"Paris" a Paris Travel Page by Dabs

My love affair with Paris started in 1996, right before my husband took the plunge and opened his own business. We didn't have a lot of money so we did Paris on the cheap on package from Sabena Airlines that took us to Brussels and then onto Paris between Christmas and New Year's.

Really economical lodging is not usually centrally located, in this case we stayed at an Ibis so far outside the center that I was sure we were no longer in Paris. Although I like being able to walk to the sights from our hotel, my husband really enjoyed the neighborhood feel and I loved the little bakery next door. In our case the only problem we ran into was getting back into Paris on New Year's Eve with the metro piled so full of people by the time we reached Champs Elysses that their arms were sticking out of the train, I had someone sitting in my lap and the stroke of midnight was celebrated just as we were all pouring out of the metro station.

We found during our stay that there was plenty to be done cheaply from grabbing lunch at the supermarket, buying discounted tickets for the metro and the fabulous museum pass. Even now, our favorite foods are from street vendors or grocery stores, warm nutella and banana crepes, the inexpensive Middle Eastern fare found in the Latin Quarter or fresh baguettes with salami and cheese.

Since our first visit in 1996, we've returned several times to this magical city combining it with London and the Loire Valley in 1999, Belgium/Lille/Normandy in 2000, both times staying at the lovely Hotel Muguet and another trip between Christmas and New Year's in 2003 staying in the Latin Quarter.

make sure you check out the museum pass . This is the best tip I can give anyone, especially a first time visitor, going to this city that is filled with fabulous museums and sights, most of which are included on this pass. If you go at a busy time, it will also help you cut the queues!

And can it possibly be that L'Orangerie and the Petit Palais, both closed for many, many years, will finally reopen in spring 2006? My fingers are crossed :-)