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Feedback on 7 Days in Paris, also one sort of fancy dinner recommendation needed

Bonjour!

Looking for feedback from this board... traveling Nov 16-25 and we get in after lunch (1:20) on Thursday and leave Friday AM. Family of four, kids 16 and 11, Both enjoy history and culture. We are staying on Isle De Citi.

As noted, we would like to do one fancy dinner, not 3 stars or anything....but something fun. Willing to spend a little more on that dinner

Are we missing anything folks here would recommend? Major sites? Too much or too little on certain days? We are planning on walking around a lot just to "see Paris" and figure we are staying next to Notre Dame and can walk by. Ditto for Arch de Truimp and champs elysees one of the days.

  • Thursday -> Check in & Night River Cruise
  • Friday -> Eiffel Tower, Army Museum, Rodin Museum, St. Chapplle
  • Saturday - Sacre le coeur, Monmart, Galleries Lafayette
  • Sunday -> Mass (in French @ something in St. Germain area), Rick Steve's Walking Tour, St. Supice, St. Germain
  • Monday -> Louve, Archeology Cript
  • Tuesday -> Versailles
  • Wednesday -> O'rsay, Orangerie
  • Thursday -> Opera House, Walk around
  • Friday -> leave AM
Posted by
5196 posts

Since you are staying on Ile de la Cite, there are several place on Ile Saint-Louis you might want to check out.
There is a place named St. Regis. For breakfast, Coffee, croissant, and juice for very little money. Even had a small plate of cold cuts and wine one evening. On the same street is Café Med which is good for lunch. Still farther down the same street is L'Orangerie & Auberge de la Reine Blanche which is good for a semi fancy dinner. Reservations are a good idea. And don't miss the chocolate ice cream which is in the same block (other side of the street) from L'Orangerie. If you fool around with google maps, you might be able to use street view and "walk" to them before you ever leave home.

Posted by
31 posts

Our favorite dinner in Paris, that was both nice and fun, was a dinner cruise on Le Calife -- https://calife.com. You might want to wait a few nights after you arrive to get over jet-lag, as it goes 8:30 - 11:30pm.

Looks like a good itinerary. Galleries Lafayette is just across from Opera Garnier, so you might want to do that on the same day. Make sure you go to the very top of Galleries Lafayette and have lunch on the rooftop. Beautiful views! The multi-media tour of Opera Garnier was very good -- really brings it to life. We went to a mass in French at St. Sulpice -- nice organ concert before and after. Tuesday is a good day for Versailles -- crowded but the fountains are running in the gardens -- so worth it! Get tickets in advance to avoid some of the wait. If you want any more ideas, here is my trip report -- https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/return-trip-to-paris-itinerary

Posted by
5431 posts

Your itinerary looks busy but doable. Just be as flexible as possible, and be willing to change things up if the weather doesn't play nice. You may run into cold, rainy days where long periods outside would be miserable.

And you will want to be careful with your spelling of place names. Getting them wrong, as you did above, will make life difficult when trying to Google info or using maps

Posted by
148 posts

I think the Crypte is closed on Monday?
When you visit it and see Notre Dame, your kids (and adults, too) might enjoy looking at the boards fencing the construction site (on the Crypte side). They were painted with a graphic novel-style explanation of the fire and the restoration work. For my 14 year old and her father, it was a very modern example of public art in France.

Friday seems really busy but maybe either the Eiffel Tower is at night (or you are walking by rather than going up) or you have an evening concert at Sainte Chapelle?

Often teens are interested in the Catacombs. We missed them in June because tickets were sold out.

Posted by
3989 posts

I find your Friday to be a bit full. I’d probably remove Sainte Chappell from that day and do that Thursday morning unless as mentioned you are going to an evening concert on Friday. As noted above, the Crypt is closed on Mondays so maybe switch Monday and Wednesday. You could do Sunday Mass at Saint Sulpice and get your Saint Sulpice visit and mass done at the same time.

Is there a particular area where or night when you want to have your fancy dinner and what is your person budget for this dinner? I have no idea what a little more means to you. A good place to eat on Ile de la cité is Au Bougnat.

Posted by
11 posts

Thanks all, great feedback. Yes, French spelling is my wife's strong suit being from Cajun country...I am very hit and miss :)

Friday is busy (Rodin is optional....) and we will likely shuffle the G. Lafayette and Opera house since they are right next to each other.

As for dinner, 50-100 euros a person as it is our one fancy meal, though i know that isn't too fancy.

thanks!

Posted by
43 posts

As for a somewhat fancy, definitely classy restaurant, we love Verjus on the Right Bank. It’s hard to find, but we’ll worth it!

Posted by
8552 posts

Our favorite celebratory dinner is the 60 Euro tasting menu at l'Initial. Small place, so if you want to do this, book early. I have paid the same or more for worse meals often in Paris. Lovely 7+course meal (small portions so you are not stuffed)