I have 12 days in Paris. Opinions - would you just concentrate on Paris in that time, or branch out to day trips? I don't want to overdo it. I am still awaiting hotel confirmations in Brussels & searching thalys for available (sale) train fares. I've read through many of the train, Brussels and Brugge threads here. Thanks.....

You don't say if this is your first and possibly only trip to the City of Lights. That might make a difference to some.

While I love Paris, I can't spend that much time there--just too noisy/busy. You could plan on 7 days in Paris (with 2 of those being day trips to Chartres and Versailles if you tire of Paris)and 5 in Belgium or elsewhere. With that many days you have many options.

Hi nina,

How lucky you are.

You have the chance to see Paris at liesure as well as to take a few side trips, as klondike suggests.

Have you looked up Degas's suggestions for walks in the city? (degas AND walk).

Well as one who would sign up for a lifetime in Paris...

Seriously -- from your other post about Brussels I am deducing that this isn't your first trip to Paris. And as klondike notes it IS busy and noisy -- unless you get out into the neighborhoods. My "modus operandi" is to pick a neighborhood for the day and slowly meander through it -- maybe with a know place for a coffee or lunch [from research or recomendations] taking it slowly -- looking for out of the way museums -- little parks and squares... there is plenty of Paris that is quieter for sure!

You are the person who knows whether you will do better winging it on daytrips [that is waking up and seeing the sun and saying CHARTRES!!!] or knowing that you have a break planned.

In 12 days I would contemplate 2 day trips [3 max] to places such as Chartres, Rouen [Provibs, Conflans...] -- I'm contemploting Blois next time -- not a major chateau, but it looks very reachable from Paris.

If you want to schedule a break to brussels -- I'd do it so that you have maybe 2 full days for Paris when you get back.

Now for some heresey. For the center of Brussels -- Grand Place and the cathedral [& chocolate shopping!] you need only an afternoon. Or at least I didn't feel cheated when that was all I had.

If you want my list of winebars let me know -- sometimes a girl's gotta have something more than coffee )

I could easily stay in Paris for 12 days. There is so much to see, and if you're already going to Brussels and Brugge, you may want to stay put and focus on Paris. However, day trips to Chartre, Giverny, and Versailles are very easy to do. We recently took a train to Chartres, from Gare Montparnasse. It was a lovely trip.. took Malcolm Miller's tour of the cathedral, took a little train around the town, had lunch with friends, and were back late afternoon. We booked the tickets with Rail Europe before we left home, but they can be booked at the SNCF site and picked up in Paris. I found Rail Europe much easier.

http://www.raileurope.com/us/index.htm

http://www.sncf.com/indexe.htm

Best,
Sandy

Thanks to all. After so much research, I lost perspective. As to the noise of Paris, I will be insulated from much of it by 4-5 days of museums (I welcome noisy cafe breaks), as this is a return trip for me sans itinerary. I have been to Versailles - talk about sensory overload- I was so relieved to get out to the gardens & L'Orangerie!

So it will be Paris with an overnight trip to Giverny where I just booked a little B&B room for 53e.

I went ahead with help here and booked a train tix & hotel in Brussels. Museums are closed in Brussels Monday, so I was thinking about a trip over to Brugge then. Anyone have a preference of Brugge museums over Brussels? I've read threads here back to 2001!! As with Catherdrals, you can get Museumed out, so they will be more of a pass-through, with my focus on the city and its squares. What do you all think? All lfe should be such delicious dilemmas, right!

I forgot to say - I will look at the Degas walk, thanks, and yes please on the wine bar list, and any fave restaurants!

Nina, I was in Paris in April 98 for 8 days and Sept 2000 for 15 days. I broke up my second trip with a stay in the middle out in the countryside near Giverny. I wish I had gone to Rouen or the Loire for one or two nights also. (I had a Loire day trip scheduled with a minivan tour and it got cancelled.) I changed hotels in Paris too, when I went out of town I came back to a new part of Paris. I took only a light overnight bag and asked the Paris hotel to hold my big bag while I was gone. If you are travelling alone, you might find that you cover a lot more ground than you would with another person. Do your research and you will see a lot more. You "see" the stuff that other people walk right by if you've done your research. Leaving for short a overnight trip was easier than I thought it would be. I reccomend it.

We have stayed in Paris for 11 days and didn't even do a day trip. Other times it was split between Normandy, Burgundy and Provence.Personally I would go to Provence for 4-5 days and then finish in Paris for the remainder, perhaps doing a day trip.

I'd suggest two nights in Dijon/Beaune. You could take the TGV to Dijon and explore, then a local train on to Beaune. That would give you a little taste of Burgundy and still leave time for other day trips. Burgundy feels far removed from Paris compared with the Loire Valley and would be a nice change of scene.

In addition, do spend part of a day at Chartres and one day in Rouen. Both are well worth visiting.

Great suggestions. I have to wait to will return to Provence another time, and I spent an afternoon in Beaune last year, which I felt was enough, really. The organized day trip to Loire sounds good - I'll look into a tour operator & check on it when I get there. Tinarose, thanks for reassuring me that the day trips were easier than you'd thought. As one who always travels solo, I rely on my own momentum. Sometimes I imagine it will be more complicated than it is and get stuck or miss out. Chartre sounds tempting -- Can I buy a train ticket to Chartre when I get to Paris? I want to make sure to have plenty of time to relax and absorb Paris.

Paris may be wonderful, but I want you to promise that if you spend your entire 12 days in France ONLY in Paris, that you never tell anyone you've "seen France".

That would be like a European telling people he's seen the United States because he spent 12 days in New York City.

If you hop on a train and take a 45-75 minute trip in any direction (ie Chartres, Verailles, Reims, Giverny), you are assured of experiencing a different France. Some trips you could do in just half a day, and will certainly add to your memories.

Patrick, certainly I agree, but the first 4 days, I will be visiting with some people. Also, it is a return trip to France for me, so I will hopefully have the pleasure of experiencing more regions of France on each successive visit. At this point, I think I will let weather and my mood dictate the rest of the side trips. I will go armed with my research and see how I am feeling after a few days in the city.

Since you are in Paris for a longer time you might try these out of the ordinary Paris attractions.
The Hamman (Steam Bath) at the Paris Mosquee' (pronounce mos-kay) is an amazing afternoon. With separate days for ladies and men, you can get a steam bath, massage and rubdown for a very reasonable price. The experience is unlike any I have had in America and completely unlike any spa experience I've had. You are naked, or nearly so depending on your comfort level, with all types of people, young old fat thin white black brown yellow. the rooms are very minimal but you will end up relaxed and can stay as long as you'd like. No rushing in and out.

For modern architecture lovers the new French National Library (Bibliotheque pronounce bib-lee-o-tek) is an interesting trip. It is past the stadium (stade) and in an interesting suburb. the building was very controversial for it's percieved coldness when built. I also enjoyed going to La Defense. take the little trolley tour.

Perhaps someone can help me remember what the name of the area (past the Bastille?) is that has the arcades with the park over them. that is a neat day of window shopping and welll out of the path of the usual tourist.

Viaduc des Arts...
http://www.viaduc-des-arts.com/

Hi Patrick,

I have been to Paris about a dozen times, and I have never once said I was going to or had been to France.

I haven't seen Paris yet. (It keeps changing.)