josep55

A lot of people are giving good avice. The big thing is MOVE, MOVE MOVe and stay in the sunlight. I got off a UA 914 (IAD/CDG) flight that arrived @ 6:30 a.m. I got to the hotel and checked in by 9. My 33 year old nephew came along. We met my cousin who came in the day before from Ireland and we kept moving. We had breakfast with something heavilly cafinated and were fine. We didn;t get to bed until 11 pm and were up at 7:30 the next day.

You can get some Jet Lag pills online, which are homeopathic. I took those on the trip over, slept alot on the plan, DRANK PLENTY OF WATER and jsut started walking as soon as I got there. Try to avoid at all cost going to bed. It will mess up your circadian rhythms for at least a couple of days.

andrew8

I highly suggest you try No Jet Lag homeopathic remedy tablets. Since my wife and I started using this product we haven't had any jet lag.
http://www.drugstore.com/products/pr...amp;catid=1192

colonna

One more recommendation for No Jet Lag. You don't have to follow the every-two-hours rule precisely either. I can enjoy myself the first day, with little or no brain fuzz.

gameson

Check in to the hotel, sit for a little bit and gather yourself. Then hit the road for your first walk of many, head down to the river and grab a cup of coffee on the way. You'll find many of the cafés offer juice in the morning along with croissants, pastries, etc., and keep in mind that inevitably the juice is fresh. If you order apple juice, out they go to the juicer and viola. Best damn juice in the morning and a great way to wake up.
But after all is said and done, get yourselves over to the Eiffel Tower, grab a bateau and just sit and relax as you are taken up and down the Seine. It is a terrific way to get oriented, as you go past all of the major central Paris sites and, best of all, you get to sit and relax. Wend your way back to your neighborhood, find a place for dinner, go back to the hotel, clean up, have an early dinner let your internal senses take it from there. Next morning you should be good to go and also know your way around most of the big attractions in Paris.
Bon voyage.

jonesie

Since I have not seen it mentioned, benadryl often works as a gentle little helper with sleeping on the plane (with an added benefit of clearing up any congestion.)
We have always been able to get a little sleep on the plane, and then the andrenaline of being in Europe usually propels us through the first part of the day (drop bags at the hotel - it is never ready) and we are off.
By about 3pm I am desperate for a shower to rid myself of that "plane scum" feeling - so we usually head back, shower, and take a short nap. As with any nap, anything more than about an hour, hour and half is always bad. But we have no problem getting up when the alarm goes off, heading out for some dinner, try to be back in the room about 9/9:30, lights out about 10pm, and we are up and at breakfast before 8am. No jet lag.
Everyone is different, and if you don't think you will be able to wake yourself from a nap, then DO NOT try it. Hope that helps!

AJPeabody

You could try to reset your body clock by an hour or two for the week before you leave: Get up 2 hrs early, go to bed 2 Hrs. early for the week. Then as soon as you get on the plane, set your watch tom Paris time and do what is right for THAT time, probably sleeping. Use eye covers, don't watch the movie, avoid light.

When you arrive, spend a few minutes looking up into a bright sky (not the sun, of course) using the bright light to reset your body clock to local morning. Drop your bags at the hotel, walk around, look up at the sky every now and then.

As for what to do on a holiday, we also landed in Paris one major unexpected holiday, too. We found out that the Pompidou Center was open that day, so we went there. You get to see a parade, even better.

Just eat light, keep moving, and don't sit down for very long! If you hit your hotel room before supper, set an alarm and wake-up call for no longer than a 20-30 minute nap, or you'll be doomed to another jet lag day the next day.

Have fun!

dolciani

I'm pretty sure that we will NOT be able to check into our room at 7 am in the morning - but I'm presuming we can drop off our luggage....so there's no chance of napping when we get there. We'll probably have to scout about Paris until 3 pm to check into our room. I now know that most museums are closed but some of the markets and shops on Rue Cler will be open in the morning. I'm assuming that the buses will be running on a regular schedule - does anyone know this for sure?

caroltis

I believe the key is to get a significant amount of sleep on the plane on the way over. One Ambien doesn't do it for me - it takes two...but one should try that out before the trip. A whole Xanax works very well for me too. I'll get several hours sleep in one stretch. When we arrive early morning we act as though it's any other day except we don't go at breakneck speed - we get the "lay of the land" and take in some mild sightseeing. We have an early dinner around 6:00 and then we go to bed. The next day is usually not difficult at all. I guess it's different for each individual.
For me, it's the trip back that's a killer - but at least I'm home and can deal with it better!

suze

I am someone who cannot sleep on a plane (even drugged, and I come from Westcoast US, so even longer than your flight and more of a time change). I am always a bit of a zombie at best.

My first day I always simply wander around the neighborhood of my hotel, try to get my bearings. Find a park to sit in, have some lunch and wine at a cafe, take a nap, have dinner, like that.

marigny

When we did this two years ago, we were staying near the Arc de Triomph. We took a ride on the batteau mouche along the Siene, walked around a bit, and ate lunch at our first Parisian bistro. I think it all depends on how awake you are, and how much energey you have.

For us, it was a chance to see something, and to ease into our vacation. While we did crash later in the day and never made it to dinner, at least we did a few things first.

klondike

We are on the "Napper" side of the fence...just too miserable to try to stay awake, especially if there is wine with lunch. We do force ourselves to not sleep more than 1 1/2 hours though.

Personally, we save the Seine cruise for a few days later... when our feet/legs are complaining more than the sleep-deprived brain. Anyway, first day, it would be too relaxing (like the Open bus as others have said) and we'd just snooze and miss the sights any way.

We don't worry about waking up early from too much sleep...on the one occasion where we are both awake at 4:30, we both just quietly got dressed and went for a memorable pre-dawn walk. Watching the sun rise over Paris eating warm brioche is one of our fondest memories.

hopscotch

dolciani,

You really screwed up by taking an early evening flight. The best remedy is to stay up all night the night before you leave. Then you can sleep on the plane.

In Paris, walk until you drop on your first day. Go to the Latin Quarter and slug it out.

isailtheseas

Thanks for posting your question..

Our flight has been changed so we are "forced" to overnight in CDG to continue on our journey to Zagreb..

We are flying from the west coast and arriving May 1st around 11am...

well were there, should we just go into the city???? but it's May 1st.

So, we've been pondering it..we've been to Paris many times, and we LOVE the city...but just to get in and back to our airport hotel for 5 hours max to wander will be about 40 euros...

and it's 101/2 hour flight, historically I hit the wall at 5:15pm like clockwork.

Does anyone know if Galeries Lafayette will be open? I can't seem to locate info on that...My husband would love the glass cieling and I of course would love to shop!

suze

isailtheseas~ Since your post is a bit different from the original topic, you might want to start a new posting with your questions. It's a bit lost here at the bottom of a longish thread.

suze

To nap or not to nap - there is no universal correct answer. The trick is figuring out which works best for your own body clock, then do that!

luv2cthings

dolciani,
<i>I'm assuming that the buses will be running on a regular schedule - does anyone know this for sure?</i>

No, unfortunately the buses will be on a holiday schedule, many lines will not be operating at all, others will have a reduced schedule.

thetravellingmom

bkmrking for walking tour

bob_brown

With that early arrival, you will be at your hotel before you can occupy your room.

My suggestion is to go do something on your list of sights or sites to see and visit.

I don't think you will be feeling like it is midnight because the sun will be shining.

I don't feel the flight over as much as I do the one home. Perhaps it is adrenaline flowing upon arrival or the accumulation of fatigue after I return, plus the let down from the fact that the trip is over.

At any rate, be prepared to get out and about because it is the rare hotel that will let you in your room early. The manager might if the room was vacant the night before.

I have gotten into my room early at the Astoria Hotel in Munich where I am regarded as a regular, but never anywhere else.

Besides the front desk staff at the Astoria is the best in the industry.
I know your question is about Paris, but the ladies at the Astoria have gone out of their way to help us more than once. All hotels should be blessed with such a good group.

Christina

Transportation will be on holiday schedules, because it is a very major holiday, especially regarding workers as it is Labor Day -- a day to honor workers. So don't expect a lot of big sales at the major dept stores where they force their workers to work on that holiday. Small shops and family businesses are different as they have more latitude. You can assume dept. stores will be closed on Fete du Travail, but may be open other holidays in May. The workers of those grand dept. stores belong to unions.

If your plane isn't scheduled to land until 6:30 am, there isn't any way in the world you will be at your hotel for check-in at 7 am. I've been able to check in sometimes at 9:30-10 am, but you never know. It is likely the room won't be ready at 8:30-9, which is probably when you'll get there.

JeanneB

Many of the guide books have walking tours of various sections of the city. Find one with a &quot;walk&quot; near your hotel. Incorporate that into your first day, getting acquainted with your neighborhood. Also take note of interesting shops, restaurants, etc.

On our first day it was raining. It didn't slow us down a bit. Didn't do anything special, but it remains one of my favorite days I've ever spent in Paris. It was just so exciting finally BEING there!