Paris? Not DLP trip

[redshirt]

I'm going to Paris for a day and not doing DLP, but have a ton of questions. I was wondering if I could ask here or is it just DLP questions?

 

[Principessa]

I'm not sure if it's on topic enough, but I've been to Paris quite a bit and you could PM me a question if they boot us off this thread.

 

[redshirt]

Ok thanks!

We are taking the Eurostar for a day trip from London. I will have my 5 year old daughter and 21 year old sister who has never left the state she lives in before and is very....babied. So 2 kids. We are doing the Eiffel tower, Louvre, Notre Dame and anything else we can squeeze in. I was going to get the museum pass to cover those. (not the tower I know)

Concerns:
General saftey: I've lived in cities so I know common sense is key. My biggest concern is I'm going to be so distracted with my daughter. This is the first time I'm essentially in control on my own travel wise so I'm quite intimidated. Every website says just don't stay out at night, but I don't want to feel like I should flee Paris as soon as it gets dark. Was planning on catching the 9pm train back to London.

Mobility: I wasn't going to bring a stroller. My daughter's a pretty good walker without complaining. The three places I mentioned would it be best to bring one? Worse case scenario and I had to buy one, how easy would it be to find a place that didn't cost a fortune? I am 'planning' to take it easy but I tend to be in go mode when I am a tourist lol. If I did bring a stroller I'd have to bring it from the US to UK and the to Paris, and that's the only time I'd use it for my whole trip.

What to do: Anywhere else you would suggest to do anything? (eat, shop, see?) Budget is very limited as the currency conversion from dollar to anything is horrible right now. I would like to get some kind of memento but not the typical plastic tourist statue that you see at any tourist spot.

Absolutely any tips would be so much appreciated. I'm stressing over everything even down to what shoes to wear that day. (I know, overt-hinking it)

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[Principessa]

Wow! I love your enthusiasm! I'll try to help...

Only one day? Let me think out loud here about how much time to allow for those sites. Eiffel tower - plan on 2 hours for lines, photos, finding your way, having fun. Notre Dame - maybe an hour if you don't want to walk up the stairs for the view. I've been to the church recently, but not up stairs for the view. I think it is just a walk up, no elevator! Louvre - wow. Amount of time depends on your objectives. Does your 21 yr old like paintings? I'm pretty sure strollers are not allowed in the museum, but actually I don't know! I will glance at the website.
One strategy would be to just go there and each person choose one area to visit. If you want to follow everyone to the room with the Mona Lisa you could...I like the large size French 19th century paintings - Delacroix, Gerricault. They show scenes from French history and are very impressive.
I love the gift shops in the Louvre; they have nice souvenirs, some small items, decks of cards (Mona Lisa of course), pens, pencils, small mirrors, letter openers, fans (they have gift items in a Marie Antoinette type collection that are from Versailles, also in this location).

Right across from the Louvre of course is the Tuileries gardens. If your 5 year old needs a run and play break, this is the spot. Lots of chairs around the pond; you can rent boats in summer. Across the street (Rivoli) you could go to the tour guide famous Angela's café (or is it Angelina? I can check) for the super rich hot chocolate.

So what season/month will you be there?

I wouldn't worry one bit about being there after dark, especially if you will be back on the train by 9pm. Just usual big city style precautions apply - carry your purse on the side away from the street, don't put it on the floor in the café, have your subway tickets out and ready before you get into the station, etc.

Stroller: would you use one for your 5 yr old in Disney? Running around Paris is as much walking as doing Disney all day! I would say skip the stroller and just take sit down breaks in parks or cafés, in the church. But I haven't travelled with a little one in a while! If you aren't sure, I'd say get the cheapest umbrella stroller and bring it from the States, maybe with the idea of just abandoning it if it's too much trouble while in Paris.

I'm happy to share more ideas/opinions. These are just my ideas - I hope others will join the conversation!

 

[Principessa]

Trip Advisor likes Angelina's café:
"Ranked #13 of 187 nightlife in Paris 206 Reviews
Type: Bar/ Clubs, Coffeehouses
Activities: Dining, Drinking
Traveler Description: Good place to bring friends for salads, pastries, snacks, and hot drinks after a walk in the Tuileries Garden. Recommended: the religieuse...."

The Louvre website indicates that they have loaner strollers available!

Shoes are very important! I always try to wear short black boots in winter, flat skimmer type shoes in fall, sandals in summer. No heels for me, I'm too clumsy with them on the cobblestones.

Souvenirs - don't overlook the very touristy small metal Eiffel towers. I like a small one to have on a bookshelf, near my computer. Not fond of the key chains, too sharp in the purse!

Souvenirs - if you have time to shop, find a Monoprix store. It's like a Target sort of - lots of trendy inexpensive purses, jewelry, cosmetics (I like to get a Bourjois brand lipstick as a souvenir) fun dish towels and placemats. There's a Monoprix very near the St Germain metro/ church; not too far a walk south from the Louvre. That may be too ambitious - a lot of the fun of Paris for me anyways is just walking around and discovering things by accident. The exact opposite of my style in WDW!

 

[Jules1212]

I'm going to Paris for a day and not doing DLP, but have a ton of questions. I was wondering if I could ask here or is it just DLP questions?

Hi there.

Happy to offer some advice on your proposed day trip. I think the first thing with a five year old in tow is to not be too ambitious in how much you can try to cram into one day in a major city. Personally, I think your plan IS a bit too ambitious.

I would very much recommend something like going a bus tour of the city like we did last June with Foxity Tours. You get the bus in Place de la Madeleine and it takes you around forty sights in Paris over an hour and three quarters - including the Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, banks of the Seine, Louvre pyramid and so on and so on. Bus is open topped or has a clear roof if raining and commentry via headset in 9 languages. For the three of you it would be 30 euros which is great value.

When we went, we disembarked at the foot of the Eiffel Tower so you could make that your next visit - if you buy your tickes in advance that will reduce some of the queuing time.

As said before, the Tuileries gardens are nice to take a 5 year old to. I would then head for the Notre Dame for a closer look.

Unless it would be the highlight of your trip, I would probably give the Louvre a miss. It is vast - one of the world's largest museums. If you want to go to visit the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo then I would just aim to do that. I really cannot see a 5 year old wanting to walk miles of (albeit beautiful!) corridors and galleries. You can pretty much aim on everything taking twice as long with a child with you than with just an adult group.

We did not find Paris any more daunting in terms of potential danger than any other city (and less so than many!). Usual common sense applies. Just be VERY aware for pickpockets - especially on the metro and near the Eiffel Tower. I certainly was not worried after dark and we were fine out and about and using the metro until about midnight.

Stores like Toys R Us and Argos here in the UK both sell very inexpensive basic strollers and it may be worth picking one up as sightseeing and travelling can tire even the most enthusiastic 5 year old.

Above all, aim to have fun and not do too much. Otherwise you will just get very stressy and Paris is a city worth enjoying! Bon voyage.

 

[torsie24]

Safety wise I don't think you need to worry in Paris any more than you would in NYC/London/Chicago any big city.

Stay to the tourist areas and be aware of pickpockets etc as you would in any city adn you'll be fine any time of day or night.

We went to Paris for 2 days/1 night and did the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Sacre Cours, Champs Elysees and the outside of the Louvre as well as some shopping and lovely meals. After climbing those 3 and walking all over the city in a 24 hour period I couldn't walk for about a week though!!

I recon if you did the twoer in the morning adn then went adn saw just the outside and inside of Notre Dame and had a nice lunch in the middle you;d have a nice enough day.

You'll be ready for a snooze on the train back!

 

[redshirt]

I knew this would be the best place to ask!! Thank you guys so much! I've taken so many notes already.

Yeah we are only doing one day It is kind of a spur of the moment trip during a trip to England. Planning on getting the 6 or 7 am train then 9pm one back. Figure I can do disney all day/night with extra magic hours so that means I can do Paris like that too lol.

We are going in early march. I haven't picked a day yet, but was thinking a tuesday. I've come across a few sites that say some places are closed on Mondays&I think it was the Louvre or somewhere. I'm guess like everywhere else the weekend would be busier.

Stroller - We haven't done Disney without a stroller yet, but last trip she was more out of it than in. That's great about the Lourve have loaners! I think I'll get one even as just a break for her and that should solve the problem.

My sister isn't museum interested at all and only wants to see the Mona Lisa. So after the advice from you guys I think we will just run in and out. Now my question is should I bother with the museum pass or just pay at each place. I know it covers the Louvre and Notre Dame. I was going to try to squeeze another use out of it somewhere, but with all the tips I now I have I don't think I will. After re-reading maybe I should skip the inside of the louvre. I plan to go back with my husband in probably 4 or 5 years and I am starting to think it'd also be better as my daughter could appreciate it a lot more at 10 than she would at 5.

So that answered the museum pass question. Any other passes like that we should pick up? I know in England you can get day rail passes, would we need something like that you think?

Angelina's is now on the list! Sounds like a perfect pit stop. Also Monoprix&you said the magic words of 'like target'.

Foxity- I didn't consider doing a tour but this one sounds like it'd be perfect. Did you just book through the site? Where does it meet up? It'd also help with the stroller dilemma. Would it be best to do the tour first thing?

I am planning on booking/paying for everything from here, is that wise or should I do it when I get there? I know the Eiffel tower is better booked in advance and assuming the bus tour would be too.

I think I am going to go with black boots for shoes too. I've also read a 'cross body' bag is best, but that's the style purse I use anyway. Thanks for the reassurance of safety! What you guys said is what I figured. Once you read doom and gloom it tends to stick in your head I guess.

Again thank you guys so much!! I feel so much better and more confident about the trip now!

~Lauren