Any Tour de France advice?

I%26#39;m planning a trip to watch the last leg of the 2005 Tour de France in Paris. I%26#39;m planning to watch the race%26#39;s finish at the Arc de Triomphe. Does anyone have suggestions of good hotels or restaurants in that area?

Any advice is much appreciated.

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Just remember Paris is relatively small* so don%26#39;t limit yourself to round the Arc de Triomphe - read thro%26#39; some of the other threads, or guide books and pick somewhere which takes your fancy. Of course there are plenty of hotels, restaurants etc. in that area but anything in the immediate vicinity of the Champs Elys��es tends to be the pricier end of the scale.

*To give you an idea though I%26#39;m no %26#39;Tour de France%26#39; girl, nor even a regular exerciser but (when transport strikes made it unavoidable) I%26#39;ve cycled all the way across the city - from the eastern edge of the 20th to La Defense, technically beyond Paris, in the west - on a hefty old mountain bike in about an hour and ten !

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My husband and I are going as well. Have you made any grat plans? We are staying at the Hotel Lancaster, it sounds wonderful.

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One piece of advice, GET THERE EARLY if you want to actually see the racers. My son went with his dad last year, and got to the Champs Elysee at about 10am ( the racers didn%26#39;t come through till late afternoon),even getting there that early they weren%26#39;t at the front of the barriers. Luckily the people in front were friendly Canadians who let my son stand in front of them when the teams arrived ( he%26#39;s only 11 and not very tall). He got a fantastic action photo of Lance Armstrong which he%26#39;s very proud of!

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All of the action seems to take place on the Champs Elysees and if you miss seeing Lance the first time they will pass by 6 more times before crossing the finish line. There is a huge TV screen set up so you can watch as the riders approach Paris and then ride through it. There are many kiosks selling t-shirts, etc. Be sure and buy what you want early as they sell out quickly. Someone told me that they were able to go up to the top of the Arch de Triumph and get a great view of the riders-he said it wasn%26#39;t that crowded. If you want a view of the riders with less of a crowd head over to nearby Rue du Rivoli-lots fewer people. It is very hard to spot anyone, much less Lance Armstrong, as they zoom by so quickly. There is a great abience and, before the riders enter Paris, many vans, floats and cars going up and down the street. I think the best hotel near the Arc is the Marriott but I doubt if it would be possible to get a room there with a view of the riders at this point. The Lancaster is just a short walk away. It is a fun experience, although it has always been too hot to stand in the sun for me.