Paris in 3 days

My two favorite things to do in Paris: 1) Walk around the two islands, Ile Saint Louis and Ile de la Cite, then along the river to Place de la Concorde - cross the river and walk back to the islands... 2) spend a couple of hours in the Luxembourg Gardens, my favorite place in Paris. Have Fun!

The best thing about Paris is just walking. Walk up and down the river. Eat and drink. If you did only that you'd be in good shape. You could of course hit the major museums, I'd suggest the small L'Orangeries museum for some serious Monet time and it won't take too long to see. The Rodin Museum and Invalides are also worthwhile if that is your scene. Skip Champs-Elysee. Instead hit the major department stores, Printemps and Galleries Layfette. There you can shop and have a drink or a nosh on the rooftop bar/restaurant. Lovely views of the city make for great photos. Perfect view of Sacre Coeur which I would also suggest skipping the first time. It's a pain to get to and there is not much up on the hill. Take a perfect photo from the roof instead. Happy travels!

Have you been there before? Never been there before? By yourself or a group? Have any likes/dislikes? Physical restrictions?

Don't miss the Museum of the Middle Ages (Musee du Moyen Age). It's got a wide variety of items (jewelry, armor, items from everyday life), including the amazing "Lady and the Unicorn" tapestries. It's on the left bank several blocks away from the Notre Dame.

Agree with Lauren on several things. However, I greatly disagree on her description of Sacre Couer. We just returned from Paris two weeks ago. Spent 2 1/2 days there and one of the outright hi-lights of our entire European trip was spending most of our final night at Sacre Couer. I'm not sure what it's like during the day but after dark it is a magical place. And there's several metro stops within a few blocks - couldn't be much easier.

I have to agree with Lauren! I hate Montmartre and the Champs Elysee. I would not spend my precious time there. But I would also say skip the department stores... there are much better places to spend your time in Paris... especially when you only have 3 days.

Sacre Coeur is one white building on a butte in the village of Montmarte. The best part of Montmartre is on the other (north) side of the hill at the base, kind of where tourists don't go, dumb they. Exactly what area/building/block/sqaure/intersection was so objectionable?

Crap, this is going to take a lot of typing, but hold on and I'll give you Paris is a day and a half. Fill in the rest of the time with other suggestions. I ain't checking for typos since I'm leaving for Europe tomorrow night and I haven't even thought about tossing stuff at a suitcase or even too much about where I'm going, but my buddy wants to see Paris, so I guess we'll crunch it in there somewhere. The ideas will not be just mine from several dozen visits, but combine what the slew of folks I've taken there over the years have found most interesting.

Here's our suggestions for three days-put them in any order you like. I assume you are good walkers.......... One day for sites in the Eiffel Tower area: D'Orsay, Rodin gardens,maybe see the Arc, then Trocadero for the view, finish with ET where you can watch its lights come on....... Another day, begin with climbing the Notre Dame towers, then visit ND and St. Chapelle, head over to the Cluny Museum, visit Luxembourg Gardens, walk around and enjoy the Latin Quarter. Circle back through Ile St. Louis and Ile de Cite. Notre Dame is nicely lit at night........ Another day, start with the Louvre (or visit it on one of its open evenings), head over to Opera Garnier for the English language tour, visit Le Printemps not to shop but to visit the observation deck. Lunch under the stained glass dome of the middle building is also nice. Musee Jacquemart Andre is worthwhile-good art collection and a spectacular old mansion. You could go to Montmarte that evening (not our favorite place) or you might want to visit the Marais.

I start people on the steps of Sacre Couer. They eat a picnic while I do the speil on the history and point out the major sights. After that, they get an hour to wander back to Place du Tetre and see the tourist stuff and the crappy artwork. Next it's down to the islands for Notre Dame, the bird market, and the archaeological crypt. By then, their feet hurt, so we do one loop of the batobus, hop off and wander up through Montorguell, then cut over to the Pompidou Center so they can eyeball the street entertainers. Hopefully, it's now within an hour or two of closing time of the Louvre, so I can sprint them through the 'big three' and be back out in thirty minutes. What follows is an evening tour of the Latin Quarter about as far south as the Pantheon with supper somewhere along the Mouf. Then we double back through Lux Gardens if the gates are still open, or we will have caught it on the way up, depending on the time. The night ends with a stroll through Pigalle for everybody's amusement........The full day starts at Ste Chapelle when it opens and a march through the Marais. Lunch happens somewhere along there or on Ile St Louis enroute to the d'Orsay. They have an hour to look around while I have a beer. Then I turn them loose on their own for a couple of hours with instructions to meet me in front of Invalides while I sneak over to either then natural history museum or the maritime museum. Next, it's back across the river for the dreaded obligatory march up the Champs Elysees to the Arc so they can wander around under it for a bit, before hiking down the hill.....

......and back across the river to the Eiffel Tower when it's really good and dark and the lines are shorter and the air clearer. A late supper follows, and once again I've done my good deed for humanity - - despite a sore throat from yaking all the time. Amen. Not included were the catacombs since I can never guess how long the lines will be and it's a lot of hiking to look at stacks of bones. I'd swap the d'Orsay for the Sewer Museum in a heartbeat. My best advice is to walk, walk, walk, and stay out of buildings as much as possible.

Ed, you are too funny!

Gracias, Susan, but I must confess that I'm just another reiteration of the Banished Former Poster - - I just google stuff and slap it up on the screen - -I've never actually been to Paris, but hope to go soon. Speaking of which, I've still got to cut the grass and unscrew the kitchen before Herself comes home and banishes me as well. I have filled my flask, but the suitcase is still in the closet. No checklist, no reservations, no money belt, no real plan for the whole darn month except to rent a canalboat for a week and have a couple of beers with Nigel. Plus, I quess I need to run to Kmart and get some magic markers so I can work on my white sneakes of the plane. Maybe a scarf too - - not only would I look smart in Paris, but in the event we find some terrorists I guess it could wrap it around my face and blend in with them. Crap, I can't remember where the safety switch is on an AK-47! More stuff to google. Adios.

On one of those days take a Rick Steves walking tour, either from his website/book or as a poscast. The historic Paris walk is my recommendation. Take the whole day and really savor the city......Stop by Shakespeare & Co. to restock your reading supply.....Browse thru the Latin Quarter, eating kabobs or some other ethnic food and ending up at the museum of your choice (I like the Cluny)......Be sure to spend some time sitting at a cafe outside eating/drinking.....Find a busy bakery and buy something delicious.....Belly up to the bar and have your morning cafe and croissant.....Ride a bus across town......

Ed, isn't it time for you to get packing? Or do you wear the same clothes for your forced marches thru Paris. Whew! I'm glad I'm a solo traveler.