ENJOYING PARIS - CultureShock! A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette - page 256

Women's bar: La Champmeslé; 4 rue Chabanais, 75002;
tel: [phone]. One of the original lesbian bars, now
a classic. International beers on tap, good cocktails, plus
readings, cabaret shows, art exhibitions and charity nights.
Open from 3:00 pm; closed on Sundays.

DAY TRIPS THROUGHOUT THE PARIS AREA
Some of the most celebrated historical French sites are
within the Paris region and can usually be reached in less
than an hour by the national SNCF trains or the commuter
RER trains—both inexpensive. However, if you're interested
in guided tours in English, try a tour bus company that
offers comfortable coach rides not only to spectacular sites
near Paris, but also those further afield: south to 'chateau
country'—the Loire Valley, 'champagne country' near
Reims, and even as far north as Mont Saint-Michel and
the walled city of Saint-Malo in Brittany. Most Paris hotels
display brochures of these tour companies; otherwise,
contact one of these:

Cityrama; tel: [phone]; website:http://www.
pariscityrama.com
Paris Vision; tel: [phone]; website: http://www.
parisvision.com
Paris Trip; tel: [phone]; website: http://www.paris-
trip.com

Basilique Royale de Saint-Denis
Although this exquisite basilica is in the northern Parisian
suburb of Saint-Denis, it isn't exactly an 'out-of-town' trip,
for it's easily reached by métro line 13. Construction of the
basilica began in 1122 and many of the kings of France are
entombed here, from Dagobert in the 7th century to Louis
XVI and Marie-Antoinette, both guillotined in 1793 during
the French Revolution. Sometimes called the 'Westminster
Abbey of France', this masterpiece of Gothic architecture
was built on the spot where Saint Denis is said to have been
buried in the 3rd century. Legend goes that the patron saint
of France walked to this spot carrying his own head after
having been decapitated by the Romans.