Hi All,
Our* Must See List in Paris is:
We will be sprinkling in the RS Walks in various areas as we are there.
Given the Must See List above - how many days do you prescribe to avoid "forced marches"?
*Two Adults, two teens (50s, 17 and 13)
You don't really have much on your "must do" list. You are nicer to your teenagers, then I was when we took them to Paris, and probably went too full throttle, but had a blast! I really only see 3-4 days with your must do, for a very slow pace, but there are sooooo many things to do in Paris. My then 17 year old's favorite thing was drinking wine with dinner.
Be sure and get your tix for Versailles, St Chapelle, and the Eiffel Tower in advance.
KD - I'm hearing you on the wine with dinner!
I've been to Paris, my husband doesn't have a preference and my 13 year old will see anything, so this list is primarily my 17 year old's. The exception is Rodin Museum and Marie Curie Museum!
We have 7 nights and 7 days, so I wanted to see how much filler we had (and then decide if we want to increase the pace!). In the past I have been a task master...so working on that.
Versailles and your market/cooking class plans are each the better part of a day, so there’re two days right there. Are you planning on going up the Eiffel Tower and getting long-distance views, or seeing it from the ground? Lingering at the Rodin Museum, or glancing at one statue and then on to the next?
If you’re figuring on slooow travel in Paris, I can see 5 days for your must-sees. If you’re thinking simply slow, then 4 is still about right. Are you staying on the Left Bank side, where Luxembourg Gardens can be part of a close-by stroll on one or more days/evenings?
OK, melT, I saw your first reply after I’d finished my first response. It looks like you could have a little extra available time, and aren’t looking at a forced march at this point. If you want to include something extra, what about the Cluny museum? Not huge, and the medieval collection is really wonderful.
With your 17 year old into museums, I do have to say our entire family thoroughly enjoyed the Musee de L'Orangerie. Small, doesn't take a lot of time, but get to see Monet water lily murals as well as other well known artists along the hallways. Very initimate museum in Tuileries Gardens.
I was going to say 7 days to fit those all in comfortably - and you say that's what you have, so that is what I would stick with.
You also need time for wandering, getting lost, sitting and resting, finding food, etc etc etc, not to mention getting to and from all these places.
meIT,
If you aren't planning on ascending the Eiffel Tower, you can see the first three places on the list, plus one more, easily in a day. In 2017 we were 5 adults, from 65-74 years old, and we got off the metro near the Eiffel Tower, approached it, walked around it and admired it, strolled to the Invalides and spent about 1 1/2 hours there (I like the suits of armor there), visited Napioleon's Tomb and spent about an hour there. We walked to the Rodin Museum (one of my favorite museums!) and visited there for about 2 hours (including the gardens). Within that time we had lunch from the cafe at the Rodin Museum. All these places are within walking distance from each other, and make for a nice way to spend one day without rushing. You could still walk to the river and stroll along the quai if you aren't tired. I seem to recall that we walked over the Pont Alexandre III that day as well. We didn't feel rushed.
Just fyi, I am not a walker or hiker, and am not in great shape, but the places were situated near enough to each other to not feel like a "forced March". We stayed long enough at each place to enjoy it and just sit, if we so wished.
Versailles will use up most of a day, but upon return you could take a vedette de Pont Neuf for a cruise along the Seine. Cheap, narrated, a chance to get off your feet for an hour or so, and a chance to see some other Paris sights from the river. I don't know the Marie Curie Museum, but if close enough
to your other "must-sees", and perhaps with a needed metro ride between them, you could probably do three in a day if you get a decent enough start (8-9 a.m. out of the hotel). St. Chapelle could be 1-2 hours. I haven't been to the catacombs, but I believe they need a reservation. Am I mistaken in thinking that they are near the Luxembourg Gardens? Of course, the gardens are not small.
I hope this gives you a sense of what can be done in a day, at least regarding some of your priorities.
Bonne chance et bon voyage!
meIT,
I hope you have seven days, so you can, as Kim said, wander, relax, sit at a cafe, enjoy a yummy lunch, be surprised by a charming street you turned into by accident, have a crepe bought from a street vendor, and revel in being in Paris!
Then you can spread out your "must-sees" and discover some of the other wonders of Paris, large and small.
You all have stellar inputs and advice! This is perfect - just what I needed!!
I'll start with this as my baseline for the 7 days and we can add as we feel energy and desire to do so (Cluny IS on my list if have time), or not. There's also "little" sites along the way we could pop into, such as the Pantheon (which is near the Marie Curie Museum and Luxembourg Gardens).
We are planning to go up the Eiffel Tower, but planning for going at the least busy time.
I had figured we could get in an evening boat ride.
We are staying between 6e and 7e - so not too far from the Luxembourg Gardens, so the location makes our main sites easy.
Thanks again!
When I am planning a trip that involves others, I use this approach.
First, I compile a list from everyone that includes their BIG ASK items. These are sites or experiences that they would be upset about if they didn't see/do them. I prioritize these.
Secondly, I compile a list of SMALL ASK items.
Thirdly, I focus on arranging one activity in the morning and one activity in the afternoon. These are mostly set in stone and we don't usually vary from these activities. They are chosen based on importance and arranged according to location.
Fourth, I plan for one extra activity for both the morning and the afternoon. These include small ask activities and ones that I think everyone might enjoy. They are placed into the days according to location.
Fifth, I have a list of other activities that I am familiar with including cost, location, hours.
While on the trip, we go about the plan I have set up in phase 3. Along the way, depending on energy levels I will offer the secondary and tertiary level activities. They are listed in my journal and always in my day bag.
This offers us a lot of flexibility, but with structure underneath. My travel companion feels like they had a full, but not to full, and a seemingly spontaneous trip because there were lots of great things to do and see, they weren't overwhelmed with must do activities and they didn't have to plan and research anything (unless they wanted to). I enjoy the planning so it works out well for me also.
Enjoy your trip!
We just came from the Curie Museum and it's very small, maybe takes an hour. We were at the catacombs a couple of days ago, and we were there about 3 hours. Although it's easy to get around via metro, train, or bus, everything depends on where you are staying and if you're here on a weekend.
I spent 10 days in Paris in 2022 and didn't see everything that I wanted to see! Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of slow travel and that is what I was shooting for but what I did may have actually been a forced march. There is just so much to see and do.
meIT,
You are smart to leave open time for last-minute decisions. And assume you will return. I didn't get to visit St. Sulpice church, St. Denis Basilica, or the Cluny Museum until my 7th time in Paris. Yet all my earlier visits were filled with great sights, activities, revisits (always the Rodin Museum!), and downtimes. The only guide I generally use, after planning my must-see things, is to group things geographically if possible, so as to encounter the unexpected while walking from one to the other.
Have a wonderful stay in what I consider to be not only the capital of France, but the capital of Europe!
P.S. If you are wandering on the right bank, close together are the Opera Garnier (beautiful!) and the Galeries Lafayette department store and Printemps department store. Just a thought.
Judy - yes, the geographic organization is something I've learned to do (and I'm using Wanderlog for the planning which makes it SUPER easy) and works well, especially if I can add walk-bys.
vandrabrud - I love your approach, thanks for sharing it! Is your "one" in the am and one in the pm based on a general idea of a 2-3 hour site/activity? Or just one in each and then fill in with the small? I ask because I know some of these sites may not take very long, even if we're slow.
Sue - thanks for the input on the Marie Curie Museum. I had read it was small, so figured grouping it with Pantheon would work well.
Cerastez - thanks for sharing your itinerary! Mon 10/3 looks like a forced march, but I could see how many of those were walk-bys (squares, streets, parks and cemeteries) that you can see as you're going from one destination to another, and some short sights. Looks like a lot, but maybe it wasn't. How did you feel in the evening? And I'm super impressed by your break/catch up day! That takes willpower!
Oh, and KD - I am considering skipping Versailles (been there, done that), letting my husband and kids go and doing a Solo Monet Day - where I go to Giverny and L'Orangerie on my own. I think I'm going to need a break from the "directing" anyway!
melT, giving yourself the gift of luxury time, maybe seeing Giverny and l'Orangerie and skipping Versailles is DELUXE. I've been to Versailles twice, and last time with our teens. It was so packed if you wanted to fall down, you wouldn't be able to. It just was not very pleasant. We will be back in Paris as empty nesters next month, and I can't believe how relaxed I feel knowing we will do what we can, or don't do what we don't want to, and also not worry about it. This time I'm not trying to keep so many people organized! Loved those family days, but relishing these days too! And I'm getting myself to Rue Cler no matter what else happens.
Cerastez, thanks for sharing your itinerary. I might use it for a few ideas! Merci!
