Nice photos. Thanks for sharing. I had the most wonder pastry ever at a shop in the Marais - something with almonds in it. Yummmmm.

OK, thanks. I think we'll do Versailles on a Tuesday and some museums on Wednesday, like that we should get our money's worth. Does it say on the pass what places it's good for?

Glad to hear you enjoyed your trip. I remember your posts when I was planning our trip We also were on rue des Rosiers in June. I sent your apartment info to my friend who is planning to go with her daughter in the spring.

as for the museum pass -- yes, they give you a little fold-out information sheet with the pass which lists every museum and monument it is good for, their address, opening hours, what kind of museum it is, and closest metro stop. That information sheet is worth keeping in itself.

Beautiful pics. I especially love the one of the green park benches amid the golden trees. Very nice! Looks like a place ripe for endless conversation.

What wonderful photos; last time I was in Paris was 7 years ago; sure brought back a lot of memories; must be time to go again. I had to laugh because I've got a couple of the exact same photos.
This time though I am very very tempted to go with the apartment idea. Excellent info. thanks

bailey,
Thanks so much for the apartment information and the wonderful photos! I've just been sitting here, looking at them, and wishing I was going back to Paris. We won't be going back until 2009, so this was like a mini-trip to Paris :-)

Sandy

Bailey, your pictures are so beautiful!

I have a question -- from where your apartment was, how long did it take you to walk to the Eiffel Tower? Other atractions?

We are trying to plan a trip to Paris in the fall (our first time to Paris), and now your apartment has made our "short list" of apartments to consider. The other ones are in the 7th; do you have an opinion as to which location is better?

Thanks for the great report!

Bailey:

Great pictures! Now I remember why I am going to Paris next Wednesday..

Hi bailey, I could se your faces in the photos what a wonderful time you were having. I was hoping to return in Frebruary but my husband's new illness has cancelled that, but I can see my hotel, The Caron de B. in one photo. I see the cycles in front have spawned many more since my last visit.
Thanks for the photos and visit.

I am so happy that you all enjoy the photos and report - you are too kind with your lovely compliments. I'm glad that this information is providing some help to those planning trips.

Ronda - I know exactly what you mean. I think the almond pastry that I had is the best pastry I've ever eaten! Nothing has come close to how delicious it was!

Samsaf - I would say that the Eiffel Tower is too far of a walk from the apartment. I typically walk as much as I can when I travel since I don't get the chance to do so when at home, but we found that we had to break down and take public transportation in Paris since it's such a large city and we wanted to see so many sights during our stay. When deciding on this apartment, I didn't worry about what was in walking distance. I wanted an apartment in a nice neighborhood with lots of cafes and shops (lots of Parisian atmosphere) and it had to be near a metro stop. So, if I were you, I wouldn't worry so much about that and I would read up on the Paris metro and bus lines. It's a very easy system, but if I had done that beforehand I would have been more confident right off the bat.

cigalechanta - I'm sorry that your trip was canceled. I hope your husband is feeling better soon.

Thanks for the information, Bailey. I showed the pictures of the apartment to my husband, and he really likes it, so we're going to check it out.

Hi Bailey!
Just another Fodorite that would like to say "thanks" for the great photo log. My DH and I are going to France next May and will end up with our last 2 days in Paris. Unfortunatly, we can't change things around to spend more time, but we will be staying near the Louvre. I do know that we can't cover all the sights, but we are looking forward to just soaking up as much as we can within reason. Can you tell me what would be doable, in terms of sight-seeing on such a short trip? This is my first trip to Paris, and when you look at a map it seems like such a large city, yet when I talk to some people who have been, they say it's so walkable and easy to see in a short time. My DH is fun to travel with, but he does get art and museum overload, so do you have any suggestions? BTW, I think it's great that you had a holiday together with your Mom....that's something I would cherish for a lifetime! Thanks for sharing!!

Hi ctoner!

Have you purchased a Paris guidebook yet? If not, I would go to the library and check out a bunch of them. Whichever one(s) you like, I would go out and buy it. Like I said earlier, I really liked Rick Steves' book.

Then, I would go through and see which sights really interest the two of you. That's what I did for our trip and I used some advice in the guidebooks for itinerary suggestions for the number of days we had. Replacing sights here and there, taking our interests into account. I also looked at photos online - here and on pbasedotcom to get a sense of what appeals to me.

When you come up with your itinerary, I would group activities according to their locations, so you're not running around with your heads cut off. Also, some museums like the Louvre, Orsay, and Orangerie have evening hours, so that will enable you to stretch out your days if you want to fit a lot in.

Keeping in mind that there's a good chance our tastes are different, I wouldn't miss the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame (maybe squeeze in Sainte Chappelle since it's nearby), Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysses, and Montmartre. As far as museums go, I wouldn't miss the Orangerie and I'd try to fit in the Orsay. Maybe people would have a different opinion here. With two days, I would probably get a 2-day pass for a L'Open Bus tour and hop-on, hop-off.

Basically, I would come up with a list of sights that the two of you would be especially disappointed if you missed and do the best you can to take breaks between the sights to eat outside at the cafes and people watch, taking in the Parisian atmosphere. Be sure not to overbook yourself, you don't want to be stressed and exhausted. You'll just have to plan on going back one day.

Wonderful Pictures - Makes our upcoming trip (May) even more tantilizing..

Greg

Great photos! Thank you for sharing.

Thank you so much for the great trip report. I'm so glad you mentioned that your apartment was quiet-that's a huge factor for me and one that's hard to nail down from home.

The Paris Metro is one of the world's greatest public transport systems. My daughter was just mentioning that it's her favorite-easiest to navigate even though we don't speak French-and some of the stations are just plain beautiful.

Very nice. I can't access the photos right now, will come back later.

Finally got through to flickr. Lovely! Your style sounds like ours: light on the luxury, heavy on the beauty.

If someone has a museum pass and is near Ste.-Chappelle, my goodness, yes.

Thank you - I appreciate your compliments on my photos.

Susan - I agree with you, the Paris metro system is wonderful and very easy to use.

StokeBailey - I also agree about Ste Chappelle - I personally wouldn't miss it - the stain glass windows are unbelievable.