It's cold, I have work to do, and I miss Paris! Forgive a little self-indulgence.

This question is for both repeat visitors and those who will experiencing the city for their very first time. When you get off the plane, what is it that for you, means, "Ahh, I'm finally in Paris?"

I like to walk along the Seine, preferably in the area of Ile St. Louis, & stop for an expresso.

Exciting, eh?

A Frenchman I know, upon returning from business trips, would ignore all jetlag and already stop at the Roissy airport to get his express+tartine fix, like a real addict.

When Cador still existed, I would go to get a chocolate, almond croissant.

First thing ~ I listen for the language being spoken.
Coming from a bilingual country, I speak a pathetic and elementary version of the French language, enough to carry on a slow and stilted conversation in French-speaking areas here. It's so cool to be able to understand what people are saying when I arrive and plant my feet on Parisien soil!!!

Second thing ~ go shopping at the closest pattiserie for fresh bread and a pastry or 7.
Third thing ~ go for a very long walk, just savoring everything I see and hear, and thinking about how blessed I am to be able to make the trip. I never thought in my wildest dreams I'd be able to spend any time at all in France, England, Italy...and now I can, to my continuing amazement! Quelle surprise!

"When you jump for joy, beware that no one moves the ground from beneath your feet."
~ Stanislaw Lec

After settling in, get out immediately and go for a walk until we find a cozy bar/cafe/bistro which of course isn't hard to do in Paris.

No matter what time of day we have a drink, champagne etc., of some sort to toast that we are there!!

After a few strolls and a few stops its time to hit the boulangerie and the super market for basics to take back.

We then have a nap then wake up and have a snack of usually, baguettes, tomatoes and pate with a glass of wine then out for the evening....

We walk over to the Seine and to the first bridge we come to and look at the Eiffel Tower in the distance (we usually stay in the 4th) and look at each other with silly grins on our faces......we are back in Paris!!


JO

quote:

Originally posted by Jo&Den:
We walk over to the Seine and to the first bridge we come to and look at the Eiffel Tower in the distance (we usually stay in the 4th) and look at each other with silly grins on our faces......we are back in Paris!!


JO

Oops, sorry for the double post!

The first thing I always do is feel amazed that it feels like I never left; and also that it feels like I'm home.

Then it's just wandering - aimless wandering. Although I seem to find myself by the Seine, and often passing by the apartment I lived in for a semester in college.

No agenda that first day. Ever.

When my feet get tired, I find a cafe.

Get settled in our apartment and then just start walking with no destination in mind and begin to soak up the wonder of being in Paris again. Then of course, there is the matter of food and initially it is whatever appeals at the moment.

We've never stayed in the same place twice, so we always head out to explore the nearby area. We want to find the closest boulangerie for the next morning and a little grocery store too. Like others, we tend to head to the Seine.

On our last trip we stayed in the Latin Quarter. We unpacked a bit and went out for a walk, first to Rue Mouffetard and then down to the Seine. We were walking along the wide sidewalk near Notre Dame, and we ran into Chris and Frank! (We knew they were there and had plans to get together, but never thought we'd run into them an hour after arriving.)

Kathy

In the last six years we have always stayed on Rue de Richelieu, so first thing we head to the Monoprix on Avenue de l'Opéra for supplies... Not very romantic, but practical to have them before we crash. On the way back we stop always at the same café for coffee and patisseries. We love this routine and lighten up the walk by counting how many new Japanese restaurants have opened in this formerly quintessential French neighbourhood since our previous trip.

Breathe deeply and exhale, then we scope out the neighborhood; you can read that as walk & stop at a cafe & do a bit of shopping & gaze at the lovely city from where ever we are...

We always go for a walk. Where we walk depends on what part of the city we are in on that trip. Last time it was a walk through the Latin Quarter to Cluny. We stopped for coffee and then went to the museum (it is relatively small and a great thing to do that first day while pushing through to dinner and sleep).

My first instinct was to say when we get to the Champion supermarche for our first shopping, after having dropped off our things at the apartment.

But in thinking about it, it may be that walk from the front door of the building to the apartment. A big ancient front door with an access code, then hitting that light switch, walking down an old hallway, up an old stairway, sometimes only to have to go down another hallway or through a courtyard, and up another stairway, before finally getting to the apartment. That walk between the big front door and the apartment door is so uniquely Parisien! So I think that's what makes me feel like I'm really in Paris.

For me, it's that first sunset along the Seine that brings back that "I'm in Paris!" feeling. I love that first visit to the local cheese shop, overheard conversation in French, and race up the stairs before the hallway light goes out ; but that first day, I must go see twilight come over the Seine and Isle de la Cite.

The Tuileries ----

I'm not sure why, probably because I spent much time there on my very first visit. The elegant vistas still say Paris to me (although I haven't been in eleven years, wow!).

Go for a walk. Buy some chouquettes or macarons. I'm always excited to see what beautiful display is in the windows at Lenotre so we'll check that out if we're staying nearby.

I'll arrive Wed. am - very early. After dropping off my suitcase at the apt., I'll get out on the street asap and stroll and gaze and absorb...and stop for a croissant and cafe creme.
Can't wait!

I've only been to Paris once, but I remember very clearly what we did first. After hooking up with our apartment and setting up house for the week, we strolled right into Jardin Luxembourg and enjoyed the park.

Well, we arrive to Paris on this Saturday. (We'll have spent a few days in Normandy beforehand--we leave tomorrow. And as long as I'm on this tangent, I'll tell you that cylindrical hay bales always make me think of Normandy, since that was the first place I ever saw them.) After getting into our apartment, probably around 3 or 4 PM, I think we'll walk down to the Louvre (we're staying quite nearby) and see the Arc du Carrousel--which I confused with the Arc de Triomphe my first time in Paris!

And then, we will discuss at length where we're going for dinner, since that's the most important part of any trip, for me!

I usually go to a cafe and have an espresso, then head to a patisserie and pick up a chocolate almond croissant (and I see Holger has the same mindset as me).

Back when they sold milk in those little bottles, I'd get a couple and decant the cream on top into a bowl. Then dip baguette pieces into the cream. Gonna have to come up with a new tradition.

Welcome to Slow Travel, Sluggh! Some interesting ideas! I oughta look up one of those crémeries next time I am in Paris; they should be able to find a fine replacement for the now gone top cream...

Thanks for the warm welcome. I suspect our first task will be much like yours — a trip to the supermarche for essentials. And then a determined, zombie-like attempt to just keep moving. Must ... stay ... awake till 7 p.m. at least. We'll be staying at SlowTrav denizen Dave's Garret in the 11th. (Hi, Dave!) It's been 27 long years and I'm afraid I won't remember the city. Can't wait to see my old haunts: the Alliance Francaise on Raspail, the Tour Athenes on Tolbiac, the basketball court on the southwest end of the Luxembourg Gardens ... the small stuff. I think I'll put a rock in my shoe to make time go by slower.

A walk along the Seine to see the Eiffel Tower.

Then I know I'm really there and can relax and start to enjoy myself.

Elly

Drop off the luggage and then head out for a walk.

Stop at a cafe for coffee, sit and just absorb as much Paris as possible.

Cameron

Cry a bit. I love it so much, we're so lucky to go again and again.
Then "walrus" in the sun at the Jardin du Luxembourg, sail a boat there, watch the Petanque players. RELAX.

After a warm welcome at our hotel, we walk down the street and have lunch at Le Vaudeville. Then a leisurely walk through the Palais Royale and the Louvre complex and across the Pont des Arts.

We arrived on a beautiful May morning. The four of us walked down to the magnificent markets on Rue Cler. After a light lunch and glass of wine we headed the short distance to the Eiffel Tower. Yes, we were in Paris!!!

Oregon Travelers

Get settled, walk, hit a market for essentials but the first thing I do that lets me know I'm in paris, have some wine or a kir royal at a cafe and watch the world go by; best piece of real estate money can buy.

Wow. I loved reading everyone's responses.
Can't wait to get to Paris this June!

It's been far too long since I have been to Paris, but I am sure I would do what I did first every other visit: get to the Louvre and check out three perfect French paintings - Watteau's "Gilles," Chardin's "The Skate," and Poussin's "Summer." Bliss. Then the nearest cafe for a citron presse.
Yrs, Robert

As soon as we have dropped off our luggage we head to Place des Vosges, sit on a park bench under the trees and whisper to each other, "We're home!"

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Depends on how I arrive: if by RER/metro, I go into the nearest boulangerie for a bag of chouquettes. More often, arriving by Roissybus, I take a good long look at the shiny Opera Garnier and stop by the Repetto store on Rue de la Paix for new shoes.

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A good friend just came back. He often goes in the winter and has the same routine ... Cafe Angelina on Rue de Rivoli for a hot chocolate. Must try this,too.

Cameron