Itinerary- Paris + Daytrips, 9 nts.; Any Thoughts?

Nancy: You're going to have a great trip. The only things I see are: 1) the Cluny is closed Tuesdays2) Versailles is unusually busy on Tuesdays because it's closed Mondays3) Perhaps you'd enjoy adding Sainte-Chapelle, the only one of Rick's six 3-star Paris attractions that's missing from your list

Kent-

• Yikes! Thanks for that one (Cluny). I moved things around so many times I totally missed that one (even though I have days closed on my spreadsheet). I'll do some editing today (switched Cluny & Pantheon above). You saved me from looking like the rookie tour guide I am in front of my family. Thanks!!

• Planned on St. Chapelle; it's on the H.P. Walk (can't wait to see it-two of my kids work for a stained glass artist in the summers and I've done some as well-former art teacher). I'll add it above.

• I knew about Versailles being busier, but was trying not to use our Museum Pass days. Versailles is the only thing I haven't really figured out yet. I see Rick added a book correction that the M.P. now gets you in to the gardens/Domaine as well. Does that mean he no longer recommends the Le Passport? Does M.P. cover everything and do you get to skip lines? I know you'd mentioned the Forfaits Loisirs, so that was what my original plan was for Tues.

Thanks!

Nancy, see my answers in brackets [ ] and the link imbedded at the bottom of this: "I knew about Versailles being busier, but was trying not to use our Museum Pass days [you're correct, normally it makes sense not to use up a MP day at Versailles since it requires all day]. Versailles is the only thing I haven't really figured out yet. I see Rick added a book correction that the M.P. now gets you in to the gardens/Domaine as well. Does that mean he no longer recommends the Le Passport? [Rick still recommends Le Passport, see his latest discussion of both passes, accurate as of March 5th--see link below]. Does M.P. cover everything and do you get to skip lines? [go to Rick's latest discussion, click link below] I know you'd mentioned the Forfaits Loisirs, so that was what my original plan was for Tues."Here's Rick's latest discussion of Versailles and the MP vs LP, scroll down to "Orientation" section: Rick 's Latest Update on Versailles

Perhaps you are way younger than I, but my thought is there are way too many things planned for each day. I know you said you will be flexible, and I hope you are and plan some time to slow down and savor just being in Paris, rather than rush between each venue. I think you have listed virtually all of the major sights from Rick's guide, and I can't imagine you can see all of them in an enjoyable way in this amount of time. (even his Paris tour did not go to 1/2 of the places you have listed) Also, please please consider that you will be doing a ton of walking. Even if you take the metro, you walk a lot underground -- not to mention what you will do at Disneyland, Versailles, the Louvre and the flea markets!

I hate to be the sourpus here, but your days are far too packed. If you follow this plan, by day three, you will be exhausted. Here are some specific suggestions:
1) Consider the effects of jetlag and travel fatigue on your first day. Rue Cler and Montmartre are rather distant from each other. You may want to consider using the first day to gently orient yourself to your new surroundings, maybe take a quick walk to get a good glimpse of the Eifel Tower. I would consider eating dinner locally and retiring at a reasonable hour, rather than fighting through the crowds at Montmartre on the other side of the city.

2)Expect the Orsay to fill at least an entire morning. Even though the Museum Pass lets you bypass the outdoor queue, the galleries within the museum are fairly narrow. This is a fairly crowded museum, and I found it difficult to move through here quickly (and I visited off-season).

Nancy-This isn't about your itinerary, but something your sons might enjoy since they are familiar with stained glass. We brought a little pair of binoculars which was especially helpful in St. Chapelle and Notre Dame.

Kent- Thanks for the link!

BG & Tom- I really appreciate the input. I went back and looked hard again at which things I'm willing to drop as we go along so I can do that as needed. I don't want this to be hectic, but fun and interesting, so I will take what you said to heart as we go. I know our feet will be aching by the time we get home-don't think there's any way around that ;-). Tom, I will see how we're doing on arrival day and perhaps stay closer to home (good suggestion). I took my pace from Rick's 7 day itin. in the book (used his max. times for ea. site), and the amount of things we've planned is very similar to Rick's (with long lunches/dinners). He has a few things I don't and vice versa but most of it's the same, just a different order or broken up (ie. I listed the only 3 things we're doing on Left Bank Walk). Again I wish we had Trip Reports here so I could see what/how others have done this!

Sue- GREAT tip! I'm starting my packing today.

Sorry to say this, but the information Rick Steves gives on the page referenced by Kent is not completely accurate and is somewhat misleading. Le Passeport does cost 20€ on weekdays and 25€ on weekends during high season. However, the name for the combination pass that includes transportation as well as admission is the Forfait Loisirs. During high season it costs 21.65€ on weekdays and 25.95€ on weekends. See here: http://tinyurl.com/y84c3o.

Tim- Whew! That clears that up. There IS a Le Passport AND a Forfait Loisirs. I posted on this awhile back, but I just thought it was the same thing by different names (I thought the price diff. was just that the price had gone up a little and people had old info.). OK, now that we've determined I'm slow, why wouldn't Rick recommend the Forfait Loisirs (for 1.65 Euros I can get a train ride too...isn't this cheaper)? The only question I had from the link you gave was they don't mention the word "garden" or "Hamlet" anywhere- closest I could get was "Marie-Antoinette's Estate - Grand and Petit Trianon". Will we have access to everything including the gardens/hamlet with the F.L.? I'm assuming you're recommending the F.L.? Can I buy it ahead of time at the station or are these dated? Thanks!

Nancy I am wiped out reading this plan!!! I really fail to see how you are going to be able to fit this all in. The one thing I would skip is Les
Invalides unless you are all super-Napoleon fans. That day seems impossible to me. The D'orsay deserves a lot of time. I think most people will say it is one of their favorite places in Paris. While the Rodin Museum doesn;t take long, you do want to look at all the sculptures and rose gardens outside.
Eating there makes sense...fairly simple fare or you coul eat at the D'Orsay, although it gets fairly crowded. Don't know how long the sewer tour takes
(wpouldn;t touch that one with a 10 ft. pole LOL). If the boys are doing the sewer tour and Invalides while the girls shop, that will probably work out.(after lunch )But you are going to need at least the whole morning at the D'Orsay.BTW the Cluny has wonderful original stained glass from Sainte Chapelle. Enjoy!!!

Maryann- Thanks for the input. The Grenelle market is just to get produce before everyone else is up. We'll be at d'Orsay before it opens and don't plan to leave until around noon so I hope that will be enough (RS says only 2 hours?). The sewer tour can be done in 1/2 hour or less from what I here and we don't have to rush either as we can get a sandwich anytime at the Rodin garden. Invalides is a must-the boys (big & small) are all looking forward to that one so they'll probably be there at least 3 hours. We'll see the Arc just before (or after) dinner and window shop briefly (not doing the Champs Walk). Whew! Does sound like a busy day! The sewer tour is very close to our apartment, so we can always do that another time if we want to stay later at d'Orsay. Thanks, this helped me think through this!

Thanks for the tip on Cluny- I hadn't heard that. We'll definately seek out the stained glass. Has some of the original glass been replaced and that's why it's at the Cluny?

Nancy: Yes some of the original glass has been replaced. What is exciting about he glass at the Cluny is that you can get really close to it (or at least you could in 2003).
Also at the Cluny are some of the original statues from the facade of Notre Dame in a wonderful bright and airy setting. The orginals were torn down at the time of the Revolution and hence replaced. As they have found where the originals were hidden, they have put them in the Cluny where they are safe from pollution.
I love the Cluny...it is small enough to see everything well and doesn't take a lot of time. And the location in the 6th is fabulous.
Another original Paris sculpture is on the ground floor at the D'Orsay..a wonderful statue from the facade of the Garnier Opera House...here again they are preserving it from the ravages of pollution and a replica is in place at the Garnier. Again, you can get really close up.

Other originals in a museum setting are the Marly horses at the Louvre. Bon Voyage

Nancy, I ASSUME that the Forfait Loisirs includes everything that is included in Le Passeport, but I don't know for sure.

So far as RS is concerned, it appears to me that he IS talking about the Forfait Loisirs in his article, but he neglects to call it by its proper name.

The Forfait Loisirs is not dated. You can buy it in advance at a station on the RER C line.