One day in Paris

1. Get Ricks book on Paris. 2. get museum pass in crypt in front of Notre Dame 3. museum de orse, louve 4. dinner at Brassire Trip and see St Germain Pres church at night.Drinks across street after church.

I second William's suggestion to get Rick's book and read about the many options. I'm a history buff not a museum person, so my precious day would include visiting Notre Dame, Sainte Chapelle, and the Conciergerie, plus a walk along the Seine. Eat lunch anywhere - we never ate a bad meal in the 3 weeks we spent in Paris back in 2003. And have a great time!

I LOVED the impressionist wing of the Orsay, though that is my favorite type of art. But the Louvre... there's so many great pieces of art to see.. that is of course, assuming that you're interested in all that. I would definitely flip through Rick's book (or even just the online stuff) and see what sorts of things you want to see - art, history, walk around the city, etc. I think for me personally, I would take in a museum, walk through the city, see Notre Dame, stroll past the other main sites, but not worry too much about cramming everything in. There's no way to capture all of Paris in a day, but you can certainly make some fond memories instead of doing a marathon race through the city and snapping shots of the Eiffel Tower.

Considering jet lag, I would spend at least part of the morning walking about outdoors in the fresh air and (with luck) sunshine. Back-to-back museums might not be the greatest idea, so include plenty of boulevards and monuments. Picnic in the park.

I would also take steps to minimize jet lag, even if that entailed some inconvenience prior to departure. See the archived "jet lag" thread on this site. Melatonin, pre-trip time shifting, whatever works for you. There is a useful diet too.

Worth the trouble to maximize your experience in this great city.

Thanks! Great suggestions, all! Turns out I may have an extra day after all (2) and on the last night I am on my own dime - any ideas for quaint/unusual places to stay (centrally located to sites) that won't break the bank?

We had only one day when we were in Paris and did the hop on hop off bus tour. We got to see a lot of Paris and were able to get off whenever we liked (such as Notre Dame)to see more.

Also, we went to dinner at Chez Anges restaurant that Rick Steves mentions in his book. It is near the Eiffel Tower and our family had a great time. It is great food, very cozy, and Agnes is really funny!!

Another suggeation: Take the Batobus. It is a Hop on Hop off boat that stops at eight seightseeing destinations along the Seine. You can stay on for as long as you like. Look at their web site for specfic information.

And don't forget to see the Eiffel Tower light show when it gets dark -- worth staying up for even if you are a bit tired by then.

A few additions..

If you chose to go to the Louvre instead of Kent's suggestion of the Musee d'Orsay and it is a Tuesday - the Louvre will be closed so go across the river to d'Orsay.

The light show at the Tour Eiffel commences every hour after dark, on the hour for 10 minutes. Best seen from Trocadero (metro 9 & 6)

I would also recommend a walk through either le jardin de Tuilleries if you are at the Louvre/d'Orsay or le jardin du Luxembourg if you are at St. Sulpice - St. Germain.

Both have small cafe for a soup or sandwich, wine or beer - coffee or tea.

How much does it cost to visit the Musee d'Orsay?

Is the entrance free on Sundays to the Louvre?

Q. How much does it cost to visit the Musée d'Orsay?
A. 8 euros for adults, 5.50E for 18-30 year olds, free for those under 18, free for 18-25 year olds on Thursday evenings.

Q. Is the entrance free on Sundays to the Louvre?
A. I wish it were. The Musée du Louvre is only free on the first Sunday of the month (this applies to many other museums in Paris as well). The Louvre is free for those under 18 years old every day, as well as young adults (18-25) on Friday nights after 6pm.

The most important thing to remember if you want to go to the Musee d'Orsay anad/pr the Louvre is that the lines to get in can be HUGE. If short on time, so buy a Museum Pass ( no waiting in lines). It will probably cost you more than the individual museum admissions, but time is money!!!! In April when I was in Paris, the line for the D'Orsay stretched for blocks!!! Secondly remember that the D'Orsay is closed on Monday and the Louvre on Tuesday. I've known a lot of people on short stays who got fouled up because of this.Another museum hint is that the entrance to the Louvre through the Pyramid is usually the most crowded. There are other entrances(look at the Louvre web site). Have a lovely visit!!