Sunday, April 18, 2010

When Life Gives you Lemons...


Volcano got you down? Tired of waiting for Air France to rebook you? No seats on the Eurostar? Spending your days waiting for news of airport openings? Can't think of anything new to do in Paris?

Before spending a day waiting in vain at Gare du Nord or braving the 12 hour drive to Madrid to attempt catching a flight home, enjoy the amazing Spring weather we're having in Paris. Below are three suggestions for things to do if you're looking for something different.

  • If the weekend crowds at Jardin du Luxembourg make you anxious, stroll down Boulevard Richard Lenoir, in the 11th above Place de Bastille. A lovely park was built above the Canal St. Martin that houses playgrounds, pétanque courts, ping pong tables and countless benches. There's a nearby Monoprix on Avenue Ledru Rollin where you can pick up a table tennis set to get a game going.
  • The weather is absolutely perfect for a nighttime coast down the banks of the Seine. No bike? No problem! You can rent a Velib, equipped with lights, anywhere in Paris and go for a ride this evening. Velib's website provides a map of stations detailing real-time availability of cycles and empty spaces. Getting a one-day rental pass is a little cumbersome, but worth the trouble. American M/C and Visa cards are unusable here because they lack "the chip" – use your American Express card.
  • Think you've seen and done it all? City Walks: Paris Adventures on Foot… a deck of 50 cards detailing some wonderful and unusual walks around town are available at English-language bookstores. Each card has a map with a proposed route on one side, the other has a narrative guide. The cards are especially useful for the tourist who's moved beyond the Batobus and wants off the beaten path.
(photo courtesy of The New York Times)

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