We are husband and wife twenty somethings who one of us (me) has traveled extensively through Europe (although never France) for school/vacation/work and my husband who has never been. I want to the see the highlights, but not to spend long days in museums. I want to feel like we have time to walk areas and get their feeling, but we are only staying in Paris four days before catching a train down into Spain.

We are pretty energetic and aren't big shoppers. We do love a good bottle of wine and a fun atmosphere. We plan to have down time at cafes and park benches during the below itinerary. The restaurant choices listed have been from research of quintessential French bistros and highly recommended moderately priced places.

For those who have toured with Michael Osman, is this a recommended area to explore with him? Should I plan to do Notre Dame on another day? (we would like to have time to climb the towers).

Advice would be appreciated.

Thursday - Sept. 30th direct flight to Paris

Friday - Oct. 1st
8:15am arrive in Paris
Stop at Duquesne Eiffel Hotel (7th)- Leave bags for check in later
Walk Rue de Cler - buy breakfast/lunch for picnic in Eiffel tower gardens
Shower/change/nap at the hotel
Head to eiffel tower for pre-booked elevator reservation - 6:30pm
Dinner in 7th - either Le Violon d'Ingres or les cocottes
If we have energy walk along the Siene

Saturday – Oct. 2nd
Tour with Michael Osman - Louvre, Marais, Île de la Cité, and Île Saint-Louis
Dinner at Robert et Louise
Nuit Blanche activities (what is there to do? How crowded are the museums?)

Sunday – Oct. 3rd
Train to Versailles - tour the castle
lunch near or on the grounds
Afternoon train back to Paris
Arc de Triomphe and walk down Champs to Jardin Tulleries
Dinner - Restaurant La Petite Chaise
Night cruise on vedettes du pont neuf

Monday - Oct. 4th
Morning in Montmarte - Any good lunch places in Montmarte that are not too touristy?
Afternoon to do or redo (do anything that we found on our trip and would like to explore further or to see/eat again)
Dinner at Chez Michel

Tuesday - Oct. 5th Morning Train

Mon. afternoon

How about a walk and/or lunch in Lux. Gardens?
Or lunch at Cafe Hugo at Place Vosges? That is if you weren't there with Michael Osman.
The flower market and a walk along the Seine?

Just a few suggestions.

It looks like you've done your research and come up with an itinerary of things you'd like to do and it looks like you've given yourself enough time to accomplish what's on the list. Spending any leftover time relaxing at cafés and strolling and such should fill up any empty space. There are a million suggestions you'll get from a million people about other things you could/should do but it's your vacation so do what you want. As long as you are sure the things you have chosen are what you most want to do then your plan looks fine. A few places you may enjoy strolling or relaxing and picnicking are the Jardin des Plantes, Jardin du Luxembourg and Canal Saint Martin. Seems like the only advice you need is on where to eat near Montmartre. At 8 Rue Lamarck is a nice place called Le Grand 8 and next to it is a good Corsican restaurant called Le Lamarck. These places are steps from Sacré Coeur yet seem far from crowds. Great food, reasonable prices. I'll let others give you their favorite restaurants around Montmartre.

I was in Paris for Nuit Blanche last year, as I recall. I intended to go to one event but never got around to it. It's really esoteric kind of contemporary art or performance art, special exhibit type things. I don't think it had anything to do with regular museums being open at night, although Imight be wrong since I wouldn't have been interested in that, anyway. Since you plan to go to a museum that day, anyway, I wouldn't think you would be either. They have schedules online and in the city as to all the installations and things, most of it wasn't particularly of interest to me, but might be to you, of course. They have different agendas each year, so who knows what they'll do in 2010. When I was there, a lot of it was in areas where I wasn't around at all or that were very far out.

First off, sorry, I realized I posted this thread twice and so I now have two streams. My computer blue screened (ack!) as I was posting so I ended up with two.

Thanks to you all for the advice.

TPAYT - it sounds like most of your suggestions are left bank, correct? Based on the other thread I believe I might have to devote more time there and will consider.

FrenchMystiqueTours - your suggestions brought up a question that I was pondering the other day and forgot to ask in my thread. How does it work with wine cups/glasses when buying picnic supplies? I picture us buying all the charcuterie and cheese and a bottle, but then ending up with no glasses! Are these supplied at wine stores if the weather is nice enough to enjoy outside?

Christina - good to know, thanks!

Some wine stores will sell glasses but you can also just head to any supermarket and pick up less expensive plastic ones, if plastic won't detract from your picnicking experience.

The only suggestion I would make is to have an alternative plan for heavy rain, as all your choices have large outdoor components. Of course, walking in the rain ain't so bad, either. I would also havwe a few back-up touring targets in case of unexpected events, strikes, etc.

That sounds like a nice relaxed plan.

In connection with AJPeabody's recommendation to have a backup plan for bad weather . . . I know you say you don't want to spend "long days" in museums, but there are small museums that don't take much time at all.

If you want to sample some great art without taking much time, L'Orangerie houses some of the best impressionist works, including Monet's water lilies. The website says it's free on the first Sunday of the month.

www.musee-orangerie.fr/

Musee Rodin is also worth a visit, with a lovely sculpture garden. If you have a little more time, Musee D'Orsay is also really beautiful. I'm not much of a museum person myself, but I've been there a couple of times and always enjoy it. It's not nearly so overwhelming as the Louvre.

One thing I never want to miss on any trip to Paris is St. Chapelle. It may be included on a tour of Ile de la Cite with Michael Osman. But if it isn't, try to make time for it. Also, as suggested above, try to include Luxembourg Gardens and the Rodin Museum. Both are nice places for a picnic.

Yes, some of my suggestions are left bank oriented because that is where we spend most of our time in Paris. Place Vosges is in the Marais on the right bank.

We do enjoy the right bank closer to the Seine, but for us the Champs etc. is just a little to huge and commercial. Again just my opinion.

I didn't suggest any museums because you said that you did not want to spend long days in museums. That said, our favorite small museums are "The Carnavalet" in the Marais and "The Rodin" because of the gardens. Both are small,easy to navigate, and you can spend a short time there.

St. Chapelle is also stunning,but I'd only go on a sunny day and if the lines were not too long.

Our favorite area is Ile St. Louis, and that is where we choose to stay in Paris.

Have a wonderful trip and please post a trip report on your return. Many of us who love Paris so enjoy the reports to get some new ideas, or just relive our favorite places.

This has been very helpful and I revised my itinerary accordingly. I will definitely be posting a trip report to let everyone know how it goes! Thanks again.