katie

My friend and I will be spending two days in Paris, what are some must see sights? We are students on a limited budget. Thanks for any help. Katie

ABC

I don't want to be rude, but for people like you the Paris Top 3 probably is: <BR>1. EuroDisney <BR>2. McDonalds Restaurant <BR>3. American Express Bank

Su

Katie, <BR>Ignore the coward who posted the mean message but not his name. <BR> <BR>Check out Paris Walking Tours: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...ng/PWTHOME.HTM <BR> <BR>They run 2 hour tours for 60F each. You may find it a good way to orientate yourself and get a feel of some of the neighbourhoods. There was a hosted forum on Paris recently so if you look at past hosted forums and do a quick search you may find some other ideas. <BR>Have a good trip!

MarkJ

Head over to Pere-Lachaise Cemetery, it is a beautiful area, many interesting people are buried ther and it's free. I second Paris Walks they are interesting, informative and as Su says a good way to learn about various neighbourhoodsareas of Paris. Take the ferris wheel (directly opposite from the Madelline Church) a great way to see Paris from above (very inexpensive). Just walking around the city will give you lots to see!! <BR> <BR>Have a wonderful trip.

Beth Anderson

Hi Katie, <BR> <BR>seriously, ignore that dork! How ignorant - he doesn't know a thing about you. I think he must have travel envy - he has never been anywhere in his whole life and feels he must denigrate those who are able to go places... (if he comes back to read this, I bet he has to look up "denigrate" ha ha ha!) let the flaming begin! <BR> <BR>anyway, go to the top of the Arch of Triumph. Great vantage point, much easier than trying to go up the Eiffel Tower. The lines are shorter. <BR> <BR>Get a Cartes de Musees et Monuments, at the Metro - it's a good & cheaper way to see many museums. You also get your own special, SHORTER line for sights - including the Arch of Triumph among 40 some others... <BR> <BR>definitely Pere Lachaise is a good pick. quiet and peaceful - and if you like the Doors or are at least curious - Jim Morrison is buried there too. I believe Colette and Edith Piaf are too... <BR> <BR>mainly though, just walk walk walk walk walk. take lots of pictures. have a picnic in one of the many beautiful parks. go on a Bateau Mouche ride on the Seine (easy to find - not far from the Eiffel Tower - just ask. "ou sont les bateaux mouches, s'il vous plait"? <BR> <BR>go to Sacre Coeur - highest point in Paris. Walk all through Montmartre. <BR> <BR>try to check out the Musee Marmottan if you like Impressionist paintings - it is Claude Monet heaven. if you really have time, Giverny is 60 miles from Paris - that is where he spent the last 40 years of his life - many of his famous paintings were inspired by this home... while we are on the subject - Auvers sur Oise is easily accessible from Paris - fairly near the CDG airport actually - and that is where Van Gogh spent the last 70 days of his life & painted over 80 paintings in that time! (including Crows in a Wheatfield - one of my favorites)... <BR> <BR>also, the Musee d'Orsay (M d'O) is also very good for impressionism among many others - and it is included on your Carte de Musees et Monuments pass (with that one little pass, you can see so many things - all included. for a tight budget and little time - PERFECT. you don't have to wait in lines, and you don't have to pull out your money every time...) <BR> <BR>whew. I hope you get to see some of this! good luck and have fun. <BR> <BR>Beth

elaine

katie <BR>If you think it might be helpful, email me and I can send you my Paris sightseeing notes. <BR>Paris is wonderful on any budget, but with only two days you will leave wanting to go back soon to see the rest! <BR>have fun

katie

Thank you to everyone, except the ignorant snob who has nothing better to do with his time than insult me. I will probably be in touch with some of you for more information, but this is a great start. Thanks again---Katie

Brian in Atlanta

2 days is a short time. Here's what I'd see/do: <BR> <BR>1. Notre Dame. Have a picnic of good bread, cheese, fruit and wine (sorry Vincent) in the park behind it. <BR> <BR>2. L'Arc de Triumph - pay the fee to get to the top to view the grand boulevards stemming from it. <BR> <BR>3. Sacre Coeur - beautiful church and a great neighborhood for wandering. <BR> <BR>4. Eiffel Tower - view from the ground, don't waste precious time waiting in line to ascend. <BR> <BR>5. Spend lots of time walking through the Latin Quarter (5th). Lots of young people, good bars and cheap eats. <BR> <BR>6. Unless you're a serious art fan, stay out of the museums, they can be a real time suck. Once you pay, you feel obligated to stay and "get your money's worth". <BR> <BR>Don't worry about seeing everything - you couldn't in a year. And at your age, you'll undoubtedly return. Perhaps for your honeymoon?

Thyra

You might want to consider getting a Paris Bus tour/pass. They have a special student rates and are good for 2 days. You can hop on or off the bus at any stop and get back on at another. It's got a multi-lingual narration that briefly describes the sites you are seeing. It allows you to get the feel of the city, see everything and get to and from the sites easily ( I think the busses run every 20-30 minutes or so) You can get the tickets at Tourist info. on the Champs Elyses (sp?) and last year when we took it, the pass included a free boat trip down the Sein. <BR>Bon Voyage!

elvira

Limited budget? <BR> <BR>Day 1) Notre Dame/Deportation Memorial first thing in the morning; Louvre at the opening; Champs Elysees; boat ride on the Seine (you can see the Eiffel Tower from here) <BR>Day 2) Pere Lachaise in the morning http://www.gargl.net/lachaise/index.htmlSacre Coeur; the Madeleine and then shopping in the department stores (you don't have to buy anything, but it's a good look at Paris life); stroll through the 5th in the evening. <BR> <BR>Not a lot of money spent, but a lot to see. I personally like the view from the Eiffel Tower, but it IS a long wait in line and it IS serious coin to get to the top, so with limited time/money, skip it.

Kristi

Katie, you've gotten some great advice. I'd second the recommendation to get the museum pass (carte de musee). You can buy one for just a day for around 80FF and see a little bit of a lot for a lot less money. And the best part is being able to skip the sometimes very long lines, especially if you just want to spend a little time somewhere. Go to www.parisvisite.tm.fr and click on museums and monuments for a listing of the attractions that are included-I think the only thing that we did that was extra was the Eiffel Tower which I agree you can skip if your on a time budget. <BR> <BR>If you visit Notre Dame, hop across the street and visit Saint Chappelle, a beautiful stained glass chapel. For a free view of Paris, go to the top of the Samarataine department store. You can see the sign for the store as you are strolling along the Seine river. The Arc de Triomphe is included in the museum pass, the view from the top is excellent. <BR> <BR>Paris is a wonderful city to walk in but if you need to use the metro, buy a ten pack of tickets (carnet) for a lot less than single rides. You and your friend can share the package. <BR> <BR>A great way to eat lunch is to find a supermarket and make sandwiches. We also found some wonderful puddings and flans in the dairy section. And the aisles of cheese, I actually laughed when I saw all of it. The Latin Quarter also has quite a few inexpensive places to eat. <BR> <BR>Have a great trip!

Jeff

The first response was rude, but kind of funny. Sorry, but I kind of like sarcasm. Katie, please read a travel guide or two, if you haven't already. I would not agree with some of the foregoing posts, but that does not mean they aren't valid. I simply might disagree with another person's priorities. Posts are subjective. Guidebooks are sometimes a little more objective. Therefore, I'd use a guidebook to form some initial opinions. Once you have some ideas, you may want to ask the board what people thought of such and such attraction. No matter what you end up doing, Paris is a wonderful city. PS: we enjoyed the park-like Rodin museum; the Musee de Orsay; the Eiffel (from below and the 2nd level); and the food.

adina

On one day I would see Notre Dame, climb to the top for the incredible view and then wander around the Ile de la Cite. In the afternoon I would take a Bateux Mouche (if its too hot during the day do the boat ride earlier in the morning). At night go to the Eiffel Tower around dusk and see the city light up. On the second day I would spend some time in the Luxembourg Gardens and then walk the Champs D'Elysses from the Louvre and the Tuilleries to the Arc D'Triumph. The view from the top of the arch is definitely worthwhile. On a limited budget you'll probably have to choose between going to the top of either the Eiffel Tower or the Arc d'Triumph. Its hard to choose but I'd probably regret not going to the top of the Eiffel Tower-- its just one of those things you have to do.

noname

Katie, you've gotten so solid suggestions here, the best of which, I think, is Jeff's, especially his remarks about how you should look at the individual postings. A prime example of what he's talking about is Brian's unbelievable remark about museums being a "time suck" unless "you're a serious art fan." <BR>What's the matter, Brian, does it cut into your drinking time?

Brian in Atlanta

Touche, noname. <BR> <BR>It's simply personal preference, but if I was a 20-year old student with 48 hours in Paris, I would be much more interested in seeing the city and its people than artwork in a museum. <BR> <BR>But then the age of 20 wasn't that far ago for me. Perhaps it was for you . . .

CollegeKid

This may come as a surprise you Brian: Some of us college kids like museums. If I was going to Paris right now for even for two days, I think I'd try to squeeze in a couple hours at the Louvre. I might even give up a few drinks in one of those good bars in the Latin Quarter to do it.

Jeff

I forgot to mention the churches, particularly the Notre Dame, Ste. Chappelle and the Sacre Cour. Some of the other posters are making my point for me: Different people like different things. I like drinking beer in museums, personally! Just kidding. I have enjoyed this thread. <BR>

Sheila

There is so much to see that it will overwhelm you in just two days. I just had to say that I did not go to the top of the Eiffel Tower because I was too tired that day to stand in line and I have regretted it ever since. Just don't be sorry that you did not go to the top. Sacre Coeur is definitely worth your time. Have fun.

Peg

Katie, Like the others have told you, some of the best sights are free. I'll never forget the Eiffel Tower at night, walking the different neighborhoods and just being in Paris!! My journal is at http://minimn.home.mindspring.com. I am going back in October because I barely scratched the surface. You will love it!!!