We will be vacationing in London in Sept and plan on making a trip to Paris. Unfortunately we will only have one night there. Any suggestions as to what hotel to stay in and the top things to do in Paris in just a day & half?

Here's a recent thread on spending 2 days in Paris. It should help you get started:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34440107

Hi emmie,

Try the Hotel Bonaparte, 61 Rue Bonaparte in the 6th. This is where we always stay.

A text search will give you lots of info. About 115 - 140 dbl w/bkfst. Fax 33 01 46 33 57 67

Eiffel Tower, Louvre (3 hour tour), Musese D'Orsy, and evening cruise of the Seine. Fit in a 2-hour lunch and nice evening dinner. You'll be moving. Have fun

We recently spent one afternoon and night in Paris on our return from Italy. We'd been before, so didn't try to fit in much. We stayed at Hotel Monge in the Latin Quarter (95 euro per night) and had a lovely room with a balcony overlooking the street (by request).

We mostly spend our time just soaking up the atmsophere in many cafes, along with a trip to the Eiffel Tower.

I would suggest, on a short trip, to include the following, along with anything else you wish to fit in:

-Eiffel Tower
-Notre Dame
-Walk the Seine
-Arc de Triomphe
-Champs Elysse (sp?)
-Montmarte & Sacre Coure (if you have time)
-A museum or two (keeping in mind that the Louvre is a huge undertaking on a short trip)

Keep in mind that the Paris metro makes getting around very quick, easy and affordable, even for first timers.

I'm sure you'll get lots of other helpful suggestions from other posters, as well.

Have fun!

Statia:

It makes me tired just thinking about doing all that in one day!

If I had only one day, I would pick a hotel right near the Seine and Ile St. Louis. Then I would start walking. I think it would be hard to do much more than explore the Iles, visit the Eiffel Tower and end the day with a sunset river cruise. All of this, of course, intermingled with a few stops at sidewalk cafes. I wouldn't even plan a "big" dinner event. Simply find a little restaurant on Ile St. Louis and happily slurp up the atmosphere. Sounds fun!

You're very right, JeanneB. I guess I forget that some people aren't as ambitious with traveling as DH and I.

If we only have a brief time to see a city we've never been to, we manage to cram a lot in, and have never regretted it. We always look at brief stays in foreign cities with the assumption that we might possibly never make it back, so we try to use our time accordingly. However, not everyone prefers to travel that way.

I will admit, though, we managed to see quite a bit each day in Paris by using the metro, which is very simple for zipping from one sight to the next.

I should have also been more clear in meaning my suggestions to be "ideas" of things to do that day, rather than to include "all" of them, depending on the travel style of emmie.

At any rate, have a great time in Paris, emmie!

Hi emmie,

You might want to take a bus tour in the morning to get a view of Paris.

We did some of both.

Some days we sped around on the Metro as if we were being pursued. We saw a lot those days, but I sorely missed my favorite Paris activity--walking.

On the other days we just walked and walked and walked, stopping to see whatever caught our fancy. I'm happy I saw all the "hot spots", but nothing made me happier than those long walks. I loved it when we would suddenly turn a corner and be surprised by some beautiful monument or square. Or a lovely window display...or a cheeky street vendor...sigh.

I second the bus tour, take the 1/2 day tour in the morning, that way you will at least 'see' all the sights. I agree, the Metro is the quickest, easiest way to get around from site to site. Don't forget to leave some time for shopping!!!

I third the bus tour to get your 'bearings'. Having spent a great deal of time in the city, I would actually skip the Louvre (too big, too crazy) and hit the Musee D'Orsay. This, Notre Dame, and Ile Ste Louis are very close and walkable. Eating anywhere in the LAtin quarter works too, which is also close by. Be sure to leave some room or a little time to stroll into Ile Ste. Louis and go to Berthillion, perhaps the best ice cream in the world, right in the middle of the small island. I skipped going up the Tour Eiffel, mainly due to time, and thought there was so much more to see. Montmatre is a superb slice of Paris life, as is Rus Mouffetard in the morning and evening, but it is just south of the Latin quarter and may be too far away for reaching in your short stay.

Whatever you do, when you ride the metro, ask for a 'carnet', which is a book of ten metro tickets. If you have trouble with French, there is usually a picture right in front of you in the window you can point to, or just hold up 10 fingers. It will save you a considerable amount of money!

One last thing that can get folks into trouble. It may seem silly, but when you ask for one thing, most people hold up their index finger to signal "one". The french use thier thumb as this is "one" when counting using fingers. So if someone gives you the 'thumb's up' they are actually not agreeing with you, but making sure you are just asking for 'one'!

Have a blast!

Parc de la Place des Vosges.