Once a favourite haunt of Chevalier, Piaf, Wilde, Strindberg, Trotsky, Lenin, Miller and Hemmingway, Montparnasse in Paris is still a bustling area at any time of the night or day, without being touristy. Many of the original restaurants and bars are still there and the whole area feels authentic and unspoilt whilst retaining the vibrancy you would expect in such a large city. Mick and Jean Webb visited the Montparnasse area of Paris in September 2006 - read their report to find out more, or call 0121 250 2211 or 01543 412768 to book your holiday to Paris.
Flight We had a pleasant flight to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport with bmi baby. There are various methods available to travel into Paris from the airport - a taxi is approximately 35 Euros - however, you can also travel by train, airport shuttle or an Air France bus.
Montparnasse Paris is divided into areas called arrondisements and Montparnasse is the 14th. It is a bustling area with plenty of bars, good restaurants and some shops. A good way to start your trip is to climb the 56 floors of the Montparnasse Tower which offers spectacular panoramic views of Paris with screens pointing out areas of special interest – great value for just 9 Euros!
Getting Around An excellent way to see Paris in a few hours is by an open tour bus. The bus tours cover four areas – Paris Grand Tour, Montparnasse / St Germain, Montmartre and Bastille. If time is short, take the Paris Grand Tour – ear phones are included in the price and the commentary is excellent. It costs about 25 Euros for the day or 28 Euros for a 2 day pass and you can hop on and off the bus whenever you like.
There are several metro and RER (Regional Express Network – an urban rail network in Paris) connections and it is easy to buy tickets at any station. A carnet costs 10.5 Euros and buys 10 tickets (one per single trip) and is good value.
There is a taxi stand on the corner of Montparnasse and Raspail. Generally, taxis are quite inexpensive however, the minimum fare is 5.5 Euros.
Places to eat Sunday is quiet and many places are closed but the restaurants stay open. Restaurants we visited were:
Natacha, 17 Rue Campagne Premier – a late night spot, which is empty until 10pm.
La Coupole, Boulevard du Montparnasse – very big but good food.
Le Bistro du Dome, 1 Rue Delambre – an excellent restaurant which was an original haunt of famous writers. It is expensive, but worth it for a treat.
L’O a la Bouche, 157 Boulevard du Montparnasse.
La Closerie Des Lilas, Boulevard du Montparnasse – the Closerie has a very expensive restaurant where you must make a reservation and a less expensive brasserie where reservations are not taken, both of which are excellent. It is a famous eating place where historically great writers went to dine.
La Rotonde, Boulevard du Montparnasse – another famous restaurant where you must make a reservation. The food is very good and not wildly expensive
Le Select, Boulevard du Montparnasse – this was one of the literary hot spots – try the croque monsieur and green salad for lunch.
Chez Fernand, Boulevard du Montparnasse. A reasonably priced restaurant with good food – try the liver and onions.
Things to do Of course there are all the famous tourist spots; Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysees, Place de la Concorde, Jardin des Tuileries, The Louvre, Bastille, two opera houses and Montmarte but there is even more to see in Paris.
On the south side of the river, just across from the Louvre is the Musée D’Orsay which was once a railway station. This museum is a must see and has excellent audio guides.
Il de Cité, a small boat shaped island in the middle of the Seine with a flower market, and, of course, Notre-Dame de Paris. There is no charge for entering Notre-Dame but is costs 5 Euros for an audio guide (you will need some security for the equipment e.g. a driving licence).
The Rodin museum is an excellent museum with famous sculptures such as “The Kiss”, “The Thinker” and “The Gates of Hell”. Remember to hire an audio guide.
Le Marais is bursting with trendy boutiques, art galleries and antique shops. The Musée Picasso is in this area and the Opera de Paris Bastille, plus the Place des Vosges, the oldest and probably the most gracious square in Paris. The arcades house a variety of galleries, antique shops and Salons de Thé. The Jewish area around Rue des Rosiers is lined with kosher shops and restaurants.
In the 18th century the cemeteries became overcrowded so 6 million bodies were moved underground to the catacombs where walls were built with the bones and skulls. It is interesting but not for the squeamish! Beware, as there are about 100 steps down, then something like 1/3 mile walk through tunnels before reaching the catacombs and 84 steps up through a narrow winding turret.
Summary In summary, Paris is a wonderful city with marvellous architecture, restaurants and museums. What’s more, it isn’t expensive - taxis are much cheaper than in London, and restaurants hotels are very reasonable for a city centre.
