Paris 8day itinerary help please February 2014
 

So Fodorites its time to plan some days in Paris
We will have returned from our little road trip to bayeux for four days andOH will be on his way to his next destination without us

Daughter (20) and I have 8 days to explore Paris. I've been before but it was on an organised trip so I've never caught public transport and have no feel for the lie of the land
I know that Paris is made up of districts

We are staying at hotel Eiffel turenne on ave tourville and plan to buy as much fresh food as possible from the nearby market. I guess we will get some sort of train travel card some kin of the oyster in London or is there a better option like an entry discount card/ train travel option?
So far we want to visit:
Eiffel Tower ... Which day is better,,,we have from Friday 14 February til friday21
I guess we avoid valentines day but it might be fun to see a few proposals no lol?

Eurodisney,,, daughterand I won't go on all of the rides but she wants to stay til the lights come up.

The louvre
Notre dame
Latin quarter
Seine river cruise
Hop on/off bus to orientate ourselves and listen to the commentary
Versailles and Monets garden

We love history and wildlife.... Don't want to spend every day in museums and galleriesthough ... We would've done that in the UK by then
But we'd be interested in anything mainstream,,, we have hardly any French history under our belts compared with our foray into British side of things,,,any must sees for beginners history wise?

Ido want to take my daughter to Geneva for a day,,,we have decided to stay put in france rather than go to Switzerland after our francetour was cancelled
But Switzerland is one of my favourite countries and id love to show her at least a glimpse of it,, any ideas how to make the most of such a day trip?

Any other suggestions are welcome,,, I started a daytripsfrom Paris thread sometime ago but dont know how much we can fit in 8 days
It is winter after all :(
Thanks for your thoughts !

I am not sure how much you will see in Giverny in Feb. And since the weather will be cold, you should plan on more indoor activities since Paris is one of the great walking cities of the world.

Included for museums are Musée d'Orsay and Musee de l'Orangerie.

Check Easyjet for a RT in a day to Geneva. Since you will have no luggage, it should be easy.

Geneva is a very boring city. Consider Strasbourg.

I agree Geneva is basically a sleep clinic but that is where the OP wanted to go.

And it is the middle of winter.

Stay in Paris and when it gets dark (early!) every day get ready to attend concerts and such - plenty of top-flight music of all kinds, from Jazz (www.parisjazzclub.net/en/accueil/ and www.ducdeslombards.com and opthers in that same street) to classical (www.offi.fr/concerts/classique.html) and anything in between, including performances in many churches.

There is more than enough of all kinds in Paris to keep you going for 8 days and then some - not just the obvious biggies but lots of lesser-knowns that are not hard to ferret out.

If you get antsy and want to make a day trip other than Disney (to each his own...), Reims with champagne tours, Versailles, Fontainebleau, even the castles of Blois and Chambord if you take an early train to Blois and a taxi (no castle bus in winter) - it's all there.

Geneva would be an absolute waste of your time, energy and money. It's never an exciting city, but in February it's downright dull, and you lose daylight around 4:40PM and the trip there and back eats up all day.

Best to A) either forget about it or B) go and stay two nights, and not in Geneva but in a more interesting locale.

But probably best another time during a better season, and for longer to make it worth your while.

Ok so maybe not Geneva ...it was a suggestion made by a friend,..that's all and seemed doable

Would rather do a train trip than fly..at least you see something of the countryside good bad or something in between
Will look into strasbourg

Music wise,,,don't think we will find anything we share in common,,she has her taste and I have mine,,,probably would rather go to a cafe and have a hot chocolate and people watch at night

As for Disneyland,,,we have been to the one in Hong Kong and she loved the atmosphere so that's really just for her,,,it was a lovely family day

Thanks for all the suggestions folks!

Okay .. How bout this?
Just found something on Provins...unesco site so has to be something great there and only 1hr 25 out of Paris by train and we don't have to book because the trains run half hourly
I think the medieval setting would be of interest and even if they don't do the jousting and fairs in winter the buildings look like something that we'd enjoy photographing

Maybe Fontainebleau would be ok too
Would love to go to auvers sur Oisewhere vans gogh is buried but maybe too far with the change in trains and all..what do you think?

Have ruled out Bruges..two and half hours is a bit too far

If you want to go to Strasbourg or Bruges or any place that is accessed by a TGV train or even an Intercités train then you need to buy those tickets three months in advance to get the cheapest prices. For example, if you purchased a ticket to Strasbourg on the day you traveled the one way fare for one person would be between 73 €and 100€. If you bought that ticket 3 months in advance the one way fare would be 25€ to 30€.

In regards to Provins, it is a lovely medieval town. I doubt the medieval events (jousting etc.) will be going on in February but it is still very photoworthy. The nice thing about Provins, Fontainebleau and places close to Paris is that they are accessed by the local TER trains and thus have fixed prices. So there's no need to buy tickets in advance and you can wait for the best weather day to do you visit. In regards to Auvers-sur-Oise I think some of the Van Gogh associated places may still be closed in February but you can check. It is still a charming village to walk around anyway and you can see many of the places Van Gogh painted and the cemetery where he is buried next to his brother Theo. The tourist office has brochures outlining the tourist trail through town.

I do lots of exploring of the countryside near Paris so I'm well acquainted with all of the well known and not so well known places near Paris that make worthy day trips. I have a list of Paris day trips that I post from time to time but since it's a lengthy post I'll give you a link to a thread you can check where I posted my list:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic....html#54839568

Ooh thanks so much for that linkFMT
Yes the cost of tickets is outrageous I know
And there's not a lot of daylight so we will just stick to the shorter daytrips
Thanks again!

Just in relation to the daytrips... I'm gathering it is fine to be coming home in they dark Paris


I did read that one should avoid getting the last train cos of the lad types hanging round the big stations...true or myth?

You have 8 days in Paris and you are considering day trips to Versailles, Giverney (gardens are closed),Geneva (or was considering) Provins, Fontainebleau, etc etc. OH, yes, a day at Disney--
I will mention that we took our children and spouses to Paris for a week. One couple had planned to go to Versailles (even though I said "there really wouldn't be time") --and that was the case. They wanted to see more in Paris for their last 3 days.
Paris is a very safe city--just as anywhere, stay aware of your surroundings.
I would get to Paris with a plan of seeing that great city. If day trips become a possibility have ONE in mind IF you decide you have time.

You have nothing to fear returning to Paris in the dark. Be alert for pickpockets but they are around during the day too so they are not a problem exclusive to night time. Take the usual precautions you would in any big city and you'll be fine.

In regards to day trips, you could spend several weeks in Paris and never leave and still not see everything in the city. I know that after I've spent a few days in any big city I've had enough so play it by ear once you arrive and then decide how many day trips you want to do.

Giverny (Monet's gardens and house) are closed in February. Instead, visit the Orangerie in Paris to see Monet's fabulous water lilies. And don't miss the Musee D'orsay and Sainte Chapelle. Don't rush to plan too many day trips - there is much more to do in Paris than can be done in 6 days (allowing 1 day for day trip to Disney).

Your hotel is very close to Rodin Museum--it makes a wonderful visit! You might consider the areas with Art Deco buildings as well.

DH and I took a bus tour to Bruges (google 'cityrama'--company has changed name from that) and enjoyed it.

And don't forget the Marmottan.
Be sure to visit at least one street market. Shop at a Monoprix--for food and other items.
Ride a bus to get to one of your places and see Paris at street level, rather than the Metro.
On Saturday go to the Porte Vanves flea market for a couple of hours.
Sit in an outdoor café (they have heaters) and just watch the crowd go by. The Brasserie Ile St. Louis behind Notre Dame is a great place to eat or just sit.
Be sure to do the boat trip--we like it at dusk (which will be early for your time) as the lights are just beginning to come on.

Book a "Behind the Scenes" Eiffel Tower tour. You see parts of the tower otherwise inaccessible to tourists and will skip the line if there is one. The tour finishes on the second level. You can then go to the top on your own if you wish.

http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/en/visit-w...ert-guide.html

Giverny is closed until the end of March. Geneva is, well, possibly the most boring city on earth and absolutely not worth the time and expense to get to from Paris, especially given all the amazing treasures right at your doorstep.

Don't get Eiffel Tower tickets ahead of time - you're stuck with a specific time slot, and if it's freezing rain you're out of luck.

There are myriad possibilities for daytrips: Fontainebleau, Chantilly, Senlism Chartres, Versailles, Compiègne, Auvers-sur-Oise, Moret-sur-Loing, Ile des Impressionistes, Vaux-le-Vicomte.......coming home in the dark just isn't an issue. I have no idea what you mean about the last train and the "lads," but the last trains are around 1:15 am, so I doubt you'll be hanging around with the lads at that hour.

You'll probably want to get a Navigo Pass for the métro/bus, supplemented with a carnet of t+ tickets. Learn how to get around here: www.ratp.fr

Thank you for the generosity of your contributions Fodorites

I wish we were into art... We do appreciate some but wouldn't visit every gallery

I will put Rodin on our list.. Forgot about that fella lol
As for anything if you study it, you appreciate it more and it is history that has taken up our time
Just finished digging into Oliver Cromwell so we are doing well getting through the time line of English rulers
Haven't even started on French history apart from how it impacts on England so there's plenty of swatting to go !

Would like to visit any particular sites associated with Napoleon so have to keep researching... Apart from the obvious Paris lol

Now re the lads on trains ..like I said I think.. I read about general safety warnings and certain stations were mentioned

Same as the trains here in Sydney...some lines are more fraught with laddish activity than others
And of course they are often fuelled by alcohol

Re : gardens in winter
Is there anything to see in the great gardens of Paris or are they all lying fallow?
We do love gardens and realise winter is not the best but maybe there are some greenhouses or parks that suffer the cold without too much complaint?

Does the sun ever come out or are we talking London type gloom in winter?

If you're interested in Napoleon, why not investigate the Chateau de Malmaison, which is a straightforward train & bus trip west out of central Paris. It's closer than the other places you are considering, and as the others have said, not much point going somewhere like Giverny in winter. It's also brimming with history about Napoleon & Josephine and her life there. Check the website for opening hours, as some places are more limited during the winter months.

Oh you good thing Rosemaryoz... I will note your suggestion !
Do you happen to know the train / bus details ?
What do you think of Geneva being hailed as the most boring place on this planet?

Look at this link for info about visiting the Château de Malmaison.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...de_France.html

There's also info about it in the day trip list I gave you.

The Château de Fontainebleau has Napoléon related collections as well.

http://www.musee-chateau-fontaineble...Empire?lang=en

Thanks FMT
All valuable tips for us ...I had just put that on my list to do and you chimed in...great timing!

Has anyone been to the little zoo in one of the gardens? I think it's in the Jardin des plantes....is that open/ worth a visit? Or is it more like a petting zoo for little kids?

You will want to visit the basement of the Louvre and see how it was constructed (as a chateau, of course). And there are the Napoleon rooms in the Louvre.

Some years ago, DH and I strolled to that zoo from the Montparnasse area and I think it took us 1/2 hour but we weren't hurrying. You might take a cab to the zoo and then walk back along the Seine or through the St. Germain des Pres area. According to google directions it's about an hour walk from Eiffel Tower to Jardin des Plantes. We were used to the bigger National Zoo in Washington, D.C. but the children there seemed delighted. I don't remember it being huge--a manageable walk for us and we were in our late 50s at the time. I hate to hear people say something isn't worth it, but it's one I might put lower on my list of "must sees". Anyone else?

Louvre had a Napoleon arpartment exhibit when we were there. But it isn't necessarily open all the time--you might check ahead. Don't know how crowded you'll find things in Feb. but having a pass ( http://en.parismuseumpass.com/ ) avoids long ticket lines to Louvre and Versailles.

Enjoy!

The Musée de l'Armée has a fair number of Napoleonic offerings (and at the basement level there are often wonderful special exhibits). And of course Napoleon himself is right next door at Les Invalides.

My husband is not "into" art at all, either, but he really enjoyed the Musee D'Orsay much more than the Louvre, it turned out--the building itself is lovely (well, so is the Louvre but in a more intimidating way!). But don't miss the Louvre, just for the experience of being overwhelmed and seeing at least a couple things, if nothing else!! And we loved Sainte Chapelle. I'd suggest getting the MuseePass (check out on-line which option will be best for you, but just purchase it there). It will save you on about the 3rd entrance, I think, plus you skip some lines (not at Sainte Chapelle, though). If you just "do" one museum a day, or two if it makes better geographic sense, you will still have time for non-museum stuff.

Thanks for the museum pass tip... I know so little of how things work in France lol and have been contrasting on the uk leg up til now really
-all these suggestions give me confidence and I'm writing it all down as well as bookmarking

Now we have just come back from a walk round the neighbourhood here and my daughter and I were laughing at how lost we are preparing to be ..both of us always rely on OH and even my son who won't be with us so we are devising ways we are going to memorise routes

Lol
Short of doing a hansel and Gretel , how easy is it to get around Parisienne streets
I found London for instance quite hard to navigate on foot..always felt like streets were merging and converging and blending and then disappearing all together haha

How does everyone else keep ther
If bearings

You might laugh but I'm taking a compass!

To learn how to get around Paris by métro/bus/RER use www.ratp.fr. Here is a link to a route planner:

http://www.ratp.fr/itineraires/en/ra...herche-avancee

Here is an interactive map of the system:

http://www.ratp.fr/plan-interactif/carteidf.php?lang=uk

Since parts of this website are only in French you can also use www.transilien.com or www.vianavigo.com. Via Navigo probably has the most complete English website. A good website to learn how to use public transport in Paris is www.parisbytrain.com.

Buy a good detailed map of Paris of around the scale 1:12,000 and it will show all streets and street names, museums, monuments, gardens, parks, sites, attractions and the location of all RER and métro stops. A handy booklet to buy is called ''Plan de Paris par Arrondissement, L'Indispensable''. It is available in the Relay bookstores you'll find in the main line train stations and RER stations. It can be bought in many other places as well, such as bookstores, news stands, larger supermarkets, many tabac stores and most touristy souvenir shops among other places.

The Musee d'Orsay is a must do, better than the Louve...love the restaurant with it's ceiling covered in sparkling chandeliers....make time for lunch there...book and print out your tickets online to Versailles to skip the line up queue, easy to navigate there by train.

how easy is it to get around Parisienne streets

You need a map!! Even if you use the map the Galeries Lafayette gives away. Every guide book has maps.
The map mentioned above "l'indispensable" is excellent.
A compass is not a bad/funny idea, particularly when coming out of the Metro and getting oriented.

The great thing about Paris is that we (in the U.S. anyhow) grew up seeing its iconic buildings/structures.

Here's a great hint (not mine): write down the name and address of your hotel so you can give it to the taxi driver if you get too tired to walk anymore!

lol
nothing like coming to fodors to check for replies!! lol i feel like such a hopeless harry sometimes lol

a map! lol
sounds so simple but boy oh boy i have become lost using maps too and so has my intrepid OH !

so my question re parisienne streets was more in relation to whether or not they were built to some logical plan or whether it was based on some whim
i did read that it was napoleon 3rd who instigated the widening of the boulevardes but i was wondering if tourists on the whole found paris an easy place to get their bearings or not
i havent been to new york but i heard it was built on a grid so quite easy to find your way round
i didnt find moscow or st petersburg easy to get around because the metro exits were confusing and you had to backtrack for ages if you missed one

so ..yes maps will help me and so will some locals no doubt but generally speaking, is paris well laid out for a tourist who has very little sense of direction or not>? lol
thanks for the links FMT and to all of you who have made suggestions..supermum i wasnt particularly interested in d'orsay but your enthusiasm is contagious!

I REALLY suggest you get a copy of the DK Eyewitness Guide to Paris. The thing it does is give you pictures of these iconic things of Paris, and you can see what is one "area" as they organize the book. It isn't the definitive guide book but totally adequate.
Surely you can navigate by a map--at least to get you to a "place" you can figure it out from there. And no,the streets of Paris are not laid out on a grid--and some follow the winding Seine.
The Orsay is a magnificent museum for its collections but even moreso, in a way, for the incredible building and how it has been adapted--and saved from destruction-- to being a museum space with its multitudes of galleries. there is furniture, sculpture, and of course the Impressionists. Look through the huge clock face and see the mount of Montmartre.
You NEED a map of the city and the metro and bus lines--honest.
Also, in regard to museums, don't forget their wonderful gift shops for small gifts to take home.

Husband and I tended to get turned around upon exiting undergrounds so your compass idea is a sound one. Now that Gretchen mentions it, I copied the areas from the DK book and we divided our trip into each section. With your compass, you could figure the direction of your hotel in relationship to the area you visit. Or, just take a cab back (remember to write your hotel name/address on a piece of paper)!

Like the comments above, get a map of Paris. The little map books are great. Most newspaper stands sell them. We have been to Paris many times, but I never venture without the map book in my pocket. Also at many metro stops there will be a local map of the area around the stop. Learn to ride the surface streets on a bus. Figure out what stop you need and look at the display in the bus that tells what the next stop is. RATP is your source for bus and metro routes and can be downloaded to a smartphone. The Grand Boulevards are easy to navigate but many of the side streets date back to the founding of the city and may change names as you move along them. Relax and have fun.