You have lots of fun stuff planned (all doable as well) and lots of great advice above; I will add to it by reminding you not to forget to leave some 'Unplanned' time to yourselves and plan nothing for a day or half a day. You'll find yourself needing it amidst all the rushing around and loving it too.
It will be the day when you can wake up and revel in the thought of not be tied to any kind of schedule, be it a timetable, or an opening time, or a dinner reservation. It will be the day to let your feet and your fancy take you around Paris wherever they please, to go revisit something or somewhere you went to earlier, to stroll an area you hadn't heard of before you got to Paris, or a place you passed that looked interesting, or to sit on a streetside cafe you saw earlier in the week and looked cool, or shop in interesting stores you only had time to pass by before. This time will rank as highly as visits to any of the 20 sites you listed because it was of your own discovery and in your own time.

Have fun ! I spent all of last October In France (almost 2 weeks in Paris) and look forward to returning.

I agree with the apt sentiment. We really enjoy our own space to come back to at the end of the day. It's also fun to shop at a local market and pick up some quick fixins for breakfasts and dinners. You will absolutely fall in love with Paris. (Heavy sigh)

Thank you for all your great suggestions. I am now looking at hotels and apartments. Will let you all know how it goes. Will also be finalizing the list of attractions we would like to see. As many of you have recommended, we will definately keep some time aside to soak in Parisien life.

Does it really matter living on the left bank versus the right bank, since this is our first time ? I was thinking as long as we are near a metro stop, we could get to the attractions if we happened to find a nice place at a great price on the Right bank ? Am i completely wrong ? What would the pros and cons be of left versus the right bank. Is it a matter of personal preference and convenience ?

Many of the apartments are on the top floors European 6th etc, and they have elevators. Anybody had experience with the elevators not working. Can't imagine climbing 7 flight of stairs, if the elevators don't work, after a day of intense walking.

Some apartments do not have washer/dryers. In the event we would need to do laundry are laundromats fairly commonplace in Paris. Well we could also have our clothes laundered ...

Also looking at airline tickets out of San Francisco to Paris. Any suggestions ? I am looking at Air France at this time.

Merci :)

I know I'm a broken-record about this on this forum...but we love St-Denis Basilica in Paris>>

no you're not, we're going on our trip in March. thanks for the reminder thought.

Kalinaturegirl,

do resist the temptation to stay outside the centre of Paris to save money - IMHO it's a false economy, because what you "save" you will spend in time and money getting backwards and forwards into the centre.

whether you want a hotel or apartment depends on your travel style - if you all do in a room is sleep, and don't want a bar or breakfast provided, then go for an apartment. if you want "concierge' type service, whilst some apartments provide them, most don't. as you are going for over a week, that's a long time to be cooped up in most hotel rooms, so i think I would be leaning towards an apartment, where even if you don't do much actual cooking, you can make hot drinks, store your wine, and lounge about in comfort.

lastly, do group the places you want to see not just by area, but by opening time as well. lots of museums close on Mondays [the Louvre is Tuesday I think]. so that's another aspect to take into account when you are scheduling your time.

and like another poster said, do leave yourselves time for the unexpected - the day that you'd planned a quick snack lunch but come across the perfect restaurant, the museum that you fall in love with and want to stay all day, the bar that you want to spend the afternoon in...all these go towards a great holiday too.

have a great trip!

Recommend getting a good map of the city, versus a 'tourist' map. ( like Michelin Blue, but there are others. That way, you can just wander down interesting streets and not worry about being 'off the map'

You asked for a hotel recommendation and I'll make one as I'd feel bad if the only advice you got on this issue was from Kerouac and French Mystique! LOL

Our last trip my wife and I stayed at http://www.hotel-saintmichel-paris.com

It was only a couple of minutes from the RER B Luxembourg stop should you decide on the train. When we left, it was over 90 degrees and the train ride in had been uncomfortable in the heat so we took at taxi to the airport for 50 euros. The hotel has been recently remodeled and has a nice modern feel to it. I can't abide those fusty old flocked wallpaper hotels. Restaurants abound in the area. We'd stay again in a heartbeat.

With a week available I would only do 1 trip out of the city. I'd pick Giverny as I'm a fan of Monet and not so much of Louis XIV. :^)

Kalinaturegirl,

In reverse order:

4) The Air France non-stops are by far your best bet. You can shave about 150 off the price if you connect somewhere (Amsterdam or Zurich are good options - NOT Heathrow or OHare). I think the extra $ for non-stops is VERY worth it.

3) There are laundromats with and without wash/dry/fold service all over - I wouldn't make it the deciding factor (though it IS nice to have in apt...)

2) I've never encountered or heard of an elevator not working - either in the US or abroad.

1) Left bank versus the right bank is strictly a personal preference - both can be convenient. The important thing, IMO, is that you want to be central. That means close to the river/islands. The closer the better (although you do pay a little more for the convenience...). Again, money well spent.

For a first visit to most cities, I like using hop-on hop-off buses - you get a feel for the city and its an easy way to get to the most popular tourist sites. Of course you can plot your own route and use cheaper public transport, but the HOHO bus is simpler on a first visit while you familiarize yourself with the city. In Paris it's a big yellow bus called "L'Open Tour". Check out the routes at www.parislopentour.com

Enjoy your visit

Another suggestion: Notre Dame on a Sunday morning. We're not Catholics, but it was an almost mystical experience. I wondered if we were being disrespectful of the worshipers going there during the service, but we were silent and just walked around the outer sections. There were no crowds at all.

Perhaps someone from Paris -- Kerouac?? -- can let me know if this was wrong, because on our next visit (hopefully with our sons and their wives) I'd like them to do it, if it is OK.

SS

The cathedral is open to visitors during services so there is nothing wrong with what you did since you were being as quiet as you could. Worshippers are used to the cathedral being full of visitors most of the time.

ssander, I'm catholic and I can assure you that it was not disrespectful, as long as you did not interfere with the service happening in the centre area. Popular, large churches around the world that are built in this style allow movement around the perimeter during a service; other more modern churches cannot always accommodate this and so do not encourage it.
The 'rules' for visitors whether catholic or not who are present but not participating in a service are little more than common respect and courtesy in any place of worship: to be as unobtrusive as possible so as not to distract the worshippers. This includes being as quiet as possible, and to refrain from photography, especially flash photography. Some churches enforce dress codes, as is often discussed on this forum.

I was at ND last October on a Sunday and was lucky halfway around the church to have a new mass begin at 1.00pm. So I made my way to the centre, found a seat/chair in the front pew and heard a full mass, with cantoring, singing and all. It was wonderful and I was oblivious to the slow moving crowds around the perimeter. (I speak French so the language wasn't a problem for me, but everywhere in the world, the catholic mass follows the same order so it is easy to follow even if in a language one doesn't understand.)

Two days later, did the same thing for All Souls Day at Sacre Coeur in Monmartre. The crowds there were much, much larger, but I admired the fact that they were moving, and it was still quiet, reverent and respectful during a High Service, with plenty of space for quiet contemplation. That experience was more mystical to me than ND, though they're both very beautiful churches.

Ok. here goes. Firt .. apartments are not always cheaper then hotels, and its only a week, so since most of us vacation in hotels for a week in other destinations, I find it amusing that people think they are going to have some "living like a local " experience just because they have to make their own bed and wash their bath towels,, super fun.
Secondly, why would you need to worry about laundry for such a short trip?
Thirdly,,totally recommend St Denis, but do read up a bit on it, makes it so much more interesting. Love that its never crowded,, i visited in heart of summer and still found it a retreat.Cyrpts close by 2 so be there by noon to enjoy.

Taxi is easy, but not always fastest option( depends on time of day and traffic)and of course not cheapest. RER is fast and cheap and easy to manage if you just pack one bag you can manage easily each.

Hotel rooms are smaller then you are used to..

Hotels ideas: Hotel Eugenie,, tourist central location, clean, cheap, and steps from Seine , Notre Dame, and RER from airport.
Hotel Le Regent, but only the deluxe rooms, great location.
Hotel Pantheon or Hotel Des Grand Hommes, cute , great location, not as cheap as some, but nice.

finally budget hotel, but has a/c and is in an EXCELLANT location. is Hotel St Pierre in the 6th, rooms are small , but clean and cheap, staff were nice.

If you haven't made flight arrangements yet, British Air has a huge sale right now. It expires on Jan. 24th. Most flights stop in London, but you can choose from many options.

Also, you mentioned a day tour from Paris. I have done a Cityrama bus tour to the Burgundy area and it was not a good choice.

As far as whether to stay on the right or the left bank, you will probably end up thinking that whatever neighborhood you stay in on either bank is wonderful. As long as you are near a metro stop, you can get around the city easily.

Now that I have been to Paris several times, I am much less concerned about picking just the right neighborhood. I have been very happy in every neighborhood I have tried on both banks, and would like to try others as well.

I have been very happy in every neighborhood I have tried on both banks, and would like to try others as well.>>

Nikki - the more time I spend in Paris, the more central i seem to want to be. it's just so much easier to et around to all the things i want to see.

Perhaps i'm getting old!

Hello Fellow travellers -

I am in the process of booking my apartment in Paris. Once the apartment is finalize i will book my air tickets. British Airways and Air France airfare from San Francisco is almost the same. Would prefer to fly Air France.

Need help with French Phrase books. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Will possibly try to do the day trip to Giverny as well as Versailles. I am a huge Monet/Impressionist lover.

How do you get phone numbers to the restaurant's we'd like to go to. Any suggestions for restaurant guides in Paris.

Merci!

If you are a Monet lover, definitely check out Giverny and L'Orangerie. It was beautiful. I would definitely go with Air France just because your experience starts as soon as you get on the plane. They serve free Champagne and offer French movies during the flight.

Will possibly try to do the day trip to Giverny as well as Versailles. I am a huge Monet/Impressionist lover.>>

you should also try to get to the Marmottan Monet museum out in the 18th. not only do they have a wonderful collection of art, but also it is in a very nice area of Paris.

You should read the trip reports to get restaurant suggestions and contact information. No need to buy a separate book, and I think, you will get a wide variety of options from the posts here.

Most restaurants contact info can be found online, you will see many of the posts in trip reports do list the websites (I am never detail oriented enough to include them myself). Some restaurants reservations can be made through La Fourchette (kind of like the French version Open Table).

There are also online sites for French phrases, etc...if you already have a Fodor's or Rick Steves guide book, there are most phrases that you will need included in the book. I make a copy of that section and carry it rather than trying to carry an entire book around. Also these guide books will have restaurant contact information listed, as well.

Have a great time...both banks are lovely. I prefer the left but am happy on either side-it's Paris!

If you do plan to go to Monet's garden in Giverny, do yourselves a huge favor and don't go on a tour. It's very easy to get there yourself by train and the thing to do is go very early so that you're there right as it opens (opens at 9:30AM) before the tours arrive. In May, which is the most gorgeous time in the gardens, it will be so crowded it can be difficult to enjoy the beauty if you're there along with all the people arriving on the bus tours.

Take the closest metro from your apartment to Gare Saint-Lazare. When you get to the gare, take the 'SNCF - Grandes Lignes' exit. Buy a ticket to Vernon. The Rouen line (which you take to Vernon)departs from the right side of the platform, in the 'Grandes Lignes' section. From Gare St Lazare, take the train toward Rouen, get off at Vernon. The ticket/information office at St. Lazare SNCF station will give you an English brochure about Giverny as well as complete train and bus schedules.

When you come out of the train station in Vernon, get a cab to Giverny. Simply hop into the first available cab (there will be some waiting right outside the station) and ride the 10 minutes or so to Monet's Garden. When you get into the gardens, don't take the time then to tour the house. Head straight to the garden where the lily pond is (there will be signs) and you will have an incredible treat of a 1/2 hour or so of serene enjoyment of one of the most gorgeous spots on the planet. By 10:15 or so, the hordes will descend and you will be so glad that you came on your own early and had that "private" time to enjoy.

When you're ready to leave, you can take a shuttle bus from Giverny back to the Vernon train station.

Doing this trip independently is easy and less expensive than a tour and you will get that wonderful time to enjoy the gardens in May without the insane crowds. I highly recommend it!