Last Minute Questions - Finalizing Trip

I'd advise not renting a car for getting around Paris. The public transportation is excellent and driving in Paris looks like a waking nightmare, ESPECIALLY on your first day while jet-lagged. But you've probably heard this before and have a good reason for using a car. Other than that your plans sound great. Have fun!

My bad, FastEddie - we are not renting a car; the apartment where we are staying includes a car service to the apartment. DEFINITELY not renting a car to get around in Paris! Thanks for helping me clarify. Getting the Navigo Decouverte for the metro+ around Paris, as we are there from Monday to Sunday.

Have you checked that tickets to Atelier des Lumières are available the days you want them. I understand that they are being snapped up.

Did you really mean to say you were renting a car and then parking it in Paris?

DAY 1:

Arrive, deplane, immigration, transport to your arrondissement, check into your accommodation, unpack, freshen up, get your money, walk over for photo ops at the Effiel Tower, have a meal, then if not tired take a Paris Walk.

Our best approach to dealing with jet lag is taking a max time nap of two hours around 2-4, 3-5. That recharges us enough to have a nice dinner in the evening. On the flight to CDG get as much sleep as you can. Open air on a bus -- if that is what the TukTuk tour is -- will not keep you awake. It will put you to sleep easily.

I haven't seen tuk tuks in Paris (doesn't mean there are not tuk tuk tours -- we tend to stay on the fringes these days). I would not want to do one in Paris traffic at rush hour. My scariest all time experience traveling was riding in a tuk tuk in bangkok on a street with about 10 lines of traffic surrounded by trucks and cars; I'd never want to take a tour in one in a traffic congested urban area. I would not schedule some planned thing like this anyway -- I'd spend jet lag day walking around and going with the flow not meeting tours. Stock up the apartment for breakfast, check out the local area -- head over Trocadero or Champ du Mars to see the Tower,. Get coffee, wander about. The most organized I would be would be to perhaps do a self guided walking tour since you can quit or sit down or grab coffee when you feel like it.

1. Unless you are staying in the Rue Cler area, I'd not make a special trip over to see it on arrival day. Whereabouts are you staying? Maybe we can suggest some things to walk to after you get to your apartment. What day of the week are you arriving? If you ARE in the Rue Cler area, I'll tell you where I usually walk.

2. Paris Walks - I think these are excellent. The guides I've had have been very good. I've done some of Rick's audio tours and hands down the Paris Walks are MUCH better mostly because you've got a live guide and they hold my attention better. For instance, you're walking down the street, someone asks "What is that" and they explain it even if it is not on the topic of the tour. I'd definitely go for the Two Islands tour and yes, your guide will be able to tell you a lot!

IF any of you have an interest in WWII, do the Paris Walks tour about Paris in the Occupation. Wow, that was so interesting, I've done one of them twice. It is so interesting to start one of the tours and have the guide point to some hotel windows across the way and say - that's where the German Command was located during WWII.

1. I try to sleep. I'll bet your girls will watch movies the whole time! They will turn out the lights after dinner service so it will be dark-ish. Do get up and walk around a few times.

2. What a thrilling experience for your girls! Such fun!

Great comments and suggestions so far - thank you! We are staying over by the Louvre, arriving on Monday and departing on Sunday for Bayeux and the Loire Valley before returning home the following Friday. My though in going over to Rue Cler, we could start our foray onto the metro, as there seems to be a good stop by our apartment and by Rue Cler. Maybe that is our one adventure for the day, as others have noted not trying to do too much on that day-one-travel-day.

On your first day, I would skip taking the metro over to Rue Cler. I know using the metro with be an adventure, but I don't think you need to do it the first day. It's not that relaxing after an 11 hour flight.
Remember, you can use the same tickets for the bus, which I am liking more and more for getting around the city (though it takes a bit of work to understand bus routes).

Perhaps on your first day, you could take a hop-on-hop-off bus tour of the city to get your bearings, if you can get one before major rush hour traffic hits. (they have a stop near the Louvre) If not, stay in the Louvre area, walk the banks of the Seine, find a nice cafe, walk the Tuilleries, view the Place Concorde, and possibly take a Seine boat cruise (at dusk would be lovely) if you can stay awake that long!

Agree with BG, I’d skip doing the Metro to Rue Cler on your arrival afternoon.

I also agree with walking thru the Tuileries since you are near the Louvre. You might get gelato/sorbetto at the Amorino kiosk down at the Place de la Concorde end of the gardens!! If you get cones they make a wonderful rose design with small dabs of ice cream. Even if you order a small cone you can get several flavors. I usually go for 2 so one for the center of the rose, one for the petals.

Rue Cler is an ordinary market street and not a 'destination' unless you plan to be near there. I would find a market street close to where you are to provision the apartment or an ordinary grocery store, but market streets are fun. Montorgueil might be close to where you are. Small shops are closing all over Paris -- near us since we were here last spring the poissonierre has closed and a greengrocer has closed. There are beautiful tiled butcher and bakery shops all over Paris that have been converted to boutiques. So we do try to buy from shops not supermarkets when we can.

I'll add the the chorus of skipping Rue Cler. The only thing out of the ordinary there is the abundance of Americans walking around while holding a Rick Steves' book.

I also second the recommendation to take the local buses. Sometimes the routes or stops are a little hard to figure out, but you are above ground actually seeing the city rather than tunneling under. If there is somewhere I know I want to go, I research the bus routes ahead of time.

If you're interested in Monet, the trip to Musee Marmottan is worth the bus ride. It's in a pretty neighborhood, away from the really touristy areas. The museum is in a home, and it is beautiful. We felt like we'd seen something unique and special, and off the beaten path a bit. Another place that we enjoyed on a different Paris trip was the Musee Jacquemart-Andre. That was a fabulous collection in another private home, with a special tea room on site. I still regret that we didn't have tea there!

I think one of those is covered on the Museum Pass, but the other may not be. Both were memorable.

Have a great trip!
Laurie

Neither Musee Marmottan Monet nor Musee Jacquemart-Andre are covered by the Museum Pass. That doesn't mean they aren't worth seeing - just that you'll pay out of pocket for them.

Here's a link to what is covered with the Museum Pass if you decide this will work for your family.

http://en.parismuseumpass.com/rub-m-by-name-5.htm

I cannot thank you all enough for the adjustments and suggestions! Laurie and Pam - I am a HUGE Monet fan, and so glad to hear Marmottan is worth it. I have definitely added it to the itinerary. I also appreciate the comments on Paris Walks. The WWII tour is not available while we are there, but there is a French Revolution one. Being a History major, I am very tempted - may lose the rest of the group! I already have them signed up for a day with Overlord in Normandy, so I don't want to push my luck. But what a big part of Paris - the Revolution! Thought we had lots of time, but now I want another two weeks! Save some for the next trip, right!?! Thanks again for all the comments and insights - it really does help!! We leave a week from tomorrow - so keep any comments coming!

If you are staying near the Louvre a walk in the Tuileries gardens would be nice. It is very pretty and not overwhelming large. At the end of the Tuileries is the Orangerie, a very nice small museum noted for Monet’s water lilies paintings. The rooms are circular and the water lily paintings are huge, floor to ceiling. It is really quite beautiful. Enjoy your trip. We are leaving Monday for 5 nights in Paris then on to Bayeux for 2 nights. We have also booked an overlord tour. From Bayeux we are heading to St Remy for a week. As for Versailles, our plan is to do exactly what you suggested. Someone recently posted on this forum that doing the Trianon and gardens first worked well for them... no line to get into the Palace late afternoon. I’m hoping that will work for us too! Bon voyage!

Send Dad and the girls off to sit in a cafe and people watch while you do the Paris Walks Revolution walk! I’ve done that one and it’s very good!

If you are going to d’Orsay Museum to see the Impressionist gallery, the best tip learned from a RS guide is this: After you enter and show your ticket walk straight to the far end of the building. Angle to the left around the cafe and take the escalator up to 5 (no choice-it only goes there!). Do these galleries first, then work your way down!

What Pam said about the way to tour the Orsay. That way you see the “blockbuster” pieces while your energy is still high.

Also agree with everyone who's suggested a local walk in your neighborhood rather than schlepping over to rue Cler on your arrival day. The Tuileries, a walk along the river, or back into Montorgueil will all be absolutely lovely. There's also a pedestrian bridge that leaves from beside the Tuileries to get you right over to the Musee d'Orsay.

Another vote too for Paris Walks. One of Rick's walks could be good for arrival day as you go at your own pace, but definitely do check out the Paris Walks schedule for what's on while you're there (oops obviously you've already done this if you know there's a walk about the Revolution during your time!).

There definitely are tuk-tuk tours in Paris, but I have no idea whether they're recommendable or not.

While the Impressionists are important at the Orsay, there is a lot of amazing stuff on the main station galleries. Don't miss the Mother of the Gracchi sculpture in the central sculpture area. There are always interesting exhibits; currently it is one on Black models in French art and is fascinating.

Re buses. The fantasy is sitting and viewing the city; the reality is standing in a crowd as you slowly get where you are going. There is so little seating and such crowds usually that only the disabled and sometimes the elderly are likely to get a seat.

You can easily get seats on buses 69 and 42, good for site seeing, if you go the terminal behind Gare du Nord to board the bus. Another good place is at Champs de Mars, where both buses have dedicated stops.

We took two different Paris Walks tours when we were there and they were both very well done. You can hear the guide at all times and they are very knowledgeable and entertaining. Any tour you took would be amazing. Such an interesting way to explore and learn about Paris.

The way I survive the long flights is to mix up reading, movie watching, eating, sleeping, and going for a stroll occasionally down the aisle. Time will pass.

I haven't been to Versailles yet, but I think the earlier you go, the better. Line ups in the summer will be horrendous. You can sleep when you get back home.

I have always gotten a seat on any bus I've taken in Paris. Maybe I just don't travel at rush hour, idk.

You can go online and purchase a timed entry pass for Versailles.

The Paris Walks chocolate tour is pretty damn good too!! You have to sign up in advance for this one.

Just got back from Spending two months in europe, two of those weeks were in Paris, a city i often visit. (family in europe, i go a lot). First of all, That first day, get settled into your flat, then explore your neighborhood. DO not do the tuk tuk thing. Its not enjoyable and you will feel akward in paris doing it. I would suggest instead doing ricks Ill de Paris walk. Its the two islands in the seine. Or stroll your neighborhood. ALso it would be a good oportunity to purchase your Metro Pass. THose things are great. As for the palas at Versailles,,, noon should be a fine time to go, and if you have the museam pass great. be prepared to spend the whole day. I strongly strongly recommend you get the RER going there at around 11. Before ten it will be crowded and later you will miss the day. The RER takes a good hour to get to versailles then another ten minutes walk from the station. Its a whole day trip. I took my husband this last january, We got the train around 9am and home again at 8pm. We spend all day there and it wasnt busy. But we are both park walkers and love history. Get Ricks city pocket guide. I get a new one for paris every year. Its amazing. I dont do the audio so much. i feel its geared toward older people and im barely 40. As for the flight,,, with that long one im guessing you are going from ATL or Maybe west coast. Benedril and dont sleep so much the night before. Like try to practice getting on paris time best you can. Then when you bored, take your alergy med, drink tons of water, and just survive. I usually zonk out quick if i get up about 2 am the day im flying and eating just enough to be satisfied, drinking a bunch. I only manage to still get four hours. Study ricks paris books maybe? Download lots of articles and youtube videos about paris. Jay Swanson does nice ones, and he is an expat and very nice guy i know. Hope this helps and let me know if i can help with anything.

I cannot thank all enough! Great tidbits of information that are a big help, especially on the navigation part. Janettravels44 - great reminder that the d'Orsay is much more than just impressionists - I cannot wait! I also like Pam's idea about sending the kids and Dad off while I go on the Revolutionary Paris Walks (might even send them on the Paris Walks Chocolate Tour if that happens to line up, Dorothy!). Kellyfadous - GREAT information, especially on the TukTuk - I think I would have booked it, but a great point about being a bit awkward. I think we will be doing the afternoon tour of Versailles, so it is appreciated on the tip for the RER by 11:00. We are flying from San Jose, CA through Salt Lake City, so the flight out there is 10.5 hours from SLC. I do a lot of water-drinking anyway, so another good reminder - had not thought about starting off here at home by getting up early on the day of travel; that could work out. Other great reminders from the thread on things to do on the plane, so it is all appreciated. Anyone else - keep the tips coming, and THANK YOU!