Paris: Armistice Day-November 11
 

Paris November 10-November 14
This is our 1st visit to Paris. We'll be staying in the 7th. Basic outline of what we'd like to do:

Day1: After arriving from Normandy, We'll have a full afternoon & evening. This will be for orientation, enjoy & dine in Trocadero area, tour Eiffel Tower.

Day2:' Armistice Day'. Plans: RS 'Historic Paris Walk', have a nice lunch, enjoy 'Vedettes' boat ride, and then whatever moves us.

Day3: Louvre,Tuileries Garden, Champs-Elysees Walk, Shopping, tour Arc de Triomphe.

Day4: Invalides, enjoy St.Germain and St Michel neighborhoods, explore Montmarte.

I have 3 questions for 'Armistice Day'.
1. Will Notre-Dame and Ste Chapelle, have normal hours, as they are places of worship?
2. Will cafes/restaurants have regular hours?
3. Will the 'Vedettes' boats be running?

Every guide book I've read doesn't list any special times, only that it is a holiday. We realize that the shops & stores will be closed or have limited hours. Any experience or advice would be appreciated.

I apologize for length of this post. I read the forums for research and advice and know you great 'Fodorites' need the facts to answer properly.

Your outlined Days 1-4 look perfect -- keep to mind that on Day2 (11 Nov.) there could be some special events you might want to include in the "whatever moves us" category and on Day4 Montmartre is a little further afield than the other things you will be doing. Not a problem though - hop on a metro or bus.

Sorry, don't know the answers to your specific ending questions.

Have a blast!

Hi D,

Don't worry about what is or isn't open. You will be in Paris. Just walk around.

Next time you go, everything will be open.

Enjoy your visit.

((I))

I wouldn't worry too much about what might or might not be open on 11/11, restaurants will be open..I don't do walks but I'm sure they would tell you in advance if they were closed.. and there will probably be a wonderful parade down the Champs!

There's no wonderful parade. On the 11/11, the french president bring flowers to the tomb of the unkown soldier under the ark of triumph in the presence of veterans.

There is a parade on Nov 11 which originates with a ceremony at the tomb of the unknown soldier at the Arc de Triomphe, proceeds down the Champs Elysees to the Ave Roosevelt where the marchers disband but the horseguards and Pres Chirac continue to Place Clemenceau for a ceremony honoring Clemenceau.

If you wish to continue the military theme you could walk from Pl Clemenceau crossing the Seine on the Pont Alexandre, considered the most beautiful of the bridges, and make your way to Invalides and the Rodin Musee. You can have lunch in the Rodin's gardens. If you don't feel up to the walk, take the Metro to Varenne not Invalides.

I've been in Paris on 11/11 and I have seen a solemn parade, clairobscure, as jsmith describes!

Thanks to all of you who replied to my post. Putting everything that matters to my spouse & I into perspective,we'll
rethink our plans for that part of the day when Paris honors their veterans.
Getting caught up in the excitement of finally getting to Paris, I overlooked that if we were home in the US, we'd observe Veterans Day in some manner for a part of our day.
So I'll contact the Paris TI,(www.franceguide.com), for more specifics of their observances held at the 'Tomb of the Unknown Soldier' and the parade. I appreciated everyone's insights. Thanks, Di

sounds good to me, I havent been there on that day, but know it is not as "big" a holiday as some others, so there wont be as many closures. FYI Sainte Chapelle is not a place of worship, it is just a historic monument.