pariswat

Hi

I'm one who really likes the Champs Elysees.
The view from the Arc towards Concorde and vice-versa is superb.

I never buy anything however, and I garee that you have a mix of car dealers, cinemas, pubs, high end shops (is not Vuitton there ?). Still I often make a detour to just walk a few hundreds of meters of the avenue whenever I can.

Faubourg St Honoré is not for me, quite expensive shops and mostly for women, 2 reasons to avoid it for me. Especillay if I'm with my wife

Le Printemps is quite nice, the 'verriere' (glass structure) is stunning and last time we went there we bought shoes, clothes and a stroller (I had forgotten ours for that trip) and ended up eating at a Japanese restaurant at the top - quite good.

Globally I find your trip well prepared and well balanced.
I would also add at least one museum.
On top of what's been proposed, I'd stop by 'le carnavalet' if you go by it - interesting and the building in itself is enjoyable to visit.

SO Enjoy Paris !!!
Don't forget to say 'Bonjour' it makes relation easier - I'm starting to not answer when someone comes to me and fires question in quick succession in a fast english.
And I'm not even French !

paris1953

Your fashionistas will love those department stores (Galleries Lafayette, Printemps, Bon Marche)...they are stunning and well worth experiencing. I will also suggest strolling down rue Passy...lots of fabulous shops and not as crowded as other areas, with something for big wallets (Franck et Fils and other smaller chic shops) and not so big wallets (H&M and Promod and even Gap). You can take the Metro to La Muette and stroll down Passy toward Trocadero and voila...you are at the Eiffel Tower!

manouche

Boulevard Faubourg Saint Honore has the best high-end shops, and is not far from the Champs-Elysees, and while you're at it, you should walk down avenue Montaigne, which is where the shops you think you'll find on the Champs-Elysees are actually located. With the exception of Louis Vuitton and maybe Abercrombie and Fitch for the eye-candy waitstaff, you'll be really disappointed in the shops on the Champs-Elysees.
Check these two streets out on Google Maps and search for clothing boutiques - you will fall out of your chair.
I love the HOHO bus - but not sure I would get out and walk as much as you plan to - I prefer to use it as a photo-op and take good shots of most of the things I might not get around to seeing.

MaineGG

I've only done HOHO buses in Barcelona and London, never Paris, but I will share a couple of experiences that I think could apply anywhere.

In Barcelona, we began on the bus at the beginning of the route. Got good seats on the upper deck and enjoyed the ride until we got off on Montjuich to take the cable car. When we reboarded to continue, there were no more seats on the upper deck and we had to ride inside where the visibility was very limited. Not enjoyable.

In London, half way through the route the driver pulled over, announced that it was time for his lunch break and that we should all get out and wait for the following bus. When that bus came, it was full and did not stop. We, along with many others, waited about 30 minutes during which time several more full buses passed. Most of us abandoned that stop, and we abandoned the HOHO bus for the rest of the day.

If I ever again decide to take a HOHO bus, I would only use it as a tour, staying on for a complete circuit, and not as an efficient form of transportation around a city.

annhig

when we were in Barcelona you could buy the equivalent of a Parisian "carnet" to cover a number of journeys but that doesn't seem to apply any longer:

http://www.tmb.cat/en/bitllets-i-tarifes

However, they are so cheap compared to the cost of the HOHO buses that simply buying several at a time and using the normal buses and metro might be a better bet.

nytraveler

I'm afraid you have a misapprehension about the Champs. This is not a fashion district - it;s a mass of cafes, car dealerships, high tech shops, foo foo drugstores, - lots of toruist places, not fashion focused etc.

Fashion is in other areas - depending on if they want the major department stors, or designer boutiques or trendier lower cost places.

justineparis

I have used L'OPen tour in Paris.. and liked it.. its not to be used to get around fast, you won't.. but you will get a nice view of each neibhorhood as you pass through it.. rather then popping up and down like a gopher using the metro.. ( I like metro.. but you do miss the inbetween bits ) With L,Open tour it is worth it to pay the extra few euros for the 2 day pass as you simply can't cover all four routes in one day unless you plan on never getting off bus to look around. One other thing that is fun with the hoho in Paris is the opportunity to go around the traffic circling the Arc.. its fun..


I did not like the Hoho in London.. we felt we totally wasted money there.

I see you have the Catacombs on your list. Unless you have already purchased skip the line tickets.. you must show up at least 45 -60 minutes before it opens,, or seriously.. you will wait for hours. I have been a few times ( with various travel mates who had never been) and one time we arrived at 10.30 ( it opened at 10) and waited over 2.5 hours.. in the hot sun.

lyn_dahm

Merci beaucoup!! Very much appreciated advise!!��

rosemaryoz

Lots of good advice here to make the most of your time in Paris. I would agree about walking up the ET if you're fit enough - saves heaps of queuing time. But I personally think the best way to view the Tower is from underneath when it lights up at night. I'm not sure you need to include Montparnasse Tower too if you are already climbing ET and Arc de Triomphe? You could use that time to see the famous Lady & Unicorn tapestries at Musee Cluny before you go to the Pantheon.

Also, pre-book as many tickets as possible online before you go to save on queuing time eg if you like Monet, the Orangerie is ideal in the late afternoon and doesn't take very long to enjoy (about an hour) when you have a pre-bought ticket. I agree the free or cheap walking tours are a really good idea, much more useful than the HOHO bus! If you want an easy way to see Paris from the river, have a look at the Batobus too - lots of stops, and you can buy a ticket to use it all day.

stevectravel

For transportation I would recommend the metro or cabs…. I made some suggestions for your itinerary based on your time.
If you are flying in the first day and going to an apartment my guess is that you won't be ready to see the city until around 2 PM. If the weather is good I suggest you walk to the garden Luxembourg. Stop off at a monoprix and pick up some wine and supplies for a picnic and a much needed nap. After that the pantheon is not that far away. You can spend the rest of the evening exploring the Latin Quarter. Day two I would start at the Louvre and work your way towards the arc. While walking from the Louvre to Concorde stop off and check out the museum orangerie.(I think it is closed on Tuesdays). Off the north side of Concorde is a really upscale area where everyone is high-fashion. you can go in to the Ritz and have a martini at bar Hemingway. On your way up to the arc if you get tired of the shopping and walking you can hire a rickshaw to take you the rest of the way. Go to the top of the ark and then from there take the metro to rue cler. After shopping rue cler there is a nice restaurant on one of the corners "du marche" for dinner. The Eiffel Tower is right next door and in my opinion much better observed at night. After that you can hang out on the Cham du mars with a whole bunch of wine and all the college students. Watching the Eiffel tower flicker in the night. There is a nice metro station at the end of rue cler to get back to your apartment.
Day three I would do Notre Dame the Ill de cite , Marais then take a metro or cab to sacure.
That gives you an entire day to do the tower montparnes and catacombs and more exploration of Paris.
I would also suggest finding a way to see the museum Rodin. All the museums I mentioned are quick in and out. And you'll have left Paris seeing original Monets, Van Gogh and Rodin. And a bunch of others that I would have no idea who they are. Lol.
I would also suggest taking a river cruise at night the last one leaves around 10 PM. I like Vedettes du pont neuf. Their boats all have Second floor seating open to the sky. And it gets on and off pretty close to your apartment.
-stephen

rncheryl

For your consideration: if the Opera House interests you, there are reasonably priced guided tours in English.

Also, for killer views of the city at night, the river cruises at twilight are wonderful, seeing the Tower in its sparkling grandeur, plus Notre Dame and all in between.

http://vedettesdupontneuf.com/home/

http://www.operadeparis.fr/en/