Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Meeting the Locals
I'm amazed at the number of groups that help travelers meet locals. These get good
reviews:
Meeting the French
puts travelers in touch with Parisians by organizing din-
nersinprivatehomes,workplacetourstomatchyourinterests/career,andmore(tel.
01 42 51 19 80,
www.meetingthefrench.com
)
.
Paris Greeter
is an all-volunteer organization that connects travelers with
English-speaking Parisians who want to share their knowledge of Paris. These vo-
lunteer “guides” are not licensed to give historical tours; rather they act as informal
companionswhocanshowyou“theirParis”—it'slikeseeingParisthroughtheeyes
of a friend. The tours are free (though donations are welcome), and you must sign
up five weeks before your visit (
www.parisgreeters.fr
)
.
The
American Church and Franco-American Center,
an interdenomination-
al church in the Rue Cler neighborhood, offers many services for travelers want-
ing to connect with Parisian culture. The Thursday evening English/French lan-
guage exchange (18:00-19:30) is a handy way to meet locals who want to improve
their English. It's free and relaxed—just show up. You'll chat with Parisians, who
willrespondintheirbestEnglish.English-languageworshipservicesareheldevery
Sunday (at 9:00 and 11:00, contemporary service at 13:30). The coffee hour after
each service and the free Sunday concerts (generally Sept-June at 17:00, but not
every week and not in Dec) are a good way to meet the very international congreg-
ation (church reception open Mon-Sat 9:00-12:00 & 13:00-22:00, Sun 14:30-19:00,
65 Quai d'Orsay, Mo: Invalides, tel. 01 40 62 05 00,
www.acparis.org
).
Cooking Schools:
It's easy to hook up with small cooking schools that provide
an unthreatening and personal experience, such as trips to markets (see
here
for a
list of several schools).
Wine Tasting:
Young, enthusiastic Olivier Magny and his team of sommeliers
teachfunwine-tastingclassesat
Ô Château
wineschool/barneartheLouvre,inthe
17th-century residence of Madame de Pompadour, King Louis XV's favorite mis-
tress. Olivier's goal is to “take the snob out of wine.” At these informal classes,
you'll learn the basics of French wine regions, the techniques of tasting, and how
to read a French wine label. Classes include Introductory Tasting (€30, 1 hour),
Tour de France of Wine (€55, 2 hours), Wine and Cheese lunches (€75, 1.5 hours),
GrandsCrustasting(€149,2hours),andawine-tasting dinner(€99,about2hours).
Register online using code “RS2014” for a 10 percent discount (68 Rue Jean-
