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Hi...
We are getting closer to our arrival in Paris. Our first time. I really resonate with the saying...travel like you will go back.
We really only have 4 full days ..Mon -Thursday and part of Sunday.
Because we will come back and because we don't want to rush and push every moment and not enjoy down time...would just hitting the "biggies" be good for this time?
My "biggies" would be....
Notre Dam
Eiffel Tower
Louvre
Seine River night time cruise

What else would any of you suggest that would accomplish our goal?
Any other feelings about this? We are staying in Marais...FYI

Thanks!

Posted by
4132 posts

What else would any of you suggest that would accomplish our goal?

What is your goal?

PS Its good you don't feel pressured to cram too much in.

Is Monday your arrival day? Are you spending Thursday night or leaving on Thursday?

Posted by
2541 posts

The Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation is important in my opinion.

Posted by
2679 posts

Don't know what your travel party consists of or what your interests are but you likely have time for way more than this. You're missing a lot of basic sites and then tons of other cool ones as well. But what you should do depends on your particular interests. I assume you already have a guidebook?? I really like the RS guidebooks for choosing my sites. Sit down with it and make a list of about 12 things that interest you. Look them up on a map of Paris. Group them by 3 per day and try to hit your first 2 per day and then, if you have time for the 3rd one, squeeze it in. You'll likely then have time built in for random wandering between sites and some food/drink stops.

Look at the Paris Museum Pass too. It's free entry with purchase of the Pass into a ton of cool places...you could limit yourselves to mostly things on the pass and have a great trip.

Posted by
3551 posts

Your biggies sound vg. Louvre is huge, select in adv what portions u would like and include musee d'orsay impressionist collections if u are up for another museum. Adjacent to notre dame is the memorial to Holocaust, amazing and thought provoking. U will find that walking along from sight to sight is so enjoyable and a sidewalk cafe stop delightful.
Have fun.

Posted by
49 posts

We will have 4...2 over 50..,and 2 early 20's.
Varied interests...but I did just reserve a 3 hour Segway tour. We've done those in almost every city we visit in the world. We get in Sunday afternoon and that will be 5:30 - 8;30 our first evening. Kinda city overview.
We leave Paris for Nice Friday morning..,so we have 4 full days.
I got tickets at 1:00 pm Tues for the Eiffel Tower...but that's all I have scheduled.ive been devouring RS videos and guide book...but it can get so overwhelming.

Thanks for all your comments and suggestions!

Posted by
703 posts

Be sure and take time to visit one of Paris' beautiful gardens. My favorite is Luxembourg but Parc Monceau & Tuilleries are both very nice too. Musee de Orsay is a Must See, if you love the Impressionists like I do. Also Rodin Museum is very interesting. In the Marias, there is Place de Vosges and also Musee Carnavalet and the Picasso Museum. Going up to Sacre Coeur is wonderful too, just for the view of the city it affords. There is just so much to see in Paris. You definitely will return. I've been 3 times and already planning a return. Enjoy your trip.

Posted by
4132 posts

For museums, if you are seeking more, I'd add the Orsay and the Tuilleries.

For monuments, the Arc de Triomphe.

I would plan some walking tours, self guided, to fill gaps.

Not sure I get the point of the Seine at night, but i hope it is nice

Posted by
49 posts

Adam...I've read about the night cruise in the Seine a few places. You don't agree that it's cool?

I will add the Orsay...and the Luxumberg Garden for sure. The younger ones may want to do more...but for my husband and I...we may want to do more relaxing.

Posted by
689 posts

I vote for the Orsay (but my husband preferred the Louvre). The Pantheon was very interesting and QUIET -- seems off the beaten path but we really enjoyed that. From there we easily walked to the Luxembourg Gardens for an entertaining time watching children with sail boats and older adults playing Boules.

Posted by
5293 posts

Jkfiske,
We also enjoyed visiting the Orangerie Museum. It's a very small museum containing Monet's amazing panaromic paintings (Water Lillies) which I found to be very peaceful.

You may consider buying the Paris Museum Pass to allow you to skip the lines.

Don't miss visiting Sainte Chapelle which is a magnificent site!

Enjoy your trip!

Posted by
10603 posts

The Seine cruise at night is a very nice way to spend an evening. I would skip a dinner cruise. If you want to see the river during the day, you can take the batobus, which is a boat-bus with stops along both sides of the river. My first 3 trips to Paris we did a Seine cruise on our last night. There's no reason to book it from home. You can buy tickets the day you want to go.

Luxembourg Gardens are beautiful. Be sure to take some time to just enjoy being in Paris. Sit at a sidewalk cafe with the drink of your choice and people watch. You might want to look into the Paris Greeter program. A local volunteer takes you on a tour that you agree to ahead of time. It's free, though you can donate online to their program. I have utilized this program on my last 2 trips and plan to do it again in November. You apply online. http://www.greeters.paris/?lang=en

I hope you enjoy Paris, my favorite city. I can't wait to go back. It will be my 5th time. I've spent 4 weeks there so far, and there are still things I want to do. There's no such thing as too much time in Paris as far as I'm concerned!

Posted by
2296 posts

The Deportation Memorial is right near Notre Dame. And, if you've read "Sarah's Key," the Holocaust Museum is in the Marais.

Posted by
4088 posts

Another vote for d'Orsay, home to a great Impressionist collection and a far-from-shabby suite of Art Nouveau furniture. The former railway station is a sight in its own right. If you can catch a guided tour it will set you up for strolling on your own afterward. Otherwise rent the audio guide to enhance the viewing. http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/home.html
As an antidote to that venerable institution and the vast Louvre, the Pompidou is contemporary art's home, always worth a smile or too if nothing else, and the glass escalator ride to the top provides a great view of the centre of town. https://www.centrepompidou.fr/en/The-Centre-Pompidou