didn't mention my favorite shop - Colette - forclothing, books, music, etc. If I lived in Paris I would visit often, as the store changes its highly curated inventory every Sunday. It was one of the first 'lifestyle' stores and I think it's stillone of the best. www.colette.fr. (213 Rue Saint Honore, 1st Arr, M: Pyramides, 01 55 35 33 99)

*Buy a Print at the Gallerie Grillon: I think the Gallerie Grillon is on the Rue de Buci just to your left as you walk down the Rue de Seine away from the river. (I will verify the address.) It’s right in the heart of the art walk on the Rue de Buci. A lovely French woman runs the shop which sells 20th century prints – sometimes of some surprisingly well-known artists. There is always something interesting and a great price scale from 75 euros to the thousands if that is your bag. Its worth the hour it takes to thumb through the prints. You’ll want a memento of your stay after all.

*Stroll and Shop the Rue de Bac (7th) and Rue du Cherche-Midi (6th). You don’t need me to tell you this. Both epitomize what is great about shopping in Paris. From the small and weird to high-end, haute-couture. You have never really felt like nothing until you have been dismissed by a sales woman as you try to buy your wife a pair of shoes in a fancy French shop on Cherche-Midi.

*Au Nain Blue on rue Fg St- Honore (children's toys) (406-410 rue Saint-Honoré; Métro Concorde; 01 42 60 39 01; Mon-Sat 10-6.30)

*one thing my wife always does when in paris is buy children's clothes... I don't have any particular shops in mind (although we usually troll in and around Saint Sulpice) but there is the best selection of very high quality little kids clothes and shoes in Paris. Particularly the nicer stuff, for those occasions when Old Navy and Gap won't do.

*rue de la montagne de St. Genvieve (5th)- interesting and great old wine + cigar store someplace along there

*The basement of BHV...a handyman's paradise. Everything you could dream of needing for any do it yourself project. Plus fun to try and guess what some of the items are...and who some of the people are too! (14, rue du Temple ,01 42 74 90 00, 4th, M: Hotel de Ville, M,T,Th,F,Sat 9:30-7:30 Wed 9:30-9:00)

* Go and see the flea market of St Ouen (48, rue Jules Vallès, M: Porte de Clignancourt (line 4), Porte de St-Ouen (line 13), 18th)

* Shop till you drop is must (fashion Collette (213 rue Saint Honore, Tel: 01 33 35 33 90, 1st, M: Pyramides ) or Left Bank, Kids, Housewares, etc etc and of course stop for a café as frequently as the caffeine will let you inside (La Duree, 16, Rue Royale, 8th, 75, avenue des Champs-Elysee, 8th, 64 boulevard Haussmann, 9th) or sidewalk (Les Deux Magots, 170 blvd, St Germain, 6th ,Métro stop: St-Germain-des-Prés. 8h - 02h Daily; closed second week of January.) then go antiquing off of Rue Bonaparte!) so many places are landmarks but many of them terrific year after year!

Things Sportif

*Going for a run in the morning, as the city is waking up... Like to wind through the streets on the left bank in the 6th/7th, watching the merchants open up, into the Luxembourg gardens to see the Parisiens walking their dogs and the school kids heading off for their day.

*(2) Taking a run through the Bois de Boulogne….you can see the range of Paris from gardens to the private club of old Paris to the prostitutes in the mini-trucks. (16th, (tel. 01-40-67-90-82; Métro: Les Sablons, Porte Maillot, or Porte Dauphine)

*I also recommend any joggers to run in Parque Monceau in the mornings (33, Boulevard de Courcelles (métro Monceau, ligne 2).

*Running around the eiffel tower park in Champ de Mars

*Sunday Run : the river banks are closed to traffic. Get up, get on your best running shoes, dont forget your i-pod, play Charles Trenet and go West through the bridges of Paris all the way to Pont des Arts. Get across the Pond des Arts and continue on the Left Bank towards the Eiffel Tower. Magic !

*Watch a cycling race….Paris Roubaix :-)

*roller skating around Paris at dawn*Friday evening rollerblade around the cityWhen it comes to rollerblading, on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons enthusiasts get together for an enjoyable trip across Paris on skates. Current regulations oblige you to stay on the pavements: you are considered to be a pedestrian and so you have to wait at the traffic lights to cross! As you’ll be travelling at around 15 km/h (9/10mph), be extremely careful, avoid bumping into any pedestrians or cars and be sure that your civil liability insurance covers any damage you might cause. Organized tours: on Friday evenings for experienced skaters: meet at 10pm, place Raoul Dautry in Montparnasse – 75014; on Sunday afternoons, for beginners: meet at 2pm, boulevard Bourdon at Bastille - 75004.

*Trip out to Fontainebleau to go bouldering in the forest (world class boulders, but you need to check out a guidebook to work out which ones to go to, and a car helps you get around the forest)

*Weekend ski trip to La Grave. Be sure to hire a guide. One option for packages: http://www.theskierslodge.com

Night Time

*The Calavados bar after midnight- kiddie corner to the George V.( 40 avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie, 8th)

*Jazz at Le New Morning: 7-9 rue des Petites Ecuries, 10eme. 01.45.23.51.41. Metro Chateau d'Eau*(4) A performance at the Opera Garnier (9th, Place de l’Opera, M: Opera)

*Théâtre de la Ville (4th, 2 place du Châtelet, tél : 01 42 74 22 77 www.theatredelaville-paris.com) for dance performance, also look into shows going on at La Villette for the kids (01 40 05 70 00, 19th ).

*Le Lapin Agile - club in Montmarte; scene of all those Toulouse Lautrec posters, but pretty touristy now. Maybe very late at night.... (18th, 22 Rue des Saules, 01 46 06 85 87)

*A classical concert at the Church St. Germain (6th, M: St Germain des Pres)

*The best guide for film/theater is L'officiel du spectacle, every Wednesday.

Hotels

*Room 704 at the Terass Hotel. Okay I have never been there, but every time I go through Paris I try to stay here. It is a fading four-star but pretty insider cool hotel in Montmartre. The story is that the view from room 704 is spectacular and that you can see the Eiffel tower from your bath. Why would you need a hotel? I don’t know. You just asked for my favorites. (www.hotel-paris-terrass.com 12,rue Joseph-de-Maistre, 18th ,01 46 06 72 85)

*There is a very quirky but fun hotel on Isle St. Louis called Jeu de Paume. Only about 20 rooms but wonderful location, the rooms are strange enough to be interesting and the breakfast room is a fine place to read a paper and eat a bun. (54, rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Ile, 01.43.26.14.18, 4th)*For those on more brutal budget, there is another hotel - The Welcome Hotel - on rue de Seine which has the world's tiniest rooms but a strange charm and you are right on a fine street market in the 6th.(66, Rue de Seine, 01 46 34 24 80, M: Odeon)


*At the high end - a day and night at the Bristol Hotel ( where you can experience near royal service and 19 th century rooms)(112 Rue Fauburg St Honore, 01 53 43 43 00, 8th) with dinner at three star Lucas Carton (9, Place de la Madeleine, 01 42 65 22 90, 8th, M: Madeleine) would likely be memorable. (No kids) But then everyone's fantasies differ.

Other

*The view from Musee de L'Homme (17, place du Trocadéro, 01 44 05 72 72, 16th, M: Trocadero)

* Visit the district of Le Marais/ Montorgueil

*Walking down the Seine, past the Eiffel Tower, and having macaroons and café in the little restaurant that overlooks the Trocadero across from the Film Museum.

*driving out of the Tuileries tunnel

* Montmartre
Start outside the "Lamarck-Caulaincourt" Metro stop.Have lunch on the terrace at LE REFUGE (Cnr rue Lamarck & the steps of rue de la Fontaine-du-But, 18e. Mº Lamarck-Caulaincourt. Mon-Sat till 8.30pm) across the street. Take the stairway up, make a right on avenue Junot, keep going. Do not miss Villa Léandre on your right. Climb up towards the Sacré-Choeur. Right by the taxi stand off Place du Tertre, step into Saint-Pierre-De-Montmartre. One of the oldest churches in town, founded in 1133.So quiet, so small, so simple, so touching. Skip the Sacré-Choeur. When facing it, take the stairway to the right towards rue Mueller. Get to the lovely square. A drink or a meal (although so-so food)at L'ETE EN PENTE DOUCE (23, Rue Muller, 01 42 64 02 67, 18th, M: Anvers) is a must on the terrace : you are in the middle of a painting of Renoir.


*I've never done this in France, but I've done it in some other countries -- kind of a random suggestion, but here goes...sneak into the back of a courtroom and listen to a court proceeding for a few hours. It's fascinating to see how trials are conducted in other countries. OK, maybe I'm lame, but I find it fascinating

*the castles in the Loire Valley

*(2)look into shows going on at La Villette for the kids.

*(2)I took my 9 year old cousin to Paris for a weekend a couple of years ago, and she loves art, so we went off to Café Deux Magots, the old hangout of Picasso and so many other artists of his era, and we pretended we were Picasso and had no money and had to draw art on cocktail napkins to pay for our bill

*Les Gobelins - tapestry works, still in business in 13th arrondisement(42 avenue des Gobelins, 01 44 08 52 00)

*roof of La Samaritaine department store - great views (but store is closed now) 19 Rue de la Monnaie, 1st Arr,M: Pont Neuf.

*Gertrude Stein's Paris - Closerie des Lilas (171 bd. du Montparnasse, 6e, 01-40-51-34-50, Métro: Port Royal or Vavin) La Coupole,( 102, bd du Montparnasse, 14th, 01 43 20 14 20, M : Vavin) read Charmed Circle which is a terrific book

*(3) Giverny-You can also take a Barge on the Seine to Giverny

*Place Italie...the old, the new and the ugly. The site of the fin of the recent demonstrations and a gateway to Chinatown, the cutting edge art galleries and one of the best cheese shops in Paris ( to the left, three blocks with Gobelin at your back ) aged cheese with many local choices.* Pray with the Order of Brotherhood of Jerusalem at Eglise St Gervais. Sunday at 11 am for hi mass. Very moving.( place St Gervais (4è)M° Hôtel de Ville Tel: 01 48 87 32 02 Ouvert: 6h-21h mar-dim )

*Place des Voges (4th, M:Bastille, St Paul, Breguet Sabin)

* Look into the eyes of the others. It's allowed. Dont forget to smile and to hold a door to a woman, or a man. Who ever fancy you. Response is guaranteed !

*Walking along the seine (Conversations with "bouquinistes" and a ice cream at Ile Saint Louis)