Sunday, October 24, 2010

10 things to not do in Paris

Taken off concierge.com, here are some of the things you do not do in Paris. 1. Do not shop on the Champs-Elysees. 2. Do not get star struck at meal times. 3. Do not spend all day at the Louvre of Musee D'Orsay. 4. Do not commit a fashion faux pas. 5. Do not get around in town cab. 6. Do not seek out Bohemian ambiance on the left bank. 7. Do not waste time at the Eiffel Tower. 8. Do not book the cheapest hotel. 9. Do not fill up on croissant. 10. Do not buy into stereotypes.

Clearly, the editors have a targeted audience subset. But here is one that I agree with the most.

"Take to heart the French word flâner"

While flâner technically means "to stroll," it more generally suggests "to walk the city in order to experience it"—words to live by in the City of Light. The center of Paris is only a couple of miles wide, maps are ubiquitous, and the rewards for taking to the streets on foot include world-class window shopping, observing flirtatious exchanges taking place in sidewalk cafés, and walking off that extra croissant. Worried about dog droppings? Fear not, the city has cleaned up its act. When going longer distances, hop on the Métro. From any given spot in Paris, you're never more than 500 yards from the nearest station; it's cheaper than a cab and often faster, too.

how can i not miss the peaceful stroll along la Seine.

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