Paris: Critique Itinerary please
 

I know I'm not supposed to overplan, but I can't help it. I really can't.
Below is my proposed itinerary.

Never been to Paris, travelling in mid/late June with my husband and 2 teens.

Appreciate any feedback. Thank you!

Tues afternoon: Explore Marais,
Pm -- Pont Neuf cruise after dinner

Wed (Day 1 museum pass): Ile de la Cite and Ile St. Louis
Pm -- Arch de Triomphe after dinner

Thurs (Day 2 museum pass): Louvre, Les Invalides, Rodin Garden
Pm – Orsay before dinner

Fri: Monmartre
Left bank shopping and Luxembourg Garden
Pm – fat tire bike tour / Eiffel tower

Sat: Versailles (versaille 1-day pass, includes fountains in gardens and audioguides)
Right bank shopping

Sunday: Giverny
(no choice here, we’re renting car and leaving Paris this day)

Thank you!!
Dina

I'm tired just from reading your plans. Did I miss the people-watching time-outs in the cafes? And the Louvre and Orsay in the same day...oh no! But I know teenagers like to be busy!!! however I do think you should not do both of the museums on the same day. Also the Fat Tire Company has trips to Giverney and Versailles that you might enjoy. Have a great trip!

Hi dina4,
I'll take a shot.
First. I don't think you overplanned at all!
Tues, good one. If you are arriving that day, maybe a little sleepy on the boat.
Wed, add in St Chapelle, otherwise very nice. If you like classical, they have candlelit concerts at St Chapelle.
Thurs, busy day...4 museums? I would consider dropping Louvre, just because of its size...If you did Rodin in morning, then lunch, Militaire, then finish at Orsay (dinner at 8) that could work. Any ranking on those 4?
Fri, bit busy. You will have to cross town to get from Montmartre to Left Bank. Early start...Sacre Coeur, Place du Tertre, Funiculaire..lunch (near Abbesses?), then metro it to St Germain/Luxembourg..
Sat/Sun fine. Train to V or tour? Fountains show on that day, so that's good!
I like it your ideas. I would add walking down Champs Elysee, Place Concorde, PLace Vendome, Rue Rivoli, Rue St Honore, Palais Royale, Opera Garnier as a nice walk (2/3 hrs) somewhere, maybe Wed morning.

Like other who responded you, I think that you can not visit so many museums in one day. I like museums but the most I can visit in one day are two, even this I try to avoid. Louver will take you at least 4 hours. Maybe is better to plan it for a next visit in Paris. You can visit Orsay and Rodin in one day and to walk to enjoy the town.

I can't imagine leaving the Louvre out completely. Surely it can go somewhere. But I agree...that AND Orsay AND Rodin AND Invalides is just too much. Personally, I'd do Louvre in the morning and Orsay in the afternoon.

Or even better...the Orsay is open late on Thursdays, until 9:45 pm. Depending on your family's tolerance for museums, why not: Louvre earlier in the day and lunch in the food court at the Carrousel du Louvre underground shopping mall; walk around in the afternoon, maybe visit Rodin Museum garden but not the museum; early dinner; then the Orsay. Or just have dinner at the Orsay as a break in the museum tour.

or if your gang is especially interested in the invalides, substitute Invalides for Rodin above.

Another vote against going to both the Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay in one day.

Thanks for all the good tips.

Re: too many museums in one day... I was sort of worried about that. (I was trying to squeeze in the museum pass into 2 days.)
But, we were just going to do a highlight tour of the Louvre--I think it's either 1.5 or 2 hours max. Then since we have a museum pass, we could just "pop in" to see Napolean's tomb and a few other highlights. (That's one good thing about over planning--you can decide what everyone wants to see ahead of time, then your kids don't get museum overload!) Rodin-- just gardens, not inside.
BUT, we could do the Louvre Wed evening before dinner instead. Maybe that's better. Our hotel is very close to it.
But otherwise, I think I'd rather leave Invalides out and see the Louvre.
Like DejaVu, I don't think I can miss that.

Michel--
I will definitely plan to see St. Chapelle and Notre Dame on the day we explore Ile de la Cite.
And I"m planning we could do Champs Elysee, Place Concorde, PLace Vendome, Rue Rivoli, Rue St Honore, Palais Royale, Opera Garnier while coming and going on different days. Our hotel is across from Tuiliere's near most of these places.
We plan to just train to Versailles ourselves without a tour. Thanks for all your encouragement!

Dina

Is the Arc open late on Wednesday? I thought it was only open late on Fridays - I would double-check the times, or plan to go before dinner?

Jolie,
My guidebook says that the Arc is open until 11pm everynight from April to Sept. I hope that's true!
thanks.

I am sure your guidebook is more accurate than my memory!

I have a copy of l'Officiel des Spectacles, a Paris weekly entertainment guide, and it says the Arc is open every night until 11 pm from April to September, but the cash register closes a half hour before that.

Oh, Christina, thank you for that tidbit. We'll be sure to get there by 10:30!

Be sure to check admission prices at the places you want to visit against the cost of the Museum passes -- your teenagers will get in to most museums free. The Louvre is open late on Wednesday and Friday evenings, for reduce rates.

If you do decide to buy museum passes, consider switching Ile St Louis visit to a day you don't use the pass, and use the pass to visit Notre Dame tower.

I'd also suggest skipping Versailles since this is your first trip to Paris -- it will take up almost a whole day. We made the same suggestion to friends last year, but they went anyway and afterwards told us we were right :~).

Also, consider visiting the Picasso museum. We took the kids to Paris in February and it was one of their favorite sights. Admission includes the audioguide, which is very well done.

Hi adlmllr,

Thanks for recommending the Picasso museum. I bet the kids would love that.

They're also very excited about Versailles, so I"m afraid we can't scratch that. Our plan is to go early in the morning and be back in the afternoon.

My daughter wants to add the Pompidou Center now, too. I'm so glad they're involved enough to care, and in the end it will be more meaningful to them.
But how to fit everything in....

Thanks again, everyone, for all your thoughtful advice.

Dina

A few things to consider:

Arc de Triomphe - make sure you climb to the top and watch the traffic swirling around the circle. Very fun especially for teens who are contemplating driving!

Notre Dame - again, climb to the top. Esp. good for teens with lots of energy. Amazing to see gargoyles up close and personal.

Ile St. Louis - include a Berthillon ice cream cone in there!!

Here's a tip - I just made my 71st (!!) trip to Paris last week and for the first time went up the Montparnasse Tower - put it on your list to do on a clear day. It's spectacular. Costs a small arm and a leg, particularly if you take advantage of the bar on the 56th floor to have a drink and take in tout Paris, but well, well worth it. To see tout Paris spread out before you is magical - and you get this amazing sense of how really compact the city really is - and if you know the history, how the various parts of it developed into what they are today.

Happy travels..

Forgot to add: the Paristoric film - introduction to Paris - at 11, bis rue Scribe right past the American Express office at the Opéra is a great introduction to Paris and will help you get a sense of the history of the city and narrow down what you want to focus on. Nice to visit soon after landing...

Surfmom,
Great tips. We'll definitely do all three of those things! Thanks!

St.Cirq,
I like the idea of a drink on the 56th floor of the Montparnasse Tower. But first, how much do you consider an arm and a leg--was that for the drink, or just for the elevator to the top?? I'm very curious, since there are 4 of us!

Paristoric film sounds good, too! I'd like to work that in somehow. I googled it and saw it was 45 min long. Am worried we might fall asleep if we try to do it after arriving... jet lag and all.

Thank you!!

The cheapest drink at the bar in the tower was about 10€. Admission to the tower itself was also 10€.

Well, I had a martini in the Rainbow Room in New York for $17. I was stunned, but it was worth every penny!