mauld

Terry, on a serious note, IGNORE REX!. I've 'done' Paris many times, my first on a three day trip--I would seriously suggest taking one of those tour buses you'll find on the main streets (the 'hop on/hop off'kind). Yes, I know it is touristy, but honestly, I've found it gives a very good/concise tour of the city. I would do this your first day--assuming you are coming in from the States--you would do it that afternoon. You'll be tired/wound up after the flight and this is an easy way to relax, see the city and get aclimated. Not to mention, you may not be able to check in to your hotel early. <BR>You can make note of the places you want to revisit on the following three days. For those days I would suggest getting a metro card. The Paris metro is quite possibly the easiest and most comprehensible transportation system I've found (and I live in NYC!). Yes, this is your first trip to Paris, and after you've experienced it for four days I'm sure it won't be your last. So, maybe you won't get to see 'EVERYTHING', but you'll get a taste for what will bring you back again and again. <BR>

Rex

"suggestions as to how I can hit the hig[h]lights in the amount of time I have to spend in Paris" <BR> <BR>I apologize - - and I repeat - - WHICH highlights? Let me know which 10 - - or 20 - - things matter most to you, and I will construct a plan for you. <BR> <BR>If it were the 14 "Paris star sights" in the Eyewitness Guide, I don't believe that it could be done - - and make it to Versailles in the time you have allotted - - unless you mean "walk by" the Eiffel Tower, "walk by" the Arc de Triomphe, buy a postcard at Musee d'Orsay, et cetera. <BR> <BR>And these 14 are not "EVERYTHING"! - - they are not likely to be YOUR fourteen things - - they certainly aren't mine. <BR> <BR>I am no closer to knowing what you want to do with the time you have than when I first read your initial posting. <BR> <BR>And I still extend to you my <BR> <BR>Best wishes... <BR> <BR>... for a great trip to Paris... <BR> <BR>Rex <BR> <BR>P.S. Have you chosen your hotel yet? If you want a serious answer on how to map out your "attack" of the city, it would be nice to offer you a plan from your own personal start and end point each morning/evening. It would also be helpful to know if you plan to rush through meals in your quest of seeing all the things you want to visit. <BR>

ingognito

hello.... Rex, we do not want your opinion on this forum. Terry KINDLY outlined that. If you have nothing nice to say...don't write it. <BR>You manage to spoil and deflate the joy people have in asking a valid question. <BR>People are excited when they plan a trip, they want the best and non bullying replies available. <BR>I am anonomous on this reply, purely because you write like a psychopath.. I certainly don't want you to have access to my address. Your evil.

top

to the top... <BR>

Regular Here

Rex, I am a regular on this board, and this needs to be said: <BR> <BR>I thought your reply to Terry was horribly unkind, and an apology is in order. You might wish to tone down the Pompous Ass routine in the future. It is getting old, and the people on this board will eat you alive if you keep it up. <BR> <BR>Give it some thought, please. <BR> <BR>Terry, I thought you posed a legitimate question, and I'd answer if I could. But I spent 4 days in Paris and saw a great deal, so I wish you the best.

russ i

Not only are Rex's points incredibly valid, but funny too.

Rex

I did apologize. I did provide useful information, and offered to provide more. Why did you not teel even one single thing about what went well or badly about YOUR four days in Paris. <BR> <BR>Write to me directly. <BR> <BR>Use any alias or pseudonym you wish, and establish a one time web-accessed e-mail address if you wish. <BR> <BR>It's a free country. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>

anon.

There's a small Fodor's guide called Paris City Pack that purports to list the top 25 sights in Paris. It also outlines some recommended walks and lists the places to be seen on each walk and the approx. length of each walk. Maybe you will find that helpful. I don't think you can comfortably visit all the highlights in just four days, unless you just want to just see on them briefly with a bus tour. A quickie bus tour might be a good idea to give you an overview and also an impression of which neighborhoods to explore in a more leisurely way. For example, I was in Paris in 1983 for several days and saw many of the major tourist attractions, with special emphasis on art museums, but didn't have time to just wander neighborhoods. I did, however, take a short bus tour. That tour aroused my interest in the Marais, but I didn't have time to see it. A few months ago I was in Paris for just two days after a week in the countryside. I decided to stay at a hotel in the Marais. I did not try to "hit" any major attractions, but just wandered at leisure in the Marais, Ile St. Louis, and along the Seine. Next time maybe I'll pick another neighborhood and maybe re-visit some of the attractions I first saw in 1983. <BR> <BR>P.S. Rex is patronizing, occasionally sarcastic, and almost always has a grossly inflated view of the importance of this website and his or anyone else's contributions to it. But he's usually very helpful, almost always very informative, sometimes funny, and basically decent. He's not "mean" and not a "psychopath" and, unlike creeps like "incognito" he is (usually) busy enriching the forum, not "ruining" it as "incognito" claims. We're just a bunch of strangers reading and writing stuff on some internet site, and some of you expend way too much energy reacting to the personalities of the "characters" who like to spend their time here.

Lisa

One thing I found useful when I was in Paris for 6 days and I may be stating the obvious with this one, was to get up early and go! <BR>I set the alarm for 6:30 every day and although it was winter therefore dark and cold, we were up, grabbed a snack and were off. We did not get back to the room until 12 or later at night, or came back briefly to shower and change. I figured I will sleep when I get home. <BR>This was 6 years ago and my friend I was with still thanks me for getting her up and going as she would have been tempted to sleep in. We saw and did a lot and even had time to relax in brasseries and watch the people. <BR> <BR>The day we arrived we took time out for a 2 hour nap at about 4:30p.m.(we actually could no longer hold our heads up). Set the alarm for 6:30 p.m, forced ourselves out of bed and then went out until 12. We got over the jetlag very quickly that way. <BR> <BR>Have fun, make the most of it.

Shane

Hi Terry; <BR>I'm not sure if you're still checking this thread but here's my tips. When I was in Paris last year we had almost the exact same time frame (4 days). this is what we did.... <BR> <BR>Day 1: After dropping our stuff off at our hotel we got on the bus tour of the city for orientation purposes. Very useful in a new city to get your bearings on where everything is. We hopped off at various points to explore the neighborhoods. <BR> <BR>Day 2: Every morning we rose early, grabbed a bagette from the local bakery, and walked to the nearby Jardin de Lumxembourg to eat our breakfast. Very relaxing way to start the morning. This day we went to Notre Dame and walked down to the Concorde area, down Champs Elysees to Arc de Triumphe. We just relaxed, poking our head into the various shops, etc. We purchased the 2 day bus pass so we then used that to go to the Eiffel Tower. We walked up the stairs to the 2nd level - great view - even from there. <BR> <BR>Day 3 - We took the Metro to see Cimetière du Père Lachaise followed by the Sacre Coeur. We poked around the neighborhoods in that area before going to the Louvre late in the afternoon. I believe after 3:00 pm you can buy a pass for half price. We spent a couple of hours there - the place is so large!! My suggestion here is to pick one section you are interested in and stay there - you won't have time to see everything even in that section. <BR> <BR>Day 4: We took the metro to Versailles in the morning. We went to the Gardens only - by then we were getting tired and we saw Napoleon's palace in the Louvre so we thought we would enjoy the day outside. Afterwards, we went back to Paris and wandered through the Latin Quarter, shopping. We then flew home the next morning. <BR> <BR>This is what our trip consisted of. Did we see everything?? Not a chance. Was it busy? Definitely, but we enjoyed every second of it. Decide what you want to see, make a note of it and see where your interests take you. <BR>

Regular Here

Dear Rex, <BR>I don't wish to get into an off-line squabble with you about your conduct on the board. I just thought I'd mention it so that you'll know that it is not just a few folks who are having some issues with you on threads like this one. <BR> <BR>I think we have a difference of opinion about how this board should work, though. I think it is important to have good information, and you often have good information. Lots of us do. But I think it is equally important to offer up that information in a respectful fashion. Humor? Fine. Ridiculing others? Not fine. <BR> <BR>Finally, I did miss your apology to Terry. That is probably because it was an apology followed by a detailed exposition of the deficiencies you found with Terry's post and his approach. Not much of an apology, methinks.

Terry

I had no idea when I posted my original message that I was going to instigate such trouble! Again, thanks to all who offered valuable suggestions, and to Rex, your apology is accepted. FYI, we are staying in the Latin Quarter and my idea of highlights include the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, the Louvre, Sacre Couer, Notre Dame, Versailles, and spending time wandering around through some of the various areas. We plan to make the most of every minute we have there since it will be a long while before we get back there to visit. I agree with Lisa- I can sleep when I return to NY, but while I am in Paris, I plan to see and do as much as possible in the time I have there!

clairobscur

Not exactly related with the original question (there has been a lot of extensive answers, and anyway, I too think you should first choose *your* must-see (to each his own...mine would exclude the arc but include the music museum, for instance). But I just remembered something which could be interesting for people having time enough : <BR> <BR>In the library of Carnavalet museum (and possibly elsewhere) they sell little booklets (perhaps 4$ each or so) in several languages, which thematic walks in Paris by period : there's a "roman Paris" booklet, a "middle-age" one, etc...quite interesting if you have time enough/already know the city (some spots are way less interesting than others) and by the way bring you to less visited spots in the city.

mari

Get a good city map, buy a 4 day metro pass with one extension to Versailles, get on your walking shoes and enjoy a beautiful city. EVERYTHING is having a good time and breathing the sights and sounds of life. You have time to go again. <BR> <BR> <BR>Enjoy...