Long time listener, first time caller! This forum has been great reading while I plan my first trip to Europe (Netherlands, Paris, Baden-Baden, Germany). I've gotten some great ideas! <BR> <BR>My husband and I are going to Paris for the first time in the beginning of Sept. and staying for three days. Is it better to visit Wed.-Fri. or Fri.-Sun. Does it even matter? Also what is the weather like at this time?

wHi, <BR>Weather in Paris is notoriously unreliable at any time of year. It <BR>should be warm, in the 70s in early Sept. It might go to the 80s, or it might drop to the 60s, and rain is always possible. <BR>Here are some weather web sites you can check for forecasts and historical weather info. <BR>www.worldclimate.com/ <BR> <BR>www.nytimes.com/ <BR> <BR>www.weather.com/weather/cities/ <BR> <BR>www.cnn.com/WEATHER/ <BR> <BR>http://www.weatherpost.com Washington Post. Includes historical weather data <BR> <BR>www.intellicast.com/weather <BR> <BR>I can't see that the choice of days <BR>will matter much as the major museums are open all of those days. However, The Musee D'Orsay is open until 9:30 pm on Thursdays, and the Louvre is open until 9:45 on Wednesdays, which may expand your sightseeing options. The Louvre is also free of charge on the first Sunday of the month, but it will be very crowded and the lines likely to be long. On such a short trip, and actually on any trip, the museum pass is recommended as it will allow you to breeze through museum entrances without waiting in line, and to stop in for just a few minutes without feeling you didn't get your money's worth on the admission charge. <BR> There are many restaurants, including but not limited to some of the <BR>most famous, that are closed on Saturdays and/or Sundays. But by no means does that mean you won't be able fo find a place to eat, just your choices will be more limited on <BR>those days. <BR>If you have any other questions, email me or ask here. <BR>

wHi, <BR>Weather in Paris is notoriously unreliable at any time of year. It <BR>should be warm, in the 70s in early Sept. It might go to the 80s, or it might drop to the 60s, and rain is always possible. <BR>Here are some weather web sites you can check for forecasts and historical weather info. <BR>www.worldclimate.com/ <BR> <BR>www.nytimes.com/ <BR> <BR>www.weather.com/weather/cities/ <BR> <BR>www.cnn.com/WEATHER/ <BR> <BR>http://www.weatherpost.com Washington Post. Includes historical weather data <BR> <BR>www.intellicast.com/weather <BR> <BR>I can't see that the choice of days <BR>will matter much as the major museums are open all of those days. However, The Musee D'Orsay is open until 9:30 pm on Thursdays, and the Louvre is open until 9:45 on Wednesdays, which may expand your sightseeing options. The Louvre is also free of charge on the first Sunday of the month, but it will be very crowded and the lines likely to be long. On such a short trip, and actually on any trip, the museum pass is recommended as it will allow you to breeze through museum entrances without waiting in line, and to stop in for just a few minutes without feeling you didn't get your money's worth on the admission charge. <BR> There are many restaurants, including but not limited to some of the <BR>most famous, that are closed on Saturdays and/or Sundays. But by no means does that mean you won't be able fo find a place to eat, just your choices will be more limited on <BR>those days. <BR>If you have any other questions, email me or ask here. <BR>

wHi, <BR>Weather in Paris is notoriously unreliable at any time of year. It <BR>should be warm, in the 70s in early Sept. It might go to the 80s, or it might drop to the 60s, and rain is always possible. <BR>Here are some weather web sites you can check for forecasts and historical weather info. <BR>www.worldclimate.com/ <BR> <BR>www.nytimes.com/ <BR> <BR>www.weather.com/weather/cities/ <BR> <BR>www.cnn.com/WEATHER/ <BR> <BR>http://www.weatherpost.com Washington Post. Includes historical weather data <BR> <BR>www.intellicast.com/weather <BR> <BR>I can't see that the choice of days <BR>will matter much as the major museums are open all of those days. However, The Musee D'Orsay is open until 9:30 pm on Thursdays, and the Louvre is open until 9:45 on Wednesdays, which may expand your sightseeing options. The Louvre is also free of charge on the first Sunday of the month, but it will be very crowded and the lines likely to be long. On such a short trip, and actually on any trip, the museum pass is recommended as it will allow you to breeze through museum entrances without waiting in line, and to stop in for just a few minutes without feeling you didn't get your money's worth on the admission charge. <BR> There are many restaurants, including but not limited to some of the <BR>most famous, that are closed on Saturdays and/or Sundays. But by no means does that mean you won't be able fo find a place to eat, just your choices will be more limited on <BR>those days. <BR>If you have any other questions, email me or ask here. <BR>

The weather is usually gorgeous at that time of year; lots of the tourists have left, and the French are back from "les vacances". It sometimes rains, sort of like a spring rain. Lightjacket/khaki pants weather. <BR>Wed-Fri is less busy at the tourist sights, since most tours (and day trippers) come in on Saturday or Sunday. The city streets and public transportation will be busy during the day (worker bees, you know). The department stores are open late Thursday night, so's the Musee d'Orsay. I think the Louvre is open late Wednesday night. <BR>Fri-Sun, the tourist sights are much busier, but the streets and metro are less crowded (not UNcrowded, just less crowded!) during the day. There are organ concerts on Sunday at the various churches and at Notre Dame (catch as catch can - supposedly, the recital at Notre Dame is at 5:00pm - sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't). Some of the museums are free or 1/2 priced on Sunday. Some restaurants are closed for lunch on Saturday, some are closed on Sunday. Some shops are closed on Sunday. The best view in the world is 7:00-8:00am, Pont St Michel, direction Notre Dame, Sunday morning. <BR>

Hi, <BR>If I had the choice I'd choose a weekday. I was there for a week in March, arrived on a Wednesday and left on a Monday morning. My friend and I didn't go to Paris to shop, but our relatives had given us a list of things to bring them back. Anyway, we planned on buying all of our souvenirs and do our shopping on our last full day which happened to be Sunday. We didn't know that the major department stores wouldn't be open on Sundays. The Samaritaine is closed as well as many shops that we tried to visit in Montparnasse. Although I can't think of the area, I think there is a certain section of shops in Paris that always remains open on Sundays, but I'm not sure what it's called. So if you are there to shop, don't expect to do it all on Sunday! <BR>

Thanks! Now I just have to figure if I want to go to Paris on the weekdays (late hours at the d'Orsay make that very tempting!) then go back to Breda (Netherlands, where my sister is and "homebase") to spend the weekend with the niece and nephew before heading to Baden-Baden on Mon. for our anniversary (husband's family is from Black Forest area) OR to go to Paris on the weekend and head straight to Germany after. (whew!)I still need to study rail guides for that!

Or just stay in Paris the whole time....