Paris in early December itinerary

I personally don’t think it’s too much. I’ve been using The Fork looking and reserving some meals. We usually just pop into ones around the city and never had a bad meal, but bringing the whole family I’d like to hit some particular ones. I loved the Catacombs and Versailles was interesting. Definitely stop into Montmartre during your visit!

We are taking a food tour via a recommendation from a fellow RS poster. I usually use Secret Food Tours but it didn’t work out this time with my schedule. As a result, we are doing a food tour through Eating Europe (promo code 10YEARS). Just a thought!

Enjoy your visit!

Looks Good! The only thing I would say is do not take a nap on day 1, get outside in the fresh air even if it is just to get something to eat. You will have limited daylight and things just take a lot longer than you think they will.
I would do a Walking tour or a food tour on that Tuesday. Versailles is also a good idea, you would have fun on either.
For that boat tour, if you plan on being on top it is really really really cold up there during the winter, go in the daytime if possible. We went in October and I could not stand it and had to go down below were is was just really cold.

"Walk back through the gardens at Les Invalides, maybe see Napoleon’s Tomb."

I am trying to picture what you mean. The whole Invalides complex is controlled entry with gates at the North and South ends for public entry. There are some kind of open gardens on the South side but you have to go thru the security barrier to enter. I'd not really say they are worth the walk. There are some small side gardens on the North end. On the side across from the Varenne Metro stop there is a small garden with some benches and I've sat there to read on a lovely day but it's not really a garden I'd go out of my way to visit.

Here is a link to a googlemaps satellite view.

https://goo.gl/maps/6qakTck1TZfipYiY6

Sunset on Dec 3 is 4:56. Tiny URL link to Sunrise/sunset times for Paris for Dec.

https://tinyurl.com/ajdche39

I'd spend some time looking at the Christmas displays in Paris. The big department stores - Galleries Lafayette and Le Printemps - have decorated windows. There are likely some other Christmas type activities!

What an exciting time you have ahead of you especially since it is impromptu. I would not necessarily count on the weather being "cold." I spent Christmas week in Paris in 2016. It was in the mid-to-upper 50s and sunny. Unfortunately, I'd taken my warmest winter coat and sweaters. What I wouldn't have given for a short-sleeved tee shirt and simple spring coat/jacket! I'd recommend checking the weather right up to the day before leaving and possibly repacking.
If we are not terribly sleepy, we eschew naps and just keep moving, have an early dinner and then to bed. If we nap, we set an alarm to not sleep more than two hours before going into a deep sleep (think power nap.)
I believe that tickets for Orsay and Orangerie can be purchased as one and are fairly close to each other. You could easily do both in the same day and free up more time at the Louvre.
We have seen Napoleon's Tomb which, while impressive, was more impressive on the outside as seen from the Eiffel Tower. I also was not interested in the military side of it.
We found that any restaurant in any museum was very good. Enjoy!

Thank you everyone for great replies!
The only reason I said we would nap is that our flight gets in so early - 7am! I figured we would have time for maybe a 2 hour power nap before we head back out. But, I know it is hard to get back up once you settle in. Hopefully, the lure of the Eiffel Tower will be strong enough to keep us going.

I have no idea what I mean by walking through the gardens at Les Invalides, lol. From the map I have it looks like there's green space in that area, but I didn't know you had to go through security to get there. I simply wanted a route from the Rodin Museum back to our hotel that was scenic and maybe crossed the Pont Alexandre III? Can you walk across? Would it be better just to take the metro home from the Rodin Museum?

There is indeed a big, empty green space in front of the Invalides (i.e., between the Invalides and the Seine), with trees on either side. It is nothing special in itself, but provides an impressive setting to the Invalides. There is no security there, and you can easily walk from the Invalides through that area, then across Pont Alexandre III and head wherever you need to go.

“I have no idea what I mean by walking through the gardens at Les Invalides, lol.”

That made me burst out laughing! It sounds like me...sometimes I get a picture in my head that is not exactly what’s there!!

“From the map I have it looks like there's green space in that area, but I didn't know you had to go through security to get there. I simply wanted a route from the Rodin Museum back to our hotel that was scenic and maybe crossed the Pont Alexandre III?”

Where’s “home” going to be? There is the esplanade between the North gate to Les Invalides and the Pont Alexandre III but it’s just grassy areas. You can definitely walk thru this area then across the bridge to Place de la Concorde. To me the bridge is so beautiful especially if the sun is shining. Lots of gold! There is a great view of the ET from this location as well.

You did not ask but Cafe Varenne is an excellent underrated place. I love it. I had one of the best lunches of my life there. Are you booking the hotel for the night before because if you are not, I am not sure that you will be able to nap and shower there if you have morning arrival. I'm from the "not napping on arrival day" school of thought because I can't nap and also go to bed early and not to mention that when I try to nap, it turns into sleeping away the day and being jetlagged for the entire trap. So unless, you know that napping will truly be napping and will work for you, I'd try to power through to an early dinner and then off to bed between 9 and 10. for your lunch near the Louvre, try La Regalade.

"You did not ask but Cafe Varenne is an excellent underrated place." Yes, the husbands on the trip have been here a few times before and insisted that we go! Most of the sightseeing part of the trip will be just me and my friend, and neither of us have been to Paris. The guys will be there for a business trip (and have been to Paris a few times on business). Their bosses go to Cafe Varenne every time they are in Paris! However, I just realized that they are closed on Sundays! So, I've switched the days around:

Friday: Arrival - Eiffel Tower
Saturday: Orsay - Cafe Varenne - Rodin - Pont Alexander III
Sunday: Louvre - Orangerie - Arc de Triomphe
Monday: Free/Shopping - Vintage Car Tour
Tuesday: Picasso - Ste. Chapelle - Notre Dame area

Also, along those lines, the guys will be there the night before us and will check in to the hotel, so when we get there in the morning we will have a place to go.

I didn't even think about that we will (hopefully) be able to see Christmas decorations! Yay! :)

The only thing I would say is do not take a nap on day 1, get outside
in the fresh air even if it is just to get something to eat.

This! You are apt to sleep too long, get up and be completely out of whack in your new time zone, if it is your first time, it may feel hard to stay up, but you really need to make an effort all day on your first day to do this. Otherwise you are sabotaging the rest of your trip.

You might want to check with the hotel and make sure they can accommodate an early check in. If your flight arrives at 7 am, you would be arriving before noon. Unless you’ve paid for an extra day, the hotel may not allow you to check in right away. They may hold your luggage until check in (usually after 3 pm).

It was fun reading through your plan! Friends and I are making a quick trip at the same time - arriving early morning Dec 4 and flying on to Prague Dec. 8!

You're going at a great time; Paris is beautiful near the holidays and all the stores are totally tricked out with decorations.

For your lunch near the Picasso Museum, if you're all meat eaters, I'd suggest L'Aller-Retour (steakhouse, Marais location) http://laller-retour.com/ or for a lighter meal, hit Caractere de Cochon (https://www.facebook.com/caracterecochon/) to get a sandwich freshly made from any of the 50+ hams and various cheeses he stocks. Best jambon beurre of my life. Such a funny little place, packed with an insane variety of meat products, and the owner is so nice; it's closed Tuesdays though. If neither of those sounds right, the Picasso is also quite close to le Marche des Enfants Rouges which is good for a short wander and a good lunch.

For a casual evening stroll and dinner/drinks/dessert, I highly recommend visiting the Christmas markets which are so festive and quite a spectacle in themselves. Need to check opening dates but IIRC the markets at Place Viviani (by Notre Dame) and St Germain des Pres have by far the best goods for sale, the Tuileries market is really family friendly and BIG, the Hotel de Ville market is spectacularly lit... there are many others as well. Lots of traditional food and drink (hot orange juice... what?...), champagne bars, crepes, ... many things to buy, anywhere on the spectrum from cool and artisanal to kitschy and plastic. Strange photo ops abound!

For museum "tours" I recommend THATMuse (https://thatmuse.com/) You can purchase various self-guided and themed tours of the Louvre and the d'Orsay that are totally unlike other tours. I did "Beauty and the Bestiary" at the Louvre with my teenaged daughter a couple years ago and she still talks about it.

Hey there! We must be on the same page because my fiancé and I are going at the exact same time (but we leave Paris a day earlier unfortunately). Maybe we will see you jet-lagged and tired at CDG at 7am on Friday haha! Our plans are pretty similar for the first day and we plan on taking a nice stroll to the Eiffel Tower, and then maybe a boat tour as the sun sets that day if we are feeling up to it. We're coming up with multiple plan for each day depending on the weather. I personally love just wandering around, so that's our first choice to just explore different neighborhoods, with the d'Orsay, Rodin and Carnavalet museums as some indoor activities if it is raining. Maybe a wine tasting/croissant making class or something along those lines if it's rainy every day.

We're also hoping to see some Christmas decor and festivities. I love the tree inside Galleries Lafayette and the Christmas markets can be a little tacky, but they're still fun and festive to walk around with vin chaud.

Let me know if you find a pharmacy that seems like a good choice for getting the Covid health pass!

1. Be flexible w the Eiffel Tower - if the day you arrive it's crappy out, what will you do? Also,. there's maintenance going on, so the day I went (2 weeks ago, on a Wednesday), the top was closed.

2. St Chapelle is maybe an hour, I'd definitely do the Conciergerie with it. However, due to the trial down there (2015 terrorist attack on Paris), M-F you must make reservations to get in to either one and there go through additional security.

Regarding the Conciergerie- when I went there before I purchased tickets with the histopad (spelling). Could you rent one once inside?

yes, they still have those at the Conciergerie.

Thank you!

Friday – skip the nap and after you check into your hotel and shower, explore the neighborhood you’re sleeping in. It’s always nice to know what’s nearby in case you forgot something or want to get a bite to eat near your hotel, etc.
Monday – I have never toured Paris in a Citroën but sure hope I get the opportunity. I say do it.
Tuesday – visit Montmartre.
You put together a fantastic itinerary, stay safe.

And everyone is different. Without a 2 hour nap in the afternoon day of arrival I would likely stumble into traffic and die. absolutely hit the wall about 2-3 PM local time. Know YOUR body and what works for you. Give me that afternoon nap and I can enjoy my dinner, retire a little early and be raring to go the next morning!

My favorite place to watch sunset over Paris is the Arc de Triomphe. You can see the sun setting behind La Defense, watch as the lights start to flicker on along the Champs Elysees and then watch as the Eiffel Tower is slowly lit up.

My favorite place to watch sunset over Paris is the Arc de Triomphe.

And you can look down from the top of Arc de Triomphe and see the twelve avenues that branch off from there. I love that view.

I just wanted to thank everyone again, for all the great suggestions!

I will definitely try to not nap the first day, but I can guarantee anything! LOL! I'm also aware that things may change due to the weather, so I'm trying to keep as open a schedule as possible - I'm only going to reserve a time for the places that require it. I think that would be the Louvre, Orangerie and Ste. Chapelle as far as I can tell. Keeping my fingers crossed for good days.

We did reserve the vintage car tour and it will include Montmartre, so excited!

Checked into THATMuse tours and they look super cool! However, the person I'm sightseeing with is very traditional and was not as enthused as me. I will keep it in mind for a 2025 trip with my besties, though!

I am really happy to hear that the Christmas markets will be open! I had originally heard they were canceled (due to Covid, I guess). I'm sure they will be fantastic!

I will definitely put a trip review up after we get back, or I may need to ask more questions before we go. Hope everyone who posted that they are going at the same time has a wonderful trip!

hey hey rrphotogirl
looks good, at least it's not cramming so much into one day like many others try to.
your last minute trip, upon arrival get to hotel for a nap?? did you book room night before and let them know you are arriving next morning or do you have early check-in? rooms are usually available after 2pm, where is your hotel at and i would ask how early you guys get 2 rooms, if not have them hold luggage, walk around, have breakfast/lunch.
we ate at angelina's 226 rue de rivoli 75001. great hot chocolate with wonderful pastries and gorgeous dining area
discoverwalks.com
montmarte walking tour. love the montmarte area and sacre coeur basilica. walk around the place du tertre with the painters and artist painting, small cafes for our champagne/wine and appetizers or stop and have lunch in a few restaurants. had a portrait of myself done few years ago and he was still there 2 years ago and remember me, nice big hug. also bought small painted picture of things famous in paris.
love souffles, stopped at la cuisine de philippe 25 rue de servandoni 75006 behind luxembourg gardens.
small hole in the wall, walked in at noon when it opened and got seated, otherwise reservations. had passion fruit souffle yummy and friend had grand marnier souffle yummy, left bottle at table. they do have french flair food.
walked to the gardens and celebrated with a bottle of champagne, picked up at small liquor store that sold us two plastic glasses.
so so funny but great memory.
i have climbed the arc de triomphe couple years ago but not again. felt claustrophobic and not comfortable, plus have a bum knee climbing all those stairs.
do the vintage car tour, do you have someone? they may do a tour with christmas theme involved, you can ask.
retro-tour.com
oldtimersparis.com/the secret paris tour
paris-by-tuktuk.com
2cvparistour.com
when checking tours, some allow 2 or 3 people
citywheels-paristours.com
the great escape tour for 3 hours to see it all (300E split)
galeries lafayette 40 boulevard haussmann in the 9th
christmas decorations in the stores along with many others throughout paris.
eatwith.com/paris
place your dates and look what is available. cooking and eating what you have made, having lunch or dinner at a residents home. luxury paris bus tour with gourmet lunch and panoramic view. (bustronome.com)
so much to see and do, so little time. you will be planning that next trip on your flight back home hee hee
just some extra info for you. dress warm, furry inside boots, gloves/scarf. have a fabulous time
aloha

Most hotels won't give you your room until early to mid-afternoon. If you want a nap be sure to book an early check-in; they may be able to accomodate you. For me, the adrenalin carries me through to the mid-afternoon anyway; that's when an hour-long nap works best. Set an alarm! Force yourself up and get back out to it.

Near the Eiffel tower at dinner time? Try for a table at Chez L'ami Jean.

I don't recommend going above the first level of the tower, it's so high you can't make out much. The best views in Paris are from Montmartre.

Bon vacance!

A company to use for tours w/in Paris is Paris-Walks: https://www.paris-walks.com/download-pdf_m.html

Also the somewhat "cheesy" Christmas Market/Fair/Carnival may be up and running in the Tuileries, another place to walk through and see in route to another site/location.

Enjoy your trip, I will be arriving in France on 27 November.