27 replies to this topic

[chuckbrandt]

Along the lines of the Brussels question below, I am traveling to Paris on business next week. I may have time in the evenings to do some site seeing. Any automotive racing museums there?

Thanks, Chuck

[AMICALEMANS]

Living in Paris... and so sorry, there are not any automotive museum in town !
but you can go on he Champs Elysée at the ESPACE RENAULT, there is an exhibition about the racing past of Renault and Alpine. On the Champs, you have also, Mercedes, Toyota, Peugeot and Citroen (Citroen has also an exhibition)
To see old cars and technical things , you an go to the CONSERVATOIRE DES ARTS ET METIERS...

have a good times and good food anywhere except on the Champs Elysée !

[rdrcr]

When I first read your request, I thought you were joking...

A few suggestions for expanding your interests:

1) Musee d' Orsay

2) The Louvre

3) Centre Pompidou

4) Chateau du Versailles

5) Musee de l'Orangerie

6) Musee Picasso

Have fun in the City of Lights

[275 GTB-4]

The Naval museum down near the Tour de Eiffel is well worth a visit

[seldo]

Depending on how much time he has there - Is the Schlumpff collection at Mulhouse still accessible? I went there many years ago and it was just amazing. Not Paris, but worth the trip across ESE of France almost to the Swiss border.

[chuckbrandt]

Originally posted by rdrcr
When I first read your request, I thought you were joking...

Have fun in the City of Lights

I was mostly fishing for automotive / racing museums, but your suggestions have merit.

Thanks, Chuck

[rdrcr]

Originally posted by chuckbrandt


I was mostly fishing for automotive / racing museums, but your suggestions have merit.

Thanks, Chuck

Glad you took that in the spirit it was intended

Molsheim for the Bugatti tour and the Schlumpf Collection at the Musee de l'Automobile are too far away for an evening jaunt - even on the TGV. If you had more time, I'd recommend both.

[Paul Rochdale]

Musee d'Orsay is a superb building, an old South Bank railway station rescued from demolition by the people of Paris. To my mind it houses the finest collection of art I've ever seen, very impressive.

[Allan Lupton]

Originally posted by Paul Rochdale
Musee d'Orsay is a superb building, an old South Bank railway station rescued from demolition by the people of Paris. To my mind it houses the finest collection of art I've ever seen, very impressive.

D'accord!

[GreenMachine]

The Naval museum down near the Tour de Eiffel is well worth a visit

Mick, you're not referring to the navel museum in Pigalle (sp?) are you?

[AMICALEMANS]

Fantastic ! overseas or overchannel people know a lot about Paris...

Not so far away from Paris, you can go to Le Bourget for the Aerospace Museum... http://www.mae.org/

About the CONSERVATOIRE DES ARTS ET METIERS, you will see in an old church, some planes (as Bleriot) and some cars as CUGNOT'S car and a one of one Dynavia Panhard : http://www.arts-et-m...s.net/?lang=ang and it is free until june !

[Arjan de Roos]

Originally posted by seldo
..the Schlumpff collection at Mulhouse...

The Le Mans museum is closer to Paris (2 hour drive)

Maybe a visit (by car) to Monthlery track is an idea. Parts are public road.

In some areas you may see the ultimate road cars: Champs d'Elysee, Place Vendome, etc.

You can go say hi to Max at the Place de la Concorde.

There are some specialized racing model and literature shops.

Bon voyage!

[ensign14]

Originally posted by Paul Rochdale
Musee d'Orsay is a superb building, an old South Bank railway station rescued from demolition by the people of Paris. To my mind it houses the finest collection of art I've ever seen, very impressive.

Nice building, but I got a bit overwhelmed by the impressionism on display...preferred the Pompidou, made my mind sing.

[AMICALEMANS]

"Maybe a visit (by car) to Monthlery track is an idea. Parts are public road."

Nothing to see at Monthlery, you could not enter, because it is UTAC property and they dont want anybody, even as a pedestrian !

At night, only all shops including cars makers shop will be open at Champs Elysées...

[chuckbrandt]

A small update, I just found out we will be driving from Brussels to Paris on Sunday during the day and will have some time to kill. If there is anything of automotive interest along the way I may be able to persuade my co-worker to stop. It looks like Le Mans is in the wrong direction however.

Thanks for all the great input so far!

Chuck

[Vitesse2]

Well, it's by no means the shortest route, but you could go via both Chimay and Reims and explore their old circuits. Probably more interesting than just hammering down the A1 Autoroute ....

[RogerFrench]

There used to be a car museum in La Defence, close to the Grande Arche. Maybe it has closed down? It held some interesting cars, including an ex-Andre Morel 6-cyl blown Amilcar, the Bol d'Or winner.
That was some years ago when I lived near Paris.

[AMICALEMANS]

La Defense is closed since 10 Years.... The Centre International de l'Automobile in Pantin is also closed...

[petefenelon]

Originally posted by AMICALEMANS
Fantastic ! overseas or overchannel people know a lot about Paris...

Not so far away from Paris, you can go to Le Bourget for the Aerospace Museum... http://www.mae.org/

That's a superb museum - a short train ride and brisk walk from Paris, but there are some delectable planes there as well as a couple of Ariane rockets... last time I was there I was able to spend quite a long time alone in the Concorde prototype they had there - amazing how much we've lost over the last 30 or 40 years really isn't it?

One of the best things about Paris is that you can get a pass that covers most of the museums for 3, 5, 7 days and that saves you a fair bit of money!

[petefenelon]

Originally posted by Arjan de Roos


The Le Mans museum is closer to Paris (2 hour drive)

...or an hour by TGV (worth it in its own right if you've not travelled on one!) and a ten minute taxi ride!

[Arjan de Roos]

Some model car shops:

BAM
6 rue des Halles, 75001 Paris

Minimini
171 bd Voltaire, 75011 Paris

Alain Mode Auto
14 rue Abel, 75012 Paris

Calandre
232 rue de Bercy, 75012 Paris

Bolides Miniatures
12 rue du Dr Victor Hutinel, 75013 Paris

Le Chat Botté
85 boulevard Lefèvre, 75015 Paris

Boutique Virage BPH DESIGN
171 Bld Péreire - 75017 Paris

And some book shops:

Passion Automobile
83 Rue De Rennes, 75006

Librairie et Documentation Auto Moto
33, rue de Constantinople, 75008
http://www.librairie-auto-moto.com/

Librairie Doc Auto
70, rue Laugier 75017
http://www.librairie-docauto.com/



Now Amicalemans don't tell me they have closed altogether?

[Arjan de Roos]

Still some museums here:

107 109 Rue Aristide Briand
92300 Levallois

and here:

37 Rue Molitor
75016 Paris

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by GreenMachine
Mick, you're not referring to the navel museum in Pigalle (sp?) are you?

The Ministre de la Marine, or Naval Ministry, on the Place de la Concorde...after taking several flash shots I see the angry lady approaching and the tiny tiny sign saying no-no-none!

[GreenMachine]

I will second the Musee de l'air et espace. The new gallery of early aviation incl WWI is top class, the rest good without being to the same standard. Bus from Gare du Nord iirc takes you too the door.

The Museums pass is only worth the cost to save time in queues - unless you are a 'one hour per museum' visitor, the main reason to get one is to avoid the waiting time. I was there in July last year, and I reckon it saved me at least an hour or three of shuffling along in the entry lines. It may not have this advantage in the off season of course.

On the same basis, I HIGHLY recommend a metro pass, covers busses and RER (mail line rail) as well.

[Jager]

Originally posted by Arjan de Roos
Some model car shops:

BAM
6 rue des Halles, 75001 Paris

Minimini
171 bd Voltaire, 75011 Paris

Alain Mode Auto
14 rue Abel, 75012 Paris

Calandre
232 rue de Bercy, 75012 Paris

Bolides Miniatures
12 rue du Dr Victor Hutinel, 75013 Paris

Le Chat Botté
85 boulevard Lefèvre, 75015 Paris

Boutique Virage BPH DESIGN
171 Bld Péreire - 75017 Paris

My favourite model shop in Paris is Dan-Toys (www.dan-toys.net), located a short walk from the Commerce Metro station on Line 8. I spent Euro 350 there last month !

[RogerFrench]

Originally posted by AMICALEMANS
La Defense is closed since 10 Years.... The Centre International de l'Automobile in Pantin is also closed...

Alors. Tempus Fugit!

[962C]

Originally posted by RogerFrench


Alors. Tempus Fugit!

It's not quite been 10 years as I visited the museum in late 1999 or early 2000. I may have been lucky though, and been there just before the place closed...

[bradbury west]

Slightly off thread, I recall this article on enjoyable bistros in Paris, so perhaps it might be useful. Ye I know you can eat very well almost anywhere in Paris.
http://www.travelmai...rticle_id=31081
Roger Lund