karlaanne

be prepared to fight the tourists if you come any other time that very early morning. but definitely worth the stop. To appreciate the features of Notre Dame Cathedral, approach from the park behind the cathedral, Square Jean XXIII, for an impressive view. i found the park by accident while shopping on ile de st louis, but i am glad i stopped!!!

the moulin was about 2 blocks up from where i stayed. best area in paris – a little touristy, but i loved it here… be prepared to spend some cash – it is not a cheap show!!!!

from my blog on the night i visited the moulin:

i was seated at the very front, at my table was a retired couple from staten island, a couple from new zealand, a couple from england and one silly old man from australia on a world tour. my dinner consisted of: foie gras, smoked salmon, baguette, toast, veal in gravy with cabbage and endives, potatoes, and some sort of crazy flan with icecream, peaches, bananas and liqueur on top. i proceeded to guzzle an entire bottle of champagne all alone!! and raise holy hell with the woman from staten island (her name was paulette. awesome!) after the huge meal, then it was time for the show… absolutely beautiful. i guess in one sense it was a dinner theatre show, but you can tell these girls (and guys) have been hand picked from all around the world. (Boobs everywhere, by the way) beautiful people, flawless dancing, acrobatics, ventriloquism, magic, miniature ponies (??!!) and La Grande Can-Can du Moulin!! and you know only i would tear up at the can-can. i could just picture my precious Henri de Toulouse Lautrec hiding in the corner, doodling his masterpieces. it makes me choke up even now to know that i was in this beautiful magical place full of such history…. when the show let out, there was a line of about 300 people waiting to get in. apparently sunday nights are the big nights in Montmartre and the Pigalle. it sounds like the NC State Fair out there.

i happened to wander upon the cafe in one of my many rambles through montmartre. honestly this was one of the better meals i had in the city, (relatively cheap) they let me sit in there for hours and read. had a great conversation with one of the waitresses in french about tattoos. – but for the amelie fans – the interior is compeltely changed. the tabac is gone, the booths have changed, etc… but it’s still very cool. there is a huge signed (by audrey tautou) poster in the back.

a mecca of tourist traps in paris, but oh-so-cute!

- keep a hand on your purse while you walk through. lots of pickpockets here, especially in the early evening.

- don’t buy anything from the souvenir stands here, they are double the price of shops at the bottom of the butte.

- feel free to haggle with the artists. (make sure you brush up on your french first. even if these guys can speak english – they wont.

- wait til you are actually in the square to have a protrait done, watch out for the guys walking around with the big notepads before you actually get in the square.

- on the right is a creperie – one of the best in the cities. the lady in there has a foul temper, but its still fantatic.

- make sure you wnder around the back and hit up the dali museum.

make sure to visit Pylones – 57 Rue St Louis en l’ile – coolest lil shop in paris, in my opinion!!!

definitely one of the more touristy places in the city, but absolutely my favorite place on earth. montmartre is it’s own city inside the city.

magical and worth the drive from paris – make sure you dress warmly and throw a poncho or umbrella in your purse – it rains a lot there! – also – be prepared to climb some serious steps!!! amazing place.

be sure to take some time to hang out outside the pompidou, buy a crepe from one of th evendors and have a seat and take a listen to one of the street musicians taking their turn. also make sure to do some wandering in the back streets around the pompidou for some moderately prived and trendy boutiques! i found an awesome used book store not far from there.

1) don’t feel ashamed to ride the funiculare! you can alwyas walk back down.

2) watch out for the guys with the strings at the base of the hill, they will try to get you to hold out your hand and will tie a string on it and will not take it off until you pay up… i got around them easily by saying… “non non non – je suis francais!” and then laughing. they will probably yell to have a nice day…

3) this is my very favorite place in the whole city. it’s a total tourist trap, but it’s so beautiful!!!

make sure you try to get tickets to the top in advance, or you’ll be waiting in line forever! also, make sure to keep all yoru money in your front opckets – pickpockets abound!!!