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Paris

We are in Paris for 3.5 days. We are planning to visit Versailles Palace, besides the city center. We will be landing in Paris at 9 am on a Monday and checking in by 11 am. We have booked a place which is 5 mins from Louvre. Need suggestion to chalk out our days in Paris.

Also need suggestion on the type of Public transport tickets to buy. HOHO or Carnet of 10 tickets? or should we buy the Paris Pass. We are confused with all the options available. We are going to be mainly be in zone 1-3, except for a day at Versailles.

What tickets do we buy for traveling from cdg airport to Louvre?

Posted by
6531 posts

The simplest way to get from the airport to your hotel is by taxi, which will cost 50 euros for up to four people. Taxis will be lined up at the terminal exit, don't accept rides offered inside the terminal. You could also take the RER commuter train to Chatelet, a big station near the Louvre, and then Metro to the station nearest your hotel, total cost 10.3 euros per person. But I'd suggest the taxi for that first jet-lagged morning with your luggage, especially if there are three or more of you.

If you land at 9 AM and check into your hotel by 11 you'll be very lucky. Deplaning, immigration, baggage claim if any, getting to ground transportation, and getting to the hotel will likely add up to more time. But maybe you'll be lucky or extremely efficient.

A HOHO bus ride will show you a lot of Paris streets and buildings, and take a long time. Instead, I'd suggest walking to sights near your hotel, and using the Metro and regular buses to get to places too far to walk to. A carnet of ten tickets would make sense. You can share the carnet, e.g. five tickets per person.

The Paris Pass is expensive and unnecessary. Depending on your sightseeing priorities, the Paris Museum Pass might make sense. It includes Versailles. What else to do in your limited time in Paris is best decided by you, based on your interests and energy level. Above left on this website, under "Explore Europe," you can find our host's suggestions for Paris sightseeing. They are good, but his priorities may not be yours. If I had only 3.5 days on my first visit to Paris (one of which would be jet-lagged), I would not go out to Versailles. There's more than enough for me in the city. But If Versailles means a lot to you, then go for it.

Posted by
11507 posts

Taxi for airport is 50 euros to RIGHT bank hotels , 55 euros to left bank hotels .

Do NOT purchase the Paris Pass . Consider the Paris Museum Pass . They have a two day pass that may be a benefit depending on where you want to go .

Versailles is a separate ticket ( RER) - less than 8 euros return ( unless it’s gone up ) - do not go to Versailles unless truly interested-I’ve been over a dozen times ( over many years ) and it’s a crowded mess in palace now , worth the mosh pit to me - but I think not to many . just don’t go to check off a box -

Posted by
27174 posts

Many people--probably most--are useless for sightseeing the day they arrive after an overnight flight. It's a combination of sleep-drprivation and jetlag. I would nig vount tgat as a sightseeing day. I'd plan for a day of walking around outdoors, which helps with the jetlag.

So I'd count this as only three days in the city and would not want yo use one of just three days for a trip to Versailles, but some folks just can't get enough palaces.