jbjayhawk

My husband and I have been thrilled with the amount of helpful information found on this board. We would appreciate a critique of our itinerary for an 8-day trip (plus 2 days travel). Are we too ambitious? We do plan to use the Museum Pass.

If there is time, we would like to add a zoo to our list but are unsure as to which zoo would be the best.

Day 1 in Paris: Arrive and check-in to Hotel Champs de Mars. Explore area around hotel (Invalides) and take a walking or cruise tour that evening.
Day 2: Visit Louvre early then spend the rest of the day in the Tuileries Quarter to see place de la Concord, Palais Royal, l’Orangerie and do some shopping.
Day 3: Spend most of the day in Ile de la Cite/Ile St. Louis for Notre Dame, Saint Chapelle, etc. Visit Cluny museum late afternoon, then walk around Latin Quarter in the evening.
Day 4: Day trip to Brugges, Belgium.
Day 5: Visit Eiffel Tower in early AM. Spend rest of day on Champs Elysees and visit Arc de Triomphe.
Day 6: Day trip to Versailles
Day 7: Visit the Pompidou Center. Shopping at Les Halles. In the afternoon, explore the Marais.
Day 8: Visit Montmartre in the AM; Visit Musee d'Orsay and explore St. Germain des Pres/Luxembourg Garden in the afternoon.

jbjayhawk

Please help, our post is already down to #9 on the list! I don't want to fall into the message board black abyss!!!

nessundorma

Sounds great, but just bear in mind you may want to shuffle the days around so that if you get a day of rain or rotten heat, you can spend it indoors. Likewise, on a brilliant day, you might want to dash to Versailles. Your pace is actually pretty slow, which I think is great.

Also, some of the museum you want to see are open in the evening. You might find it a nice way to visit them, since they are less crowded at night and it opens up space during the day.

If you are going up to Montmartre, I strongly urge you to go the extra distance and visit the Basilica of St. Denis provided the weather is sunny.

If it turns out the weather that week doesn't favor a trip to Versailles or you change your minds, some other worthwhile sites in Paris not on your list are the Musee Rodin and the Musee Marmottan (all Monet).

jbjayhawk

some of the museum you want to see are open in the evening

Great suggestion. Had also not thought of the weather. We will be there in September, but I've read the weather there is tough to predict. We live in Kansas, so that is something we're used to.

Cato

It looks pretty good. I like your idea of exploring individual areas each day rather than zig-zagging all over the city.

I would see St. Germain des Pres/ Luxembourg Garden earlier in the trip just so you don't get overcome by events and miss it.

Regarding Day 5: Visit Eiffel Tower in early AM. Spend rest of day on Champs Elysees and visit Arc de Triomphe.

I think you can do a little more that day that day and still not push yourself too much.

djkbooks

I would switch Montmartre to day 5. Champs Elysees and Arc de Triomphe will just not consume "the rest of the day". You'll want to head for Place de la Concorde between Tour Eiffel and Champs Elysees. (The Louvre is HUGE, so you should not plan too much more walking that same day.)

Highly recommend La Cremaillere on Place du Tertre for dinner/evening. There's also wonderful live music (classic chansons) at La Mere Catherine.

If you're at all interested in fabrics/notions, not to be missed is Marche St Pierre just below. Even if you don't sew but love those lace cafe curtains, you can buy beautiful designs by the yard in various lengths and just cut them to width when you get home. They have lovely loops/tabs at the top for placing on cafe rods.

We took a day trip to Brugges on our third trip. You may want to reconsider this for a first trip of only 8 days. It's a long, long day that I would rather have spent in Paris. (Especially now that they have the Segway tours in Paris!) I would suggest substituting Musee Rodin, Musee Marmottan (if you adore Monet, and because l'Orangerie has not yet re-opened), Place de l'Opera, Place de la Concorde and a few other places you haven't mentioned.

Be sure to go to Eglise du Dome (Napoleaon's Tomb) the same day as Musee d'Orsay (nearby).

On arrival day, if your days coincide with Carte Orange, then head for Ecole Militaire metro station for a Carte Orange and museum pass. I wouldn't have the energy to do a walking tour on arrival day.

djkbooks

PS Actually that lace is sold by the meter, so you'll want to measure potential windows and convert yards to meters.

Christina

I think that's a pretty good plan, and you've grouped things well. Day 8 is pretty busy, at least would be for me. Also, I know the Musee de l'Orangerie is supposed to re-open this Spring, so probably will be open when you visit next Sept (it is not now), but visiting both that museum and the Louvre is one day would be too much for me of art museums. Now maybe you don't intend to see much in the Louvre and just spend an hour or so there, in which case that is another story.

I don't think you have any time for a zoo, but Paris is not known for its zoos, so I really would not focus on that or make any accommodations for it. There is a small zoo in the Jardin des Plantes in the Latin Qtr (I don't know what it's like), so that would definitely be the most convenient to visit. The major zoo is in the Bois de Vincennes which is way in the eastern suburbs and is old and dilapidated -- in fact, it has been closed at various times due to its condition. They did approve some plans in Dec. 2005 to renovate it, but were even considering closing it.

jbjayhawk

Awesome! We really appreciate the advice. My husband and I also enjoy visiting a city zoo when we travel. For us, it's a relaxing way to spend some time and my husband will enjoy the break from all the museums. Has anyone been to the Menagerie?

ira

Hi JB,

Nice itinerary, although I suggest leaving Bruges out this first trip.

Also see Paris Superthread
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34519236

Woody

<< We do plan to use the Museum Pass. >>

To make the most of the Museum Pass, I suggest making a list of the sites you plan to visit that are covered by the pass, and going to those places on consecutive days. The last time I did the math, one generally has to visit two sites per day to break even on the cost of the pass. This might have changed with the new number of days and prices.

Also, be sure to pass the lines at places that have separate entrances for pass holders, such as the Louvre, d'Orsay, and Versailles. For some, this alone is worth the cost of the pass.

I agree with others about skipping Brugges on this trip, unless it will be your <i>only</i> trip to Paris/Europe.

Woody

StLSusan

, unless it will be your only trip to Paris/Europe.&gt;&gt;
and I can almost guarantee it will NOT be your only trip to Paris.
In my case I knew before I even got home from that first trip that, come hell or highwater, I was going back.

luvparee

Hi jayhawk!

Personally, I would skip the zoo -- if it's some down time you want, why not try the Promenade Plantee over the Viaduc du Arts? It's a 3 (or more) mile walk on an area that was an old railroad track lushly landscaped and relaxing. Below are arious &quot;ateliers&quot; of artisans. I believe also a cafe.

Enjoy!

Lexma90

The lines for visiting St. Chapelle tend to be quite long, though this site opens earlier than others. To avoid the line, plan on visiting St. Chapelle as soon as it opens. Then you can make your way to the nearby towers of Notre Dame before the lines for that get too long.

Christina

well, if you want downtime, it makes just as much sense to go for a walk in the Jardin des Plantes as on top of the Viaduc des Arts, in my opinion. It would be better, in my opinon, but I don't find the Viaduc des Arts as interesting as some people do -- not the shops under it, anyway. The Jardin des Plantes might fit into your schedule better, anyway, because of its location, which is very near the quays of the Seine, and not too far a walk from Ile St Louis. Also, it is near the

I did find one review of the menagerie in there, and it says it has improved a lot
http://www.goodzoos.com/France/menageri.htm

Besides, it is right near the open-air sculpture museum along the Seine running by Quai St Bernard, and you might enjoy that for downtime, also. Square Tino Rossi along that same park space with the openair sculpture musem is a popular place for locals

chicagolori

I too would cut out the trip to Belgium and spend that day around St. Germain. I agree with Cato - I think you also will have lots of extra time on day 5 since those activities wont take a whole day.

It sounds like you will be pretty close to the Rodin museum if your hotel is near Invalides. I just loved it and you might want to think about it...

I really love your trip plan though. Very nicely organized by area. Bravo! Have a lovely time.

nessundorma

One other tip (and you are getting a lot):

Check out what special exhibitions there are in town. There may be some blockbuster exhibit you especially want to see.