Recommendations for Geneva and Paris?

[nwgirl]

In August I'll be traveling to Geneva and then to Paris for a few days (yeah me!!!). What are some must see sights and places? Any recommendations from those in the know here?

[louiswinthorpe111]

Obviously, the Eiffel Tower. If you go at night, the lights and city view is stunning.

If you enjoy shopping, there's a large mall(?) on Champs Elysees. It's been a few years since I was in Paris, but I can't remember the name.

Personally, I thought the Louvre was overrated. I LOVED the Impressionist museum and even the Rodin museum.

Johnny Depp owns a restaurant in Paris called Man Ray. I ate the most expensive dinner of my life there, (most was alcohol) but it was fabuolous.

At first, I wasn't impressed with Paris, I thought it was kinda dirty and kinda stinky, compared to Rome, anyway. But I grew to love it and was sad to leave.

[Chalet]

Eat here if they are open in August.

I'm crying just looking at the photo of the outside. The real Parisiens eat here as one of their local spots. It's not touristy.

Les Petites Ecuries - Home


I've never had a bad meal in Paris and to me dining is one of my pleasures.

This place knocked me out too. Classic brasserie and so fucking French

Benoit Paris - Bistrot parisien cuisine traditionnelle française et familiale - L'Esprit Bistrot par Alain Ducasse (etoile au Guide Michelin)

The Picasso Museum is closed for reno.

Go Le Mouffetard neighborhood. Tres Parisian and local color.


Go here, it was a train station.

Musée d'Orsay: Accueil


Don't forget Le Louvre and have lunch or coffee and dessert at the Cafe Marly.

Could you fucking die?

LUCY WILL SHOW YOU: Cafe au Lait


I need to stop, I'm getting verklempt. Sorry for the drama

Just walk around.

Lovely small hotel: Use to be not this nice, still inexpensive.

→ HOTEL CHAMPS ELYSEES PARIS - HOTEL DU BOIS PARIS - OFFICIAL WEBSITE - 3 STAR HOTEL ARC TRIOMPHE

[sputnik]

go to the musée de l'orangerie in paris and the still relatively new quai d'orsay museum in paris.

how long are you in geneva for? i lived there for 14 years so i pretty much know the city by heart. it's small and you can walk everywhere. but definitely walk around in the vieille-ville (old town) and from there down to the parc des bastions and from there walk around the plainpalais neighbourhood (my old hood) to carouge, which used to be a separate village and is now part of geneva. it's full of funky little galleries and shops and cafés. if you're there on a weekend, go to the flea market in plainpalais and then to the little antiques market in the church square in carouge, and then for brunch at CALM (comme à la maison), which really does look and feel like you're at someone's house. and you enter through the kitchen and eat in the living room/dining room, or in the lovely little garden out back.
of course, walk around the lakeside, it's gorgeous. and don't forget the part where the river meets the lake, the pont de la machine and the forces motrices building (quai des forces-motrices) and the pont de la coulouvrenière.
since you're there in august, hopefully the weather will be nice. go to the bains des pâquis, by the lake in the pâquis neighbourhood. it's public baths and a boardwalk of sorts by the lake, and it has a lively, fun outdoor restaurant that serves beer, wine, fondue, and a different lunch special every day. it's a great place to hang out and people watch and take a dip in the lake.
for whatever reason, geneva has the best pizza ever. i've had better pizzas there than in italy. da paolo (in the eaux-vives neighbourhood, close to the lake) is a staple.
food in general is great in geneva, if you know where to go.
if you really want to treat yourself, go to la favola (rue jean-calvin 15, in the vieille-ville). it's an incredible mix of swiss-italian (ticino) and northern italy fare. incredibly wines you won't get anywhere else. tiny restaurant so be sure to book ahead.
other places i'd recommend are:
café des bains (plainpalais)
café gallay (also in plainpalais, on the boulevard de saint-georges). and if you go there, the cemetary (cimetière des rois) is across the street, you have to go there. jean calvin and jorge luis borges are buried there and it's just a beautiful cemetery.

you must have a coffee at my old haunt, le remor (1, place du cirque. in plainpalais Remor - café glacier - Genève - ciné café, ciné tango, expositions). best people watching ever. and pretty good ice cream. but, if you want the best ice cream in the world (and i'm not exaggerating), there's a place in the pâquis neighbourhood, is this tiny little ice cream place next to the espresso club (great pizzas and pasta btw) on the place de la navigation that's only open a few months of the year and is incredible. different flavours every week - the classics but also the weirdest stuff you can imagine and they let you sample them before choosing.

as for museums, go to the musée d'art et d'histoire (and walk around that neighbourhood, beautiful!), the petit-palais, MAMCO (contemporary art). and if you have time, go to the cabinet des estampes, musée barbier-mueller and the musée de l'ethnographie, all 3 are awesome and tourists never go there).
and take the mouette (public transportation boats that take you to different spots along the lake and cost the same as a bus). also, since you'll be doing the tourist thing, it's worth doing one of the dinner or lunch cruises on the lake or up the river, but only if the weather is nice.

also by the lake, but further on the rive gauche and rive droite, respectively, go to the mon-repos park (all the way at the end of the quai wilson), and the parc de la grange (in eaux-vives on the rive gauche). both gorgeous and with stunning views of the lake and mountains.

also, take the bus (the E) to hermance, a beautiful little mediaeval village by the lake, only 14km from geneva (and where i lived growing up with my parents). it's gorgeous, surrounded by vineyards. and while there, eat at l'auberge d'hermance (have the filets de perche, probably the most typical geneva dish) and walk up to the tower.

[kasippu]

Ohlalal Paris: Of course all the historic places that are in any tourist guide.
Next to that it is really very personal and according to your budget.
I love staying at the Lutetia which is opposite from Le Bon Marche, (Rive Gauche) a department store, t they have a lot of (expensive) brands
Art Rue Jacob and all surrounding little streets, full of galleries
Musee Quai Branly, designed by Jean Nouvel ( food is yummy- I love the Foie Gras- at Les Ombres with a nice view of the Eiffel tower)At the museums you can find some nice cafe's: the louvre you have the Richelieu or super chic french is the one at musee d'Orsay.
More shopping in Rue des Rosiers (the Jewish part of town in the Marais district) they have the 'cool' shops ( My favorite L'Eclaireur) and the delicious deli's.
For dinner, there is lots Of course Benoit (see above) l'atelier de Robuchon,... I like the Brasseries like La Coupole, very busy not cosy bit like a refectory but tasty fruits de mer, seafood platter , or Brasserie Balzar, it has a real busy french feel to it.
Aperitif at Georges at centre pompidou, has an amazing view! and I love the interior. (food is expensive and mediocre so not worth it) aperitf also (cliché ofcourse) hotel Costes (celeb spotting) or at les Jalles (Opéra).
After dinner:again there is lots.
Le Baron(Rive Gauche) love the music it is very small so when it is full it's full
Raspoutine (Champs Elysees)Russian style red velvet everywhere
Have fun!

[nwgirl]

Thanks for the recommendations. I'm leaving tomorrow morning and have all these suggestions printed out, ready to go. I'm dying with excitement. I'll probably bore everyone here with lots of pics when I get back. LOL!

[McJag]

You will have the time of your life! Godspeed!

[nwgirl]

Just a little update. I've been to the bains des paquis yesterday. What fun! The people here are incredibly attractive. Lol! So much nice eye candy. Took the train to Vevey which was soooo beautiful! Had the best pizza there and a local wine from St Sanphorin (sp?). The vineyards around there are amazing! Took a boat to Yvoire France last night. Beautiful little town. The weather has been fabulous. I'm tanned a golden bronze. Have eaten so much good food at too many cute places to name that I've stumbled upon during my hours of walking and exlpiring. I'll probably gain ten pounds before trips end. Went to the UN palace yesterday. Am going to the museum of art history tomorrow.

The people here are very kind and gracious and my high school French is coming back and very handy. Heading to Lucca Italy on Saturday then to Paris on Monday. Trip of a lifetime for sure!

[sputnik]

Just a little update. I've been to the bains des paquis yesterday. What fun! The people here are incredibly attractive. Lol! So much nice eye candy. Took the train to Vevey which was soooo beautiful! Had the best pizza there and a local wine from St Sanphorin (sp?). The vineyards around there are amazing! Took a boat to Yvoire France last night. Beautiful little town. The weather has been fabulous. I'm tanned a golden bronze. Have eaten so much good food at too many cute places to name that I've stumbled upon during my hours of walking and exlpiring. I'll probably gain ten pounds before trips end. Went to the UN palace yesterday. Am going to the museum of art history tomorrow.

The people here are very kind and gracious and my high school French is coming back and very handy. Heading to Lucca Italy on Saturday then to Paris on Monday. Trip of a lifetime for sure!

so i missed this when you first posted but glad you had a great time! and yes, lots of eye candy at bains des pâquis. there was some godard movie that said the most beautiful girls in the world are between geneva and lausanne but the men ain't bad either!

[MmeVertigina]

Paris is a city for rambling. Get a general idea of what you want to see and then set out and be open to distractions. I love the Montmartre area for a couple hours spent wandering. The Tuileries and Louvre, the Opera. Notre Dame and catacombs are interesting. Of course, the shopping Enjoy!

ETA I see this was an old thread! Ha! I hope your trip was wonderful.