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Discount Card and itinerary for Paris for family of 4

Discount Card and itinerary for Paris for family of 4

Old Sep 29th, 2014, 12:33 PM
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Discount Card and itinerary for Paris for family of 4

We are traveling from London to Paris via Eurostar in April with our family of 4 for 5 nights. My husband and I have both been there but it has been a long time. We are staying at an apartment close to the Eiffel Tower by the Metro Charles Michael, I am looking for advice on Discount cards for sites and transportation. Here is our tentative itinerary:

DAY ONE
Arrive via Eurostar mid day - Transfer from train station to apartment.

* Take the Big Bus Tour for an overview of Paris?

DAY TWO (Saturday)
* Transportation to see Notre Dame and the Louvre (not a lot of time here because the kids will be bored). River Cruise?

DAY THREE (Sunday)
* Walk to see Eiffel tower, transportation to see the Arch de Triumph and Orsay Museum. Catacombs at night??

DAY FOUR
* Transportation to see Sacre Coeur and Montmartre

DAY FIVE
* Day to Versailles (via train?)

DAY SIX
Depart for Normandy by car

* What discount card would be appropriate for this itinerary () for sites and transportation so we don't have to stand in line all the time?
* Would the Metro be best the best form of transportation?*
We definitely want to utilize the fast track system so we don't wait in line. Do we need for these sites? I would assume the Louvre and the Eiffel tower for sure...
* If you have a different recommendation on itinerary I am all ears. However, all of the above sites we will want the kids to see.
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Old Sep 29th, 2014, 01:04 PM
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Some things are variable, including the day of arrival. If your day of arrival is a Thursday, Friday or a Saturday, I'd consider a 5 day Paris Visite for zones 1-3, as it is good for 5 days, you don't have to buy more than one card for the trip, and it costs 38,20/7,64 euro (5 days/1 day)for an adult, and children 4-11 pay only 19/3.8. It applies to all public transport in the city center, including the funiclar at Montmartre. If you're arriving on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday, then a weekly Navigo is more economical and you only have to buy one week. http://www.ratp.fr/en/ratp/r_61634/paris-visite/

Either of the two above would require a supplement for the Versailles trip, which you can purchase the day you make the trip at the ticket booth. Just ask to purchase a ticket from Zone 3 to Versailles with r/t. Your pass will take you to zone 3, you would just need a ticket supplement for the rest of the trip.

As for museums, you really need to look at http://en.parismuseumpass.com/ to see if getting the pass is economical for your trip. I know the Tower isn't on the pass, so you'll be buying it separately. You really just need to check your sites and see if the price for what you're doing is better or easier than buying tickets for each and waiting in ticket lines (you don't escape security lines, just ticket lines).

Lastly, I'd price renting a car from outside Paris if you don't plan on returning to Paris. You can take a train from Paris to Caen, for example, and rent a car across the street. You'll avoid the Paris traffic completely this way.
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Old Sep 29th, 2014, 01:10 PM
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There is no such thing as a discount card allowing you to avoid the lines. You might be thinking of the Museum Pass which will allow you to skip the ticket purchase lines but the lengthy lines at most attractions are the security lines and no card or pass will get you past security ahead of anyone else.

To answer questions about transportation, you will need to indicate the day of the week you arrive and the ages of your children.
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Old Sep 29th, 2014, 01:19 PM
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Maybe I should consider hiring a private guide for certain attractions? Most guides I have been with in most cities have special entrances to ALL avoid lines (like Rome and Florence). Paris?
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Old Sep 29th, 2014, 01:52 PM
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I would buy the Paris Museum pass.

Actually, there are shorter lines, but it's nothing like a Disney Fast Pass.

At the Louvre though, I do have a tip. You can use the employee or local entrance and go through security there for the Louvre. You don't get to enter from the pyramid, but it's very quick. I've never waited there.

When standing in front of the pyramid entrance with the reflecting pool to your right, look straight to your left and you will see a breezeway. Go into that breezeway and you will see glass doors. Enter here, go through security, placing any handbags or backpacks on the x-ray machine and enter the museum. We have been this way countless times. There is never a line.

When going to the Conciergerie, read the signs in French carefully. They will direct you to the pre-paid ticket line. You'll go in directly without delay, but as mentioned above, still have to go through security.

Go to the Musee D'Orsay on Thursday evening. It is open until 9:45PM and there are no lines at all. I think students are free. The first Sunday of every month is free for everyone, but there is typically a crowd.

Tour groups do often have a separate entrance, so you can arrange a private or group tour, but you will still be subject to security.

The METRO and bus system are great and easy to navigate. There is an app for your iPhone that you can download at home and then use free of data charges while in Paris.
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Old Sep 29th, 2014, 01:52 PM
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The Eiffel Tower is private, the Museum Pass doesn't cover it. But you can buy a ticket in advance online that gives you a reserved time so you don't have to wait in the general line. No discounts as far as I know online, but you can check.

Private guides can't help you skip security, so forget it. They probably do have entry with the same entrance as the Museum Pass, though, it wouldn't surprise me (as long as they are official guides, many are not, and registered with the city). It would be cheaper to buy tickets in advance or a museum pass than a private guide just to avoid lines. You can easily buy a ticket to Versailles online in advance, also.

You can buy online tickets to most major museums, actually you just have to plan the day, although I think some are undated (maybe the Louvre), if it's not a special timed exhibit. YOu don't really have a lot of attractions on your list that would make the museum pass worthwhile, IMO. Maybe if it includes Versailles, it could be worth it. You know kids get into many museums free if young enough.
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Old Sep 29th, 2014, 03:08 PM
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Yes we are arriving on a Thursday. Love the tip on the Louvre. Thank you. I have found that it is easier if you have a private guide in the places like the Louvre because you can never hear the guide because of the sheer number of people in the group.
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Old Sep 29th, 2014, 03:51 PM
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Yes we are arriving on a Thursday. Love the tip on the Louvre. Thank you. I have found that it is easier if you have a private guide in the places like the Louvre because you can never hear the guide because of the sheer number of people in the group.
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Old Sep 29th, 2014, 04:04 PM
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From your itinerary, you would do better to buy a carnet (10 metro tickets) rather than a Visite Pass for transportation. This will be less expensive.

Day 1 take a taxi to your apartment.

Day 2 you'll need 2 metro tickets each.

Day 3 you can walk to everything and perhaps take the metro back to the apartment if you're tired.

Day 4 2 metro tickets each if you walk up to Sacre Coeur.

Day 5 Versailles requires a special ticket.

You can buy advanced tickets to the Louvre and Orsay from their web sites. Since you're only going to 3 museums it is cheaper to just buy tickets for those museums rather than the museum pass. A 2 day museum pass is E42; tickets for the Louvre are E12, the Orsay is E11 and the Arch is E9.50. That's E32.50 each (for adults) rather than E42 for the pass.

If you were going to more museums the pass would pay off. You might want to add Ste-Chapelle on day 2 but the museum pass won't allow you to bypass the security line.

The catacombs have become hugely popular and there is a long wait to get in. No advanced tickets available. If you do this bring waterproof shoes and flashlights.
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Old Sep 30th, 2014, 06:13 AM
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Another Louvre entrance tip, take the Metro to stop Palais Royal/Musee du Louvre and exit via the signs that say Carrousel du Louvre. You'll enter the mall area. Simply take a left and walk down until you see the open atrium area. Your museum pass will take you through to the exhibits, and the lines are generally shorter.
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Old Sep 30th, 2014, 07:34 AM
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Just realized we will be there on Easter - which is pretty cool for us. Any recommendations on going to church for an Easter service that wouldn't bee too crowded?
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Old Sep 30th, 2014, 07:42 AM
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Not crowded on EAster? Why would you not go to one of the beautiful cathedrals and enjoy a service.

And to be honest, this statement by you about your children is amazing see Notre Dame and the Louvre (not a lot of time here because the kids will be bored).

I don't know your children's ages, but if you never ask anything of them--like being interested in these things--then they will never be interested.

We have a wonderful Paris guide that would make your children BEG for more of the Louvre--or ND--or many things.
You can tailor your visit to the Louvre by doing some homework--like learning how the chateau was built and touring the basement. Or going to the Egyptian exhibit, that might interest young children.
I think you may need to say--we haven't really been to Paris recently enough or when there, often enough, and need some real help understanding how to tour it.

There are Paris bus routes that would be a great "sightseeing" tour--#42 is one.
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Old Sep 30th, 2014, 08:01 AM
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Gretchen I have a 16 year old special needs daughter that has ADD, Sensory Processing Disorder and a rare genetic disorder that one of the symptoms is low muscle tone. We have to work around all of these issues when planning the day. However, we still always plan to provide both kids as much of an experience as we can. They have traveled quite a bit.

But I don't know many children that can enjoy art museums for more than a couple of hours at a time.
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Old Sep 30th, 2014, 08:55 AM
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If you want a private guide, go ahead, if that's your style. I just wouldn't do it to save money or avoid lines. If you want one because you like guides, that makes sense. I know many adults that are bored in art museums for more than a couple hours, I sure would expect kids to be (to be honest, I rarely spent more than that in one). I agree you can hear a private guide better than those larger groups I see in museums.

Easter is one of the days Catholics go to Church even if they don't go many other days, so I imagine all churches will be crowded, especially the well-known ones.

I was raised Catholic and don't find Catholic services to be remotely "enjoyable." I've been to plenty, and I have been to some in Paris, they can be boring and will be in French, and if you don't believe in it, why go. The only reason I can think of would be the music, so you'd have to research that (times of masses, type of music, whether live or choice or not, etc.) You can always visit the church to view it outside services.
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Old Sep 30th, 2014, 09:29 AM
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If you want a Catholic service for Easter I recommend St-Sulpice with its renowned organ.

Val-de-Grace is a beautiful church with masses in Gregorian chant, Sundays at 11:00. It has a stunning Baroque altar.

St-Etienne-du-Mont has one of the few surviving rood screens in filigree white stone with 2 adjacent spiral staircases. Rood screens were removed to make the priest and altar more accessible to the masses.

A Protestant church, closer to where you're staying, is the American church with excellent choir.

I'm sure most churches will be crowded on Easter but the ones I've recommended are large.
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Old Sep 30th, 2014, 09:51 AM
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Since you now tell us of your needs/challenge situation, yes. But I also don't know that I enjoy a museum for more than a couple of hours at a time! LOL
And yes, the guide I can tell you about, Michael Osman, WOULD tailor a two hour tour (sort of Gilliganesque) of museums that your children--and you would be thrilled about. Our children were--but as adults. Michael is a wonderful "teacher" for all ages. In particular, I don't like the Louvre as much as the Orsay. And then there are others that are wonderful for what they offer-Rodin, Cluny, Orangerie. Most would not "require" hours, but certainly worth the time to sample.
If you don't choose to hire Michael (very reasonable), then the Michelin Green Guide would allow you to choose an area of the museums to concentrate on.
And the basement of the Louvre to see how it was built is VERY interesting, thanks to Michael, for us. Fifteen minutes--but a great lesson.
As for the church service, I would probably go and stand respectfully in the back to enjoy the spectacle in a beautiful cathedral.
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Old Sep 30th, 2014, 10:07 AM
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Yes - I emailed Michael yesterday as I saw that from a previous post on Fodors. My other quote for a full day guide was 695 Euro's - which is absolutely ridulous I must say.
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Old Sep 30th, 2014, 10:09 AM
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Our kids are very well traveled also. Our son was only a year old on his first trip to London. We've always traveled with them.

For us, we found that a frame of reference is ideal to keep them interested. DD must have watched Marie Antoinette, Moulin Rouge and Midnight in Paris fifteen times each, even on the plane. All three of them read the DaVinci Code and every one of the Bourne books and loved picking out locations with us. (The movies might work for these if your kids are not readers.) Even Disney's animated Hunchback of Notre Dame was a hit because it tells the story for that location.

Surprisingly, they loved Joan of Arc movies.

We put together a list of books and works of art to which they should pay particular attention. We had each of them become "experts" on certain artists. One did DaVinci, one Monet and one Toulouse Lautrec. They then planned our visits to specific works in the Louvre and the Musee D'Orsay. It pared down their time in the museums to the works they wanted to see. DH and I have had the opportunity to go back and spend more time when we've wanted, but that trip was about the teens.
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Old Sep 30th, 2014, 10:37 AM
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Awesome! We went to China in April and decided that with the masses of crowds and the overwhelming history that 6 months prior we would have my daughters school work with her on learning all about the sites we would see in Beijing, Shanghai and Xian. This proved to work excellent because we had private guides a lot in China and she was spilling facts to the guides with their mouths half open! LOL It was hilarious.

We are doing the same for Paris and London. My daughter has an incredible memory but can't add 2 + 2. The mind is an amazing organ.
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Old Sep 30th, 2014, 11:00 AM
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My wife and I will be finishing our trip when you arrive! You'll be fine, especially if you get the kids involved in learning about the places before the trip. It will build a little anticipation in the kids as they look for what they've read about prior.

Enjoy your trip!
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