City Guides: Paris

Paris is one of Europe’s most cosmopolitan and diverse cities – from the alleyways of the Latin Quarter to the Grands Boulevards, and from the historic grandeur of the Louvre to the postmodern architecture of the Pompidou Centre, the city of love has something for everyone. It also hosts two of France’s largest stades in the Stade de France and the Parc des Princes. Les Stades Stade de France The Stade de France was built for the 1998 World Cup, and was the backdrop for Les Bleus’ most famous moment, as France beat Brazil in the Final. Since then, it has hosted the 2003 Athletics World Championships, the 2000 Champions’ League final, and will host the 2007 Rugby World Cup Final as well as the 2006 Champions’ League Final. The 80,000 all-seater stadium, which is home to the national rugby and football teams, also stages pop concerts, motor sport races, and the pitch has been turned into everything from a beach to an ice rink. It was also the proposed main stadium for Paris’ failed 2012 Olympic bid. Parc des Princes First built as a velodrome in 1897, the Parc des Princes has staged parts of the Tour de France, international football and rugby matches, and even the inaugural European Championships in 1960. However, it wasn’t until 1972 that it took on its current form when it was re-opened by President Georges Pompidou, becoming the home of Paris Saint Germain a year later. With a capacity of 49,000, it is France’s third largest stadium, and is also the home of rugby team Stade Francais for important matches. Getting there British Airways fly to Paris from Heathrow, Bristol, Manchester and Glasgow, with the cheapest and most regular fares being from Heathrow. EasyJet fly from Luton, and BMI fly from Heathrow. Flights with EasyJet can be as low as £50. The Eurostar is a slightly more expensive option, with tickets being around £80, but it takes you right into the centre of Paris – the Gare du Nord – from Waterloo International. The cheapest option, by far, is to take the coach. National Express run direct from London Victoria to Paris Bagnolet at a starting price of £29. However, journeys take around 8 hours. Taking a car to the Stade de France is not a wise decision. There is a very limited number of spaces, but the extensive public transport links make train or bus the best option. Take either RER B (blue) to La Plaine Stade de France, RER D (green) to Stade de France – Saint Denis (be careful – if you are travelling from central Paris, you will need to buy a ticket into Zone 2) or Métro line 13 (light blue) Saint Denis – Porte de Paris. Alternatively, bus routes 139, 153, 173, 255, 350 will get you there. Just like at the Stade de France, parking at the Parc is limited, but for those wishing to brave the crowds in a car, exit the Périphérique at the Porte de St Cloud or the Porte d'Auteuil and follow the signs. Otherwise take Métro line 10 to Porte d’Auteuil, or line 9 to Porte de St-Cloud. Follow the crowds for the short walk to the stadium. Bus links are even better, with lines 22, 52, 62, 72, 123, 126, 136, 175 and PC all stopping by the stadium. Tickets Stade de France Depending on the event, tickets can either be bought through the individual clubs playing (for cup finals, etc), on the official website at http://www.stadefrance.fr/events/events.php or by calling +33 (0)892 700 900. Parc des Princes With the exception of the biggest matches, notably against Marseille, tickets can be bought from the ticket office on matchdays. You can also purchase tickets from various outlets around Paris and the Ile-de-France, including Fnac, Carrefour, Géant, Auchan, Leclercq and Virgin. For the full list, consult the PSG website, www.psg.fr. Tickets can also be bought on the website itself, or by telephone, by calling, from France, 3275 (0.34/ min). By far the most boisterous stands are behind both goals – both the Boulogne and the Auteuil stands have reputations that precede them for crowd trouble. However, both stands can create an amazing amount of noise, often even singing to each other. The cheapest tickets available are in blocks A, G and K, and all afford good views. From the top of A and K blocks, one can even see the Eiffel Tower, as well as a good view of the pitch. The most ‘family’ atmosphere can be found in the Paris and Présidentielle Thomson stands. Stadium tours Stade de France Tours of the Stade de France (above) are a very worthwhile way to pass an hour, with very knowledgeable guides taking you everywhere from the Press Box to the changing rooms, which are set up as they were for the 1998 World Cup Final, and even out the tunnel onto the pitch. Tours in English are available in peak season at 10.30am and 2:30pm at a price of 10 Euros, or 8 Euros for concessions. Parc des Princes A visit to the Parc costs 6 Euros, or 4.5 Euros for concessions, and is only available on Wednesdays at 3pm, apart from matchdays and days before and after games. The tour takes you around the trophy room, the changing rooms, and predictably ends in the club shop. Out and About Whilst no visit to Paris is complete without climbing the Eiffel Tower, for an equally impressive view, but with La Tour in it, try going up the Tour Montparnasse (Metro: Montparnasse Bienvenue). Paris hosts one of the most famous cemeteries in the world, the Père-Lachaise cemetery (Metro: Père Lachaise). Spend a quiet afternoon paying homage to the likes of Oscar Wilde, Frederic Chopin, Jim Morrison and Edith Piaf in Paris’ largest open space. If museums are your thing, then Paris is certainly the place for you. Home of the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Musée Picasso, the Musée Rodin and the Pompidou Centre, to name but a few, the best time to visit is the first Sunday of the month, when all museums are open for free. Although many Parisians mock it, Disneyland Paris (RER: Marne la Vallée/Chessy) is certainly a great day out, and you don’t even need to be accompanied by children to enjoy it! Nightlife The Rue Mouffetard (Metro: Place Monge) in the Latin Quarter has many cheap restaurants, with the set menus always offering the best value for money. For a slightly more touristy restaurant, try the Saint Michel area (Metro: Saint Michel, RER: Saint Michel Notre Dame). Look for the Rue de la Huchette, where you’ll find one of the cheapest bars in the area – La Petite Taverne. Another good place for a night out is the Bastille area (Metro: Bastille)– the Rue de Lappe is lined with restaurants, bars and clubs. One of the cheapest bars in Paris can be found here – the Bar des Familles. If looking for a nightclub, try La Loco (Metro: Chateau Rouge), right next to the Moulin Rouge – be warned, though – drinks will be expensive! For a slightly more expensive meal, the football fan would be well advised to try Le 70 – a restaurant on the first floor of the Parc des Princes. Bookings can be made in advance on +33 (0)1 45 27 05 70. Restaurants with amazing views can be found on the Eiffel Tower – Altitude 95 and Le Jules Verne, or eat 200 metres above Paris at Le Ciel de Paris on the Tour Montparnasse. Accommodation Don’t let the name of the Young and Happy youth hostel put you off – it’s a nice, lively hostel, though lower rooms can get quite noisy with the music from the bar downstairs. Situated in the heart of the Latin Quarter on the rue Mouffetard, rooms start at 23 Euros per night. www.youngandhappy.fr +33 (0)1 47 07 47 07 Right in the heart of Paris, in the 1st arrondissement, can be found the Hotel du Lion d’Or. With rooms from 65 Euros per night, this elegant hotel is a lovely place to stay the night. www.hotelduliondor.com +33 (0)1 42 60 79 04 If money really isn’t an issue, try Le Bristol on the rue Faubourg St-Honoré. However, the luxury comes at a price – the cheapest rooms are 610 Euros for the night. www.hotel-bristol.com +33 (0)1 53 43 43 00 Did you know…? The Eiffel Tower is 15cm taller in the summer due to the metal expanding with the heat.

Words by: Tim Peach