Prioritizing Paris experiences

Ruth, aren't you there for 5 nights? You only have 4 things listed. Personally, I'd pick just one concert, and that would depend on the music planned for that night. But if I could only visit St Chapelle once, it wouldn't be in the evening, since the stained glass is best seen with daylight shining on them.

CJean—yes, we will have 5 nights. But the first night we’ll be exhausted. On our previous 2 overseas trips (Rome, Dublin), we’ve arrived early via red eye flight, dropped our luggage at our hotel, had coffee, and walked walked walked — to combat jet lag and begin to orient ourselves. We’ve also visited a couple of less popular sights where advance reservations aren’t required, which gives us flexibility in case our flight is delayed, etc. On both trips we had a great first day, and on both trips we were exhausted by dinner time. Early to bed, up the next morning bright and early with no more jet lag.
I have friends from college who are currently living in Paris, and we are hoping to spend one late afternoon and evening with them. We’re looking forward to visiting a real apartment and going out to eat somewhere off the tourist track. So that takes up a second evening….leaving us with 3. And it’s likely that our afternoon activities on one of the three days would not enable us to get to any of the evening events with enough time to beat the crowds for good seats, upper deck of the boat etc. I feel pretty confident we’ll be able to do 2 events, but not all 3.

I would choose a concert at Notre Dame mainly because they are a bit rarer than the concerts at Sainte-Chapelle. However, with your Passion pass you may be able to get greatly discounted tickets for Sainte-Chapelle.l concerts

If you've never been to Sainte-Chapelle, I would prioritize a day visit with the sun streaming through the beautiful windows. I did attend an evening concert last April. While beautiful with the "candle lit" setting, the hour concert was the typical Vivaldi 4 Seasons. You will NOT have an opportunity to walk around the chapel to study the windows.

You should be able to combine the Arc de Triomphe lighting with the 9:15 pm Seine cruise.

I could go a lifetime without hearing the 4 seasons again and that is usually what they are playing at St. Chapelle -- I'd plan to visit there at the time of day the sun is still streaming through the windows -- it is all about the windows. And go to the concert at Notre Dame.

Other than that -- what is your dream of Paris -- I would not personally go to a ceremonial lighting thing but if you want to, why not. Heck I got up at the crack of dawn to be at the course where the annual waiters race in central Paris ran last September -- choose what appeals most to you.

Less is more. Give yourself time to relax and enjoy and don't go to the same place twice when you only have 4 full days.

Another vote against the St. Chapelle "concert." It is more of a tourist show with cheap theatrics. Don't get me wrong, the actual musicians are talented. But there are so many silly things going on like dramatic entrances, stealing each others' music stands, people applauding between movements, etc. If you are at all serious about music, I'd skip their concert but just do a visit instead. Find some place where they prioritize the music rather than the tourist show for a good concert.

Ceremony lighting of the flame/Unknown Soldier (6:30 pm) at Arc de Triomphe

I didn't know this was done. I will definitely see this on my next trip to Paris.

Thanks!

-- Mike Beebe

Well, PharmerPhil, obviously attended a different performance at Sainte-Chapelle than I did. There were no theatrics or silliness at the concert I enjoyed last spring.

Still, a daytime visit to Sainte-Chapelle should be the priority.

Thanks so much everyone—super helpful and I think I’ll remove St Chapelle concert from the list!