Day Trip in Paris
 

I'll be taking a day trip to Paris (from London) and would like suggestions as to what to do. The obvious are the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay but what else? I'll be staying at the Hotel Muguet in the 7th Arrondisement.

Staying in the 7th I think the Rodin is worth seeing for sure.

I'm not sure I understand. You say you are taking a day trip but mention a hotel in Paris. What to see in Paris depends on how long you will be there. Once you clarify, we'll have some thoughts.

Sorry for the confusion. I'll be taking a day and a half trip from London to Paris. I plan on taking the very early Eurostar, which gets into Paris around 9:00 a.m. I'll spend the night and take a noon train back to London.

Well it really depends on what you are interested in:

boat cruise on the seine at dusk
eiffel tower
notre dame
latin quarter
montmartre
market streets
museums
walk through parks
shopping at les grands magasins

What makes you want to go to Paris? that might help us make some useful suggestions...

OK. What time of year do you plan to visit Paris? With 24 hours in Paris, I would try to do the following:

Musee D'Orsay
Notre Dame
Sainte Chapelle
Ile de Saint Louis
Luxembourg Gardens
Seine Cruise
Musee Rodin
Eiffel Tower

If you do the first 5 on your arrival day and take the Seine Cruise at dusk that day, you may be able to fit the Rodin and the Eiffel Tower the morning of the second day.

Keep in mind, these are the things I would visit and they may not fit with your interests. Note that I have left the Louvre out. I would visit only one major museum and depending on your interest in art, you may prefer the Louvre to the D'Orsay. It is just that the D'Orsay is much more manageable in a short period of time.

All of these destinations are a good walk from your hotel which will provide you with ample opportunity to enjoy Paris along with a stop at cafes for cafe or vin and people watching. Do a bit of research and come up with your own list. And enjoy Paris.

Musee d'Orsay and Musee Rodin are my top choices. I wouldn't try to cram in too much and I would avoid places where the lines are infamous for being long (Eiffel Tower, the towers of Notre Dame). It will also depend on the day of the week, as far as the museums. I believe that Rodin is closed on Mondays...D'Orsay might also be. I would wait until dark for the Seine cruise to see all the sites lit up at night. I do also like I'le St Louis; I just think that all on the above list in a day and a half might be a tad bit too much, especially if you have a train to be on by noon on day two. I would feel a bit too stressed and hurried. Do enjoy your day in Paris. I love the city and I am a little more geared to limiting the tourist sites in favor of strolling and people watching in the cafes.

Thanks, everyone. Yes, I plan to bypass the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame. I was in Paris once before and have done these two. I like the suggestions and will try to pare it down a bit. Musee d'Orsay and at least a little time in the Louvre are definitely on my list.

Thanks again for all the suggestions. I love this forum.

If you're interested in the Impressionists at the Musee d'Orsay, you might also want to look into the museum at L'Orangerie, reopened a few years ago in the Tuileries gardens. The museum is most famous for the installation of Monet's <i>Nympheas</i> (Waterlilies), a beautiful and meditative sight if it's not too crowded...