roseannegon

Hi guys! Need help with this one:
I got about 5 hours to see at least the Eiffel tower, arc du triumphe (sorry if mispelled), and Notre Dame. Silly questions but is it feasible to see these sights on foot because I've checked out the ratp website and found that it takes a long time to take the metro to see these places... (eg. trocadero to champs elysee -about 20 minutes) Anyway, I was planning to start at Trocadero then go to champs elysee, see the arc, shop really quick at Louis Vuitton (less than an hour), then see notre dame. No need to go inside/up the buildings.
How long would you guys think the trip will take?
Btw, I was hoping to squeeze in either (but hopefully all three) the luxembourg garden the pont alexander III, or the outside of the louvre (sighs ) Will I still have time?
All thoughts would be appreciated, thanks.
Rose

gard

Hi

Well, if you start at the Eiffel tower you can easily walk to Arc de Triomphe. If you want to save some time you can take the metro from there to Chatelet where you can get of to reach Notre dame. Check out my Paris trip report on http://gardkarlsen.com/Paris_France.htm and the interactive Google map that I have made on http://gardkarlsen.com/paris_france_map.htm . Here I have marked the various attractions and you can click on the markers to get more info. Also check out the metro map on http://www.ratp.info/picts/plans/gif/reseaux/metro.gif . Get in touch if you have any questions or comments.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

slangevar

I think I remember seeing Louis Vuitton near the George V metro station, so my guess is that it would take you about 45 minutes to walk from Trocadero to that shop. From there, maybe an hour to walk to the Louvre? And maybe another 30-45 minutes from the Louvre to the Luxembourg Gardens. But you could cut your time and add in Pont A III by taking the metro (or more in a cab).

e.g., you could take the 9 (direction Mairie de Montreuil) from Trocadero to Franklin D. Roosevelt (3 stops) and walk up the Champs-Elysees a few blocks from there.

Then jump on the 1 at either George V or FDR (direction Chateau de Vincennes) and get off at Palais Royal Musee du Louvre (4 or 5 stops).

Getting from the Louvre to Luxembourg is trickier on the metro... maybe easier to walk or take a cab.

I'm a big fan of the Paris metro... I got from my door near the Pompidou to my friend's house near Trocadero in 20 minutes last night and it would've taken me HOURS to walk it.

Robespierre

You don't have time to waste walking halfway across Paris to see a handful of sights.

I prefer buses to the Métro for several reasons, which I will gladly elaborate upon request.

See my bus tour at tinyurl.com/2zsw8z and modify it to suit your needs. Note the ticketing advice at <b>Layover from Charles de Gaulle airport?</b>.

JeanneB

roseannegon:

Where are you starting from? CDG? If you're coming into Paris on the RER, you will already be just across the river from Notre Dame.

Christina

I don't think walking would ever be quicker than metro, except on some short routes where the metro would involve a transfer as those take time (and some walking around the station). I don't know what itinerary you put into RATP, but I don't think it would take 20 min from Trocadero to Champs-Elysees as it's only about 3 stops away. Or to FDR, as it's on a direct line to there, also.
That time seems impossible (to the Etoile), but if you really put in an itinerary to transfer at the Etoile and go somewhere on line 1, it easily could eat up 20 minutes. You aren't going to walk there in less time, though. There is a bus that goes that route, which can be nice to see the scenery -- but you are trying to do speed-tourism, I see.

I realize you probably do just want to go to the Etoile as that is where the Arc is, from Trocadero, and that may eat up 20 minutes total if you include possible waiting time at Trocadero. I just checked the time schedule for that line on ratp.fr, and it says it takes five minutes between Trocadero and the Etoile on line 6. It takes four minutes between Trocadero and FDR on line 9.