december-2009

166 | DESTINATION GUIDES
Paris
France
DIALLING CODE +33
CURRENCY €
FROM THE
AIRPORT
ORLY
Visit the Europcar
desk on arrival
for special easyJet
infl ight rates.
Holiday Taxis
(easyJet.
holiday taxis.com)
take you from home
to the airport, then city
or destination.
TAXI
The 30-minute
journey to central
Paris should cost
about €35.
The Orly bus
stops at Place
Denfert-Rochereau
every 12 minutes from
5.45am–11.30pm.
Tickets: €6.40.
The RER B4
(OrlyVal) travels
from Orly to Châtelet
in 30 minutes.
Trains run every
eight minutes from
6am–11pm. Tickets:
€9.85. The journey on
line C2 between Orly
and Invalides takes
40 minutes, from
6am–11pm.
Tickets: €7.60.
ROISSY-CHARLES
DE GAULLE
Visit the Europcar
desk on arrival
for special easyJet
infl ight rates.
Holiday Taxis
(easyJet.
holiday taxis.com)
take you from home
to the airport, then city
or destination.
TAXI
The fare to
central Paris
should cost €45.
The Roissy bus
stops at the
Opéra every 15 minutes
from 5.45am–11pm.
Tickets: €9.10.
Take the RER B3
on a 30-minute
journey to Gare du
Nord. Trains leave
every 15 minutes from
5.24am–11.58pm.
Tickets: €8.60.
BON APPETIT
UP TO €15 Le
Baron Bouge (1 Rue
Théophile Roussel,
tel: 01 4343 1432)
Join the stallholders
from the Marché
d’Aligre at this lively
neighbourhood wine
bar serving charcuterie,
cheeses and oysters
to accompany
excellent wines
from independent,
national growers.
UP TO €50 La
Closerie des Lilas
(171 Boulevard du
Montparnasse,
tel: 01 4051 3450)
Come to the historic
Montparnasse to
enjoy light bar snacks
over an aperitif at
the piano bar where
plaques mark the
favourite seats of
Hemingway, Beckett
and other famous
patrons over the last
century. Or have
a light meal of fresh
oysters or hearty
20% discount
for all passengers.
Please quote
EJPARIS
salads in the low-lit
brasserie next to the
bar, plus there’s also
a formal dining room
with a great French
menu. Open during
the holidays.
EXCLUSIVE Train
Bleu (Gare de
Lyon, tel: 01 4343
0906) A beautiful
second-Empire-style
restaurant, built as
part of the Gare de
Lyon for the 1900
Universal Exhibition.
It has a luxurious,
gilded interior
featuring 42 beautiful
frescoes of the
destinations served
by the railway at
the turn of the 20th
century. Try the
special multi-course
Christmas menu,
which includes game
and a mountain of
exquisite cheeses
and desserts.
Le Grand Véfour
(17 Rue de Beaujolais,
tel: 01 4296 5627) This
historic, 18th-century
restaurant overlooking
the gardens of the
Palais Royal serves
classic French haute
cuisine in a romantic
setting. Today it is
owned by the
Taittinger Champagne
group, but you can
also fi nd excellent
vintages like Margaux
on the wine list.
Be sure to reserve
as far in advance
as possible.
AFTER DARK
LOW KEY Le
Caveau Montpensier
(15 Rue Montpensier,
tel: 01 4703 3378)
Take the trip down a
few steps to enter
one of the oldest
bars in Paris and
enjoy a drawn-out
drink. It has a long
history as an Irish
bar, but the latest
owner has completely
restored the stone
walls and wooden
beams, adding a
sleek metal and glass
cocktail bar for a more
contemporary look
with a cosy feel.
LIVE MUSIC Glazart
(7–15 Avenue de la
Porte de la Villette, tel:
01 4036 5565) Out on
the (cutting) edge of
Paris, just past the
Parc de la Villette,
this music and arts
venue has an eclectic
programme of
clubbing, rock, funk
and folk concerts,
art exhibitions and
arthouse cinema
screenings. A laidback
crowd fl ock down
UP TO
€30
Georges (19 Rue
Beaubourg, tel: 01
4478 4799) Perched
on the top fl oor of
the contemporary
Centre Pompidou,
this modern
restaurant has
a simplistic feel
but with a huge
installation in the
centre. Book ahead.
here for a break
away from the
traditional clubs of the
Champs-Elysées.
LATE & LIVELY M
(128 Rue de la Boétie,
tel: 01 5376 0211) Just
off the Champs-Elysées,
this sexy underground
dance club formerly
known as Madam was
completely revamped
this year with a sexy new
look. Expect a crowd
of young and trendy
twentysomethings,
but there’s a more
accessible vibe for afterwork
soirées on Thursday
from 7pm–1am.
Nouveau Casino
(109 Rue Oberkampf,
tel: 01 4357 5740)
Tucked behind the Café
Charbon, this futuristic
club hosts live rock
concerts, turning into
more of a DJ club with
electronic music from
about midnight. Its low
entry fees keep it one
of the most popular
venues in this laidback
east Paris district.
Dress code is casual
rather than glitzy.
THIS MONTH
SHOP Every
December, several
Christmas villages are
set up around the city,
including St Germain
des Prés, St Sulpice
and Trocadero, with
little wooden chalets
selling gifts, handicrafts,
regional delicacies, hot
wine and crêpes in
a very festive setting.
SEE The 21st annual
Africolor Music
Festival is on until 20
December, bringing
the latest sounds from
the African continent
to the Parisian
suburbs, including
contemporary, jazz,
baroque, hip hop and
classical music. Warm
up a cold day with
some African tunes and
dancing (africolor.com).
GO One of the few
charming residential
market streets in
a district famous for
towering monuments
and vast grassy
esplanades, is
Rue Cler in the 7th
arrondissement.
The main street has
gourmet food shops
and stands, wine shops,
cafés and budget
hotels. It’s walking
distance to the Eiffel
Tower, Invalides, Musée
Rodin and the new Quai
Branly Museum.
ESCAPE Amiens is
two hours hour north
of Paris in the Picardy
region. It’s home to
Jules Verne’s house, a
patchwork of gardens
within a lake known as
Les Hortillonnages, and
the largest cathedral
in France, Notre Dame
D’Amiens, built in the
13th century to house
the head of St John the
Baptist which is still
on display today (visitamiens.com).
NO WAY!
Le Bourget was the
main airport of Paris
until Orly opened in
1948. The old airport
is famous as the
landing place for
Lindbergh’s historic,
fi rst solo fl ight across
the Atlantic in 1927.
Heather Stimmler-Hall
HOTEL DE LA PORTE DORÉE
Walking into Hotel de la Porte Doree you will sense this is not your
ordinary two star hotel. Our French and American team
are here to make your stay a memorable one.
273 Avenue Daumesnil, 75012 Paris • T: +33 (0)1 43 07 56 97
E: hotel-porte-doree@wanadoo.fr • www.hoteldelaportedoree.com