AngelaS

We have 3 days in Paris. We don't have the time to fully appreciate the museums like the Louvre, but just want a general overview of the sights. We're thinking of possibly doing a city tour on a bus toget a good overview & then decide what parts we like best. What do you guys recommend in 3 days - what's the best?

Robespierre

http://tinyurl.com/ovpaw

AngelaS

We will be in Paris, arriving Sat. morning after int'l flight, & stay through either Tues or Weds. I've heard that Paris is totally dead on Sundays, no stores are open & there's nothing to do but go to museums. Is this true??

cheribob

The Michelin Green Guide usually has nice outlines for city visits of two to four days, as well as several itineries to choose from.

If you take in 1 major site in the morning and one in the afternoon you should be able to visit most of the major sites in 3 days. Invalides, Eiffel tower, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur and perhaps one other site.

Keeping it to one in the morning & one in the afternoon will keep you from being exhausted & rushed.

agnes_

Hi,
Groups in guided tours do in 3 days all the main monuments, 2 museums and Versailles ! Depends on the pace you want to live for these 3 days.
I'd suggest you can have a day wandering from Champs-Elysées-Arc de triomphe to Concorde, Jardin des Tuileries and Le Louvre-Palais Royal. All these places are aligned in the same perspective. In that same day, you walk up to Place Vendôme, Madeleine and Opera, which is very close. Get 1 hour and a half guided tour in Le Louvre, you should be able to integrate a larger group. Don't have regrets afterwards to have missed this.
Then you can spend another day visiting quartier latin, Notre-dame and also St-Louis Island. There are many pittoresque old streets, little restaurants and nice boutiques.
For the third day, I would say Le Marais, which is also one of the oldest neighborhoods, and the Eigffel Tower with Trocadéro. Montmartre can be seeing in one evening.
Enjoy your stay !

AngelaS

We are thinking of doing the Louvre Sunday morning, and the afternoon possibly heading to Versailles - is this possible in one day? Are there any other great sights/castles surrounding Paris that we could see on Sunday? We are trying to find things outside the city (or a museum) since a lot of places are closed on Sun.

zizz

bookmarking

Robespierre

Two castles (check for Sunday hours): Vincennes, at the east end of Métro Ligne 1, and Chantilly, a half-hour train ride north to Senlis.

opaldog

I think Sunday in Paris is great! Go down to the Marais. It's very busy and lots of stores and food places open, especially after 12:00. The small museums should be open; Carnavalet, Victor Hugo. Places des Vosges is a very nice area with musicians under the arcade. Canal St. Martin is a fun boat ride from the Bastille to Parc de Villette. People watching and strolling along the river are also big on sundays in Paris. Picnic in any park, of which there are many. Just soak in the atmosphere and relax. We have done several "small" trips to Paris. Don't try to do too much. Don't try to travel too far. I have been to Versaille and wasn't all that impressed. It can be very crowded. Try the Marais.

docdan

Agree with Opaldog . . Don't feel compelled to see Versailles - for sure doing the Louvre and Versailles in one day is not recommended - too much effort getting from point A to B. The sites that Cheribob mentioned are fine - may want to add either Musee D'Orsay and/or Chapel St. Chappel. Be sure to get a museum pass proir to going if you can - will cut down on the lines. And one final note - in most guides are a list of great views of Paris - pick any two - no more, and do one in the day and one at night. I was able to watch the sun set one evening from the top of the Arc - it was probably the highlight of my trip.

AngelaS

I also am a bit skeptical about Versailles - mother-in-law is highly suggesting it. I looked at photos, looks nice, but not really spectacular?? I will look into the other places mentioned.. We want to make the most of our time!

Robespierre

Actually, A and B are only about 40 minutes apart by RER. From the Louvre, walk across the river to the Musée d'Orsay station and take the train to Versailles Rive Gauche.

The palaces are open until 18h30, and the gardens until sundown. Every summer Saturday and Sunday night, there are concerts, fireworks, and fountain displays. <b>Spectacular</b> is the only word that describes it.

Mimar

I've been to Paris several times, the last time for a week, and I've never been to Versailles. Something about the grandeur and the excess, all supported by starving peasants. But there's lots to do and see in 3 days in Paris. I'd stay in town. Maybe you could add a boat trip on the Seine. We took a walking tour of Marseilles, which was enjoyable.

Robespierre

If you're organizing a &quot;wretched excess&quot; tour, remember to skip the Louvre, Conciergerie, Tuileries, Palais Royal, Grand Palais, Petit Palais, Orangerie, Jeu de Paume, Luxembourg, and about 200 other venues.

If you've never seen a Versailles spectacle, you've missed France altogether.

http://www.chateauversailles-spectac...arit_total.php

ziggy60

We were in Paris for 3 days and saw almost all the sites. Check out Rick Steves book about 3 day itenerary. Go to Versailles on Sunday - its beautiful. Get the museum pass and bypass all the lines. Check out the days the Louvre and D'Orsay are closed ( i think its tuesday or monday ) and arrange your schedule around that.
Try to work in some time to just walk around a bit - Paris is a beautiful city and just walking around, window shopping, sitting in a sidewalk cafe is great.
Enjoy your trip.

AngelaS

Thanks for all the tips! Much appreciated!!

docdan

As you can see there is some controversy about the adviseability of Versailles, and that controversy is not limited to this thread. With all due respect to Robespierre, who admittedly knows more than I do about France, the train ride itself is 40 min, then add the time to find the station, wait for the next train, walk from Versailles rive Gauche to the chateau, then reverse the whole process, and now we're talking about a serious bunch of time that will bite a big percentage out of a 3 day itinerary. . And mind you, I like trains. But to me, the trip to Versailles is just one more extravagent place in a city of extravagent places, listed so eloquently above. But if you must go, you'll have a lovely time. . .

Robespierre

Cross the Pont Royal and turn right. The RER is 100 meters along. 5 minutes total.

Trains from Mus&eacute;e to Versailles Rive Gauche run every 15 minutes throughout the day.

RER 40 minutes.

Walk from Versailles RG to Ch&acirc;teau: 10 minutes.

Bite out of itinerary: 55 minutes minimum, 70 maximum. If you take your lunch on the train, you won't even notice the time. Besides, a little sitting will be a welcome break from the morning's activities.

Randy

Go to the Versailles web site and make your own decision to attend or not. It is an exceptional place, but you only have three days. What is important to you?

AngelaS

i can see to that Versailles is controversial - we will be doing more research this weekend into all the places listed &amp; see what is our priority. Like I said earlier, MIL had suggested it as a &quot;must-see&quot; &amp; to do it on Sunday since most shops, etc. are closed. I've been to the website, it looks very nice - but in my books, nothing specatular. I've been to several castles in Europe that I think are much better.