shelemm

Eat at L'Ambassade d'Auvergne, Quincy, and drink at Chez Jojo.

suze

What you described is my one week the only time I have been in Paris (so far). We had a guidebook and a map. Each evening we'd figure out something we wanted to see or do the next day, and find a couple other things that would go along with that. Set off on foot in the morning, stop and drink wine at cafes as needed.

cybertraveler

Bookmarking for our trip this summer--thank you!

denisea

Well, I would have to stop in at Le Bonaparte for the breakfast with yogurt and a baguette half and butter.

I would avoid the Eiffel Tower as I always do. I would stop in at St Sulpice and light candle for a friend, as I always do.

I would probably wander the streets and stop in interesting boutiques and chocolate shops. Maybe, I would stop in at Cafe Varenne for lunch and the warm goat cheese salad and a glass of wine.

I might saunter over to Musee d'Orsay and check on my favorite Monets. I would have to make a trek over to Isle St Louis and stroll rue St Louis en l'ile. Salted butter caramel at Berthillon. A stop in at Cafe St Regis for some wine or Champagne, or two.

A walk along the Seine. Clean up, change for dinner....but where? I still dream about the sole meunière at Allard. Maybe the pot au feu at Bistro Belhara....a last glass of Champs. That would be pretty good day for me,

arindasue

Great new ideas for our next visit! Thank you.

menachem

Just walking around and "finding" things is a joy. I'm a photographer and walking around also means street shooting for me. So there's the thrill of the hunt.

And then there's lunch in any brasserie on a crossroad really

I like following what's going on at Fondation Cartier and at Palais de Tokyo. But last time we did "unstructured", we had plans to go to Palais de Tokyo but couldn't be bothered. Generally, the quartiers that are not that much in tourist territory are the nicest. For instance, I like the 15th, but only because I know the area well. The area around Rue Richer, I love it.

10th, and the 19th, near Buttes Chaumont, lovely, as is the 14th. Metro is excellent so in a way you'll always be near museums.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experimental_travel

crefloors

I had nine unstructured days with a friend, some years ago. I had been to Paris before, she had not. I kind of had a "list" in my head of things I would like to do but nothing was scheduled, for example: coming from the west coast on an overnight flight, with the time change we are up very early the first morning. We set out walking and low and behold, suddenly there's the Louvre. Well, no time like the present. It had just opened so in we went and spent several hours.

So it went like that. It was a great trip.

suze

Well I see the one thing I would most definitely have arranged in advance is where I am going to "sleep". Not into doing that on the fly.


<If you had one week in Paris with no preconceived notions, what would you do? See? Where would you eat? drink? sleep?>

RM67

'<If you had one week in Paris with no preconceived notions, what would you do? See? Where would you eat? drink? sleep?>'

You can definitely have an unstructured visit - ie not plan anything in advance and just wander and see what piques your interest -including both food and accomodation. There are also plenty of people who shortlist a few 'must sees' but don't have a formal minute by minute itinerary'.

However, the question posed by the OP and the answers given here means that if any of the information provided is used, then he trip is no longer 'unstructured'. So I don't really get the point of it tbh. It would have made more sense to frame it in the terms 'What do you like doing in Paris that doesn't involve any of the major sights'. Or 'People who wnet without fixed itineraries - how did that work out'?

Likewise, you cannot have a trip with absolutely no pre-conceived notions. Everyone has heard of Paris. Everyone has seen pictures. Most people will have talked to friends or family who have been. Not possible.

Nikki

As I read the question, there is no requirement that we set out on an unstructured week. I read it, and answered it, as a request for the way we would spend a week in Paris if we suddenly had one to spend. Not that we would have to avoid major tourist sites, but if there were ones we wanted to avoid, what would they be? I see it as an open ended question about things we like to do (and not do) in Paris.

As I read it, there are no wrong answers.

buckeyevet

Wow! Some people are WAY too literal.

For the literal ones: I have a hotel booked, and tickets for the Vedettes du Pont Neuf and that's it. Yes, I have read about 5 guide books, and have some idea of what I'd like to do and see, but guide books are guide books. They don't often enlighten one on non-mainstream sights.

To the rest of you who took this post for the way I intended it to be: thank you for sharing what you'd like to do! I have read all these posts with great interest!

And yes! I do realize that now I will have preconceived notions

PalenQ

Go Blue! Meeeechigan is back! Watch out!

Cheers!