lauralue9

We are arriving on a morning flight Saturday Dec 18. We are staying in St. Germain des Pres (6th Arre.). Please advise - are we doing too much? Anything I forgot? Does the musuem pass make sense for 2 adults and kids under 18? Do the kids need a musuem pass? Anyone have suggestions for an overview bus tour lasting a couple hours in case we are too tired on Saturday? Thanks in advice for all the great help, we have tons of restaurant suggestions.

Sat Dec 18 Arc du Triomphe, Champs Elysee, Grand Palais, Rue du Fauborg

Sun Dec 19 Montmartre, Sacré-Coeur, Musée de Montmartre, Au Lapin Agile, exterior of Moulin Rouge.

Mon Dec 20 Eiffel Tower, Champ de Mars, Rue Cler, Hotel des Invalides,

Tue Dec 21 Day trip to Versailles

Wed Dec 22 Le Marais (Jewish Museum, Notre Dame, Bastille, Picasso Museum, department store La Samarataine)

Thu Dec 23 AM = Mom & kids Rodin Museum Dad picks up another child at CDG, PM = Louvre (whole family)

Fri Dec 24 Mom AM = Louvre,PM = Musee d'Orsay. Dad = Citie de la Science & Industrie, evening children's service at Notre Dame Cathedral

Sat Dec 25 Pompidou Centre

Scarlett

Sat Dec 18 Arc du Triomphe, Champs Elysee, Grand Palais, Rue du Fauborg
<b> Sounds good. Plenty of walking. Remember, you could be starting out later in the day , getting checked in to the hotel room etc.</b>

Sun Dec 19 Montmartre, Sacr&eacute;-Coeur, Mus&eacute;e de Montmartre, Au Lapin Agile, exterior of Moulin Rouge.
<b>I would switch this day with the Marais. Everything is open and happening in the Marais on a Sunday</b>

Mon Dec 20 Eiffel Tower, Champ de Mars, Rue Cler, Hotel des Invalides,
<b> Hopefully there will be time for the Musee Rodin also, practically next door to the Invalides</b>

Tue Dec 21 Day trip to Versailles
<b> you don't need a whole day</b>

Wed Dec 22 Le Marais (Jewish Museum, Notre Dame, Bastille, Picasso Museum, department store La Samarataine)
<b> Notre Dame and Samarataine should be on another day, they are not in the Marais. Be sure to go to the Place des Vosge! </b>

Thu Dec 23 AM = Mom &amp; kids Rodin Museum Dad picks up another child at CDG, PM = Louvre (whole family)
<b> Good, you need plenty of time, get the kids involved and have them make lists of what they want to see there the most, since you will never see everything </b>

Fri Dec 24 Mom AM = Louvre,PM = Musee d'Orsay. Dad = Citie de la Science &amp; Industrie, evening children's service at Notre Dame Cathedral
<b> Be sure you spend enough time at my favorite, the D'Orsay</b>

Sat Dec 25 Pompidou Centre
<b> This will not occupy the entire day. </b>

Nikki

The museum pass is definitely a good idea. You get to skip the lines, which can be long, especially at Versailles and the Musee d'Orsay. The kids do not need passes, they will be let in to the museum along with you without them. Note that the Jewish Museum is not included in the museum pass, however.

Robespierre

I left an idea for a self-conducted bus tour over on the Paris Superthread (linked below). Look for <b>Guided bu$ tour$</b>

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...is+superthread

Christina

I think your itinerary is pretty good. I don't see anything wrong with planning Notre Dame with the Marais, they aren't that far apart, and I don't see anything wrong with the days you plan for the Marais. The things you are going to are open on the days you want, it doesn't matter. I also wouldn't try to schedule anything else on the day you go to Versailles, I think that's wise -- you may have a little time left after you get back, but can do something easy or shopping. I wouldn't plan any other major expedition that day. You might not have the energy to do all that on your day of arrival, though. I wouldn't, anyway. I'd probably skip the Grand Palais, if necessary, unless there's something you have planned there. To be honest, I might skip rue du Fbg Honore but expensive shopping streets aren't of interest to me.

lauralue9

Thanks much for everyone's help! Really appreciate being able to questions of a community of experienced travelers. Will be sure to post a trip report when we return.

ira

Hi laura,

&gt;...exterior of Moulin Rouge.&lt;

Not necessary. The street is full of sex shops.

Take the Metro to Pl Pigalle, cross Rue Clichy and get on the Montmartrebus (no 18) on the left side of the pl. The bus winds its way up to Sacre Coeur and down to Pl Jules Joffrin and then back to Pigalle. Worth the 1E charge.

You can get off at Sacre Coeur on the way back and walk down to Pigalle or take the Metro at Abesses.

mamc

You seem to have omitted Ste. Chapelle, IMHO the most exquisite sight in Paris. Try to visit on a sunny day so you can get the full effect of the wonderful stained glass windows. Can be visited on the same day you see Notre Dame. Also, if you have time while on the Ile de la Cite, see the Memorial to the Deportation; a small and very moving memorial to the Jews who were deported from Paris. Also, you are visiting the Louvre and the D'Orsay on the same day. You might want to try putting them on different days so as not to get museum burnout.

Underhill

Last September we had mapped out a 2-1/2 day itinerary for Paris and ended up doing only half of what we had planned. So make up a schedule of must-sees and would-be-nice-to-sees and then an itinerary to minimize travel time from place to place. Slogging along when you're tired is no fun.

Wildfire

Agreeing with Mamc-do not skip St, Chapelle, it is breathtaking to walk into the upper chapel. Easily my favorite church in Paris,,,

what about Touileries gardens?
(sorry about spelling)

Gretchen

You might consider a Seine boat ride in the late (but not too late) afternoon for your first day. And then an early dinner and to bed.
I would recommend you contact Michael Osman for a guided tour for one or two days. He is terrific. We just did it for our family trip and could not have been more pleased. He is an artist and the day spent at the Louvre and Orsay was special. The other day he gave us a nice overview. He showed and told me about things in Paris I did not know of even after many trips. Your kids will love him. I told him he should be a teacher--he makes things so clear and enjoyable. His e-mail is [email protected]

ChevyChasen

good itienary.advice given very valid.i fit in a evening visit to the louvre and arc de triomphe after versailles when i last went.notre dame has its towers to visit too.carte musee comes in 1 day,3 day and 5 days.by careful arrangement i managed to fit the museums into a 3day period and saw montmartre,eiffel and the rest in the remaining days.

Michel_Paris

I might reconsider Rue Cler and subsitute Rue de Buci or Rue Mouffetard.
On Saturday, I would start on Rue Rivoli, east of the Louvre, walk along the covered Galley, do the gardens of the Tuileries, have a look at Opera and Place Vendome (Ritz and high end jewellers), walk up Champ Elysees. Then, on way back, walk along Rue du Faubourg St Honore, then at some point, (west end of Louvre perhaps) head to Seine and walk along up-top to see bouquinistes (book sellers) or down below. By then it is night time and everything will be lit up (Conciergerie, Notre Dame, bridges..very nice.
More to come..

PamSF

How about ice skating at the Hotel de Ville?

OO

We were there last year in your time frame (and think we'll be there this year as well). You've got a good schedule, taking into consideration Christmas Day, with its limited openings.

I wholeheartedly agree with Mamc...do not miss Ste Chapelle, which may have been my favorite of all the sights. Even on a cloudy day (when we saw it) it is spectacular. Your Carte musee will get you to the front of the line, too.

The only suggestion I might make is breaking up the day when you have both the Louvre and d'Orsay scheduled. We both loved both museums, but one a day was more then enough. As fabulous as the art is in both, you do get museumed out!

Also, you'll hit the Tuileries in much of your wandering. Sadly, at that time of year, there isn't much to it.

Wildfire

I dont know if the exhibit will still be there..but there was a fabulous exhibit on the Pharoah at the Musee du Monde Arabe..entrance to the museum is separate, but the exhibit is well worth it

LynFrance

For a change of pace, you might consider the National Museum of Natural History.
It's a fabulous place, and fascinating for both adults and children.
Here is a link with more information:
http://www.parisdigest.com/withchildren/museum-info.htm

ira

topping

Margaretlb

Students have free access to museums. I'm not sure if under 18 year olds need an International Student Card but I'm pretty sure a school ID is all that's needed. Students can be up to 26 years old for free museum access! You can find out info about the Intl Student Card on the International Youth Hostel website (sorry, it's been a few year since I last checked the site and do not have the address).

carcassone

Hi lauralue9,

How do you plan to get around? The one week Carte Orange pass would work for you. You need one for each family member and no discount for kids. But it gives you unlimited rides on the metro and buses. See this thread:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34525814

When the kids are tired, you can just hop on a bus.