maria_so

I've never been and on an upcoming trip to England to visit my husband's family, we'll be leaving our twin 3 1/2 year olds with grandma to take a quick trip to Paris by ourselves - our first trip alone without them since they were born. It will be my first time in Paris. I want to see the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre for sure but wanted to see what are the what not to miss spots. Versailles, Notre Dame? One of the nights our friends were able to get us dinner reservations at this hard to reserve restaurant (chef is their friend) http://www.l-acajou.com/ - so we'll be having dinner there on our 2nd night. Any other suggestions for a not so fancy but memorable place to eat for our first night?

Any suggestions welcome. We will be kids less and are ready to roam freely and quickly!

Thanks in advance.

p.s. any good reads that will prepare me for a bit of background/history of the places you suggest? The flight will be kids less too so I will have time to do some reading. ;-)

Kathie

If you have 2 nights in Paris, you have just one full day. You may have parts of two other days, but you don't have 2.5 days.

You will be able to see the Eiffel Tower from many places. I wouldn't waste my time by going to the top of the tower. I also wouldn't do a day trip out of town - which is where Versailles is.

What kind of art do you enjoy? Paris has many art museums in addition the Louvre. I'd choose the one with the kind of art that most interested me.

Get yourself a good guidebook and choose perhaps two or three things you want to do/see/experience. That's the best I can offer. If you try to rush around and see 10 things, you'll be exhausted and you won't have experienced any of it.

MmePerdu

There's another thread going now for a longer time frame but with a good list of possibilities. Look them up online to see what may interest you most:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-new-ideas.cfm

And certainly, as Kathie has said, have a guidebook. My favorite city guidebooks are the inexpensive but excellent pocket-sized Knopf Mapguides, with maps that fold out showing each section of the city. Having used them now for several years, I love them, even in cities I'm familiar with and have them with me, along with a personal itinerary I devise for myself, a perfect combination.

http://www.amazon.com/Knopf-MapGuide...mapguide+paris

sandypaws3

We will be in the same situation in April...we'll be taking the TGV back to Paris to fly home, but not that day. We'll stay that night and the next and fly home the next. First of all, I would not miss my favorite parcs -- Jardin du Luxembourg and the Tuilerie Gardens. I may also book two museums online -- Musée Rodin and Musée D'Orsay. Last time I did that I was able to book them together, and it was a very good price. We will spend most of our day and a half walking in the gardens and sitting in the cafes in the 6th arrondissement, as well as the 7th, since both museums are located in the 7th. We'll also stop in the boulangeries for a snack. That's about it We did most of this in one day when we took a day trip from London, so I think it's very doable in a day and a half!

sandypaws3

If you have only one full day, definitely leave out Versailles unless that's all you want to see. That takes up most of a whole day.

Sandy

rncheryl

How about a river cruise as evening turns into night. Spectacular seeing the Tower, Notre Dame lighted at night.

http://vedettesdupontneuf.com/home/

bvlenci

I would skip the Louvre also on such a short trip, unless there's something there you absolutely are dying to see. The last time we were in Paris (April 2012) the lines to get into Notre Dame were so long that we just left. (We had both been there before.)

What time of year will this be? The Musée d'Orsay and the Rodin Museum sound like a good combination. I really like the Jardin des Plantes, which is pretty central but totally off the tourist trail. And, rather than trying to hit the Top Ten, save a lot of time for just strolling around.

maria_so

Hi All, thanks for the responses. Versailles - duh. I actually thought that so not sure why I typed it in anyway. Oi vey.

We'll be staying at the 7th arrondissement so Rodin and d'Orsay sounds good! So does this sound doable?

Day 1: We arrive around 11am on April 13 - check in, lunch (can you suggest a place?) then take a bus tour to get a quick lay of the land and views of the top sights. Drink at a bar where there is a good view of the city at sunset (friend suggested but can't remember the name right now). Eifel Tower at night - I want to go to the top. Then late dinner somewhere near hotel (any suggestion/)

Day 2: Museums and parks (How early do we have to get to the Louvre to miss the lines?) Otherwise, Rodin and d'Orsay sounds good. Dinner reservations. River tour.

Day 3: breakfast somewhere, walk around, check out, fly back to England.

I do want to experience Paris, even for a short time but want to see Eifel and Louve.

We plan to come back to do France and Italy next year - visiting my friend who lives in Bordeaux so maybe we can spend a few more nights in Paris then as well.

Thanks all

BigRuss

There's a Tower of some note that looks good at night.

The church on Ile de la Cite. It's also a short walk to Berthillion (sp?) on Ile St Louis.

Another pro-Musee d'Orsay anti-Louvre vote here.

sandypaws3

My favorite restaurant in the 7th is La Fontaine du Mars, and it's very close to the Eiffel Tower!

http://tinyurl.com/l3e5cuy

Sandy

sandypaws3

Sorry...La Fontaine de Mars

Sassafrass

With such a very short time, I would not waste a moment on a bus, sitting in traffic, just looking through the window at the outside of stuff you are mostly not interested in. A map will orient you enough to see where things are located.

You could easily see the Eiffel tower your first afternoon, visit Notre Dame and take a river cruise. If there are particular paintings or sculptures you wish to see at the Louvre, look at a map of the Louvre and chart their locations so you don't wander and miss those things. Otherwise, skip it and go to Musee d'Orsay.

Even your short visit will be rewarding.

tuscanlifeedit

I too would not want to be sitting on a bus in big city traffic. I find that each time I visit the Louvre, I'm there way too long and exhausted when I leave.

flpab

I would skip the Louvre and do Musée de l'Orangerie. I just would not want to be inside looking at art that long when there is so much outside to see. Notre Dame, river cruise, walking the streets and sitting at cafes with your husband without the twins will be heavenly.

texasbookworm

I agree if you want to "experience Paris" a bus ride will only sorta disorient you and isn't the best way to experience a city. You need to walk--walk the neighborhood around your rooms and then walk to and between some sites. Visit one or more of the gardens. You can try Notre Dame, too; the line when I went was sorta long but ended up going really fast. However, the line to climb the tower was over an hour long so we skipped that.

If you really want to see a LITTLE LITTLE bit of the Louvre, just to say you have and to have a tiny sip of it, I'd be at the ticket office before it opens (search or ask about the quickest way/gate/approach to use--I think it's underground) and then have a PLAN. I found this 3 hour whirlwind idea ---http://www.gettingaway.com/directory/europe/france/paris/louvre.htm ---on the Forum somewhere. Three students and I did it all except where we got a little lost in under 3 hours and so I saw a bunch of highlights. It was worth it. But the Louvre is overwhelming and busy, so set your expectations accordingly.

Then with rest of day? I LOVED the Musee D'Orsay--bought tickets on-line ahead of time so by-passed long line. 2-3 hours minimum here, too. But easy to walk between the two.

I agree about not using up time to go to top of the Eiffel Tower--unless it's just a real "have-to" or maybe you can get tickets ahead to help alleviate wait. They were sold out months in advance when I tried to do so. Seeing the Tower is definitely obligatory--from the Trocadaro area and/or from the base and/or from the water. But taking the time (maybe hours) to stand in line and go up in the packed jostling crowd--not something I will ever do again. The view from the Arch de Triomphe was better but I wouldn't use the short time you have to do that, either.

maria_so

Thanks everyone. Sharing your thoughts with the hubs and the thing with the Louvre is that we really want to see the Mona Lisa. So I found (through the Louvre official site) that you can actually get the tickets ahead of time and they mail it to you (10 days by mail or 3 days by UPS for a steep price). So think we'll get that ticket for when we arrive (on the Monday the 13th after lunch) since it is actually close on Tuesdays. If I see the Mona Lisa, then I am happy. The Eifel tower is something I HAVE to do - it's been a wish of mine to go to the top. I plan to get advanced tickets for that too but wanted to do it at night with the lights. We take your point about the bus so will skip it but want to do the river cruise at night - can you all suggest which company to use? I don't want to do a dinner cruise - I want to have dinner at the many wonderful restaurants.

Le Fontaine de Mars looks FAB and it's an 8 minute walk from our hotel - yay! Found our lunch place then, thanks sandypaws3!

After the louvre, we'll head to that bar for drinks with a view then eifel tower that night then dinner. How late do restaurants stay open in Paris?

That's day 1 sorted...

Sassafrass

Do the river cruise just before sunset so you can still see things, but lights will be going on.

maria_so

OK, so was able to book the louvre tickets and they are mailing it to me. CHecked to see about eifel tower tickets and you are right - they are bloody sold out! I think I read somewhere that they release more tickets? Is that true? So does this mean I won't be able to go up? I feel like crying now! Help someone. Is there a way I can still go up?

SueOnTheMove

You can do this walk, but make sure to bring comfy shoes! Paris is a fantastic city to walk around. And, you can see a large part of it quickly this way with the added benefit that you won't mind indulging is some rich French food and wine along the way! Good luck!

http://www.francetravelplanner.com/g...itin/1day.html

Flaneur5

Yes, you can still go up to the top of the Eiffel Tower. You will just have to wait in line with everyone else that did not purchase a timed ticket. In seven trips to Paris, I have never felt the need to go up inside the tower. There are several free panoramic views of Paris that are so much less crowded. The rooftop of Galeries Lafayette is free, no crowds, and there are escalators. The glass dome of this department store is gorgeous. The steps of Sacre Coeur also have breathtaking views of Paris.

If you want to see a side of Paris that is completely different from the magnificent buildings along the Seine, take the Metro to Montmartre. The small village atmosphere of the area around rue des Abbesses and north up the hill is very charming.