heymo

My husband and I will be in Paris for approx. 5 days at the end of February, arriving on Tuesday at 11 and leaving Sunday at 2. It is the first trip for both of us, and while I know we will wish we had more time,we want to make the most of it. Other than the obvious sights (Louvre, Eiffel Tower, etc.) what are the "must see" things to see and do, and more importantly, what should we take a pass on? We love to stroll along side streets, sit at a cafe and people watch...

Linda06

Some of the must-see sights are: Notre Dame cathedral, Saint Chappelle, the Musee d"Orsay if you like Impressionist art, the Arc De Triomphe, a walk down the Champs Elysees, The Eiffel Tower. I would suggest a cruise on the Seine through the vedettes de Pont Neuf or on the Bateaux Mouches - this might be done on your first day for orientation to the city. You should also take a few hours to go to Sacre Coeur and wander around Montmartre. I haven't been back to Paris in 25 years so these are the key sights we want to hit. We'll probably go to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa and the Coronation of Napoleon but I don't plan to spend a whole day there as some people do - too many sights, too little time. Some other sites if we have time are: Luxembourg garden (great place for an afternoon respite), Cluny Museum, the Conciergie, Centre Pompidou, Place des Vosges, Marmottan Museum, Les Invalides, Rodin Museum and garden and just strolling around the neightborhoods (St. Germain, the Marais, Blvd. des Capucines, Rue Cler). You should check to see what times the museums are open (the Louvre stays open until late on Wed,; the Orsay on Thurs.) and build your itinerary. Definitely make time for cafes and wonderful food! Have a great time!

Travelnut

This kind of post drives me nuts, just thought I'd mention that.

heymo

Travelnut, why does this drive you nuts? I can read in any book the usual places to see and things to so...I wanted to ask about things that are not necessarily IN a guidebook, but to people who frequent Paris are a MUST..or even a MUST NOT...add to that the fact that we will be there in winter and there may be things that are strictly enjoyable in nicer weather. Sorry if this seems like a banal request, I did not intend it to be, nor did I intend for it to be considered a "troll" posting.

Camelspit

If you do nothing else, go to Ile de la Cite and visit Sainte Chapelle in the Justice complex. It is the least known best sight in the city. And I believe it is on Saturday evenings that they hold concerts in the chapel. Tickets are not hard to get and is an experience you'll never forget. Beware, the ticket office closes at least one half hour before the chapel closes at 6:00.

aggiegirl

I totally loved an evening concert at Saint Chappelle a few years ago. It's a must see during the day and a real treat for a concert, worth the expense. I also rank highly the Opera House Garnier. It is beautiful. I toured it but did not take in a performance. Do take in a performance if you can, I'm sure it'd be fabulous. Thirdly, I really enjoyed climbing the towers of Notre Dame and Sacre Couer and enjoyed mass at Notre Dame and le Eglise Madeleine. Walking around without a set path is fun too. I spent one day wandering around and found pretty parks and had a good time. You'll have a wonderful time whatever you choose to do.

Christina

heymo, it's just opinion, that's why. For example, I would say "take a pass" on the Louvre and Eiffel Tower if you ran out of time. I'm serious, neither one is what I would call a must see. I think you should see the general layout and views of Paris, at which time you would see these edifices, but I would not say it's a must see to go inside either one.

But the thing is that there isn't any secret site that is a must-see that isn't going to be mentioned in any basic guidebook to Paris. That's the real issue, I think. I can't think of a single thing not mentioned in any guidebook, as you want, that I would insist a first-time visitor with little time MUST see. There isn't anything Linda mentioned that isn't a typical guidebook mention, for example (although I appreciate her listing all these for you). That is just a basic listing of what a guidebook would tell you to do.

I think it would work better if you selected what you wanted to do from your research and readings and then maybe someone could tell you if something was a "pass". Actually, I kind of hate those, also, as I saw someone on here recently declare that the military museum in the Invalides wasn't worth going to and was a pass. Well, I like it very much, and think it is a top museum. I think the Marmottan is a definite pass if pressed for time as there are plenty of Monets elsewhere and I don't think his top works are in there -- yet many others will list that as one of their top suggestions.

etc.

SuzieC

"Must sees" and "must do's" and "skip that" are sort of subjective. What do you two LIKE to do? For example, I haven't "toured" the Eiffel Tower...loved seeing it sparkle while I was crossing the Seine on the Pont Neuf... to me, THAT was breathtakingly beautiful on that clear night. Getting up the thing is not a "must do" to me.
Next time I go, I'm definately going on one of the boat rides up/down the Seine...
I MUST sit at cafe's and have cafe cremes and wine and little bowls of olives.
I MUST take a walk along the Seine and look at the book sellers' wares...
I MUST walk in and out of various galleries (I enjoy the Marais for this)...
I MUST dream a little dream and go to the shop across from the Louvre that is full of antique dealers...
Then I enjoy a museum or two... I haven't been in the D'Orsay yet... I visited the Louvre on a rainy day and never got around the Mona Lisa but LOVED the Etruscan pieces and the hall of ancient statutes...and Napoleon III's apartment...
I get a kick out of being up and out VERY early (6 am?) and watching the stores and shops open...the ladies and gentlemen going to work...the children being herded to school...the "grande dames" taking their pooches for their early walk. The glimmer of lights on the wet pavement...
What to miss? For me, the catacombs, the sewer tour, Rue Cler, Sacre Coure, La Defense...areas full of little children (GRIN)... Luxembourg gardens when they float their little boats...

ira

Hi H,

I go along with Christina. There are no "must see' or "must miss" that you would get a consensus on.

I think that you should have oysters at Le Petit Zinc,
http://www.petit-zinc.com/
but you might not like oysters.

Every Friday is roller blading night. Check this link for the route for your visit, http://www.pari-roller.com/

The Rue Montorgueil and the garment district are interesting.

You might find these threads helpful:

Paris Superthread
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34519236

Degas’s Paris Walks
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34712768

Enjoy your visit.

Travelnut

That's what I'm sayin'... Paris is too rich in sights, must-dos, places to stroll, cafes to sit in and we have no idea what you've already planned..
A first-time visitor can easily fill 3x 5 days with choices from any guidebook - they are IN the guidebook for a good reason.

For something different, perhaps you have an area of special interest or you collect something...? then we might come up with an unusual idea.

moxie

I totally understand this type of post; new places are overwhelming and it's difficult to choose what to see in a limited timeframe (I am having the same problem with Japan...).

I would recommend buying a carte orange and taking full advantage of the buses to get an overview of the architecture of the city.

Must sees for my first-time guests are:
louve (mona lisa) with a walk up to Opera. Then a peek (or longer) in one of the grands magasins there (galleries layfayettes for example).

Viewing of the eiffel tower from the trocadero side.

Stroll down the champs elysses; looking at the place de concorde.

Strolls on the ile st louis and bvd st michel (visit st chapelle) view or visit notre dame.

Trudaine

About the Louvre, I don't get the Mona Lisa craze.If a visitor has no particular interest in art, why should he or she go to the Louvre, on a short visit, to see one painting, now hardly visible in its bullet-proof, air-conditionned glass container, which he/she is likely to find quite disappointing?

ZoeB

I would recommend Rick Steves book for many good suggestions for the first time Paris visitor. I just took my husband to Paris for the first time and we used that book over and over again. He lists quite a few walks that are a great way to see the city. We especially liked the historic Paris walk, the Monmartre Walk, and the walk from Le Centre Pompidou through Le Marais. Definitely, choose a few museums/big sights (you can't see them all!) as well, but make sure to take time to just relax and enjoy the city. You have to give yourself plenty of cafe time!

isabel

I agree that it's really hard to tell someone else, especially someone you don't know, what they should see or skip. I often agree with many of the recommendations several of the posters here have made. For example Ira gives great advice - but oysters- yuck, I hate oysters. I often agree with Christina's advice - but I hate military museums. So that just shows you that taking someone's advice on a specific site isn't really very helpful unless you have specific questions about something. On the other hand, you are so right that some guidebooks make absolutely everything sound fabulous that it's hard to pick out what you'd most like - and trying to see everything is useless.

Rick Steves book is a good suggestion because he doesn't list absolutely everything, just a few highlights. But then again those are HIS highlights and you might not agree with them either.

So my suggestion is to look at photos. A picture is worth a thousand words they say. There are so many photos on the web, or you could go to a bookstore and browse the books of photos of Paris and when you see things that catch your eye put those on your list.

ira

ttt

pmgoosed

Shoot me an email at [email protected] if you have any further questions. I did 3 five day trips in Paris with Parisian residents. The way they showed me the city could not be believed...

suze

I have only been to Paris once and did it with no planning. We picked up a free city map in the hotel lobby upon arrival and each morning set out in a different direction with a couple stops we'd chosen for the day. Mix that with drinking wine in sidewalk cafes, and that's all the plan we needed. Since you say you like to stroll, sit, and people watch, I think this would work find for you too.

mamc

Everybody's must sees and muust not sees are different. Yours will be too. It I had 5 days, I would be sure to visit Ste. Chappelle on a sunny day and try to book an evening concert. However, I do not think concerts are held during the winter. I would walk around the outside of Notre Dame, take a walk on the Ile de St Louis, visit the Louvre and see the Winged Victory and and the Venus de Milo and, if you have time, the Mona Lisa, take a walk in the Tuilleries and from the Louvre to the Place de la Concorde. I would look up the Champs to the Arc. I would visit the Musee D'Orsay for the Impressionists and the spectacular building; the Opera Garnier for the beautiful interior; the Place des Vosges for the wonderful architecture. I would visit a smaller museum or two - my favorites are the Rodin and the Cluny. I would visit the Luxembourg Gardens, walk around St. Germaine and stop for cafe au lait or a glass of wine. Take the Vedettes de Pont Neuf late in the afternoon so you can see Paris as the lights come on. I agree with the advice above to skip Montmartre and Sacre Cour and the Rue Cler. But as I said to start, you will find your own list of "hits and misses". Everyone's is different.

5alive

There are so many variables as to what makes a must-see -- what you enjoy, if there is a three-hour line and you really have other things you wanted to see, or the weather. For example, Rodin's sculpture is a "must-see" on a sunny day and a "skip" when I went in the rainy winter.

The Cluny is a must see if you love unicorns, or sewing or medieval history.

And I regret not touring the Opera house even though it seemed expensive at the time, as I love classical music and opera even more now than then. And I too don't regret not going to the top of the Eiffel Tower but will someday.

One suggestion: Check out a Rick Steves or other travel video from your library and get some ideas of what appeals to you. The Eyewitness guides' photos might also give you some ideas. Do post again with more specific questions.

katzen

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