Paris Itinerary: How does it sound?
 

Hi everybody,

I'm thinking about visiting Paris next June and this is the itinerary I've come up with:

day1: Arrival.
day2: Quartier Latin.
day3: Ile de la Cité and Le Marais.
day4: Grands Boulevards and Montmartre.
day5: Champs-Élysées and Effeil Tower.
day6: Day off.
day7: Departure.

I've been to Paris once (a long time ago), but it was very improvised (I have a bookguide now). I didn't include either the Louvre or d'Orsay museums because I visited them back then.

I was thinking about daytripping on day 6. I was thinking Mount St. Michael or Chartres, but I'm not sure yet.

What do you think?

Thanks!

Castellanese - You did not say where you are arriving from but I guess your flight would get into Paris in the early morning?
If this is so, don't discount day 1 as if you cannot do any sightseeing.
Depending on where you are staying, lets say for instance in the 5th/6th, use that as the day to familiarise yourself with the immediate surroundings of your hotel/apartment. You could find yourself strolling down to the Seine and maybe even taking a lovely boatride from Pont Neuf up(down?) to the Eiffel Tower and back?

Even your last day should have some kind of plan especially as your flight may leave in the evening which will give you more than enough time to stroll through the Luxembourg Gardens or maybe the Jardin de Plantes - my choice would be to see something of the un-touristy Paris like a stroll on the viaducts des Arts with its lovely shrubs and flowers.

Hi C,

Sounds like a very nice plan.

No museums or galleries?

((I))

Hi Tod,

I'm flying from South America via Lisbon, so I guess I'll have the afternoon off.

Like you said, I guess I could use that very first afternoon to stroll around or, perhaps, go to the Ile de la Cité depending on how I feel after a 10 hour flight. The boatride sure sounds nice, though.

I'm planning on staying at a hotel near Gare de Lyon. On day 7, I'm taking the train down to Turin to spend six more nights.

Thanks.

Hi Castellanese,

We might be able to advise better if we knew a little of your interests (museums? shopping? or just strolling around?) The plan you have proposed should give you quite a bit of time to explore each area ... the Latin Quarter and Marais are especially nice for just wandering around; if you like, you could include the Musee de Cluny (Middle Ages) in the Latin Quarter and the Picasso museum in the Marais. The Grands Boulevards probably aren't worth more than a half-hour stroll, and Montmartre is crowded and schlocky enough that you may not want to stay up there very long. Likewise you can expect the Eiffel Tower to be mobbed ... my advice would be to go there first thing in the morning, to avoid standing in line for an hour or more.

For your day trip, unless you are hellbent to see Mont St Michel I would vote for Chartres as it is much closer. Also you didn't mention Versailles, which is certainly worth a visit.

Hi again,

I'm interested in strolling, tasting the food and doing some shopping. I'm not really interested in museums.

I certainly would like to visit Mount St. Michael, but Chartres sure seems to be an easier day trip and interesting as well.

Not bad.

Not sure if I'd put Champs Elysee on my list, but you could combine Arc de Triomphe, Opera, Palais Royal, Place de la Concorde, Tuileries Gardens, Place Vendome,etc..to that day. I think, from what I've seen, and some of the comments I've read here it does not match the expectation. Maybe move Eiffel tower to first thing in the morning to avoid crowds.

Same with Grands Boulevards...if you are interested in shopping fine, otherwise...

A Seine cruise might be nice for one of the evenings.

Add Ile St Louis to day 3

I try to select a landmark to visit (Eiffel Tower, Jardins Luxembourg or Pere Lachaise) and then plan to wander the adjacent neighborhood:
Eiffel Tower over to gallerie Rodin, musee d'orsay, saint germain, luxemboug; or from pere lachaise over to the Marais. Pick up a walking guide. Great day trips are Chartres, Giverny, Reims, Dijon. Mont Saint Michel is a 14 hour day trip.

If you are there for the longest day of the summer, you have lucked out. There will be a Fetes de Musique, and by early evening there will be music all over, all kinds of music. Do be careful as late at night you wouldn't want to be out in the crowds and the metro stops are closed for that evening in many central locations. But it is memorable.
A treat would be to see an outdoor neighborhood market. Several pop up at metro stops 3 days a week. You can do web search Paris markets and find them. There's one at the metro stop between the Pantheon and Notre Dame, but I can't remember the metro stop name now. And there is a daily market near the Invalides, which you can go to around lunch time and pick a restaurant in the same street.
June will be very crowded and can get quite warm, with no a/c in most places.