So I am very overwhelmed with trip planning. This is 1st time to Paris; we%26#39;ll be there early July. We enjoy some museums, off the beaten path sights but not an overly zealous go go go kind of travel day. But also need to cover the must-see sights of Paris!
I laid out an itinerary but am open to any suggestions, additions etc. I am not too sure about locations and getting from here to there so i%26#39;m open to switching things around. The only item is * (for sure we need to be there). Open to restaurant suggestions too.
Friday:
Arrive by TGV 3:30p.m.
Find way to friends house (unsure of address)
Saturday:
Eiffel Tower (1st thing, going all way to top)
Bus #69 tour (start at Eiffel end at Bastille)
?
*Evening dinner in 20th district, 6pm
Sunday:
Arc de Triomphe (not going to top)
Champs Elysees
Montmartre (stay til evening sunset view of city)
Monday:
1st thing: Louvre
Jardins des Tuileries (nearby I believe)
Latin quarter
Tuesday:
Monet’s Garden in Giverny
Wednesday:
Chantilly
Thursday: (last day in Paris)
Return to Eiffel tower
Notre Dame, Île de la Cité
Seine riverboat cruise
Some things I wasn%26#39;t sure needed as much time as I gave it.
Where would Rodin Museum fit in? I am considering a day trip to Tours to take a Loire Valley tour but this might be too much...
THANKS~
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Some random thoughts:
Skip the Loire tour, unless you%26#39;re willing to give up at least one of your other daytrips. I might think twice about Chantilly anyway. For my first time, I%26#39;d opt for Chartres over Chantilly.
Tuileries. Yes, it%26#39;s just at the western end of the Louvre. For a truly beautiful garden, however, try to make time to go to the Jardin du Luxembourg. It%26#39;s near enough the Quartier Latin to fit in.
Museums. It would be a real pity to miss Musée d%26#39;Orsay.
Notre-Dame. Be sure to add a stop at Ste-Chapelle while you%26#39;re on the island. It doesn%26#39;t take that long and it is a sight you will remember your entire life.
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You could fit in Orsay Museum on saturday, provided you get a museum pass, or the queues would be long, or thusday night as it remains open late.
I would choose Chantilly over Chartres (sorry Truffaut!) and the Loire valley over Chantilly
You could fit in Rodin on sunday along the Champs Elysées
On Monday in the latin quarter you will basically be next to Notre Dame
If you still have time i would recommend a visit to the Opéra Garnier, very impressive
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Thanks for your input. I have incorporated your suggestions into our itinerary!
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fotogirl -
lucky you going to Paris! We were just there for seven days the first part of May and already I%26#39;m wanting to go back - you%26#39;ll love it! I would strongly suggest that you go to a book store and buy %26quot;Rick Steeves PARIS 2006%26quot; His book is so helpful and takes a lot of stress and worry out of your planning. He explains everything in detail and takes the guesswork out for you. We took his book with us everywhere(read it before you go as well ) and with his advice did not have any problems. Near the front of the book, he has suggestions for things to do each day from one - seven days. Also, we took Bus #69 as Rick suggested however, we went all the way to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery - it%26#39;s quite something to see and you can spend as much or as little time as you wish. The cemetery is in the 20th and you mentioned having dinner in the 20th so a stop at the cemetery might work with the plans you already have.
I wanted to go to the top of the Arc de Triomphe but my knee just wouldn%26#39;t take all those stairs - I found out when we got back home that there is an elevator you can take to the top. Wish I would have known when we were there.
We had planned to take a day trip to Giverny but just ran out of time as there is so much to see in Paris.
You could probably fit in a visit to the Rodin when you are in the Latin Quarter.
Have a fun trip - I know you will.
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Thanks Nanolea!
I actually have the RS Paris book and have read it but just can%26#39;t memorize everything i%26#39;ve read. ;O Thanks for the heads up on ending at the Cemetary. I dont recall RS book mentioning that. Will we know we%26#39;re in the 20th, does it stop with Cemetary in view? Yes we want to be in the 20th by evening so that would be perfect.
I know we do not have a lot planned and getting here from there takes time as well so a leisurely trip in Paris would be ideal. I think i will not do the Loire valley tour just to have less to worry about, and to go with the thought that i will return, which we probably will!
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if you could squeeze in a few hours for this --
Melissa %26amp; I hit Paris the day after Thanksgiving for nine nights.
The best day for me was my last full day (Sat Dec 03, 2005). I did my own thing with the Frommer%26#39;s Guide Book Walking Tour #1 Montmartre
(Moulin Rouge %26amp; Sacre Coeur neighbourhoods)
GUIDE -
frommers.com/destinations/…0062020033.html
MAP --
frommers.com/images/destinations/maps/jpg/62…
PHOTOS --
PARIS 2005 -- Saturday Walking Tour / Pigalle %26amp; Sacre Coeur
www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp…
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fotogirl
Glad to hear you have RS book - it%26#39;s great. There is a LOT of info and you can%26#39;t possibly remember it all - I made a few notes to carry in my purse and then we just looked things up as we went. Each day we made a list of what we wanted to see in a particular district %26amp; then referred to Rick%26#39;s book for the details. Worked well. His %26quot;to do each day%26quot; starts on page 20 and is a very good guide. The Pere Lachaise Cemetery tour info starts on Page 284 and will tell you where to get off if you take bus #69. Page 297 tells about the Bus #69 ride - we boarded the bus near the Eiffel Tower and did the whole ride. Just show the bus driver the picture on Page 287 %26amp; he%26#39;ll help you get off at the right place - at least our driver did - he was very helpful.
Have a great trip.
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fotogirl
Glad to hear you have RS book - it%26#39;s great. There is a LOT of info and you can%26#39;t possibly remember it all - I made a few notes to carry in my purse and then we just looked things up as we went. Each day we made a list of what we wanted to see in a particular district %26amp; then referred to Rick%26#39;s book for the details. Worked well. His %26quot;to do each day%26quot; starts on page 20 and is a very good guide. The Pere Lachaise Cemetery tour info starts on Page 284 and will tell you where to get off if you take bus #69. Page 297 tells about the Bus #69 ride - we boarded the bus near the Eiffel Tower and did the whole ride. Just show the bus driver the picture on Page 287 %26amp; he%26#39;ll help you get off at the right place - at least our driver did - he was very helpful.
Have a great trip.
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fotogirl- Sorry for the error - I was in the wrong screen name and so the reply came from mae_evelyn in error - it was actually from NanoLea and I forgot to change the user name. Sorry. Have fun
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Hi there- yout itinerary looks pretty good- I%26#39;d suggest a few things-
The #69 bus is good- but I don%26#39;t think I%26#39;d go all the way to Bastille- I%26#39;d probably bail out earlier in a more interesting area and walk around for a while. It%26#39;s a loooong ride.
I%26#39;d do the Rodin instead of a second trip to the Tour Eiffel- after you spend all that time going to the top you%26#39;ve pretty much done it.
Absolutely add the D%26#39;Orsay- if I had to choose just one %26quot;wow%26quot; museum, I%26#39;d pick it over the Louvre- which I adore, don%26#39;t get me wrong- but the D%26#39;Orsay is really a whole lot of bang for your buck- you won%26#39;t believe it- painting after painting that you will recognize- and there they are! The scale of the place is just more doable in a half day. Also consider the Cluny- if you%26#39;re interested in the Middle Ages- it%26#39;s wonderful- the Unicorn Tapestries! not to mention all the other treasures- the stained glass exhibit is fascinating-
I%26#39;d skip Chantilly for another trip when you have more time to spend outside Paris. Ditto the Loire. Keep that day open for some wonderful activity or adventure that will surely arise.
Giverney is very easy to do in a half day- but you should go EARLY- plan to be in line about 20 minutes before the opening time- I think there%26#39;s a train at 8:20ish- and they open at 10- you%26#39;ll want to be among the first in the door as it gets very crowded, and the rooms are just so wonderful and serene before the place fills up- you%26#39;ll have plenty of time to enjoy the house and gardens and be back in Paris for the afternoon.
Enjoy your trip- I%26#39;m going back this summer and can%26#39;t wait.
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