Paris -Quick Visit- Itinerary

My suggestions: Day 1 - I agree: Musee D'Orsay. You can get a very nice view of Sacre Coeur from the windows of the museum. I have taken photos of it many times. Have dinner wherever convenient - perhaps your friends will have a suggestion. Day 2: Ile de la Cite, Notre Dame and Ste.Chappelle. Visit Louvre pyramid and stroll from there through the Tuilleries. I think it would be a stretch to walk from there up to the Arche De Triomphe, but you could take the metro or a cab. Later in the evening when it gets dark, you should see the light show that happens on the hour at the Eiffel Tower, and I agree it may not be worth the time to go up it. It is still magnificent from the ground.
I don't think you have time for the other things you mention - it's hard to see everything in Paris no matter how much time you spend here. Restaurants. The Laduree tea room near the Eglise de la Madeline, Angelina tea room on Rue du Rivoli. Cafe le Nemours in Place Colette (across from the Louvre). Bistrot Vivienne, in the gallerie of same name. But there are so many cafes it may be easier to go to one that looks good wherever you are rather than try to get to a destination one with so short an amount of time.

Thank you both for the nice suggestions and comments. Montparnasse Tower just because I thought the view of the city would be wonderful at night from there and it is close to the hotel. Really want to go to Sacre Cour. I'll talk with my friends and ask if they plan on going there before I arrive in Paris. Linda

I think you plan sounds really solid, though depending on how much you love books, Shakespeare and Co could easily take you more than 15 min (I spent over an hour in there last time). Restaurant wise, I would check out the My Paris section of David Lebovitz's restaurant http://www.davidlebovitz.com/paris/ he lists some of his favorite spots and many of them, including Chartier and Breziah Cafe are inexpensive!

Your plan looks good, including a nightcap on top of the Montparnassee Tower. Not many people think of that. Shakespeare & Co is a three minute walk across the bridge from Notre Dame, so why not. If you really want to go to the Luxembourg Gardens it would be up the Blvd. St. Michel from Shakespeare but it would be hard to fit it in. The best thing about the Sacre Coeur is seeing it up on the hill from a distance. Second, would be the view from the hill. But, as far as churches go, it's fairly recent and not terribly interesting. It's nice walking up the winding streets or taking the stairs to the top on your next visit. You'll get a good view of it from below. Be sure to get the list of best creperies from parisbymouth.com. At least one is in Montparnasse.

Considering your very short stay, I personally wouldn't spend any time at Shakespeare & Co. It's a bookstore. If you really want, just take a picture of the front. There are many places you can grap a street crepe if you don't want to spend 1+ hours each time you stop to eat. I don't see how you will have time for a cemetery (any particular reason why you want to go to one?). For the Eiffel Tower you might want to head across the river to the Trocadero for a really good photo op. If you go at night, be there at the top of the hour for the light show. In your limited time you can get a taste of Paris. It will just whet your appetite for it and you will want to go back for more!

The Luxembourg Gardens is my favorite place in Paris, I hope you're able to fit them in. I'd happily not go to Montmartre/Sacre Coeur and the Champs Elysee (don't like either at all) and go to the LG instead. It's a beautiful place and I love being around other Parisians who are relaxing and enjoying themselves... There are two cafes and many restrooms.

I also agree about trying to fit in the Luxembourg gardens. It's a wonderful place and a nice break from the rush of Paris. the Champs Elysee isn't that great IMO either. Maybe see the first block, then hop on a metro and go straight to the Arc De Triomphe?

I'd leave out any thought of visiting Montmartre -'The Sacre Coeur' on this your first visit. At the centre of any holiday is the 'relax' factor. You'd be chasing your own tail rushing around like a scalded cat if you spent time getting over there 'up north' -and once there, you wouldn't have time to do the place justice in an hour or so's visit. I lived in Paris for over two years and spent many happy days in Monmartre -one can return many times to Montmartre and never get tired of the place, so save it for the next time -as the 'cherry on the cake'.
On a fine summer's evening, dining outside a café on the cobbled front watching the world go by is one of the experiences you will savour and remember forever. You never know who you might see walk by, -Robert de Niro was on location there for one of his films -the opening sequence, where he strolled up to a small corner café on one of the narrow streets that spill down off the hill -in a myriad of complex patterns -easy to get lost in, -deNiro pauses, rain dripping off the hooded doorway, bends down to hide a hand gun under some empty wine cases, opens the door and walks in -to 'meet a contact'. The title of the film is 'Ronin'-one of those 'action pictures he made to make some pin-money. The plot involved the IRA and the Mafia. Spectacular car chases through Paris ensued.

I think your plan sounds good, agree with the others on skipping Montremarte. It's kind of a pain to get to. I didn't go until my 5th visit to Paris - you can enjoy the city just fine without it. If you're staying near the Montparnasse tower, there is a fantastic restaurant (with unfortunately a hideous view of that ugly tower!) called Le Cabane de Huitres (spelling? translates to "the oyster shack"). If you like the bivalves, it's amazing. Dinner for two included a fantastic appetizer (homemade foie gras or smoked duck or salmon when we were there), and then 12 oysters each, plus a bottle of wine. The very warm and friendly owner threw in an extra glass for me. We split a dessert. The bill was about 50, which makes it an absolute steal for Paris. But this is dependent on liking oysters! There are a lot of brasseries right across from the Montparnasse train station, but the one I ate at was pretty terrible. Train station area brasseries tend to be. Not too far from Montparnasse is Bld Pasteur (walking distance or you can take a short metro hop), and I really like the Pasteur Cafe there. Some outdoor seats have a bit of a view of the Eiffel tower. This is a non-touristy neighborhood so the prices were fair and the food was tasty.

Mick & Sarah, I will heed your sage advice, and skip Montmartre. It will be there for my next trip. And thank you also for the restaurant & movie recommendations. I love oysters but can't eat too many at a time. Will check it out though because that price can't be beat in Paris. Andrea: I'm a fan of Edith Piaf and thought if there was time, I would check out the Cemetiere where she and the famous writers and composers of beautiful music are buried. I realize there just may not be enough time though. Thank you for the view from Trocadero idea. Bets: I read somewhere on the Helpline and in RS guidebooks that the view of the city from the Tour Montparnasse is a good idea; that's why the nightcap thought. My friends from Chicago are really into books and famous writers - that is why I thought a quick (15-20 mts) stop @ Shakespere & Co. would be fun. Vanessa: Thanks for the David Lebovitz site for restaurant recommendations in Paris. This I also found in some web searching. Laduree is way up there on my list to visit, even though recently Lebovitz was not treated very nicely there. I'll take that with a grain of salt though. I'm the kind of person to "find out for myself." Thank you all very much for your thoughts. Bonjour, Linda!

BG: Thanks for your thoughts on my second and only full day in Paris and the suggestion of taking Metro to the Arc instead of walking. I really want to experience Paris - not push myself to see it all. Linda

I agree with Mick's description of Montmartre. A lot of people take the funicular up to the top, but it's really a place to research before visiting and experience. It's a zig-zag of small streets, artists' hidden studios, small shops, restaurants, and cafes, and even public petanque courts hidden from view. And there is the vineyard on the north side of the hill. We got most of our information from one of those "Mysterious Paris" or "Hidden Paris" books. I also agree about the Champs Elysee; it's a very, very wide shopping street, really like a shopping mall, filled with tourists from all over the world. If you need to buy clothes, you'll find all the chains. It used to be billed as the most beautiful street in the world, but I doubt it now. You can see on google.

Luxembourg Gardens it is; nix Champs Élysées. Merci beaucoup!

Good choice Linda :) As for a restaurant recommendation... we really liked Cafe Med on the main street (rue St. Louis en l'Ile) through Ile St. Louis (the little island east of Notre Dame). Three course prix fixe dinner for as low 15 Euros two years ago. There are other good restaurants on that street as well.