essential paris in 2 days
 

I know we can't see anything, but i would like to hear your top-10 for first time visitors. Two full days available (saturday-sunday)

thanks

Well - first - you'll have a lot of trouble seeing 10 things in 2 days - unless you mean a drive-by inn a bus - IMHO a complete waste of time.

My top 10 in descending order:

Notre Dame
Louvre
Musee D'Orsay
Eiffel Tower
Sacre Coeur/Place de Monmartre
Arc de Triomphe
Champs Elysees
Musee de Cluny
Walking aloong the Seine
Sainte Chapelle

I could easily add another 30. But what you would be missing the most is exploring several cute neighborhoods and just sitting in a famous cafe with a glass of wine watching all of Paris wander by.

There are a couple of books with scaled-down "do/see" lists that you could use to sample Paris.

http://www.randomhouse.com/category/...=9781400008995

http://www.amazon.com/Top-Paris-Eyew.../dp/0756632552

I have to agree, that it would be impossible to really experience 10 things, What are your passions? Art? History, shopping, figure that and go from there. I try to limit things to no more than 2 things a day, (maybe less depending i.e. the Louvre can be an all day thing). That leaves room for spontaneous experiences. That all said the Eiffel tower can be an evening thing.
RosieCaro

Day 1: Early métro to Trocadéro, walk to Eiffel Tower. It doesn’t take long, but long enough for the images to burn into your memory forever.

Métro 6 to Charles de Gaulle / Etoile: Arc de Triomphe.

Walk Champs d’Elysées to George V, take Métro 1 to Place de la Concorde (obelisk) and walk through the Tuileries gardens to the Louvre.

No time to go into Louvre, but check out the courtyard, pyramid.

Take métro 7 to Stalingrad, change to métro 2 to Anvers, walk up to Sacré Coeur, then walk behind to Place du Tertre.

By now you have 5 major landmarks you can check off. Day 1 is probably not over yet - depends on how early you started, how good a walker you are (walking is important - memories stay with you much longer than when things zip by, seen from a bus), and how long you wish to hang around in each place.

Walk down to Abbesses métro stop, take métro 12 to Assemblée Nationale, walk over to Musée d’Orsay. You’ll get another look from another angle at the obelisk and the Louvre across the Seine.

By now, late in the day, there may not be a long line for the Orsay. If you can get in, make a beeline to the far end under the clock and take the elevator to the top floor. You’ll see the major of the major works in the next few rooms.

If your legs still carry you, walk east and soon you’ll be in the St. Germain area, lots of small streets, restaurants, cafés. etc. The Institut de France looks imposing. The Hôtel de la Monnaie is not a hotel but the mint.

Day 2: Early métro to Ile de la Cité, do the lot: Sainte Chapelle, Conciergerie, Notre Dame... Walk across to the other island, Ile Saint-Louis and head north-east to Place des Vosges. From there, walk west along Rue Rambuteau to Rue Beaubourg to the Centre National d”Art et de Culture Georges Pompidou. Go to the top floor - the escalators in the plastic tubes lead to a nice view! See as much as our taste can stand of the art collections - it’s the building that is irresisitible, whatever your feelings about modern art...

You are close to Rue de la Verrerie that, going west, becomes Rue des Lombards, busting with restaurants and jazz clubs - you’ll no doubt find something to your liking.

This would be a serious two days. If you can fit in something else, or swap out one of my destinations for one of yours - more power to you.

Don't be put off by naysayers--there is a lot you can do and see in Paris, even with just 2 days. You don't say what time you arrive, or if you will be jetlegged from an overnight flight, but here's my suggestion:

Get tickets for either a half-day bus excursion, or buy a 2 day pass for the hop-on, hop-off bus. The bus tour is Parisvision, I think, and leaves from rue de Rivoli, near the Louvre.
You won't get to go inside many things, but you'll get an interesting drive-by of many of Paris' top sights.

In the evening of the first day, I would take one of the river cruises for a lights of Paris view, which is impressive, and usually ends with a view of the Eiffel tower doing its' hourly sparkly lights.

Day 2 would depend on whether you are looking for art(great museums), architecture, churches, historic sights, or a stroll around the city in general.

No matter what you do, you won't see everything, but you can go away with a taste to bring you back for more. Paris is my favorite destination--I've been 5 or 6 times, and I'm still working on the top 20 sights!
Barb

Skip the Louvre and Musee D'Orsay--it's just too much. Try L'Orangerie for a dose of Monet or the Cluny for treasures from the Middle Ages. St. Chappelle is my No. 1 recommendation followed by Nortre Dame. Whatever you decide, please leave time for just soaking in the atmosphere.

www.hereinfranklin.wordpress.com

I think you could easily see 20 things in two days, I probably have done that in various cities.

These are not necessarily in order, but some top 10 of mine would be (I'm leaving out just strolling around, sitting in cafes, etc.):

Notre Dame
Eiffel Tower (just to view it, from the Trocadero across the river)
Musee d'Orsay
Sainte Chapelle
Luxembourg Gardens
Champs-Elysees (includes Arc but just to view), generally the vista and the urban planning and history of that
place de la Concorde/Tuileries
Seine (do boat cruise)
Pont Alexandre III
Place de Vosges


I think one could do those in two days.

With limited time, get a museum pass to minimize waiting in line. If nothing else, it's worth it just to breeze past the queue.

Notre Dame and Ste-Chappelle are close to each other and both well worth seeing.

Batobus or some such boat ride. (discount with museum pass maybe still?)

Eiffel Tower can been seen from all over; not that much extra thrill from going up. Nice views up behind the clock at the Orangerie, or from the Pompidou if you choose to go there, or from Sacre Coeur.

Stand on bridge and watch the sun set and lights go on in sequence up the Seine.

Don't forget the food, as I did on my first short visit. Markets, bakeries, cafes. Buy a bouquet of flowers for your room first thing.

Sorry. The view from behind the clock is at Musee D'Orsay.

Hi B,

Since you will be there on a Sunday, I highly recommend Sunday brunch at the www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com/en/jacquemart/

Visit the museum and then walk over to the Arc de Triomphe and down the Champs Elysee to the Louvre.

If you will be there in warm weather, start your day at the Parc Monceau - Metro Monceau.

You might consider the www.batobus.com on Saturday. Your ticket will give you an evening cruise on the Seine.

Enjoy your visit.

((I))