FIRST...PURCHASE A RICK STEVES PARIS TRAVEL BOOK....2013....IT'S A BIBLE AND WELL WORTH THE COST....I tear out the pages for the day and put them in my purse when we're there rather than carry the book each day. I save the pages and put them back into the book each evening....and bring it home with me for reference. He also has a great six day in Paris tour that you can follow.
Day 1: purchase a museum pass for six days ...it pay for itself and eliminates the standing in line as you have special entrances or move to the front at almost everything. Check out what it offers: Paris Museum Pass...Rick has this in his book.
This is the day to get your bearings.....maybe a hop on/off bus to get a feel for the city. Just walk on both sides of the Seine River and enjoy...Walk the Latin Quarter on the left bank...learn the Metro system...walk both of the L'Isle...Cite & St. Louis around Notre Dame....if the line isn't too long take time to visit inside...shortest lines are early in the morning and late in evening. If you go in for the Mass you can bypass the lines...The Cluny Museum is in the Latin Quarter...check it out...also the Pantheon
Day 2: We used this day to go to Versailles....it's an easy train ride and a big ticket item on your museum pass...nearly pays for the pass!!!
This evening is great to visit Montmartre and enjoy the views and have dinner up there....the Moulin Rouge is also in that area; the show has never interested us but fun to see the outside....
Day 3: Arc de Triomphe, Jacquemart-Andre Museum...not on the Pass but well worth the fee....Walk the Champs Elyees, visit the Orangerie Musee (closed Tuesday) and also the Orsay Musee (closed Monday)...
Day 4: Bell Tower at Notre Dame...go early...before it opens....stand in line...shortest early in the morning...then visit the cathedral; visit Sainte Chapelle (it's the upstairs chapel that is so beautiful...you also have to go through security here so you can't go to the front of the line with your pass) & Conciergerie next door, ........, Musee Rodin (closed Monday)
Day 5: This was the day we went to the Louvre....also to the Opera Garnier....and a good shopping day...see below....
Day 6: This was our day to tour the Eiffel Tower....get your tickets very early online before you leave on your trip....
Eiffel-tower.com today (12/27/12) you can get tickets up to April 1st....so it's probably about 4 months ahead that you can get them.
Visit Rue Cler while in this area..have a crepe & beer at Ulysee en Gaule....also the military museums: Army Museum & Napoleon's Tomb
The Flame at Pont de L'Ama is in this area and easy to visit if you're a fan of Princess Diana
EVENING CRUISE ON THE SEINE RIVER....dinner cruise is very romantic and fun...but expensive...they also have evening cruises that are just a boat ride with the lights on the buildings..good but the dinner cruise is special!
Seine River Cruises
THE BEST PARKS: Luxembourg (Latin Quarter) .The Tullieres .. (Louvre) Park Monceau...(Arc de Tromphe) ..Palace Royal..(Lourve) Picnic lunches (buy drinks & food in the grocery store) are great fun for lunches in the park and if it's warm plan at least one evening to sit on the quay and eat your dinner with the rest of Paris....again...shop at the store. FOR A BIT OF ROMANCE...TAKE A PADLOCK WITH YOU TO PUT ON THE BRIDGE AND THROUGH AWAY THE KEY...everlasting love....
FREE MUSEUMS THAT ARE GOOD: Carnavalet (museum of the city of Paris) in Marais area...Petit Palais....Victor Hugo's House, Fragonard Perfume....there's more (see Rick's book)..also on the first Sunday many of the museums are free.
CHURCHES: all are free: Notre Dame, St. Suplice (Latin Quarter), Sacre-Coeur Basilica (Montmartre), St. Eustache (Les Halles...near the Stock Exchange)...so many more in every neighborhood
SHOPPPING: Everywhere...but check out Galleries Lafayettte...just behind the Opera Garnier ... wonderful stained glass ceiling in the center and also go up to the roof for views all over Paris
There are wonderful little shopping malls all over Paris....very old and beautiful...called Passages and also Galeries....attached is a link to a story about them...wonderful and I just found them this year!
passages & galeries in Paris
CONCERTS are fun in the churches...we did one in Saint Chapelle this spring and loved it...you buy the tickets outside during the day...if you do this one...go early as it requires going through security.
So much more....but a lot depends on what your interests are. Best to take a different area each day and do everything in that area...but everything is small and you can walk everywhere.
Have you considered an apartment....many people are doing that now and really like it over a hotel.
Even if you're not planning a trip soon...I hope that you've enjoyed a mind's eye visit to the City of Love......Happy New Years.....
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