hello all! i will be traveling from amsterdam to Paris for less than a day, about 7 hrs, any suggestions on what i must see? and how to get there? we are taking the train to paris and i want to see the eiffel tower, arc de triumph...and dont know what else? and how do we get around town? i see there is a bus and a RER, any suggestions would be more than appreciated! i am very excited but anxious about getting around!

I would suggest taxis since you have a limited amount of time. They are easy to find (you'll see taxi stands around Paris) and relatively affordable.

As for sites to see, try a walk down the champs elysee, the arc de triumph, coffee in a cafe, and the eiffel tower... a lot of the beauty of Paris is just meandering the streets and cafes.

If you only have a few hours and want to see as much as possible, try the hop on/hop off bus. It will take you past most of the major sites(Eiffel Tower, Arc d'Triomph, Place de la Concorde, Notre Dame, Louvre, Opera Garnier). You won't have to worry about getting lost or wasting what little time you have.

I have heard good things about the hop on/off bus. What day of the week and what time will you be in Paris?

More info on L'Open Tour
http://www.pariscityrama.com/visit-p...ur/25A195.html

I guess you are arriving at Gare du Nord. Times you will be in the city, and departure point?

You could take Metro (or taxi) to the Louvre, and from there Palais Royal, Louvre (outside) Tuileries Gardens, Place de la Concorde, walk up Champs Elysee to Arc, go up Arc, views of city. The Champs Elysee may be a bit...less than what you would expect (bit more business than strolling romance), but nice views!

A nice area would be the Islands (Cite and Ile St Louis). They are connected together and are the center of Paris. Here you would see Notre Dame, St Chapelle (with its amazing stained glass), views of Seine, the small main street of Ile St Louis with its shops and old mansions, famous ice cream, and some cafes for an outdoor meal. From there you have access to a walk on Left Bank or Right Bank.

With your time, I might suggest the L'Open first, and then use remaining time to wander one area.

You can see the Tower but not go up--which isn't a real big miss, in my opinion.
Yes, the bus tour first. You can even go on the "second" tour of it--to Montmartre, although it won't take you Sacre Coeur. But you'll see it from the bottom.
I think Notre Dame is a memorable thing to have in your memory bank.
Don't bother with the Champs, except for whatever the bus tour does--the Arc de Triomphe at the top will be on that.
Be sure to take some time to have a glass of wine at a cafe on a busy street--maybe at St. Michelle--or even across from Notre Dame.

I would try to fit in Sainte Chapelle for the most beautiful space defined by its stained glass windows, especially if the day is sunny. It is near Notre Dame, so you could do both.

Many years ago I only had one day in Paris so I did the hop on/hop off tour. It was a great way to see all of the major sights. Have fun.