Tentative Itinerary for first Paris trip
 

Have come up with a tentative itinerary for our first trip to Paris in September; welcome your critique. Will switch days to accommodate the weather, etc. Left lots of time for eating, browsing, relaxing, exploring other sites, serendipity. Plan to hear a concert in the evening, see the city at night.

Day 1: arrival; settle in; explore
6th, Luxembourg gardens, Latin Quarter area where we'll stay
Day 2: Eiffel Tower; Bateaux-Mouche boat tour; Musee d'Orsay
Day 3: Louvre; Tuileries; Place de la Concorde; Champs-Elysses; Arc de Triomphe
Day 4: Marais; Rue des Rosiers; Place des Vosges, Centre Pompidou
Day 5: Notre Dame, St.-Chapelle; Ile St.-Louis
Day 6: Versailles(Sunday)
Day 7: Sacre Coeur; Montmartre area
Day 8: Depart

Nicely grouped. It seems you actually used a map - good going!

Thanks, St. Cirq. Have been reading alot and, yes, studying maps.Can't conceptualize whether things will actually be closer to each other than they appear on the maps, or further away??

You may try to visit the Picasso museum, located in the Marais, on days 4 or 5. It is one of my favorites.

None of your days are overly full and they are well-grouped. Full Marks :)

Since you aren't rushing from point to point, you'll have enough free time on several of your days for "accidental discoveries", cafe lingering, maybe some other major/minor sites.

I would suggest you do the bateau mouche ride in the evening right before dark so you can see the monuments light up on the ride.
http://www.vedettesdupontneuf.com/billet_en.php
You can get a boat from the eiffel tower (pont d'iena) or from where you're staying you can take the vedettes du pont neuf. the website i attached gives you a discount on the ticket. I also love the Picasso museum and another one of my favorites is the Musee Carnavalet in the Marais. You can take the rer to Versailles. If you are staying in the latin quarter there is a station (st michel) that will take you there. make sure you get on the train that says VICK. Then get off at Versailles RG not CH which is farther away. you can walk from the train station...just follow the crowds. And go early. One more thing: when you are by the eiffel tower you can visit rue cler market street. Amusez-vous!

You would save money on Day 3 by using the batobus rather than taking a bateaux-mouche tour, unless you're doing that to see Paris by night.

You can pick up the batobus at the St. Germain des Pres stop and take it to both Musee D'Orsay and Eiffel Tower--there are 8 stops in all, 12 euros for a day ticket. Nice way to see the city from the Seine--they run until 7:00 pm. www.batobus.com

If you are running late, or have extra time, you can move items between days 4 and 5 with ease. Vosges, for instance, is a short stroll to the islands. In fact, you might flip plans for days 4 and 5; the Marais is lively on weekends, though you might experience crowds at Pompidou on a saturday. The plan you laid out seems judicious.

Enjoy your trip.

If you are going to visit Ste. Chapelle, the best day is Sunday as that is the day the courts are closed and there is a very short line through security. Also, I wouldn't bother going on a rainy day as you can't really see the stained glass unless it is illuminated by sunlight.

If you are going to the Luxembourg Gardens (my absolute favourite place in all of Paris), you should also visit St. Sulpice Church nearby. You can hear the church organ if you go on a Sunday at 11:30 AM.

Thin

Zoecat and Janisj, I have a "secondary list" of museums, sites, etc. (And Picasso is definitely on it). Gaelle and Cathinjoetown, great info. on the
vedettesdupontneuf and batobus, and
Versailles. Considered Bateaux Mouche because of their commentary.
Figured we would learn something??
We're always happy on water, and wouldn't mind doing a boat tour in the daytime, and another in the evening. Thanks, all, for the wonderful suggestions.

Thin (wish I were) and hmmm,
I think our replies crossed. I can certainly flip days around. We'll
visit St. Sulpice Church. Appreciate your suggestions.

Just a note -- There is also commentary on the vedettes du Pont Neuf (which I personally prefer over the Bateaux-Mouche)

Thanks, janis. Working on food and shopping now, so I'm sure to have
more questions in the future.

Bateaux-Mouche is good, but I also prefer Vendettes from the Pont Neuf.

Batobus was something I'd never do again. The jostling of people getting on and off was nerve wracking to say the least.

Your itinerary looks very doable. We've been going to Paris every Sept. for quite a few years. We've always had good weather. A bit cool until noon,then 75-80 in the afternoon, and still quite warm until midnight.

The "magic" of Paris will probably get to you, and you'll return again & again as many of us have. Enjoy!

Excellent work. You are going to run across some things on your way and will have time with this general plan to enjoy.

Hi U,

Very good plan.

If it is raining on your Sunday, you could go for brunch, and visit the museum at
www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com/en/jacquemart/

As cath says, "You would save money on Day 3 by using the batobus....". They do make a twilight run so that you can see the ET light up.

((I))

You guys are great!TPAYT - you mention repeat trips to Paris during Septembers, with good weather. Please plan your trip this year for the first week in Sept., so you'll bring us weather karma!

On your day 5, if you are interested, & have time, when I am at Notre Dame, I also like to stop in at La Conciergerie, Where Marie Antoinette was held unitl led away to her death. http://conciergerie.monuments-nationaux.fr/en/
Another thing I really like to visit is the Roman Ruins that are located underneath the square in front of Notre Dame. To me I could not visit Notre Dame without seeing the ruins also. I think it is called the Archeological Crypt. 1 website is: http://www.paris-pass.com/att-archaeological-crypt.asp
or http://www.notredamedeparis.fr/Nouve...n-50-Les-Tours

Uma, you've received kudos from some of the most experienced posters on Fodors. You're like Slumdog Millionaire! Where'd you come from? Puff up and pat yourself on the back, I don't think I've ever seen this. You're hot stuff.

Uma, I'm not expert but this looks good and gives you time to see other sights along the way. Like Bill above, I enjoyed going underground at Notre Dame. And do not miss the Mémorial de la Déportation behind the church.

Have a great first trip.