Another Paris Itinerary

haha Steve, can you point out where it is particularly ambitious? I want to prioritize so I know where I can stop and relax when I see something I like and where I want to make sure I don't miss something.

I am young, but my mom is 50 (a very young 50, but still, I want her to enjoy herself and not be passed out by the end of the day)

Is there any way I can reorganize to make it better?

Jesse

You just set off an alarm bell. Looked at Bateaux Parisiens (which I'd never heard of, but suspected what was) -- you list eight euros, they say eighty-two. Ouch!!! Consider the Batoubus (hop on'off boat) instead. No narration, no grub, same sights. Cost is ten or fifteen euros for an all day ticket -- ride it during day as transportation and again at night to relax. You can buy a lot of food for the difference. I've done one dinner cruise in a zillion trips and was underwhelmed by the food -- it's been so long that I don't remember the outfit.

After Versailles, you might be too pooped for the d'Orsay -- also check closing times in case you run late.

I wouldn't bother going to the top of the Arc, but I'd start the walk of the Champs from there. As an alternative, go to the top of the Eiffel Tower at night instead of the dinner cruise and eat afterwards.

I am a 50ish woman, and I always find Paris very "walkable". So, I think your day 3 and 4 look pretty good. I might just plan on having a drink at a cafe outside the Pompidou and enjoy the fountain and people watch, rather than trying to do a tour.

I also agree that Versailles and the Orsay are a bit ambitious for one day.

I am not familiar with the Bateau Parisien, either. I have taken the Bateau Mouches tour on two occasions and have enjoyed it. It's inexpensive and about 1 1/2 hours, so not a huge time committment.

Have a great time!

Ed, I doubled checked my RS Paris book.. he listed Bateaux Parisiens as €11 for the cruise, and when I was originally planning I thought I remembered looking it up online to double check (although now I'm not sure where I ever got €8 from?!). I will have to look in to that again, thanks for pointing it out!

Hi Jesse,

Here are some thoughts!

For Saturday, I'd delete the Orsay Museum as it closes at 6:00 p.m. If it's a nice evening, I'd consider doing some of your Sunday a.m. walk then. Possibly Notre Dame (which is beautiful at night), Ile Saint Louis, Ile de la Cite with dinner either in the Latin Quarter or on Ile Saint Louis.

Sunday a.m. I'd go to the Orsay and then Sainte-Chapelle. I really liked climbing the Arc de Triomphe. The view at dusk and into evening is really nice.

It looks like a great plan!
Have fun in Paris.
Sharon

So after a lot of pondering, I'm thinking about deleting Versailles to allow more time in the city. As much as I thought that would be wonderful, I think being able to see Paris at a slower pace might be nice. Does anything think this is a particularly great or horrible idea?

Hi Jesse,

For your first trip I think that's a good decision. Paris is so wonderful that I like the idea of spending more time in the city on this trip--you can go to Versailles next time!! Have a great trip!

Versailles would have been the first place I would have suggested you trash. Just too many people think you have to see it. I dislike it so much that, when traveling with others, I wander down into the village and poke around until they're done.

Jesse - We're traveling to Paris in April and arriving via London at about the same time you are. We have 4 full days, but even with that I still nixed Versailles...even though it is somewhere I would love to see, I am traveling with 4 adults (40ish) and 4 kids rangin from 10-16, so I slowed it down quite a bit to fit in the city itself.

Versailles is just going to have to wait till our next trip. From the advice I've gotten here and from friends who have visited it sounds like a good idea.

Enjoy your trip!

UPDATED ITINERARY:

I'm very excited about this new one, let me know what you all think!

Arrive 17:26 - Friday

•Take Metro line 4 (direction: Porte d'Orleans) from Gare du Nord to Strasbourg St. Denis.
•Transfer to Metro line 8 (direction: Balard) and take it to Ecole Militaire.

Check in to Hotel du Champs de Mars
18:45 Rue Cler Walk (if not too tired)
Watch the Tour Eiffel from Champs de Mars
Seine Cruise – Bateaux Parisiens €11/person until 22:30

Day 1 - Sat
Morning – Historic Paris Walk (4 hours)
Featuring Ile de la Cite, Notre Dame, Latin

Quarter, and Sainte-Chapelle
Afternoon – Left Bank walk and relax in Luxembourg Gardens
Evening/Dinner – Monmartre Walk
Including Sacre’-Coeur Basilica (DINNER RECOMMENDATION?)
After dinner – Trocadero

Day 2 – Sun
Morning – Champs-Elysees Walk to Tuileries Garden (3 hours)
Lunch – Picnic in Tuileries?
Afternoon – Orsay Museum
Evening – Climb Arc de Triomphe

Day 3 - Mon
Morning – Marais walk (3 hours)
Including Pompidou Center Tour or sit
outside and watch fountains
Afternoon – Re visit somewhere we really liked, shop, etc.
Before going to train station – Trocadéro scene
Paris to Milan – night train

Originally I was going to get a museum pass, but now that we aren't doing Versailles and were never doing the Louvre, is it worth it? Opinions?

Hi Jesse,

Here are some further suggestions:

1. For Saturday morning include Ile Saint Louis in your walking tour--it's very near where you'll be.

2. I suggest going to the Orsay first thing in the morning rather than the afternoon as it will usually be less crowded.

3. The cost of the Museum Pass is 32 Euro. If you plan for Sainte-Chapelle (8 Euro), climb Arc de Triomphe (9 Euro), Pompidou Center (12 Euro), and the Orsay (8 Euro) it would pay off. You might also decide to use it for other things as well once you have it (Notre Dame tour, Rodin Museum, etc.)

You have a good plan! Enjoy!

Substitute Louvre for Verailles. You might be able to do both Louvre and Orsey in the same day if you don't expect to see every gallery.