I'm planning to spend seven days in Paris mid-march. Thursday to thursday. This will be my first time in France and I want to see all the tourist sites and more. Language is not a problem, but budget is. Any ideas on places to go to see the "vrai Paris" would be really appreciated. Also, any good castles nearby? Thanks.

Hi Amanda, <BR> <BR>I think you better make your plans quickly since you'll be traveling next month! I would book your hotel very soon. There are some very good comments on hotels in the 5th, 6th, and 7th arr that are around the $100 per night range (such as Grand Hotel des Balcons (in the 6th) and Hotel Leveque (in the 7th). <BR> <BR>As for things to see, there is a recent posting called "Top 10 list" and it's an excellent list. Pick up a guidebook to read about these top 10 sights. When in Paris, buy a 3 day museum pass that gets you into approx. 50 museums and monuments without having to wait in long lines. <BR> <BR>As for castles, in the Loire Valley there are many beautiful Chateaux. You probably can do a day trip or go to Tours and stay there for a couple of days touring the area. <BR> <BR>Also nearby is Versailles and Fontainbleu, which are perfect for day trips. <BR> <BR>But, there is so much to see in Paris, you can easily spend your whole trip there! <BR> <BR>Enjoy!

<BR>Amanda, try to see the Palace Versaille, about an hour or so outside of Paris. I was more impressed with the paintings there than I was at the Lourve. They are huge and it's incredible to me how they could be so well done with the detail they have. <BR>The Palace is overwhelming, for me mainly I guess because of seeing the lavish and gaudy display of wealth enjoyed by the righ when the peasants were starving and had nothing. I think it is definetly worth seeing.

Message: This is a copy of the response that I made earlier under the posting entitled "Going to Paris," which is about four frames down. <BR> <BR> <BR>As for Paris, I will concentrate on themes: <BR> <BR>1. History: Notre-Dame, Carnavalet Museum, Conciergerie, the Deportation Memorial behind Notre-Dame, the Musee de l'Armee, Napoleon's tomb, Place des Vosges, Louvre, underground exhibit on the early city in front of Notre-Dame, Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Hotel de Ville, and the Cluny Museum. And of course Versailles, if you haven't been there. <BR> <BR>2. Views: Eiffel Tower (yeah, it takes a while to go up, but I am one who would have regretted it if I didn't), Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame, Samaritaine Department Store Roof, Pompidou terrace, the Quais of the Left Bank around Notre-Dame, Pont Alexandre III, and a boat ride on the Seine after dark. Montparnasse Tower is also supposed to be good. <BR> <BR>3. Feel of the City: Champs Elysees; the area running from around the Opera House past Place Vendome for the wealth and extravagance side of Paris - fancy shops and people abound; Ile-St-Louis; backstreets of Montmartre and the Latin Quarter; Luxembourg Gardens on a warm weekend afternoon; Place de la Concorde and Arc de Triomphe at morning rush hour; a metro ride in a less touristy area; walks along the Seine in the early morning or evening. <BR> <BR>4. Art and culture: Old opera house, Rodin Museum - a must see, Louvre, Orsay. <BR> <BR>5. Food - I will stick mostly to areas since I am horrible at remembering restaurant names: market on Rue Cler, brasseries and cafes around the church of St-Germain-des-Pres, Fauchon shops on Place de la Madeleine, the street in running in front of Place des Vosges to the Place de la Bastille (I think it is called St-Antoine) for a variety of shops, Latin Quarter for quick and ethnic, pastry shops and Berthillon ice cream on Ile-St-Louis. <BR> <BR>New part of my post: <BR> <BR>Amanda: In seven days you will be able to see most if not all the major sites, but there are just so many things to see and do in Paris. I think it is great to go there with the idea that you will return. Make a list of places to see and things to do. Then prioritize them by Must, Almost a Must, Would Like To, If There is Time, Maybe. The nice thing about Paris is that it is divided into areas (Arrondisements, Quartiers). Unfortunately, guide books divide them in different ways so it is hard to plan sometimes. I tried to cover a couple of areas a day. I divided them this way if I remember right: St-Germain-des-Pres, 7th Arrondisement from the National Assembly to the Eiffel Tower, Opera Quarter, Marais, Beaubourg and Les Halles, Latin Quarter, Ile-de-France and Ile-St-Louis, La Defense, Montmartre, Luxembourg, Champs Elysees (Arc de Triomphe to the Louvre), and Montparnasse. <BR> <BR>Plan as well as you can in the time that you have. Draw your own walking tours or get books with good ones, and photocopy them. I have read that Paris is a small city. Don't believe it. Sure some sights are fairly close together, but look at the city from the top of Notre-Dame or the Eiffel Tower, and you will see that Paris is pretty big. Make use of the Metro as much as possible to save your feet. Mine hurt for 3-4 days after I returned. <BR> <BR>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <BR> <BR> <BR>

Thank-you for all the suggestions! I have made reservations at Hotel de la Motte Piquet and have used the suggestion to prioritize what I want to see. My only question left is: Will I have anought time? I know I won't, but any time planning suggestions are welcome!!

One place overlooked by other posters is Sainte Chapelle, a small chapel near Notre Dame. The stained glass windows, 15 of which actually form the walls of the upper chamber, are indescribably beautiful and will remain in your memory forever.

<BR>"Language is not a problem". What a change from most people in this forum, and how different from the English. Vive le Canada. <BR> <BR>I've nothing to add as to places to see -- the more so since I thik tourism is a pleasure not a duty, and should follow personal tastes: there are no "must-sees". But you might lkike now to go in to http://www.pariscope.fr, especially under Musees and Expositions, as these pages give opening times and help you plan your time out. Other pages let you start to think out your evenings -- if you've still energy to go out then. <BR> <BR>I like, too, your words "and more". This will entail having a detailed and indexed street atlas. I like the Michelin "Paris Plan", with quantities of information as well as the maps. <BR> <BR>Your week's travel card covers busses, which ply quite fast in Paris and let you see the streetscape as you go, as the metro does not. To use busses you need the RATP bus map, which you can get from the RATP kiosk in front of any big railway station. <BR> <BR>Once in Paris, you'll want to buy the magazine Pariscope, 7 francs. <BR>"Language is not a problem". What a change from most people in this forum, and how different from the English. Vive le Canada. <BR> <BR>I've nothing to add as to places to see -- the more so since I thik tourism is a pleasure not a duty, and should follow personal tastes: there are no "must-sees". But you might lkike now to go in to http://www.pariscope.fr, especially under Musees and Expositions, as these pages give opening times and help you plan your time out. Other pages let you start to think out your evenings -- if you've still energy to go out then. <BR> <BR>I like, too, your words "and more". This will entail having a detailed and indexed street atlas. I like the Michelin "Paris Plan", with quantities of information as well as the maps. <BR> <BR>Your week's travel card covers busses, which ply quite fast in Paris and let you see the streetscape as you go, as the metro does not. To use busses you need the RATP bus map, which you can get from the RATP kiosk in front of any big railway station. <BR> <BR>Once in Paris, you'll want to buy the magazine Pariscope, 7 francs. <BR> <BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome to Europe. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines, London <BR> <BR> <BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome to Europe. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines, London <BR> <BR>

Actually Versailles is about 25 minutes by car from Paris or by RER (part of the Metro). But I'd go see Vaux le Vicomte, a much more beautiful chateau and much less crowded, as it is a good hour from the city. However, save this advice for next time--you'll probably want to spend your seven days wandering around Paris itself. Have a great trip.