2 Paris Suggestions

Paris or anywhere elseget in hand every ticket you can be it museum passes, train tickets, metro passes, 2for1 deals, rental car contracts, ceremony of the keys in London, Eurostar tickets, or anything else. Get trip insurance in case Aunt Tillie conks out and you can't go. A good umbrella is so easy to pack. Waterproofing your shoes before you leave is so smart. Get a Michelin map if you are driving plus a GPS you KNOW HOW TO USE long before you pick up your rental car. Expect cold weather even in June across Europe and ALWAYS pack or wear a jacket and a hat. Way to many folks think they it will never rain on them, they will never get lost in the countryside at night, a tire will never dare to go flat, all of Paris should kowtow to THEIR whims and these are the people that usually have vacations from Hell. Experienced travelers pack light, expect bad weather and plan for it, and when it turns out to be perfect weatherperfect!! Traveling is a learning experience.

Another good approach to getting the museum pass is to simply buy it at one of the less-visited museums. My wife and I have been to Paris together four times in the spring and fall, and three times it has rained - sometimes as you described. I always take a good raincoat along with an umbrella, but at some point no amount of rain protection is adequate. Waterproofing the shoes is a good idea that I never seem to remember to do.

Debra, wow. Thank you. I kept hoping the rain "would go away and come again another day" ... will need to remember to pack an umbrella. Don't know what I'll do about the shoes. Don't even know how to waterproof them and don't even know if such a thing exists where we live in this part of the world. All that rain does not sound very pleasant to say the least! Yuck. Thanks for the tip re: Museum Pass. Will remember to buy it at the station when we arrive.

when it rains it pours. go with it. i came out of the metro from isla sur la sorgue listening to ben folds version of "raindrops keep falling on my head." no sh_t. i had an umbrella but was soaked by the time i got to my hotel. i laughed and sang the whole way, with onlookers thinking i was nuts. they are right. have fun, be safe.

Debra: EXCELLENT suggestions. I always have a brelly in Paris, after an experience similar to yours. years ago. :o)

When it rains, remember that whatever "inside" activity that you had Plan Bd in case of rain... you werent the only ones to have though of it!
;-)

Sorry to hear about the rain. When we there for 12 days in May, we had a total of 1 and a half hours of rain. In fact, France was in a drought and were quite worried. As for the museum pass, we had no problems. We got our first one at the Tabac in the underground mall leading to the Louvre. The second one was at the Orangerie with no wait. You can also get them at the airport.

Your advice about the raingear is spot on it can really down pour there,, but I would never recommend people pay 15 dollars extra to buy a musuem pass, you simply forgot to pick it up at the airport or train stations, and they are available in so many museums that a little planning would have saved you that pain.

April and May were sunny and beautiful. In fact, there have been worries about another drought. June has been cold and wet. It's very hard to predict Paris weather due to it being so close to the north Atlantic. Thanks for your suggestions.

Orly and Orangerie had a combo ticket. I did not think they offered the "museum pass" per the ticket agent. The tower at Notre Dame did not offer it. I forgot where we finally found them. Per the message above, perhaps, we mis - understood. We had a private picnic in the park in front of the Eiffel tower, because the sky was black and there was a DOWN POUR. Everyone else must have thought we were nuts to sit thru the rain, but the light show still went on, and we have funny pictures of us soaked toughing it out! We had no choice, it rained everyday for 4 days straight!

I think Debra meant d'Orsay and not Orly.