My sister and I are taking a day-trip to Paris this Saturday. We will be there from 9 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Can people please give me suggestions as to a fun, yet relaxing intiniery? We have both seen the major sites before. What about the Siene river tour? Lunch and dinner where? Any info would be helpful! Thanks...

If you want the Paris brasserie experience I really like La Coupole. It's a very large Brasserie (largest in Paris) and the decor is beautiful (art deco). If you reserve online you can get 20 percent off the total bill when you present a copy of your reservation to the waiter. Thats a new promotion and I dont know how long it will last.

If you want a quite intimate dinner I dont recommend it but if you like a dynamic bustling environment then it is very enjoyable.

www.flobrasseries.com/coupoleparis/en

Saturday morning you could go to the flea market at Porte de Vanves. Its a street flea market so it is not too expensive and has very interesting things.

The boat rides on the river are enjoyable but they are better if you can sit outside which might be a bit chilly this time of year.

A Seine cruise on the Bâteaux-Mouches is about as relaxing as you can get, along with just sitting in a sidewalk café and watching the world go by. How much do you want to spend on lunch and dinner?

Underhill:
We don't really have a specific budget, we want a really great true french meal. What about the restaurant in the Eifel Tower? I'd love to do a shorter boat cruise.. Suggestions?

It's way too late for a reservation at Jules Verne, unless someone cancels at the last minute. I don't know much about Altitude 95, but you might try for a reservation there.

How much do you want to spend for lunch? For a truly authentic wonderful French meal for a reasonable price, I'd recommend La Fontaine de Mars or Florimond - you could walk to either from the Tour Eiffel.

And I have to put in my two sous regarding La Coupole - yes, it's a legend. That said, it's a very overpriced legend, and when I was there in October I had about the worst service I've ever had in a French restaurant. I will not go back there.

If you want to get on the river but don't want to spend a whole hour or more of your day on a cruise, buy a ticket for the Batobus. It will serve to take you from one part of Paris to the other efficiently (there are 5 stops, I think), and while you're getting to your next destination, you'll be cruising the Seine - very efficient for a short trip like yours.

Another vote for the Fontaine de Mars.

The Batobus isn't open until April 5.
See www.batobus.com

Here is one of the walks that Degas put together that you might like

From the front of Notre Dame.

Walk around ND. From NW corner of ND follow Rue de Cloitre Notre Dame east. Make first left.. Go left again. Note houses at Nos 10 and 24 Rue Chanoinesse (If you find it). Continue to Rue de Colombe. Go right to Rue Des Ursins. Go right. This will take you to a lovely flower garden by steps leading up to the riverside Quai aux Fleurs. Views on close by Rue des Chantres of Notre Dame in the distance.

Go through through the gardens to Square Jean XXIII for a great view of the east side of Notre Dame.

Continue south on Quai aux Fleurs to Pont St Louis and cross to Ile St Louis. Turn right at foot of bridge and walk along Quai D?Orleans (Le Flore en L?lle is a teashop at no. 42) past the magnificent 17th Cent town homes. Turn left at Rue des Deaux Ponts. Continue past Rue St-Louis-en-I'Ile to no. 33 for lunch at Les Fous de l'Ile. Go back to Rue St-Louis-en-I'Ile. Stop at Berthillon, no 31 for ice cream. (Lunch at Auberge De La Reine Blanche?) Walk back up Rue St-Louis-en-I'Ile and back to the Left Bank by way of Pont de l'Archeveche.
OR
Continue on to Hotel Lambert, at no. 2. Provided inspiration for the building of Vaux-le-Vicomte. Turn left at Quai d?Anjou to Hotel de Lauzun, no 17 and continue along the Quai back to Pont St Louis and the Left Bank.

Go right along the Seine (west) to Rue Maitre Albert. Go left to café Le Reminet 3 rue des Grands-Degrés. Continue across Rue F. Sauton to Rue de Hotel Colbert. Go Left to Rue Galande. Go right to Eglise St Julien. Continue West on Rue Galande to R. St Severin (on left). Stop by the Caveau des Oubliettes, at number 5.. (it has a real guillotine and some rather spooky underground dungeons that were in use in late medieval times. They have great free-for-all jazz jam sessions in the cellar bar a couple of nights a week, too?).

Exit the Bar and go west on Rue St Severin to Eglise St Severin. Follow R St Severin to R de la Harpe. Have a snack. Go back on Rue St Severin and make the first left to Rue de la Huchette. Look for Ancient Streets: Rue Xavier-Privas, Rue du Chat-qui-Peche. Go west on Rue de la Huchette to Pl St Michele. Go right and cross the bridge back to the Ile de la Cite. Continue to

Eglise Ste Chappelle on left. Sainte-Chapelle in the Palais de Justice Its glory is hidden from casual observation by its set back position in a courtyard of the Palais de Justice - a narrow spiral staircase leads you to the upper royal chapel where a stunning visual shock awaits Over 700 square yards of the oldest stained glass in Paris.

Continue North to Quai de l?Horloge and go left to The Conciergerie. Continue past to Place Dauphine, then cross the river on Paris? oldest bridge, circa 1600, Pont Neuf . You are now on the Right Bank at the Samaritaine, Paris? largest department store.
La Samaritaine takes it name from an old water pump near the Pont Neuf. The pump was decorated with the woman of Sameria giving a drink of water to Jesus. The store now occupies four buildings. The café on the roof of store number two offers a 360 degree view of Paris. The view encompasses the Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Napoleon?s Tomb, Notre Dame, and Sacre Coeur church.