RS Best of Paris in 7 days - considering what additional activities to do

Hello! My adult daughter and I are hoping to do this trip next April as well and want to plan some extra activities. I am interested to see your replies. Which week have you booked? We are considering March 30- April 6th. We’ve had 3 days there together several years ago and did a couple of bike tours which were fantastic. We also would like to do a food tour.
Happy planning!
Janet

Fontainebleau is a beautiful chateau and not crowded like Versailles. I really enjoyed my visit there much more than Versailles. But it does that a while to get there and involves a few transfers. First you have to take the metro or taxi to Gare de Lyon train station in Paris. Then at Gare de Lyon you will take the train towards Montargis, Montereau, or Laroche-Migennes and get off at the Fontainebleau-Avon station. From there, you will take the #1 bus heading towards Les Lilas and get off at the the Château stop. If you are not comofortable with public transportation, the chateau's website recommends "PARISCityVISION organises tours of the Fontainebleau and Vaux-le-Vicomte castles from Paris, departing from the agency located at 2 rue des Pyramides 75001 Paris." I looked it and the duration is 9 hours, which means you probably can't doing during any of the tour days. But you can try it on one of the days you will be in Paris pre-tour.

https://www.pariscityvision.com/fr/paris/environs/chateau-de-fontainebleau

I would definitely do the Fountainbleau day on a non-tour day, maybe on the Saturday before the tour starts. TBH, the Paris City Vision tour looks pretty easy - both Fountainbleau AND Vaux le Vicomte.

This is going to be SUCH a wonderful time for you two! I loved the Best of Paris tour. Mine did not stay at the Hotel Londres Eiffel which I am guessing is where yours is staying. I love that area and over to Rue Cler. The real downside is it taught me so much about Paris that I fell in love and just can't visit enough,lol!!

Are you interested in Art Nouveau architecture? Something to do the arrival afternoon if this sounds like fun, is to see some of the buildings right in that hotel neighborhood.

https://www.parisperfect.com/blog/2011/03/art-nouveau-7th-arrondissement/
http://parisadele.com/portfolio/lavirotte-building-and-square-rapp/?fbclid=IwAR0ewCFJJSQ-dsJpEx6Ax4gVPAx9adU-k00kFVJLAhHRTngXax8Tb3R7n6Q

And here is a Cory Frye youtube video that starts at the Lavriotte Building on Avenue Rapp. If you watch this walking tour, when at 9:50 there is a street going off to the right, your hotel is the first on the left. You can't quite see it with his camera work. Just gives you an idea of the neighborhood!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAY8vsAbpFs

I loved Giverny (though I went there in September when the flowers were full on), and I think having seen that made the water lilies more meaningful for my 12yoa son when I took him to the Orangerie later. When we went, there was a joint admission ticket (you don't have to use both tickets on the same day). Giverny is an easy day trip that loads of people do and probably also available as an organized bus tour. Orangerie is a short visit.
In regard to getting around, I encourage you to enlist your daughter's help with directions and transfers. Make that phone useful for once, eh? Especially for Napoleon-related places that you might not otherwise take an interest in.

pbscd,
If Giverny is open, I would definitely go there. April should have lots of tulips in bloom. In my opinion spring has the most impressive flower show. It can be a slightly -over half day trip by train, and on return the Orangerie would match well with Giverny.
The Rodin Museum is one of my favorites (I go there every time I visit Paris). It, the Invalides and the Eiffel Tower are close enough to group them together for a day's excursion. (This does not include going up the Tower, just around the base, the Champs de Mars, etc.)...Eiffel Tower, then the Invalides, then the Rodin Museum, with lunch at the cafe there (good food, good prices, fits well time-wise after the Tower, Invalides, and before a good hour at the Musee Rodin. You would still have the latter part of the afternoon to walk or take a metro to other sights you have mentioned not covered by the tour. If you get a reservation to go up the Eiffel Tower, try to make it fit as the first thing you do, or later in the afternoon after the other two things. This is just to avoid backtracking. And this may limit your opportunity to see something else that day. (As if those three things weren't enough!!!)
Sundays at, I believe, 11:00 a.m. is when you could attend a mass at St.Sulpice to hear the organ, and most times, there will be organ music the hour before mass as well, so that gives you time before your meeting for a visit to one or two of the other places you mentioned before your meeting.
I hope you have a wonderful trip. The hard part is narrowing things down to see. What a problem to have! Bon voyage!

I apologize that I don't know how to multi-quote, and I was away for a few days but I do appreciate all of the comments and help here!

We booked the tour for April 6-12. My daughter actually doesn't have a phone, and I need to contact RS to see how we will do the tour at the Louvre because it says tour on smartphone. I have one, she doesn't.

Oh I love love love the idea of hiring a tour company to take us from Paris. I am so intimidated by multiple stops and transfers.

I may need to further extend our trip/ arrive a day earlier. We haven't purchased airplane tickets yet, it was just the general idea that we'd leave the US on Wednesday so that we could adjust and have some extra fun and time to explore. She and I did a tour of Italy this year and I was amazed at how exhausted I was for our welcome dinner but the truth is, we flew in that morning and didn't sleep a moment on the airplane.
Yes, Hotel Londres Eiffel is where we were told we're staying.
Thank you for the Art Noveau idea!

Maybe of minor point, but is it complicated to get to the Arc de Triomphe? I saw on a video advice to not use the roundabout, that would be deadly (I believe that's a busy area for cars) and we need to walk down somewhere then we turn up on the other side able to see it? Also, do you think we'll have decent success in finding other tour members who want to do some afternoon non-scheduled activities with us? I'm fine with being on our own, too, but sometimes it's nice having more people to help reassure that we're in the right spot, you know?

is it possible I would connect with other people on our tour and we'd do some of these things together?

If you ask around for people who want to go to some site and then head your separate ways once there you might find more takers, although that means you'll still need to get back on your own. Many people want to visit at their own pace and it can be a bit uncomfortable to be with a couple who wants to look at a painting for 10 seconds and then move on if you want to gaze for a while, and vice versa.

Smartphones have been a game-changer for getting around. I remember the days of poring over the tiny print on a "Streetwise Paris" map and trying to figure out how to get somewhere. Now Google Maps or a bunch of other apps will tell you what bus or metro line(s) to take. Although I still like to look at the map to get a general sense of where I am and are trying to go. And as a last resort if you're really feeling flustered you could take a taxi back to the hotel.

We've been on 3 Rick Steves tours, and we always arrive a day or two early, and often stay a day or two later. You definitely can't count on others in your group to align with your independent plans, though it often happens organically within the tour setting, when people make a connection with others and they may say hey we are going here on our free time, would you like to join us. It happens but you can't count on it, and unlikely before or after the tour. There were probably 8 couples on our most recent tour to extended their stay by a couple of days and everyone of us had a different agenda.

The Rodin Museum is definitely something you can do on your own in your free time while on the tour. The gardens are absolutely delightful. We never made it inside the museum as we arrived late in the day, and just enjoyed the sculptures and gardens so much that we skipped inside.

We went to St Suplice before mass on a Sunday morning to listen to the organ. Quite impressive. You can definitely do that on the Sunday your tour begins. (Check their website for the schedule.) Then walk (5 min) before or after to Maison Mulot for a delicious pastry.

The G7 official Paris taxi app is the best thing you can do for yourself. Easy, user friendly and always have a way to get a taxi right where you are.

Definitely easy and fun to do the Arc de T. Yes there is an underground pedestrian way to cross the craziness. I still remember being on top with my daughter watching all the traffic many years ago. Going to see Napoleon’s tomb would be easy and close to do as well. Paris is walkable but you’ll learn how to use the metro on the tour, you’ll get a pass and before you know it you’ll figure it out. Have a great trip! And, READ the RS Paris guidebook, full of practical how to info.

Oh yes, if you can go another day earlier, I'd do so! There is SO MUCH to see and do in Paris, the more time the better.

On the Louvre...I guess that means no tour guide if they are having you use the RS audio tour of the Louvre. There are audio guides available from the Louvre. Let me check to see if you can reserve/pay for them without purchasing a ticket. The Louvre ticketing website is currently giving me fits...so remind me next February, hahaha!! I will be there in October so will try to check then in person as well.

Sometimes, if you are feeling anxious about a particular slightly complex transit route, it's just easier to pay someone to take you there, as in the Fountainbleau City Visions tour. For Giverny, this one really is easy and yes, you can do it on your own. After you take the train to Vernon, you get off and there are buses waiting to shuttle you to Giverny. They are painted with Impressionist water lilies so are easy to notice PLUS the herd from the train will all be headed in that direction.

The time to see if anyone wants to go to a certain place with you is as you are all forming up for the day or at a meal. Once the guide sets you off on your own, everyone will disappear!

Definitely download the apps for CityMapper (getting around Paris) and the G7 taxis. IF you are pooped this is a good way to get back home. As soon as you get to Hotel Londres Eiffel, both of you tuck a business card from the front desk into your wallets/purses, etc. It's so easy if you are flagging down a taxi (yes, you can do this!) to just show them the address on the business card.

BTW, I used the app Timeshifter for jet lag last August after having the worst jet lag in my life in Spring 2023. I do not know what I did then to get my circadian rhythm SO screwed up that it too a week to get me unscrewed! Using Timeshifter I had no jet lag either going or coming back home. The first round trip is free.

Can you tell the whole forum is excited for you guys?

No, it's not complicated to get to the Arc de Triomphe. There is an underground tunnel so you won't have to cross any streets and deal with cars.

Watch this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buOobuqZ5RU

Thank you, all! We are excited! I asked my daughter this summer after we had recovered from Italy if there was anywhere she could go, where would it be. And she did not hesitate to say Paris. She loves art, history, and literature and we both got so much out of our Italy tour.

I will look into adjusting my circadian rhythm. Unfortunately we just couldn't sleep on the plane. Whenever I'd start to relax, the man behind me would (I'm sure accidentally) bump my seat enough to jar me fully awake.

I will get those city mapper and G7 apps. I do definitely plan to take a taxi to/from airport. I am wondering if it'd be most valuable to stay a couple of days later/save the more adventurous solo (duo) places for after we've gotten comfortable with the metro.

I bought the France guidebook and have been reading that. I love the idea of these day trips but it also looks like there are basically limitless things for us to enjoy inside of Paris as well.

"I am wondering if it'd be most valuable to stay a couple of days later/save the more adventurous solo (duo) places for after we've gotten comfortable with the metro."

This is a good plan as well because the RS guides work with their group members on Metro and RER (train to Versailles is an RER) skills...where to stand to not annoy Parisians, what to look for, how to navigate.

I'd still want to arrive a day or 2 early if you can and then if you can add extra time at the end, do so. IF you think that might be a possibility and want to stay at Londres Eiffel, go ahead and book a refundable rate. That way you've got your room locked in...it's easier to cancel than book later.

IF you want to change hotels afterward but be close enough to walk easily with your suitcases I'm happy to tell you the other hotels in the area I use.

My daughter actually doesn't have a phone, and I need to contact RS to see how we will do the tour at the Louvre because it says tour on smartphone. I have one, she doesn't.

I'm not sure about other smartphones, but if you both have Apple Beats Flex wireless headphones you can connect and listen to the same iphone. They're about $50 per set. They're rechargeable, might need recharging every three days or so depending on the hours of use you give them.

Since the RS tour doesn’t include Musee Marmottan or l’Orangerie, My favorites in Paris, I encourage you to visit them on your own.

Sorry for the very, very late reply but thank you for this additional advice.

I have booked the hotel beginning Tuesday, tour starts Sunday so that does give us multiple extra days.

I think we will do

• day trip to Monet's Gardens in Giverny potentially then Rouen then back to Paris, using the train.

-day trip to Vaux-le-Vicomte, and Fontainebleau using Paris City Vision (I think this is Friday) OR Chartres OR skip both of these in favor of another day to just be in Paris and spread other things I have as afternoon activities (non tour) spread out a bit more. I saw a recent comment that the Paris City Vision required a lot of time waiting on the tour bus and the forum member recommended skipping it.

• full day at the Louvre (in addition to the afternoon with group, this will give my daughter plenty of time. She can look at a picture for much longer than a typical tour guide would stop)
• Saturday is not fully planned , but maybe Napoleon's tomb and other touring at the Army Museum, and Rodin Sunday 11 a.m. organ concert and mass at St Sulpice

I found a Bach concert I would really love to see. It's on Wednesday evening of the tour week. We don't have a group dinner or anything after the Louvre that afternoon and it's 15 minutes' walk from the hotel. I believe the consensus is it's pretty safe to walk in Paris at night? If nothing else I could pay for a taxi? It starts at 7:30 and would be done late. Or is that foolish and exhausting the day before Versailles? I was a music major in college and my childhood piano teacher with whom I'm still friends said go while I have the chance, I can sleep later. I can wait longer, too, and see what other classical concerts come up. A lot of the places haven't published a schedule for anything next year.

Otherwise, I still plan to look at my Paris map and compare it with our planned tour group activities so I can use the afternoons on our own well (for when we're in area already).

Definitely do not miss an opportunity to attend a concert in Paris. I wasn't on a RS tour, but in a week last January I attended an Opera at the Palais Garnier AND a concert at the Eglise St. Germain des Pres. Both highlights of my trip.

Thank you, Tigerfan! I am looking at Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and Église Saint-Germain-des-Prés for concerts. I hope we can be alert that late in the evening! I wish there were a Saturday afternoon performance, but I see nothing of the sort.

Did you mention the Musee DOrsay.....fabulous. we did a dinner cruise along the Seine which was fabulous. Best day my son snd I had was just walking from the Eiffel tower along the river . We also loved the Pompidou Museum. Are you too old for a bike tour( I am but they look fun)

The cathedral in Chartres was, IMHO, just OK. When we were there there was a big funeral and it was raining buckets so maybe that affected my perception of the place. After Sainte-Chapelle and Notre Dame it just didn't do much for me. I prefer Fontainbleau. The D'Orsay is one of the best museums on the planet, a real don't-miss. The Rodin is interesting and worth the jaunt, the Arc de Triomphe is much cooler than I thought it would be - besides the views from the top there's a lot of interesting things to see on the inside. Giverny is OMG amazing wonderful fantastic. But if I were going to Paris again, I'd be sure to set aside at least half a day to do nothing. Maybe go to a market and pick up a picnic to enjoy on the Champs de Mars by the Eiffel Tower. Then wander around the streets shopping (or window shopping) and people watching. The Jardin des Plantes in the 5th and the Promenade plantée René-Dumont in the 12th are fantastic for "doing nothing."

Dianejay- our tour is going to the Seine River cruise one of the evenings, and D'Orsay as well, thank you for the ideas, though! We're not too old for bicycling - do they have helmets available? I was in a serious bike accident years ago and cracked my helmet in half so it's definitely not anything I'd do without. My in laws said that they enjoyed bicycling in France as well!

Thank you LADTM! I definitely want some "do nothing" time, and just enjoy walking around. I also don't want to start our tour extra exhausted from doing too much pre-tour! Thank you for sharing about Chartres. I think we're going to skip it, and more likely go to Rouen after Monet's gardens then back to Paris for the evening.

Hi,

RE: The daughter is "a big Napoleon fan" ....bravo !

As such it is absolutely necessary and more meaningful for her to visit Fontainebleau. I first saw the place on my second trip to Paris in August 1977. How about going there by train from Paris, then take the bus across street from the train station takes you to the front of the Chateau de Fontainebleau.

The Courtyard of Farewell is to the right of the stairs as you approach the horseshoe looking stairway, the site where Napoleon bade farewell to the Guard. At that momentous event 700-1,000 members of the Guard were present along with 4 Allied commissioners who would escort the Emperor into exile.

The Napoleon Museum is ca. 30 min. walk from the Chateau. I am sure her interest will be piqued on seeing the Napoleon section of the Les Invalides. I heartily recommend seeing that.

Check out the shop on the ground floor in Les Invalides for more items pertaining to Napoleon, books too in English as well as in French, even children's books.

part 2 here:

If you end up not having the time to see Fontainebleau, I would suggest seeing to be sure Les Invalides and the Tomb of Napoleon behind it, see also the row of paintings along the wall on the floor of the Tomb.

These paintings depict French military victories since the early Middle Ages and obviously those of Napoleon too. Obviously, a painting of Waterloo and Leipzig are not there.

https://www.bluefox.travel/paris/fontainebleau-vaux-le-vicomte-castles-day-trip

I am looking at this, since it's advertised on Fountainebleu website, and the meeting place in Paris is close to the Arc di Triomphe. And might not have the "stuck in traffic" problems that some people have complained of with the Paris City Vision tour.

We could do this on Wednesday, after arriving Tuesday. Thursday Louvre, Friday Monet's Gardens, Saturday a lower-key day within Paris (more relaxed) before our tour starts. I think we will do the chateux because that's one reason I made our arrival earlier (extra 5 nights vs just a couple), I was just second-guessing and not wanting to wear ourselves out.

Yes, she loves Napoleon! And art. I think this will be a great trip for us.

If you do Chartres, I would spend the night so you could see the illuminations; it is really worth it and there is no train that lets you see them in April and then get back to Paris that same night.

In Paris I would do Eternelle Notre Dame a VR experience where you walk around Paris in the 12th century as Notre Dame is being built. Reserve on line -- located underground near Notre Dame.

I would choose Vaux le Vicomte over Fountainbleau but both are nice day trips. The gardens are especially amazing; by same designer as Versailles.
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/vaux-le-vicomte-our-last-chateau/

If Basilica St. Denis is not in your tour then I'd definitely add that. The tombs of the French Kings preserved when the kings themselves were being disinterred and trashed during the Revolution. https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2010/10/26/confronting-mortality-at-st-denis/

Janet, I have read some of your blog posts! I don't anticipate that we'll spend a night away from Paris (in Chartres or otherwise) since I've already booked our hotel for 12 nights in Paris including the RS tour.

Is Eternelle Notre Dame something that will be interesting and open even after Notre Dame opens? I guess I had it in my mind that it was something people were visitng while the cathedral was closed.

Thank you for sharing about St Denis! It looks interesting.

Best of Paris in 2015 was our first and perhaps favorite Rick Steves tour (they’ve all been great). When people ask where my wife and I would like to return to, we always end up saying Paris. And so we’re returning in April. We won’t be on your tour but our paths may cross because we’re staying at the same hotel (yes, because we loved it) April 2-4. We leave April 5 on Eurostar for the RS Belgium-Holland tour (our fifth) beginning that afternoon. Perhaps we can say bonjour to each other in Paris.

Hi,

Good that you looked at the website. You see on the Fontainebleau website how much historical material is offered on Napoleon, lots of it by way of exhibitions, plus the the desk where he signed his first abdication.

It's a pity that you're pressed for time and won't be able to go to Troyes, ie Paris to Troyes, from where the bus deport 2 mins from the train station, has a bus going out to Brienne-le-Chateau.

The expanded, refurbished, updated Napoleon Museum is there. The little town's main attraction. (I had to ask for directions twice, and the locals knew the place). enthusiastically recommend to me by the girl in the Troyes Tourist Office. She's absolutely right.

Your daughter would be simply fascinated by that museum, two spacious floors devoted to Napoleon.

stoutfella - thank you for sharing that! I am so glad that you and your wife enjoyed this tour, that is encouraging to me! That would be fun to run into each other in April. I hope you and your wife have a wonderful tour.

Fred - thank you. There are just so many things to see, and I'm accepting that there were be a lot we don't get to. 12 nights in one city is pretty good for us, so I'm thankful for that.

Not sure what's covered on your tour, but you and your daughter might like Musée Carnavalet and the Victor Hugo house museum (this doesn't take long--it's small). I also agree with the person who suggested the Basilica of Saint-Denis. And if you have some free time near the Pantheon, Saint-Étienne-du-Mont is very beautiful.

Thank you Elena. We're reading Les Miserables this year and I do have the Victor Hugo house circled on my map. We'll be very near there one of the tour days. I plan on visiting the Pantheon on Sunday (before our tour starts that afternoon).