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Best Plan for Paris on a Tuesday

We will be in Paris in early September staying in Rue Cler, Arrondissement 7. We arrive late afternoon on a Monday and will have all of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to see sites before departing on Friday morning. I'm learning that quite a few sights are not recommended on Tuesdays due to large crowds created by the Louvre being closed that day. Since we need to see some tourist attractions on Tuesday, my tentative plan is to purchase Paris museum passes and do:
Monday (late afternoon/evening): Eiffel Tower, Place due Trocadero
Tuesday: Orsay museum (arrive before opening, start at Impressionist floor), Sainte-Chapelle
Wednesday: Versailles
Thursday: Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysees (maybe back to the Orsay museum for evening hours if we missed stuff on Tuesday)

What do you think? Does this make sense? Would it be better to do Versailles on Tuesday and do the museums on adjoining days to have more flexibility (such as Orsay on Wed and Louvre on Thursday?)

Also, do you think we will have time to include any other museums (Orangerie, Rodin, Army Museum, Cluny). If so, which ones are worthwhile and might fit in well with our itinerary?

Posted by
370 posts

Honestly, if you have just arrived from a trans atlantic flight, I would not do the Eiffel Tower on the first day. You will be tired and it can take a long time to get to the top of the tower, and then you have to stand in another long line to come down. Maybe switch and do the Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysees the first afternoon, and do the Eifel Tower on Thursday. Otherwise, I think your itinerary looks good.

Posted by
687 posts

The Rodin is worth considering as it is more compact and has an outdoor portion. I would give up time from the Champs Élysées to see it if you were open to that.

Posted by
8551 posts

The Museum Pass will not get you into the Louvre without a reservation so be sure to book a time slot well in advance -- it has been selling out lately. I think with the Orsay you just walk in with it without a reservation BUT you may stand in a long line on Tuesday -- so early is good. And presumably you know that the Museum Pass won't get you up the Eiffel Tower which should be reserved at 1 pm French time 7 days out. I don't see how a Museum Pass is a useful choice with this itinerary -- just order timed tickets for your selections.

Posted by
5293 posts

You may consider skipping Versailles especially if you’re interested in visiting the other museums; Orangerie, Rodin, Cluny, and the Army Museum.

If you’re planning to go up the Eiffel Tower, you may book your tickets as soon as 60 days in advance at the official website here: www.toureiffel.paris
Enjoy your time in beautiful PAris!

Posted by
10621 posts

Edit: I'm eating my hat. I went up this evening and loved it. Timed tickets, almost no wait at 8 pm, elevator wasn't bad, recognized so many buildings. So it is very nice if you can make it work. This wasn't my first time up, but the descriptions of waiting and crowds that I read here we're discouraging. Glad it wasn't like that.

Life can continue quite well and happily just looking at the Eiffel Tower without spending all the time going up it. You will have just arrived, will have to wait in a line even with timed tickets, go up in a sardine can elevator, are unlikely to recognize much from the view. Spend the time taking the boat ride on the Seine, go up to the top of Montmartre and look out at that view. It's free and less crowded. (I'm taking a grandchild up next week and am not looking forward to it. Grandpa got the Tix and now can't do it.)
Other panoramas:
Pompidou Center top floor escalator
Roof cafe in the Galeries Lafayette département store
Montmartre
Montparnasse Tower

How athletic are you? My son and grandchild are doing a Fat Tire bicycle tour of Paris on a Tuesday.

Posted by
28069 posts

I think the museum pass only allows one entry per site, so if you want to return to the Orsay, you'll have to buy a ticket.