Paris: Parc Des Butts Chaumont, Chateau de Vincennes, and Marais?
 

Going to Paris in late May so the days will be fairly long. Thinking of trying to do all three locations with an early start. Too much? If not, what order of travel? Any days better than others?

I know the Marais could take a full day with all the museums and shopping so it would just be a walk about and maybe dinner.

ttt

I agree with NorthShore. After getting lost finding Musee Picasso, despite having a well-marked street map, I enjoyed the museum for a good three hours. Then there are the tea salons, shopping, nearby Victor Hugo's museum ... definitely a day devoted to the Marais district.

All three in one day? I don't think so.

The one I don't know is Vincennes, which is out to the east, where Buttes Chaumont is in the north of Paris.

The Buttes Chaumont is a pretty enough park, but it needn't detain you for very long. You could combine that with wandering around the Marais, but it would take away an hour or two you could otherwise spend in the Marais, depending on how museum-heavy you want that to be: but you could easily spend all day if you want to visit the Carnavalet, Picasso and Pompidou (and there's often an interesting exhibition at the Hotel de Ville, not to mention - as we always do here - the BHV).

NorthShore's point has something to it, though, which is that part of the charm of the Marais is simply strolling, that you can do just as well in the evening, especially in May. You can window-shop and not spend....

Thanks for the inputs. True enough about it being too much in one day. However, one way might be to head straight out to Chateau de Vincennes, then go to Parc Des Butts Chaumont for a picnic lunch and then on to the Marais either as an intro stroll/dinner or a follow up to an earlier visit.

ahem. please note, it is "Buttes" not "butts".
If I were going to do this, I'd try Chateau de Vincennes first (is the dungeon open now?), then go up to Parc des Buttes-Chaumont for picnic lunch, then into the Marais for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

Thanks Travelnut, you think its a bit too much? I've been to the Marais before, but not the Parc and Chateau.

To me, there isn't that much to see at Chateau Vincennes - the last time we went, the donjon was still being restored and I've read that's the most interesting part. I think there's a chapel (which we didn't go in so it might be good, who knows). Maybe we didn't see much because we didn't want to take a tour. We went on over to Parc Floral to find the bike-rental bus but it wasn't there. So not the best experience for Ch. V.

Since you've been in le Marais before, you can give your plan a shot or else you'll always be wondering...!

I don't think this website was operating when I was looking for info in the past:
http://www.chateau-vincennes.fr/

I'd leave the Buttes for another day. The Marais area is interesting and if you started the day at Vincennes, metro'ed it to Bastille, then walk to Places des Voges for late lunch, and then walk Marais, visit a museum...your day would be full.

I'm interested in your visit to Vincennes. I'd hear of it, but never researched to see if worth a visit....I looked ti up, and now I'm thinking I've missed something. You could spend a fair bit of time there.

I've been to Vincennes and thought it was worth the trip. It isn't that difficult or time-consuming to get there, after all. None of it was closed when I was there, though, and I would say the chapel is worth seeing. I just think it is an important historical and architectural site, that's all.

I wouldn't put it at the top of anyone's "must see" list, and there's not as much to see there as some other sites, of course, but I wasn't sorry I went.

I'm with NorthShore too. I've been to Paris many times and always take a day in the Marais. Paris Walks has two tours there for 10 Euro each that are both terrific. There is the Picasso Museum and the Carnevalet Museum.If you're a shopper, this is the place to buy without the crowds around the Major Dept. Stores or in St. Germain. There is so much to do in this area! If I was going to combine it with anything else I would do so with Ile St. Louis and Ile de Cite (Notre Dame, St. Chapelle.) they are within walking distance and a day would fly by in this area.

Thanks for the feedback. Still not too sure about Vincennes, leaning toward it but ..... .

Northshore,

Vincennes can be worthwhile if you are interested in medieval military architecture (it features impressive remparts, a drawbrige, a late-gothic Sainte chapelle, and the dungeon, one of the highest in France)

The dungeon, which is the most interesting structure, has undergone extensive restoration over the last years and should reopen to the public sometime in 2007. Check their website :http://en.chateau-vincennes.fr/

If you want to spend some relaxing time away from the city, a place which could be worth visiting is the bois de Vincennes, an extensive forest/park featuring several small lakes where you can rent boats (if you like rowing...), and, especially, an enclave in the Bois called the Parc floral de Paris (www.parcfloralde paris.com), where the City of Paris holds its gardening exhibitions. If you have time to spare and like flowers, shrubs, gardening, this could have an interest at that time of the year. I remember seeing impressive rhododendrons in a pine forest there... and May is the right time.

Trudaine, thanks for the info. I didn't realize there was such a nice Park there. Vincennes is starting to look more and more interesting. Being able to see thye Dungeon would be a big plus.

There's a little hop on/off train that goes thru Parc Florale - I think we bought a ticket for it at the entrance booth.