Four Days in Paris -- feedback please

july 21, Saturday -- Picasso Museum, Louvre

Realistically you may get sick of the museums on the most crowded days of the week;
in summer. the air conditioning at the Louvre is not that good

July 22, Sunday --- Belgium
The Grand Place, the frittes and the beer made in Belgium is worth a day trip. Also I just discovered on my last trip in January that Thalys has introduced a new budget rail line. called Izy https://www.izy.com/en/about-offer
It takes about 1 hour longer than the Thalys but you can get tickets as low as 10 euros.

Thanks... so outside of the feedback below, does the order make sense? Trying not to be jumping all over the place; though we will just jump on the metro.

I believe the Louvre is open late at night, which would help with heat and crowds but only on Fridays and Wednesdays. Don't think I'll be up that late when we arrive on Friday.

this might be a better order so you are not yo yo ing around the metro:

You can walk to the Moulin Rouge from the Sacre Coeur .
The Notre Dame is 10 minute walk to the Latin Quarter
The Eiffel Tower is at Trocadero

Hi Monica, your plan is fine but agree that doing Notre Dame Cathedral and the Latin Quarter on the same day then Sacre Cour and the Moulin Rouge another day makes more sense.

You can buy the Paris Museum Pass at the airport. You can purchase tickets for the Eiffel Tower 90 days in advance at 8:30 a.m. (Paris time) on the official website.

Hope you have a great trip!

Not to criticize the greatest painter who ever lived, but after he died, his heirs were hit with a large estate tax type bill. To avoid paying so much, they donated part of his collection to the state, and those items wound up in the Paris Picasso Museum. I was underwhelmed, and the Picasso museum in Barcelona is much better. I think the Orsay and l'Orangerie are head and shoulders above the Picasso museum. Just sayin'.

I'd seriously reconsider Versailles the day you arrive. It's an exhausting day--I can't imagine doing it the first day. Not only that, but since you're already planning a day trip to Belgium, I'd probably skip Versailles all together this trip. As you said, you plan on coming back, so...might not be best to force it in. As others said, I'd also split up the museuem days. You may pay a few extra euro, but I think it will make a much better experience. I'd do Picasso + Sacré Cœur (maybe + Moulin Rouge) one day and Notre Dame + Louvre another. Than you're getting a mix of indoor/outdoor both days, and it's easier to walk between those locations. Eiffel Tower and Moulin Rouge are very far apart, and I serisouly doubt you could do both in one evening, though it depends on the time of your MR show. While Paris is compact, you might want to reconsider what youve grouped together and try to group activities based on location rather than themes. Otherwise, you might find that you waste a large amount of time traveling between locations.

After reading your rationale for why you're grouping things the way you've planned, I think your plans make sense. You know yourselves, so if you feel you can handle the stress of getting from the airport, presumably dropping your luggage and making the train connection to Versailles, go for it. That's not a very complicated journey and you'll be able to follow lots of people heading that way. It will be crowded, but then isn't it always in the summer?I would second the suggestion to get the Museum pass at the airport-we did that for the first time last summer and there was no line.

We did the Picasso Museum and another art museum in the same day last summer. I prefer the Picasso in Barcelona, but I'm glad we did the one in Paris. I learned much more about his later life at the Paris museum. I felt like the museum in Barcelona explored the evolution of his work and the Paris museum explored more about his relationship with the women in his life. The Louvre crowds tailed off in the afternoon.

Have you thought about Ghent or Brugge as an alternative to Brussels? We did Brugge as a day trip from Lille and thought it was worth it - earlier the better.

Last summer we did The nighttime light show, "La Nuit Aux Invalides". It was pretty stunning - just make sure to book chairs and look for English options.

Enjoy your trip!

For me, I would get a 4 day museum pass (Sat-Tue), and forget Belgium.

Friday
•Arc de Triomphe
•Sacré-Coeur & Montmartre
•Evening Seine Cruise

Saturday
•Sainte-Chapelle (Opens 9am)
•Cluny Museum (check for reopening) or Panthéon
•Luxembourg Gardens
•Musee d'Orsay
•Moulin Rouge

Sunday
•Notre-Dame de Paris (Towers open 10am)
•Picasso Museum
•Place des Vosges
•Centre Pompidou (Closes at 10pm)

Monday
•Eiffel Tower (Opens 9:30am)
•Rodin Museum or Invalides
•Tuileries Gardens (Orangerie)
•Louvre Museum

Tuesday
•Versailles

Tuesday will wipe you out at Versailles. It will be hotter than blazes.
If you do go, try to get the King's Private Tour. You have to reserve for an English speaking guide.
You can go to the dedicated entrance - it's marked - and you have the ability to go in again to see anything you've missed.

I agree with DJP. It is only 4 days in Paris. Stay in Paris. Made some comments on DJ's schedule and definitely makes sense to do Versailles at the end. The first day is going to be tough as it is.

Arc de Triomphe - save this for when you are in the area like Monday's schedule
•Sacré-Coeur & Montmartre - concentrate on just this area. There is still one of the old windmills on the hill so have a look at that. Don't eat along the square there. Too expensive and the food is not great. Walk down to Place Abesses and have in salade giant at Le Relais Gascon
•Evening Seine Cruise

Saturday
•Sainte-Chapelle (Opens 9am) - afternoon light is usually better but this is a must-see. Switch it to the day you go to Notre Dame as they are within steps of each other. I would also suggest the Concierge near Sainte Chappelle as ot has a great interactive exhibit of the place Marie Antoinette spent her last days before getting the chop.
•Cluny Museum or Panthéon -
•Luxembourg Gardens
•Musee d'Orsay
•Moulin Rouge

Sunday
•Notre-Dame de Paris (Towers open 10am)
Walk over to the Latin Quarter after Notre
•Place des Vosges ' this close to the Bastille area so snoop around there then head over. Walk through the Marais to get to Pompidou. Unlike a lot of shops in Paris, all the little boutiques are open on Sunday so it is the best day to wander to get to the Picasso museum and then on to Pompidou.

Picasso Museum
•Centre Pompidou (Closes at 10pm)

Monday
•Eiffel Tower (Opens 9:30am)
•Rodin Museum or Invalides I think the Rodin is a must on your schedule but it is closed on Mondays. As are a lot of museums so check first.
•Tuileries Gardens (Orangerie) Monet;s Water Lilies are worth the price of admission to the Orangerie.
•Louvre Museum Late nights are on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Tuesday
•Versailles

I would consider doing something relaxing and outdoorsy on your arrivals day. On our first trip to Paris we spent part of the first day at Pere Lachaise cemetery. I also agree with others who have suggested skipping Belgium. Paris is one of those cities where one could say that a lifetime is not enough to fully experience it.

Though not on your list, several people have suggested a visit to the Cluny. Just remember it is closed until "Mid July".
No definite reopening date is listed on the website.

Note the days which Paris Museums are closed.

Versailles is closed on Monday
Musee d'Orsay is closed on Monday
Picasso Museum is closed on Monday
Quai Branly is closed on Monday

Louvre is closed on Tuesday
Orangerie is closed on Tuesday
Pompidou is closed on Tuesday
Cluny Museum is closed on Tuesday
Rodin Museum is closed on Tuesday

The Cluny Museum is currently closed.