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Notes from yesterday and today..

Before I forget...

I confess that I took pages from my RS Paris 2011 guidebook, so anyone that has a more recent copy feel free to correct this. The 2011 directions for Musee Marmottan Monet say that as you depart the metro stop La Muette "cross the street and follow the brown sign". We could not find the brown sign, and we looked...and looked..and wandered. So, if you use the La Muette metro stop, when you get to the top of the steps, bear left (you can cross the street to your left and then turn left) down Charisse La Muette. Also, there is no cafe there currently. This was our first stop off the plane after dropping our luggage and it was a good choice. We love Monet and this is a fabulous way to see so much of his work without a lot of people.

What I'm glad I brought: Costco lightweights rain jacket. It can fit in my day bag/purse and goes on and off quickly for scattered squalls.

What I wished I'd brought: hand fan. Tossed when I was trying to keep carry-on, carry-on size. That decision cost me 6€ when the lack of air-conditioning got to me today.

I love Monoprix. To all who've suggested buying sundries when you get to your destination, thank you. Price for toothpaste comparable to States.

The Louvre is open late on Thursdays - go late. The difference in the energy level between 12:30 and 3:30 is significant. The number of people was about the same but they were much calmer in the late afternoon and there was no line at the pyramid at 4:00. At 1:30 it looked like a Disneyland clone.

Off to Reims tomorrow.

Posted by
2030 posts

This June I used the latest RS Paris guidebook to get to the Marmottan also, and it was a bit difficult. We saw some brown signs pointing to the museum, which we followed, then they ended and we just guessed which way to go. We made it though.

Posted by
5697 posts

Thanks for the reminder about the hand fan -- packing for the road trip to Oregon tomorrow (forecast 90°) and this prompted me to move mine into the bag I will be taking, plus my cooling scarf and wide-brimmed hat.

Glad you liked the Costco rain jacket. Mine goes on every trip, since it rolls up so light and small.

Posted by
2408 posts

Hi Patty
Our trip is next month, Venice Paris Amsterdam. We are doing a day trip to reims from paris on the train, a tour with a-l-allure-champenoise.fr from the train station in reims. Will you please tell me how your trip there went and what was worth seeing. happy travels
aloha princess pupule

Posted by
52 posts

Patty, I thought the Louvre's late hours were on Wednesday and Friday, not Thursday... we've only got 2 days in Paris on our upcoming trip and I've built my itinerary around visiting late on Wednesday in the hopes of much diminished crowds. Please tell me I didn't get it wrong!

Posted by
797 posts

Thanks for the info. I suggest you find the guidebook feedback space on this site and comment. I went years ago but cannot remember any difficulties but it was so long ago. It is impressive.

Posted by
10629 posts

Susan, you are correct: Wed and Fri for the Louvre, Thurs for the Orsay.

Google maps will take you to the Marmottan Museum from the metro very easily, if you have access.

Posted by
2296 posts

Sorry about giving the wrong day for the Louvre - that's what jet lag will do. Landing on a different day throws me off. Thank you Bets for catching that. We were there on Friday ( yesterday).

Also, we flew in on American Airlines and landed at 2A. Coming out of immigration there was a TI at the top of the escalator. There was no line, bought our museum passes and a carnet of metro tickets there. It was one less step for later.