We arrive around 9am in Paris and are staying near Luxembourg Garden for the week. I am sure we will want to eat something yummy, but after we store our luggage and wait for getting into our Airbnb... what should we do? I know many things are closed on Mondays and wonder what would be a good "hooray you guys, (me and the 10 and 11 year old) have finally made it to PARIS!
Any suggestions???
I'd go to Le Rostand, which is always open and has a good view of people watching - and has good hot chocolate.
Here is a review of Le Rostand, which should be hopping at mid-day Monday. It will have some food and lots of drinks.
https://www.timeout.com/paris/en/bars-pubs/le-rostand#tab_panel_2
In case you are not familiar with pricing (and the review suggests it's not a bargain, but then location-location-location):
The traditional corner brasserie can have three price levels. Drink your expresso standing at the bar and the tab is less than sitting at a table; a place on the terrace outside will cost even more. Everything is changeable and this tradition may or may not apply here.
Where will you store your luggage? It can be time-consuming. But restaurant/bars can be too crowded for a pile of bags. Some rental accommodations may allow an early arrival, possibly at a premium. Worth asking.
I arrived in Paris on a Monday and after checking in to my hotel around 12 I headed to the Pompidou via the metro and got my Paris Museum Pass, spent a couple of hours there and had lunch. Then on to tour Notre Dame and the Conciergerie, walked the area before heading back to my neighborhood of the 6th where I explored a bit and found a snack for later and was in my room by 6 or so, utterly exhausted.
The cafe on the grounds of Luxembourg Gardens is nice as well, good viewing and perhaps children can explore pond and gardens, a chance to run off some energy while adults have a second cup of coffee.
Should clarify that the cafe serves a good breakfast, many locals frequent it.
You should touch base with your host and see if they might meet you earlier. Many times these are folks who work from home nearby or have people available nearby, they may be all too happy to accommodate you earlier or at least let you drop off your luggage with them. I’ve also been generally very happy with whatever local places the host recommends, they’ll have a list of good options available to you. I think the best thing to do on day one of a Paris trip is to just walk around!
Also, if you’re airport arrival time is 9am, it’ll probably be around 11 by the time you get into the city.
Are you planning to get Navigo cards? They are good Monday through Sunday. We got ours at CDC airport on a Monday and used them often durng the week.
Our Airbnb has offered to pick us up from the airport for 50 euros and then we can at least store our bags if the room is not clean yet. So, I think we will go with that plan so we can just get out of the airport after flying for so long.
I am thinking some activities would be good but not a lot... but something definitely fun! and some food
Thank you for the hot chocolate idea I am sure the girls would love that. is there a good place to go around this area for maybe an hour -2 before crashing that would keep teens jet lagged attention?
Explore the Luxembourg Garden and/or the Latin Quarter nearby. Take a walk along the Seine. Maybe a boat ride if the weather's good. Avoid museums that first day. If you pick up a museum pass, don't fill in the start date until you actually start using it, Tuesday or later.
Lucky kids, they'll love the city.
Two doors from Le Rostand, at 2 place Edmond Rostand, is the patisserie Dalloyau , which has some of the BEST hot chocolate in all Paris--but you probably won't find it in the guidebooks.
The sedate tea room is upstairs, overlooking the Luxembourg Gardens, the pedestrians, and traffic. Window seats are best. They bring a pitcher of hot chocolate (like at Angelina's) that the girls could share, but they may refuse to share once they taste it. Dalloyau, took over the patisserie that had been in this location for decades, Pons.
You can also buy sandwiches, pastries, macarons, quiches, etc--butter aroma included.
Luxembourg Gardens also has a for fee play ground and Marrionette Theater.
edit: spelling corrected, danger of thinking in English and unstressed vowels, while writing a French word--thanks chexbres.
Also, since it's impossible to see all that Paris has to offer, you could take either a Seine cruise or the Sightseeing bus tour. Coupled with some walking about in your neighborhood, it's an easy way to get an overview of Paris and see some of the sights you won't have time for.
It's Dalloyau - spoken as "Dahl - wye - oh".
I prefer spending jet lag day (day of arrival) outside in the sun walking. I try to avoid indoor or sedentary activities as much as possible on day one. I also avoid things where lack of mental sharpness could be a problem (driving a car, riding a bike in town, etc.)
In Paris, the traditional Monday closures are as big of deal as elsewhere. Many places are open Mondays and closed Tuesday instead, I think to help make Paris a seven-day destination.
I like the idea of paying your host to pick you up. Being able to store the luggage is worth the price. You would have to pay something to get downtown anyway. Airbnb hosts are generally ready to give suggestions for the day too.
