Paris and around France 10th anniversary trip

Remember that currently if you buy the Paris Museum Pass, you need to go online to the Louvre website and make a separate, time-specific entry reservation.

I can never deal with a museum on arrival day due to jet lag.

I still feel like you are try to do too much, as several of us suggested in your earlier thread. May 10 looks impossible to me, even though some time will be saved since you cannot go to Notre Dame.

On May 13 it appears you'll have only a very few hours over in the Bayeux area, during which you are apparently going to try to find your own way to the American(?) Cemetery and other sites. You're planning to leave for Paris after breakfast the next day, which gives you no time to see the Bayeux Tapestry or the Cathedral. That's a lot of driving for very little time in the area. I'd skip the invasion sites on this trip and use the time elsewhere. Go back when you have time to see more of Normandy.

NO to the Paris Pass that includes transportation -- but yes to the Paris Museum Pass if it makes €€ sense. PMP also covers Versailles so if you could group your museum-going days that would be more economical.
Have you considered renting the car in Tours before you tour Amboise and castles ? Might be more convenient than trying to get around on the bus, and an extra day on a car rental isn't that expensive.

Check that your car rental will allow you to pick up in Tours and drop off in Bayeux (not all do); Caen might be easier for dropoff, and the rental agencies are right across the street from the train station for your return to Paris.

I suppose you meant all of the things you listed on 5/10 as options and that not all of them are in your actual plan. It's too much for one day. Push some of those activities to 5/16. For montmartre hotel, look at Terrass.

You need a minimum of one more day in Paris. Your schedule for arrival day there is totally unrealistic due to your 9 hour time difference/jet lag.

You are trying to do way too much in the time available. There's a difference between "ambitious" and unreasonable. You'll be on a dead run the entire time and will end up remembering a blur, instead of having memorable experiences.

My suggestion in the week available to you? Paris. Period.

I should elaborate that we do not expect to do all those things in Paris but really these are the places we would like to visit. We were thinking top 3-5 options. We would love to see it all of course but we have to be realistic. The main attractions I want are: Eiffel tower > catacombs > sainte chapelle & notre dame > musee d'orsay > le lourvre > sacre coeur then any suggestions that anyone highly recommends. I have approx 3.5 days in Paris so we will see what we can do. I have job that does make my schedule crazy so I do not get bad jet lag since I am up to all random hours of the night/day.

We are not big WW2 buffs so we are passing by that area on the way back to Paris.

Looking for restaurants and things to do in Paris that is off the cuff as well. It is my husband's first time in Paris and he is not into touristy things as much. He does want to go the Catacombs.

Looking for hotels in Paris and Bayeux.

Eats in Loire valley (amboise), MSM and Bayeux as well

Thanks everyone!

You keep returning to Notre Dame in your posts. Are you aware of the terrible fire there earlier this year? The cathedral suffered massive damage. In the immediate aftermath I think you were not able to get very close to it even on foot. How close you can get to it may change between now and next May, but it will be years (if not decades) before you can go inside Notre Dame.

I haven't been to the Catacombs, but I believe I recall posts about extraordinarily long lines there. Perhaps someone here can comment. If not, take a look at this web page about visiting the Catacombs. It suggests buying tickets in advance. Unfortunately, there is a substantial extra cost for doing that. Time is money on a short trip like yours, so I don't think you have a choice here.

Sorry but I'm wondering if this is a spoof? Like acraven, I can't imagine 5/10 happening in real life? Then asking for night life recommendations? With a timed entry Catacombs will consume at least 15 minutes on the metro (each way) plus time to walk, slowly, a mile and a quarter. Sainte Chappelle can easily consume an hour, or two, in line before getting inside and seeing anything. I love D'Orsay but can't imagine spending less than two hours there (not counting waiting in line). Louvre can consume a whole day or just a couple hours to focus on a specific interest. Whatever you choose, it will consume time. You might save a little by figuring out the best order, but the day hasn't been made that could hold all those activities.

My suggestion is to pick one major sight in the morning and one in the afternoon. Keep a list of sights (hours, locations, etc.) handy if you have time and energy to do more.

That said, evenings activities might include: concert at Sainte Chappelle (eliminates the wait during the day), Arc de Triomphe (great view at night, especially at top of the hour when Eiffel Tower illuminates), Seine river cruise or just a stroll.

If it's up to me, on 5/14, I stay in the Marais. I stayed in Monmarte once, just to try it, and felt isolated. If you're in the Marais, you can wander down to the Seine and people watch through sunset. Afterward, there may be a jazz concert or similar later in the evening.

lisalu910 -This is ambitious list and we are ok with not doing everything for sure. Esp 5/10 --> that list is things we would like to do. My husband also laughs at my plans for every vacation. I am the person that wakes up at 6am goes for a run then works all day, go home dinner, rest then sleep at 12am and do it all over again.

acraven - Thanks for the suggestions! I am definitely getting the Catacombs tickets early. That is my husband's main request for this trip apart from the Eiffel tower.

Hi Brad,

It's not a spoof! I can see that I am being overzealous with my travel plans. 5/10 list is what I would like to do not what I plan on doing. I just have not narrowed it down yet.

If you're looking for an idea of how much can be accomplished in one day, I did a trip report of the seven days my husband and I spent in Paris in 2018: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/april-in-paris-1e48a51b-4933-490e-9e0d-e8bdf1035b47

Note that Notre Dame Cathedral is off-limits to visitors for the foreseeable future.