August preferred time to visit Paris

Summer is the best time to visit this Roman Catholic cathedral city of France. The weather is at its best from June to September. The sun-soaked city during this part of the year becomes over crowded as tourists from across the globe prefer this season to visit this place.

To the local residents, Paris wears a complete new look in August. It seems foreign visitors take the reins of the city in their own hands forcing the locals to accommodate themselves in little space.

Most of the well-to-do citizens often abandon this city making space for the foreigners to escape the cramming and excessive din and bustle.

Paris gets into a festive mood during this time and welcomes its visitors with an open arm. Not all locals leave the city during this time, some really enjoy the over enthusiasms of the excited visitors which spread like an infection.

The entire ambience changes, the city becomes laid back and comes under the grip of the festivity during this time.

But it has its negative sides. The beaches are overcrowded, the streets become chock-o-block, the restaurants are filled to the capacity and even many hotels have accommodation problems. The traffic moves at a snail’s pace but that does not diminish the thrill of cheerful visitors.

This is the time when Paris hosts numerous free events. Open-air cinemas, live music concerts are added draws for tourists. But one must not forget that all these come at a price and in Paris the price is really high.

One may mistake Paris for an amusement park while strolling along the well-decked up beaches especially those along the Seine River.

August is the perfect time to cruise through the world famous rivers, canals and other waterways.

Paris has about 8,000 restaurants which do a moderate to good business during this season.

For the French, August is the time to stay laid back. They indulge in hosting parties, going for night outs and different gatherings. Beaches serve several purposes. A lazy stroll along the beaches will arrest your attention to a lot of things happening, some just are just lying and relaxing, others are reading and still others having grand picnics.

Every year Parisians enjoy innumerable movies free of cost on a huge outdoor screen, that’s again another event there.

Paris in August is usually warm and to some extent sweltering on many occasions but rain also frequent. An autumn-like weather will embrace tourists in Paris during this time.

Paris Events in May

Top 5 Paris Events in May 2013

You never need a reason to visit Paris. It is one of the top tourist destinations in the world. Although visitors come here throughout the year but the best time to visit Paris is during May.

May is the spring time here when the thermometer starts rising after chilling Paris winter. Weather in May is comfortable with occasional rain but mostly it’s a sunny climate. The temperature is pleasant with minimum of 10˚C and maximum of 18˚C.

The trees in Paris come into full bloom and the city’s many manicured gardens become picturesque during this time. People mostly enjoy the sunny afternoons strolling in these beautiful gardens.

May in Paris is the time of celebration as well.  Lots of events take place during this time. So, if you have plans to visit the city during spring time get yourself an updated catalog of its many events and plan your visit accordingly. Given below is a list of the top events of May 2013 in Paris.

May 18^th: May 18^th is Museum Night in Paris.  On this day the doors of over a thousand museums in Paris remain open for public till well past midnight. Special events and performances are organized in many places for visitors. As a matter of fact, entries to museums are free for all those who visit.

May 17^th -June 5^th: If you are a sports enthusiast then you can’t miss visiting the famous Roland Garros ground to witness ace tennis players clash for prestigious French Open. It is one of the most coveted sports events in the world. Many tennis greats like Steffi Graf, had made their debuts in Roland Garros. In the history of tennis this ground had hosted many historical matches. This year French Open will start on May 17^th and will continue till June 5^th .

Whole month of May: Foire du Trône or Paris fair take place throughout the month of May. It is an annual event that natives and visitors alike look forward to. It is a fun event that kids will enjoy most. So, if you have kids then the best place you can take them is to Paris. The event is a continuous carnival with country fair, ferris wheels, and roller coasters, with whole lot of cotton candies and ice-creams.

May 24^th-27^th: This year the annual event of Artists’ Open House in Belleville Galleries will take place between May 24^th and 27^th . This is your opportunity to come face to face with some of Paris’s greatest contemporary artists and their works. It is expected that around 250 such artists will open their doors for public to visit their works and spaces.       

 

Paris in May

Paris is the city of romance. Life is a continuous carnival here. Whichever way you turn you can see a never ending celebration of life. But besides being the romance capital of the world, Paris is also a business hub, a fashion destination and a hot tourist spot. Every year Paris streets get teemed by thousands of international tourists and you can find among them honeymooning couples, vacationing families, admirers of painting and sculptures and various other sorts. Paris has something or the other to offer everyone.

Although Paris receives tourists year long but in May the city offers a visual delight to visitors. The words that best describe Paris during May are blooming and buzzing. The city really transforms during the spring. It becomes lively with teeming tourists, luscious blooms and excitements. If you really want to experience the true spirit of Paris then May is probably the best time to travel to the city.

At this time of the year the weather remains most pleasant – an ideal condition to stroll outside and enjoy the city and its never ceasing activities. During May the city’s many manicured gardens come into full bloom – transforming it into a Technicolor picture gallery. You can simply spend your time in one of its many cafeterias – discussing life’s many aspects, indulging in some romantic novels or simply sipping into the colorful life that passes by you. Do uncommitted window shopping in world’s one of the best shopping destinations.

You can spend as much time as you want outside. The days during this time are longer and nights shorter. So, you get ample time to soak in Paris’s sunlight while enjoying your coffee in its many famous courtyards.

If you are a lover of paintings then Paris can offer you some of the greatest creations by the genius. Paris museums are the cause of envy for many. They flaunt some of the greatest collections from medieval period, to renaissance and even of the modern era. May 18^th is celebrated as museum night and Paris museums remain open for public till late at midnight. As a part of the celebration, entry to these museums on this day is free.

Paris during May is also a gourmet delight. After day long excursions you can reserve your evening for a romantic dinner in many of city’s eateries.  Paris culinary is celebrated worldwide and when you are here, indulge yourself in some of chef’s best creations. Parisian foods celebrate the time with opulent vegetable, meat and sea food dishes.

Paris nightlife in May is as exciting as the day time. So, don’t forget to get a taste of that too while you are there.

The Oldest Restaurant in Paris

Paris, the gastronomical capital of the world, abounds in fine dine restaurants, boulevard cafes, and quaint eateries. The tradition of cafes and restaurants dates long back, with Le Procope being the oldest restaurant in Paris.

Located in the heart of the Saint-Germain des Prés district, Le Procope was founded in 1686. Le Procope first started as a café where gentlemen of fashion would come for a drink of coffee or to eat a sorbet served up in porcelain cups. Gradually, Le Procope became the favorite hang-out place of the French literary giants for centuries.

According to sources, writers such as La Fontaine, Voltaire, Rousseau, Balzac, and Beaumarchais were all regulars at the café. In fact Voltaire was so captivated by the spirit and the increasingly democratic mix at the Le Procope café that his writings are seen to reflect the ambience of the café at that time.

Le Procope is famous for seafood, which is prepared using special house-recipes of the restaurant. You can also enjoy the original taste of the traditional French cuisine, such as “Foie Gras Frais de Canard Chutney à l’Abricot, Panettone Toasté”, “Grosses Gambas Plancha Riz Parfumé au Curry”, “Côte de Veau Rôtie en Douceur, Parfumée à la Sauge, Pomme Purée Maison”, and “Millefeuille à la Vanille Bourbon”.

The décor at le Procope is a luxurious one, with crystal chandeliers, Pompeian red walls, huge oval mirrors adorning the walls, 18th century oval portraits of prominent people that have been patrons, and a grand old piano. The waiters were dressed in quasi-revolutionary uniforms.

The air-conditioned restaurant is open, from 11.30 am to 1.00 pm, all days of the week, and some of the public holidays as well. To make you comfortable, the restaurant offers valet parking, allows you to take your pets, has rooms for hire, provides private reception rooms, and accepts groups. You can relax with a drink at the bar, get the menu in English, and pay using a variety of credit cards which are accepted. You can even enjoy one of the Special Evenings right at the cafe- may be a dinner-show that includes a play or show of your choice and a special “Theatre” menu served in the restaurant.

Le Procope has maintained the aura of being the oldest cafe in Paris and is a charming place with a very old world look and feel which allures each and every guest!!

Travel to Paris

Paris Travel Guide for Men

If you are an explorer with a penchant for learning new cultures and lands from the close counter, you must take trip to Paris, one of the most amazing heartlands of Europe. Travelers from all over the world for centuries have gushed about incomparable charms of Paris. This city is one of its kinds in the earth as it combines the best of every world – modernity and quaintness, classic and contemporary, pace and solitude. Connoisseurs of food, art, fashion, and beauty – all gather at the shrine of Paris to explore and experience the finest and the best in the world. If you have already arrived in Paris and want to discover each original nuances of the city, the following pointers will help you do exactly the same only in more organized and methodical manner.

For the gastronomy aficionado, Paris is the Mecca of all things delicious. Starting from the very own French delicacies to the unfamiliar African cuisine – the hotels and restaurants in this city are bustling with innovation and amalgamation. If you are more inclined towards the spirits than the food, the wine bars and pubs of this city are another site you must explore. These bars are often pretty old and serve the traditional fare but the wine bars promoted by young chefs are all about novelty and uniqueness. The Left Bank is embalmed with an air of class and sophistication as it harbors some of the world’s most expensive and exquisitely designed bars and clubs. You may also look beyond it to the smaller restaurants and bars to get a feel of the true Parisian culture.

If you love art and culture, Le Louvre in Paris is a must visit. Once you are at Louvre, be awed by the most well-known and talked about artworks in the world. If you want to check out the masterpieces thronging this museum, there is no other way out than to come back for few more visits to the place. At Centre Pompidou’s impressive Musée National d’Art Moderne or the National Museum of Modern Art, the modern art lovers can enjoy their share of arty enthusiasm. Home to the most admired 40,000 artworks from the twenty-first and the twentieth century, this place is the pilgrimage for followers of European modern art.

And if you want to explore the fashion scene and buy the latest designer dresses, Paris has the whole lot with designers like Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Hermes and many more. So, wait no more and explore the best of Paris and enjoy your trip.

Paris Parks

Referred to as the city of love, light, fashion, literary paradise–Paris, the sophisticated capital of France has countless numbers of well-designed parks. These remarkable parks and beautiful gardens situated in or near the center of Paris attract millions of tourists visiting annually. One can sit on the soft green grass of these Paris Parks or on the green metal chairs that are found abundantly in these gardens, and enjoy reading, watch merrily the other people passing by, or simply rejuvenate in the charming, pleasant weather. These unique spots are perfect and most favorite places of people to sun, stroll, picnic and play.
The parks and gardens of Paris are truly wonderful for romantic leisurely strolls or for admiring nature, cycling, etc; while the kids too can have immense fun as puppet theatres are organized and tennis courts are set up frequently in these parks.  The impressionist paintings which often depicts Parisians at lazy picnics or in the romantic green settings throws considerable light on the fact that the Paris Parks and Gardens have been a source of inspiration since a long time.
The parks are not merely some plots of grasslands reserved for sports. The gorgeous botanical arrangements, exotic and rare species of plants, fresh flowers of vibrant colors blooming every year in a majestic fashion delights and inspires the nature lover’s deeply. All these reflect the city’s elegance, every artistic detail and symmetry.
Le Bois de Boulogne is the largest park situated on the western outskirts of the city. Formerly a royal forests and hunting ground, this vast 2200 acres of Greenland is bordered by leafy roads and features marvelous waterfalls, breathtaking scenery, especial children’s playground, shimmering lakes, oak and cherry trees, etc. Bois de Vincennes, is another enormous and beautiful Paris Park, created in the year 1860, where one can find Buddhist temples, boating lakes, restaurants, a racetrack, baseball field, small farms, etc.
Jardin des Plantes is a fantastic Paris park and is considered to be the oldest one. It was founded in the year 1626, and was first established as a royal garden of medicinal plants. Today this popular botanical garden covering 28 hectors and being situated on the left bank of River Seine, feature numerous tropical hothouses which are home to a variety of unusual plants, magnificent Alpine and rose garden, a small zoo, a botany school, Natural History Museum, an Art-Deco style winter garden, etc.

Just for Two

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The category Just Paris introduces you to the world of amazing activities in the City of Lights. Sensational body treatments from all over the world or the whole SPA reserved especially for you will relax you both and wake up all your senses. You can choose among innovative helicopter flights, bike or boat rides – all of them bring excitement and show you Paris in a totally different light. Hotels, with which we cooperate, are the most luxurious places in the capital. With an amazing view on the city, room in the theme of Marie Antoinette or a private butler you will definitely feel like in a fairy tale. To make the most out of your stay, we propose you entertainment in the best Parisian cabarets, booked for the best seat and with champagne to increase your happiness. Very interesting, and for sure unique, are our gourmet dinners, when the most famous French chefs do their best by cooking a meal only for you. It is always good to eat a delicious and sophisticated meal, but in the presence of the Chef and with tips especially for you, it becomes a fulfilled dream. Check it yourself:

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What to Eat while in Paris?

The capital city of France is Paris which is prominently acknowledged as the City of Light on account of its exquisiteness. It is a place which is meant to take pleasure in great food, great buildings, including the Paris hotels, in addition to great art. It is the place to sit back and take pleasure in life in the sidewalk café.

Paris attracts much more tourists than any other place in the whole world. Paris is regarded as one of the most wonderful cities in the whole world. Art has been the greatest part of Paris culture for centuries. Art of French fashion as well as cooking are broadly admired and copied from here.

Only some cities can claim superior stature than that of Paris in food and dining sector. It might not be a place where the best gastronomic risks are in use lately and a few even blames the cookery culture in Paris of being starchy at greatest whereas hyped at the most awful. However, gourmets worldwide carry on taking Paris as a representation and motivation, along with the gourmet customs.

Paris is recognized as the nation of haute cuisine which is still appreciated worldwide, beginning on how to attain the ideal, golden baguette for pairing dishes along with wines. Paris is among the grand gastronomic capitals of the world, no matter whatever your budget is; no trip to Paris is complete without sampling a few of the superb culinary delights on offer over there.

You may stay in any of the hotels in Paris, a few tips on what and where to have food or drinks while being in the City of Lights. It is perhaps not possible to list all of the mouth-watering as well as varied French dishes you might encounter during your trip in Paris; don’t forget to try some of its excellent starter menu meant for those much fortunate to take a trip to Paris.

i)                    French Onion Soup:    This flavored soup is a familiar example of the famous stateside food item which has its origins in the French cuisine, and is found in three divisions: croutons, a caramelized onion-laced broth, with a layer of crispy-bubbly cheese.

ii)                  Pastries and Desserts:   Everywhere you look at in Paris there is a fresh new rainbow of the sweets to relish on; a delicious pick among them is habit-forming macarons.

iii)                Cheese:   May it be melted over soup, bubbling on savory croque monsieur or simply enjoyed plain, Paris has some of the best cheese in the world.

iv)                Foie Gras:   These are typically a duck or goose liver pate, which are enlarged to give the liver a tender and buttery quality.

Visit And Enjoy Paris With Kids

It is a truth that travelling opens up your mind and if you are travelling with your kids, it is more so. Every family experience together at any unknown place will give your child an ample opportunity to learn about new cultures and bond with the family. However, if you have always thought that a foreign trip to Paris with kids entails problems, give it another thought! It is an excellent option to explore this pulsating city with your kids. Unlike the popular belief, Paris is not just only about romantic rendezvous. It also welcomes family vacationers as there are score of tourist destinations that the kids will enjoy.

Take a trip to the Eiffel Tower. If you want to explore the delights of Paris with kids, there is no way that you can ignore this marvelous monument. This magnificent structure can be seen from each corner of Paris. Take a ride on top of the tower and you will be rendered speechless by the breathtaking 360 degree views of this city of dreams. Your kids will certainly love the thrill and amazement of viewing world from the top of the Tower. After taking your first journey to the Eiffel Tower, it is time that you take a look at the masterpieces of art at the world famous Louvre Museum.

Louvre will certainly astonish your child and after sometime they might get bored. The best way of engaging your children is creating a sort of treasure hunt for them. Takes print outs of some sculptures and artworks showcased in Louvre and you child can explore the museum while they hunt for those pictures. This treasure will certainly keep the kids entertained for quite a long time. Such small engagements can make your trip to Paris with kids, worthwhile and memorable family experience.  Another fun thing you can do in Paris is exciting picnics. There are scores of beautiful parks strewn around Paris and they attract many travelers as well as Parisians.

Stop at the local bakery to pick-up some freshly baked scrumptious baguettes and let your kids choose mini cakes and pastry for themselves. Also you can get yourself cheesy delights and ice creams. These parks have carousel rides, fountains for floating toy boats and large playgrounds. It is an outstanding way to enjoy laidback sunny afternoons with your kids in Paris. Offering so many diverse entertainments, you can rest assured that your trip to Paris with kids will be an amazing experience to cherish forever.

Paris Metro- Fastest Connection within the City

The Paris metro is also known as the Metropolitain and is a rapid transit system in the capital city. It interconnects the city in a fantastic way and its structure has been inspired from Art Nouveau. The transit covers 214 kilometers and 16 lines are underground. The number of stations or stops is 301 and 62 among these facilitate switch of line.Paris’ metro network is quite dense and is one of the best and fastest. There are major and minor lines. Lines 1-14 are major lines and 3ibs and 7ibs are minor lines that have become independent now. There are different colors indicating the different lines and the route is also indicated at the terminus.

Paris’s metro network carries a whopping 1.5 million people every day to their destinations. World’s largest underground metro line is located at Chatelet in Les Halles which consists of 5 lines and 3 commuter rail lines of RER. The service started on 19^th July in 1990. Extensions were constructed in the year 1930. To accommodate lot more trains and passengers, the RER or the second line was built in the year 1960. The Metro of Paris is operated by RATP or Regie autonome des transports parisiens. This is the authority on public transport.

The stations are spaced out closely because the metro was thought to be connecting the city within. This means Paris has several stations and they are closely placed. Only the lines 1, 2, 5 and 6 are above the ground and the rest is underground. The lines running through the Parisian suburbs are also above the ground. Lines 2 and 12 are slightly deep than the other lines. These lines run under the Montmarte hill and Menilmontant. Communication through Paris Metro takes place mostly through 2 way tunnels. Generally the trains can carry thousand passengers. However, for lines 1, 4 and 14 the number of passengers does not cross 600-700.

The sizes of the coaches and the lines have been constructed considering the French mainline. The lines 1, 4, 6, 11, 14 have the ability to run on a rubber tire mechanism and this was developed by RATP. You will get the first train from5:30in the morning from the station. The last train at the station arrives at1:15in the night and is known as the ‘balai’ which means broom in English. This name was given to the last train because it takes all the late passengers. On Saturdays and other holidays the last train arrives at2:15am.

You can get the metro tickets from kiosks stationed at each terminus. Both smart cards and tickets are available. The standard metro ticket is ‘t+’. From the time of the first validation you can travel for 1.5 hours with this ticket. You can travel with this ticket at the buses and trams as well along the metro route. As for metro, this ticket allows unlimited transfers. The Navigo Pass is the smart card which can be used by passengers daily, weekly, yearly. Take the metro and explore the city of Paris.