Paris in July: Itinerary & Ticket Check before purchasing

I have no recent experience in Paris so can't address your questions, but I wonder whether there is a lot of value in ascending both the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. There is just so much to see in Paris, and timed activities are something you have to work around.

Unless something has changed, walking into Sacre Couer Is a free, unticketed thing. Never been inside the Opera, have no idea what I am missing there or how that works.

Not my trip, but I would advise only getting advanced purchase timed entry tickets for the most essential things requiring that, like the Louvre and maybe the Eiffel Tower. Listen to your kids and don't over schedule the museums, and don't buy timed entry for so many things, either. There is so much more to see and do in Paris for free, not requiring tickets or blocking out time on your itinerary.

Your daughter might enjoy visiting a couple of the grand department stores, like Galeries Lafayette Haussmann (located behind the Opera), or our favorite, Le Bon Marche Rive Gauche (left bank location not far from St Germain des Pres, google it). These are NOT like any department stores in the US, much more interesting for the architecture alone. The perfume display under the domed ceiling in the Galerie Lafayette is HUGE and smells heavenly, for instance. The clothing, particularly for the ladies, is much more extensively fashionable than anything you can find in a single store in the US, if you can even find the quality of clothing here.

Unlikely to be any ballet at the Opera in late July as the season generally ends in mid-July, but you could certainly tour the Opera instead. If there is a performance, I would buy tickets now, as the ballets for late June have been sold out for months already for the days we are in town.

Also, and it was many moons ago because we just walked right up in 2011, but the RER to Versailles conveniently has a stop just below the Eiffel Tower, so we opted to go up ET right after we returned from Versailles. We went when the light was still daylight and turning to dusk/dark so they could see all the lighting options, lol. Highly recommend it!

Have a great trip!

A tour of the Garnier Opera is definitely worth your time. On the other hand, tickets for l'Arc seem unnecessary - you'll also have expansive views of Paris from Sacre Coeur before or after your food tour, and if memory serves, RS dismisses the interior there. For teens, maybe an American movie [Summer blockbuster] at the Grand Rex, which is the Radio City Music Hall of Paris - must be in the grand salle, and in English - look for an OV screening.

You could stroll Champs Elysees early evening on your first day.

Please be mindful of your time in any one place - I can't imagine spending 4-6 hours in the Louvre on a single visit, and suspect your teens may have even less tolerance. At Versailles you should be able to spend more time outside, which should help with shorter attention spans.

Sacre Coeur...and if memory serves, RS dismisses the interior there.

I agree with RS on that. It was actually disappointing, particularly given how gorgeous the exterior is. The reason to be atop that hill is for the view of Paris. Sure, step inside, but it is nothing special at all.

For teens, maybe an American movie

One of our favorite things to do in Paris, particularly on a rainy day, is to duck into a movie theater for an English language film with French subtitles...you will know if it is in the original English if the listing says "VO" meaning version originale..VOST adds on the French words for subtitled...any current release American or English lang film will be still in English, not yet dubbed into French. We have in the back of our minds seeing the latest Guardians of the Galaxy while there if the rains come one afternoon.

Please be mindful of your time in any one place - I can't imagine spending 4-6 hours in the Louvre on a single visit, and suspect your teens may have even less tolerance. At Versailles you should be able to spend more time outside, which should help with shorter attention spans.

Good advice. The Louvre is crowded, and huge - you fight the crowds - doing that for 4 to 6 hours is nuts. Your kids won't agree to go into any other museums after that. My tolerance for museums tops out at about 2 hours...YMMV...as for Versailles, I enjoy the grounds much more than the overcrowded interior...lots of neat things to discover on the grounds, like Marie Antoinette's hideaway and her private theater...

I enjoyed my visit to Garnier Opera more than my visit to Versailles. In my opinion it is more beautiful. I took an evening tour and was able to get photos with no people in them. It doesn't take all day. I prefer a botanical garden to a sculptured garden, so the Versailles gardens didn't impress me. I did really enjoy the Queen's Hamlet, however. I would recommend timed tickets to the Opera.

Great information! Thank you for all the above responses. I will keep the timed reservations minimal (Louvre, Eiffel, Versailles, maybe Opera House). I will cut down my time allotment for the Louvre (I teach history and can spend vast swaths of time immersed in museums, but perhaps that is why my own kids are slightly averse to overdoing them). And you've given me some additional suggestions/thoughts that I hadn't considered, but will keep on our slightly-more-open schedule as options for things to do if it rains or if we're in an area looking for something different.

Great information!

I agree, not because of what I posted, but because I have now added the Opera house to my list of things to do on my upcoming trip based on what others posted here.

Good luck with your trip.

I missed the Arc de Triomphe once because when I got there, there was a huge line in the underground tunnel just to buy tickets. It wasn't worth it to me (I hate lines) so I moved on and went on my next trip with a timed ticket.

I just add it too, to take my 9 year-old granddaughter. I’m not taking her to a chateau, so this will be the bling moment. Then off for a crêpe.

The Arc has two lines underground - one for those with tickets and one without - I just bought online while in the line and then jumped out of the line (I was there on Apr 17). I wouldn't worry about 'buying ahead'.

Now, the Louvre - I spent an extreme amount of time in the basement (yes) - you can stand on the former moat and look at the foundation of the original chateau!! I am not an art person (if i like it, i like it, but don't ask me if it's from so and so's blue period of whatever) and yet still spent 5 hrs there. But from a physical, building & history of the building type thing, it was fascinating!

would you children like a bike tour? Last time we were there they offered them and we always regretted not doing that.

Just a note, the Palais Garnier is completely covered in scaffolding. I don’t want your daughter to be heartbroken when she sees it. I don’t know what the situation is on the inside. You might want to check before you make any plans to Tour

Rather than the Catacombs which had a very long line, go across the street to The Liberation of Paris Museum - General Leclerc Museum - Jean Moulin Museum. It is a newly arranged (and new location) for this museum. It is small, so no long visit necessary, but it does have a timed entry for the bunker, kids might find this interesting. As a history teacher (me too!) you might want to watch "A French Village" and talk to your kids about the resistance. You might want to read

• A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell, Juliet Stevenson,

Having visited Normandy in 2019 , we are off to Lyon, center of resistance, this fall.

Safe travels

For Thursday, I would skip the tickets for the Arc (it's nice to explore this area and not be tied to a time). After your Louvre tour (use Rick's free app and do the 2 hr highlight-it's perfect!), get a little refreshment in a cafe and walk through the Tuileries, Place de Concorde, Champs Elysees. It's a long walk but kinda fun to see the sights along the way. It you have teens they may want to look in a shop or two. You don't have to go up in the Arc to appreciate it; but if you want I would def book tickets ahead of time. We were just in Paris and this whole area was very crowded.

For Saturday, we just did the Opera and really loved it. It's insanely gorgeous and not that long of a tour. We did self-guided and bought the multi-media tour, which is an iPad that was really worth it. The outside is being refreshed (we saw several spots in Paris that are getting a makeover, probably for the Olympics next year) but it was still fabulous it. I'd buy tix ahead of time although you can enter anytime during the day. It's not timed. Pop in Galleries Lafayette nearby to see the beautiful dome!

If you're going to Montmartre then definitely climb up to Sacre Coeur for the view, but we didn't go in until our 4th trip to Paris! It's beautiful on the outside enough. The area is crazy busy, but walk through the neighborhood to see some interesting side streets. Once we go away from the crowds we loved the neighborhood! A food tour sounds fun!

Sunday: I'm glad you're going through Lux gardens. We were just there on a Sunday and couldn't believe how many people were visiting the park, probably a 1,000! There was a free orchestra concert and pony rides for the kids, it was enchanting. July may be very warm, so just do the like Parsians and get some gelato!
I think your plan of visiting the Ill de la cite is good. We also did this area closer to sunset and it was so beautiful on the bridges. Saint Chappelle is so fabulous.

If there's anything missing, it may be an evening boat cruise on the Seine? We went on a weekend and loved seeing the Parisians sitting on the banks everywhere having low-key parties with friends. They waived and shouted hello! Or seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkling at night. Take the metro to Trocadero. Our kids loved that.

LOL my kids used to complain about our numerous church visits. But museums can be short, they're inside and have clean bathrooms. Not the worst place in July! Use Rick's audio guide or even follow his written guide info to give things meaning. I'm sure your teens loved Youtube, have them watch some things so they have a good understanding before they go.