Hello,
My 16-year-old daughter and I will have approximately 36 hours (arriving Friday at 6 pm and leaving Sunday at 2:30 pm) in Paris on our way home from Greece. The trip will fall in mid-September (this year). We would like to do most of the tour via walking (both of us are very fit) but would also be up for taking local transportation or even a few hours on a bike to get us to different areas. Both of us are interested in an "off the beaten track" experience and we wish to avoid super touristy areas. From an initial search, these are some things that may be of interest to us: Catacombs, Montmartre and/or Le Marais, Promenade Plantee, Canal St. Martin, Musee Marmottan (or similar smaller museums such as Musee Picasso). We would also be open to other suggestions. What I am struggling with is what makes logical/geographical sense in terms of how these places are best connected to make the most of our time. I would appreciate if anyone had suggestions on how to string together an itinerary for us. We are also looking for a good budget hotel that we can walk from/to and good budget places to eat (including a bakery or two :)). On the night we arrive I thought we might do an evening boat tour of the Seine. I have heard Vadettes du pont neuf is a good choice. Thank you in advance for your suggestions.
Posted by
Land of La
9101 posts
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Sorry, by "budget" I mean reasonably priced (Hotel $200-300 per night if possible; Restaurants are not fancy but yummy is a must)
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14577 posts
I have not been to the catacombs and you should go if they are of interest to you BUT I feel like they are very "touristy" in that they are crowded and sell out.
Both the Musee Marmottan and the Catacombs will need advanced purchase timed entries. The Marmottan opens at 10, the Catacombs opens at 945. I'd probably schedule the Marmottan for 10A and the Catacombs for maybe 3P which gives you a generous amount of time to see the Monets and have lunch before you get to the Catacombs.
IF you stay in the Marais or Montmartre then you can walk around Friday night.
Posted by
Chicago
1038 posts
Musee Picasso is not a "small museum". There will be many visitors. Last time I visited was a Saturday a year ago in September - packed. And, the exhibit being shown then was quite disappointing.
September, in my recent experience both pre and post Covid, has become a quite "full" of tourists. If not high, high season, one or two iterations less. Le Maris was full of tourists each day I was out last year and Montmartre has always been popular. You might want to google Montparnasse - other than the Catacombs, fewer on the streets and an interesting area. Some very good crepe restaurants stroll-able from the Catacombs. For starters: https://www.aparisguide.com/montparnasse/index.html The Resistance Museum mentioned in the article is excellent (free, across the street from the Catacombs). Some background in the era might help. (obviously all the above observations are my limited experience and generalizations, but I do get to Paris with some regularity)
Musee Marmottan and a walk (10 minutes) to the Bois is a possibility. The Bois de Boulogne is huge and may not have "vibe" you are thinking of, but the area nearest the Marmottan is attractive. Marmottan is quite good. https://www.parisinsidersguide.com/paris-bois-de-boulogne.html
If this is a first trip and may not be repeated soon, the idea of walking and exploring Montmartre and then metro to Marais and exploring will give you a good feel for two different areas of the city. I'm not mentioning the many other iconic (isn't all Paris iconic???) areas since you've already identified some areas of interest. Those two areas will probably be crowded, but you can stop into a couple free museums in Le Marais and leave if the crowds are too much. google Musee Carnevalet, Musée Cognacq-Jay
The Paris subway is not hard to learn and use. So much, so little time!!!!
Posted by
759 posts
Every place you have listed is tourist related, and not really off the beaten path. You only have 36 hours so I'd focus on what you most want to see, and find a hotel conveniently central and within your price range. You might consider downloading the G7 Paris taxi app, and use that for time efficiency, because the hours will go by quickly!
Posted by
Seattle, WA & Bordeaux, France
303 posts
My daughter (19 at the time) and I have done a couple of 48hr stints in Paris, the most recent was last summer (July.) We picked our quick trip based on a music festival (and a specific artist) we wanted to see. That was a great way to experience something more 'local' and off the beaten path of most tourists who visit Paris. With that said, you could look at Livenation Paris to see what artists/acts might be in town while you're there.
We have also done a few evening Seine cruises, though we chose to do the dinner cruise. It's a great evening activity and a lovely way to see the city.
One restaurant we loved was Buckwheat (https://www.hotel-normandy.com/fr/page/buckwheat-creperie-restaurant-bar-normandy-hotel-paris.766.html). It's a delicious crêperie with gallettes (savory) and crêpes (sweet.) It is close to the Louvre (about 3 blocks) in the 1st. Another yummy restaurant is Le Récamier in the 6th. Their specialty is soufflé (savory and sweet) but they also offer other items just as tasty.
Posted by
Vancouver, BC
656 posts
For a less expensive hotel but still close to good restaurants and not in as much of a touristy area, consider the 11th arrondisement near the Bastille. You can walk to the Marais and the Seine. In terms of exploring, these days Montmartre seems to be the most crowded with tourists outside of the Eiffel Tower area.
Posted by
Chicago, IL, USA
482 posts
Your idea of evening Seine boat is great. For staying Hotel Fabric in the 11th is one of our most favorite hotels ever. The price range looks within your budget for September. And there are great little restaurants nearby. We went twice to https://linsolitedeparis.fr/ You could have a great day wandering Canal St Martin nearby, walk to Picasso museum, etc. Like this https://parisjetaime.com/eng/article/cosmopolitan-paris%20-a920 We also loved the music museum up at La Villette which is at the end of that walk. You can see the history of musical instruments, listen to them on the audioguide. And there is a cafe and performance space up there too. https://philharmoniedeparis.fr/en/musee-de-la-musique. Enjoy the planning!
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Thank you, everyone, for your responses. I have gotten some great ideas about which sites to see (and those to avoid), as well as helpful web pages, good restaurants and hotels (hotel fabric looks amazing but it is completely booked for our dates). I am starting to feel overwhelmed as there are so many things I want to do and see but with so little time it is hard to choose....
I really appreciate everyone's ideas. Thank you!
Posted by
Dallas
1 posts
We went in September two years ago and loved that time of year there. I recommend this Hotel in the 2nd. It's close by to metro and easily accessible to everything we wanted to do. Edgar & Achille
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10554 posts
Don’t forget to arrive at CDG at least 3 hours before your flight and allow enough time to get there, whether you choose the RER train or a taxi.
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6713 posts
I'd suggest staying in the Marais or east of there around Bastille, which puts you in walking distance of everything you've listed except the Marmottan and the Catacombs, which you can reach by Metro. Montmartre is some distance from everything else on your list. And with just one full day you'll have to make choices about your time.
Now's the time to line up your lodgings on a September weekend. A few months ago would have given you more choices. I don't know the hotels others have suggested, but I'd suggest a search on booking.com, then reserving directly with the hotel you choose.
Posted by
1018 posts
I kind of get where you’re coming from. You have two nights and a full day though. That’s not much time. I wouldn’t get too cute with it. The less agenda the better. I might go inside one museum, if any. Marmottan is a fine choice, the Orangerie is also small but high impact. Mostly, I think you should just focus on Paris. Walk it, feel it. If the weather is good, see the parks: Luxembourg, Tuleries, Palais Royal. Jaquemart-Andre museum is another less traveled museum and a bit off the beaten path, joins nicely with a walk in Parc Monteau. You see something interesting, check it out.
It may be trite, but you HAVE to see the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe. They’re super easy to connect via metro. Orangerie, a walk through Tuleries garden to Place de la Concorde, metro ride to Arc de Triomphe, then stop at Trocadero for a view of the Tower? That’s a day I’d pitch in a heartbeat.
The Catacombs is the last place I would go. I’ve been to Paris several times and I rank it real low on the list. Takes an outsized amount of time to see, and gets old fast.
Posted by
Twin Cities of MN
6287 posts
I took a tour of Montmartre with Paris Walks. I found it interesting and very enjoyable. We've stayed at Hotel Familia in the Latin Quarter a few times. It is a very modest hotel in a lovely Parisian building. It is clean, but because its inexpensive, some would say "dated". We like it. The price is great and the staff is always helpful. Next door is a sister property called Hotel Minerve. It is a moderate property and fancier than Familia. A restaurant in the neighborhood that we've been to multiple times is Le Saint Victor. We like it and prices are reasonable. We like this lively neighborhood within easy walking distance of the Notre Dame, etc.
Make sure to walk by the Eiffel tower at night.