tn

I am traveling with my wife to Paris during the first week of January. I am hoping for some guidance from more experienced travelers to Paris. We have been once before, a three day trip, and hit many of the major attractions. You won’t, for example, see Ste-Chappelle in our plans. We visited last time (not that it isn’t worth another stop, and if we get a sunny day we are going back). We are definitely revisiting some stops – like the Eiffel Tower, heading up to the third deck this time. Last time, we stopped at the Louvre, Musee d’Orsay, Ste-Chappelle, Montmarte, Sacre Couer, the Pantheon, the Arc de Triomphe.

In any case, the trip is laid out below generally by area. We are staying at the Relais Christine. I think some days might be too aggressive (January 3, for example) and other not aggressive enough…but I need some time for atmosphere and my lovely wife needs time for shopping. We are also big on food and I would love to fill in some good lunches or dinners in these neighborhoods if you all have thoughts on that.

Thanks in advance for your help, advice and guidance.

January 2 -- Arrive
Louvre
Pompidou Center
Eglise St-Eustache

January 3 -- Marias
Musee Picasso
Hotel de Ville
Archives Nationales
Place de la Bastille
Place des Vosges

January 4 Ile de la Cite/Ile St-Louis
Crypte Archeologique
Pont Nuef
Norte Dame
Hotel des Invalides
Eiffel Tower (at night)

January 5 – Faubourg St-Germain
Musee d’Orsay
Musee Rodin
Musee National de Moyan Age

January 6 – Versailles

January 7 – Montmarte/Montparnesse Visit

January 8 – Depart

ira

Hi tn,

You are overplanned, but that's ok.

If you will be there on a Sunday, you might want to have brunch at www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com/jandre/
and see the museum afterwards.

It's not far from the Arc and the Champs E.

ekscrunchy

Lunch on the 2nd can be at Chez Denise. Lunch or dinner on the 4th can be at Chez L'Ami Jean. For more information on these two places, and a few others, you can read this very long report from my visit in October:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34894706

ekscrunchy

You do have way too much crammed in....I would not, for example do the Louvre and the Pompidou on the same day. And certainly not the three museums you have planned for the 5th. When is your wife supposed to have time to shop? And what does she want to shop FOR?

tn

Yes...too much planned. I know. Ekscrunthy, by way of explanation, though, we aren't huge fans of modern art, so the Pompidou Center is really just a drop by to see the building. I could drop the Moyan Age off of the 5th and that wouldn't be the end of the world.

I don't know what my wife wants to shop for (although I think mostly for household items)...she just wants to shop. I have encouraged her to go to one of the department stores, but she is hesitant and I think a bit intimidated (altought I assume they are pretty much the same as in the US, and she shops there often enough). For now, she says she wants to shop in the neighborhoods we are visiting.

Cato

"we aren't huge fans of modern art, so the Pompidou Center is really just a drop by to see the building."

It is super ugly and should never have been placed inside Paris. See it from the outside and save some euros.

crefloors

I shopped a lot last month when I was in Paris. The neighborhoods all have interesting small shops of all kinds. The thing is, you have to allow for time to stroll the neighborhoods. The Grand Magasines are fine but frankly, I found Galerie Lafayett to be way over the top. Since they moved all their home stuff across the street it freed up more room for more stuff in the store. There has to be three acres of fragrance and cosmetics on the first floor. It was really different from my last visit four years ago. I also popped into Printemps, Bon Marche and the BHV. I didn't buy anything in any of them. I found much more interesting things in the smaller stores. I can't be really specific, just wandered different areas. Also found a couple of street markets and those were very fun. I am not one for making daily itineraries. I had several things I for sure wanted to see...three museums, Monmartre, the Eiffle Tower and worked them all in with no problem, and the rest of the time, my friend and I just explored different areas, ate at any place that looked good when we got hungry, and all in all just had a great visit.

crefloors

Just wanted to add...my travel style is NOT someone elses travel style and we all visit a place for some of the same, but also for different reasons. Also, we each have our own list of things we want to focus on, so I am only saying what I did, and not being critical of your plans.

I will add that the time just seems to fly by. I was there for 9 days and I just don't know where the time went and there was still a ton of things that I had listed as possibilities to see and if just didn't happen. So, at least take one day to just have nothing planned and see what unfolds. Often those kind of days can be really special.

Cato

Do Hotel des Invalides, Musee Rodin and the Eiffel Tower (at night)on the afternoon and evening of Jan 4th.