We are fianlizing our Paris itinerary and would appreciate some input from seasoned veterans! Just wanting to make sure we are not missing anything or if we are being too ambitious! Thanks!<BR><BR>Arrive MONDAY am: after getting to Hotel, we are doing a Peter Caine walking tour of our area (Latin Quarter)at 2:30pm, river cruise at night. Possibly going to the Louvre late afternoon or early evening. Perhaps a ParisVision tour in the morning. We arrive 7:30am!! Staying at Hotel Vendome.<BR>TUES: Fashion Show at Galeries Lafayette 11am, lunch at Jardins Tuileries, then Musee d'Orsay and Rodin. <BR>WED: Louvre at 9am, lunch at either Cafe Marly or picnic lunch,then visit St Chapelle and Notre Dame.<BR>THURS: Visit Versaille with Mike's Bike Tours (7 hours)<BR>FRIDAY: Eiffel Tower, Rue Cler markets for lunch, Musee Marmotten. Will be staying with friends who live near the Arc d'Triumph for 2 nights. He is a photogrpaher and we will be going to hte gallery where his new exhibits is opening.<BR>SAT: whatever our friends have in mind!<BR>SUN: Mass at ND, the TGV to Tours for one night<BR>MON: Chateau tours, return to Paris in evening. Staying in the Marais area at Grand Hotel Jeanne d'Arc.<BR>TUES: French OPen tennis at Roland Garros (weather permitting)or Marais/Montmarte<BR>WEDS: French open is it rains Monday, or Marais area walking tour (Picasso, Pompido, etc) then Montmarte area (Sacre Couer)<BR>THURS: Return home<BR><BR>Thanks for any input/ideas/suggestions to help make more trip wonderful!!

Having only been once, I'm no seasoned veteran, but your plans sound great to me. Just be sure to devote a good portion of each day to savoring the outdoor cafe scene, and absorbing where you are.

Try to slot in Peter Caine's Montmartre walk as well, it has a lot of interesting sites to do with the impressionist painters and takes you to streets you might otherwise miss.
Sounds great to me, have a good time in my favourite city in Europe.

I will comment that your first day's activities may be overly optimistic. I agree about &quot;keeping going&quot; is what we do but then early to bed in order to get going the next day. Also going to the Orsay on Tuesday will be more crowded than another day since that is when the Louvre, for example, is closed. Be sure to get a museum pass--in which case you will want to &quot;group&quot; your museum going--which you have done. While in the Marais don't forget the Musee Carnavalet.

Can I ask how one finds about the &quot;Peter Caine&quot; walks? I've not heard of them, and will be in Paris this coming June.....
The Montmarte walk sounds like fun, just don't know how to go about arranging it...

Thanks in advance and Best wishes, Dave

If you haven't stayed at Hotel Vendome before...you are going to love it. It is by far one of my favorite boutique hotels! (You said that you are going to take a walking tour of &quot;our area&quot;, I am not sure how to interpret that, but Hotel Vendome is not in the Latin Quarter.) Hotel Costes is directly across the street and is at least worth a stop-in for a drink or even a meal. Don't forget to just enjoy Rue St. Honore--I always leave a couple of hours to walk up and down this street (fabulous shopping)!

Since you are going to be exploring the Rue Cler markets for lunch...you may want to check out Septieme Sud on Rue de Grenelle for lunch. I mentioned it elsewhere on the board, so I apologize if this is redundant. The food has more of a mediterranean feel. Have a fabulous trip!!!

Another wonderful restaurant almost at the head of rue Cler is Le Florimond on av. Lamotte-Picquet.

Dave - Peter Caine is the co-owner of Paris Walks. Website with schedule is at www.paris-walks.com. Over the years I have taken quite a number of them and am planning on two more when I am in Paris next week. Additionally, they do some out of town trips - last October I went with them to Vaux-le-Vicomte. It was great!
Mara

Mara - Thanks much for taking the time to let me know about the Paris Walks. It certainly sounds fun, and a good way to enjoy Paris after many, many visits!!
Best wishes and Have a great trip! Dave