EUROPE | FRANCE

Susan Spano's Postcards from Paris: April 27, 2004

By Susan Spano, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
12:00 AM PDT, April 27, 2004

One Postcards reader told me to go wandering and get lost -- literally. That's a magical way of discovering a city like Paris. But I'm more of an agenda person these days. I go out on specific errands and stop by a museum or park or bridge on the way.


Today, I had to check out yoga classes on the Right Bank, so I took the Metro to Etoile-Charles de Gaulle, found the yoga studio, got a class schedule and went directly to the Musee Guimet, dedicated to Asian art.


It was blissfully uncrowded and contained several surprises, including an extraordinary collection of sculpture from Cambodia. Afterward, I took the Metro to the the Place Vendome because I wanted to check out the health club at the Ritz, which is said to have the best swimming pool in Paris. Wow, it looks great. But a day pass costs about $175. Meanwhile, there's a vastly cheaper municipal swimming pool near L'Odeon, where I'll probably be doing my laps.


Of course, while at the Ritz I had to stop for a kir royale, but not in the Hemingway Bar, which hadn't opened. I'll have to go back for a martini there.


Editor's note: To read the archives of Susan Spano's Postcard's from Paris column, please follow the link to http://travelblogs.latimes.com/paris/.

Where am I?

This hotel, which dates to 1921, has 39 rooms and commanding perch by a big river.


Air France's A380 debuts

A look inside the airline's first Airbus A380.

My Trips

Subscribe to the Daily Deal blog Daily Travel & DealBlog

Fare war! Southwest, JetBlue, Virgin America starting $29 OW
Be thankful there is no shortage of cheap airfares this week. Southwest announced a 7-day T...
Read more »

SIGN UP Newsletter_icons

Taking restless Southern California on vacation

Los Angeles Times e-mail newsletter, delivered every Thursday


Expedia
  • Departing from:
    Depart:
  • Going to:
    Return:

Subscribe to this section    

Subscribe to
Save and share