A day in Paris

Hi Gerald, If all you want is a taste of Paris and a chance to get a "panoramic" view of the sights, one full day is fine. Get the 2-day hop-on/hop-off bus ticket and you'll get a 1 1/2 day of photo ops. You'll even get a chance to walk around a bit, people watch and catch a bite in the neighbourhoods near the Notre-Dame Cathedral and/or the Opera.

No time is wasted in Paris. It is a beautiful city. Walk around, take the Siene river cruise at night, walk to Eiffel tower gaze at its beauty. Walk a park, walk Montmartre to Sacre Coeur. A great way to get over jet lag and see one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Yes it is worth it, assuming you will be going when it is warm enough to walk around. Paris is a beautiful city and one full day will leave you wanting to come back to spend more time in the future. The Eiffel tower is great just to see. There is nearly no line to walk up the stairs to the first level of the tower and at 200 feet it still gives a very good view of the city. You do not need to buy a ticket to get into the lower level arcade at the Louvre which gives a slight taste of things. Across the rue de Rivoli from the Louvre there is a building full of the most fantastic antique shops I have ever seen and I normally don't get excited about antique shops. See Notre Dame and don't miss St. Chapelle (It is worth the wait) all are near the Latin Quarter. We stayed in the Latin on the rue des Ecoles and walked. It is convenient to the RER train from the airport. There is a lot to see just walking around in the neighborhoods and although some people like to turn up their noses at the tourist restaurants on rue Harpe we had some very good meals there at what are very reasonable prices for Paris. Since the RER only takes 45 minutes to get to Terminal 2 at CDG your 2:00 PM flight is no problem. Don't forget to take some really good walking shoes!

Absolutely worth it. Paris is a great city to walk around and get the feel. A walk that includes Notre Dame (visit), the islands, St Chapelle (visit), walk along the seine, some time on Left bank, Concorde, walk through Tuileries gardens, Place Concorde, Along Champs Elysee, to the Arc. Metor to Montmartre, quicjk visit Sacre Couer, view Momtmartre steps, distant view Eiffel Tower. great way to spend a day. Any extra time, just follow your nose. I would stay in paris to get more of the feel. We like the Opera area, or possibly marais or even better the Islands. I cant see the appeal of rue Cler (too far) especially if time is limited. You can get up at a comfortable time the next morning, with time to do a short walk before leaving for the airport.
Museums- d'Orsay, but you probably wont have time

It is definitely worth it-if you don't step inside a museum or tourist sight, simply walking around Paris is a heady experience that you should not miss. The city is full of 3-5 story white buildings, beautifully crafted, and simply seeing the area all around the Seine is worth it. I agree with taking the hop on & hop off bus. There are two. the one I like is electric green and called L'OpenTour Paris. Here is a sight with a review and more information: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187147-d585912-Reviews-L_Open_Bus_Tour-Paris_Ile_de_France.html. I would not waste time in the lines to go up to the Eiffel Tower or to go up to the top of Notre Dame, just seeing them is amazing. The L'Open Tour bus stops at the Paris Opera House, and it is a breathtaking experience to go inside, you don't need a tour, and there is no line. There is also a Seine river hop on/hop off which hits most of the major sights: http://www.batobus.com/english/8escale.htm Enjoy!

PS You might want to look on Rick's other page from a fellow traveller who also had only 2 days in Parisfull trip report is here http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm/rurl/topic/59304/last-minute-paris-trip.html It may give you some ideas. SuzieeQQ

Hi - another Seattle-ite here! :o) And NO, you are NOT wasting your time just getting a taste of Paris in a day. Paris is extremely walkable, and depending on where you stay, you can just look at a good map and come up with a "circle tour" that walks you past all sorts of amazing stuff and back to your hotel. For funky/boutique Paris and what is left of the winding medieval street plan, check out le Marais. For modern flair and hustle, go to les Halles and the area around it. I adore St. Germain des Pres - just ramble along until you find a cafe (preferable one with no English-language menu) and pop in for an espresso at the bar (much more affordable than out on the street). Another plan would be to start at the Arc de Triomphe and walk down the Champs Elysses to the Place de la Concorde (imagine the guillotine in action during the Revolution - that's where it stood!), then through Concorde to the Tuilleries. (Just before entering, if there isn't a line, take a ride on the ferris wheel - you'll get nearly as awesome a view as from the Eiffel Tower, and not spend nearly the time!) Walk through the Tuilleries (Cafe Diane, at the farther end, is a good place for a strengthening hot dog {no, really - Paris style - so yummy} and a cafe creme) before you wander around the outside of the Louvre and head either to Rue de Rivoli for some shopping (take a left as you head toward the Louvre) or around the other side (take a right and cross the bridge a few blocks down) to go to Notre Dame. This is a HUGE amount of stuff, and it's all walkable in 2-3 hours, tops. Want to add in a museum? Start by checking out le Petit Palais, steps from the Champs Elysees. It's FREE, has a lovely collection of art, and I've never seen a line. You can do a fy-by in about an hour and still see some amazing things (like pottery by Gaugin! Who knew?)

Thank you all for your ideas. I'm sure we have a full and enjoyable day in Paris thanks to your suggestions. Gerry and Joy