My husband and I will be going to paris in the spring and we need help w/ a itinerary,also need advice as to going day trips outside of paris. We will be there for 10 full days, thanks for any help.

Hi Jobie, Paris is a wonderful city and it has SO much to offer! What do you and your husband like to do? Museums? Shopping? Walking tours? Are restaurants important or do you like sausual meals? Tell us a little about your self and we'll be able to make some suggestions. Have you booked a hotel?

Picking up a guidebook would be a good start; that allows you to see what the primary sights are and decide which ones interest you. A good guide is the Michelin Guide to Paris, which includes suggested itineraries for sightseeing. With 10 lovely days, you could easily take one or two day trips: out to Versailles, up to Chantilly, over to Giverny...many, many choices to narrow down. It all depends on your interests.

My post disappeared into cyberspace!

Underhill is correct about getting a good guide book. We use the Michelin Green Guide because it suits our tastes.

Another suggestion for a day trip is Chartres. There is, of course, the wonderful cathedral, but there is also a very nice walking tour guide available from the tourist info center by the cathedral. The walk includes several other absolutely beautiful churches, the old town and goes along the river.

Another suggestion would be to do a search in the search window above. Type in Paris day trips and I suspect you'll get lots of excellent ideas. Just a suggestion.

Obviously you're planning ahead so I'm sure you'll have a wonderful trip.

Good luck.

I second the motion to get the green Michelin Guide. Look for the smaller museums like Jacqemart Andre and Nissam Comondo. (I am guessing at the spelling, my French is bad, and my guide is elsewhere.) There are several great smaller museums.

My other advice is to figure on a visit to Vaux le Vicomte, if yu are there when it is open. (No date for being there.) Versailles is a piece of world history, so I recommend it. I never really understood the French Revolution until I saw the excesses of the monarch so opulently expressed in the lavishness of Versailles.

I also think that you need a good battle plan for the Louvre. It is vast, and bewildering if you are not prepared.

Musee d'Orsay is a classic place to visit. Go there if you care anything at all about art.

Look for concerts anywhere you can find them. I don't know if you like opera, but if you do, find one at the Opera Bastille and go. The experience itself is rewarding.
I also suggest Fontainebleau, the palace and home of Napoleon when he was emperor. It is an easy freelance from Gare de Lyon. take a train to Fontainebleau Avon station and a bus to the palace gates.

Also, a tour that gets both Fontainebleau and Vaux le Vicomte is worthwhile.

Also Chartres and Giverny, if you like Monet, are worthwhile and fun to do.

Also I think the Musee Rodin is worth a visit.

And I like just poking around the shops and stores of Paris. Nothing quite like them.

Of course you will want to do the standard places, but the church called Ste. Chapelle is a beauty for the gorgeous stained glass windows and walls.
Huge expanses of the best stained glass I ever saw, and it was so well engineered that it took a storm packing 100 mph hour winds to damage them. Nothing was ever broken by the building settling, so well was it laid out and constructed.

You will have fun. And have a tart or cake at La Brioche Doree with your tuna salad sandwich!! Think of me when you take a chomp of the goodies.

Jobie-

Remember you will not see everything in one trip.

Definitely do Versailles. I am going back in 2 weeks and want to go to either Chantilly or Vaux le Vicomte or Giverny. Giverny opens after April 1st. Here are other places to go:
Louvre
Napoleon's apartments in the louvre
St Chapelle (stained glass windows)
Notre Dame
Bateau Mouche - boat ride
Eiffel Tower
Bastille area (place de vosage) beautiful
Musee de Orsay
Sacre Couer
Opera House - tour
There is so much to see. I was in Paris 7 days and never made it to the left bank. I am going back with my sister again in Mar where we plan to cover that area and other things we missed. Remember bring good walking shoes. We also liked the Rick Steves Paris book when walking through museums. He took you to the important paintings of the musuems. If you do not know french get a book on food so you can translate the menu. Remember to say Bonjour Madame or Monsier when entering a store or restaurant. If you try and speak french then your service is impeccable.
I made a chart by arrondissmont to tell me what is in each area to see, what time they open, admission and metro station. If you want I will share it with you. All I need is your email addy.
Auvoir

I like the Michelin Green Guide also particularly for planning museum visits. However for day planning for areas of Paris I like the DK Eyewitness Guide. Since you will be there for that period get the Carte Orange for your transportation. Use the bus system as wellas the Metro.
Giverney and Monet's gardens would be a wonderful day trip.

Ahhh, 10 days in Paris . . .

There are at LEAST 30 major sites in Paris which will keep you busy. Any good guidebook will list them. Get the museum pass for the discount but also because it allows you to jump to the front of the line!

You may want to take a few days out and see some of the surrounding areas. Kind of depends on you tastes and interests.

If you're wine lovers you could spend a few nights in Champagne, Loire valley, or Burgundy (all 1-3 hours by car) YOu could go by rail but don't forget, this is farming and it's tough to get around once you're there. Driving is easy once you get out of Paris.

If you are history buffs then Normandy is top notch. About 3.5 hours drive but my humble opinion is that every American should go to the Normandy beaches. My 8 yr old daughter saw me cry for the first time as I broke down and sobbed in the cemetary. Also the tapestry in Bayeaux cronicles the exploits of William the Conqueror (sp?) and is listed as one of the treasures of the world. ALso, Mt. St. Michelle is awesome.

Anyway, lots more to talk about but you get the idea. Paris is still my favorite city and I'd go back in a heartbeat (this summer's trip is Barcelona and the Costa Dorado).

I'm putting together some info re: paris for my brother and siste-in-law. If you want a copy when I'm done send me a note at [email protected]. I've got a great >100Euro hotel in the best location in Paris that our family has used repeatedly over the last 15 years (god I'm getting old!)

ANyway, bon voyage and via con dios.

Brian

The Loire valley is great for the chateaus (and the white wines)

If you would like my daytrip file, send me an email. Vaux le Vicomte and Auvers sur Oise have been our favorites.

Thank you all for your help. I have already put in the "information box" itineraries for Paris, got tons of places, plus I have been reading dk eyewittness paris, Fodors, and frommers, (I like being prepared). I want to know in the 10 days also what trips out of Paris we should take? my husband can rent a car to drive outside the city. (I also want time for shopping). I am interested in Monet and palaces and gardens. Thanks again for all your help. jobie (will buy the museum pass)My husband and myself are both very energetic people, ages 59 and 60. (we both walk 4 to 8 miles a day.)Yes we already have our hotel(Hilton) using points. Any advice is totally wonderful. jobie

jobie a day trip to Giverney is a must for a Monet fan. I'm not an art expert but I like the color and light in Monet's work and it was cool to see it in person. The D'Orsay contains all the
Impressionists. It was here I discovered Sisely who has become my favorite. I enjoyed Vaux Le Vicomte and its' gardens but itis harder to get to then Versailles, a train/taxi compared to the RER. My wife's favorite museum is the Jacquemart Andre we followed Ira's suggestion and had Sunday brunch. It is a nice relaxing way to spend an afternoon.