Sunday in Paris

Hi Mike!

Oh gosh, I don't think you'd have any problem finding some fun things to do, and I'm not even sure ALL of the museums will be mobbed. I might have suggested the excellent Musée de Cluny, which wasn't busy at all the weekday we went, but I see it's closed for renovation until July. I also don't know which of the museums you're planning to visit on other days?

Maybe an off-the-wall suggestion but we found the big cemeteries of Paris fascinating, and they were very good spots for escaping the masses. Two we especially enjoyed were Montmartre, near the Sacré-Cœur, and Père-Lachaise.

http://www.pariscemeteries.com/montmartre-1/
http://www.pariscemeteries.com/pere-lachaise/

Lots of really interesting architecture and sculpture as well as some engaging bits of history. For instance, do a bit of reading about Abelard and Héloïse (Pére Lachaise, although if they're really there at all is a mystery). Google up some pictures of both cemeteries and bring the camera!

Kathy, thank you. I like that idea. It's not that museums will be off-limits to us Sunday, but we would like to take a day or two and avoid the really congested areas like the Louvre or Versailles. You know, just stroll around and people watch.

Our first full day in Paris a few years ago was a Sunday. Before attending services at St. Sulpice (famous organ), we strolled through the open-air flower and bird market on Isle de Cite' (altho the caged birds made my wife sad.) Then a few hours enjoying Place des Vosges and the Marais including lunch. Time flew by. A picnic lunch on the lawn at Place/Vosges sounds like a good idea. The Paris experts may suggest nearby carry-out options.

That would put you near Père Lachaise Cemetery if that's of interest. Also open on Sunday.

Head for a market street or market and stock up for a picnic and then wander down the Promenade Plantee and picnic along the way.

You might consider a Paris Walks walk. Sundays they usually have the very good Paris during the Occupation if you have an interest in WWII.

www.paris-walks.com

You could also consider Jardin des Plantes altho there are some of the sections that have an admission fee on the weekends whereas they do not during weekdays.

I’m a scheduler, but not down to the minute. In Paris with the museum closure days I want to make sure I’m hitting the ones of interest on the correct days.I at least want a plan for the day.

If I am with others it eliminates the What should we do today/ I don’t care what would you like to do discussion at breakfast.

If I’m alone, sometimes I can feel a little introverted and a plan helps me out the door. For either it doesn’t matter if the plan changes during the day, just need the framework/direction to start.

You're welcome, Mike, and I do understand about escaping the masses around the Top 10. That's exactly why we enjoyed a different sort of congestion amongst the Dearly Departed in the cemeteries. While their numbers are many, they are very quiet!

Favorite moment: a sweet little man who was feeding a few resident cats in Père Lachaise took my arm and led me to the resting place of Marcel Marceau. He spoke no English and I speak no French but we shared our mutual delight and appreciation - appropriately in sign language! - for France's famous mime.

Ah, Paris... You will have a wonderful time whatever you choose for your free Sunday!

You should go to the Auguste Blanqui market - it's not crowded at all. About 9h30 AM to about 1h00 PM.
Then go have a picnic.

Spend the afternoon at Parc des Buttes Chaumont. There is a patisserie nearby the gate that sells drinks and sandwiches as well as sweets. We found the menu to be better than what was offered inside the park. You could pair this with a visit to Pere Lachaise as they are close by each other, relatively speaking. Or visit St. Denis Basilica. Easy peasy to get to and knock out stained glass and tombs.

You could go to a museum that is always free, or never free. Most of the museum goers that day will be at the free first Sunday museums, right?

Paris Walks gets a vote from me. I've done that on Sunday. On our last trip, I got up early and took a quiet walk around the Latin Quarter. (The takeout wrappers, wine bottles, and vomit on the sidewalk next to the School of Philosophy made me laugh.) Later we went to the Bastille Market, then sat on a bench in the Place des Vosges with a bottle of wine.

Many thanks for the excellent ideas. We're going to walk, picnic and shop a bit. Check out places off the main tourist must-do sites.

The museums will be crowded, because its "les vacances de Paques".
Don't say I didn't warn you...