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Paris Itinerary Feedback

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Hello! I have never been to France before but I am planning a trip for a group. Questions:
- Could you let me know if this itinerary seems feasible? We are aware that it is tight, but we are willing to stay active and make it happen if it's not completely impossible.
- Are there things that could be moved around to make it better?
- Is it better to buy individual tickets for the items with * or is there a pass that makes it cheaper?
- Are there any tickets I haven't thought of that I should buy in advance?

Day 1 -
9 am - Eiffel Tower*
12 pm - lunch, metro to Arc de Triomphe, walk to Tuileries Garden and Pond Alexandre III bridge
3:30 - we have an event in the south of the 16h arr. at 5 pm, so leave around this time with buffer
5 - event/end of day

Day 2 -
9 am - Louvre*
11 am - part of our group has an event in the south of the 16h arr. at 12 pm, so leave around this time. Other half of the group will go to Sacre Couer*
4 pm - Meet up for Rick Steve’s Historic Paris Walk (Notre Dame*, Latin Quarter, Place St. Michel, Pont Neuf - add Luxembourg Gardens/Palace)
PM - Eiffel Tower at night/dinner

Day 3 -
8 AM - Depart for Versailles* to arrive around 9 am
Late afternoon
Head back to Paris (1 hour)
If time, Napoleon’s Tomb* (for those who are interested) OR Musee D’Orsay* - so would need to leave Versailles by 3ish, is it worth it? Rick Steves says its maybe possible if you leave Versailles with time?
Dinner/ Bateaux-Mouches*

Thank you!

Posted by
2973 posts

There are twelve streets that end at Arc de Triomphe and finding Champs-Elysées is much easier said than done. Use Google’s walking map and expect it to take a while.
Skip Versailles and visit Orsay Museum. To appreciate Versailles, you need a full day. The grounds are mammoth and you should also visit the Trianon Palace (Marie-Antoinette’s private residence). Paris alone needs five nights and you’re cutting it short as it is.

Posted by
682 posts

hiwolff1,
On a Versailles day, I wouldn't plan on anything after that, except for dinner and a bateau mouche or vedette boat ride. Another museum or sight would wipe most people out after Versailles (it is VERY big!).

Posted by
138 posts

Would the Bateaux-Mouches let you see enough of the Eiffel Tower at Night and the Pont Alexandre?

Your afternoon plans on Day 1 are things that can be done in the evening, if you wanted to squeeze in Orsay/Napoleon's tomb on Day 1. But Day 2 already looks tiring. You could maybe take a taxi or car tour along the Champs Elysee in the evening on Day 2 and spare your legs. Geographically, I wouldn't go out to Luxembourg Gardens if you were doing this.

As for tickets, book the Eiffel Tower the day tickets are released. I think you only have to pay for the Arc de Triomphe and Sacre Couer if you want to climb up the stairs. Book timed tickets for the Louvre and Versailles. Napoleon's Tomb and Orsay might depend on time of year; some of the websites show you how many tickets or timeslots that day remain. Notre Dame doesn't reopen until December; no tickets needed to look from the outside.

The 48 hour Paris Museum Pass covers some of your sites, but you probably aren't going to enough covered sites to save money. And the Louvre limits how many passholder tickets are available in each time slot and those get filled quickly while there are still tickets to buy.

Posted by
359 posts

Just want to add that I agree with the poster who said it is best not to schedule anything else on the day you visit Versailles. After Versailles we were wiped out. I mean WIPED. It is BIG and when you are done you will not have any energy for anything else, except maybe a nice dinner.

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