Ping: Anyone who's been to Paris

[TVC]

Taking Mrs VC in January to see a gig. We've got a hotel just round the corner from The Moulin Rouge. So is it worth the E150 for the meal and show, or is it just a second rate tourist rip off?

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Taking Mrs VC in January to see a gig. We've got a hotel just round the corner from The Moulin Rouge. So is it worth the E150 for the meal and show, or is it just a second rate tourist rip off?

When we went earlier this year we went past the Moulin Rouge just to see the outside... Right dodgy part of town, there was soliciting on the streets at 13:30 on a Sunday...

 

[rogerzilla]

You do realise it's like Soho round there, and the Moulin Rouge is the equivalent of Raymond's Revue Bar?

 

[wafflycat]

Went to the Moulin Rouge. It's full of French folk too. The food is ordinary. The show was fun. I went there, but not in a rush to go back. It is in the red light district, so be aware of that. I dragged MrWC into a sex shop and scared the living daylights out of him checking out the 'toys'

What hotel are you staying in? We stayed at the Villa Royale which was rather special. Definitely not a place you take the kids to!

 

[TVC]

You do realise it's like Soho round there, and the Moulin Rouge is the equivalent of Raymond's Revue Bar?

Oh yes, the hotel is away in the residential part of Montmatre and has good reviews on tripadvisor. We're staying there bacause it's close to the Casino de Paris where the gig is.

Thanks Waffles, we will most likely give the MR a miss then.

 

[wafflycat]

Depending on how long you're there for, I recommend

http://www.parisiendunjour.fr/

'Parisian for a day'

Basically you book a tour of part of Paris and it's a Parisian who takes you round. MrWC & I ended up with a guy who happens to be a director of a company who just adores the city, spoke almost perfect English, and he took us all round the nooks & crannies of Montmartre for several hours. It cost nothing. Freebie. The folk who do it are volunteers who just happen to love the city and who know lots about various aspects of it. The only cost you incur is if you go in someplace that has an entrance fee, you pay the volunteer's entrance fee, and if you stop for a coffee, get him/her one too.

Our guy was really good, enthusiastic, interesting, took us all over, and what should have been a couple of hours ended up being most of the day, as at the end we all sat together in a bar chatting & drinking. It was fun.

 

[TVC]

Thanks Wafflycat, what a great idea.

We arrive on the Sunday afternoon, have the whole of Monday (gig in the evening, Air
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inw_knU4jbM&feature=channel
) Then leave on tuesday evening, so there should be time for something like that.

 

[Globalti]

Never been to the Moulin Rouge but I lived in Paris for 2 years and twice went to the Lido in the Champs Elysees and it's FANTASTIC, worth every penny. Can't you do the show at the MR and miss the meal?

 

[brokenbetty]

We stayed at the Villa Royale which was rather special. Definitely not a place you take the kids to!

We stayed there one Valentines day

 

[Theseus]

If you have time, 2 places I would recommend are the Musee Rodin and if you go here to the east of Notre Dame at the tip of the island is a monument to the fallen. I last visited both of these places when I was in my early teens. I am now well on my way to the half century and these have left a lasting impression on me.

 

[MacB]

If you have time, 2 places I would recommend are the Musee Rodin and if you go here to the east of Notre Dame at the tip of the island is a monument to the fallen. I last visited both of these places when I was in my early teens. I am now well on my way to the half century and these have left a lasting impression on me.

The monument to the fallen on the island left the same lasting impression with me, best part of 20 years since I was there.

 

[TheDoctor]

I actually liked the MR. I'd take a look at Trip Advisor which has a number of reviews, some favourable, some less so. Admittedly, one was blaming the MR for the fact that there were no taxis at 2am on New Years Day...
Be warned - it's not cheap.

 

[TVC]

I actually liked the MR. I'd take a look at Trip Advisor which has a number of reviews, some favourable, some less so. Admittedly, one was blaming the MR for the fact that there were no taxis at 2am on New Years Day...
Be warned - it's not cheap.

It does seem to be a love it or hate it thing. I take a lot of notice of Trip Advisor, and have posted several reviews myself, both positive and negative. There are other things I could spend 300 euros on, so I think I will.

Thanks everyone for all the other advice. We've been to Paris before, but there are still plenty of the Tourist bits still to do to keep us occupied, including Notre Dame and the islands.

 

[Tim Bennet.]

a monument to the fallen

I went recently and found the constant chattering by the 'security guards' a real distraction. They walked round in pairs and never shut up.

 

[mr_cellophane]

Depending on how long you're there for, I recommend

http://www.parisiendunjour.fr/

'Parisian for a day'

Basically you book a tour of part of Paris and it's a Parisian who takes you round. MrWC & I ended up with a guy who happens to be a director of a company who just adores the city, spoke almost perfect English, and he took us all round the nooks & crannies of Montmartre for several hours. It cost nothing. Freebie. The folk who do it are volunteers who just happen to love the city and who know lots about various aspects of it. The only cost you incur is if you go in someplace that has an entrance fee, you pay the volunteer's entrance fee, and if you stop for a coffee, get him/her one too.

Our guy was really good, enthusiastic, interesting, took us all over, and what should have been a couple of hours ended up being most of the day, as at the end we all sat together in a bar chatting & drinking. It was fun.

I hadn't heard of them before. If they are half as good as the Big Apple Greeters in NYC, it will be a great way to see part of the city.