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-   -   Has anyone used Heather to do their Paris Itinerary? (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/has-anyone-used-heather-to-do-their-paris-itinerary-592989/)

lavenderrose Feb 21st, 2006 06:23 AM

Has anyone used Heather to do their Paris Itinerary?
 
Has anyone used Heather (From Paris) to do their itinerary and or tour? I was thinking of hiring her but am not sure if the cost was a lot more than the normal price in Paris. She charges $300 for a group tour and will go wherever you want. We are not good at planning and feel we need someone to help us as we only have a few days. Thank you for any help you may give us. We are going in March.

Travelnut Feb 21st, 2006 06:45 AM

"..She charges $300 for a group tour and will go wherever you want..."

what does that mean, exactly? it sounds like you would <i>still</i> be designing an itinerary...

Travelnut Feb 21st, 2006 06:50 AM

You do know that most guidebooks provide short itineraries that highlight the 'must see' sights, right? I think even this website (Fodors.com) has prepared itineraries online.

You get a street map and a metro map and after one ride you will know how to get around that way.

You can get a 2-day ticket for L'Open Tour buses for far, far less than $300 if you want to do that for an 'orientation'.

You can easily enjoy a few days without master-minding a detailed plan or paying $$$ for a guide. If you want to enrich your knowledge of specific areas of Paris, use these guys for 10&euro;/walk:
ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/pariswalking/

lavenderrose Feb 21st, 2006 07:04 AM

Thank you for the suggestion. I checked out that website and it definitely is a lot cheaper. I guess my concern was not to walk around in cirles but to make the best use of our time.

Travelnut Feb 21st, 2006 07:12 AM

The 'canned' itineraries in books and online should group sights so that you don't cross town 5 times a day... also, if you are doing museums, the main concern is to know which are closed on Monday and which are closed on Tuesday.

and remember - you <i>can't</i> see it all!

Michel_Paris Feb 21st, 2006 07:13 AM

Hi lavnderrose,

As Travelnut says, there is a lot of info available for people with your needs. There are the Pariswalks (you could do 2 of those a day), bus tours a plenty...Parisvision and Cityrama come to mind:

http://www.parisvision.com/fr/index.cfm
http://www.graylineparis.com/index.cfm

As well as plenty of guide books (see Destinations tab at this web site) to help you out.


Here is what you could do....before going to Paris, buy a good map (I like Michelin Blue, but there are others) and one guide book (Fodors is good, again others here will help)...arrive in Paris, settle in, go to nearest metro station and buy a carnet (book of ten )tickets. Pick a Paris citywide bus tour (for example Parisvision has one at 12 and 2) Take Metro to Louvre, 1/2 block to bus departure...and off you go on a 3 hr commented tour. When done walk around Louvre area(prime sightseeing area). People here can help create an itinerary. Next day, perhaps a morning Pariswalks (or other)walking tour, afternoon free to roam...etc...A good map, a good guide book to explain the sights, a customized tour based on people's recommendations here (including restaurants), mixed in with some purchased tours...and you will have a nice visit. It can be done!

Hope this helps,
Mike

My

lavenderrose Feb 21st, 2006 09:56 AM

Thanks Travelnut and Mike - you have been very helpful. We are taking our 10 yearold granddaughter and I would feel badly if when she got home someone said, did you see ..... and she missed it. I appreciate all the help and suggestions.

WillTravel Feb 21st, 2006 10:05 AM

Lavenderrose, that's almost certain to happen, no matter who you have as your guide. There's years of stuff to see in Paris, so you can't help but miss something in a short trip!

111op Feb 21st, 2006 10:18 AM

Who is Heather from Paris?

Why don't you hire me instead? I'll charge a little less than what she's charging. :-)

People on Fodor's can attest to the fact that I'm the expert in speed travel. :-)

Michel_Paris Feb 21st, 2006 10:41 AM

I can offer my services also: I'm bilingual, low maintenance, happy just to be there, will sleep in 1-2* accomodations, good with kids and can offer &quot;Fodor discount&quot; :)

Keith Feb 21st, 2006 10:48 AM

&quot;Thanks Travelnut and Mike - you have been very helpful. We are taking our 10 yearold granddaughter and I would feel badly if when she got home someone said, did you see ..... and she missed it.&quot;

That will happen no matter how you plan, or who you hire. Doesn't mean that you didn't enjoy what you did see, more than you would have enjoyed the other.

Some people's &quot;must see&quot; are other people's boring.

I suggest that you pick up two or three travel videos of Paris from your library and watch them with yor granddaughter. Then ask her what she wants to see or do.

Keith

Michel_Paris Feb 21st, 2006 11:53 AM

I just read an article in local newspaper on a lady who went to Paris with her young daughter...I'll see if I can find it


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