Oh, something you should pack is a little dishwashing liquid. I always fill one of my empty, plastic, travel bottles with some as apartments I've rented never have any available. I also pack a sponge. I cut it into 4 pieces and then use the little pieces for different things. Happy Travels!

Thanks - I have those little plastic bottles for shampoo, etc. So I will pack some dish soap. I will also pick up the pass at the airport. Toilet paper as well! I imagine that we will be eating some in the apartment, especially in the mornings. Keep the advice coming!

Yummmm -- toilet paper for breakfast (sorry, couldn't resist!)

Wow! I really wrote that sentence incorrectly!! Sounds exactly like we will be having TP for breakfast! I guess I should have previewed that one before posting.

:-)

Another question on that museum pass. Is it good at various museums? Or once you use it,it isn't good any longer? My husband seems to think taking the metro from the airport to the apartment would be more cost effective. Is that a good idea? Thanks -

Do the boats that give the tours on the Seine operate in March?

The metro does not go from the airport to where your apartment is. You will have to take the RER to St. Michel/Notre Dame and then get off there and go up the very long escalator and pray that it's working. Then it's down a long corridor and when you come out, on your left, you will have to go through the metro turnstile. Now, you will be entering the metro. That metro station is Cluny, Line 10.

Get on at that station and go Direction:Boulogne Point de St.-Cloud and get off at either Odeon or Mabillion. It'll be about a 15-20 minute walk with luggage. And you'll have to lug luggage up lots of stairs to get out of the metro station. Happy Travels!

Boulogne. I don't know why these faces pop up. Happy Travels!

The Museum Pass is good at a lot of museums, and you can go to as many as you want in a day. It's basically a daily use pass, there is no limit on number of museums. You can read the details on their website, as well as the list of places, which is pretty extensive.
www.parismuseumpass.com

Having said that, I don't usually buy one and don't see the need in March, especially, if the reason you want one is to save time in line. There aren't hardly any lines anywhere except the Orsay museum and some special exhibits at the Grand Palais. Even the Louvre doesn't have long lines because they have so many ticket machines.

I think the boats on the Seine run all year, they just stop sometimes in winter if it is really cold or the Seine freezes. Here's the website of one of the biggest companies (Bateaux Mouches, which I like) and they even have a Valentine's menu on their dinner-included cruises, so they are obviously open.
http://www.bateaux-mouches.fr/

Of course the metro would be cheaper, but I think your husband is too cheap, given your destination.

I will let my husband know your thoughts on him being too cheap!! :) I agree - we will be tired. We will have luggage, etc. So I'm sure we will make the wise choice on getting to the apartment. Sometimes I DO get my way. Thanks for the info on the river cruises. I will check out their web site. It will be interesting to see what kind of weather we get - that will decide whether we even want to go on a river ride. The main reason for the museum pass was to avoid lines - but if that won't be an issue in March - we will forgo that one. I really appreciate all of the good advice. It is going to make the trip much smarter for us.

I don't want to sound unusually disagreeable, but we've endured long lines in March, in the rain, at St-Chappelle. We became sold on the museum pass when we used it to by-pass very long lines at the Musee d'Orsay following one of the periodic museum workers' strikes which had shut it for a few days. The pass also gives one the luxury of popping in to minor museums without any concern about incremental costs.

If cost is the sole issue, make a list of attractions you will visit, sum their entrance fees and compare the sum with the cost of the pass.

If you are looking for a low cost boat ride you might investigate the batobus which runs along the river, stopping at several "bus stops" along the way. No commentary from a guide though.

Have a great trip.

hmmm - Thanks for the info on the museum pass. A great idea to add up cost for what passes we would buy. I'm still a bit confused about it though. Is it only good for one day or for several days - and can be used for any museum? I have been reading on the different museums. I hear that Rick Steve's does not recommend the Pantheon, Musee Histoire or Musee de Carnavalet. Several people seemed to think that these museums should not be missed. What are your opinions?

See parismetro.com for a complete list of museums (virtually all larger national and state museums) and sites (such as Notre Dame Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Versailles) which participate. The passes are 2, 4 or 6 consecutive days.

I've tried several times on different visits to visit the French Pantheon and each time was stopped by a strike. Lots of dead heroes of France.

I don't mind people being disagreeable, it's just different people have different experiences. I haven't been to Ste Chapelle in a few years, so don't know about that as my comment was really meant to be about museums, that's what I was thinking of. I guess I've heard Ste Chapelle can have a line, but I haven't heard of any big lines anywhere else that is a museum except the Orsay. I think there can be lines at some other "monuments" in addition to Ste Chapelle, like maybe to go up into Notre Dame? not sure, I've never done it.

IF you read the Paris Museum Pass website which I posted, I believe it includes a list of the places where you can use it (go to the museums and monuments link at the top)

and discusses the various options. YOu can buy passes for different day periods, so it's a matter of choice on that one. You can buy one for 2, 4 or 6 days. And those must be consecutive, so once you start using it, it has to be the following days.

no, it isn't any museum, it's ones that cooperate with it and are listed on the website. It is most museums that a tourist wants to go to, though. Of course, the city museums are free anyway, so it doesn't do any good there and won't give you any special access (eg, the Carnavalet, Petit Palais).

I don't think any museum should not be missed, actually, I think it depends on person interests. I wouldn't put the Carnavalet at the top of my list, no. I enjoyed the Pantheon, but again, wouldn't put it at the top and you have to have a particular interest in certain French people and like that kind of a building, I suppose. I read a lot of French literature, including Voltaire, etc., so it certainly was of interest to me. It doesn't take long, anyway, and isn't a museum so is a change from museums. I don't know what the Musee Histoire is supposed to be, never heard of it. I think you must mean something else. I did like the Musee d'art et histoire de Judaism. I don't think there is any museum in Paris named Musee Histoire.

I think the Carnavalet has Histoire used in its full title sometimes (Histoire de Paris or something), but I've commented on that. It isn't really like a history museum much to me, although I like it somewhat. It's nothing like the City of London museum in terms of history, though, which I really like.

If it's the natural history museum, I have not been and wouldn't usually go to that type of a museum on vacation as I don't like them that well and there is nothing special about them unique to the place they are located. I have one in my home city (Wash DC). I don't think Paris is particularly known for that.

Christina - In a review on Amazon about Rick Steve's Paris guide - the Musee Histoire was mentioned. I looked it up on Google and think it must be the Natural History Museum. I'm with you - I don't think that one would be at the top of my list. I will read up on the Museum Pass. I was a little busy here at work and didn't notice your link. Sorry. I just heard from somebody here at work that Whistler's Mother is at the Musee d'Orsy. Wow! That's another one I would love to see. This person at work also took a day trip to Versailles. That sounds great. I guess I need to get busy and start making a list of where to go when. Right now I just want to go everyplace and do everything! I need to focus at some point. Thanks for all of the great information.

Yellowrose:

Whistler's Mother is at the d'Orsay. The painting is huge.

A better site (than the one I gave you above)for the museum pass is: parismuseumpass.com. Versailles is part of the group that is covered by the pass.

Ste Chapelle has very long lines. My mom wanted to see it in April 2006. We were on the bus and passed it and when she saw the line, she said we'd have to skip it. She's now in her early 80s.

As for Notre Dame, the lines to go up the tower are very long. There is also a line to get into Notre Dame, but that moves quite fast. I took my mom as she loves to go to Notre Dame when she's in Paris. I'm glad I did most of this stuff back in the 70s and 80s when it wasn't crowded like it is now.

I sent 3 friends off to the D'Orsay, one afternoon, a few years ago, last week in March, and they came back to the hotel and said that they couldn't get in as there were so many people. I had told them to get up and go early, but I think they headed over there in the early afternoon. I went off somewhere else that day and happened to be walking back to the hotel when I saw them coming down the street looking disappointed. I absolutely adore the D'Orsay, my favorite museum. But, I haven't been in there since the 90s. I used to go all the time and never had to wait long.

As for the Louvre, I've never had to wait that long to get in. My mom and I entered from the inside/underground area of the Louvre and I was surprised to see metal detectors/x-ray machines(?). This was in April 2006. I'd never gone through that system before then. There was no line. We walked right in. Happy Travels!

Finally had time to read up on the museum pass. I understand it now. It looks like a good bargain to me. If we went to Versailles - would it be worthwhile to go to Giverny (in March?) Have any of you been to the St. Sulpice organ concert? I play the piano and organ and would most likely love to hear it. Can you tell I am pouring over travel books tonight?

I assume you mean Monet's house. I've been to Giverny a few times, however, in March Monet's gardens probably won't be open and the flowers probably won't be in bloom. I've been in April and they weren't really in bloom, one cold April. The house is nice to see. Once you're there, it should take about an hour. Happy Travels!