2nd trip to paris
 

this fall will be my 2nd time to paris....we did every possible touristy thing the first time, so do you have any suggestions for something different? any "can't miss" day trips? thanks.

How long was your first visit (months?) and what did you see/do??

You need to tell us what you did last time. How do you define touristy?

only a week in april 2004, and like i said, we did all the usuals......museums, moulin rouge, all the landmarks (notre dame, etc). we'll do the most important again, but now we need something else to add....
i'm not opposed to checking out something outside of paris for a day. any suggestions?

no offense, but i really thought "touristy" was self-explanatory.

My dear ID,

My Lady Wife and I have been to Paris numerous times over many years and are still doing "touristy things", although we have not yet been to the Moulin Rouge.

Have you taken a ride on the Batobus?
www.batobus.com

((I))

If you run a search for <Paris and daytrips> a bunch of great threads will come up . . .

I've visited Paris numerous times and still have not seen all of the touristy things, but I have seen the Moulin Rouge (which was actually good surprisingly). Have you really seen all the 'touristy things'?

You can do daytrips: Chartres, Fontainebleau, Versailles, Loire Valley, Lille, Mt. St. Michel, etc.

Something different?

I will going to Paris next May for the 14th time and I am not even half way to my ever growing list.

Have you visited the musée Nissim de Camondo or the Gustave Moreau? There are both unique in there way.

If you understand French there is a large selection of detailed guide tours (visite-conférence) listed in the Pariscope, there are always new ones because discovering Paris does take a life time.

Have you visited the reception rooms of the Hotel de ville?

Also there are always great exhibits going on.

Montmarthe behind the Sacré-Coeur is a maze of great littles street to explore.

Also worth visiting the musée Carnavalet (history of the city of Paris) and musée Jacquemart André.

And have you ever been to Malmasion, Josephine's home just outside Paris? She is buried there.

The cathederal St.Denis is great too. Almost all the kings and queens of France are there,

Exploring the Puces at St-Ouen.

Take a walk around Père Lachaise cemetery.

Here's a thread of 100 great things to do in Paris:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...mp;tid=1277898

Have you been to the Musee Cluny? Rodin? Marmottan? The Musée Jacquemart-André? Promenade Plantee? All the street markets? Have you been to the Marche aux Puces Clingnacourt? Invalides?

The museum pass lists 65 museums and monuments, and there are dozens, or perhaps hundreds, of other places that aren't included in that pass.

Notre Dame is a great church, but so are St Sulpice, St Severin, and oh so many others. Parks, gardens, squares... I guess you spent time at Place des Vosges? Been to the Pompidou? The area around that museum could take me a day to explore: so many great shops and streets. The Niki St Phalle fountain shouldn't be missed.

Now I feel like I'm just quoting a guidebook so I'll stop. But did you go to Pere Lachaise? Oh, I can't stop! The bird market? The Madelaine? Parc Monceau? La Villete?

Let me suggest the book City Secrets Paris. Lots to see and do that aren't at the top of every tourist's list.

I've been four times and not been to several spots I can think of. I want to the Cimitere Montmartre, and Chartre, on my next trip.

We always check for what is on at the old Bibliotheque Nationale, where great photography is shown. Another great gallery with changing exhibits is the Grand Palais.

In other words, tuscanlifeedit is trying to say that one can never run out of touristy sights (and non-touristy sights) to visit in Paris. I agree!! :)

Thanks to Nikki for the thread reference. I had read it some time ago - but was planning a Paris trip then. Good reads!

If you have not visited the Nissim Camondo and Jacquemart Andre museums they are definitely worth a visit. Also, in spite of no English signs, the Carnavalet museum is fascinating. For a day trip out of Paris, my favorite is Rouen - 3 cathedrals, half-timbered main street, museums, etc.

make that was not planning a trip then. I give up, I cannot type with a cat in my lap.

Since Petit Palais just reopened, unless your first trip was years ago, I'm pretty sure that you've not seen it.

I picked up a brochure that says it's free to see the permanent collection, but I think that there's a website and you can look.

With all due respect, I'll be making my 69th trip to Paris in March, and I'm not convinced I've "done all the touristy things." In fact, because of people like the ones on this board I may have actually passed by some of the touristy things in favor of some more unknown ones.

Have you visited the various galleries of Paris? Explored the outdoor markets? Seen the Catacombs and Pierre Lachaise Cemetery? Gone down the Canal St-Martin? Gone to a show at Au Lapin Agile? Had lunch at the Maison Fournaise on the Ile des Impressionistes? Checked out the Cité de Science? Been to the Jacquemart-André Museum? Checked out the Buttes de Cailles? Taken the RER to Boulogne-Billancourt? Gone to St-Denis? These are all "touristy things" but if you've only been to Paris twice you may not know about them.

I think it's fair to say - because even as a regular traveler to Paris I check them out - guidebooks have loads of things in them "for tourists" that most tourists never see. Perhaps you have a guidebook you could look at and highlight all the "touristy things" you actually missed on those first two trips. There are bound to be dozens of venues that "every possible touristy thing" didn't really cover the first two times round. Really - Paris is a treasure trove.

thanks so much for all the wonderful ideas! one really caught my eye, because i hadn't been there......the bird market?? tell me more!

A good photo:

http://www.visitfrance.co.uk/picture...p=4&i=1483