First Time Travelers to Paris, Please help!

How exciting to be going to Paris for the first time! With only 4 days I would stay closer to the city center. We found by staying in the 6th close we were able to walk to a lot of destinations and see more of the city than being in the Metro. I would also not plan anything timed on your first day, such as a tour, you never know if your plan will be delayed or your energy level. I also suggest you make an "A" list and a "B" list for each day with "A" containing your must see and "B " is "if you still have time". I am sure others will chime in with some great suggestions.

With just three full days I'd skip Versailles, but that's me. Are you arriving from the U.S.? Is jet lag an issue for anyone in your party? 3-hour Louvre tour sounds great, but a potential snoozer that you won't remember if jet lagged. Brisk walk through the Catacombs?

I've been to Europe at least a dozen times, and I have never been awake enough to enjoy a museum on my arrival day after an overnight flight. That was true when I was 20 years old and it's still true now that I'm over 65. If you are flying in from the US or Canada, I think the odds are very good that at least some members of your group will not be up to the Louvre on the first day. Walking around outside would be better if the weather is reasonably cooperative.

The brisk walk through the catacombs is likely to follow a decidedly unbrisk wait in a two hour line unless you have a reserved time ticket.

Versailles is always crowded and miserable. IN winter you don't have the benefit of the lovely grounds on a warm sunny day. I'd do this another trip. If you do it, reserve the King's apartment tour to skip the security line; it has its own entrance.

Good tips. So we should think about skipping Versailles, and maybe not plan anything at all on the first day. Definitely not two things. The brisk walk thru the catacombs- meaning... I’m a chicken, and speedwalking while firmly grasping my husbands hand, may be necessary. ;)

Hi chin,

Agree with others that you'll need to prioritize your must do sites with an "A" and "B" list. The city will probably be less crowded in February but still expect lines, Security, etc. The weather may also slow you down a bit.

I'd plan very low level sightseeing for day 1 - maybe just a walk around the neighborhood and dinner. If you want to do the Louvre, just do it on your own so you can wander. I honestly don't think you'll be up to a 3-hour museum tour. If you want to do the catacombs, it's best to get there very early in the day. We were there at 8:30 a.m. and by the time it opened there were 600 people behind us. It was early May, not February, but still expect it to be crowded. They only allow 200 people to enter at a time. The next group needs to wait about 45 min for their turn. Also, I wouldn't bother with timed tickets. They let in a few from the regular line, then a few from the timed tickets line. It took us 2 minutes to buy tickets on site. It didn't seem that there was much benefit to pre-purchase.

Saturday looks good. Alfio is one of my favorite restaurants. The spaghetti bolognese is wonderful! I'd skip the dinner cruise. The regular 1-hour river cruises are very nice (especially at sunset).

You don't have a lot of time but if you want to do Versailles, do it. Plan to spend most of the day there. Don't miss Marie Antoinette's Hamlet. Again, plan to arrive early to get in ahead of the crowd.

Monday is a lot of walking but if the weather is decent, there's no reason you can't do it.

Hope you have a wonderful time in Paris!

For day one I'd plan nice but not expensive meals and an atmpspheric walk if the weather is good. If the weather is bad, I'd think about less mentally taxing sights than the Louvre.

Hi,

My first day in Paris was Sunday, July 1, 1973 (a day I never forget) and I was 23. Upon landing at Orly in the morning after an 11 hr non-stop TWA flight from SFO, I went to a HI hostel "way out there" near Metro station "Nation," did the check-in, had lunch at the hostel (very timely), and by a little after 2pm, I was at the Army Museum at Les Invalides, the very first museum I wanted to see in Paris plus Napoleon's Tomb.

If you have the Louvre planned for arrival date, I would assume that's enough, depending on how much attention and time you want to devote to it. The difference between your planned arrival day and my activities on arrival day is the hours of daylight and the temperature should you be bothered by that.

I wouldn't do a 3 hour museum tour on the 1st day if you are jet lagged. You may fall asleep and forget most of it. If you do catacombs get a timed ticket. You can avoid a big wait and walk right in at your time. First day is good for walking around outside. Get your bearings. Maybe an easier museum like L'orangerie.

Have you done the math to figure out if both the Visite Pass and Museum Pass are cost effective? You are there just 3 full days. It may be more economical for each couple to purchase a "carnet" of 10 metro tickets which they can share - less than 15 euros, but doesn't cover the RER fare from CDG (about 10€ per person). For 4 of you, a taxi door-to-door from CDG to your hotel is a flat fare of 50€ to the Right Bank or 55€ to the Left Bank - no extra charge for luggage, and tipping not required or expected. A bargain when jet-lagged and you don't have to drag luggage through a crowded Metro station, up and down stairs.

It appears to me you have just 5 sights covered under the museum pass - 4 if you follow another poster's suggestion to skip Versailles. If you rearrange things a little you could get by with a two day pass; otherwise, forego the pass and simply buy admission tickets. The pass does not allow you to skip the security lines, which is usually the longest queue. Bottom line, I think you can do this for less than 174€ per person, and not sacrifice simplicity.

Also, for a dinner cruise, I can recommend Le Calife, which truly does have good food and is good value; however, you can probably do better eating elsewhere and simply take the evening cruise to see the lights and the Eiffel Tower sparkle.

I hope you have invested in some good guidebooks. When you get to Paris, get a Plan 2 map at a Metro Station information booth. It has Metro on one side and bus routes on the other and it is big enough to read the fine print. Have a wonderful trip.

The Louvre on the jeg-lagged day you arrive is punishing at best. Maybe duck in (since you have passes, a good move) to get the lay of the land. If the weather is nice you might plan a walk from the Arc down the Champs to the Orangerie, with suitable stops for refreshment, and end at the Louvre. For jetlag, fresh air is best.

Your Paris Visite does not sound like a very good deal to me, compared with a few carnets. But only you know best about that.

Despite what sounds a little like criticism (sorry!) you really cannot go wrong; you will have a memorable time in one of the greatest cities in the world.

If you just want to see the "Mona Lisa" and get out of the Louvre, that's do-able.
It's a crush, otherwise - people taking selfies, etc.

You should reserve on-line tickets (print them first) for the Catacombes, if you are interested in old bones. The entrance is directly in the front. If you are claustrophobic at all, you won't be happy.

I would take a cruise on the Seine, at night, when all the monuments and bridges are illuminated.
This will be probably between 5:30 and 6:00 PM.

I have no experience on the Calife boats, but I would frankly eat elsewhere.

Saturday looks fine. Everything is pretty close together - or you can go by Metro. You can see the Waterlillies in l'Orangerie in about 60 minutes to 90 minutes. The Champs-Elysees is close, so you can access the Arc de Triomphe.

Les Antiquaires by the Musee d'Orsay is no more, sadly. You should go instead to the Carre des Antiquaires on 16 rue des Saint-Peres, if you want to see antiques.

You can go early to the Eiffel Tower and hope that they have tickets. Otherwise, you need to print on-line tickets immediately. Or, you can walk up the stairs. You will waste a lot of time waiting in line to come back down the elevators.
Champs de Mars and the Trocadero are on opposite sides of the Seine, just FYI.

I would skip Versailles. It's probable that the statues and fountains will be covered over, if there is a freeze predicted, which is probably likely.

I would go to Laduree on the Champs-Elysee for lunch, instead of Angelina. It's really nicer.

The days will be very short, and cold and windy. Bundle up well.

@ chinmae...Keep in mind that not every one gets jet lag upon arrival. If you know you do, then another museum might be better than the Louvre. If you know for sure that you aren't going to be jet lagged, then go ahead with the Louvre tour.

We won’t be lingering, more interest in History rather than Renaissance Art. That trail will take you through 3000 years of art - from ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome through the 19th century. If you are arriving from another European location, it's fine - take as much time as you need or as long as your stamina lasts. You could even pop out for a light supper and go back - tickets are multiple entry for the same day, even if you don't end up with the museum pass. But if this is your first day in Europe after a transAtlantic flight, this is a bad idea.

Dinner cruises are generally not a great idea. First, you can get better food for less money at a stationary restaurant. Second, if you are paying attention to the food, you're missing the views. If you want the views, food is a distraction. Take a regular cruise - Les Vedettes du Pont Neuf is my favorite - just before sunset, and float along watching the lights go on.

Nothing to see on the Champs Elysees. Your time will be better spent almost anywhere else in Paris.

If you don't get tix to the Catacombs in advance, you could try getting there just before they close. Look up their times. My daughter and I had no wait when we arrived 5 min before they close the entrance. Even with a "brisk walk" it will take you 45 min.

Donna made a good point about the weather. Have contingency plans for each day. You may have to "swap" an indoor and outdoor day, or rearrange the order for a particular day. Personally we stay away from dinner cruises just because we'd rather have dinner in a regular restaurant where the locals eat. We done day and evening cruises and much prefer the one in the evening. We've used a couple of companies and Vedettes du Pont Neuf is the one we prefer. You are correct in thinking Versailles and Trianon will take all day. While the weather may be a factor, meandering around Paris is a great way to both begin and end a trip.

I ate at Café des Antiquaires near the (back side of) the Musée d'Orsay with a friend about three weeks ago . . here's the link.

https://www.thefork.com/restaurant/les-antiquaires/47347

I like how (I think Adam?)above described it -- three hours at the Louvre on arrival day will be brutal at best. Punishing. As others have mentioned, more time outdoors on your first day and less time in museums will help you make it through the day.

Regarding the Seine cruise, you can (at least for Vedettes of Pont Neuf) make and pay for a reservation online (at a discount to walk-up prices) even a short time before the scheduled trip. So you can be flexible depending on the weather.

Something that is rarely mentioned, yet a very moving experience has this description: "The eternal flame was lit on 11th November 1923, and has never gone out. It is rekindled every day at 6.30 pm by one of the 900 French associations for former soldiers." My husband and I stumbled on this ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe. We took a bus along the Champs-Élysées and we also did a bit of walking. Here's a link for more info.

If the weather is really awful, you may not want to be out in it, but I think Paris is magical after dark, especially if it's wet.

Edited to add: I agree with those who do not recommend the Louvre when jet-lagged. A friend and I visited it once after a late night involving 2 French guys, motorcycles, a jazz club and...enough said. She and I were truly Zombies at the Louvre.

If you decide to go to Versailles, you should look into the English apartment tour. You get a small group guided tour of the king's apartments (not open to general admission) and you bypass the admission lines. The apartment tour ends at the chapel entrance from where you can join the mobs touring the palace. You can book online.

I believe in being fully active on the first day. We are 65 and 69. On our first day in England, we walked around, had dinner, and did not succumb to jet lag. Going to a museum on the first day is fine. Do ensure that, on the plane, you get at least 2-3 hours rest. DO NOT TAKE a sleeping aid. I do, however, have a glass or 2 of wine on the plane. That sets me up for a restful sleep. All of this advice about "jet lag is gonna getcha!" we have never experienced.

I do not see Cathedral St Chapelle listed. It is the best cathedral in all of France for windows and concentrated color.

I would skip Versailles. While nice, in Feb, you will not be amazed, and the gardens will be cold and sleeping for winter. Go to a museum.

One of our favorite Paris/big French city options is to find the restaurant district near your hotel, and simply restaurant shop. Look at the menus. Get the maitre'd to pitch you. It's fun, and you get to look at a lot of menus. We have never planned on a restaurant (save once in 1983) but have found many fun places by wandering around. I would take the evening cruise, but do dinner in a normal restaurant. Have a glass of wine on the boat, but eat on land in a local restaurant where there is no English menu.

I think I'm in the minority here but I would actually recommend the Le Calife dinner cruise--my husband and I did it on our last night in Paris this past August and I really enjoyed it much more than I expected. Now, of course you could likely get better food elsewhere but I thought the food was very good and it was just a really relaxing and lovely way to spend an evening.