Paris 4 Day Itinerary for 1st Timers
 

Will be in Paris for my 50th and my boyfriend and I have never been there. Have a hotel 4 blocks from Eiffel Tower! Here is what we have so far...please fill in with suggestions without overloading us.

Day 1: Arrive at 4 PM. Get to hotel, take an evening walk and find a small quaint restaurant at SW side of E.Tower (suggestion?).

Day 2: Buy a bus tour ticket (2 day I think). We will spend time at Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame. Maybe shop? Cheap food like bread/cheese etc. to take along?

Day 3: The Louve! Love museums so will be there all day and they'll have to kick us out. Food suggestion for this day? Can we take a cheese sandwich along?

Day 4: Suggestions? Will check out what we drove by that we want to see more closely. Leave on shuttle to CDG at 4 PM.

Thanks in advance for your replies! Brenda

You probably get better recommendations by providing the days of the week corresponding to the days mentioned.

Small quaint restaurants in Paris worth going usually require reservations. They also close on "unexpected" evenings.

Do you really need a bus tour for two destinations?

You are celebrating your birthday(?) and is the first night the only night you are planning to have a special meal? It's ok as long as food is your low priority. What I have regretted after going there for the first time was how little research I did, and I failed to try out amazing food offerings such as Laduree macarons, Gerard Mulot pastries, Angelina's hot chocolate, etc. You don't have to go to expensive restaurants to enjoy gastronomic delights Paris offers.

You could take a cheese sandwich to the Louvre but where did you plan to eat it? You could not eat in the Louvre museum itself, of course. If you are there all day, you might want a break to rest, so why not sit down and eat in a restaurant or just one of the many places in the food court if you want fairly cheap. You can sit outside in the courtyard or something like that to eat your cheese sandwich if you are really pinching euro and don't want to buy anything there.

When you visit Notre Dame, consider visiting Sainte Chapelle, a few blocks away, for the amazing architecture and stained glass windows. This is part of the complex at the Palais de Justice, which is currently used as a courthouse, and you have to enter through the security for the complex and then go through a courtyard to Sainte Chapelle.

Since you love museums, I would add the Musee D'Orsay to your list for its stunning setting in an old train station and its huge collection of Impressionist works. Note that the Musee d'Orsay is closed Mondays and the Louvre is closed Tuesdays.

If there are particular things in the Louvre that are important to you, you should check that those galleries will be open the day you visit. Some rooms are closed certain days of the week. There is a schedule at the Louvre website: http://tinyurl.com/Louvre-galleries

You might try Aux Marchés du Palais, 5 rue de la Manutention, for your meal. It's a traditional bistrot near the Palais de Tokyo with a good reputation. It's closed on Sundays. This is NW of the Tower, over the river, but I can't think of anywhere closer.

I would get a guide book with suggested walking tours of different neighborhoods and plan on taking some. You have listed a bus tour (not sure which you mean) and major sights but not areas to explore on foot(the Left Bank, the Marais, the quays of the Seine, etc).

I would definitely add Sainte Chapelle to your list

I enjoyed seeing Paris by walking around.

I love the area right past Marais called Place des Vosage. There is a pretty fountain in the square. On Sunday's musicians play the most beautiful music. That is one of my favorite things to do when I go.

St. Chapelle is also another stop to see along with Notre Dame. We did a short tour of the Louvre and saw the important things to see. We spent half day there along with a half day in Musee D'Orsay.

Off Rue de Rivoli is a place called "Catherines" (Rue de Castiglione). By far the best place to buy perfume and see Fanny there. She is wonderful at finding the right perfume for you. Another stop I always make when I go.

I suggest a walk along the Quais near the Louvre for your final day. It's an experience that will tempt you to come back soon.

Hi Brenda,

Looks like you're on a budget with all the cheese sandwiches you're planning on eating! Yet you're spending 32 Euro each for a 2-day bus tour. You could put that money toward food and take a ride on a city bus for the price of a metro ticket. You won't have the commentary but will see the sights. Or you could plan to walk between the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame along the Seine which would be lovely. Paris is museum heaven; there are so many to choose from. But if it's a nice day you may want to be outside more.

I love the Seine boat rides at night to see the buildings all lit up. I prefer the Vedettes du Pont Neuf (internet coupons) and if you leave on the half hour you can see the Eiffel Tower sparkling. Bring some champagne and celebrate your birthday on the top deck of boat.

http://vedettesdupontneuf.com/

I'd also recommend Ste-Chappelle (near Notre Dame). And Notre Dame has a an excellent free tour Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday (I've done it twice).

I'm not even sure where to begin....

1. Small, "quaint" restaurants at SW side of Tour Eiffel - well, I don't know what your definition of quaint is, but there are a host of restaurants in that area, but what's your budget? There are all the restaurants on the rue Ste-Dominique, plus all the ones around the Place Ecole Militaire and the rue Cler - but you need to define what sort of place you're looking for, and your budget.

2. A bus ticket for 2 whole days? Why on earth? You can get around Paris and see things on your own on the regular buses, including some like the # 69 that pass by most of the main sights, for the price of a metro ticket. Not to mention you can walk and use the metro. The Tour Eiffel and Notre Dame are effectively on opposite ends of the city, so that's not a reasonable plan to single out those two places, when there are a wealth of things to see in between them, like Les Invalides, The Musee Rodin, the Musee d' Orsay, and a host of things on the Right Bank.

3. Bringing a cheese sandwich to the Louvre - well, I suppose you could, but honestly, that's just, well, cheesy. You may be complete museum buffs, but I'm guessing you'll want to take at least a short break and go outside for some air and that cheese sandwich, outside the museum.

I think you need to look at a guidebook and a map.You have very limited time in one of the world's most fascinating cities, and your plan as it stands is scattered and paltry.

I just got back from celebrating my 50th in Paris and it was great, I hope you have as wonderful a time as I did!

What day of the week are you arriving? I ask because there's a wonderful (and not too expensive) place I'd recommend for lunch near the Louvre but it's closed for lunch on the weekends. I agree with the others who've said it's a good idea to take a break from the Louvre. Also, which days you will be there affect which days you'll be able to visit which museums.

I agree with the others who've said that a bus tour pass really isn't necessary.

I can't imagine going to Paris and not seeing the Musee D'Orsay unless you really dislike the Impressionists. In addition to the fantastic collection, it's a beautiful building and not far from where you're staying. So that's a possibility for your last day. I also love the Marais and the Places des Vosges as someone else suggested so that's another possibility.

Which night is your birthday? Are you looking for suggestions for dinner for your celebration? I have some if so.

I definitely agree with adding the Musee D'Orsay and Sainte Chapelle to your list.

Unless you mean a 48-hour transportation pass, I don't think you need a 2-day bus tour ticket. Instead, it would be fun to take a ride on one of the bateaux on the Seine, especially at night.

I like the Montmartre area; it is touristy, but Sacre Coeur and the views of Paris are beautiful. You could even visit the Moulin Rouge.

Finally, I enjoyed visiting Les Invalides (where Napoleon Bonaparte is buried) and the Opera Garnier.