Port guide: Paris, France
If you're looking to spoil yourself, look no further than this city of love, fashion and all the fine things in life.
Who goes there
The Seine River is a cruise staple, with AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, CroisiEurope, Riviera Travel, Scenic, Uniworld and Viking among companies operating there. Adventures by Disney, A-Rosa and Tauck are the best options for families. Ships sail downstream as far as Rouen, Caudebec or Le Havre, usually return to Paris, although some operate one-way itineraries. Cruises might be themed on World War II history, Impressionist art or culinary experiences. Some ships now operate in winter too.
Sail on in
The Seine River wiggles in tight bends through metropolitan Paris and past the greenery of Bois be Boulogne. The urban riverbanks aren't that exciting until you round another big bend. If you're at one of the two main docking locations, you'll get terrific views of the Eiffel Tower rising like a giant exclamation mark, so have your camera at the ready.
Berth rites
Prepare for confusion, as there are several mooring sites, cruise companies may use more than one, and some are located well out of the city centre. Check your official cruise documents for the correct address. That said, most ships tie up either at Quai Andre Citroen (also called Port de Javel Bas) or Quai de Grenelle in the 15th Arrondissement on the Seine's left bank, both in the centre of Paris.
Going ashore
You'll certainly want to check out the Eiffel Tower, newly renovated Notre Dame cathedral and one of three key museums: the Louvre, Musee d'Orsay for Impressionists, or Centre Pompidou for modern art (although the latter is about to undergo transformations). Budget downtime on a cafe terrace or in the statue-studded gardens of the Tuileries or Luxembourg. You'll have to pick a neighbourhood to wander as well: either historical Le Marais, bohemian and arty Montmartre or the Latin Quarter, which is dense with museums and cafes.
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West Australian
12-07-2025
- West Australian
South Africa in a new light
For most of our lives South Africa has been in the news for the wrong reasons. The apartheid regime that was ushered in after World War II led to riots and killings that shocked the world, including the Soweto riots of 1976, when students objected to Afrikaans being forced on them as the main language of the country. The protests over racial selection in Springbok tours in numerous countries were prime news around the globe and the imprisonment of African National Congress head Nelson Mandela for 28 years was a constant blot on the government's legitimacy. So it was something of a miracle when Mandela was freed under the de Klerk government and the country moved towards free and open elections which guaranteed the African majority power in government. It has indeed been a miracle that the country has been able to move forward under different governments the past 30 years, without major bloodshed. This is not to overlook the cruel history or the numerous challenges that remain and have arisen afresh. So what is South Africa like to visit, now that Qantas has announced direct flights will resume in December to Johannesburg? South Africa — the great melting pot of African, European and Indian history — is a fascinating blend of everything you can look for in a holiday, if you like a little soft adventure. The cities are a mixture of towering skyscrapers and urban villages, the landscape a breathtaking panorama of mountain ranges and endless fertile farms, or grasslands that keep rolling forever. But first, where to start? Do you want to head off into cities, towns and villages alone? That is quite a big step in the major cities. The crime rate in Johannesburg is daunting. Perhaps the best way is to find a local expert and a driver, and have an organised plan of places to visit, things to see and some company to enjoy it with. That is what we did. An escorted minibus tour for 15 days, from Johannesburg, our airport of entry, to Cape Town. In between, game parks, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), Lesotho, KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern and Western Cape. Mountain ranges, deep river valleys, huge farms, bustling small townships, seaside resorts, surf beaches, modernity, classy suburbs and poverty. You can see it in many places on the planet, the mix of wealth and poverty. Go to India, the USA. South Africa has its own blend. The good news is that locals are your guides, and they give you all the time you need to talk about it. Dissect it. See the good and the bad. Like the family in Eswatini, of father, two mothers and 25 children. Dancing and singing traditional songs is their birthright in their village. You are invited in, after passing through passport control at the border. But, let us start at the beginning, with Oliver Tambo, African National Congress president for many years. His statue greets you at Johannesburg's international airport. We get to revered leader Nelson Mandela later. Johannesburg is a city of 13.2 million, according to our guide Walter, who says he speaks 11 languages. But we are here to initially see the game parks, stay at the airport hotel and head off next day to the delightfully named Hippo Hollow Country Estate, en route to an early assignment at the Kruger National Park, a mere two million hectares. There are many other camping grounds. We see the small red dot of the sun just emerging as we enter the massive park, the size of a small country. It is freezing cold, as we huddle under jackets and blankets. Suddenly, off to one side, three male lions are standing to get the first rays of the sun and its warmth. Then they all wake up and wander into view: giraffes, elephants, hyenas, water buffalo, antelopes and elands by the dozen. There is a heightened sense of being alive when you are being studied by the female head of an elephant herd, before she wanders off across the road and the rest follow. Next morning, we are up early for breakfast again and are treated to elephants wandering past the window where we are sitting. Other tourist groups arrive too late, and we feel somehow privileged. Hippos bathe there, but not today. We drive through hundreds of kilometres of huge orchards and farms, boasting rich red soil. Then vast tree plantations stretching to the horizon, for paper, timber and woodchips. And finally sugar cane. Everything agricultural is on a huge scale, supported by the native settlements where the farm workers live, some on the property and some on their own ancestral lands, where they can build freely. Many sons and daughters move to the big cities to build a career or return to finish off their homes. All the schoolchildren are immaculately turned out in school uniforms. We hit the mountainous road to Eswatini (Swaziland), where we are treated to a great view of local Indigenous culture. The village chief and his big family show us their village and way of life and perform a great celebration of singing and dancing. Our stay at Piggs Peak Hotel is beautiful and majestic, in a slightly decaying sense. Views in every direction are amazing in this hotel, owned by the king. He could probably do with switching some of the expenditure from his 16 wives to hotel maintenance, but there are indications the wives are becoming more politically aware these days and enacting their own reforms. Then we enter the kingdom of KwaZulu-Natal, where ancient and modern cultures, Zulu and settler influences, form a thriving and modern society. Certainly, the towns are full of fairly new cars and minibuses, shopping centres and cafes. The next day is Hluhluwe-Imfolozi game park, home of the white rhino conservation program. Not quite so long or cold a day as in Kruger, but full of rhinos, giraffes and elephants. Till we roll into Durban, which is a mirror of the contrasts in South Africa. We stroll along the scenic Golden Mile beachfront, watching surfers, then visit the city centre to see the historic Victorian municipal buildings, boasting statues of leader Jan Smuts and Queen Victoria (of course). It is Friday afternoon and teeming with shoppers, but the locals look upon us as just another bunch of tourists. Just five blocks away are car dealerships for Mercedes and BMW, and South Africa has several car assembly plants, which is more than Australia has. Our hotel is modern and nearer the beach. The food is terrific and cheap. A quality steak meal and fresh fish dish plus beer is $31.50 (can you remember back that far?). It was the weekend of the 90km Comrades Marathon, where thousands of ultra-distance runners ran to Durban from Pietermaritzburg. It switches direction each year. Then we are off inland to explore the majestic Southern Drakensberg Mountains, which seem to stretch all the way down the east side of South Africa. Outside Howick, we visit the site of Nelson Mandela's capture by security forces in 1962. It is a reminder of his sacrifice, the intense news coverage of those years, and an amazing montage sculpture of his face. Our base for a couple of days is the Drakensberg Gardens hotel, which sits on a scenic World Heritage site. It is more like a 1970s holiday camp with facilities for hiking, cycling, tennis and lawn bowls. But make sure you lock your door. The local baboons have a technique of trying every door handle once you go out for the day, and heading straight for the fridge. The next day is an all-day 4WD drive up the Sani Pass to an altitude of 2876m, to Lesotho, the kingdom in the sky, where we are greeted by shepherds, vultures circling for the leftovers of some other predator's meal, and the highest pub in Africa. Passports are required. The only break in the endless June blue skies came over the next two days, as we headed into our fourth province, the Eastern Cape. A massive thunderstorm descended and caused widespread flooding, a reminder of the extremes of continental weather formations. Looking out from our room perched high in Crawfords Beach Lodge, the Indian Ocean was boiling. There are stops along the Garden Route to admire the jagged mountains that line the road. Cameras are running hot in this region formerly known as the Transkei, the birthplace of Nelson Mandela. Till we arrive at the Tsitsikamma Village Inn, a historic hotel established in 1946. The buildings reflect many of the different building styles to be found in the Cape Colony during the 1800s. Outside the towns, the vegetation more closely resembles the Western Australian bush, a little denser but very familiar, with eucalyptus trees swaying in the breeze. The cliffs and coastal scenery of the Storms River Mouth are best viewed from three suspension bridges and 1000 steps, which make a small dent on our waistlines from too many cooked breakfasts. Back inland, we visit the ostrich farming district of Oudtshoorn. This is the global hub for ostrich feathers, which grace the stage of the Folies Bergere in Paris and many other theatres. We come prepared with small tubs of snacks, and the ostriches are delighted, though somewhat lacking in table manners. Ostriches have been a big rural industry in South Africa for well over a century, and are the primary source of income for the town. We head underground into the enormous Cango Caves, with six spectacular halls, the biggest the size of the Perth Concert Hall. Our guide shows off his impressive baritone singing voice in this vast echo chamber. At the Protea Hotel Riempie Estate, we stay in traditional, thatched (rondavel) rooms, with the latest mod cons of course. Then the renowned Route 62 takes us on to Cape Town, with a stop for a 9am sampling of port wines at Calitzdorp, which certainly brought quieter members of the group to life! We hit the outskirts of South Africa's second biggest city, where country roads yield to freeways and bustle. On our all-day tour we took the cable car up Table Mountain, the first place we encountered other tourists, then delved into many corners and bays of this sprawling metropolis, with our local guide an encyclopedia on its history, the rights and wrongs and his place in it. Groot Constantia Wine Estate, established in 1685, was an ideal place to end the tour amid the wine region's rich history. Under the apartheid regime, 'coloured' populations were moved from central city locations to outlying districts like the Cape Flats, basically a huge housing estate. On some of the more scenic bays, populations were moved to make way for upmarket homes. It's a huge bone of contention, even 50-60 years later. It is an unavoidable fact that travel in South Africa comes with a history lesson. Our guide Walter, a Xhosa from the Eastern Cape, bemoans the huge gulf between rich farmers and poor labourers, and the arrival of migrant workers from across the African continent taking jobs and undercutting pay rates, as well as drug dealers from Nigeria. His is a social concern that began with the Soweto riots in 1976. As a teenager he left the country to swell the ranks of the ANC in exile, but can see the progress since Nelson Mandela easily won the election of 1994. But he wants more, so much more. We end our journey at the Cape of Good Hope. The views of the cold Atlantic waters and warmer Indian Ocean are breathtaking, like so much we have seen. The wineries, the beaches, the mountains, the surging rivers, the Dutch and British heritage, the singers, the dancers. All the markets groaning with produce and wood carvings. Then we head to Cape Town airport and fly home, but some holidays stay with you. Discovering South Africa is one of them. Join a group and see the country away from the mass tourist sites. We covered 3500km in two weeks and enjoyed every day. If you have had enough sitting around the pool, go have an adventure. fact file South African Airways operates flights direct from Perth to Johannesburg. Qantas is due to start flights later this year. Singapore Airlines operates flights via Singapore. Emirates and Qatar Airways operate flights via the Middle East, to Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. These are obviously much longer but are competitively priced. Cape Town publishes a booklet with tips on how to stay safe while visiting the city centre, Stroll Smart, Stay Sharp. Most advice is common sense for experienced travellers. Don't leave valuables in your vehicle in full view of passers-by. Keep your mobile phone out of sight, not in your hand. (In the tourist areas like Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope and Simonstown, everyone had their phone out. Lanyards are increasingly popular. But the CBD is a different story.) If you are asked to buy a permit to walk in the Cape Town CBD, you are being scammed. Don't hand over your bankcard or punch your PIN into any handheld keypad, and don't let a stranger accompany you to an ATM.
Sydney Morning Herald
09-07-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
This famed Paris restaurant was booked out. But I had a secret weapon
An admittedly smug Instagram video – the view from my hotel's ninth-floor rooftop terrace, complete with ravishing Eiffel Tower and peachy sunset backdrop – caught the attention of a trusted foodie friend back in Sydney. His words cut through my inbox like a Michelin-star chef's knife: 'This hotel has the BEST fixer.' A screenshot of the concierge's WhatsApp details followed, with a message urging me to reach out to a chap named Erwin if I have any spare meal slots. Spare meal slots? In Paris? The cheek of it. But the word 'fixer' had my attention. Was my dining itinerary in need of a zhuzh? It was time to revisit my gastronomic wishlist and check in with this Erwin fellow. The hotel's stellar record was easy to verify; a string of positive online reviews cite long, personalised lists of restaurants and tenacious checking for cancellations. Some claims were quite extraordinary; an offer to babysit as one couple duck out to nearby Musee Cluny. It's true not all concierges are so stellar. Some accept kickbacks. Some nudge you towards places that would only appeal to the most buttoned-up guest (our tip for gleaning quality recommendations? Head to a popular bar and ask cool-looking staff for their favourite spots). But the role of the concierge is evolving with the times, according to Erwin, concierge at Hotel Dame des Arts. 'The world has changed and so have people's expectations ... genuine hospitality starts with listening.' So, I start talking. All cards on the table. I'm frank: just how slim are our chances of getting a table at Septime? The last time we visited, Septime had been our white whale. Now, back again, we're willing to take any day – any time slot. He listens intently. I study his face; his brow is furrowed. He'll see what he can do – no promises, is the brisk response. 'I should be able to let you know by Tuesday,' he says, already looking slightly stressed. In the meantime, he makes quick work of another dining request; Racines, an elegant and very popular Italian bistro tucked in the historic Passage des Panoramas arcade. It's also fully booked but, mysteriously, he secures a lunch reservation for our group of four within 24 hours. We're delighted as staff lead us upstairs to a cosy private dining room, charmingly decorated with granny-style crystal pendant lights and mismatched dinner plates. Two hours zip by in a blur of excellent wine, fresh antipasto and rustic pastas; I thank him via a WhatsApp text. 'My pleasure, you were lucky to get this reservation at the last minute,' he responds. Over a few indulgent days, we enjoy many more meals that aren't (but ought to be) on my radar, guided by Erwin and his team. Sublime drops and decadent sweetbreads at atmospheric Parcelles in the Marais; freshly shucked oysters and champagne at Le Mary Celeste; martinis and gildas at lavishly appointed five-storey cocktail bar, Cravan; a sumptuous picnic spread on the Seine, catered and set up by the hotel. The next message I receive from Erwin is the one we've been waiting for, and it comes a day earlier than expected. 'Check your email,' he writes. Sure enough, Septime is confirmed for the following evening. What sort of concierge wizardry gets you a booking at one of the world's best restaurants at a day's notice? Later he would explain how he had sent a staff member out to the restaurant to check for us, in person. I feel a flush of guilt at the admission, though I also sense his pride at having solved the grand puzzle. 'In cases like this, it's about reaching out to someone I know well – someone who understands that when we call, it's because it really matters,' he says. 'It's a combination of preparation, persistence and trust. And of course, a little Parisian magic.' It feels serendipitous that my induction into the world of concierges should happen in Paris. Like many things truly excellent and a little bit fancy, the lineage of the concierge can be traced back to France – the word derives from the French comte des cierges (literally 'count of the candles'). Over centuries, as candle-lit castles gave way to grand hotels, the role evolved to 'keeper of the keys' – in reference to the literal guest room keys and, increasingly, metaphorical keys to the city. When a concierge works their magic for a table at Septime, they're tapping into a centuries-old legacy of French tradition, built on trust and a deep understanding of the city. You could say Erwin's a modern-day comte des cierges, still lighting the way for travellers, only now, instead of a candlelit path to bed, he's pointing us towards a veloute with truffle oil. And honestly, I prefer the veloute. The details Eat Septime, 80 Rue de Charonne. See Racines Paris, 8 Passage des Panoramas. Phone: +33 1 40 13 06 41. See Parcelles, 13 Rue Chapon. Phone: +33 1 43 37 91 64. See Le Mary Celeste, 1 Rue Commines. See Cravan Paris, 165 Boulevard Saint-Germain. Phone: +33 1 87 58 08 60. See Gourmet picnic experiences can be arranged for guests of Hotel Dame des Arts. See Stay Hotel Dame des Arts in the Rive Gauche has modern rooms and suites, an all-day restaurant Pimpan, a cracking seasonal rooftop terrace bar with Eiffel Tower views, and is ideally placed to explore Boulevard Saint-Germain and the historic sights of the Latin Quarter. From $620 (€350) a night. 4 Rue Danton, 75006 Paris. See
The Age
09-07-2025
- The Age
This famed Paris restaurant was booked out. But I had a secret weapon
An admittedly smug Instagram video – the view from my hotel's ninth-floor rooftop terrace, complete with ravishing Eiffel Tower and peachy sunset backdrop – caught the attention of a trusted foodie friend back in Sydney. His words cut through my inbox like a Michelin-star chef's knife: 'This hotel has the BEST fixer.' A screenshot of the concierge's WhatsApp details followed, with a message urging me to reach out to a chap named Erwin if I have any spare meal slots. Spare meal slots? In Paris? The cheek of it. But the word 'fixer' had my attention. Was my dining itinerary in need of a zhuzh? It was time to revisit my gastronomic wishlist and check in with this Erwin fellow. The hotel's stellar record was easy to verify; a string of positive online reviews cite long, personalised lists of restaurants and tenacious checking for cancellations. Some claims were quite extraordinary; an offer to babysit as one couple duck out to nearby Musee Cluny. It's true not all concierges are so stellar. Some accept kickbacks. Some nudge you towards places that would only appeal to the most buttoned-up guest (our tip for gleaning quality recommendations? Head to a popular bar and ask cool-looking staff for their favourite spots). But the role of the concierge is evolving with the times, according to Erwin, concierge at Hotel Dame des Arts. 'The world has changed and so have people's expectations ... genuine hospitality starts with listening.' So, I start talking. All cards on the table. I'm frank: just how slim are our chances of getting a table at Septime? The last time we visited, Septime had been our white whale. Now, back again, we're willing to take any day – any time slot. He listens intently. I study his face; his brow is furrowed. He'll see what he can do – no promises, is the brisk response. 'I should be able to let you know by Tuesday,' he says, already looking slightly stressed. In the meantime, he makes quick work of another dining request; Racines, an elegant and very popular Italian bistro tucked in the historic Passage des Panoramas arcade. It's also fully booked but, mysteriously, he secures a lunch reservation for our group of four within 24 hours. We're delighted as staff lead us upstairs to a cosy private dining room, charmingly decorated with granny-style crystal pendant lights and mismatched dinner plates. Two hours zip by in a blur of excellent wine, fresh antipasto and rustic pastas; I thank him via a WhatsApp text. 'My pleasure, you were lucky to get this reservation at the last minute,' he responds. Over a few indulgent days, we enjoy many more meals that aren't (but ought to be) on my radar, guided by Erwin and his team. Sublime drops and decadent sweetbreads at atmospheric Parcelles in the Marais; freshly shucked oysters and champagne at Le Mary Celeste; martinis and gildas at lavishly appointed five-storey cocktail bar, Cravan; a sumptuous picnic spread on the Seine, catered and set up by the hotel. The next message I receive from Erwin is the one we've been waiting for, and it comes a day earlier than expected. 'Check your email,' he writes. Sure enough, Septime is confirmed for the following evening. What sort of concierge wizardry gets you a booking at one of the world's best restaurants at a day's notice? Later he would explain how he had sent a staff member out to the restaurant to check for us, in person. I feel a flush of guilt at the admission, though I also sense his pride at having solved the grand puzzle. 'In cases like this, it's about reaching out to someone I know well – someone who understands that when we call, it's because it really matters,' he says. 'It's a combination of preparation, persistence and trust. And of course, a little Parisian magic.' It feels serendipitous that my induction into the world of concierges should happen in Paris. Like many things truly excellent and a little bit fancy, the lineage of the concierge can be traced back to France – the word derives from the French comte des cierges (literally 'count of the candles'). Over centuries, as candle-lit castles gave way to grand hotels, the role evolved to 'keeper of the keys' – in reference to the literal guest room keys and, increasingly, metaphorical keys to the city. When a concierge works their magic for a table at Septime, they're tapping into a centuries-old legacy of French tradition, built on trust and a deep understanding of the city. You could say Erwin's a modern-day comte des cierges, still lighting the way for travellers, only now, instead of a candlelit path to bed, he's pointing us towards a veloute with truffle oil. And honestly, I prefer the veloute. The details Eat Septime, 80 Rue de Charonne. See Racines Paris, 8 Passage des Panoramas. Phone: +33 1 40 13 06 41. See Parcelles, 13 Rue Chapon. Phone: +33 1 43 37 91 64. See Le Mary Celeste, 1 Rue Commines. See Cravan Paris, 165 Boulevard Saint-Germain. Phone: +33 1 87 58 08 60. See Gourmet picnic experiences can be arranged for guests of Hotel Dame des Arts. See Stay Hotel Dame des Arts in the Rive Gauche has modern rooms and suites, an all-day restaurant Pimpan, a cracking seasonal rooftop terrace bar with Eiffel Tower views, and is ideally placed to explore Boulevard Saint-Germain and the historic sights of the Latin Quarter. From $620 (€350) a night. 4 Rue Danton, 75006 Paris. See
