This will be our first trip to Paris. Those of you have been so many times, please advice of our tentative schedules and let us know if it%26#39;s reasonable
Day 1 - buy museum, train, supply for apartmentexploring the neighborhood (staying in the 7th) and cruise Seine after dinner at Cafe du Marche.
Day 2 -Napoleon tomb, museum D%26#39;Orsay, Arc de Triomph, Terracotta Army at Pinacotheque and ride up the Eiffel Tower
Day 3 - Versailles and Louvre at night
Day 4 - Montparnasse, Catacomb, Sacre Couer
Day 5 - St Chapelle Ide de la Cite, Conciergerie, Ponpidou Center, Notre Dame, Marais walk, Picasso museum, Latin Quarter and Luxenbourg Garden
Day 6 %26amp; 7 - London
Day 8 - shopping, dinner and Illuminations Tour
We%26#39;re planning on eating lunch at reasonable cafe or take out roasted chicken, then eating crepes or ham $ cheese baguette for dinner to save money. We have 8 people in our party. Our schedule too much? thank you for your advice
Any good cafes at a reasonable price would be greatly appreciated
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Most of this looks viable to me.
I%26#39;ll admit I%26#39;m curious what you will do in Montparnasse? It%26#39;s not tourist-central, though there are things to see there.
Day 5 looks a little %26#39;busy%26#39; to me, I%26#39;d suggest bumping out one of the museums to make it more realistic. Personally, the Picasso would be my choice, my wife and I hated it. They don%26#39;t have many of Picasso%26#39;s better works of art, but if you enjoy seeing a display of Picasso%26#39;s Communist party membership card, well, then you%26#39;ll love it!
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I would assume that Montparnasse is to go up the tower for the view? If so, it will be worth it.
I agree that day 5 will be busy. Perhaps see what you get to that day, and whatever you don%26#39;t have time for you could see on Day 8.
What day of the week is day 8? If it%26#39;s not a Saturday, perhaps you could stay to the Ile de la Cite (St. Chapelle, Concierge, Notre Dame) and left bank area (Latin Quarter and Luxembourg Garden) on day 5, and do the Marais on Day 8 (Pompidou, Picasso, Marais Walk). As long as day 8 isn%26#39;t a saturday, this way you could shop while you walk both day 5 and day 8. There%26#39;s plenty of good shopping in the Marais.
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I think Day 3 is too much to do. Versailles is exhausting because of how much you walk. The same is true for the Louvre. If you just want a couple of hours at the Louvre and you have time to do a sit down relaxing dinner at a cafe or bistro first, perhaps it will work.
I agree Day 5 is too busy. I would skip the Conciergerie. It isn%26#39;t that interesting. However, if you want to do it, you should know that you can get a discount ticket for St. Chapelle and the Conciergerie when you purchase the tickets together at the Conciergerie (they are right next to each other).
You have to love modern art to like the Pompidou. But the open plaza in front is great for people-watching and the Stravinsky fountains next door are just fantastic. The outside of the Pompidou is definitely worth seeing too. None of this will take you very long--unless you want to see the art.
When you say Marais walk, are you talking about taking a tour, perhaps paris-walks.com?
While in the Marais, I suggest a falafel from the walk-up window at L%26#39;As du Falafel on Rue des Rosiers.
I agree that Day 5 you have several different arrondissement neighborhoods mixed together. Group St. Chapelle and Conciergerie, Notre Dame, and Ile de la Cite and I suggest adding Ile St. Louis. Don%26#39;t miss Ile St. Louis!!!
Then group the Pompidou Center, the Marais District and the Picasso Museum.
The third group is the Latin Quarter and Luxembourg Gardens.
You can figure out when to do them based on when you see you have time. Day 8 certainly seems to have time built in for at least one of these groups.
I think Day 4 could handle one of the groups too. Are you going to climb the Montparnasse Tower? It is worth it. There is also a lovely cemetery right next door with many famous literary people buried there. You may not have time for that though.
Have a good trip!
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Thank you so much everyone for your input. The activities for day 4 is not much... I had to drop off my daughter at Le Cordon Bleu for the day so I thought I needed to stay nearby since it%26#39;s so intimidating to navigate through Paris, especially we can%26#39;t even ask for directions. For day 5,I thought I could do everything since the districts are so close together. For day 8 (Wed), I thought we%26#39;ll be exhausted and needed to sleep in and finish some shopping. Your suggestions makes great sense so we%26#39;ll try to do that.
L%26#39;afalel - I couldn%26#39;t tell you the many times this eatery was suggested...is it really that good? what do you suggest I should order?
Gare du Nord - I%26#39;m really nervous about finding my way to the station that early in the morning. Train leaves at 7:00 and I%26#39;ve heard that it takes about 2 hrs to check in and go to the gate. How do I know which train? is there a sign with the train number? I need to be at the station at 5:00 am - party of 8 - what is the best transportation to the train station? thank you all again
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L%26#39;As du Falafel is really that good. You just go up to the walk-up window (get in line with everyone else--the line goes fast). The regular falafel is 3.5E--very cheap! (or at least it was that in October %26#39;07). It is the basic falafel--nothing fancy to it. I literally moan when I eat these. I travel alone and I try not to get too close to anyone so they don%26#39;t think I am crazy (smile!)
Your lucky daughter that she is going to take a class at Le Cordon Bleu. I have taken two classes there and I enjoyed them both.
If you are worried about getting around without your daughter, be sure to have a Paris map and a metro map. Just point to places on your maps and people will show you where to go. Be adventuresome. You will be okay. You will find a Metro station where ever you are and it will take you back to the station where Le Cordon Bleu is. Don%26#39;t worry. Have fun. So many people have worried about getting lost and using the Metro system and they come back and report that it was easy.
When you mention needing two hours to catch your train at Gare du Nord, I don%26#39;t think that is right. I haven%26#39;t caught a train at that station but I have caught several trains at Gare de Lyon and one at Gare Montparnasse. Perhaps someone else can give you advice but I think if you get to the train station one hour ahead, or even 45 minutes ahead, you should be fine.
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I think you planned well! I would not change anything. As you go about your plan just delete as is needed if you spent more time at one place than you thought.
If you go to Versailles in the morning you can leave by 3 pm or so then you can do the late night at Louvre...it usually is not crowded. Right near the Louvre shopping mall there is a food court up the escalators which is good for budget meals and lots of choices.
I do not like the Catacombs -- dark, cold, stairs, to underground view of bones! (bring flash light and sweater!).
I think you can do all you planned on day 5. Just change Notre Dame to before Latin Quarter and Luxembourg Gardins.
Unless you are into modern art I would just look at the outside of the Pompidou Center.
Are you going to the Montparnasse Tower?
The cafeteria in the Rodin gardens is very good food and not expensive. Irecommend the three salads and the pecan tarte! Hubby got the tasty quiche and green salad.
The cafeteria near Napoleon Tomb
(the building where the gift shop is!) is very good also. Not expensive either.
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