Paris_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Lonely Planet [286]
EATING & SLEEPING
L’Apostrophe ( 03 26 79 19 89; 59 place Drouet d’Erlon; starters €6.50-15.10, mains €14.50-25, lunch menus €14; lunch & dinner to 11.30pm) This stylish café-brasserie in the centre of Reims dispenses French and international cuisine as well as some mean piscines (enormous cocktails for several people). A perennial favourite thanks to its chic atmosphere, summertime terrace and good value. Open as a café straight through from 9am to 1am.
Waïda ( 03 26 47 44 49; 5 place Drouet d’Erlon; 7.30am-7.30pm Wed-Sun) An old-fashioned salon de thé and confectionery with mirrors, mosaics and marble. This is the place to buy a box of a box of biscuits roses (pink biscuits; €3.30), traditionally nibbled with champagne.
Hôtel de la Cathédrale ( 03 26 47 28 46; www.hotel-cathedrale-reims.fr; 20 rue Libergier; s/d/q €54/62/78; ) Charm, graciousness and a resident Yorkshire terrier greet guests at this hostelry run by two musicians. The 17 tasteful rooms are smallish but pleasingly chintzy and some have been recently renovated. There are four floors but no lift. Go for room No 14 with two windows or No 43 with views of Basilique St-Rémi and the hills to the south.
Latino Hôtel ( 03 26 47 48 89; www.latinocafe.fr; 33 place Drouet d’Erlon; s & d €54-74, apt €130; Filles du Calvaire; ) This budget boutique hotel above a buzzy musical café has a dozen gaily painted guestrooms (think cherry and pumpkin) over five floors but no lift. The furnishings are fun, the welcome exceptionally warm and we love the quotes from the great and the good (Gandhi, Boris Vian) painted on the hall walls. The apartment on the top floor looking straight onto the cathedral can accommodate up to five people.
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TRANSPORT
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AIR
BICYCLE
BOAT
BUS
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
METRO & RER NETWORKS
TAXI
TRAIN
TRAM & FUNICULAR
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Few roads don’t lead to Paris, one of the most visited destinations on earth. Practically every major airline flys through it, and most European train tracks and bus routes cross it.
As for getting around – easy! The metro system is vast, efficient and spans every pocket of Paris. Buses are more scenic but can be slowed by traffic, while getting to know the many different routes is an art in itself.
For those who prefer a spot of fresher air in their lungs, or who simply want to make getting from A to B a historical and aesthetic feast in itself, walking and Rollerblading are serious options. With city sights spread across a distance no greater than 10km, the major places of interest are pleasurably walkable. That is, of course, if Paris’ innovative, highly praised communal bicycle scheme, Vélib’ (opposite), doesn’t tempt you into some footloose and fancy-free pedal-powered action.
Book flights, tours and train tickets online at www.lonelyplanet.com/travel_services.
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AIR
Most international airlines fly through Paris; for flight, route and carrier info contact Aéroports de Paris ( 39 50, from abroad +33 1 70 36 39 50; www.aeroportsdeparis.fr).
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top picks
ONLINE TICKET RESOURCES
No great deal to be struck going straight to the airline website? See what these online airline ticketing resources throw up.
Anyway (www.anyway.fr, in French)
Bargain Holidays (www.bargainholidays.com)
Cheap Flights (www.cheapflights.co.uk)
easyvols (www.easyvols.com, in French)
ebookers (www.ebookers.com)
e-mondial (www.e-mondial.com, in French)
Go Voyages (www.govoyages.com, in French)
Last Minute (www.lastminute.com)
Opodo (www.opodo.com)
Travelocity (www.travelocity.com)
Voyages SNCF (www.voyages-sncf.com, in French)
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THINGS CHANGE...
The information in this chapter is particularly vulnerable to change. Check directly with the airline or a travel agent to make sure you understand how a fare (and ticket you may buy) works and be aware of the security requirements for international travel. Shop carefully. The details given in this chapter should be regarded as pointers and are not a