My husband and I will be traveling to Paris for 5 days in January and I’m starting to put together out itinerary. We land in Paris (CDG) at 10:45 am. I’m hoping to not start Paris pass until day 2. Do I need it to do Rick Steves Historic Paris Walking Tour?
Right now thinking:
Check in hotel by 1200
Historic walking tour 1300 - 1700
Louvre Wine museum and tasting @ 1730
Eiffel Tower @ 1900
Planning on doing Notre Dame tower later when have museum pass.
You can do the walking tour without the Museum pass. The only thing on the tour that requires payment is the Conciergerie. Just skip that for later in your stay. I have to say that checking into your hotel by noon is awfully optimistic if you're arriving from a non Schengen country. Even if you take a taxi it's likely going to be closer to 1:00. And don't forget to have lunch!
ETA: I just read your other post about the best time to go up the ET. I have to say that given the jet lag that accompanies your arrival day, you might enjoy it more if you leave this for another day, and just enjoy a nice dinner instead.
Where are you coming from?
Your plan looks quite ambitious.
You can get an early check-in at your hotel?
Meals?
So .... when I said checking in I more meant dropping luggage and go but it dies appear I may have been a little too overly optimistic.
Based on feedback thinking this is a more realistic schedule.
Check in hotel by 2
Historic walking tour: 2:30-6:30
Clean up and nice dinner: 7:00
No museum pass required for first day
Your revised schedule looks fine. Restaurants generally open at 7:30, sometimes 7pm but if you want to eat before that, cafés generally serve food throughout the day.
You generally never need a museum pass unless you just want one as purchasing tickets in advance will give you almost the same advantages as using the museum pass. Purchasing tickets in advance may actually give you more flexibility and may save you money.
The only thing on the tour that requires payment is the Conciergerie.
I'm not certain as I don't have the book but a 2015 online map of the tour indicates the interior of Sainte-Chapelle, which would involve a fee/pass. If that piece is still part of the walk, it can be skipped as long as you can make time to go back and do it with your pass at the same time as the Conciergerie.
Also, daylight fades early in January, and the chapel closes admissions at 4:30 PM so it's likely a no-go anyway: you'll want to see the interior in sunlight.
It was a good idea to revise your schedule as it looked overly optimistic to me too. :O)
The Paris Museum Pass has three advantages in my mind: skipping the ticket-buying line (alas not the security line), saving money if you visit enough museums in the days your pass is active, and allowing you to pop into random museums for short visits or return for something you want to see again. I was glad we purchased them (the morning of day 2 at a newsstand across from Sainte-Chapelle).
