Paris on a Sunday afternoon/evening - your opinion

You could do that but I think that you'll be tired--I'd save Montmartre for another day when you're well rested.

There are lots of great things to do in your neighborhood--Notre Dame, Ile Saint Louis, the Marais. You could even go to the Louvre or the d'Orsay or take the metro to the Arc de Triomphe and walk down the Champs-Elysees.

There are lots of restaurants open on Sunday evening near the St. Michel metro but I'd chose something in the Marais like Restaurante Sant Antonio or even L'As du Falafel.

You can see a lot of Paris in 6 days--we purchased a 2-day Paris Museum Pass that helped us organize our days to make the most of the pass. Have a great time!

I am thinking Montmartre because on the weekends, it becomes a pedestrian only area right? Since we leave early Saturday morning, we wont get to experience that. Unless it's always like that during the week?

I'm not sure about a pedestrian-only area on Sundays--Montmartre covers a pretty large area--we were there a few weeks ago and I'm just not sure which streets might be closed off. It's quite a lot of walking--especially if you walk up to Sacre-Couer (many steps) which is one reason I mentioned going there when you're rested. Possibly someone else can enlighten us...

We found some nice outdoor cafes on Rue Lepic.

What time of year are you going? I think going to Monmarte is a great idea because it meets everyone's cliched expectation of Paris - I mean that in a good way. Ideally, walk up there from Rue de Abbesses to the Place du Tertre and then go over to Sacre Coeur so the view from its steps is a surprise.

If the weather is warm, purchase a bottle of wine, a corkscrew, some bread and cheese somewhere near your hotel and walk to the pedestrian-only Pont Des Arts and watch the sun set over the Seine.

CLICHED! That's the word I was looking for!!! Thanks Doug. We'll be there in about 4 weeks - so it will be cold and hopefully not raining all the time.

Don't just walk up the steps of Sacre Coeur, walk up in the dome of it. You get the most fantastic view of Paris. This was the highlight of my trip to Paris!

Probably going to get flamed for this, but we absolutely hated Montmartre. We went on a Sunday late morning and it was packed with people, you could barely move and there were loads of people trying to sell you cheap souvenirs, paintings etc. We climbed the steps to the top but lasted about 30 minutes in the whole area before feeling so claustrophobic that we headed for the subway.
We headed to the Picasso museum which was unfortunately closed so walked down to the Notre Dame area where we had a lazy lunch before crossing the Seine and walking around the side and main streets of the 5th arr. We were staying in that area anyway but we could browse and just enjoyed the sunshine and no crowds. Lot of cafes were open and we had the occasional coffee etc sitting in the sun watching the world go by.
First day we arrived we snoozed for about two hours and that started us off just right for the entire week. What about wandering along the banks of the Seine down to the D'Orsay? Seemed to be lots going on close to the river without being pressured into buying stuff?
PETE

To travelgirl:

I might get flamed for this as well, but my suggestion is as follows:

after you get done checking in and throwing your luggage on the floor (lol, btw: been there, done that ; . .), - head out the door and walk a bit. Then settle into the next Bistro around the corner, have a nice little meal and a good glass of wine (or three), and watch people and life around you. EASE yourself into the Parisian life! Afterwards, walk the few steps to your hotel, and NAP, snooze, sleep, make love, whatever floats your boat.

It breaks my heart to watch so many Americans do the 'Paris - Hit & Run' tour . . . :-((
Take a little time to soak it all in, you won't be sorry!! Paris has a quality of life that is unsurpassed! Paris is not just a collection of landmarks you need to see and chalk up, it is a way of life! It'll be romantic and eye-opening all at once, just to kick back a little and take it all in. Do as the Parisians do, so to speak ;-))

If you do have surplus energy after your flight, take an evening cruise on the Seine for the first afternoon/night: cheesy, touristy, but well worth it! I do it everytime I go to Paris. I never do get tired of it :-))

DO go to Montmarte!!!!

Yes it is true, it IS overrun by tourists, but it is also worth the hassle! It is a living, viable, historical, breathtakingly remarkable part of Paris, not a Disney ride with a long waiting time to get on! Don't miss it!

Bon Voyage! :-))

I agree with both Pete and Corinna.

Montmarte can be a sea of humanity, packed with cheesy souveneir shops, and tacky vendors...esp on the weekend. save it for an early morning during the week.

Drop your bags and go for a long stroll..find a cafe and enjoy a glass of wine, repeat.

I would like to suggest buying a two day pass on the L'OpenTour bus. I have found that this is one of our favorite things to do on the first day in Paris or any other major European city. You can relax on the bus and get a feel for the major areas. It is very convenient to get on and off and explore.

My favorite Paris thing is the art sale behind Notre Dame on Sundays. It is a short walk from that metro stop and brings lots of people and is so very French. It is right behind Notre Dame, so a walk in the Cathedral would also be great. And over the bridge is Ille San Louis which is always worth a walk. If you cross the Seine and walk up the river coming back, the view of ND is acceptional and you can browse the bookinistas. Would make a nice afternoon--not too challenging, but very, very French!

Across from Notre Dame there are several restaurants, but we love the one closest to Shakespeare and Company bookstore. The staff is nice, the evening view of Notre Dame is breathtaking and I have never been disappointed in the food.

The St. Michel area is so close to Notre Dame and Ile St. Louis....where there is usually a lot of weekend activity -- musical quartets, singers, mimes, rollerbladers, etc. I'm sure it's different each weekend.

I would also save Montmartre for another day.