Day Trip to Paris - Itinerary

[Carrie_Cat]

Oh WOW, you're AMAZING, thank you!!!

Any suggestions on driving? We'll be coming from Germany. I'm not worried about the drive to DLP, but could we drive to the Foxity tour, perhaps? Thank you so much! You are a wealth of information!

Thank you

You can drive but I wouldnt for various reasons

- You'd spend more time in traffic than it would take you to go there and back by train
- You'd lose huge amounts of time looking for a place to park in the center and if you actually found one you would have to go pay a parking card and then go and top up the parking meter every 2 hours which wouldn't be really practical if you were sightseeing
-You could leave it in one of the Vinci multistorey car parks but you'll pay through the nose for it - after 3 hours it goes to 30,40€ for the day
-Driving in Paris is "sportive" to say the least and if you aren't used to it it can be very tiring and stressful

 

[kizzabel]

Hi, sorry I'm only getting back to this now.

Thanks guys. I should have given more details. My minds running on over time at the minute.
After reading through Lonely Planet I wanted to visit Cimitere Pere Lachaise (bit morbid for honeymoon perhaps but I always loved a bit of celeb spotting!) but I think this is possibly too far out to make it viable.

Also the Pompidou Centre looks interesting. Has anyone been?

The scaredy cat part of me is saying "You will get lost in Paris, stick with what you know and go to DLP".... Is Chatelet des Halles that bad? Changing from RER B to A is the part that has me most worried. Also is the RER a pain with two heavy suitcases? Its the fear of the unknown really! But saying that if all went wrong and we merely strolled along soaking up the Parisian atmosphere I know we would be quite content.

Also does anyone know how much the Bateau Mouche are? And how long it lasts?

I hope at some time I can help you out with info about Ireland.
Thanks

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Hi, sorry I'm only getting back to this now.

Thanks guys. I should have given more details. My minds running on over time at the minute.
After reading through Lonely Planet I wanted to visit Cimitere Pere Lachaise (bit morbid for honeymoon perhaps but I always loved a bit of celeb spotting!) but I think this is possibly too far out to make it viable.

Also the Pompidou Centre looks interesting. Has anyone been?

The scaredy cat part of me is saying "You will get lost in Paris, stick with what you know and go to DLP".... Is Chatelet des Halles that bad? Changing from RER B to A is the part that has me most worried. Also is the RER a pain with two heavy suitcases? Its the fear of the unknown really! But saying that if all went wrong and we merely strolled along soaking up the Parisian atmosphere I know we would be quite content.

Also does anyone know how much the Bateau Mouche are? And how long it lasts?

I hope at some time I can help you out with info about Ireland.
Thanks

Pompidou is great if you like modern art as that's all there is in there You used to be able to go in and go up to the roof for great view over Paris using the lift but they stopped it. Now you need an entrance ticket

Pére Lachaise is very easy to get to and it's a fascinating place to wander around and very moving in certain parts.

http://www.pere-lachaise.com/

I'd seen a great itinerary for you on Trip Advisor going by bus from Gare du Nord to the ET but I got distracted and didn't put it up

Will go and find it - here it is post 13

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTo...figured_out-Paris_Ile_de_France.html#38392588

I put a link up ^^ for the Bateau Mouches but here it is again

http://www.bateaux-mouches.fr/en

Chatelet-Les Halles is vast but it's not a no go zone, millions of people go through it day after day. Avoid rush hour as you are not used to it and you have the cases. Just follow the signs and you'll be fine.

If you didn't want to go via there at all you could always follow the signs at GdN to the RER E at Magneta (a very short walk still in the station) , go 1 stop to St Lazare (end of the line) and then follow the signs through the station to the RER A at Auber (less than 10 minutes walk) then catch the train from there to MLV-Chessy

Slightly longer but you would have avoided Les Halles

 

[A Small World]

Pompidou centre isnt that interesting inside as Carrie says but is worth a visit to have a quick look as from the outside its such an interesting building- maybe different rather than interesting. Theres also lots of street entertainment outside it so you can sit and watch for a while and have a rest - thats what I did last time I went

Also Pere Lachaise isnt too far from Nation which is another station where you can get on the RER line A but this would mean having your cases with you going round the cemetery which probably isnt ideal

Im sure theres a way of avoiding the change at Chatelet/les Halles by changing at Nation or Gare de Lyon instead (Ive not looked at the map to check but Im sure both lines meet at one of those as well and people have said its easier)

Kizzabel Am I right that you arent actually staying in Paris but just want to visit on your way through - If so have you thought of going right to DLP and then returning to Paris another day so you arent having to think of luggage storage and having to go back to collect it at the end of the day - just another idea to throw into the pot

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Im sure theres a way of avoiding the change at Chatelet/les Halles by changing at Nation or Gare de Lyon instead (Ive not looked at the map to check but Im sure both lines meet at one of those as well and people have said its easier)

That's what I was thinking too but it's easier to go via Auber as it's only one "change" walking through the corridors at St Lazare (on the E from Magenta (Gare du Nord) to Auber

I think they are arriving from Amsterdam which explains the Gare du Nord starting point

If they have a day pass like a Mobilis they can go to PL direct from Gare du Nord first thing - line 5 from GdN (direction Place d'Italie) change at Republique onto line 3 (direction Gallieni) get off at PL

 

[ICGenie]

Just wondering why you want to go to Galeries Lafayette. It's just a big shop really. Unless you're particularly fascinated by shopping I think it's a bit of a waste of time if you're trying to cram things in. And if your kids get bored walking round Debenhams, they'll get bored walking round Lafayette!

Any idea where this ice cream parlour is? I know there's a really good one on Isle St Louis just behind Notre Dame which would fit in well but it might be that you have somewhere in particular in mind.

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Just wondering why you want to go to Galeries Lafayette. It's just a big shop really. Unless you're particularly fascinated by shopping I think it's a bit of a waste of time if you're trying to cram things in. And if your kids get bored walking round Debenhams, they'll get bored walking round Lafayette!

Any idea where this ice cream parlour is? I know there's a really good one on Isle St Louis just behind Notre Dame which would fit in well but it might be that you have somewhere in particular in mind.

That's the one I quoted back up there ^^ Berthillon

Galeries Lafayette and Printemps gets visited a lot as you can go up on the roofs and get great views for free plus the architecture inside and out are a bit different from the Debenhams on my old high street

 

[MinnieVanMom]

We just went to the back window away from the Seinne and paid to walk the stairs. It was cheap and no line. The line for the life went on forever but we just went to the stairs and enjoyed walking up and back down. It was peaceful and easy. It would be good for the kids to burn off some steam.

 

[Carrie_Cat]

For Pokerbanter - the revised itinerary :lmao

Starting from the Etoile you can start your sightseeing there by visiting
Arc de Triomphe - http://arc-de-triomphe.monuments-nationaux.fr/en/
great views from up at the top but lots of stairs

from there walk down

Les Champs Elysées

– highlights of which are few and far between- for example you've got Ladurée (famous for their macarons) http://www.laduree.fr/en/scene, the Louis Vuitton flagship (queues of Asians trying to buy a very expensive bag ), Fouquets (one very expensive café amongst many), the Renault showroom (with the F1 cars that you can go and look at) http://en.atelier.renault.com/index, the Lido (does shows like the Moulin Rouge), and then lots of chainstore shops , fastfood places and expensive resturant cafés
There is a Disney store near the Franklin D Roosevelt metro and a branch of Sephora (amazing range of cosmetics, perfumes and skincare products )

To the Rond Point des Champs Elysées and take the metro at Franklin Roosevelt to Havre Caumartin (it's line N°9 direction Mairie de Montreuil) and go to Galeries Lafayette and or Printemps

or

If once you've walked down the Champs Elysées and you'd like to carry on walking you can do the 2nd half which becomes wide open spaces with a theatre or a very high class restaurant here and there, past the Grand and Petir Palais and walk right down to Place de la Concorde
From there either walk up Rue Royale, around the Madeleine et up rue Tronchet to the dept stores or get on the metro at Concorde and go 2 stops to St Lazare and walk back over


From the dept stores you'd take line 9 again (still direction Mairie de Montreuil) and change at Strasbourg St Denis onto line 4 (direction Porte d'Orleans) and get off at Cité and from there it's a stones throw from Notre Dame

You could walk over from Notre Dame to Ile St Louis and get an ice cream from Berthillon. It's a very famous place and their ice creams are fab

http://www.berthillon.fr/

Ile St Louis is pretty to walk round too

From here you can go and get the metro at St Michel (have a look around if you want, it's what is known as the Latin Quarter with the Sorbonne. There's lot's of cheap restaurants around here due to the students). You want line 4 (direction Porte d'Orleans), change at Montparnasse onto line 6 (direction Charles de Gaulle Etoile) and get off at Trocadero. From here walk across the bridge to the ET. You have great views of the tower on the way down/across.


Markets on Fridays are few and far between in the most central areas – you could maybe go to the indoor market at Le Marché des Enfants Rouges, it's the oldest market in Paris, Fridays it's open from 8,30-13,00 and from 16,00-20,00 – it's metro Filles de Calvaire or Temple,

 

[kizzabel]

Hi,

Thanks so much for the info and links Carrie. Im forever indebted to you. Just going to have a look at the links now.
Yes we're coming from Amsterdam and unfortunately only have 2 full days in France (Monday 7th and Tuesday 8th May). We're staying at the HNY the 1st night and near Orly airport the 2nd night as we have to check in around 8 or 9am for our flight to Naples. So I'd rather do our quick visit to Paris (rather then not at all) on the 1st day while we're passing through and spend all day (and hopefully most of Monday night) in DLP.

We are restricted due to wanting to be home for Monday 14th so that the honeymoon doesnt run into another week and disrupted Jems school week/routine (and shes a chatterbox and I dont think DPs sister could manage anymore then 10 days of nonstop jibber jabber!)

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Hi,

Thanks so much for the info and links Carrie. Im forever indebted to you. Just going to have a look at the links now.
Yes we're coming from Amsterdam and unfortunately only have 2 full days in France (Monday 7th and Tuesday 8th May). We're staying at the HNY the 1st night and near Orly airport the 2nd night as we have to check in around 8 or 9am for our flight to Naples. So I'd rather do our quick visit to Paris (rather then not at all) on the 1st day while we're passing through and spend all day (and hopefully most of Monday night) in DLP.

We are restricted due to wanting to be home for Monday 14th so that the honeymoon doesnt run into another week and disrupted Jems school week/routine (and shes a chatterbox and I dont think DPs sister could manage anymore then 10 days of nonstop jibber jabber!)

Hello

If there is anymore info you need, routes planning or whatever just ask.

Got to make your day in Paris as good as possible as I know you diehard DLP addicts hate missing time in the parks

I might take you up on help for Ireland as I was thinking it's been a very long time since I went and OH has never been. But I won't go OT on this thread

ps - the virtual visit of Père Lachaise is great fun to look at even if you don't go

 

[kizzabel]

Well feel free to PM me, happy to return the favour!

Haha now I think the virtual tour would be more along DPs line of thought! He just wants a Berthillion ice cream and to go on the Bateaux Mouches!

Found the interactive RATP map fantastic! So easy to use and I feel less daunted by the fear of the unknown. The metro and RER look much more easy to use now. I have panic disorder and have anxiety attacks if there is uncertainty or I cannot get a feel for how things work or how things will turn out so the help and advice on this particular thread makes my life so much less stressed! It doesn't help that DP has the same sense of direction as a deceased homing pigeon!

Thanks again Carrie.

 

[pokerbanter]

Carrie

 

[kizzabel]

Agreed!