Hello everyone!

So now our travel group is attempting (!!) to put together a Paris itinerary.

We've looked at tours that cover both Versailles and Giverny in one day and prices are outrageously expensive (average USD200 per person).

My question is:

Is it possible to visit both on our own (take a train and self tour) or does it make more sense to take the plunge and book a tour?

Our group is split on this.

My choice is to just take a train to Versailles from Paris and do a self tour -- and skip Giverny altogether.

We are visiting Paris the first week in October (4 days total) so weather-wise I'm not sure Giverny is worth the effort.

Your advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Judy

IMHO with only 4 days in Paris I would not do either Versailles or Giverny. There is too much to see in Paris.

Given a choice, go to Versailles on your own, no need for a tour. Once at the chateau you can book the tours or buy tickets ahead on line.

I agaree that with only 4 days in Paris, you have enough to see and do withont leaving Paris. I would spend all 4 days there.

If your group really wants a day trip, I would go to Versailles. If it were May - September, I would choose Giverny - you can see what is in bloom by going to the website. In early October, I might opt for Versailles. It's an easy train ride from Paris and can be done in half a day.

Hi JR,

>We are visiting Paris the first week in October (4 days total) so weather-wise I'm not sure Giverny is worth the effort.<

You are correct. Neither is Versailles.

You don't need a tour to visit Paris for 4 days.

What's your budget?

Really? Versailles is not worth visiting either (in October)? That makes me sad!

I have visited Versailles in the past (10 years ago) and wanted to take my fiance there.

As for Paris -- we're going to just go with the flow while we are there. The 'must see's' are:

Eiffel Tower (not to the top)
Louvre (I believe it is open Wednesday evenings?)
Notre Dame
Saint Chapelle (on a sunny morning)
Ile St Louis
Sacre Coeur
Arc d'Triomphe
L'Orangerie
Seine River cruise (at night)
Versailles

I think my list might be too extensive, so if I get to half of them I'll be happy.

Our travel group is staying at a hotel in St. Germain, so we're hoping we can walk to most places.

We might do a HOHO bus tour morning of the first day just to get our bearings.

Mostly I want to sit at a cafe or park and people watch, stroll along the Seine. Nothing too arduous or ambitious.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Judy

I disagree that Versailles is not worth visiting. And you don't need a tour. Just take the RER and visit the parts of Versailles that appeal to you. Yes, Paris is big and there's a lot to do in 4 days. But I would not miss Versailles. (I would skip Giverny this trip)

Thank you! I agree!

I personally wouldn't want to try to visit those two places in one day but there are cheaper tours than what you found. Check out the link below and you'll see a coach tour to both places that includes entry fees and a guide and also a lunch at at a pretty old mill on a river a few km up the road from Giverny. The cost is 135€ but there is a 10% reduction for tours taken before November 1st.

http://www.pariscityvision.com/en/ci...-of-versailles

I would skip VErsailles and Giverney with only 4 days in Paris. There is SO much to see, enjoy, experience, and that is not near enough time. Are those 4 days, arrival and departure also--or at least arrival? From where. What else are you doing.
Your list isn't too extensive, except for versailles.

Versailles, maybe. Giverney will take up most of a day and unless you are a major Monet afficiando, October would not be an ideal time. Neither require tours.

I don't think it is possible to do both in the same day on your own, unless you hire some private driver, of course. But if you are doing that to save money, no.

I don't agree that Versailles is not worth visiting in October, I think that was just a snarky comment from someone who doesn't like Versailles, that's all. You can't assume every single opinion is the consensus. Why would that even make sense, for example.

Versailles is one of Paris' top top sites and for those who say it is not in Paris technically that may be correct but practically it is not - you can get to the palace of Versailles quicker from some metro stations in Paris I would wager than from those stations to say Montmartre

The Palace is just a short RER train ride practically right to its front door - and anyone who says Versailles ain't worth it - well to them it may be but to some so is the Louvre, Orsay, Eiffel Tower, etc - other acclaimed 'musts' in Paris.

To those who say there is too much to do in Paris than to waste time go to Versailles I say rubbish - what would you do with that half day you would spend at Versailles - traipse thru another museums?

Versailles is in Paris and is one of its top sites and called the world's finest palace often for good reason.

to say Versailles is not in Paris IMO is like saying that Statue of Liberty ain't in New York and you should spend all your time in Manhattan and not waste time going out of Manhattan to the Statue (which indeed I believe is in New Jersey or was?).

Go for Versailles and even in October the gardens there will be stunning for sure.

This thread is like the telephone game we played as kids. The first person says something and the last person has a very distorted view of what the first person said.

No one said that anyone would "waste time" going to Versailles.

Several people said that with 4 days in Paris there were other things that they would rather see than Versailles.

No one bashed Versailles.

Several people interpreted others' remarks.

Judy - go to Versailles or not. You asked for and received opinions. Read those opinions, not the interpretations of the opinions.

My other opinion is that a half day is not enough for Versailles. If you spend a day there then you have 3 days in Paris minus the half day HOHO bus that you may take. If you spend time doing these things you need to prioritize your "must see" list to get it all in plus your cafe time.

To clarify, we arrive in Paris on Monday evening and leave Paris on Saturday morning, which gives our group Tuesday through Friday (in its entirety) to visit Paris, and Versailles.

After all your thoughtful advice, I am taking my fiance to Versailles. From what I remember it is stunning (I visited there in May) and worth the time and effort.

We (my fiance and I) are not really into museums (although I believe the rest of our travel group will spend extensive time in museums), we'd much rather roam about and immerse ourselves in Parisian culture rather than spend multiple hours waiting in line to get in.

But I do love Monet paintings (that's what I'll find at the L'Orangerie, right?)

So, now that you all know we will be in Paris for 4 FULL days, does my itinerary still make sense? Is it doable?

And....just a note regarding the Statue of Liberty -- technically the island is in NYC, but for some reason New Jersey foots the utility bill, LOL!

so your going. Does your fiance really want to see it? Would he rather be doing something more IN Paris. Just a thought.
We took our kids and their spouses for a week. One couple wanted to go to Versailles. I started to discourage it, and DS said, MOM, she wants to go. FIne. We left it loose to decide when they would go--none of us was joined at the hip, except for our days with Michael (something you might consider). By Thursday I said, remember Versailles, and they said OMG--we don't have time to go. It's OK though--we "need" to do all this other stuff. True story.
I always recommend the DK Eyewitness Guide to Paris because of the way it is set up--you can see the many sightseeing sites within an area, and maximize the time you are there.
I also recommend the Green Guide for deciding what part of the Louvre you would like to concentrate on.
I don't see the the Orsay on your list--or the Marmottan (Monets there too)--or the Cluny-or Carnavalet. But to leave out the Orsay would be a shame.
The Louvre is also a "chateau" like Versailles, and its basement is very interesting for the way it was constructed.
If you DO take the HO bus, then when you go to Montmartre part of it, see Sacre Coeur then.
do you have meal ideas? HOw many of you are there.

We are a party of 10 (all family).

My fiance and I don't really like going to museums that's why I only included the Louvre and L'Orangerie (this is where I thought a lot of Monets are housed, am I incorrect on this point?).

I think spending 1/2 day in Versailles will not detract from our time in Paris since we don't have a lot of interest in museums anyway. My working plan is to catch the earliest train in the morning to Versailles, visit for a few hours, walk back to the village (if I recall correctly, it was quite nice) maybe stop there for lunch before heading back to Paris for the rest of the afternoon/evening.

As for meals -- we're not really sure how to handle that since we are such a large group.

Breakfast should be easy (we are all early risers and a coffee and croissant should be perfect), lunch will be on-the-fly based on where we are.

Dinner is where we struggle -- difficult to seat 10 people without a reservation I would imagine, but since we're not familiar with Paris restaurants in general, we might wing it as we go.

You won't find Monets at the Louvre. You will find them at the D'Orsay and the Orangerie.

With that number you cannot wing it as you go unless you want to just eat at Leon de Bruxelles, or the rue Hachette restaurants--and even the latter would be difficult.
Plan your meals--there are a JILLION threads here--and make reservations--your hotel desk can do it for you.
If you are planning on your coffee and croissant at your hotel breakfast room, you are probably adding a good bit to your hotel bill. When we did (8) it, we found a small cafe nearby and met there for our coffee and bread. One morning we found a creperie which was fun.
Are you all going everywhere together every day, except your Versailles trip? Who is "advising" on what to see and how to do it? Has everyone been before?

I visited Paris about 14 years ago -- so I am the 'de facto' expert, LOLOL.....we do plan on staying together for the most part, but have all agreed beforehand that if we break into groups based on what we want to see, it's all good.

Louvre -- just to see the Mona Lisa and a few other paintings. I thought L'Orangerie was best for Monet (might add D'Orsay if time permits).

Good idea to ask the hotel to book reservations for us, thank you!

We don't plan having breakfast at the hotel, probably at a cafe nearby -- we are staying in Saint Germain, so I imagine there are many to choose from?

As for dinner, I read a few threads on this site, it's actually quite overwhelming to try to read through it all and make solid decisions -- that's why we're thinking of just picking restaurants depending on where we are at the time.

adrienne - I think this poster is saying both Giverny and Versailles are a waste of time with so much to do in Paris itself:

>We are visiting Paris the first week in October (4 days total) so weather-wise I'm not sure Giverny is worth the effort.<

You are correct. Neither is Versailles.>