Newsletter #107: May 27, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011 
In This Issue:Boutique Hotels Under €200
Metro Ticket Price Rise in July
Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris"
I wrote an article on budget accommodations in Paris for the British newspaper, The Guardian. You can now read it online as part of their Paris City Guide. Click on blue tabs under the map for boutique hotels under €200 on the Right Bank Boutique or Left Bank Boutique, or on Budget Hotels for hostels and basic lodgings under €100. There’s also a fun Paris-themed music playlist if you need a shot of nostalgia.
Metro Ticket Price Rise in July
Each year on July 1st the RATP (Paris’ metro, bus and tram network) raises ticket prices to keep up with inflation. This year the individual ticket price of €1.70 will remain the same, but a carnet of ten tickets will go up €0.50 to €12.50 (half priced for kids under 10, as usual) and the monthly Navigo pass for two zones will pass from €60.40 to €62. Before getting upset, there are two things you should know. First, the metro is constantly being upgraded, improved, and expanded. If you’re a regular commuter, it’s hard not to notice how much better it is now that it was even five years ago. Second, the tickets don’t expire, so you can go and buy a few hundred carnets at the current price and they will still be valid when the price goes up. They even have a handy “User’s Manuel” in multiple languages you can print off for yourself (or your visitors, if you live here). Pas mal, non?
Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris"
I’ll admit I wasn’t going to go see this because I’ve never liked any Woody Allen films (no, not even Annie Hall). I left the last three angry with myself for sitting through them. But I can’t ignore a film that takes place in Paris if only to be able to head off the endless stream of questions that inevitably will follow (ie “Can you tell us which café they showed in the 1920s scenes with Hemmingway?”). Thankfully Midnight in Paris wasn’t as bad as the others. In fact, aside from Rachel McAdams’ wooden acting (totally uncharacteristic of her, so I blame Woody for the bad performance), it’s actually quite enjoyable. The French seem to get a kick out of the fun cameos (not just Madame Sarkozy). I also like the “moral” of the story, which makes up for the overly romanticized view of Paris (I won’t spoil it here, though). My favorite scene in the film was done at the private Musée des Arts Forains, I actually tried the bicycle carrousel last Christmas!
I’ve never been a big Georges Brassens fan. I've heard the lyrics are what really made him famous, but I could never get past the almost hillbilly-sounding tunes. But as he’s one of France’s most beloved musicians of all time, I thought I’d put it on the schedule for last weekend’s Tagalong Tour that would include a little stroll down the canal to see what’s new along the Bassin de la Villette this season. Check out the article and photos at Secrets of Paris, “Brassens and the Bassin de la Villette”.
Many people know the gardens of the Loire Valley or the French Riviera, but did you know the Ile-de-France (the region surrounding Paris) also has some fabulous gardens? I was lucky enough to spend six days this month as the guide for a group touring the private gardens of chateaux (some open to the public), private home gardens, arboretums and national conservatories, including a trip to the fabulous Courson Plant Festival. If you’re interested in bringing a group to France for a garden tour, don’t hesitate to contact the Académie des Arts de Vivre, who arranged everything for us from the personalized visits to transportation , accommodations and the delicious meals. See some photos from the tour (just a fraction of the hundreds I took) on the Secrets of Paris, “Private Gardens of the Ile de France”
You don’t have to go far to get some fresh air and excitement around Paris. There are three hippodromes with weekly races in the city (at the Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes), and the historic Chantilly hippodrome less than a half hour away on the RER. The really big events start this weekend with the Gras Savoye Grand Steeple Chase de Paris on May 29 (Auteuil), Le Prix du Jockey Club on June 5 (Chantilly), Le Prix de Diane Longines on June 12 (Chantilly) and Le Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris on Bastille Day, July 14 (Longchamp). The entrance is usually either free (for standing spaces) or under €10 to be in the stands, with activities for the kids, special entertainments (concerts, performances), and some interesting dining and/or picnic options. For more info visit the France Galop site.
First time in Paris? Let Bryan give you a quick crash course orientation to the city. In two hours he will show you how to use the metro, explain local customs, dining etiquette, an introduction to the history of Paris, the best sites and neighborhoods based on your available time and interests, dining recommendations, and answers to all of the questions you might have...even the stupid ones! When he’s not fact-checking travel guides, writing articles, or giving tours of the city, Bryan is an American graduate student working on his masters’ degree at the Sorbonne. He’s a fun and enthusiastic guide who will share all of his best tips to guarantee a “soft landing” on your first trip to Paris. Just €150 for up to 6 adults, contact Bryan directly on his website, Where is Bryan?
The Champs Elysées is getting less French every day. There’s now an Abercrombie & Fitch at #23, and soon to follow are the British store Marks & Spencer at #100 and the American boutique Banana Republic at the Champs-Élysées roundabout. Across town, the Marais district has been creeping from bohemian cool towards exclusive luxury over the past two years. Did you notice Fred and Guérlaine? Now a new branch of Angelina’s tearoom is set to open in the Hôtel de Sully, and a Poilâne Bakery is planned for the upper Marais on rue Debelleyme. Now if they could just widen the sidewalks a tad…
Just over a year ago the first Roller Derby team formed in France, the Paris Rollergirls. Yes, that classic American contact sport is now the latest in alternative sports entertainment in the City of Light. On June 11 you can attend a “Roller Disco Party on Wheelz” at the Gymnase de Bercy (242 rue de Bercy, 12th). The derby show will take place from 9:30-10:30pm, followed by a skate party with music. Tickets are €10 (€15 sur place), skate rental €5. Interested in joining the fun? The Rollergirls are recruiting new blood, check out their website or FB page for more info (the site’s in French, but many of the ladies are American).
Do you live in Paris and speak conversational French? Contribute your time to your elderly neighbors through the “Voisinage” program organized by the Petits Frères des Pauvres. The goal of the program is to help the elderly who feel isolated and neglected in the city to have some contact with their neighbors. There is no set schedule, visits are adapted to each volunteer’s own availability. I’ve always learned the most about the French from the older Parisians, and now I’ve got my own “French Grandma” to visit with my doggies. If you’d like more info, check their website or contact Giovanni at 01 49 23 13 55 or 06 09 14 11 or by email at giovanni.pandolfo@petitsfreres.asso.fr
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