Hey everyone,

This April/May (date not decided yet but more than likely May) will be my first trip to Paris. I have wanted to go for about 7 years now and I am finally going since I have just finished my schooling. I am quickly becoming overwhelmed with deciding where all to go in the week I will be there. Any thoughts or suggestions are much welcome.

First of all get a good map of the city.
Then start reading trip reports and travel guides.
Decide what is important for you to see.
Decide your budget for a hotel(IMO, try and stay as close to The Seine as possible).

Choose a few "must sees" and then just go with the flow. Just walking down the street in Paris will be enchanting, stopping in a park, lingering at a sidewalk cafe, having a boat ride on The Seine---it's all wonderful.

Then after you choose a few things, ask us some more questions.

How long will you be going for?
Not knowing how long you will be going for, here are some of my favorite things to do and visit in Paris:
-Eiffel Tower
-Notre Dame
-Lourve
-Musee d'Orsay
-If you're into art, the Picasso museum although I'm not sure when it is supposed to re-open (it was undergoing major renovations)
-Arc d'Triomphe (my favorite spot to gaze at views of the city since here the Eiffel Tower is included in the view
-Jardin du Luxembourg
-Sacre Coeur, wandering the streets of Montmartre
-Saint Chapelle
-Enjoying the cafe life
-Going into various food shops (frommagerie, patisserie, charcuterie, boulangerie) to assemble a picnic
-A bauteaux mouche ride on the Seine

Some recommendations:
-Paris' metro is excellent-very convenient and cheap. Purchase a carnet which is 10 metro tickets (you'll be saving money as well as time spent purchasing tickets for each ride)
-Consider purchasing the Museum Pass. They have different price options (2, 4, or 6 day passes). It's valid for most of the major tourist attractions (the Lourve, Notre Dame, the Arc, Versailles) and is a real asset to have as you get to bypass many of the extremely long lines. Their website is here for more information: http://en.parismuseumpass.com/
-If you have time to do a day trip, take the RER (Paris' suburban rail line) out to Versailles. It's extremely easy to get to right from the center of Paris. I wouldn't recommend heading there on Tuesday when the Lourve is closed though.

Bonne chance, it's a remarkable city!

traveltalesfromtheredheadedtraveler.blogspot.com/
(My travel writing blog!)

I will be there for about 7-8 days and already have my hotel by the airport for 45 euros a night (I work in the hotel industry), but I am still looking into closer and cheaper through other contacts. I was going to get a metro pass for a week as I would take the RER in and out of the city if I keep my current accommodations. Naturally I want to see the arc, Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Notre Dame, and have heard a lot about museum d'orsay. I was wondering about any other must sees in the city. I was thinking about a day trip to Versailles and thanks for the tip on not Tuesday.

OH -- PLEASE do not stay at the airport. Even for free it is not worth the time/hassle/expense of getting in and out of Paris each day.

One night before an early flight out might be OK -- but as a base for visiting Paris it would be dreadful. And any saving you <i>think</i> you might have will be more than eaten up by the travel costs. A really <u>really</u> false economy.

Metro passes run from Monday thru Sunday. So you might need a carnet of 10 tickets if you arrive in the middle of the week. I agress even if you have to pay a bit more,stay in town!

You might check out this B&B site. There are B&Bs in all arrondissements and some are even less expensive than your airport hotel

Would have been nice if I put the link in!

http://www.2binparis.com/en/bed-brea...ndissment.html

I agree with the others...it would be a mistake to stay at the airport. Even with no traffic a cab takes about 45 minutes to get to CDG from central Paris and the train about 30 minutes. You will lose valuable time in transit. You also will lose out on enjoying the neighborhaood cafes and markets for your meals and snacks.

There is so much in Paris that it is easy to be overwhelmed and even with fellow Fodorite advice, it can still be overwhelming. Do what you enjoy and understand that you can't see it all. I just got back from my thrid trip and there were things that we meant to do and just didn't get to.

I love Musee d'Orsay for art. I recommend it. And it is located close to many other sites right on the Seine. The Louvre is impressive but it is massive and I don't enjoy it as much. We went to the Musee de l'Armee and Hotel des Invalides this trip and we both really enjoyed it. If you have any interest in Napoleon or military history...it's great and no line.

Notre Dame is wonderful. The churches are incredible and free (except St Chapelle and the towers at Notre Dame).

I also think Opera Garnier is spectacular...very opulent.

Check on the Paris museum pass site for sites that accept the pass to save time by not standing in line. The site will also let you know the hours and days that your choices are open. Many things are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Knowing the hours can help you plan your days efficiently.

One non tourist site but a must for me now is berthillon ice cream on the Ile St Louis....it is so good and towers above any ice cream you can buy here in the US. Look for the line-it's worth the wait! Go when you are near Notre Dame.

Enjoy your trip. Paris is a treasure!

Look at this studio. Good location, 2 min to bus stop and 5-8 minutes to Anviers Metro. Sacre Coeur is a 15 minute walk, all uphill. Opera is 15 minutes down hill. Gare du Norde 15-20 min. walk. Price is around 250E per week, or a bit more in high season. She does require you to buy insurance for about 12-15 E.

Nadine Giblin

Studio 30 sqm Paris 9e near Montmartre/Opera

E-mail : [email protected]

Website : http://locationparis9.canalblog.comP

Another vote for NOT staying at the airport - its a really really bad idea!!! Part of the joy of Paris is being part of a neighbourhood, with lovely wine bars and cafes on your doorstep.

Here's another option - its 300 euros for a week, so about 42 euros a night! http://www.slowtrav.com/cl/detail.asp?l=1208

We stayed over new years 2009/2010 and its lovely. Small and up 6 flights of stairs with no lift, but perfect for low budget stay!

HORRIBLE idea to stay at the airport!

Get the Michelin Green Guide or some other reputable guide, as well as a detailed map, to help you plan your days.

Here is another cheap option for one to stay in Montmartre:
http://www.leregent.com/
I stayed there and it is very centrally located, just steps from Anvers Metro station with a great view of Sacre Couer. The hotel has single rooms for 40 euro, or you could stay at the hostel in a shared room for even less.

david - ditto the suggestion NOT to stay near the airport. you will miss so much. on our visit last weekend [sigh] in the evening we were able to amble down the Seine, look at the lights twinkling on the eiffel tower, watch the skaters outside the Hotel de ville and wander round the little shops on the left bank, all within 10 minutes of our hotel.

also you have to factor in the cost of going back and forth to the airport every day - it's €8.40 each way on the RER B - so that's €17 every day, plus the cost of your transport within central Paris.

bookmarked