Paris for beginners

See Paris without entering the Louvre? Along with this heretical suggestion, Brian Johnson has some great advice for the first-time visitor to this beautiful city.

Believe me: Mona Lisa is a surprisingly small painting of a smirking woman, painted by an Italian, and has nothing to do with Paris. It’s also protected by thick glass and surrounded by a herd of manic, jostling tourists clutching The Da Vinci Code.

Frankly, you’d be better off ignoring the Italian woman and the Louvre. Many first-time visitors to Paris understandably want to see its most famous attractions, but stick to the predictable and you’ll end up exhausted – and spend half your time in queues. Explore some smaller museums instead, relax in cafes and parks. You might miss a few famous paintings, but you’ll get a much more intimate look at the culture and atmosphere of the French capital.

Frankly, you’d be better off ignoring the Italian woman and the Louvre. Many first-time visitors to Paris understandably want to see its most famous attractions, but stick to the predictable and you’ll end up exhausted – and spend half your time in queues. Explore some smaller museums instead, relax in cafes and parks. You might miss a few famous paintings, but you’ll get a much more intimate look at the culture and atmosphere of the French capital.

Take museums: the Musée National du Moyen Age (mediaeval art and history) and Musée Carnavalet (Paris through the ages) are proof that good museums don’t have to be crowded. And the Musée Jacquemart-André has truly magnificent artworks hung in a former private residence, much more manageable than the Louvre. The mansion was used in the 1950s movie Gigi, which won eight Oscars and starred Maurice Chevalier and Leslie Caron. You can enjoy an excellent afternoon tea in the ornate dining room – Parisians know that museums aren’t only about art.

Of course, visitors who haven’t been to Paris before will want to take in its great sights. Notre Dame cathedral, a boat trip along the Seine and a wander through the hilly streets of Montparnasse should all be on the agenda. Whether you should see the palace at Versailles depends on your stamina and taste for history; the place is huge and usually very crowded.

Cliched as the Eiffel Tower has become, it remains wonderful. For the most impressive approach, get out at the Trocadero metro station and walk to the Seine River for stunning views of the tower. Of the Eiffel Tower’s three levels, the second is best for photos, while the topmost platform is magnificent about an hour before sunset.

To avoid the tourist hordes, consider visiting Paris in winter. True, it can be dark and wet, but shops are dressed in Christmas finery, streets twinkle with lights and you can enjoy uncrowded restaurants, quiet museums – and hotels at low season prices with less stressed out staff.

At any time of year, budget some downtime into your sightseeing timetable. Relax in the statue-studded gardens of the Tuileries or Luxembourg, where you can watch Parisians unwind as little boys sail toy boats around the fountains. Then kick back on the terrace of a cafe, where you’ll soak up more atmosphere than in any museum. Iconic Parisian cafes include Les Deux Magots and Café Flore in St-Germain-des-Prés, La Coupole in Montparnasse, and Fouquet, where you get a ringside view of the chic parade tottering along the Champs Elysées.

Incidentally, neighbourhood cafes are the place for breakfast (cheaper than anything in a hotel) and good lunchtime snacks. The top of the bar counter will be covered with baskets containing croissants, buns and hard-boiled eggs; just help yourself and pay later. For the money conscious, drinks will be cheaper at the inside bar than at outside tables.

If you want to window-shop, Paris has innumerable fine boutiques and jewellery stores – try the Rue de le Paix and Rue Saint-Honoré. Mere mortals would do better at the big department stores where ordinary Parisians go: Galeries Lafayette, Le Printemps and Bon Marché.

Don’t worry too much about communicating; stories of Parisian unfriendliness are greatly exaggerated. Most French have studied English at school, and English is fairly widely understood, particularly in tourist areas. Mind you, an attempt to speak French, no matter how clumsy, is always appreciated.

Moving around Paris by metro (subway) is fast, regular, cheap and will get you to just about anywhere you want to go in the city. If you’re feeling more adventurous, however, a recently launched bicycle system is a great way to get around. There are 20,000 bicycles available for just a few euros from 1450 cycling stations across the city. The tourist office supplies a free map detailing all the stations, where machines have instructions in English.

On yer bike? Why not. Paris doesn’t have to be a cultural chore or a romantic stereotype. Admire its famous sights, but take a spin through the street life, its cafes and parks and department stores, and the city really comes alive.

Travel facts
Getting there: Emirates Airlines (www.emirates.com/au) flies from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth to Paris via Dubai.

Where to stay: Le Meridien Montparnasse (www.lemeridien.com) is close to Saint-Germain-des-Prés and has spacious rooms with panoramic views.

Getting around: The Paris metro is fast, regular and cheap. A Carte Orange (ticket) gives you a week’s travel on the metro within central Paris for 16 euros (about $26).

French Tourist Bureau: tel: (02) 9231 5243;

www.franceguide.com;

www.parisinfo.com