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Ah Paris!

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This day can be inserted wholesale or piecewise into a longer trip to Paris. It's a bit of a cliche to come to Paris for the romance, but it's true that the city of lights lends itself to romancing, so enjoy it.

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Author: Jennifer

Day 1 - Paris

Start your day at the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, where you will find few people in the morning, and be able to enjoy the man-made cascades and brooks. Once you've had your fill, find your way to the canal St Martin, and stroll along it to its end. I prefer the western side. This canal has been featured in a few movies, most recently "Two days in Paris". From the end of the canal, take a right to reach Place de la Republique, and make your way to Rue Vieille du Temple and eventually to the Rue des Francs-Bourgeois which will lead you to Place des Vosges for a nice lunch at Ma Bourgogne under the arcades. You've earned some rest, so get on the metro to the Mosquee de Paris, where the hammam (North-African steam baths/spa) will make you feel better all over. Plan on spending a few hours in the not-very-French-at-all atmosphere getting pampered. Be aware that of this writing, Saturday is ladies' only. Once you've had your rest, and are ready an evening stroll through Paris, you can head up to Place de la Contrescarpe and down toward the Pantheon, and then down to the river for a walk to the Pont des Arts with sights of Notre Dame and other beautifully lit monuments (if you've timed this right and are lucky, it should be dusk). If you are ambitious, you can push your walk to the Pont Alexandre III. Otherwise, you can head for a nice dinner near your hotel. If you want to head out for some after-dinner entertainment, you can try the Mandala Ray lounge (mod chi-chi), the Divan du Monde (ecletic bohemian), the Eglise Saint Germain des Pres (classical classics), or the New Morning (jazz) depending on your taste. There are usually hundreds of options in the evening.

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