My sister and I spent 6 magical days in Paris and it surpassed every expectation. The Paris guidebook was invaluable and I'm still reading it and mentally planning my next trip now that I've returned home.
March was a bit windy but not particularly COLD - weather was in the high 40s/low 50s. There was a little rain but not as much as I expected. Lines to all attractions were quite short EXCEPT for Eiffel Tower (we did buy the Museum Pass). A warm scarf & comfortable walking shoes are a must (we walked 8+ miles a day even though we used Uber, Metro and the bus!).
The Paris Metro app made directions a breeze. Bathrooms are not readily available - plan ahead! Montmarte was my favorite neighborhood (I would stay there next visit), and the Notre Dame Tower Climb was the top highlight for me - which I didn't expect. It was surreal to stand on the top of Notre Dame and see the gargoyles and tower bells up close as well as the amazing views. Of course, the food is another highlight....crepes and fresh bread with jam, great wine and cheese from a grocery was our pre-dinner snack. My favorite dessert of the trip was Tarte Tatin.
Our itinerary:
DAY 1 : Historic Paris Walk from the book- Highlights for me were Notre Dame and the Conciergerie (was once a medieval palace and so much history here!). The Deportation Memorial is worth a stop. Meals at L'Eclair (Rue Cler) and a 6 course Tasting dinner at Verjus ($79 EU pp) were both pretty perfect restaurants for Day 1 intro to the food scene.
DAY 2: Musee d'Orsay (Orsay Tour from book), Orangerie Museum, Tuileries Garden, Seine River boat tour, and Eiffel Tower at night.
DAY 3: The Louvre (Louvre Tour from book), Saint Chappelle, the Archeological Crypt, Notre Dame Tower Climb ( A highlight for me even though 400 steps was a challenge), Rodin Museum. Great dinner at Cafe Constant.
DAY 4: Sacre Couer Basilica & Montmarte walk from book. Le Basilic was our great lunch cafe in Montmarte. Overall, my favorite day as I loved the feeling of walking through Montmarte. Arc de Triomphe visit in the evening before a lovely dinner at Arnaud Nicolas.
DAY 5: Pere Lachaise Cemetery Tour (from the book) & partial Marais walk. Jewish Quarter has great shops and bakeries. Great lunch at L' Aus du Falafel. Champs Elysees walk - which was the only disappointing part of Paris for me!
DAY 6: Napoleon's Tomb & Army Museum. This was quite a surprise and very extensive- would have liked to be able to spend more time here!
Lodging: Hotel de la Motte Picquet - fairly priced, great location (Rue Cler), < 5 min walk to Metro, super friendly and helpful staff!- we got so many tips from them. We had an included breakfast every morning - simple but fine meats/cheeses and pastries/breads.