Top Ten Things to Do During April in Paris

Robert Doyle READ TIME: 3 MIN.

New York, NY - When armchair travelers dream of a visit to The City of Light, the Cole Porter classic song's "April in Paris" lyrics remind listeners it can be the perfect time to get ahead of the summer crowds and explore fabled sights from The Eiffel Tower to Notre Dame. While those are iconic treasures, there are many other ways to discover the magic of Paris beyond the Champs Elys�es, whatever the time of the year.

Noted Francophile Doni Belau, who operates the popular insiders' website www.girlsguidetoparis.com, and who has launched a new Travel Club offering Paris travel advice, discounts, unique experiences and even iPhone apps for self-guided walking tours, offers her top-ten list of what not to miss, from staying on a moored barge on the Seine to how to get beyond the velvet ropes of film director David Lynch's elite private club, Silencio.

Belau founded her popular web site in 2009 and nearly 85% of those who consult www.girlsguidetoparis.com have plans to travel to France's capital city. She and her team of local writers have visited scores of art galleries, bistros, and designer boutiques, and have been very selective in choosing 100 partners who promise members of the recently introduced Travel Club an array of travel tips, special prices and VIP treatment.

The following Girls Guide ten secret spots for a superb April in Paris include:

1. . http://www.le-vieux-belleville.com/fr/bar-restaurant-musette-le-vieux-belleville.html
Want to take a trip back in time to the days of Edith Piaf. Listen to French Chanson, sing along and enjoy a traditional French bistro meal at this unique eatery in the Belleville area of Paris.

2. April showers got you down? Head straight to Petit Pan for a little sparkling pick me up. http://girlsguidetoparis.com/archives/purely-paris-all-that-glitters/

3. Learn French and make Parisian friends when you try a Franglish event, held 2-3 nights a week at several local Parisian bars. It's like speed dating but instead you are practicing your French. * http://girlsguidetoparis.com/insider/view.php?list=tours&tourID=31

4. Want to learn how to bake real French baguettes? The French ladies at Succulent Paris can take you to their neighborhood baker, who closes down on Wednesdays to teach others his craft.* http://girlsguidetoparis.com/insider/view.php?list=tours&tourID=27

5. Stay at the most unique place in Paris. Unpack your bags into a moored Barge on the Seine.* http://en.meetingthefrench.com/bedroom/floating-room_439.htm

6. Try hole in the wall, Candelaria, for a change of pace, and enjoy the best Mexican food in Paris. Go through the unmarked white door at the back after dinner (or before) and enjoy some of the best cocktails in this underground Paris bar that is too cool for school. http://www.candelariaparis.com/

7. Need a peaceful break from sightseeing? Head to the tip of Ile de la Cit�, in the middle of all the action in the center of Paris, where you'll find an oasis at the place Dauphine. http://girlsguidetoparis.com/archives/special-places-in-paris/

8. Feed your literary side and watch poetry come alive at Spoken Word in the Belleville area of Paris. http://girlsguidetoparis.com/archives/poetry-in-paris/

9. Don't miss Degas' nudes at the newly renovated Orsay from March through July 2012. http://en.parisinfo.com/show-exhibition/1376042/degas-and-nude-exhibition. Stop in for a bite at their newly redesigned clock tower caf�.

10. How to get into a Secret Club in Paris. http://welcometotwinpeaks.com/photos/club-silencio-david-lynch/. Director David Lynch has opened a club called Silencio modeled after the bar in his movie Mulholland Drive; sadly it is members only but it does open up at 12 midnight for the general public. http://girlsguidetoparis.com/archives/newest-bars-paris/


by Robert Doyle

Long-term New Yorkers, Mark and Robert have also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center, Mark is a PhD in American history and literature, as well as the author of the novels Wolfchild and My Hawaiian Penthouse. Robert is the producer of the documentary We Are All Children of God. Their work has appeared in numerous publications, as well as at : www.mrny.com.

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