Paris Itinerary
 

Hello guys. Kindly help me ang making our itinerary for Paris. We have 4 days to go around Paris and visit those famous and interesting tourist spots (Thurs-Fri-Sat-Sun). Also, we'll be staying in 18th arrondisement so I was thinking to start in the places near our apartment/hotel. Thank so much in advance.

Do you have a guidebook or two and a map of Paris? That's where you start - no one can or wants to take the time to chart out an itinerary for a total stranger whose interests are not even explained. You can start by reading the thousands of posts here on Fodors from people who have visited Paris and found places of interest that comport with what they like to do and see when visiting a European city.

I suggest getting the DK Eyewitness Guide as a start. It is set up by areas and very visual to make it easy to see what is nearby.

Agree you need to do some basic research. If shopping is a priority, don't leave it until Sunday.

Do you have four complete days in Paris, not including your arrival and Departure days? What are your interests? Go to the "Destinations" section on this website and see what is recommended for a stay in Paris. Do a little research and let us know some of your interests. We can better help you with an itinerary if we know what you like to see and do.

A map and a guide book is the best place to start. Decide what is interesting to you, research the opening hours and group sights by area.

It would help if we knew what you are interested in...

My favorites are climbing the Notre Dame towers...seeing the gargoyles close up is incredible and the view is beautiful; Sainte Chappelle is intimate and special; St. Denis is a less touristy, less crowded lesson in French royalty...it's the burial site of French kings; musee d'Orsay is my favorite museum...less crowded and less overwhelming than the Louvre and the are there appeals to me more.

There are tons of options but it depends on what you enjoy. In 5 trips to Paris, I have never gone to the top of the ET, it just doesn't interest me but for many it is a must!

OK, without knowing anything about you or your priorities, or what time of year you're going, I'll take a shot, assuming you have four full days (not necessarily in this order):

Day one: Take an a.m. train to Versailles. Tour the grounds (get tix in advance). Return. Dinner. Nighttime cruise of the Seine.

Day two: Tour Luxembourg Gardens. Visit other Left Bank sites, Latin Quarter, near the Sorbonne. Metro to the D'Orsay -- half day there -- which many people seem to like more than the Louvre. Arrange dinner in the Eiffel Tower area, and view the tower at night.

Day three: Church day -- St. Chappelle (get on one of the free tours, and tip the guide); Notre Dame; Sacre Coeur. Evening: Stroll the Champs Elysee at nighttime, heading toward the Arc de Triomphe. Go to the top of the Arc (though I don't know the nighttime hours, so check. If you're going to skip one church, it might be SC, since it's the toughest to get to.

Day four: If shopping is your interest, set aside one day for the various flea markets and bargain spots. You could take in another museum. I left off the Louvre because, like so many others, I find it a bit overwhelming, but you could schedule a half day there and see the Mona Lisa, Venus, and whatever else interests you.

Others might say, "Oh, but you left off [fill in the blank]!" I'm sure I did. But, hey, it's my itinerary, and you can't see everything in 4 days.

But you can see more of Paris that is Paris if you don't go flying off to Versailles the first day--or ANY day of only a 4 day trip to Paris.
And as we have said in thread after thread, the Champs is the most boring part of Paris.
If you want to do teh Champs, get on the bus and ride the length of it from the Arc to Pl. concorde--and just stay on and you'll end up at St. Germaine de Pres. A nice little sightseeing tour in about a half hour.

I would agree that Versailles on a four day trip, may not be the best plan.

Another post mentioned Sunday would not be ideal for shopping and I agree with that.. I also agree that the Champs Elysee is one of the most disappointing sites in Paris. It is pretty to see it from afar at night, from Place de la Concorde but it is like any American shopping mall, crowded and loaded with stores you can see anywhere. For a four day trip, I would use the time somewhere else.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I'm overwhelmed :) I have my own itinerary in mind and yeah, I left off the Versailles. However, I included Champs Elysee but you guys said that its disappointing so I'm thinking of revising it again. Anyway, let me show you my itinerary. I based it on the areas/arrondissements that were discussed here in Fodor's. I still have to narrow-down the sights to visit in each areas. But I would really appreciate if you can point-out what are "must-sees" in each area :)

Day 1 - Thursday
Montmartre - 18e
Western Paris - 16e and 17e

Day 2 - Friday
The Latin Quarter - 5e
St-Germain-des-Prés - 6e, a bit of 7e
AROUND THE EIFFEL TOWER – 7e

Day 3 - Saturday
The Marais - 3e and 4e
The Islands - 1e and 4e
Eastern Paris - 10e, 11e, 12e, 19e, 20e

Day 4 - Sunday
Around the Louvre - 1e and 2e
Les Grands Boulevards - 2e, 3e, 8e, 9e
Champs-Élysées - 8e and 16e

Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks a lot!

Not sure with only 4 days why you want to visit the 16th and 17th arrondisements. Same with the 10-20 unless you have some specific reason for going there. I'm sure they are worth a visit if you have more time and if you have visited Paris several times.

I would choose sights to visit (e.g. the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower) and make sure they are open on the days you plan to be in that arrondisement.

You haven't yet told us your interests and the things you really want to see so it is still difficult to make suggestions.

You can't possibly cover 8 arrondissements in a day. With the itinerary you have posted you will wander around aimlessly and see nothing.

Choose the sights you want to see and then plot their locations on a map. You will easily see what sights are near each other.

If you won't get a guide book then click on the word "destinations" above and then on Paris. There's lots of info on Paris and sights.

All you have done is divided the city up into chunkcs - assuming that all areas have an equal number of placs of interest. This is NOT so. Some areas are primarily residential and unless you are visiting a friend there is no reason to go there.

You need a list of specific sights (hours they are open, how long it takes to see each one, etc) and then to lay them out in a sensible way.

The CE is what it is - a very wide street with multiple lanes lines with cafes, brassereis, aut showrooms nd all sort of other shops, many of which you wil have no interest in. Not bad for a brief stroll if you are not used to large cities.

But basically modern and not very Parisian.

The question is - what do YOU want to see? (art, history, churches, quaint areas, luxury sops, bargain shops ????)

You really need to get an idea.

And do get a map - one including the location of all of the major sights and the metro stations.

One additional observation is to check with your hosts/hotel staff when and where near the location are staying is the local street market. Most little squares (places) will have a local market twice a week and it is fun to browse these when they show up. This is a neat way to see the paris from the eyes of the Parisienne. Also, recognise you can't see everything, and you may find yourself in a place that you've budgeted "x" time for, only to find you need "2x" Let it happen, write off the rest of your itenerary and start planning your return trip! Much more enjoyable, less stressful.

I want to visit museums, churches, know some histories, visit some nice bars/cafe/restaurants that offers delicious food/drinks yet not too pricey.

I would also like to visit parks/gardens. Are there nice parks/gardens during winter? We'll be visiting in January by the way. Thanks

You are just floundering around. Get a good guide to Paris and a map and PLAN your trip. Based on what's near what, what's reachable from your hotel, etc.
Your itinerary is absolutely senseless. You can't cover that amount of territory in Paris. I guess it might work if your expectations are low, and it includes a lot of places I would never place on a tour of Paris, but really, start over and get realistic about Paris.

Your 'plan' doesn't make sense in 'real life'. It is really just a list of arrondisements - and in 4 days you probably would only have reason to hit maybe 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (and 8 isn't a given) . That doesn't mean there is nothing worth seeing in the other districts- but you only have 4 days an about 75%-80% of the major sites are in those 5 or 6 arrondisements.

Most visitors would spend a couple of days just visiting sites in the 4th and 5th. And another full day in 6th/7th.

So get a guidebook - check out the Michelin Green Guide. And actually make a <u>plan</u> - instead of a list.

Ok. Museums....take a look at L'Orangerie and D'Orsay and Musee Rodin.

Churches-St Sulpice is lovely and in an area with nice cafes....maybe visit with Luxembourg Gardens. We love St Denis but it is not in the city center. Ste Chapelle is remarkable. Sacre Coeur is also worth a visit.

Parks-sure January isn't the greatest time for gardens and parks but consider LG, Parc Moncaeu and even Promenade Plantee

Consider an evening tour on the Seine to see the monuments lit up. It will be dark early, so take advantage of that.

Paris is loaded with great cafes....just avoid those right by major attractions....food is usually more expensive and targeted at tourists.

Take a look at the Paris Museum Pass site...you can choose the sites you are interested in and map them out. Using the interactive map...even if you aren't interested in the pass. You can also get a bit of info on each monument /site, as well as public transit info on gettingvthere. There are also links to the monument websites. Pay attention to the days and hours the site is open for your planning. Nothing like planning out where you want to go and finding it closed!

Don't do it by arrondisement. Go to the places you WANT to see. It is pretty unfulfilling to travel "around".
Get a guide book--I recommend the DK Eyewitness Guide to Paris because you can see things in one area and decide.

Boy am I in a contrary state of mind today! I apologize if I sound like Grumpy Granny with my suggestion:

I think you may actually miss Paris if you are so determined to fit in so much sightseeing in four days. Anyone who has told you to limit yourself has given you good advice.

Pick four things you REALLY want to see in four days (and no, not Versailles). Then pair four "maybe" things that would be in the same general locale. And then pair four "maybe maybe" things, also in the same locale.

You won't run yourself ragged that way, and you can take everything in better. Remind yourself that you can't earn a Girl Scout Merit Badge for how many things you saw in one day.

It's so funny that after this last trip, we just happened to watch Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" segment on Paris. And how he advised people to see Paris is EXACTLY what a lot of us have been telling our friends for years:

Walk, Plop (in cafes) and Eat.

By the way, you COULD leave shopping for Sunday. My favorite place to shop is in the Marais, where the shops are open Sunday. And that ways you'd have a chance to see my favorite street musicians, Les Musiciens de Lviv:
http://www.squidoo.com/cabaret-slave (there's video on this page)
who usually are there around 3 pm in the Place des Vosges.

No matter what, enjoy.

That Anthony Bourdain show was terrific.
Yes, his method is bizarro.

Totally agree with AZ. Paris is more than the sum of its parts. An excessively agressive agenda risks spending more time looking at maps and watches than actually enjoying the city. There is a "Paris for Idiots" guidebook which I found helpful (since I qualified for the title)

Jan 17 Thursday
Montmartre area:
Sacre Coeur Basilica
Moulin Rouge
Place des Abbesses - Rue Houdon/Rue des Martyrs

Champs-Élysées area:
Arc de Triomphe
Avenue des Champs Elysee
Grand Palais<--do i need to include this?

Eiffel Tower area:
Eiffel Tower
Hotel des Invalides (Napoleon Bonaparte's tomb)
Champ de Mars<--anong meron dito?

Jan 18 Friday
The Islands area:
Notre Dame
Sainte-Chapelle
Berthillion ice cream - ita-try ko to kahit malamig!

Around the Louvre:
The Louvre
Musee de l'Orangerie
Palais Royal
Jardin des Tuileries

Jan 19 Saturday
Latin Quarter:
Jardin des Plantes (Botanical Gardens)
Pantheon
Rue Mouffetard

St Germain des Pres (Boulevard St Germain):
Église St-Germain-des-Prés
Institut de France
Jardin du Luxembourg
Musee d'Orsay

Jan 20 Sunday
The Marais:
Centre Pompidou
SHOPPING

Grand Boulevard:
Opera Garnier
Theatre des Nouveautes - to see that famous play "How to become Parisian in one hour"

Eastern area:
Canal St-Martin
Bastille

Okay, I hope I now made sense. If not, I dont know anymore :) I haven't been to Paris and I've never done an itinerary in my life. I've always been a "hitcher" when it comes to trips. I didn't know preparing an itinerary was this hard. I thought when I found our apartment we're all good >.<

And yeah, since its winter so probably the parks/gardens that I listed are not possible so let me know guys. Thanks!

I still think you are racing around Paris to pass by a lot of things.
Why not head for the central part of Paris,and then see "your" arrondisement as a sort of "fill in" as you return. It is an interesting and eclectic area, but .... You could just wander around it in the morning or evening and see as much.
The Canal St. Martin is something to see after you have been to Paris a jillion times and then, maybe. The Bastille is of course, no more. it's a big square and an opera house.
Are you going IN any of the museums?

Museums in Bastille? No. So okay, I'll cross-out the Bastille/Canal St. Martin area. So I'll just allot our 4th day with Shopping, seeing some plays, and eating. HOw bout that? :)

I am afraid that each of your "days" will take 2 or 3 to do properly. The Lovre alone is worth a whole day, but that's my preference and may not be yours. However, having a list of things you want to do is a good start. It sounds like this is your first time in Paris, so I would suggest you take one of the tourist orientation bus trips that drive around Paris and point out the sights.

If you think you want to see many things for a short time and move quickly, it can be done. Here's a good start, which may be old but is certainly a classic:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...g=4754,1511480

As Peabody has said, it is just all tooooo much. "Plays". What plays? You speak French?
My favored time for the Louvre is about 2 hours just to emphasize people's differences--but the Orsay--more. The Invalides--maybe a look at the tomb, but that's enough, UNLESS you are a military buff.
In 4 days you cannot see all of Paris--that is a given, which I think many will agree. You can see a couple of museums (do you like the modern art of teh Pompidou?). You can see a good many sights/sites. You can truly enjoy walking around the city, stopping for a drink and people watching. Have your lists, but don't try to regiment them into days, that they truly won't fit in.

Your new ideas make more sense but as the others have said -- way WAY <B>WAY</B> too much on most days. You will be running like a mad man and never catch your breath.

There is no way you will see all of Paris in the short time you have.

I don't normally suggest this, but in your situation it might make sense. L'open tour are hop on hop off buses that will take you around central Paris and past all the major sites. That will let you see at least the outsides of many places and you can get off to enter one or another site then get on another bus to continue the circuit.

http://www.parislopentour.com/paris-circuit.php

You could do that your first day in Paris to get sort of an overview.

Then plan your other days to fit in the sites you really want to visit.

I would try to list each day in order of preference. That way when you run out of time, you will have seen the your major "must sees".

With the time you have, I would eliminate the Moulin Rouge, Invalides except for Napoleon's tomb, Institute de France, and everything after shopping on your final day. I would add a Seine River cruise, perhaps on your first evening.

Do I dare suggest Rick Steves Paris guide book....look at HIS "must sees"-walking routes-public bus rides/routes....use his book as a reference point....take his suggestions for what interests YOU....also look at Michelin Guide Paris....visualize your "sights" & routes using the DK guide book ( heavy )....take a guide book with you and get a pocket street map...and see what YOU
want to see. Agree with janisj....an good overview via BUS Tour......remember, it's YOUR trip !