Hi-ho, Hi-ho -- it's off to Paris and London we go . . . .

Lynn and I, and the girls, are in (and around) Paris 8-17 June, staying in the 7me; and in London 20-23 June.

Any suggestions?

Cheers,
Jason

Lynn and I, and the girls, are in (and around) Paris 8-17 June, staying in the 7me; and in London 20-23 June.

Any suggestions?

Yup -- forget curfews, forget drink limits, forget about diets and loosen the belt a notch.

Sadly, I was hoping for something a bit more constructive . . .

[Robin Garr]

Sadly, I was hoping for something a bit more constructive . . .

What are you looking for, Jason? I love Paris and have gotten by there pretty much annually for the last few years, but it's usually either heading for or coming back from serious wine-country over-indulgence, so I usually just relax and take it easy in Paris. Most of the good eateries I've enjoyed there in recent years have been reccos from RR, and I hope he and sometimes-Parisian Rahsaan and others will pop in.

But if you haven't thought of it already, the wine shop Lavinia is worth checking out, and the small eatery upstairs is pretty nice, especially since you can buy a bottle in the shop at retail, take it upstairs and enjoy it with lunch.

One place I particularly enjoyed (again, thanks to RR), was L'Absinthe at 24, Place de Marché Sainte Honoré, near the Louvre and the Tuileries gardens. It's one of a cluster of reasonably affordable bistros that Chef Michel Rostang operated in addition to the pricey spot that bears his name. For information on the whole group, see http://www.michelrostang.com.

Sadly, I was hoping for something a bit more constructive . . .

I'm offended -- that was sound advice.

You asked too broad of a question, but you know that, you old fart. RR gave you some great advice. I'd say a walk through the Rue Cler district for morning crepes shouldn't be missed. Looking at all of the fresh foods for sale is a treat as well.

Get used to the Metro. You can go anywhere in town with ease. Hit as many museums as possible. Try to catch a string quartet at Saint-Chapelle. The acoustics are incredible.

We really enjoyed a restaurant in Rue Cler called Le P'tit Troquet. It takes you back to old Paris. It is small, so make reservations.

The sights and eateries are endless....

Depending on where you are in the 7eme, there are a number of excellent markets nearby. Saxe Breteuil (Thu, Sat) is near the southern tip, President Wilson (Wed, Sat) is just across the Seine to the northwest in the 16eme, and Raspail (organic, Sunday) in the 6eme. We visited the President Wilson market, and the selection and crowds were overwhelming. We could easily have spent hours there just deciding what to have for dinner.



My single favorite attraction in Paris is the Catacombs. Depending on the age of the kids it can be a fun scare or a lesson that people in the past did not think the same way we do today.

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Just out of curiosity, where are you staying in the 7th?

My wife and I spent two weeks there a few years ago and had a ball.

Our two fav restaurants (neither that expensive - by Paris standards) are Le Florimond in the 7th and Les Clos De Gourment (can't recall which arrondisment, but only about a 15 minute walk).

Best time waster: sitting on the benches of the Champs de Mar and watch the peopl go by and the little elevators go up and down the legs of the Eiffel Tower.

As someone has already mentioned, don't forget to stop at one of the many crepe stands. There was one on the Rue Cler when we were there. A warm hazelnut spread crepe was, with doubt, the richest thing I ate during my two weeks there.

Have fun.

For London, Vinopolis "City of Wine" might be interesting, as would the St James St merchant Berry's Bros and Rudd. I like Jeroboams shops, mainly for the sensible aircon in the shops!
Jamie Goode has a decent itinery for wine shops on his Wineanorak site.

Covent Garden in the evenings may be touristy, but it is a nice lively place you can take the family. There's no garden by the way.

For food, pop into one of the bookshops and browse the timeout restaurant guide, which has done us proud in recent times. Garbo's (a Swedish restaurant) was a recent good find from there.

For big-time touristy, I think the Tower of London is pretty good (albeit not cheap). The London Dungeon is best avoided unless you love pathetic ham acting and abuse - it's frankly appalling. The parks are very impressive, relaxing and free if you like walking. Also good walks along the Thames near the Tate Gallery (which was free last time I made it there).

Try to walk if the weather's good, only taking the tube for longer trips. The tube is not exactly pleasant and between 8:00-10am and 4:30-6:30pm it's often overcrowded with commuters. An AtoZ map can be a good buy for a few pounds.

Hope you have a good trip

Ian