Paris Je Taime

Everyone has an opinion on Paris.  A common ground is that you either love it or hate it.  There is no in between.   Twenty days in Paris starting from the beginning of Autumn2012 bring with them a picturesque story that will forever fill my heart and soul. This is my forth visit to Paris in my lifetime and based on this information you can only assume that my relationship with Paris is a “love one”.  I will try to transfer my experience to you in words and some pictures but unless you see Paris for yourself only then will you feel your “own Paris”. Really Paris is everyone’s. It’s filled with tourists year round. The Parisians try to escape them when they have their vacations but when they come back there are just as many people from all over the world as when they left.

 

For those of you that have been to Paris you will know that the frequent visited places are the tourist attractions life the Tour Eiffel  or Champs de Mars, Arc de Triumph and Sacre Coure just to mention a few. There are so many more on the list. The aim of this particular write up is to steer you away from the tourist monuments and attractions. You can easily visit them. I want to take you for a walk through,   my Paris.

Our location whilst in Paris was the camping ground of the Bois de Boulogne.  For a first time visitor I would not recommend this location as it requires some knowledge of the railway system (metro) and for most visitors they are in Paris for less than a week. Long term it’s a fabulous location and I say the best on a budget too.  There a bungalows at the camp site and for a family this is great value. You can cook and have all the amenities like being at home. Some hotels don’t have a bar fridge so the bungalows are a fabulous option, that’s if you don’t have a camper or motorhome like we do.  The camping ground is a huge complex so check it out on their web site and see what the best combination is for your budget. www.pariscampings.fr  . The camp site runs all year round unlike a lot of other camp sites in Europe that close in the winter. Paris is open to everyone all year and so this camping ground reflects this image of Paris.

To get to and from the site,   you can use either the camps private shuttle bus which costs   1.70Euro per person per trip or, if you have a Paris visite pass then the fare is included but you must have purchased it at the camping ground. The camp bus only runs until 00:15. Check their time table as it varies weekly.  There are 2 bus services 244 or 241.  You need to walk about 300metres from the camp through the forest to get to the bus stop and the buses only run until 9pm. So beware if you are planning on staying out late. There is a night rider and check carefully where it stops before using this option. You might be waiting at the bus stop for a long time and still no bus will come.

We rarely used the camp shuttle as we purchased a “navi” which gave us unlimited travel on the metro and bus lines for 7days.  Short term I suggest the Paris visite as do all the guide books but long term definitely go for the navi, its like being a local. The navi costs 30Euro to set up initially and thereafter only 19 Euro a week. If you come prepared as we did with some extra passport sized photos then the cost will only be 25euro to set up.  Passport photos cost 5 euro from the booths. Then all you need to do is recharge the Navi the day before it expires. If you need extra zones it’s a few extra euros. Tailor it to your needs but it is certainly a saving for a long term visitor in Paris.

The square in Suresnes at lunch time

Our days were spent at local puches and Marches. We had a lovely market that we would visit across the river seine. The little town is called Suresnes. The cobbled, tree lined side streets are filled with little boutiques, boucheries and Boulongeries. Cafes of course are where people congregate for their daily café crème. Market day is Wednesday and Sunday and the local square comes to life. At the market you can pick up everything that you need to cook up and serve a tasty French meal.  There are also clothing and shoe stalls. The prices are not so low at this market but Suresnes its self does not appear to be a low cost area. A lady I chatted to in the town referred to it as “cute” I would say quaint.

Another market we came across was the market just opposite the Bastille. It runs on Sundays.  There you can pick up fruit and vegetables at budget prices.   At this market you can pick up  bijouterie for as little as one euro, clothing, handbags, clothing and accessories. There is fresh fish, poultry, fruit and vegetables , cakes, breads and of course a creperie. It’s a lovely market to visit on a Sunday and doesn’t seem to be as fast paced. After all it is a Sunday.

 We managed to fit in one more market during our 3weeks in Paris. The Marche de Aligres . It too has fruit and vegetables at budget prices and I would highly recommend this market as my number one choice. There are 3 main parts to this market. The fruit stalls on the main street and the  French producers in the enclosed area where you can buy locally produced goods. I found their prices rather high but that s understandable as everything is locally grown and produced with minimal pesticides. Under the enclosure you will find  meats, cheeses and other perishable goods hence it is under cover and sheltered away from germs. 

The marche d' Aligre as you walk in

 Here you can pick up as many varieties of cheese, tripe and black pudding. You can pick up amazing parts of animals that we in the west would normally cringe at the thought of eating.  The French however consider them as a delicacy and a normal part of their diet.  For lovers of a good drop of wine, there is a little shop just up the road from the marche that offer degustation sessions.  Good wine is easy to come by in France for a small price but there are also expensive options for those wanting to spend their pennies on a good vino. Paris has something for everyone.  The 3^rd part of the market is the flea market. It is positioned in the middle of the market and has so much to offer.  I almost bought a full silver service set for a small 120Euro. That’s what I call an absolute bargain.

The colourful flea market at the Marche d' Aligre

 

The shops lining the street behind the stall holders should not go unmissed.  There are second hand clothing stores that sell next to nothing designer labels, Halal meat sellers and so many other little hidden treasures.

Before you leave this market, be sure to drop by at the corner seafood shop. Here you will be amazed at the size and variety of the seafood platter. It is a relaxing way to end this market adventure and wind down for the relaxing Sunday ahead.

I have so much more to tell you about “My Paris” and feel like l am hyperventilating as I write this as if I am talking to you instead of typing the appropriate text.  I found many side streets with interesting boutiques, fascinating patisseries,  “Tabacs” and cafes.  Apart from markets we spent many lovely days in parks and gardens. We particularly liked the luscious landscaped Jardin du Luxembourg. We were there on a Sunday and so was half of Paris.

See what I mean , half of Paris really was in the Luxembourg gardens on the Sunday I was there.

 

The Parisiens were either nestled in an iron chair soaking up the sun or on a picnic blanket enjoying the treats that they prepared for this Sunday outing or waiting in a queue for their children to play on the equipment provided for children. There are pony rides, cart rides and a puppet theatre for children. There are several cafes within the complex where you can sit and have a café crème , light snack or refreshments. At the entrance to the jardin, there are 2 ice cream stalls. They say that the ice cream is handcrafted so I tried the lavender flavoured ice cream. It was the best purple coloured, lavender flavoured ice cream that I have had in my life.  



The other open area that we enjoyed immensely was the Bois de Boulogne. Not only because we were staying close to its proximity, its a lovely green space. It is more like a forest but it has a garden as well which is called the Jardin d’ Acclimation. This part of the “Bois” is well manicured and has activities for the whole family to enjoy. Outside the jardin d acclimation and in the actual Bois there is a lovely lake which is home to swans and ducks. 

The ducks in the pond at the Bois De Boulogne

There is a little café where you can sit and enjoy your surroundings or pack a picnic lunch and sit on one of the benches looking on to the large pond. There is a large open sports field which on weekends comes alive with cricket, soccer and rugby teams.  There are bicycle tracks around and through the park. If you don’t have your own bicycle then you can either rent one at the front of the jardin d acclimation or the Paris municipality has set up bikes in various locations throughout the city. All you have to do is insert your master or visa card that has a chip and when finished return it to the spot closest to your destination. You might be lucky and there may just be a drop of point near your accommodation.   The bicycle system is called the vivo.  Not to be missed is the large Hippodrome next to the gardens. When the races are on this is an event not to be missed. Going to the races in Paris, how chic!

Apart from the lovely markets and gardens that I visited on this trip there is one little remark that I would like to make about visiting Paris. I noticed that there were many pick pockets in the city. We were stumbled upon a lady in the overcrowded area just near the Opera Garnier when she bent down and picked up a “gold ring”. She probably had the ring in her hand the whole time but we didn’t think that at the time.  She looked around asked if it was ours and then kept walking with us telling us to take the ring as she had no one. She conveniently dropped the ring into my shopping bag and continued to tell us how she lost her passport and had no job or money isn’t married and has no family. I tried to take the ring out of my bag but she kept insisting I keep it. All she wanted was something to eat. I offered her the coffee I was carrying but she didn’t want it. She want glace – ice cream. So I stood in the queue to buy her an ice cream but when I suddenly realised that I was wasting my time and was about to spend 10Euro on an ice cream for a  complete stranger.  I withdrew from the queue. She quickly wanted her ring back and was not impressed that she was not successful in her game.  I gave her 4 Euro, the ring and was off. I was conned.

Despite this little incident and my partner, being fondled by a pick pocket on the train, we still love Paris. We are cautious and careful travellers so we are not disturbed by these experiences. All I say is you must be on your guard at all times. Put valuables far away and deep down into areas that cannot be accessed such as deep pockets in jackets and carry your back packs in front of you. Hand bags held by the strap only can be cut and you might be found holding onto your strap only. This may seem funny but it’s so true.

On that note of caution I would like to say visit as many gardens and Parks in Paris and try to spend some time sitting in cafes people watching. That’s what this beautiful and enchanting city is all about. Paris Jai Adore until the next visit.