goaliemother

We are plannng to visit Paris to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary the third week in September. I am nervous with the recent attacks but have decided to go. I would very much appreciate ideas. We will be there for 7 days.....2 days will be lost due to travel. A 5 day must see plan would be great. We want to enjoy ourselves but not break the bank.
Thank you for your ideas and help with this.

StCirq

It's not customary for people here to plan itineraries for others. That's for you to do on your own. We're happy to help you revise them. And since you have proffered zero information on what attracts you to Paris, how old you are, what your budget is, what your interests are, whether you've been to Paris before, or anything else, it would be impossible to do so even if some were so inclined.

Suggest you hunker down with a few guidebooks, troll the internet, and study maps and transportation sites for Paris, and when you have outlined a rough plan come back for suggested tweaks. Time for you to do your homework.

Whathello

Hi
If you like paperguides, buy one. =green guide Michelin are my favourites.
If you like trip reports, search for one here.
If you like internet guides, there are on this site and elsewhere.

Kathie

Fodor's has an excellent Paris guidebook. Buy it and use it. We found they had excellent suggestions for restaurants.

No one here can tell you what you want to do/see/experience in Paris, only you can decide. My must-see places might make you yawn.

letsgeaux

Regarding safety, we just spent a week in Paris April 17-24 and did not see one hint of a problem.

Southam

Since you are using Fodor's site, go to the top left of the opening page and click on Destinations. It will give you a skeleton on which to begin building a wish list. It will also prompt you to look in the mirror and ask, 'What do I really want to see and do in Paris?' Nobody on this site can answer that for you, but when you then begin to pose specific questions you are likely to get helpful responses.

cmcfong

You won't regret it, it is a lovely place to celebrate. I am glad I took the advice of several posters and bought a copy of Paris Plan Eclair, an excellent walking map. 8 well spent Euros which made my time there so much better.Absorb Paris, let it tell you what to do. It is made for spontaniety.

denisea

We are going at Christmas. It is our 6th trip and we never tire of Paris. Congratulations on your anniversary and your trip.

You can certainly click on my name to see some of our previous trip reports.

Without knowing your specific interests, it's a shot in the dark to make suggestions of what to see. Sitting in cafes are great for relaxing and people watching and a glass of wine.

My favorites:
St Denis--burial place of French Kings
Musee Marmottan-- lots of Monet, small, less crowded museum (compared to the Louvre or d'Orsay)
L'Orangerie -- huge Monet canvases....smaller, less crowded museum
Musee Rodin
Sainte Chapelle--best on a sunny day, beautiful chapel with amazing stained glass. Also, hosts concerts at night which are also a great experience.

We enjoyed a food tour with Paris by Mouth. They offer a few in St Germain and The Marais. 4-6 cheeses, chocolate, wine, charcuterie and pates....take a look if you want to sample a variety of wonderful foods.

Maybe a celebratory dinner or drinks at Ciel de Paris in Tour Montparnasse with a fabulous view of Paris.

I recommend a glass of Champagne every night before you call it a night.

If you are into fashion....the original Chanel boutique on rue Cambon is a must.

You might want to treat yourselves to a set of Champagne glasses or something else from Baccarat on Place de la Madeleine. Fauchon and Maille also on Place de la Madeleine are favorite stops for me. We always get a crock of Maille mustard on every visit.

Too many lovely churches to visit to name. Luxembourg Gardens would also be a nice spot to visit. Pick up some "supplies" at a bakery or local market for a little picnic lunch. Google for markets near your hotel or apartment...visiting those is fun for me.

A half day at Giverny to see Monet's home/garden.

Tons of wonderful things in around Paris!
Good luck with the planning.

fuzzbucket

The city is safe. Disregard any news reports about violent protest marches - they are very easily avoided. The only problem is that sometimes certain Metro stations will be closed at the beginning and end of the route, and if you will be relying on the bus system, the waits will be much longer than usual or cancelled altogether. The marches (or other regular gatherings) are well-policed and well-contained, both during the event and at the end of the march.

Airports and train stations, museums, other attractions are all being policed by soldiers. Security checks are performed before you are allowed to enter most public buildings, and many high-end stores. You'll see police and soldiers patrolling almost all neighborhoods, but nothing ever happens.

dlincoln

If you are interested in current exhibitions, have a look on Que faire à Paris:
http://quefaire.paris.fr/english

Some interesting itineraries and an easy way to organize them on Paris SightBag:
https://paris.sightbag.com/en/recommendations

Paris Museum Pass, if you want to visit a lot of museums :
http://en.parismuseumpass.com

And information about the metro on: http://www.ratp.fr/en/ratp/c_21879/visiting-paris/

Hope I could help you out.

suze

I've only been to Paris once, it was a 5 day trip. Each evening we just looked at the street map (free from the hotel lobby) and picked a couple things we wanted to see or do in a similar part of the city, and figure out how to get there.

Since the weather will likely be nice for you, don't miss the wonderful public gardens, those were one of my personal favorite things.