127

Our ship is in LE Havre for 1 day. Our choices are Paris, Paris with Seine river lunch cruise, or Givenry & Rouen. All 3 tours are 10 hours. 1st time in Europe. I love Monet's art and I can imagine how awesome his garden looks in May. I wish I could do both. Help. What would you do??

Dayle

Hi 127,

I have not been to Rouen, but Givery was a highlight of 6 days in Paris. I think this tour would be the best use of your ten hours.

Trying to see "highlights" of Paris in 10 hours would just be a cruel tease. I, personally, was extremely disappointed with the Seine cruise.

Buon viaggio!

Sue4

I would probably opt for Giverny and Rouen, given the tour is only 1 day.
Paris is WAY too much for 10 hours! If you think you will never get back to France, then maybe do Paris ("better to have loved than lost, than never to have loved at all"!). HOwever, I bet that you will get back, and can give Paris what it deserves. A couple of hours at Giverny, and a few more in Rouen, will be a very nice day.

cbgpz

If you are the least bit curious about one of Europe's most magnificent cities, I suggest visiting Paris. While I agree with the others that 10 hours is not nearly enough, it would provide you time to check out just a few highlights, from obvious ones (Notre Dame, Eiffel Tour) to ones less so (Sainte Chapelle, Rodin Museum--also has beautiful formal gardens). The Seine cruise will provide a nice postcard snapshot, but obviously you won't get up-close-and-personal with any sites. A city visit, of course, will be more crowded and harried than Rouen or Giverny. But I believe just a small taste of this fine city is better than none--especially if it may be a while before you return. Bon chance!

Christina

I'd do Giverny and Rouen (I have been there and liked it very much). They are both worth seeing. There's nothing wrong with Paris for a bit, but it's just that you are already on a cruise, right -- so why would you spend your little time going onto a boat on a river to have lunch? I wouldn't even consider it myself for those reasons, seems so totally redundant.

Margo_Chester

All are wonderful options. If you choose Paris are you given a city highlight tour of the city? If not I would consider taking L'Open Tour hop on/hop off bus tour. Crusing the Seine is nice, but since you only have 10 hours I would be inclined to skip the lunch cruise and instead have fun ordering lunch at a cafe and maybe take the batobus if you did want the experience of going up/down the Seine.

Giverney & Rouen are great, I spent a full day in Rouen alone and there was still more to see. You might be rushed doing these in the same day?

Is your travel time from Le Harve to either option included as part of the 10 hours?

ira

Hi A,

Since this is your first time to Europe, I suggest the Paris tour.

What's the itinerary?

Giverny is usually something to see after you've been to Paris for a week.

I would skip the boat ride/lunch.

127

The 10 hours does include travel time so the Paris tour would be more travel time. The river lunch tour is out. The Costs excursion site does not tell if the Paris tour is all bus sightseeing and free time for lunch or more free time. There is a nice lunch included with the Giverny & Rouen tour. It is at a mill with beautiful grounds. I do not have the name handy, but I liked the pictures I found on it's web site. Thanks for the help. MORE TIPS?

Aleta

I vote Giverny, for many of the reasons other posters mention. While on a cruise of Scandinavia a day in Oslo or Helsinki might give you a flavor of the city, 10 hours will give you at most 6 hours in Paris and it will be hectic. Giverny will be in all its glory of spring flowers and you are a Monet lover so it will mean a lot to you. Let it wet your appetite to return to Paris for a better visit.

crefloors

Another vote for Giverney. The gardens will be beautiful, they have a great gift shop..I just love knowing that my mouse pad came from there. There are no paintings at Giverney however...please someone, feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

travelhorizons

I vote for Paris ... but just buy the transfer into the city. Head straight to the Musee d'Orsay. See if you can get a ticket in advance; otherwise, spring for the Museum Pass which gets you right in without waiting in line for tickets. You can spend a couple of hours enjoying the best collection of Monet and the other impressionists in the world.

Then, it's your choice what to do next. My vote. Just walk east along the Seine, visit Notre-Dame, St. Chapelle (use your Museum Pass), the Holocaust museum at the east tip of the Ile de la Cite, go onto the Isle St-Louis for a chocolate ice cream cone at Berthillon. Then, your choice, walk into the Marais (see the Place des Vosges and the Picasso Museum-museum pass) OR head back west and visit the Louvre (Museum Pass). Spend some time in the Tuilleries looking at the tourists.

If you've got time left, budget it between climbing the Eiffel Tower, visiting Napoleon's Tomb (museum pass), or walking up the Champs Elysee toward the Arc du Triomphe (museum pass)

ira

Hi 12,

You can take the train from Le Havre to Paris St. Lazare for 55E pp - 2 hr.

You can walk to the D'Orsay museum via the Pl Concorde or to the Arc de Triomphe in 0:30 min.

If you go to the Arc, walk down the Champs Elysee to Pl Concorde and across the bridge to the Musee D'Orsay.

Walking times are at www.mappy.com. Click "pedestrian".

Metro and bus routes are at www.ratp.fr.

rkkwan

I think it's more a question of whether you'll go back to France again (Paris in particular) in the future. If yes, then leave Paris for next time.