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3 days in paris, what to do?

Asked a very special friend where she wanted to go, she picked Paris. So, 4 days 3 nights at the Crillon. Been to Paris on business several times before, and with parents once. Have no idea what the perfect itinerary would be in order to win her heart.

Dear Joe; Do you have a brother?

joe, if you want a very special dinner in one of the top restaurants, I suggest Jules Verne for the view, food is one notch below the view but still very good; Les Ambassadeurs, gorgeous setting,and perfect food but it's right in your hotel; or Le Grand Vefour, perfect in every way. Le Tour d'Argent is another classic restaurant that has a wonderful view of Notre Dame, food is said to have fallen off a bit in recent years but still very good.At any of those, book months before you go. For a second-tier restaurant on another night (but still pretty expensive), I've heard that Le Violon d'Ingres is very pretty and has excellent food, gets a dressy crowd. I'm planning on going there myself this fall. That one may not be listed in an older guidebook. It's at 135 rue St Dominique in the 7th, phone 01 45 55 15 05, advance reservations strongly recommended. It gets high ratings in my Paris restaurant guide. For lunch or a drink, try Cafe Marly (tucked away inside the Louvre, nice terrace, food only average but good for people-watching); or have lunch at the Ritz hotel which also has a garden. You can also put together a wonderful picnic, and have it in Parc Monceau or on a bench overlooking the Seine, or in your hotel room. If you are both music lovers, there are often evening concerts in some of the beautiful old churches and in Ste Chapelle. Some of these concerts are candle-lit. For advance information, try this website: http://www.ampconcerts.com/english/date-tous.htm I can't quite understand from your posting if only you have been to Paris before, or your friend has. Even if you want to keep romance to a maximum and fatigue to a minimum, you might want to do some traditional sightseeing. It's hard to recommend things without knowing your interests, but here are some favorites. I'll bet your guidebook has suggestions for walks and itineraries that include the following, For example, start at Notre Dame, Then walk a few minutes to Sainte Chapelle, that masterpiece of gothic architecture and stained glass. If possible go on a sunny day to see the glass in its glory. At this point you can if you wish, and with museum pass in hand, head for the Louvre, or else start your day there. Take a walk through the Tuileries Gardens and then head to Place de la Concorde. From Place de la Concorde you can walk up the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe, or explore the gorgeous shops on rue du Faubourg St.Honore. From the Arc if you’re not exhausted, you can push on to the Eiffel Tower, or save that for another day., On another day or two, explore the left bank. See the wonderful Musee D'Orsay, spend what ever amount of time you wish. My strategy is to get there at opening time and start on the top floor of the museum where most of the impressionist paintings are--early in the day you can see them in relative peace. The Musee D’Orsay has a cafe, as you may know. Walk the blvd St Germain, explore the charming side streets and cafes and shops, go to the Rodin Museum which has beautiful sculptures and a pretty garden. You can also walk to the Eiffel Tower from there. Perhaps take a bateau mouche boat ride on the Seine. It's touristy but especially beautiful at night. You can get them at Place de L’Alma near the Eiffel Tower, and there are other boat lines at other locations. The ride is about an hour. There are dinner cruises on the Seine, but these are quite expensive and I have heard that the food is just adequate, not worth the price. Still I’m sure it can be a memorable experience. iew and an orientation. On another day, take a walk to Ile St Louis (stop for icecream at Berthillon) cross another bridge and then wander through the Marias area, stopping for lunch or dinner along the way, or at Place des Vosges, the oldest and most beautiful square in Paris. If you have further questions, ask away, or email me.

Some thoughts: -- Make sure you can pronounce Crillon. It's something like Cree-yoh, but find a French native who can tell you exactly (if, of course, you don't know already.) -- The Crillon is steeped in French history; Crillon-the-brave was a 16th century soldier famed for his courage and loyalty. The hotel named after him was built in the 18th century to house foreign ambassadors-- hence the name of its best restaurant. -- Speaking of restaurants, Les Ambassadeurs is ranked by this year's Gault-Millau slightly lower than Le Regence and Taillevent, both also in the 8th arrondissement. -- While my husband won't spring for the Crillon, he does sometimes take me to Michelin-starred restaurants. Those gourmet meals take about three hours to eat, and by the sixth course or so I begin to feel overwhelmed. Arrange for some lighter fare in addition to one or two special dinners. -- I'd ask the special friend what she wants to do in Paris. But in general, it seems like a good idea to avoid crowds,so you can concentrate on each other. things in Paris which I find romantic are the Museum of the Middle Ages (the Cluny); Montmartre; The Sainte Chapelle; boat rides on the Seine. -- There was a thread last spring about late sunsets in Paris, which ended up as a discussion of where the best place is to spend sunset in Paris. Use the forum's search to see if you can pull it up. It had some very romantic ideas, as I recall.

Greetings - Here are some of my favorite things to do in Paris. Minus all the fancy stuff. 1) Afternoon picnic in the statue garden of the Rodin Museum. Lots of green trees and a view of the golden Invalides dome. In a word...lovely. 2) Watching the sun set from the Pont Alexander III bridge. As you watch the sun set, you'll see the lights of the Eiffel Tower come on and the ornate, victorian lights of the bridge come on. I love doing this! 3) Believe it or not, a stroll through (and perhaps a bottle of wine and some bread) Pere Lachaise cemetary. I know it sound strange but except for all the large pieces of marble and granite, you'd never know you were in a cemetary. It's one of the most beautiful places in Paris. 4) Wandering around the lit up courtyard of the Louvre at 2 a.m. because we couldn't sleep. Had the entire place to ourselves. A memory I'll never forget. 5) Strolling through the St. Germain area and through the marketplace on Rue de Buci. Small, charming streets, fresh fruit vendors, special boutiques, pastry shops, etc. 6) Walking down by the Seine at night watching the boat floodlights illuminate the river banks as they pass by. 7) Standing in the upper chapel of St. Chapelle with my jaw on the floor. I could sit and think of lots more but here is a final thought... When you first show her the Eiffel Tower, I recommend this way. Take the metro to the Trocadero stop at night. Walk up the stairs and come around the corner so the first time she sees it, it's lit up in all it's glory and larger than life. I think for most people it's bigger than they think and seeing it this way for the first time, up close, is the best way for maximum impact and memory. When you actually go up, I recommend going an hour before sunset so you can watch the lights come on all over the city and the last light of the day shimmer off the Seine. If you're going to propose, do it here, on the Pont Alexander Bridge, or in the Rodin statue garden. :-)

The beautiful gardens of the Rodin Museum are a must see. If you go to the Louvre there is a charming and excellent restaraunt hidden on the first floor of the Denon wing, it is in an old part of the castle that was the stable. The room is very intimate and quaint, they serve a fantastic lunch with first class service. There are other hidden sculpture gardens near and on the Seine. Pont des Arts is outside the Louvre and has rotating exhibitions. Luxembourg Gardens also fabulous. There are concerts in many of the cathedrals incl Ste Chappelle, great way to see the cathedral at sunset and beat the lines. In between the fantastic restaraunt meals leave space for the wonderful fruit and pastries from streetside vendors. Some things just aren't available in the states.

Joe, Definately go to the top of the Eiffel Tower and watch the lights come on all over the city ... you can't miss with that! Have a great time.

On some of the side streets near Place des Vosges there are bridal shops with beautiful gowns. A stroll by some shop windows might set the mood if you're planning to propose. I also love the little sailboat pond at the Luxembourg Gardens. I always feel like I've stepped back in time. Sitting on the little chairs, holding hands with my sweetie, and watching the world go by is a perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon.

I think the Eiffel Tower is so romantic at night! And walking along the Seine. We were there in June and had dinner at Beauvilliers, 52 r Lamarck, which is in walking distance of Sacre Coeur--and a wonderful view of Paris--either before or after dinner. Beauvilliers was absolutely beautiful inside and out--lots of flowers. We also had dinner at Benoit at 20 Rue St. Martin, this was a fun and lively place--good food, not quite as formal. We also had dinner at Jamin--32 rue Longchamp--within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower--this is also a very nice restaurant that is supposed to be less expensive than similarly rated restaurants. The dinner did take all of three hours but was wonderful. When we left, they gave us a loaf of freshly made bread for our breakfast the next day.

lynn's comment about taking the metro to trocadero and then walking around the corner to see the eiffel tower in all its glory is the best thing to do in showing someone the tower for the first time. i've done it twice to different friends, and it always makes a grand impression (as it did for me, when i saw it for the first time)! good luck.

Joe: I'm with the girl who asked if you had a brother! What a nice man you are. Well, she couldn't have picked a better location than Paris! The Crillon is a great hotel. I have been there, but never had the good fortune to stay there. It is a perfect location too! All the ideas you have received from other posters are very good. While strolling down the Champs Elysees with my Mom one night, I pictured strolling that same route with some special guy towards the Arc de Triomphe all lit up in all its beauty. I actually have heard that someone got engaged on the top of it! You can go to the top and get an awesome view of Paris in all its splendor. Put it this way, no matter where you go in Paris, it will be romantic, wonderful and perfect! I wish you and your friend a great trip and if you are popping the question, I am sure she'll say "yes"! Let us know how your trip was when you return. Michele

I don't know where the Metro stop is at at the Trocadero, but beware that there is some kind of construction going on near the Palais de Chaillot. At night you can only see the Eiffel Tower through this hole cut in the wood sheeting that has been put up to keep people from falling in this giant hole. We just walked around the Maritime Museum--there is a garden path, and could see the tower from the steps of the museum or palace (just above the Jardin du Trocadero).

Thanks for everyone's help. Paris was fantastic. I guess I saw it with a different set of eyes than before. I don't know how the thread got started, but NO I did not propose. Both our situations prevent that from happening, at least currently. Don't know if I won her heart, I know she won mine. Enough. The Crillon was perfect - the right size, the right amount of attention from the staff, the perfect suite, the perfect location. Glad I chose it over the Ritz or the Plaza. Les Ambassadeurs was our favorite for dinner. Tour D'Argent was great and expensive ($500) but the food and service not up to par with Les Ambassadeurs. We managed to get reservations for lunch at Jules Verne, wonderful setting. I also liked dinner at this small crowded (with locals) seafood restaurant on George V (Marie something). Tour Eiffel was pretty all lit up, but both times we tried, the 3rd level was closed. One late night (early AM) we took a cab and asked to be driven around the Paris sights. He ended the tour at Pigalle, she was game so we got off and walked for a while. Another night we went to the Crazy Horse, which she thoroughly enjoyed. We didn't do all the tourist things: just spent an afternoon at the Louvre and Tuilleries, took a late night Bateau Mouche was about it. Spent time shopping on St. Honore, but came back empty handed. No picnics at gardens, but bread and cheese (Fauchon) picnics in our room. Paris was charming, but not as enchanting as my companion. Joe