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First Afternoon in Paris with Elderly Travelers - Looking for Insider Advice!

Posted by (Stuttgart, Germany) on

I know this might sound like I'm over-itinerizing but I am visiting Paris from 5 May to 7 May with one experienced but elderly traveler (my grandmother, 84) and her cousin, 69, who is visiting Europe for her first time. We'll only have two nights in Paris so I want to maximize their time and the "wow" factor without exhausting them so I'm trying to really trying to plan the arrival day to make the most sense. We'll be coming from Germany on a 3 hour TGV train arriving at 14:26, staying at the Hotel Darcet at the edge of Montmarte. We're arriving late enough that I don't think attempting a big museum makes too much sense (maybe I'm wrong? They want to do the Louvre and Orsay, although I might try to talk them out of the latter in favor of the Orangerie, as they're not really "museum people" and I feel like two massive museums might not make much sense on such a short trip.)

My goal for this is to get them to the Eiffel Tower around 20:00 or a little earlier, so we can marvel at the base and take pictures while there's still daylight, and hang around until the first sparkly show after dark viewed from Trocadero.

Assuming we're ready to leave our hotel by 15:30-16:00, that gives us a nice time window. We'll need to get dinner during this time but they're not gourmands and a nice dinner is lost on Grandma in particular. A crepe might do, or a sandwich, although someplace to sit would be nice, too.

I'm torn on these options:

-Exploring Montmarte and Sacre Coeur right away in the afternoon sun before taking public transit directly to the Eiffel tower. Possibly visiting the Musee de la Vie Romantique

-Heading straight to the Arc de Trioumpe, then walking or public transiting down Kleber to Trocadero

-Heading to Clemenceau then walking/public transiting up the Champs Elysee then down Kleber to Trocadero

-Do you have a better idea route to hit some highlights and best use our time without wearing the ladies out too much?

Again, the goal is to see some pretty stuff, eat something tasty (but not necessarily a proper restaurant) and arrive at the Eiffel Tower no later than 20:00.

Thoughts?

Posted by
8664 posts

A few things to keep in mind.

Montmartre is hilly. Uneven pavement.

Consider a river cruise as darkness falls and after you’ve watched the Tower light up.

Dinner then a good nights rest.

If they have any interest in the Impressionists ( Degas, Monet, Van Gogh, et al ) then you must go to the Orsay. End of story.

Posted by
776 posts

Bad news The Musee de la Vie Romantique is closed until mid June. For a smaller museum my favorite is the Petit Palais. There is a big exhibit there now on Dutch painters that is a bit crowded but flows nicely and would not wear out the ladies. The Petit Palais also has a nice cafeteria and an opportunity to eat ouside in Art Nouveau surroundings. If the ladies don't want to see the big exhibit, the museum has it own interesting collection to which Art Nouveau furniture has recently been added. I find the Orsay now loud, crowded and confused (compared to what it was years ago) and go along with your idea to do the Orangerie instead.

The Montmartro bus winds its way from Pigalle through Montmartre. It's a painless way to see the area and avoid walking in crowds of tourists.

Posted by
5697 posts

Agree with you about the Orangerie -- benches for sitting in front of the incredible Monet waterlilies and just absorbing them. Very restful.

Posted by
3049 posts

Claudia - They are not art people (or museum people) so I was a little taken aback by their desire to see both the Lourve and Orsay on this short trip. Neither has a sense of how huge those museums are or the hassle and cost involved in visiting them, really. I think they're buying into what they have heard about/think they should see more than anything. I am not going to try to talk them out of the Louvre (it's the Louvre after all) but I think the Orsay may be unnecessary for what they really want. (I'm not sure they know who Monet is?)

Laura B and 75020 in particular thank you for this specific info! I would love to see this exhibit (this trip is mostly for them but who says I can't have some fun, too?) I think we will public transit from our hotel to that part of town and either take in the Petit Palais or the Orangerie before heading to the tower.

This is exactly the kind of specific advice that makes this forum so great. If anyone has anything to add/other suggestions, I'd love to hear it!

Posted by
2945 posts

I get it Sarah. My dad is 81 and his idea of a good impressionist is Rich Little impersonating Richard Nixon. As for "art," he prefers Norman Rockwell. When looking at some paintings his commentary is comical, like, "Someone got paid for that?" Gourmet eating means Cracker Barrel. I would suggest seeing how it goes. If they get tired call it a day or fine a nice spot to sit down and people watch, maybe with a bottle or two of wine.

Posted by
3245 posts

I'm guessing that your relatives know that they will never hear the end of it if they don't see the Louvre and Orsay on their only trip to Paris. What a good person you are.

Posted by
1669 posts

You mention using public transport a couple of times. In case you aren’t aware, few Paris metro stations are equipped with elevators or escalators. And many of the changes from one line to another require multiple staircases.
With elderly women, my suggestion is to limit your public transport to buses.

Posted by
2128 posts

Hi Sarah, regarding your visit to the Eiffel Tower, sunset for your dates will be 21:11 (shortly after 9 p.m.). It begins twinkling on the hour and lasts for 5 minutes. The Tower stays illuminated but the twinkling is a very special treat! Arriving at the Trocadero or Champs de Mars by 8:30 p.m. will give you plenty of time to take photos. Just mentioning this because it gives you a little extra time in your day.

I like Montmartre very much but it would not be my first choice to stay with "elderly" relatives, especially on such a short visit. It will take time for you to get to the metro and then to the Eiffel Tower and/or museums. If you're not already committed, I'd suggest staying in the 7th (Londres Eiffel and Hotel Empereur are my favorites). There are many nice cafes and bistros in the area surrounding the ET where you can have dinner.

Love Paris, have a great time!

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