I am trying to get a working plan for a 6 day visit to Paris. I know that plans can change because of museum closings, holidays, weather, or because you just can't fit it all in, but I wanted to get some input from the experts. I am thinking about planning one day for each arrondisement. Explore the museums, shops, restaurants, etc. for that area only saving on our energy and feet! Is this smart? And which areas are must do? Always thanks for the great advice

Hi
Most basic guidebooks (and elsewhere here at fodors.com under Paris) offer suggested itineraries and of course all the popular sights.

I wouldn't do it strictly by arrondissements, various things are open and closed on varying days.

I have said this before, but I usually set up a grid for myself (excel, or by hand)
Across the top I put column headings for each day of my trip: Mon, Tue, etc
Right under the day of the week I indicate any pre-arranged events for that day, like dinner reservations, tickets to a concert, etc

Each row heading is a sight I would like to see, such as the Louvre(I never get to them all, it's a wish list)or a shop I would like to visit

I list the sights approximately by location: arrondissement, metro stop geography

Under each day, for each sight, I indicate if that sight is open or closed, and if open, what the hours are. jFor example, under Tuesday, I will indicate that the Louvre is closed. I may add information in the grid box like the name of a nearby recommended cafe or ice cream place

Depending on your interests or pre-planning, this grid can be one-three pages long. But it saves getting to a new street corner and flipping furiously through a guide book to figure out what else is nearby, or if the museum is open that day.

It also allows for a lot of flexibility.
If I've been doing a lot of sightseeing, by the time I get to day 4, I may decide that the little shop I definitely wanted to see is not near anything else and I may skip it after all because I'm short of time

I have a long file on Paris; if you'd like to see it, email me

Spend half day in Montmartre, and if you want to see an interesting cathedral take the metro to ST.Denis..It is the burial place of almost all the kings and Queens of France...It is one's of my favourites place, very quiet and off the tourists path..Just be cafard in the metro, and watch your purse..
kismet

Things to do in Paris

Markets:
Place d?Aligre (traditional plus lots of North African stands)- daily
Rue Mouffetard - late afternoon (5 p.m.) daily, on the back side of the Sorbonne hill
Bastille - Sunday market on Blvd. Richard Lenoir

Things to see:
Marais - old Jewish quarter, restored 17th century townhouses, Place des Vosges
Viaduct des Arts - an elevated park on an old Railroad viaduct with fancy shops below.
Behind the Bastille, along Avenue Daumesnil
Sainte Chapelle - make sure you go upstairs
Deportation Memorial. At the eastern end of the Ile de la Cité, behind Notre-Dame.
The new Metro line that goes from Chatelêt to the new Bibliothèque Nationale.
A walk through the Parc de Bercy

Museums:
Marmottan - Monet downstairs in the basement, the rest dedicated to Napoleon I.
Picasso Museum - restored 17th century townhouse (note the Giacometti light fixtures)
Rodin Museum -
Musée Cluny for the tapestries of the five senses. Rooms are organized by craft (weavings in one room, iron works in another, etc.)

What is together:
Bastille market, Picasso Museum, Marais.

Bastille, Place d?Aligre, Viaduct des Arts, Parc de Bercy, new Metro

Sainte Chapelle, Notre-Dame, Deportation Memorial (all on the same island)

Musée Cluny, Rue Mouffetard (look for the public baths near the Place de la Contrescarpe)

Rodin Museum, Eiffel Tower, Invalides

You might want to get the tour book, Access Paris, as it's set up by arrondissements with maps. You can then coordinate your travels between arrondissements. Two other books that have good walking tours are Rick Steves Paris and Steinbicker's Day Trips. I used all of the above to set up my travels within Paris and out of Paris. You can also check the Paris museum website (just go thru Google) to see the closing days (either Monday or Tuesday). Also, don't worry about crossing thru arrondissements as you can just get on the metro to save some "feet time."