Audiotrip

I wonder if anyone can help me?
I plan a two day trip to Paris, and maybe also to one of the other French cities (like Marseille or Lyon)...

I need to make a sightseeing plan what to visit, to get acquainted with the place, a bit of history of each place (interesting facts and all those king of info it is nice to know as a tourist).
And all this I would like to do with “no running”, rather smooth walking, enjoying the place, having nice coffee and lunch, etc. You know what I mean

Can anyone give me some hints what to visit (Louvre would be great, but I do not want to spend all day in any museum, I just what to get know to the city) – not only monuments, but also “ nice places to visit”. It would be really great if you could advise me on something as “3 hour walk”, place for nice lunch and coffee, another 3 hours of sightseeing and a proposal for not tiresome evening; especially that the next day I would also like to see “something” , before I go to other place.


I know it is not an easy question, the more I will be grateful for your replies

Thanks
Mike

jamikins

I think it is difficult to plan someone elses trip unless you have already decided what you want to visit - what I want to see and do might not be what you want to see and do!

I highly recommend getting yourself a good guide book (I like the Michelin Green Guides and the Top 10 Paris book) and deciding what you want to see given you only have two days. Once you give us an idea of what you want to see we can help with the logistics.

Paris is very walkable and be sure you leave some time for relaxing in a park and in cafes and people watch!

I am not sure what you mean by the other city - if you only have two days just stay in Paris!

Gretchen

For absolutely sure, stay in Paris for the very meager 4 days you are describing.
The Green Guide is good, especially for planning a museum visit. But I also like the DK Eyewitness Guide to Paris because it is more organized by areas, so you can see what is close together to cover at one time.
Where are you arriving from? What else are you doing?

Audiotrip

Thanks for replies.

Yeah, I know two days in Paris are much to less, but I am also "afraid" just seeing Paris from whole France, while I do not have more time for vacation trip, might be also unsatisfying.
Yeah, I know that going without a guide would be suicide , but most what I seen are MUST SEE points, or tours for whole day (the kind of hectic running and photo of everything). While I would like to have sightseeing together with coffee and croissant, best at a “recommended by locals” place , short inside look at cuisine, and etc.

Is there anything like that you could propose for 2 days (or 3-4, as I must reconsider initial plans)??

Thanks in advance
Mike

adrienne

This is a difficult question to answer because you haven't told us anything about the trip, other than it is 2 days.

What are your interests, what time of year are you going. I could recommend walking in the Luxembourg gardens but if you have lots of allergies or if it's the dead of winter what use would this recommendation be?

I think that people who are looking for advice should do a minimum amount of research and should not be so mysterious about themselves.

Since you have not mentioned any sort of budget and have no particular interests, hire a Context or Paris Walks private guide to take you around for 2 days. You can start in the oldest part of the city and work your way outwards. Stopping every couple of hours for a coffee or meal. The guide will give you history of the city and will direct you to the most interesting areas.

StCirq

You really won't "get acquainted" with Paris in two days, especially if one of them is your day of arrival.

At a bare minimum, you need a map of the city and a guidebook, which you will need to read to determine what interests you. Then you are going to have to map out routes, grouping things that are close to each other. Then you'll need to familiarize yourself with www.ratp.fr if you plan to use public transportation.

We really can't make any useful suggestions unless you are willing to reveal when you're going, what your budget is, and what interests you.

latedaytraveler

Audiotrip, if you want to get an overview, I suggest taking a Seine Cruise (about an hour) or the much maligned big bus tour of the major tourist spots. Then you could decide which area you wish to stroll through.

If you are only including one museum, I would suggest the Rodin or the Musee d’Orsay.

No matter which directions you take, Paris is beautiful and excellent eating options present themselves at every turn.

Enjoy…

Audiotrip

hello ALL, and thanks

I did not mentioned budget - didn't suppose it's obligatory ;-) - but from what you can read I will keep the tight budget. Believe me, I know that even two weeks would be too less to get a real French feeling, however I also experienced some short trips where due to “local guide”, or specific touring proposals, I got “a nice trip”. My “Prague” with key monuments and several cafes and restaurants, where I was told what to taste, is best experience and a proof for that
And that’s what I am looking now as well.


For the moment it looks for me I should check for Monmartre sightseeing with route to Eiffel tower, somewhere there to check for lunch, and then going to Seine Cruise (another vote confirming it is a good idea); I hope those cruises are not too expensive.
Any feedback on that? Any other idea?

Thanks in advanvce

Christina

Those cruises are only around 10 euro. It's a good idea. I am not a fan of the hop-on/off bus in Paris. I used it one day last year and it takes too long to get between points IMO. I've enjoyed that in other cities but not Paris (having said that, it is pleasant enough if it a nice day to see things from the top, but it does take a lot of time due to traffic and waits at some stops).

I am not negative about visiting a city for a couple days, why not, you can still enjoy it a lot and I do think you can get acquainted with it.

I'm not sure what you mean about Montmartre sightseeing with route to Eiffel Tower. Do you just mean you'll go up there and then go to the Eiffel Tower/ There is a bus that goes around Montmartre called the Montmartrobus. Here is it's plan http://www.ratp.fr/informer/pdf/orie...loc=bus_paris/ YOu can get on down at place Pigalle or something (see stops on map) and it will go up the hill and around the area, very nice. It's a little electric bus that does a circuit.

Audiotrip

Christina - great advices, thanks.
Regarding Montmartre - I was suggested on diff forum to check the idea of having 2h sightseeing Montmartre, ans then directing to Eiffel Tower.

Thanks again, seems you got what I need, and for sure I will take a close look to it

Mike

Gretchen

To be honest, with only 2 days (I guess it is still that) I could easily skip Montmartre and concentrate on central Paris.
What else/where else are you visiting? coming from? going to?

annhig

audiotrip,

we spent a day in Paris with our kids a few years ago, and despite the public transport strike, were amazed at what we could see in a day.

this is [more or less, it was a few years ago!] we did:

10 am - arrive Arc de triomphe. [you can go inside a climb it, we didn't]

10.15 - walk to the Eiffel tower. climb [this is quite a hike but you get to see lots of the Hausmann buildings, os it's pretty interesting]. you can now book tickets for the tower which you couldn't do when we were there, and I suggest that would be a good idea.

11.30 - get batobus to Notre Dame [it's like a bus going up and down the Seine stopping at various places]

noon - tour Notre dame.

1pm - walk over to the left bank and find a restaurant aimed at office staff - have "prix fixe" lunch.

2pm -walk along to the Musee D'orsay [buy ticket in advance] - tour. [alternative is to walk along boulevard St. Germain and up to the Jardins du Luxembourg]

4pm - cross the Seine and go to the orangerie [dual ticket with the musee d'orsay available] walk along the Tuilleries. view the pyramide.

6pm - walk along to the Champs elysee. [we had to walk back up to the Arc RER station,but if you don't, go back to you hotel for a well-deserved rest].

StCirq

I agree that Montmartre isn't the best choice for a first-time, hurried visit to Paris, especially if you plan to follow it by crossing all the way to the other end of Paris to see the Tour Eiffel. A map is handy for figuring these things out. Of course, perhaps the OP has identified something about Montmartre he/she is interested in.

Audiotrip

@annhig - great proposal, thanks a lot
@StCirq - thanks for opinion


Unfortunately I did not managed to go to Paris, or anywhere in the France, I need to postpone these plans .

But I need to make another planning, maybe for the longer time. But still looks that it might become just few days, ca. 2-3, if I will get lucky.

Thank you ALL, I hope to make better "sightseeing recognition" and then I will ask for some kind of feedback.