Bonjour,

Here are a few magic places in Paris. We hope you will enjoy them as much as we do!

Take a virtual tour of the Marais District, the legendary open-air markets rue Mouffetard and rue Daguerre ...

Nice walks

1 - Mouffetard - Panthéon - Luxembourg Garden- Notre Dame

- Take the metro to Censier-Daubenton (Metro line Nº 7)

- The rue Mouffetard has a charming daily open-air market (every day but Monday). It is the oldest one in Paris. On Sunday morning, around 11:00 am (and sometimes Saturday afternoon), the street becomes crowded with musicians and artists, everybody sings, try it! Be sure to start from the beginning of the rue Mouffetard. (At the church Saint-Médart) [Click on the photos for a more thorough visit of Rue Mouffetard's open-air market]

Madi and Amid are welcoming customers at their produce shop: Stop by and mention Claude's name! France For Rent guests usually get a complimentary serving of their fresh produce... - Cour des Halles - - 142 , rue Mouffetard -

- Go up the rue Mouffetard to the Place de la Contrescarpe, rue Descartes and left on rue Clovis, you will arrive to the Panthéon. Go down on rue Soufflot that ends on the "Jardin du Luxembourg".

- "Jardin du Luxembourg ": this is the most romantic park in Paris. If you go on Wednesday afternoon, you will see the children navigate their toy boats on the water. You can rent boats (I use to do it when I was a kid... and still do it from time to time !). Kids will have fun in the Playground area of the Parc (3 euros), and younger ones might enjoy a ride on the ponies. Also, don't miss the "Théatre Guignol" (There is a show around 3:00 or 4:00 pm). The place is a Landmark and "Guignol" is a LYON landmark. The Jardin du Luxembourg is a great place to jog, too!

Boulevard Saint-Michel and Notre-Dame: Then, go down the Boulevard Saint-Michel and when arriving at the Seine river, you'll see Notre-Dame Cathedral and on the right the Ile Saint-Louis (maybe time for a delicious ice-cream at the world-renowned Berthillon)

If you have time, you may want to go the Mosquée de Paris (rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, close the Métro Censier-Daubenton) and enjoy a "thé à la menthe" in the Jardin/café de la Mosquée (open only in the afternoon)... And then, have a nice walk in the "Jardin des Plantes", right next to it.

2 -Palais-Royal - Centre Pompidou - Le Marais

Métro stop: Palais-Royal

- Hot chocolate: First of all, if you like chocolat chaud" (hot chocolate), walk to ANGELINA, 226, rue de Rivoli Paris 1st, under the arcades.
Their "chocolat chaud: "l'Africain" is a well-known Parisian pleasure. Expensive, but worth it!

- At the entrance of the Palais-Royal, you will find the "Comédie Française"(National French Theater Company) and the "Ministère de la Culture".

- Take a walk in the "Jardins du Palais-Royal". You will see the "Colonnes de BUREN" sculptures (white and black cylinders sculptures)

- Under the walkway on the right side, do not miss the "Shiseido Boutique"(142, Galerie de Valois), go in even if you don't buy: it is magnificent! At the end of the Jardins there is a nice little boutique that sell music boxes.

- If you have time, take a peek at the former Bibliothèque Nationale
58, rue de Richelieu Paris 2nd, just behind the Palais-Royal.

- Walk to The Centre Pompidou (Parisians call it Beaubourg), beware of Tuesday closing.
On the right side of the Centre Pompidou, there is a water fountain with colorful sculptures from Nicky De Saint-Phalle.

- Lunch: Next to the fountain, "Dame Tartine" is a nice place to have a light lunch.

- Then walk toward "Le Marais" : the rue de Rivoli (you'll pass in front of the Mairie de Paris - Town Hall, and its "Place"(square) where guillotines were installed during the revolution) to to the rue Vieille du Temple and turn right on the rue des Francs-Bourgeois. This is a wonderful street, full of old building, secret gardens and nice boutiques, especially when you get closer to the Place des Vosges. The Place des Vosges is the oldest square of Paris, magnificent! Enjoy a tea or coffee at "La Bourgogne", under the arcades. Click on the photo for more pictures

- And, of course, don't miss the open-air market on rue Daguerre!   Click on the photo for more pictures

A few more tips and good addresses:

- If you like real chocolate, try "RICHARD" (chocolate and design). 258, boulevard Saint-Germain (metro stop: Solferino). They have an incredible assortment of 64% through 100% cocoa chocolates in a box.

- For chocolate lovers on a budget, try the Nestle 74% chocolate bar (between 1 and 2 euros, depending on the grocery store)

Tea lovers should absolutely pay a visit to "Mariage Frères", in the Marais,
32, rue du Bourg-Tibourg, the most famous and oldest tea merchants of Paris.
Ask to smell as many teas as you like.
For their subtle perfume, we recommend: "Boléro" and "Elixir d'amour".

- If you like spices, here is ZEE address where all the "Chefs" shop:
"IZRAEL, Epicerie du Monde" 30, rue François-Miron, Paris 4th
(a small street behind the Town Hall, closed on Monday).
They have wonderful mixes of spices for fish ("mélange poisson") and meat ("mélange viande") and hundreds of spices from the five continents.
Since you'ill be in the rue Francois Miron, have a look at the oldest Paris house,
nearly facing the spice store.

- Movies, museums, theaters, concerts: look for PARISCOPE (0.30 euros) and L'OFFICIEL DES SPECTACLES (0.50 euros), available at any newspaper stand. New issues published on Wednesday.

Restaurants

Marais area

Le Trois
3, rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie
01 42 74 71 52

Li Angeli
(a wonderful Italian restaurant at a very reasonable price, very close to the Place des Vosges)
5, rue Saint-Gilles

Le Relais Saint-Paul
33, rue Francois Miron
01-48-87-3420
(it is a good idea to call in advance to reserve for this very one, the place is quite small)

Au Gamin de Paris
51, rue Vieille du Temple
01-42-78-9724
(simple but nice and inexpensive)

And a very nice one ...but more pricey:
Dome Du Marais
53 B rue des Francs Bourgeois
01 42 74 54 17

Chatelet-Sentier area

- In the Chatelet/Sentier area, Rue Montorgueil is another very nice open-air market (every day but Mondays). 2 restaurants we recommend in this neighborhood:

- "Le Brin de Zinc": for a typical French lunch (rue Montorgueil)

- "Aux Crus de Bourgogne": for a good traditional French cuisine restaurant
(from the "Lyon" area: 3, rue Bachaumont Paris 2nd
(always wise to reserve as this is a well-known address, Tel: 01-42-33-4824)

Bon séjour!

Claude Nédérovique
and
Jamie Sommer