1 week Paris itinerary check si'l vous plait?
 

Bonjour!
I'm hoping that those of you who have been to Paris before can critique my itinerary. I've never been to France before and am very excited, leaving in 1 month! I love museums and history, not a foodie or a big shopper and will be on my own. Any insights you have to offer would be most welcome! My plan looks a bit hectic even to me in places, but I can be flexible. I've tried to allow time to just explore different areas that sounded interesting. Any thoughts?
Thursday
- arrive Paris Gare de Lyon at 13:30, buy carnet for metro, walk to apartment on Ile St Louis and meet owner
- walk around to Place des Vosges, have lunch; grocery shopping at Monoprix
- walk around to Pont St Louis and Pont Archeveche, along left bank to:
- Musee d’Orsay, buy museum pass, open late
Friday
- Notre-Dame Cathedral
- Ste-Chapelle, buy concert ticket
- walk around Ile de la Cite, Pont Neuf to:
- Louvre, open late
Saturday
- metro to Invalides
- Napoleon’s Tomb
- Army Museum
- Musee Rodin
- if time or inclination permits, metro to Denfert-Rochereau, visit the catacombs
- concert at Ste-Chapelle
- walk around Ile de la Cite
Sunday
- market near Cite metro stop
- Musee Cluny
- Pantheon, walk around Maubert vicinity
- L’Orangerie, open until 19:00, walk around Mabillon vicinity
Monday
- train to Chartres, Malcolm Miller tours
- ballet at Opera Garnier at 19:30
Tuesday
- Sacre-Coeur, walk around to vineyard
- Musee Jaquemart-Andre, tearoom
- metro to Basilica St Denis, return to Champs Elysee
- Arc de Triomphe, tomb of the Unknown Soldier
- metro to Trocodero, Eiffel Tower, probably won’t go up
- Bateaux Parisiens
Wednesday
- train to Versailles for the day
Thursday
- pack and take train to CDG for flight home

If you like art, try to squeeze in Musee Marmottan.
http://www.marmottan.com/

Hi T,

>Any insights you have to offer would be most welcome! <

Oick one thing to do the morning of each day and one the afternoon of each day.

For the rest of your time, just enjoy being in Paris.

You can't see it all in one week, and you shouldn't try.

((I))

Thanks YK for the recommendation for the Marmottan, you never know what you might end up doing when you actually arrive someplace, do you? It might depend on the weather, unexpected closures, transit problems, or just your mood! And a good reminder to slow down from Ira. When I've travelled by myself in the past I've filled many happy hours in just one museum. On the other hand I like to stay busy and set a fairly brisk pace. There will be, unfortunately, no romantic interludes, long candlelit dinners or strolls hand in hand! Maybe I'll have time for extra sightseeing this way though...Do you have any other ideas for ways to enjoy Paris? Like I say I'm not a big shopper or a foodie, in fact don't care much for wine, at least so far.
I may save the Bateaux Parisien for the Versailles day, when arriving back to Paris, how would that be?

I just got back yesterday from Paris. We did several of the things that you have on your itinerary. One thing you might want to consider -- The Catacombs close at 4:00 p.m., and you will wait an hour to get in. You might want to schedule that for an earlier time, or you may run out of time. Also, bring a flashlight. It's very dark down there and you cannot use a flash on your camera.

Also, it appears you have scheduled pretty much every moment of your trip. Save time for the surprises in life. Half the fun of Paris is getting lost and discovering something you never knew existed.

Have fun!

I think your plan looks pretty good. You will have time for wandering around on Thursday, Friday and Sunday especially. Especially if you do not pause for shopping!

just one quick comment - the Musee d'Orsay is probably the very worst place to buy your museum pass. You will have to wait in line to buy it.

And just go w/ the flow - you most likely won't get to everything on your plan, but for the most part it is doable.

Looks pretty OC to me, but I'm guessing when you actually get there you'll chuck half of it and just enjoy yourself.

Ditto to NOT getting your museum pass at the Musée d'Orsay.

I think it looks good! I sort of do the same thing - scope out activities per day ... but then sort of let the place take over when I get there ... But looks good to me. Rodin Museum is one of my favorites ... I wish I was going !!!! Au revoir...

Good Lord!!! You're not OCD are you??
It's sacrilege to go to Paris with this kind of regimented itinerary! Mon Dieu!!

Get lost! Listen to the music of the streets! Get a baguette and a chunk of cheese and go to the Seine and sit and eat and watch life go by!!

Go to a cafe...listen to the music of the language!

Museums are like zoos when you're somewhere like Paris. Paris IS a museum!! And a lover! And a brute!!

Beware of the Gypsy children. They'll steal your heart and then your wallet!!

The Eiffel Tower is most fun at night! Go with a picnic. They walk blanket to blanket selling wine. It's very lively. Then around 11 or midnight...do to Cafe Mozart (I think that's what it's called.) Its right next to the pyramid outside the Louvre. Have a cognac or if you don't drink, a hot coco!

Don't be a tourist, be a Parisian...you'll have a magic time!!

Bon Voyage!

I might suggest that your first day will be out of whack if you plan on eating lunch after you walk to your apartment. You get in at 13:30, and by the time you get your apartment details squared away, most restaurants will have stopped serving.

I agree with everyone else; kick back!

:-)

Arriving at 13:30, walking to apt, getting details, eating and trying to get a museum pass at the D'Orsay..yikes!

Get the pass at one of the smaller places along your route..Picasso, Delacroix, Ste-Chappelle, Conciergerie, Notre Dame.

SOmeone will correct me if I'm wrong , but the Louvre late hours are on Wednesdays and Fridays..not Saturday.

I know some of the places I listed are not "Smaller" than the D'Orsay but that late in the afternoon, you still might have a better chance.

It's obvious you've done your research and what's more, you understand your pace will be vigourous. So my only suggestion is to take each of your daily schedules and prioritize, because some of your planned activities might not be feasible. Example: we wound up spending from morning till almost mid-afternoon at Napoleon's tomb/Army museum; I don't think we could have managed another museum afterward (went window-shopping instead.) Bon voyage.

First: It's apparent you've done your research...well done! That said, I lean more toward Baubo's remarks. Not enough spontaneity.

As I count it, you have 6-1/2 days? You don't say if you're arriving after an overnight flight, but that first half day may be a little ambitious. I usually reserve that time for getting passes and wandering around the area near my lodging (and visiting a crepe stand!).

Unless you've got your heart set on them, I would drop one (if not both) of the day trips. Being congnizant that I'm addressing MY preferences---not yours---I would want to spend more time "becoming part of my neighborhood". You're staying in a beautiful spot; but you've allowed so little time for it. Ex: that first afternoon I would pick a cafe near my apartment, a place to become a "regular". Have your late lunch, return each morning for a coffee while reviewing plans for the day. Some nights you may want to go there for a light dinner, a nightcap, or dessert. Kind of like having "friends" in Paris!

Visit Place des Vosges when you can spend more time nearby. It's a different and interesting area. Picasso musee and the Carnavalet are there. We love wandering through the Jewish Quarter (with L'as du Falafel as the prime destination!). There you'll see what's left of medieval Paris...before "modern" urbanization. Another tour we enjoyed was Opera Garnier.

We had a similar list for our first trip...never used it. It became more of a check off list to peruse each morning before setting out and, even then, we only got to about half the things on the list. Paris is so alluring. I predict your fondest memories will be when you "went off schedule" and simply followed your heart.

I'm not sure when I'll get to go, but I'll use this to help with my planning.

I had a list for Rome. I reviewed it each evening and decided what I wanted to do first thing the next morning, then let life direct us.

I learned it from other Fodorites when I started reading these posts -- you can't do it all on one trip, and plan to go back again some time. It's a great way to approach it.

Have a great trip. Would love to read a trip report from a first timer...

Tumblingweed...The first time I went to Paris I had a similar list....and then I got there. :) Your loist is organized so you will find it easier to pick and choose what you wish to see. We dropped things off our itinerary when we found ourselves enjoying something else. But the itinerary was great in that it helped us plan for our NEXT trip. Whatever we missed the first time went right to the top of the list for the next time. So keep the list, it will help keep you organized just don't stress when you find yourself deviating. That is the best part of the trip usually!

Also, buy your museum pass at the Arc de Triomphe. No lines.

Wow, some really great tips here, I really appreciate the thoughtful replies. I'll be arriving by TGV from Annecy after 5 days/nights in the French Alps, and will be travelling by car the first week of my trip. I will of course be flexible, it's likely that I will find other things of interest along the way or be unable to make it to others, don't you think? On a similar trip to London (had 10 days though)I had a long list of sights and activities, actually managed to do and see most, and had a blast! Ditto for Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Boston...I think that I enjoy just hanging out more if I'm with somebody, but travelling solo seems to put a different spin on some things. And in case I never make it back to Paris (highly likely considering all the other places I've haven't been to yet)I want to make the most of my limited time there. I'm not rich, so don't get to travel as much as I'd like. So maybe I can be forgiven my careful research and planning? I guess I am "obsessed" with travel and feel "compelled" to learn as much as I can about a place before I go, so I must have OC (at first I thought that meant Orange County)! I do appreciate the tips though and have learned several helpful things from this forum. Happy trails to all.

Ahhhhhhh, Paris. My favorite city. I actually cried when I returned home.

I am out of breath just reading your itinerary! You have quite the ambitous to do/to see list. My advice, like others have mentioned, remember to take time to just enjoy the moment. I went to many of the sites you listed, amongst my favorite things to do- just sit and sip coffee with a crepe or a glass of wine and watch the pariseans go by. However, if you are really trying to stick to an itinerary, I would try and narrow your museaums down and make more time for just two or three(for instance, the Louvre is so huge and overwhelming you may want more time than just one afternoon and evening). You may also discover while your there, other things to do.... (maybe bike riding or driving a golf cart around Versailles)... Just enjoy and don't worry about seeing everything on your list!

If you're a history buff, consider spending a few hours touring the Pere Lachaise cemetery. I found it fascinating. Use the Gambetta metro stop...that way you will be walking downhill, not up!

Doing the Louvre in half a day is a little ambitious. I would give it a little more time than that. I think you'll find yourself taking it a little easier than that. Not a foodie? You've never been to France. It will change your perceptions of food.

Take your time and wing it. That's what I do, and it always works out great.

Been to France about a dozen times now, still not a 'foodie'. I lean more toward the "eat to live" than the "live to eat" group. I enjoy my meals there but I don't seek out anything terribly special.

I definitely am "OC" - I have to plan to be spontaneous. I create a daily itinerary, basically for these reasons:
- I don't go to places that are closed that day
- I go to places that are close together in one trip
- I don't waste my time thinking "hm, what should we do today"

With my itinerary in hand, I can then be flexible - I know what I want to see the most, and what is ok to catch 'next time'. I never "complete" the list and don't ever plan to do so. Leftovers just go on the next trip's list, plus whatever strikes my fancy later on.

Having an itinerary or a list in no way prevents me from enjoying a garden, sitting at on a cafe terrace, or stopping to admire someone's dog.

If you love museums, don't miss the new Quai Branly. I worked in the museum world, and I found this place to be one of the best I've ever seen. It covers the arts of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas and is just stunning. Closed on Mondays.

Great suggestions...I appreciate the fact that everyone has taken the time to even read my long list, let alone reply! I see there is a consenus to slow down and I'll keep that in mind.
*bird of song: I expect I'll be skipping the catacombs, great suggestion about the penlight though, I'll toss one in my bag just in case.
*ekscrunchy: thank you, I was starting to wonder! I thought I was allowing time to wander around between museums and am trying to find pleasant areas to do so. If I find myself enjoying the wandering more than the museum visits then you know what I'll be doing!
*janicej: after further reading I see that Musee d'Orsay actually begins closing off some of the impressionist galleries at 5:30 even on late evenings! So I will need to buy my pass elsewhere, there must be a tourist info place somewhere near to Ile St Louis (where I'll be staying). Too bad that I won't be able to take advantage of their evening hours. Guess I'll have more time to just wander around my first evening and maybe see d'Orsay on the Sunday or sometime.
*St circ: what a kind comment!
*chicagolori: Glad I'm not the only one! I didn't think I was...lately trip research has taken the lines of a new hobby for me, I love it!
*Baubo69: interesting personification of Paris - a lover and a brute! Hopefully not at the same time? I laughed my head off at that one! Great suggestions about the Eiffel Tower, bet somebody else will benefit from that.
*nukesafe: I sort of had in mind more of a picnic lunch at Place des Vosges; I hope to stock up at the Monoprix for later since I'll have a kitchen. My rough plan is to cook early breakfasts and late suppers, stopping for snacks in between.
*JeanneB: thanks for the input...I think by moving my visit to the d'Orsay to another day I'll have more time my first evening to wander the immediate (to apt.) vicinity. Altho not "listed" I like to get up EARLY and walk around, take photos etc. before lots of people are out and about, and definitely want to do that in some of the more ancient neighborhoods. I expect to get lost early and often (you should have seen me in Bruges)!
*liveitup: nice suggestions...I'd love to spend days in the Louvre, but will probably limit myself to certain wings. This is coming from someone who spent nearly 12 hours at the British Museum, including lunch and a special exhibit that evening! And I may rent a bike at Versailles, depending on the weather.
*JefferyJ: I will consider Pere Lachaise, especially if the weather is particularly fine and I can't bear the thought of being in a museum. Nice tip about the metro stop.
*Travelnut: well said, my sentiments exactly!

I love Paris and the best day I had there was when I got lost !! I stumbled upon some residential area that I could never find again if I tried but it was so lovely. My least favorite place was Versailles. If you do go though, be sure to see the cottages on the property they are the nicest part.. My son was there this summer and he never saw them. I prefer Chenonceaux, but it is the total opposite of Verailles. Can't think of Napoleon's residence name, but that is lovely also. I chose just the areas of the Louvre that interested me the most as you cannot see it all, even in one day. I visited a vineyard and winery. I loved that . Have fun. You are way more organized than I am, but in a plce like Paris, with so much to see, I felt I didn't need a plan. I just walked and walked.

You mentioned Musee Jaquemart-Andre. While in the area, walk through Parc Monceau...in my opinion, the prettiest park in Paris.

I hesitate to add my recommendations here among so many experts, but I did have three days in Paris recently, am not much into food or shopping and also was a woman traveling solo! So I will jump in. As you said, being by myself meant that I could spend the days as I chose, which for me meant not stopping to sit down and eat very often! I have to say one of the highlights was getting a melted cheese panini at a takeaway place just within the gardens at Versailles and meandering down the paths...this was a Sunday and although the Palace was closed the gardens took me many happy hours. I spent over an hour just sitting and looking at every detail of the Cluny Lady tapestries- but even so (I looked at everything!), the museum is very small. In fact, I took the train from the Cluny subway station to Versailles that same day- it was very easy- you might be able to combine them, too, if you are there when it opens. (Getting back was a little trickier- I didn't pay enough attention to how I got from the station to Versailles, it seemed like just one street at the time...so pay better attention than I did!) :) Also, I loved the Orangerie, and again looked at everything there, but was still able to combine it with both Notre Dame and Ste. Chapelle. The Museum Pass is a wonderful time saver. I adored Pere Lachaise cemetery, easy to get to on the metro and totally free of charge and if you like to take photos you will be so very happy there. All the tragic angels! And some moving monuments, too- also, it was nice a break from the city streets. You don't mention the Luxembourg Gardens. People watching was a lot of fun, just sitting on a bench in the sun and feeling a part of things. I liked how different age groups seemed to stake out different territories and patches of grass and it was another good place to chomp on a takeaway panini! I was able to wander the Left Bank and look at the book stalls and the Pont Neuf and stop in a cafe and don't think it was longer than a couple hours to do so, along with the rest of the Ile de la Citie glories. What an amazing trip you will have- enjoy every second, lucky you!!!

Much good advice here. Personally, I would even skip the Louvre if your time is limited so you can "hang out" more. I spent a whole day just hanging around the Eifel tower and I was amazed at how many personalities the area took on as the day progressed - even the color of the tower changed as the sun moved. Not to mention the surreal feeling of listening to the street musicians, the clanking of dinner plates, watching the rollerbladers doing their tricks, and all the other free street entertainment. I think if you stick yourself in a museum like the Louvre, you'll miss the subtleties of Paris, which in my opinion is the best part. Also, I wasn't a foodie until I went to Paris- now I can't stop thinking about the incredible food I had. (Try Duck l'Orange at Chez Toinette in Montmartre!) You might want to think twice about missing that part of Paris.

Your itinerary is pretty full and covers the important stuff. But i"ll tell you, you got to set aside time for just hangin at the great cafe's and having a glass of house vin. Also, the city is so pretty, just strolling the bridges and walking along the Seine. We've been to Paris twice and are returning after a 4 year break in July and I'm looking forward to just blending in. The food is great and is everywhere, trying the language can be fun, and of course, I enjoy the vin with steak and pomme frites. The bakeries everywhere are terrific. You got to go up to at least the second stage of the Eiffel tower. Have a cocktail at the George the V and you'll likely see a celebrity. Always a cool touch. I guess I can go on and on, but the point being; take your time and drink it in slowly. Its all great. M

Too much ! relax & enjoy your trip...keep a journal, wander & meander through the Luxembourg Gardens, hang out w/the artists in Montmartre, enjoy a good glass of wine & book at a cafe, visit the American book store Shakespeare & Co., take a ride on the Seine, have ice cream @ Berthillon, visit the zoo, visit the Rue Cler first thing in the morning for breakfast....