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6 Day Paris Itinerary

Posted by (Nova Scotia, Canada) on

Hi All,
We (me, 33 and my Mom, 62) are heading to Paris for 6 nights in October. I've put together the initial rough draft of an itinerary and I'm looking for feedback specifically related to timing, groupings, and if it seems doable.

We will be arriving from Bruges at 9am, so we have 6 full days on the ground. I will preface this by saying that our interests are likely different in some ways than many on the forum in that we have nearly zero interest in museums with minimal exceptions and will not be going to Versailles. Our one day trip will be spent at Disneyland Paris, and while i know thats not a popular choice here, I will just say that life has been heavy and stressful lately, we (including my mom) are kids at heart, and we feel that a day of pure FUN is absolutely worthwhile to us. We are the kind of fun loving adults who rode the double decker carousel at the Vienna Christmas market last year and loved every second. She is just as excited about DLP as I am, so please don't just say don't go.

With that said, here's what I have so far:

Day 1, Thursday
Latin Quarter in the morning/early afternoon, including Rue Mouffetard, Musee Curie, a couple Emily in Paris sights, Pantheon and general exploring. Good pedestrian only little street recommendations?
St. Germain area for late afternoon/evening

Day 2, Friday
Ile de la Cite and Ile Ste Louis area including Sainte Chappelle, Notre Dame, Marche aux Fleurs, maybe strolling les Bouquinistes

Louvre in the late afternoon (not ideal I know, but not sure where else would fit well), then a river cruise with Vedettes Pont Neuf at night

Day 3, Saturday
Flame of Liberty (mom's a big Diana fan and wants to see it even though it's not an official memorial), Carette for hot chocolate, Eiffel Tower, then Rue Cler for picnic supplies and a picnic in Champ de Mars
Afterwards see the Arc de Triomphe and stroll a little bit of the Champs Elysees

Day 4, Sunday
Montmartre in the morning including Rue de Martyrs, Sacre Coeur, Place du Tertre and the little side streets etc.
Macaron baking class in the afternoon in Montmartre (Cook'n with Class)
Galeries Lafayette in the evening

Day 5, Monday
Disneyland Paris day trip

Day 6, Tuesday
Fully open for anything we didn't get to or want to re-visit.

A few other specific things if you have recommendations based on these locations- best creperie in the Latin Quarter? Best budget friendly bouef bourguinon (20-25ish Euros), and best spot to get one of those delectable roast chickens I keep hearing about with the potatoes cooked in the drippings?

Thanks for reading,

PQ

Posted by
7385 posts

You might check out the Carnavelet museum as well as the Victor Hugo Museum. Both are free or inexpensive. The Hugo museum is a tour of his house

Posted by
1492 posts

It's your to travel plan so enjoy Disney. I love the 5th floor (The Impressionists) at D'Orsay, and would choose that over the Louvre. (That's just my personal opinion; I've explored both multiple times.) Or L'Oangerie for a short visit to see Monet's water lily murals. Or Rodin Museum Gardens with the lovely gardens, sculptures and view of the top of the Eiffel Tower.

If you like the movie Midnight in Paris; the church steps are at St Etienne's across from the Pantheon.

Emily's neighborhood is around the corner from the Panethon. You'll be the only one looking around; it's a very quiet residential neighborhood. If you have time for a meal or tea in Sacre Coeur, be sure and enjoy La Maison Rose.

We loved the Bouef Bourguinon at Cafe Varenne. Lovely restaurant, very reasonably priced. I have no idea if it's always on the menu. It's best to make a reservation; though we were told it wasn't necessary by our hotel and they graciously accommodated us on a busy evening.

Posted by
1091 posts

Your trip sounds lovely. While I love museums, there is so much joy just exploring Paris that I am sure you and your mom will have a wonderful time. My husband and I were in Paris in early June. Here are a few places that we enjoyed. Most of the places we ate on the trip were in the Marais, an area not on your list, but one if you want to spend some time vintage shopping and eating great food, and exploring little parks, I can recommend. If you want to go to the Marais, I can make some recommendations.

  • Latin Quarter: For an early morning stroll in the Latin Quarter, you can start with walk in the Jardin des Plants (near the Museum of Natural History). It was previously called the Royal Garden of Medicinal Plants and it has a wide variety of flora from around the world. It also has one of the many Statue of Liberty is the city. Nearby is a wonderful little neighborhood coffee shop, Crible. It is cozy with great cookies and an amazing banana bread. This was also a wonderful place to talk with people in the neighborhood and get some inside tips on where to eat and explore. Not too far from the Garden is the Grand Mosque of Paris. It has gorgeous tilework a lovely garden, and a small cafe. It is a welcome place from the crowds and is especially welcoming on a hot day. For a light lunch in the Latin Quarter (great sandwiches), I can recommend Chanceux Galande. My husband and I shared a pastrami sandwich.

  • On Friday, the RS walk for Ile de la Cite area is excellent. It will point out some interesting sights on your way to visit Notre Dame and Sainte Chappelle. Try to get tickets in advance to both sights.

  • Sunday in Montmartre: If you get off at the Abbesses metro station you are located halfway up the hill of Montmartre. A short walk from the metro is the Wall of I Love Yous. It says I love you about 1000 different times in overall 300 different languages. It is also one of the sights that Emily in Paris has filmed at. When you go to the Place du Tertre, take a left at the top and you can get some nice views of the Eiffel Tower. Also once you visit the Sacre Coeur, go to the back of the church. There is a lovely little Square (Square Turlure). It is a unique view of the church, shaded with benches to take a bit of break. If you are in the mood for something different than French food and you have time before your class, you might consider lunch at Bobby, excellent pizza and salads. If the weather is nice you can sit outdoors and watch the local neighborhood.

Posted by
1068 posts

Based on your itinerary, take a look at the Passion Monuments Subscription. It's only €70 for 2 people, 1 year validity, priority security line and provides free admission to several places on your list:

  • Sainte-Chapelle
  • Pantheon and Panorama
  • Arc de Triomphe
  • The Towers of Notre Dame (when they reopen)

Also included in Paris, but not on your list:

  • Conciergerie
  • Hotel de la Marine

It also gives you at least a €30 savings on select Sainte-Chapelle concert tickets and some other discounts.

For Vedettes du Pont Neuf, arrive early in the boarding line so you are sure to get a seat upstairs, especially if the weather is nice.

Best croissant in the Latin Quarter at La Maison d'Isabelle, IMO.

Sounds like your planning a great trip!

Posted by
1841 posts

Bookmarking. My daughter (age 32) and I (age 67) will be in Paris for a week at the end of September/beginning of October.

We've been to Paris before, but that was 15 years ago, and there are a couple of things I missed seeing, so I'm returning after attending an event in Berlin. My daughter has decided to join me.

Anyway, we went to Disneyland Paris for the day the last time, so no naysaying here. In our case, it was the only Disney in the world we hadn't yet visited (at the time--Shanghai opened after that), and our daughters wanted to complete the set. It was fun and easy to get to, but not my favourite Disney. You probably already know this, but there are two parks there, so be sure to get a ticket that gives you admission to both.

One place I'm returning to see (missed it due to a huge storm) is Père-Lachaise cemetery. That's another sight you might consider. Also, in Montemarte, I liked the Salvador Dali museum. It's a small museum, not one of those huge, overwhelming ones.

Posted by
9250 posts

If you enjoy Virtual Reality -- Eternelle Notre Dame is spectacular -- 45 minutes walking around Paris and the cathedral as it is being built. It is located underground by the expanse out front of Notre Dame -- but of course you book on line.

Posted by
293 posts

Thanks to all for the feedback so far! It sounds like haven't overbooked our days which is what I was most worried about.

Mom decided last night that she wants to skip the Louvre (I've already been) and just see it from the outside as a landmark instead. We're really not art people and while we love history, we prefer to enjoy it "where it happened" instead of in a museum if that makes sense.

We're also now heavily considering a perfume class at Galimard which sounds right up our alley.

Thanks again everyone, still open to any thoughts etc.

PQ

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