Rainy days in Paris

[Ray(aka) tripnebraska]

We will arrive in Paris next week. Rain is in the forecast, and I am wondering about your favorite rainy day activities in Paris. My wife will only stand for so much of museums and churches, and I want to make this a great experience, in the hope this will be the 1st trip of many.

[Happygoin]

I was in Paris in February with a teenager. Imagine my fretting about rainy weather! How to keep a teenager interested in GOOD weather was a challenge...or so I thought before I went. Your wife will be so in love with Paris, that I'll bet it won't matter if it rains. That's what I found about the teen ami. She didn't even seem to notice, and certainly didn't mind. That said, I guess I'd go shopping on a really rainy day. Or a movie. Just take an umbrella.

[luckyluc]

Bonjour M. Nebraska,

You will find that rain in Paris rarely last all day. It is more like a series of drizzle, so it should not stop any planned activities. Of course everyone should carry there own mini-folding umbrella. There are great passages couvert in Paris and on a really rainy day that would be my choice. In the evening a movie like Happy suggest. Bon voyage and don't hesitate to ask any other questions.

[Truffaut]

I agree with Lucky's suggestion about the passages couverts. I just recently discovered them with his assistance, myself. He's also right that "rain" in Paris can be a 10-minute shower at 3am, or it can be a series of drizzles that last on and off all day. Rarely is there a real downpour. Although you may have museum fatigue, you might try something like the Musée des Arts et Métiers that's a little different from the ordinary museum experience. If you like cooking, you could take a 2 or 3-hr class at the Atelier des Chefs where you'll learn to cook a few dishes and then join the other students in eating your creations. The only activity I'd avoid on a really rainy day is going up the Eiffel Tower. You'll want a bright sunny day for that so you can really see all the details below you. If that's on your "To Do" list, you shouldn't hesitate to change your itinerary to accommodate a last-minute visit at the very first sunny opportunity! Have a great trip!

[Ray(aka) tripnebraska]

Thanks everyone.
I had read about the Galerie Vivienne, it is near where we are staying, and I thought it was worth strolling through. I'll have to google passages couverts.
A friend just recommended the Cluny Museum, which was not on our list, but may be now. She also told my wife to take a daily 4:00 pm coffee creame? break to reenergize for the balance of the day. We arrive next Wed. the anticipation is heightening!

[Truffaut]

The Cluny is wonderful. It's a very peaceful place with a surprisingly rich collection beyond the famed tapestries. Be sure to look for the jewel-encrusted golden box containing Jesus' belly-button!

If you like antiques, you could spend quite a bit of time in the Louvre des Antiquaires, Paris' only indoor "antiques mall". And nearby, you can stroll the Palais Royal. The entire garden is encircled by a colonnaded portico with many small boutiques and a few cafes.

Your wife's friend means "un café crème"--coffee with quite a lot of foamed milk. Most Parisians don't drink them after morning, but I wouldn't think a thing about ordering one if I felt like it.

Oh, another suggestion. You could go to Angélina or Ladurée for afternoon tea and a pastry or two. That can eat up a couple of hours if you're with someone enjoyable and it's a very nice environment that has a "fairytale book" Parisian feel.

[Ray(aka) tripnebraska]

Truffaut,
Thanks for the ideas. I'm sure we won't let a little rain dampen the adventure, but it is good to have some options.
Early this year before I ever found the Paris forums, when I was doing my apartment search, I looked at yours, and thought the neighbourhood, and the apartment looked great. It was already booked for our dates of travel, but next time I'll try for it 1st.

[Happygoin]

tripnebraska, I can't believe I didn't think of the covered passages. When I was there last fall, I took with me a list of as many of the passages as I could find. In my wanderings, I would periodically check my list to see if any of the passages were in the area I was. I saw many of them. They are all very interesting and all a little different. And it's also something that not everyone does, so it's a little different than the typical tourist destinations. A fun thing altogether. (See Luc...I have lists for EVERY trip:)