Help with France, my first stop

Answering your 2nd question only: This is a matter of personal preference. You can save $190/person by doing the one day Battlebus tour, instead of two days, and spending the extra day in Paris. About 90% of the people reporting here have done the one day Battlebus tour. But the D-Day Beaches Afficionados who have done two days with Battlebus have reported they weren't disappointed.Here's some comments by people who have done Battlebus in the last year:click here 1click here 2click here 3

My husband and I did the 2 day American Experience tour and by the second day kept remarking how very happy we were that we were doing 2 days. That if we had only done one, we would have missed so very much. We want to go back and do the Canadian Experience and the British Experience tours too. These are extremely, high quality, fascinating tours, with never a boring moment, led by guides who are very passionate about telling this story. You will not regret the money you spend on this, and when you get back to the States, you will be telling all your friends about it and telling them to go too!

We took the train from Paris to Bayeux too. The town itself is lovely, as it did not get bombed in the war, so lots of beautiful old buildings and houses.

Thanks Kent, for your reply. There will be two people taking the tour. I know it will be cheaper to stay in Bayeux than Paris, so I will be thinking of that too.

I will definately book one of the tours, and I appreciate the link to read the reviews, it sounds like Battlebus is definately the most popular D-day tour company. I graduated from college in December, and my parents keep asking me what they can give me,and I've been thinking my parents could pay for some of my tours in Europe, and what a great present that I would always remember!

To answer your first question, it is possible so long as you do not have expectations for a lot of rest time. Ideally you want more (at LEAST one day more), but if you are limited for time it is possible, though hectic and you will see the minimum.

First off, do not bother trying to see all of the Louvre - three days would not be enough to see the whole thing. Give yourself a time limit there and focus on the main one or two things you want to see.

The Eiffel tower can have long lineups, so consider purchasing a ticket in advance. There is a reservation fee, but you will not have to spend two hours or more in line waiting to get up there.

Notre Dame probably will not take too much time from you, neither will the Arc. You may not want to go up the Arc as that can save time. Do not forget to stroll down the Champs d'Elysses from the Arc to Place de la Concorde.

For Versailles, I would recommend trying to go early. It is possible to purchase your ticket online for this one as well, but at minimum purchase it at the RER train station before you depart Paris. Do NOT wait until you get to Versailles to purchase the ticket as the lineup will be 10-20 times longer than at the RER station. At Versailles, you may need to cut out time walking through the immense gardens to fit the schedule.

Thank you for the help with Paris, I will have to go to Versaille on a Tuesday, since the Louvre is closed. Apparently it's very busy on Tuesday's, I've already been there but my husband hasn't, so we are trying to fit a lot in before we move on to our next destination. I can take a late train out on my last day to Bayeux, so it will really be 4 full days to see Paris. Good information to buy tickets to some of the sites early. Thanks

You might consider the Paris Museum pass, not just that it could save you money if you went to enough attractions during your time there, but it means that you stand in no lines and walk directly in to the D'Orsay, Louvre, Versailles and other attractions. We added things we hadn't expected to see such as the Guillotine Museum near Notre Dame since we were walking by... you may also just stop to see a special exhibit somewhere without worrying about paying full price for just a part of the museum or attraction. The D'Orsay line was three blocks long the day we visited. Bon Voyage. George Werner, Pittsburgh

We did the American Highlights? Battlebus Tour (1 day). It was extraordinary, and my husband really wants to go back to do the 2-day tour. I initially thought it was expensive, but it was well worth the money spent. I have insights into that part of WWII that I would never have gained otherwise. The guide really made it come alive for us.
I would plan on staying in the Bayeux area for 2 days. Bayeux is a lovely little town.

What you want to do is figure out how to bundle your Paris sights into an efficient itinerary. For instance, one day you might arrive at the Eiffel Tower as it opens, and when done buy picnic stuff (Rue Claire is handy) and hop the RER to Versailles. Eat lunch on the train, and you will have all afternoon to see what you like of Versailles.

That's just a for-instance--have a ball!

Thanks so much everyone, May is getting closer, and I have to get as much planned as I can!

I am probably going to stay in the Rue Cler, close to the Eiffel, and go there the .5 day that I have. Then do versailles, seine, and Notre dame maybe in a day, and then the Louvre, arc, and the Champs-Elysées in another day. Those are just ideas, but I plan on bunching the sites together. What would you recommend bunching together?

How much time would you plan on traveling to versailles, seeing the palace, and traveling back? At least 6 hours?

Hi, Lindsay. My husband and I took the two day tour. Folks on this helpline were always saying how they wished they had toured more days with Battlebus, so we booked three days with them...the two day American Experience and the Band of Brothers, just to hear even more stories and see more of Normandy. If we had been able to stay longer, we would have also taken the British tour...these guides are so good. True, it depends on how interested you are in the region and its history, but you might be surprised at how your interest will grow with each stop and each new story you hear. Normandy is a very special place, and you will have very special memories. Be sure to contact them asap. Their tours fill quickly. Have a wonderful trip.