As someone mentioned before the Streetwise or Artwise maps are the best. They give locations of all major attractions, metro stops, etc. + are laminated so can be easily carried w/out worrying about rain, etc.

We went to Paris with Go-Today last year 12/26 to 1/2. A great value! <BR>A week is plenty of time to see everything… If not, know that you will be there another time.<BR><BR>The Metro system is wonderful... get to know it. Buy a multi-day pass.<BR>The metro was free New Years day not NY Eve. Be aware that the Metro shuts down at 12:30 and you might need to take a cab (they jacked up the prices on NYE),<BR>Places we saw:<BR>Louvre Museum<BR>To the top of the Eiffel Tower (Save $…go to the mid level)<BR>Picaso Museum<BR>Rodan Museum<BR>Notre Dame Cathedral<BR>Orsay Museum<BR>Des Champs Elysees on New Year’s Eve<BR>Bastile Opera House, La Bayadere<BR>Hotel De Invalides<BR>Versailes on New Years Day <BR><BR>The ballet was the highlight of the trip. Start researching it.<BR><BR>Buy a multi-day museum pass in the Metro station & bypass lines at the Louvre & Orsay Museums.<BR><BR>Weather was mixed: cold & rainy than cold and sunny...but wonderful.<BR><BR>Restaurants were wonderful but our favorite meal was shopping for breads, cheese, pastry, and the perfect wine in the local shops. Then having our own picnic in the room before went out on NYE.<BR><BR>We had planed to go to a special restaurant on NE day but it was closed for the holiday.<BR><BR>

I also like the National Geographic map over the Streetwise, its easier to read and you don't have to keep flipping it over. Its laminated as well.

I would disagree that you can see everything in a week. I'm going back in March for the 4th time & still haven't seen everything. I would encourage you to take a day & skip the tourist stuff. Go to a bookstore, hang out in a cafe, have lunch in the park (weather permitting), Etc. Those things are what make Paris special & worth going back for.

I forgot Rue Cler for breakfast !!

I can only suggest that before you leave Paris go to Laudree at 16 rue Royale and get some macaroons. They are the best in the world and you won't regret it.

Laduree is also on the Champs Elysees and at Printemps dept store.<BR>For Left Bank lovers, their newest branch is on Rue Bonaparte 21, next to the St. Germain des Pres church.<BR>Agree, their macarons are the best.

My husband and I spent a week in Paris this past June--no a week is never enough, but you can do a lot! You can read our travelogue if you like (very long-winded!). It was our first trip to Paris too and by day two we had already vowed to come back. <BR><BR>http://www.witzels.org/frogtrip.php<BR><BR>I second the recommendation of Michelin Maps. We used #16, the Atlas par arrondissements. I bought it in a Barnes and Noble after a Frenchwomen (who saw me browsing the Paris guidebooks) recommended it.<BR><BR>Enjoy Paris!

As long as you are within a block or 2 of the metro you'll be fine. The metro is really efficient. One piece of advice regarding it though is to avoid the big exchange points (marked with bigger white dots or ovals). You can walk a block or two underground getting to your exchange point. We found that we did most transfers in Concorde, and that worked out very well. <BR><BR>As for hotels, also be concerned about the noise level. Those on major streets may make it difficult to sleep at night due to traffic noises.

One of the best afternoons we ever spent in Paris was just a walkabout, with no destination in mind. We walked mostly thru Marais area - we'd get to a corner, and I'd say to my husband, left or right? We did that every corner and just window-browsed, sat in parks, etc. - checked the map periodically to see where we were. It was fun and relaxing.