# Paris



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Am in Paris to watch the final stages of the Tour de France. I know it's got a bad reputation because of the drugs problem but I always watch it & love the spectacle. Went last year & had a great time. The sight of 80 bikes doing close to 30 mph a few inches apart over cobbles is amazing.



My hotel - chosen mostly because of location but also because of name, could have been a disaster but it's OK



Tour de France official merchandise shop. Everything ridiculously expensive. I'll wait until Sunday & get some unofficial tat.



Virgin Megastore opera DVD lounge area which is new from last year. (My shopping in the pink carrier bag). There are so many I want, I actually didn't buy anything but … it's open 'til midnight. And I briefly walked round the opera CD section. Oh dear. I can see my credit card getting a hammering.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Have enjoyed biking a lot in France, though almost exclusively in the Southern Part, but cycled from the Auvergne and up to Paris many years ago. On that trip even accidentally cycled in an afternoon from a southern Parisian suburb - and it turned out to be the last day of the tour de France, the route markings etc. still in place, the central area of the Avenue des Champs Elysees however now being cyclable !
Can recommend the Ravel museum in Montfort l´Amaury, in itself a very quaint and hilly little village perhaps 20 kms to the south of Paris. It´s a tiny jewel, a villa stuffed with exquisite little antiquities, not of the most expensive sort though, since Ravel apparently wasn´t very well-off - and a nice miniature garden. 
And likewise shopping in the FNAC cultural superstores, of course, like the one near Les Halles.
The Satie Museum, allegedly the smallest museum in the world, consisting of his living quarters - a room of the size of a closet - on Montmartre is apparently closed. I suppose it would be a mess with all those potential visitors getting "in" and "out", or administering some sort of a queue ...

Anyone ever heard Delius´ symphonic poem "Paris" ? A great piece, one of his best.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Here are some pictures from the Ravel villa. There´s a real rarity: the custodian gave the possibility to look into a room upstairs which hasn´t been reorganized, a store room under the roof, with some original items such as travel suitcases - and tons of dust on them ...

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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> Virgin Megastore opera DVD lounge area which is new from last year. (My shopping in the pink carrier bag). There are so many I want, I actually didn't buy anything but … it's open 'til midnight. And I briefly walked round the opera CD section. Oh dear. I can see my credit card getting a hammering.


Is that a whole room devoted to opera DVDs? How can you possibly choose?

Have fun anyway!!


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## altiste (Jun 11, 2008)

joen_cph said:


> Can recommend the Ravel museum in Montfort l´Amaury, in itself a very quaint and hilly little village perhaps 20 kms to the south of Paris. It´s a tiny jewel, a villa stuffed with exquisite little antiquities, not of the most expensive sort though, since Ravel apparently wasn´t very well-off - and a nice miniature garden.


I'm pleased I read this topic and spotted this. I'll have to get out there sometime to take a look, Ravel being one of my favourite composers.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

joen_cph said:


> Have enjoyed biking a lot in France, though almost exclusively in the Southern Part, but cycled from the Auvergne and up to Paris many years ago. On that trip even accidentally cycled in an afternoon from a southern Parisian suburb - and it turned out to be the last day of the tour de France, the route markings etc. still in place, the central area of the Avenue des Champs Elysees however now being cyclable!


Sounds like you had fun! Most of Europe is very cycle-friendly, not like UK. I sold my bike because I was just too scared to ride it on the road any more.



joen_cph said:


> Can recommend the Ravel museum in Montfort l´Amaury, in itself a very quaint and hilly little village perhaps 20 kms to the south of Paris. It´s a tiny jewel, a villa stuffed with exquisite little antiquities, not of the most expensive sort though, since Ravel apparently wasn't very well-off - and a nice miniature garden.


Looks a fantastic place but I don't think I could get there on public transport.

Paris is hot but I like it hot. Did some of the usual sight seeing stuff then headed to the Virgin store. The DVD lounge is a brilliant idea. It's sectioned off with tinted glass and they have a DVD playing for your enjoyment. Yesterday it was










Today it was










I bought these



They are more expensive than Amazon but I wanted a souvenir and an Eiffel Tower key ring isn't quite the same.

And this. I love this Philips series of Verdi.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Just been for a look round Palais Garnier; fascinating & much more customer friendly than ROH. Guided & non-guided tours available & I chose the latter. Photography allowed (non-flash where flash could cause damage)

 

Tribute to Régine Crespin included some interesting documents.


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