I just booked tickets for my first travel to Paris and too excited already.
We ( 2 adults) will be there for 4 full days and arrival day in first week of September. Will be interested in visiting all regular tourist sites for first time visitor. I am starting to familiarize myself with area on where to stay etc. any recommendations for hotels? we would like to keep it around $150 per night.
we def plan to go Versailles. Shall i include Normandy in my itinerary or will it get too hectic?
Yes, IMO it will get too hectic and you should save "Normandy" for another trip.
You say "Normandy", I'm assuming you mean the D-Day Beaches. With only 4 days in Paris, going to the D-Day Beaches will take away from your time in Paris; plus only a day trip from Paris is not a good way to do the D-Day Beaches, best requires 1 overnight in, say, Bayeux and that deducts even more time from your Paris visit.
Versailles is beautiful but it's an all day deal so that leaves you with just 3 days in Paris. Save Normandy for another trip. Get the Museum Pass, it will save you a lot of time. Wherever you stay as long as it's near a Metro you should be fine but if you like to walk the Latin Quarter is a good location. Do your homework and prioritize what you want to do. Just wandering is pretty awesome too. Have a great time!
I would save Normandy for another visit. There is more than enough to see in Paris for a visit of this length.
We enjoyed the Latin Quarter (5th arrondissement) on our last visit.
Gargbi - For 4 days in September you can stay at Hotel Diana. The price is reasonable. The hotel is in the Latin Quarters in 5th Arrondissement. Just do Paris. Don't include Normandy. You can do a side trip to Versailles or Fontainebleau to see French castles.
https://hotel-diana-paris.com/en/
https://www.jeudepaumehotel.com/en/
Do an early evening Seine river cruise as well and see Paris when the lights come on.
Note that September is the busiest and most expensive month for hotels in Paris so get that nailed down right away. I wouldn't even do Versailles with so little time, but of course if it is a top priority go for it. Be sure to get timed tickets because the lines are incredible otherwise and I would recommend going on a fountain day in the gardens -- they really are wonderful with the water flowing.
You don't have time for Normandy.
Take a look at special exhibits at the Grand Palais, at the Louvre and d'Orsay and see if Atelier Lumiere has something interesting running. We like to organize such trips so we vary the things we see. Since Notre Dame and climbing its tower is not going to be on the agenda consider visiting St. Denis Basilica where the tombs of the kings of France are preserved (not the kings just the tombs -- the kinds themselves got trashed during the revolution and may or may not be in a communal pit in the basement of the church. It is IMHO the most impressive little visited site in Paris (it is at Basilique St. Denis stop of the metro 1)
If you enjoy historic sites, DO NOT miss Sainte Chapelle. It's the most heavenly stained glass you will ever see, and the church itself is small so you can spend 30-45 min. just staring and you'll see it all. You can buy one ticket that gives you the tour of the adjacent Conciergerie as well, which was very interesting and moving.
If you enjoy art and artifacts, the Cluny Museum is very good - the tour ends with the "Lady and the Unicorn" tapestries which are stunning.
A nice place to just sit on a park bench and take in the surroundings, without huge crowds, is the Place des Voges.
