Hotel de la Vallée, in the famous area of the Halles of Paris. 1*Vallée, official site

Hotel de la Vallée
84 - 86 rue Saint Denis
75001 PARIS
Tel: 33(0)1 42 36 46 99
Fax: 33(0)1 42 36 16 66
E-mail: hotel.de.lavallee@orange.fr

All Paris News

Bars du Ritz
Published on: 2008-08-28	Restaurant
15, pl. Vendôme Métro: Madeleine, Pyramides Tél. 01 43 16 30 30 Fax 01 43 16 33 75 11 h-1 h du matin. 17irs. On apprécie le magnifique bar très cosy dans lequel Hemingway a fêté la Libération en 1944. Ici chacun peut grignoter à sa guise quelques plats bien tournés ou déguster le fameux cocktail «Ritz Chider» à base de jus de pomme et de champagne. La clientèle demeure internationale, chic et discrète. Situé au sous-sol, le Ritz Club est toujours aussi select.
Musée de l'Orangerie
Published on: 2008-08-28	Museum
Comme son nom l’indique, le musée de l’Orangerie est installé dans une ancienne orangerie, édifiée en 1852 pour y abriter les orangers du jardin des Tuileries. Il est finalement attribué en 1921 à l’administration des Beaux-arts, qui compte en faire, comme de son voisin le Jeu de Paume, une annexe du musée du Luxembourg, prédécesseur de notre musée national d’Art moderne. Claude Monet choisit d’y installer le grand ensemble mural des Nymphéas, auquel il travaille depuis 1914 et dont il a amorcé dès 1918 le don à la France. Aujourd’hui, le Musée de l’Orangerie est un musée de peintures impressionnistes et post-impressionnistes situé juste à côté de la Place de la Concorde, plus précisément dans le Jardin des Tuileries du Louvre à Paris. Il contient des œuvres de Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Amedeo Modigliani, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, etc. Les expositions temporaires sont présentées au rez-de-chaussée bas. Dans la salle audiovisuelle, au rez-de-chaussée bas, sont organisées des projections en continu de films documentaires en lien avec les collections permanentes et les expositions temporaires. Des conférences sont proposées à l’occasion des expositions, soit quatre à cinq par exposition (durée : une heure). Musée de l’Orangerie Jardin des Tuileries 75001 Paris. Tél. : 01 44 77 80 07 Horaires Ouvert tous les jours, sauf le mardi, le 1er mai et le 25 décembre de 9h à 18h (évacuation à 17h45) Groupes : sur réservation uniquement
La Sainte Chapelle
Published on: 2008-08-26	Sightseeing
La Sainte Chapelle a été édifiée dans la seconde moitié du XIIIe siècle par le roi Louis IX, futur Saint Louis, pour abriter les reliques de la Passion du Christ. Ornée d’un ensemble unique de quinze verrières et d’une grande rose formant de véritables murs de lumière, la Sainte-Chapelle constitue le joyau du gothique français. En 1239, au terme de deux années de négociations, Louis IX rachète, pour une somme considérable, la couronne d’épines du Christ à Beaudoin II , empereur de Constantinople. En 1241, il acquiert de nouvelles reliques provenant de Byzance et décide alors d’édifier, au sein même du Palais de la Cité, un monument digne de ce trésor.
Sports all Year Round
Published on: 2008-08-19	Having fun
International sports events such as the rugby and handball world cups at world-class venues such as the Lagardère Paris Racing club and Roland Garros, Paris is truly a sporting capital. What price you can expect to pay, you may ask... Any price you like, because Paris offers to play sport at your level, your preference or your budget. Did you know that the Paris City Council offers a host of free-of-cost opportunities to play open-air sport in parks, stadiums and gardens, with qualified instructors? For details, call 39 75.
Rock Festival (Rock Seine)
Published on: 2008-08-19	Having fun
Do you like Rock? The Rock Seine is a Rock Festival just next to Paris. No need to travel for hours on end to get to a festival. The Rock Seine has been around for 5 years now. There will even be "Rage Against the Machine". This year, to give you and idea, there will be: Amy Winehouse, REM, The Roots, Justice, System of Downâ€Š The 28th and 29th of August 2008 Practical Information: PARC DE SAINT-CLOUD 92210 Metro: Pont de Sevres tel: 0 892 390 100 (0,34 €/min)
Moonlight Cinema in Paris
Published on: 2008-08-19	Having fun
Every summer in August "Cinema au clair de lune" sets up its giant screen in famous parts of the capital and invites the public to enjoy moonlight cinema. It is free!! They play great classic films of the past and present about Paris. From the 6th to the 24th August 2008
The Fete des Tuileries (Tuileries Fairground)
Published on: 2008-08-19	Having fun
The Fete des Tuileries is open during summer next to the Trocadero. Very entertaining for you and your kids. Here the attractions continue year after year, bringing laughs, fears and excitement for children, with surprises and thrills for adults too. Once inside the great FÃªte des Jardins du Tuileries, everyone streams towards the stands. The attractions consist of: the little train, the big wheel, bumper cars, scary monsters and many more. From 28 June to 24 August 2008
Musée du Louvre
Published on: 2008-08-19	Museum
Le Musée du Louvre contient une des plus importantes collections d’art du monde. La Pyramide du Louvre fut construite en 1989 et constitue depuis l'entrée principale du musée. Le Musée du Louvre développe son architecture sur plus de 800 années d'histoire.
Parisian Bikes (Velib)
Published on: 2008-08-19	Having fun
Since July 15, 2007, Paris has a self-service "bicycle transit system" called Velib’. Parisians and visitors alike can pick up and drop off bicycles throughout the city at 750 locations—offering a total of 10,648 bikes. By the end of the year, there will be a Velib’ station approximately every 900 feet for a total of 1,451 locations and 20,600 bikes. To access the bikes, riders can select a one-day card for 1 euro, a weekly card for 5 euros or an annual card for 29 euros. After the purchase of an access card, riding for the first half-hour is free and a supplement of 1 euro will be charged for an additional half-hour, 2 euros for another 30-minutes and 4 euros for every addition half-hour after that. Example: a 25 minute trip = 0 euros, a 50 minute trip = 1 euro, an hour and 15-minute ride = 3 euros.
Yachts de Paris
Published on: 2008-08-19	Having fun
All around you, the city of lights, play along with the river.Inside, let you invade by the warm and intimate atmosphere of this luxury yacht. On your table smartly set up, the wines and the refined cuisine promise you a great dinner.
Provided by: All Paris News

Sightseeing

PARIS NEWS

"I love Paris every moment.
Every moment of the year, I love Paris.
Why! Oh why do I love Paris?
Because my love is here..."

- Frank Sinatra

Explore Paris

Courtesy of Paris Eiffel Tower News

Welcome to Paris! This page was designed especially for you who may visit Paris for the first time. The idea is to give you advices to acquaint you with the City of Light, and help you prepare for this exciting trip. Read on!

Prepare well for a stroll

Once you have settled down in your comfortable hotel room and are getting ready to take your first stroll, take some time to dress appropriately.

First, put on a really good pair of walking shoes to feel comfortable in the Parisian streets. Walking in Paris means stopping often to look at amazing details and buildings. This constant stop-and-go will wear you down if you aren't comfy in your shoes.

Visiting the Eiffel Tower means waiting often over 30 minutes to gain access to the ticket booth, then waiting some more for the elevator on the way up, and waiting some more for the elevator on the way down. So to your feet, a pair of good shoes will make a big difference!

Parisian weather is fickle in springtime and during fall: what starts out as a great clear day can turn rainy and chilly in the afternoon. Pack a sweater and a rain breaker if you are visiting during these seasons. Summer is usually fine (70-85°F), August is generally hotter (80-95°F). Winter is rainy and cold, almost as cold as in NYC.

In any case, take your umbrella along, it may become your best friend -- especially if you intend to take pictures of everything. Rain and camera lenses don't like each other.

Street-savvy tips

Now that you're dressed and all ready to venture outside, here are a couple of useful tips:

Avoid taking a taxi during the day, and notably in the morning until 11:00, and in the late afternoon from 4:00 to 8:00. Streets are jam-packed during those periods, and seeing the meter run while you're a sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic is a disheartening experience.

Taxi fares: taxi meters show your fare and one of three letters: A, B, or C. If you are within Paris and on the ring outside Paris (the peripheral boulevard), the A rate applies from 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM, and the B rate turns on from 8:00 PM till 6:00 AM. When you leave Paris intra-muros, the driver will turn on the B rate during the day and the C rate from 8:00 PM. If you are far from Paris, the C rate always applies. You will pay extra for every luggage you load in the trunk and if you take the cab from an airport. Don't try to hail a cab in the street too close to a train station: taxi drivers can't load passengers within a 100-meter radius from the train stations. Go to the station taxi head instead, or further away from the station.

French people do lunch between 12:00 and 1:30 PM, and dinner between 7:30 and 10:00 PM. If you wish to avoid the crowd, lunch at 12:00 tops and dine out from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. Restaurants rarely serve between 2:00 and 6:00 PM.

Having a drink at the terasse of a sidewalk cafe is a necessary experience in Paris (skip it between November and March though,except if weather permits). However, terasse drinks are often charged premium prices.

Although they are saddled with a reputation, cafe waiters are not necessarily rude: they're just in a hurry. So don't take offense if they are impatient with you. Smile and show them what you want on the menu. They won't return the smile, but you will get your order quickly.

In Parisian restaurants, it is not customary for your waiter to come back to you once you are served to see if everything is allright: they assume this is the case. So don't feel you are ignored: just call the waiter when you wish to have your bread basket replenished. If you dine out at an expensive restaurant, waiters will tend your table diligently. Otherwise, it won't be the case.

Gratuity: your restaurant/cafe check already includes a 15% gratuity. If you feel like giving an extra tip to your cafe waiter, leave EUR 1 ($.97) on the table. In a restaurant, you may leave EUR 3-5 ($2.7-4.5, more if you are in an expensive place) but again, that's not expected in either case. Your credit card receipt won't show any gratuity line.

Armed with these few basic advices, you are ready to conquer the asphalt. On to places to visit!

Travel guide for the lovers of Paris...Let’s discover Paris with the Parisian eyes!
www.timesofparis.com

SHOP
You can discover all the must-visit shops in Paris, not only famous brands
but also creator's shops and small concept shops.

EAT
All the restaurants, bistros and cafés presented here are tested by our staff
living in Paris. From a casual French to an Upscale one, you can find the best places to eat in Paris.

SEE
One of the most important things to do in Paris... Sightseeing!
Here you can have the updated information of Parisian museums and monuments.
Don't forget to check it out before you leave for Paris.

EVENT
Expositions, Opéra, Concerts, Theaters etc. There are so many things to see in Paris. Here we introduce our selection of the interesting events for you.

PRACTICAL INFO
How can I buy a Metro ticket? Is it possible to charge the battery of my camera? How do I get around in Paris?
If you have any of these questions, check our 'Practical Info'.
It makes your stay in Paris much easier, without any worries.

SPECIAL
Special reports about Paris that you will never find in other sites.
Christmas lights of the department store, visit typical Parisian apartements, interview of the creators...

DIARY
This is a kind of personal diary of Paris made by our staff. Updated often.

PARIS SEEN BY
Shots of Paris taken by our staff. You can discover many various views of this charming town.

Paris monuments and hallmarks

The Eiffel Tower
	This world-famous landmark was built for the Universal Fair of 1889, held to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution. It stands 1050 ft high. Admission (elevator to the top) is EUR 9.90 for adults, EUR 5.30 for children under 12. Opening hours: Jan 1-Jun 13: 9:30am-11pm daily (stairs: 9:30am-6pm); Jan 14-Aug 31: 9am-midnight daily.
Notre Dame Cathedral
	Work on the Hunchback's gothic home began in 1163 AD and was completed circa 1345 AD. The house of God can accommodate over 6,000 worshippers. Admission in the Cathedral is free, going to the towers costs about EUR 6. No elevator, people with a heart condition should abstain. Opening hours: 8:00AM-6:45PM daily. Towers: 9:30AM-6:45PM daily. Masses: 8AM, 9AM, 12AM, 6:45PM.
Champs Elysees and the Arch of Triumph
	The Champs Elysees avenue probably only deserves its nickname of "most beautiful avenue in the world" for its lower section, starting Place de la Concorde and ending at Grand Palais. The rest of the avenue mainly features overpriced shops and restaurants - with a few exceptions in the side streets. Walk to the Arch of Triumph, at the top of the avenue, and visit the 50-meter high structure built to commemorate Napoleon's victories. Admission is about EUR 6, and free for children under 12. Opening hours: 9:30AM-11:00PM daily from April to October, and 10:00AM-11:00PM daily from Nov-March.
Montmartre and the Church of the Sacred Heart
	The Romano-Byzantine basilica crowns the Montmartre hill. Its construction began in 1875 and was completed in 1914. Admission is free, except for the crypt and dome (about EUR 5). For a fun ride, go to the Anvers metro station, walk to "Rue Tardieu" and take the "funiculaire" (a one-car train which brings you almost to the top of the hill). Montmartre itself used to be a village outside Paris. The hill is famous for its architectural landmarks, its artistic life, and more recently, for 'Amelie'. It counts no less than 7 museums!
Church of the Invalides
	Its building started in 1671 under the reign of King Louis the XIVth, and about 30 years later. From its inception, the place was designed to serve as a home to impoverished soldiers and wounded veterans of the French army. It comprises the veteran hospital itself, a church, several museums, and the tomb of Napoleon I. Admission is EUR 6 for adults, and free for children under 12. Opening hours: October to March 31: 10AM-4:45PM, April-September 30: 10AM-5:45PM www.invalides.org/
Sainte Chapelle
	Located on Ile de la Cité, the construction of this gothic church started under Louis IX in 1240 AD to house relics believed to be Jesus's Crown of Thorns and parts of the Holy Cross. Amongst other remarkable details, the tall stained-glass windows which are mainly original work. Admission is about EUR 6. Opening hours: 10:00AM-5:00PM.
Place des Vosges
	Its construction started in the early XVIIth century under Henri IV. It was completed in 1612. Initially named 'Royal Square', it was renamed 'Place des Vosges' by Napoleon I as an homage to the inhabitants of the Vosges region who had been particularly quick to pay their taxes. The square is remarkable both by its style (it is lined with 36 buildings, all dating from Henri IV) and by its shops and its little park where Parisians like to loaf on sunny Sundays.

Find more comments on Paris landmarks and monuments at http://www.paris-eiffel-tower-news.com/
discover-paris.html.

Walking in Paris

Paris offers a number of interesting itineraries for strollers. You can follow the waterways (river Seine, St Martin Canal, river Bièvre) or the 17-km long railway transformed into a most surprising walkway hung some 50 feet above the hustle-bustle of the city. You can also spend some quality time in any of the large public parks which the city counts (Luxembourg, Buttes-Chaumont, Montsouris, Georges Brassens), discover the gardens of the 14th district, or else decide to learn live history and architecture in areas like St-Sulpice and St Germain-des-Prés.

A lively and interesting city

This is but a glimpse of the many places you will want to visit during your stay in Paris. Guests of the hotel are offered a Complimentary Pass to the Members Only section of the Paris Eiffel Tower News website, which features a lot more information on Paris.

The Complimentary Pass can be retrieved from the Thank You page which displays after your reservation request has been received by the hotel.

The hotel personnel wishes to be of service to you during your stay in Paris.