jules4je7

I'm going in September...with my Mom, Aunt, in-laws and DH, party of 6. We've made a tentative itinerary, I've read a couple of guidebooks, and as most of you will notice, been a bit on the compulsive side about haunting this site. But other than that, I'm just not feeling like planning the living heck out of this trip.

This will be the second trip to Paris for 4 of the 6 of us...the other two, my Mom and Aunt, have never been before but can't run around a bunch anyway, so I've scheduled a "must see" for each day and left most days open in the afternoons for those who want to rest or go do independent travel.

Here's my itinerary so far for a week in mid-late September. Any thoughts/observations/rants will be appreciated, I think:

Paris Itinerary

Sunday

Arrival in Paris: Meet at airport approximately 1 p.m., shuttle to Grand Hotel Levesque in Rue Cler -- or…Hotel Muguet.

Sunday afternoon: Rest, unpack, walk around the neighborhood if desired. Bus 69 tour perhaps.

Sunday evening: dinner in the Rue Cler neighborhood, possible night ride up the Eiffel Tower for birds eye view of Paris.

Monday

Monday morning: Ile de la Cité -- Ste. Chappelle (buy Museum Pass for the week there), see Notre Dame. Lunch in the neighborhood or pack one.

Monday afternoon: World War II Deportation Memorial, Pont Neuf, Conciergerie as time allows.

Tuesday,

Tuesday morning: Subway/bus to Place de la Concorde, Tuilleries Gardens. Walk/drive/bus it down the Champs Elysées to the Arc de Triomphe. Stroll the world’s most famous boulevard. Lunch on Champs Elysees.

Tuesday afternoon: Free time for shopping, napping, or museums (Orsay, Pompidou, Picasso or Rodin?)

Tuesday Evening: Marais/Jewish Quarter dinner and walk if desired

Wednesday

Wednesday morning: Eiffel Tower

Wednesday afternoon: Sacré Coeur Basilica, Monmartre walk

Thursday, Sept. 22

Thursday daytrip: Side trip to Chartres (everyone agrees they want to see this)

Thursday Evening: Night Boat ride through Paris on The Seine

Friday
Friday morning: The Louvre for as long as you can take it. Free time for whatever other time is left in the day...

Friday Evening: Dinner, Jazz club?

Saturday, Sept. 24

Saturday morning: Side trip to Versailles for those who want to see it, some will, some won't but Mom/aunt have never been so I'm taking them. Free day in Paris for those who want to hang out there.

Saturday afternoon: Napoleon’s Tomb

Saturday Evening:

Things to add? Rodin Museum, Galleries Lafayette (shopping), Ste Sulpice (Church), Luxembourg Gardens, Montparnasse Tower, Pantheon. Anything else???

Thanks in advance.

Jules

ChevyChasen

i think its a pretty good itinary and reminds me of my trip there.note there is a 1 3 or 5 day(not 7!) museum pass so you might want to rearrange your days so that you see whats covered by the pass in the middle of your stay.most of what you mentioned is incl in card.http://www.ratp.fr/ParisVisite/Eng/A...tmonument.htm#

my comments are in caps so i could distingush themas i wrote them inline in your message. bon voyage

MON
MUSEUM PASS FROM ANY LARGE TUBE STOP
DEPORTATION MEMORIAL HAS NON INTUITIVE CLOSING HOURS
I WENT TWICE AND TWICE IT WAS CLOSED!

WED
EIFFEL AGAIN? YOU WILL HAVE TO FACE THE QUEUE(I SPENT 1:15) TWICE

THUR
EVENING BOAT -YES.I USED VEDETTES DU PONT NEUF

FRI
SPLIT YOUR LOUVRE VISIT IN TWO 1HR VISITS SINCE YOU HAVE MUSEUM CARD

SAT
VERSAILES,DEFINITELY.TAKE THE PALACE TOUR TOO(ONLY 4€ WITH MUSEUM CARD)

SAT AFT
AFTER TOMB HOP INTO ADJ INVALIDES WAR MUSEUM

SAT EVEN
CATACOMBS?

Simone1

I think you can only buy the museum pass on 1-3-5 day options. You might wish to search “museum pass” in France. There are a few threads there that might help you decide.

You have made a wise decision in accommodating both the energetic and the easy-does-it group. I’m sure the experts will come along with constructive commentary.

Gretchen

You might not need to buy the museum pass at all. The Orsay is really the only one that the line can be daunting. You really don't have much museum hopping going on anyway.
You might want to consider hiring Michael Osman for one or more days, but to do the Louvre and Orsay. We did them in one day--a bit of the Louvre and more of the Orsay. There were 8 of us. He is absolutely terrific. We had him for another touring day and while all of us had been to Paris before (DH and I often), the kids (adults/married) had never had a "tour". On the tour Michael did for us, he showed and told us things even DH and I had never seen. He is very reasonable and as an artist, very good for the museums.
Ithink your itineraries are interesting and good. If you don't get them all done and just stop in a cafe for a while, I'm sure you won't mind.
We never miss going to at least one street market (the daily temp ones, not just rue Cler--where we also stay near).
Oh, and that brings up--it sounds as if you don't have your hotel reservations yet. I will be surprised if you can get either of your preferences at this late date. And if it is the latter part of September, you may be getting into the fashion weeks. Just a thought.
Do you have restaurant plans? A Wednesday lunch at Jules Verne would be a memorable family event.

AnselmAdorne

Hi Jules. Just one observation: when we were in Paris in May, there was a very long line-up for the ticket window at Sainte-Chapelle (one p, I think; what would your editor say?), which is where I believe you would buy your museum passes.

You might want to consider picking up your passes at a less popular spot; we bought ours at the Musée national du Moyen Âge, which was almost deserted when we were there.

Museum passes are available for 1, 3, and 5 days and can be purchased at any of the participating museums and monuments, as well as the main metro stations, the Office du Tourisme de Paris, and Batobus stops.

Have a good trip.

Anselm

HowardR

You did an excellent job of planning of what I would call "a most flexible and unrushed itinerary." You'll probably be able to include some of the sites on your "things to add" list.

Travelnut

You are leaving a goodly number of places for Saturday "evening" that may not be open beyond 5 or 6pm. I would add Napoleon's Tomb and Musee Rodin to the Wednesday morning plan. Be aware that Jardin de Luxembourg will close the gates at "dusk". The Pantheon is mildly interesting, but you could skip it if it doesn't fit in anywhere else.

bardo1

Your plan looks fine, except for one thing.

Consider breaking into groups for some of the sightseeing based on indvidual interest. Six people (relatives, no less!) trying to do everthing together can get pretty stressful. Make sure you all neet back up for those 3-hour dinners to compare notes.

bob_brown

I have consistently said that Paris needs time to unfold in front of you. Not allof what you experience is highly pleasurable, but it is the reality of Paris life.

I rarely take "canned" tours, and only if they provide me with convenience, timeliness, and information that is not otherwise available. (For example, I went to Vaux-le-Vicomte and Fontainebleau with a bus tour. It provided me with the convenience and timeliness and information I wanted. But now that the Melun-Vaux shuttle is operating on weekends until October 2 at 6€ per person, I think both places have become a very viable freelance from Gare de Lyon.)

But my memory of Paris street scenes has some flashes of humor and amusement as well as irritation and even anxiety.
The humor came when an older lady (my age perhaps) got angry and a young hotshot skateboarder for running into her and kicked his board down the steps after a first class tongue lashing.
(I didn't know all the words but the tone of voice, gestures, and expression were equally expressive.)
Then there was the very good sax player who bounded onto my Metro car and started playing. I rewarded him for his skills, and got even more serenading. Then he hopped off before the inhibitors grabbed him.

Not so pleasant was being set up by a pickpocket, who probably decided my billfold was to skinny to be worth the effort.

The point being, if you don't get out and wander a bit, you don't get a real whiff of Paris as a real city.

jules4je7

Thanks you guys...Actually I have made double reservations -- at both hotels, and have yet to cancel the Leveque. I'm pretty sure we've decided to stay at the Muguet because it's not a whole lot more expensive, but a much nicer hotel. Our group runs the gamut, from my in-laws who are used to 1st class accomodations, but are willing/able to handle less nice ones (but I still want them in something a little more notable than the Leveque)...and us, who are willing to stay just above a hostel if it means we can stay in the city center.

My DH and my father-in-law are the museum people...my MIL, mom and Aunt will enjoy seeing the big stuff, but otherwise will be found in a street cafe sipping cafe-au-laits and/or wine much sooner in the day. I think I'm going to be the one torn between joining the soakers and the seers, but I'm just playing it by ear.

I went to the Eiffel Tower in the morning the first time we went in 2003...I'm interested in seeing it at night but realized my party may be too tired, so I double-scheduled it so that we could choose.

Again thanks for all the help...I'll keep reading.

Jules

Bigal

Jules....big mistake on Museum Pass. The first day that you do not go to a museum your pass becomes invalid and you lose all your balance d'argent. Museum Pass only good for CONSECUTIVE day's use.

Gretchen

The museum pass is good for consecutive days--correct. But if you go one day, not the next, and then go the third, it is still valid for that third day.
As I said, I suggest not getting the pass unless you really plan plan plan the days of use. We like the Cluny a great deal. The Carnavalet is another BIG favorite--the history of the city of Paris in art-- but it is free.
If you buy the pass, just buy it at the first Metro you use. It is not activated until its first use--and sometimes they even forget to write the date on it, so you get another day perhaps.

JameJamerz

What does DH stand for???

suze

Along the lines one poster mentioned above, don't try to keep all 6 people together for every activity the entire week long. I know I appreciate it traveling with my (all adult) family, when they don't mind it if I stay in the hotel room for a nap, or want to go shopping or scope out a bookstore on my own.

kjosker

Very doable and sensible itinarary.

Why are you not overplanning? I suspect because you have been there already; you have a sense and a feel for it. Before my first trip to Paris, I read like crazy, guidebooks, history books, biographies, you name it, if it had reference to Paris in it I read it. Had a great visit, I'm glad I did all the reading. Next time I go, I'll go "cold" and just wander 'til I get lost, and then wander some more. Perhaps you are feeling the same way?

I've stayed at the Leveque; as you step out onto Rue Cler, turn right, walk to the corner (I've forgotten the name of the street), turn right and walk about two blocks. On the right hand side is an Italian Restaurant, The Felice, which is very reasonable, friendly, and serves great food, for those times that you are ready for something different from French fare.

Hoping you have a safe journey.

jules4je7

JameJamerz -- DH (put your tongue in cheek now) stands for "Dear Husband".

Everyone -- thanks for the tips on the Museum pass. We bought a 3-day pass last time and used it a lot. I think we need to move things around and buy according to who really needs it -- it may make more sense for my DH and FIL who will want to see every museum they can get their geeky selves to.

Also, we have every intention of breaking the group up for doing what they want -- esp. later in the day. I was actually excited to have my Mom and Aunt come along as a last minute addition, because a party of 6 can easily break up into 2 and 3 (or even 6) groups, and it won't just be me and my dear mother-in-law hanging out while the men head off to yet another museum.

We're a strange family -- we all actually get along quite well, including the outlaws with the in-laws, as they've known each other for 25+ years now since we were kids. It will be VERY interesting to see what international travel does to accelerate the relationships.

DH and I plan on going out at night on our own for dates and stuff too, so we'll get a little romantic time in between the touring days with the crazy relatives.

Thanks for all the tips...I sure appreciate it and will keep reading!

Jules

StCirq

Hi, jules:

One suggestion: You may want to use a bit of that first Sunday afternoon to scout out a place for dinner that night in the 7me. Quite a few restaurants there are closed on Sundays, so for 6 people it might be wise to have a reservation.

Also, I question the decision to have lunch on the Champs Elysées, but since you've been to Paris before I guess you know what you're doing.

Have a great trip!

Gretchen

If I read you correctly you may be contemplating trading the museum passes around. That could save you a bit of money--get a couple, let one bunch use it, get another if you need it. There is no ID on the pass--anyone can use it.

HowardR

Bigal is definitely wrong about losing remaining days on a museum pass if you don't use it one of the eligible days.
With your rough schedule, you almost don't have to buy passes. I'd recommend a three-day pass for the museum lovers. For the rest, get a one-day pass in advance (remember it's not valid until you use it the first time no matter when you bought it) for the Louvre visit to insure bypassing lines.

Travelnut

The last time we used a Museum Pass, it required a name and starting date. Did they check id against the name on the Pass? perhaps not...