As I mentioned in another post, this Paris trip follows a hectic and expensive World Cup trip in Germany so it's all about cheap/free activities.

Bear in mind I HAVE to leave time open for watching games in bars because we'll be leaving before the real excitement begins. All games will be at either 5pm or 9pm so I have to take into account that we may or may not have these times free for other sightseeing as we don't plan to watch all of them.

Day 1 (Friday): Arrive around 3pm and check-in to Hotel de Nesle. Explore Ile de la Cite/Ile St. Louis for Notre Dame, Saint Chapelle, etc. Watch Togo-France game at a bar (it will be CRAZY!!). Early-ish night.

Day 2 (Saturday): Visit Eiffel Tower in early AM. Picnic in Champ de Mars. Watch football on Esplanade des Invalides. Visit Place des Invalides (Napoleon’s Tomb). Musée de l'Armée (Military Museum). Funky Paris Pub Crawl and Duplex Nightclub (non-negotiable!).

Day 3 (Sunday): Late start. Stroll around Jardin des Tuileries, see Place de la Concord, Champs Elysees and visit Arc de Triomphe. Maybe take a cruise tour that evening with Vedettes de Pont Neuf or on the Bateaux Mouches. Catch another WC game, depending on who’s playing.

Day 4 (Monday): [BLANK], picnic in Jardin de Luxembourg then pop over to Latin Quarter in the evening. Maybe catch a WC game.

Day 5 (Tuesday): Visit Louvre, go shopping at Les Halles, then visit Montmartre in the evening. Maybe catch a WC game (probably at Café Oz in Chatelet)

Day 6: Leave Paris (temporarily, of course).

I think the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays.

That's right...I'll just swap a day.

Get to Montmarte before dark to see the view.

I would do Versaille for a half day. And you didn't mention Muse D'Orsay -- it is the best! Like it better than Louvre.

Go to top of Arc D' Triumph. Great view, rather than up the Eiffel Tower, because at the top of the Arc - your pitures will have the Eiffel Tower in them!

I won't give a complete trip report because we didn't do anything extraordinary, but I wanted to report that Hotel Madeleine-Opera is beautiful. We had a double room with shower/wc for EUR 85 per night and found the room adorable and clean, in a convenient area 2 blocks from the Madeleine metro.

Breakfast in our room was a treat (it's not billed as room service, they just deliver it to your room if you don't want to have it in the lobby area as there is no real dining area). Just the regular croissant, bread, jams, butter, cheese with juice and your choice of hot drink, but all delicious.

The lady at the front desk was very pleasant, and there was a gentleman who was exceptionally helpful and printed maps of everywhere we asked for directions to.

We did the usual sites, although we'll have to return to go up the Eiffel Tower. The view at night from Trocadero was gorgeous though.

Weather was uncooperative but we made the most of it. My bf kept fussing about us finding a nice restaurant to have a special anniversary dinner but it was Sunday so the one we wanted to go to was closed. We stumbled upon a little restaurant (I have to check the receipt for the name). Muted lighting, decorated in red and black. We got a table on the upper platform and were the only ones there. Just as well, right before dessert bf whipped out a ring and proposed.

So *fiance* and I spent the rest of our days having drinks with friends, and celebrating soon-to-be-wedded bliss. We also spent 4 hours in the Louvre because he wanted to see *everything*. I endured it for the love of my life.

That's about it. I'm back in the U.S. and missing Paris like crazy. At least I know we'll be going back someday.

That is pretty darned romantic!
AND he wanted to propose at a fine restaurant... ok, I'll "say" it, "aaaaahhh..."
Best of luck! Congratulations.
Where are you going to for your honeymoon? <GRIN>

gemeaux,

Thanks for the update. We were in Paris in early May and I cannot wait to return. We did not see the Trocadero view at night, but we did sit on the terrace in mid-afternoon on a bright, sunny day and have drinks while gazing at the Eiffel Tower across the river. It did not get any better than that!

I'll be scouting around here for honeymoon tips pretty soon. So far I like the sound of the Amalfi coast and Greece, but I really wanted to go to India. *Fiance* nixed that one though so the search continues...

Would love to hear about your funky paris pub crawl as we want to spend one night doing that. We go in Sept. Nightclubs are not our thing, but we enjoy live music.