Things to do in Paris for those that dont like art

[dullard]

Disagree - Paris is an awesome city.

Paris is well worth visiting and has lots to do. But, it just doesn't make the top of my list. If you like France, pick just about any town in the south of France (except Nice, don't go to Nice) and I would probably enjoy it more than Paris.

* Cape Town, South Africa is really hard to beat.
* Hanoi or even Hoi An, Vietnam are higher on my list than Paris.
* Barcelona even narrowly beats Paris for me.
* Dubrovnik, Croatia would definiately be higher for me than Paris, especially after the cruise ships leave you in the quiet city.

If you allow smaller towns instead of cities, I could give a lot more that would top Paris.

 

[Sheep]

Travel more. Paris is well worth visiting and has lots to do. But, it just doesn't make the top of my list. If you like France, pick just about any town in the south of France (except Nice, don't go to Nice) and I would probably enjoy it more than Paris.

* Cape Town, South Africa is really hard to beat.
* Hanoi or even Hoi An, Vietnam are higher on my list than Paris.
* Barcelona even narrowly beats Paris for me.
* Dubrovnik, Croatia would definiately be higher for me than Paris, especially after the cruise ships leave you in the quiet city.

If you allow smaller towns instead of cities, I could give a lot more that would top Paris.

I get it if you don't like cities, but that's a rather apples to oranges comparison comparing smaller towns in the south of France to huge cities like Paris and Barcelona--you get totally different experiences in each place. I've been to Nice, Villefranche sur Mer, Antibes, Avignon, Nimes and Arles, Marseilles and Collioure (among other places in southern France) and while they're well worth seeing on their own, if someone's visiting France for the first time, I'd generally recommend Paris first because of the breadth of things they can see and do there.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I get it if you don't like cities, but that's a rather apples to oranges comparison comparing smaller towns in the south of France to huge cities like Paris and Barcelona--you get totally different experiences in each place. I've been to Nice, Villefranche sur Mer, Antibes, Avignon, Nimes and Arles, Marseilles and Collioure (among other places in southern France) and while they're well worth seeing on their own, if someone's visiting France for the first time, I'd generally recommend Paris first because of the breadth of things they can see and do there.

This. As I mentioned earlier, I'd definitely add Normandy to the list when going to France. I'd be wary of Mont St. Michel - it is very cool looking but it pretty touristy. Definitely not a place I'd return to.

 

[Xonim]

I'm not much of an art guy either, but you HAVE to go to the Louvre. There's just something about walking into a room and seeing a painting the size of a small house ... nothing quite compares. Then you realize you've been there for 4 hours and have seen 1-2 floors of just 1 wing and there are things that have been around for thousands of years ... it's amazing. The courtyard area is also a great place to toss a blanket down and just hang out and play cards or people watch or whatever in the evening -- at least, it was when I was there 10-12 years ago.

Also, if you like architecture, the churches are great. Notre Dame was meh, though the view of it from the river cruise at night was very nice. Sainte-Chappelle was very cool. Sacre-Couer on top of the hill was pretty cool, but mostly for the view from up top.

If you're ok leaving the city, you could always go check out the Normandy beaches. If I remember right, they're about a 2 hour drive away?

 

[shortylickens]

1. Drink
2. Eat
3. Fart

 

[KeithTalent]

Travel more. Paris is well worth visiting and has lots to do. But, it just doesn't make the top of my list. If you like France, pick just about any town in the south of France (except Nice, don't go to Nice) and I would probably enjoy it more than Paris.

* Cape Town, South Africa is really hard to beat.
* Hanoi or even Hoi An, Vietnam are higher on my list than Paris.
* Barcelona even narrowly beats Paris for me.
* Dubrovnik, Croatia would definiately be higher for me than Paris, especially after the cruise ships leave you in the quiet city.

If you allow smaller towns instead of cities, I could give a lot more that would top Paris.

Wow, dick response. I've travelled to quite a few places and still find Paris to be pretty awesome. Apologies your highness.

KT

 

[dullard]

What kind of asinine response is this when I just said I disagree? No need to be a jerk. You're telling me to travel more? HAHAHAHAHA!

Believe me, I intend to. However, if you read these forums, you'd already know I've been all over the world. Paris is a great city by any reasonable definition. Of some of the cities I've been to in the same size category - Tokyo, Seoul, Rome, Sao Paulo, Curitiba, Barcelona, Milan, Munich, Vienna, to name a few - Paris ranks near the top for me. Smaller towns like Florence and Salzburg are definitely awesome as well.

I didn't intend to be a jerk and I didn't think it reads that way. But I have edited my post above. Sorry.

Paris just lacks any real excitement for me. Same goes with a lot of those cities on your list. Sure, they are worth visiting. But for the most part, they are checkoff items for me. Good vacation destinations; but not what really draws me back.

True, I am not a city person. I'd rather be all alone in a ruined castle in the top of the Pyrenees mountains. http://chambres-hotes-iris-aude.fr/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/08/puilaurens-880x483.png
But, given that I'm not a city person, there are exciting cities that would draw me back. Paris just doesn't make the list for non-art lovers like me.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I didn't intend to be a jerk and I didn't think it reads that way. But I have edited my post above. Sorry.

Hey, no problem. I'll edit my post too.

Paris just lacks any real excitement for me. Same goes with a lot of those cities on your list. Sure, they are worth visiting. But for the most part, they are checkoff items for me. Good vacation destinations; but not what really draws me back.

True, I am not a city person. I'd rather be all alone in a ruined castle in the top of the Pyrenees mountains. http://chambres-hotes-iris-aude.fr/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/08/puilaurens-880x483.png
But, given that I'm not a city person, there are exciting cities that would draw me back. Paris just doesn't make the list for non-art lovers like me.

Yeah, I love the little towns too. Last fall, for example, the wife and I rented a car and drove all over Germany, especially the rural areas. We LOVED the little towns like Bacharach, Fussen, Rothenburg (some might think it is touristy but you have to wait for the daytrippers to leave to enjoy it) and other little towns like that. We did a short Rhine cruise and it stopped in a few little towns and they were all pretty sweet.

We're tentatively planning on hitting up southern Italy this winter and will take in some of the smaller towns along the Amalfi Coast and south. Looking forward to that too.

 

[Murloc]

I don't care about art but I like old buildings and different architectures (purely for looking) and I can enjoy any city in Europe.
Paris surely offers enough to do in that regard.

 

[dullard]

We're tentatively planning on hitting up southern Italy this winter and will take in some of the smaller towns along the Amalfi Coast and south. Looking forward to that too.

I got engaged in Positano. Beautiful little town, well worth visiting. Drive or take a quick bus (probably the school bus) up to Nocelle to get a bird's eye view of Positano. Amalfi / Revello is a similar combination well worth spending time in. Probably skip the grotto unless you like cheesy Italians singing to you in a small boat and then telling you all about their love life. Salerno has some great ruins. Heck just taking the bus from Sorrento to Salerno a few times is a worthy action activity (much like a roller coaster, but you may be backing up a mile in a bus on a winding one-lane road on a cliff-edge to let another bus go by). If I go back, I'll take a boat to Capri.

But, I think that part of Italy is pretty much closed for winter. You may want to make it an early or late winter trip. Otherwise there will be few hotels and fewer restaurants open.

 

[biostud]

go see the catacombs, and be prepared to spend a lot of time in a queue.

 

[Auric]

It's funny because it's true (I hope).

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Sorry OP, my brain shut down after the "I'm not into art" part. Could you clarify that for us hoo-mons? Is it paintings, sculpture, architecture, music, theater, opera, ceramics or, glass that has you bored?

 

[etrigan420]

I'm not much of an art guy either, but you HAVE to go to the Louvre. There's just something about walking into a room and seeing a painting the size of a small house ... nothing quite compares. Then you realize you've been there for 4 hours and have seen 1-2 floors of just 1 wing and there are things that have been around for thousands of years ... it's amazing. The courtyard area is also a great place to toss a blanket down and just hang out and play cards or people watch or whatever in the evening -- at least, it was when I was there 10-12 years ago.

This...this right here.

I challenge any one to go into the Louvre and say they were not *at least* taken a bit aback by The Coronation of Josephine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Coronation_of_Napoleon

Yeah, that's 33 x 20...feet.

Truly mind-bottling. "Art appreciation" not required.

Anywho, a day in the Louvre (not enough time to even scratch the surface) and a day at Versailles, leaves you 3 days to do with as you please. Do the touristy things. Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Invalides, Sacre Couer / Montmatre etc. etc.

Unlike some cities (I'm looking at you , Rome), the "touristy" things in Paris tend to be genuinely fascinating places.

Hell, I spent an entire day just looking at gravestones in Pere Lachaise.

 

[Howard]

nm

 

[Auric]

Truly mind-bottling. "Art appreciation" not required.

Truly mind-boggling. "English appreciation" not required.

 

[etrigan420]

Truly mind-boggling. "English appreciation" not required.

Appreciation for the film epic "Blades of Glory" may, however, be required.

...seriously, it's like people don't even know what art is anymore.

 

[Auric]

Ah so. Apologies then. I don't watch Ferrell movies. As for art, it's rated awful on IMDb (no surprise there).