Pic Nidouille is a select shop, aimed at children, that just opened in November of 2007 in the center of the Quartier latin on Rue des Écoles (Street of Schools). You'll be lured inside by the colorfully decorated show window, and open the door without even thinking...
Here you'll find clothing, stuffed animals, and room decorations designed for babies and children one after another, which goes well with the current baby boom. At Pic Nidouille they're jam-packed with all kinds of ideas, and they've got lots of original children's items you won't be able to find anywhere else! The cute stuffed animal with the retro design is called Doudou, and in France he's a doll that small children carry with them wherever they go. It's different from mechanically produced goods; the unique feel of hand-made items is especially fun. The sticker style chalkboards (the pig and rabbit styles are pictured), which you can easily stick on the wall, are also very popular. Unlike normal stickers, you can use chalk to write whatever you'd like on these.
You can also get some old-fashioned posters for about 20 euros.
In addition they've gathered some things to help make the daily chores of childcare more fun, like bags for gathering bed covers, blankets, and pajamas (or, really, whatever!) all made out of some lovely fabric that will have you exclaiming, Now this is French!
Currently, they mainly carry accessories and decorative items, but they plan to carry more and more clothing as time goes on. They've already got the No Kidding brand, made by younger designers, in stock, which has a design with a taste of rock and roll that doesn't look like it's for kids at first.
Then there's the store manager's one area of trouble: antique furniture. He has personally gone to flea markets and the like to find a lot of furniture for children, and then brought it back and placed it in the store. Beds, cradles, writing desks and chairs for kids It's really a shame that there's no way to bring these back to Japan with you.
Just looking through the shop is fun, not just for children's rooms, but even as a reference for decorating your own room.
　
Pic Nidouille
22, rue des Ecoles 75005
Area: Latin Quarter
Tel : 01 44 07 11 51
Metro : Maubert-Mutualite Line 10,
then a 3 minute walk
Open : 10:00-13:00 / 14:30-19:00
Close : Sundays, Mondays
Source: cahierdeparis.us
André
Published on: 2008-09-29
Shopping
André is a major French shoe brand that has many shops in Paris and in France. Despite its long history, founded in 1896, the brand was giving an image of an ordinary shoe chain, cheap but not so stylish However, from several years ago, it's getting better and better so now we can't wait to check out their shoes every new season! You can find very trendy shoes at a reasonable price. André also offers limited edition shoes in collaboration with young and talented creators. After Prairie de Paris' and Madame à Paris', a Spanish creator, Maloles was selected for the year of 2007.
André
7 av des Gobelins 75005
7 bd St-Michel 75005
Tel : 01 53 40 96 84
Open : 10:00am-7:00pm
Close : Sunday
www.andre.fr
Source: cahierdeparis.us
Fromagerie Laurent Dubois
Published on: 2008-09-29
Shopping
'Fromage is the fabulous French cheese that we want to bring back home as souvenir. Fromagerie Laurent Dubois is found at Boulevard Saint Germain, just in front of Place of Maubert-Mutualité, known for its outdoor market. The cheese, produced by Mr. Dubois who is entitled MOF (Meilleur Ouvrier de France=Most excellent artisan in France), fascinates many Parisian. This is his second shop after the first in 15th district. The beautiful cheese arranged in a line gives the impression of a museum of cheese!
The price range is from 3 per piece or about 10 to 30 per kg.
The good thing to know for tourist is that they can vacuum pack your cheese for 1 (if you purchase more than 15 , the vacuum packing service is free), so you can pass the customs without any problem.
You can also get small dishes of cheese to take go, ideal for aperitif with wine in your hotel room!　
Fromagerie Laurent Dubois
2 rue Lourmel 75015
Tel: 01 45 78 70 58
Open : Mon-Sat 8:00am-7:00pm
Sun 8:00am-1:00pm
Close : Sunday afternoon
Source: cahierdeparis.us
Fromagerie Laurent Dubois
Published on: 2008-09-29
Shopping
'Fromage is the fabulous French cheese that we want to bring back home as souvenir. Fromagerie Laurent Dubois is found at Boulevard Saint Germain, just in front of Place of Maubert-Mutualité, known for its outdoor market. The cheese, produced by Mr. Dubois who is entitled MOF (Meilleur Ouvrier de France=Most excellent artisan in France), fascinates many Parisian. This is his second shop after the first in 15th district. The beautiful cheese arranged in a line gives the impression of a museum of cheese!
The price range is from 3 per piece or about 10 to 30 per kg.
The good thing to know for tourist is that they can vacuum pack your cheese for 1 (if you purchase more than 15 , the vacuum packing service is free), so you can pass the customs without any problem.
You can also get small dishes of cheese to take go, ideal for aperitif with wine in your hotel room!　
Fromagerie Laurent Dubois
47ter Boulevard Saint Germain 75005
Area: Saint Germain des Près
Tel : 01 43 54 50 93
Metro : Maubert-Mutualité line10
Open : Mon-Sat 8:00am-7:00pm
Sun 8:00am-1:00pm
Close : Sunday afternoon
Source: cahierdeparis.us
Published on: 2008-09-29
Shopping
La Vallée Village Outlet Shopping is the first and the largest outlet in France. Only 40 minutes by train (RER A) from Paris, and you arrive at a gorgeous shopping center.
All the items from previous collections of many exclusive must-have brands are 33-55% OFF, and plus, you can get 15% tax free if the total amount is more than 175.01 euros. If your tired after all that shopping, you can recharge and rest your feet at Starbucks and Bert's. And it's open Sunday! Take advantage of this rare occurrence.
Also, Disneyland Paris is just next to the village. What an ideal weekend, Disneyland and shopping!
How to get to La Vallée Village ?
Take RER A from Paris (see Metro Map for central Paris stations) toward Parc Disneyland. Take the train until the end of the line, as Disneyland is the last stop. When you exit the station, you will see a big shopping mall on your right. Go all the way through the mall and you will see the entrance of La Vallée Village. On Sundays when the mall is closed, walk along the side of the mall through the parking lot.
Main brands:
Agnes b., Aigle, Anne Fontaine, Bodum, Barry, Cacharel, Calvin Klein, Camper, Celine, Charles Jourdan, Lacroix, Dunhill, Fulra, Kenzo, Longchamps, ST Dupon, Max Mara, Ferragamo and more....
PRINT YOUR GIFT TICKET NOW !
La Vallée Village Outlet Shopping
3, Cours de la Garonne 77700 Serris (Marne-la-Vallée)
Area: Suburbs
Tel : 01 60 42 35 00
Metro : Val d'Europe/Serris-Montevrain RER A
(Shuttle bus of Cityrama on Tue., Thu. and Sun.)
Open : Mon-Sat 10am-7pm(-8pm in summer time)
Sun 11am-7pm
Close : Open all year around (except for 1st Jan., 1st May and 25th Dec.)
La Vallée Village Outlet shopping Official Site
www.lavalleevillage.com
Source: cahierdeparis.us
Au Moulin à Vent
Published on: 2008-09-25
Restaurant
Since its opening in 1946, 'Au Moulin à Vent' has been a restaurant known for their excellent steaks.
Small tables dressed by a white cloth and silver cutlery will bring you back to the good old days of Paris.
Once you are seated, you, of course, are free to order anything you like, but I would be remiss if I didn't tell you to order the steak. It is their speciality and isn't that why you came here in the first place! My choice was the sirloin steak with black pepper cream source (Faux-filet à la creme poivre) and it was, to risk sounding trite, so tender and juicy!
Of course, there are some plates of fish, but it is highly recommended you order their steaks even if you are not a big fan of beef in general. Their steaks might change your opinion.
Better to make a reservation for dinner as there are not very many tables.
Au Moulin à Vent
20 rue des Fossés-Saint-Bernard 75005
Area: Latin Quarter
Tel : 01 43 54 99 37
Metro : Jussieu line7, 10
Cardinal Lemoine line10
Open : Tue-Fri, Sat dinner 12:00pm-2:15pm/7:00pm-11:00pm
Close : Sat lunch, Sun and Mon
Budget : 3 Courses 35
A la carte Starter 9 -, Main 25 -, Dessert 9 -
Credit Cards: VISA, MASTER
http://www.au-moulinavent.com
Source: cahierdeparis.us
Le Pré Verre
Published on: 2008-09-11
Restaurant
Le Pré Verre is located between Ecole Street and Saint Germain Boulevard in the center of Quartier Latin animated by university students all day long. You will have a nice time in this casual bistro where we always hear jazz or blues. Spices like ginger, coriander or cinnamon are often used in their light French dishes. The 3-course menu at 25.50 euros changes almost every week. You can check the English menu beforehand on their website. The bistro also allows us to discover some small but good wine producers ignored by others.
Le Pré Verre
8, rue Thenard 75005
Area: Quartier Latin
Tel : 01 43 54 59 47
Metro : Maubert Mutualite line 10
Open : 12:00pm-2:00pm
7:30pm-10:30pm
Close : Sunday, Monday
Budget : 3-course menu 25.50
Source: cahierdeparis.us
Le Bar à Huitres
Published on: 2008-09-10
Restaurant
Tasting fresh oysters is the must' when you visit France. At Le Bar a Huitres', which literally means oyster bar, you can find all the fresh seafood including oysters, lobsters, crabs and so on. Oysters, various kinds and sizes, can be ordered by 6 pieces. For your information, the smaller the number is, bigger the oyster is (size 0 being the biggest). Whelks, clams, mussels, shrimps and crabs can be also enjoyed a la carte. If your party is more than 2, we recommend a seafood platter. There are 3 Le Bar a Huitres' in Paris and they are open from 12pm till 1am. Staff is very friendly too.
33 rue Saint-Jacques 75005
Area: Saint Germain des Près
Tel : 01 44 07 27 37
Open : 12:00pm-1:00am
Close : Open everyday
Budget : 3dishes Course 22.5
Seafood Assorted Plate 30 -
A la Carte 7.5 -
http://www.oystersbar.com
Source: cahierdeparis.us
The Stade de France
Published on: 2008-08-29
Exhibition
The Stade de France is the national stadium of France. The stadium plays host to major sporting events, mainly international soccer and rugby matches, and Olympic caliber track and field events. Occasionally, bands like U2 have also used the stadium as a concert venue. It was built for the 1998 World Cup, coincidentally it was France who won the tournament that year, the countries first world soccer championship. Its 80,000 person capacity (seated and covered) is equivalent to the population of the french town of Avignon. With a level of comfort superior to that of existing stadiums and equipped with facilities unequalled in France, it is set to be an exceptional arena hosting far from ordinary events. Currently the stadium plays host to about 40 events a year for a total of about 1,750,000 spectators a year.
Source: allparisnews.com
American Breakfast in Paris
Published on: 2008-08-19
Restaurant
If you're feeling home sick and need an American Breakfast go to the Saint Germain District of Paris.
There is a little restaurant that serves a fine American breakfast.
Breakfast in America Restaurant
17 rue des Ecoles
75005 Paris
Tel: 01 43 54 50 28
Source: allparisnews.com
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PARIS NEWS
"I love Paris every moment.
Every moment of the year, I love Paris.
Why! Oh why do I love Paris?
Because my love is here..."
Welcome
to Paris! This page was designed especially for you
who may visit Paris for the first time. The idea is
to give you advices to acquaint you with the City of
Light, and help you prepare for this exciting trip.
Read on!
Prepare well for a stroll
Once
you have settled down in your comfortable hotel room
and are getting ready to take your first stroll, take
some time to dress appropriately.
First,
put on a really good pair of walking shoes to
feel comfortable in the Parisian streets. Walking in
Paris means stopping often to look at amazing details
and buildings. This constant stop-and-go will wear you
down if you aren't comfy in your shoes.
Visiting
the Eiffel Tower means waiting often over 30 minutes
to gain access to the ticket booth, then waiting some
more for the elevator on the way up, and waiting some
more for the elevator on the way down. So to your feet,
a pair of good shoes will make a big difference!
Parisian
weather is fickle in springtime and during fall:
what starts out as a great clear day can turn rainy
and chilly in the afternoon. Pack a sweater and a rain
breaker if you are visiting during these seasons. Summer
is usually fine (70-85°F), August is generally hotter
(80-95°F). Winter is rainy and cold, almost as cold
as in NYC.
In
any case, take your umbrella along, it may become
your best friend -- especially if you intend to take
pictures of everything. Rain and camera lenses don't
like each other.
Street-savvy tips
Now
that you're dressed and all ready to venture outside,
here are a couple of useful tips:
Avoid taking a taxi during the day,
and notably in the morning until 11:00, and in the late
afternoon from 4:00 to 8:00. Streets are jam-packed
during those periods, and seeing the meter run while
you're a sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic is a disheartening
experience.
Taxi fares: taxi meters show your
fare and one of three letters: A, B, or C. If you are
within Paris and on the ring outside Paris (the peripheral
boulevard), the A rate applies from 6:00 PM and 8:00
PM, and the B rate turns on from 8:00 PM till 6:00 AM.
When you leave Paris intra-muros, the driver will turn
on the B rate during the day and the C rate from 8:00
PM. If you are far from Paris, the C rate always applies.
You will pay extra for every luggage you load in the
trunk and if you take the cab from an airport. Don't
try to hail a cab in the street too close to a train
station: taxi drivers can't load passengers within a
100-meter radius from the train stations. Go to the
station taxi head instead, or further away from the
station.
French people do lunch between
12:00 and 1:30 PM, and dinner between 7:30 and
10:00 PM. If you wish to avoid the crowd, lunch at 12:00
tops and dine out from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. Restaurants
rarely serve between 2:00 and 6:00 PM.
Having a drink at the terasse of a
sidewalk cafe is a necessary experience in Paris
(skip it between November and March though,except if
weather permits). However, terasse drinks are often
charged premium prices.
Although they are saddled with a reputation,
cafe waiters are not necessarily rude: they're
just in a hurry. So don't take offense if they are impatient
with you. Smile and show them what you want on the menu.
They won't return the smile, but you will get your order
quickly.
In Parisian restaurants, it is
not customary for your waiter to come back to you once
you are served to see if everything is allright: they
assume this is the case. So don't feel you are ignored:
just call the waiter when you wish to have your bread
basket replenished. If you dine out at an expensive
restaurant, waiters will tend your table diligently.
Otherwise, it won't be the case.
Gratuity: your restaurant/cafe
check already includes a 15% gratuity. If you
feel like giving an extra tip to your cafe waiter,
leave EUR 1 ($.97) on the table. In a restaurant,
you may leave EUR 3-5 ($2.7-4.5, more if you are
in an expensive place) but again, that's not expected
in either case. Your credit card receipt won't
show any gratuity line.
Armed with these few basic advices, you are
ready to conquer the asphalt. On to places to
visit!
Travel
guide for the lovers of Paris...Let’s discover
Paris with the Parisian eyes! www.timesofparis.com
SHOP
You can discover all the must-visit shops
in Paris, not only famous brands
but also creator's shops and small concept shops.
EAT All
the restaurants, bistros and cafés
presented here are tested by our staff
living in Paris. From a casual French to an
Upscale one, you can find the best places to
eat in Paris.
SEE
One of the most important things to do in Paris...
Sightseeing!
Here you can have the updated information of
Parisian
museums and monuments.
Don't forget to check it out before you leave
for Paris.
PRACTICAL
INFO
How can I buy a Metro ticket? Is it possible
to charge the battery of my camera? How do I
get around in Paris?
If you have any of these questions, check our
'Practical
Info'.
It makes your stay in Paris much easier, without
any worries.
SPECIAL
Special reports about Paris that you will never
find in other sites.
Christmas lights of the department store, visit
typical Parisian apartements, interview of the
creators...
DIARY
This is a kind of personal diary of Paris made
by our staff. Updated often.
PARIS
SEEN BY
Shots of Paris taken by our staff. You can discover
many various views of this charming town.
Paris monuments and hallmarks
The Eiffel Tower
This world-famous
landmark was built for the Universal Fair of 1889,
held to commemorate the centenary of the French
Revolution. It stands 1050 ft high. Admission
(elevator to the top) is EUR 9.90 for adults,
EUR 5.30 for children under 12. Opening hours:
Jan 1-Jun 13: 9:30am-11pm daily (stairs: 9:30am-6pm);
Jan 14-Aug 31: 9am-midnight daily.
Notre Dame Cathedral
Work on
the Hunchback's gothic home began in 1163 AD and
was completed circa 1345 AD. The house of God
can accommodate over 6,000 worshippers. Admission
in the Cathedral is free, going to the towers
costs about EUR 6. No elevator, people with a
heart condition should abstain. Opening hours:
8:00AM-6:45PM daily. Towers: 9:30AM-6:45PM daily.
Masses: 8AM, 9AM, 12AM, 6:45PM.
Champs Elysees and the Arch of Triumph
The Champs
Elysees avenue probably only deserves its nickname
of "most beautiful avenue in the world" for its
lower section, starting Place de la Concorde and
ending at Grand Palais. The rest of the avenue
mainly features overpriced shops and restaurants
- with a few exceptions in the side streets. Walk
to the Arch of Triumph, at the top of the avenue,
and visit the 50-meter high structure built to
commemorate Napoleon's victories. Admission is
about EUR 6, and free for children under 12. Opening
hours: 9:30AM-11:00PM daily from April to October,
and 10:00AM-11:00PM daily from Nov-March.
Montmartre and the Church of the Sacred
Heart
The Romano-Byzantine
basilica crowns the Montmartre hill. Its
construction began in 1875 and was completed
in 1914. Admission is free, except for the
crypt and dome (about EUR 5). For a fun
ride, go to the Anvers metro station, walk
to "Rue Tardieu" and take the "funiculaire"
(a one-car train which brings you almost
to the top of the hill). Montmartre itself
used to be a village outside Paris. The
hill is famous for its architectural landmarks,
its artistic life, and more recently, for
'Amelie'. It counts no less than 7 museums!
Church of the Invalides
Its building
started in 1671 under the reign of King Louis
the XIVth, and about 30 years later. From its
inception, the place was designed to serve as
a home to impoverished soldiers and wounded veterans
of the French army. It comprises the veteran hospital
itself, a church, several museums, and the tomb
of Napoleon I. Admission is EUR 6 for adults,
and free for children under 12. Opening hours:
October to March 31: 10AM-4:45PM, April-September
30: 10AM-5:45PM www.invalides.org/
Sainte Chapelle
Located
on Ile de la Cité, the construction of this gothic
church started under Louis IX in 1240 AD to house
relics believed to be Jesus's Crown of Thorns
and parts of the Holy Cross. Amongst other remarkable
details, the tall stained-glass windows which
are mainly original work. Admission is about EUR
6. Opening hours: 10:00AM-5:00PM.
Place des Vosges
Its construction
started in the early XVIIth century under Henri
IV. It was completed in 1612. Initially named
'Royal Square', it was renamed 'Place des Vosges'
by Napoleon I as an homage to the inhabitants
of the Vosges region who had been particularly
quick to pay their taxes. The square is remarkable
both by its style (it is lined with 36 buildings,
all dating from Henri IV) and by its shops and
its little park where Parisians like to loaf on
sunny Sundays.
Paris
offers a number of interesting itineraries for strollers.
You can follow the waterways (river Seine, St
Martin Canal, river Bièvre) or the 17-km long railway
transformed into a most surprising walkway
hung some 50 feet above the hustle-bustle of the city.
You can also spend some quality time in any of the large
public parks which the city counts (Luxembourg, Buttes-Chaumont,
Montsouris, Georges Brassens), discover the gardens
of the 14th district, or else decide to learn live
history and architecture in areas like St-Sulpice and
St Germain-des-Prés.
A lively and interesting city
This
is but a glimpse of the many places you will want to
visit during your stay in Paris. Guests of the hotel
are offered a Complimentary Pass to the Members
Only section of the Paris Eiffel Tower News website,
which features a lot more information on Paris.
The
Complimentary Pass can be retrieved from the Thank You
page which displays after your reservation request has
been received by the hotel.
The
hotel personnel wishes to be of service to you during
your stay in Paris.
