My husband and I are taking a very (very) short trip to Paris in February. We will be there Saturday, Sunday, Monday and returning on Tuesday. Any suggestions on MUST SEE? We are staying at the K&K Hotel Cayre on 4 Boulevard. Recommendations for tours, etc. would be appreciated. Thank you.

What are already planning to see..?
The obvious 'must-see's are listed in every guidebook and on this website, under "Destinations"....

can say that people enjoy the walking tours from this group:
ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/pariswalking/

Thanks for replying. We realize that the guidebooks mention all the "must see's" however, as you are a Travelnut, you also know that many of these books seem to be geared to stays of at least a week or more. I was hoping someone had taken some tours and would recommend and/or steer us clear of some we should take and/or shouldn't take. We usually like to venture out on our own. However, because we are there for such a short period, we do not want to waste any time. Since you are a travelnut and since we have travelled to London numerous times, Spain, Rome, etc., we both know that some tours are more "traveling" than "seeing".
Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Have you been to Paris before?

If not, take the Open Tour or Car Rouges bus tour for the highlights.

Things I'd want to see in Paris on a 3-day first trip would be:

Eiffel Tower
Arc de Triomphe
Ste-Chapelle
Musée d'Orsay
Musée du Louvre
Galeries Lafayette
loads of café stops

That said, I don't have a clue if you're interested in art or architecture or if you'd rather spend time in famous cafés quaffing wine or perhaps shopping or visiting outdoor markets or maybe fashion shows or ginguettes or private residences or Impressionist haunts. Without having a clue about what lures you to Paris it's very, very hard to winnow down the thousands of things to do there to the few that might appeal to you on a 3-day trip.

This is our first time in Paris. I'm sorry I just assumed that others would recognize that shopping, cafes & outdoor markets are "fill-ins" for a longer stay. We of course want to see the Eiffel Tower and The Louvre. We love architecture, old churches, etc.
Thanks for you suggestions. We are looking them up now. I really appreciate your help. As this is my first time posting, I'm just learning how detailed one needs to be to get the information they are looking for.
Thanks again for your time.

There are people who post here regularly who would not dream of going to Paris without spending time at cafes, outdoor markets and shopping, even if they just are there for a weekend. For whom that is the whole point of the trip, and who do not care about museums. There are other people who want to maximize the sightseeing and minimize the shopping and cafe-sitting.

Since you seem to fall into the sightseeing category, you might want to check out the information on this web site under Destinations. There is an itinerary for five days in Paris, one of which is Versailles, that you can cut down to size for the time you are there. If you want to go to Versailles, you can do it in half a day, especially in February when the gardens are not such a draw. It can be reached easily by public transportation from central Paris, no need to take a tour.

If you are planning to see a lot of museums, you can look into the museum pass, or carte musee, which is available for one, three or five days. This can be purchased at any of the museums included, which include the Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, Sainte Chapelle, and Versailles, as well as at metro stations. Even if it doesn't save a significant amount of money, it does avoid the lines, which can be huge, especially at Versailles and the Musee d'Orsay.

There are boat rides on the Seine which you might consider. The smaller boats have live commentary from a guide; I believe the larger Bateaux Mouche have taped commentary. You can get boat tours near the Eiffel Tower as well as on the Ile de la Cite, near the Pont Neuf.

Hi sfuss - Welcome!!!

Here are my random thoughts to consider:

I'd take a look at Rick Steves guide book or one of the guidebooks or websites that lists the dates things are closed. I wish I had it memorized, but I don't, but this is important as Monday is not a day everthing is open. No worries about the Eiffel Tower or Louvre, but perhaps other sites you may put on your list between now and then.

Check out the Paris Walks walking tours if you find a topic on the days you are that peaks your interest...they're inexpensive, last two hours and are fun and informative.
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/pariswalking/

My personal three-day list would have to contain at least one special dinner, which can be acheived in just about any price range in Paris -- depending on your interpretation of "special." You can use the search function on this site to find recommendations for Paris restaurants. This may also be affected by restos being closed on Sun. & Mon. in some cases, so call or have someone call the resto when you get there to reserve/double check it's open.

On the church topic, consider taking in a mass somewhere or a concert in the church. Notre Dame, St. Chappelle (hubby's fave), St. Etienne du Mont (one of my faves), Sacre Coeur (great mosaic ceiling, pretty amazing if you check it out from the center near the altar and look up).

Louvre - If you want to go but don't want to stay all day as many will suggest, you can consider what my husband and I affectionately call "Speed Louvre." Really, all this means is seeing what you want to see, whether or not it's what others think you should want to see. Frankly, the first time my hubby was in there, we were quickly reminded that the Louvre was formerly a palace, and enjoyed looking at the architecture of the inside as much as the art on the walls. We sort of felt like kids in someone's really gigantic house, and subsequently had this sort of fantastic, giddy experience taking in whatever we wanted, however we wanted, for as long as we wanted.

Favorite museum: Musee Jacquemart Andre - a former residence that mixes a fantstic art collection with a fantastic mansion right in the heart of Paris. In my book, if you only went to one museum, this would be it for me because it seems to provide a taste of the requisite opulence, history and architecture with a fantstic audio guide that comes with the admission (10E I think?) and is not very busy. Also, if you love houses, it sort of has that fantstic feeling of actually seeing someone's home, how they lived, etc. Plus, if you go on Sunday you can have brunch there in a lovely ballroom in the house.
http://www.musee-jacquemart-andre.co...ndre/index.htm

Don't forget that it will be COLD! Bundle up and use cafes, public transport and museums/churches to stay warm. A taxi on occasion never hurt anyone either.

Hope this is of some help. Enjoy your trip and let us know how your planning develops!
L.

The Opera Garnier and the Jaquemart Andre--each an architectural hole in one. And right up the street the dome in Galleries Lafayette.

Sunday is one of your days in Paris, so I'd do the Louvre first thing Sunday morning. Entry was free on the Sunday we were there, but start queuing before 9 when it opens!
You said cafes were fill-ins for longer trips? Not in Paris, surely! If I had only 1 day in Paris, the one thing I would do before all else is settle in at a cafe near the Place St Michel or deeper into the Latin Quarter, with a baguette and a beer, and people-watch for an hour!

There are five interesting churches in close proximity that you could cover as you make your way around..

Notre Dame (Isle de Cit&eacute
Eglise St Julien-le-Pauvre (5th)
Saint Severin (5th)
Saint Sulpice (6th)
Saint Germain des Pres (6th)

Also just behind St Julien-le-Pauvre are some half-timbered buildings... and there are a few more of those in the 4th on rue Francois Miron(metro St Paul).

I would add to the list a boat ride on
the Seine at night....

The Louvre and other museums are free the first Sunday of each month. My one experience with that was at the Musee d'Orsay, which was extremely crowded that day. Other Sundays there is a regular admission fee, or the museum pass works.

To see all the "must see's" take one day and take the L'Open Tour bus. It will take you to all the major sites while giving you commentary as you go. You can hop on and off as you please if there are any sites you want to "get down and dirty with".

Three days is hard to really experience Paris. Remember though, it is more than just tourist sites. You should really take a day to just stroll around, experience a neighborhood, stop and sit at a cafe, talk, relax and people watch. I totally disagree that this is a "fill in" activity.

You have to stop and rest sometime, and this is a perfect opportunity to experience the enjoyment of sitting with a glass of wine or coffee and just watch Paris go by. I highly recommend doing it in St. Germain de Pres (perhaps at the famous Les deux Magots) or as another poster suggested, at St. Michel, near Notre Dame.

If I had to pick only one neighborhood to explore I would pick the Marais. It's a fun trendy neighborhood with loads of history. I would pick up a guide book with a planned walk and drink in some history. Then just set off on your own, you will be amazed at what you will discover. The Marais is especially fun on Sunday. This is a great area to combine site seeing with a little shopping. There are tons of little boutiques and shops where you can get something other than the same run of the mill souvenirs.

You could see a museum (or even two) on your last day. I agree about not being able to do justice to the Louvre in one day. But it's hard to go to Paris and not try! My first trip to Paris included a trip to the Louvre. At that time they had a book in the gift shop called "The Louvre for people in a hurry". But it was really good. It took you on a grand tour of the museum, showing you all the "highlights". I don't know if it is still available. If the Louvre is too much for this first trip, there is always Musee D'Orsay. I also agree about Musee Jacquemart Andre. That way you can see art work as well as experience the interior of a grand home.

Think of this trip as just a taste. You will not be able to get enough of Paris in a mere three days. View this as just a sample for your next trip when hopefully you will be able to stay for longer!

My husband and I had a "long layover" weekend in Paris for our honeymoon, and really enjoyed it! In order to maximize our time, we picked a geographic area each afternoon to wander, rather than rushing all over the city. Paris is a wonderful city to explore on foot, as long as you group your sites accordingly.


Also, since you mentioned architecture, I would highly recommend a river cruise, if they run in February. This is a beautiful way to see the sights of Paris from a new perspective.

We intentionally didn't visit museums on this trip, but since you have an extra day the Louvre sounds great.

One small tip: if there are particular exhibits or wings that you are interested in seeing, be sure to ask someone if they are open all day (or start there first). On a short trip with my family a few years ago, we started from the bottom up, and after lunch discovered the top floor was closed due to "budget cuts," and we missed the crown jewels.

The Louvre's web site lists the days the various galleries are closed:

http://tinyurl.com/a6dhl

Best to check before you make your plans, so you won't be disappointed to find the specific things you wanted to see are closed that day.