One day (and night) in Paris...

[Charade]

get your minds OUT of the gutter!!!

My wife and I are heading to the Netherlands next week for about 10 days to visit friends/vacation. We already have a side trip planned for Amsterdam but now we'd like to take a another side trip to Paris via train. It's a long ride but my wife really wants to go to Paris for a day and stay over one night before heading to Amsterdam. Any recommendations besides the obvious Eiffel Tower? The hotel we'd be staying at is about 2 kms NW of the ET.

TIA!

Sad to say DL Paris is not an option.

 

[liamsaunt]

You can do a lot in one day in Paris.

If you like museums, go to the Louvre. It is stunning. Depending on the time of year, a boat ride down the Seine will allow you to see a lot of the Paris architecture. The boats have narration explaining what you are seeing. Make an advance reservation.

If you don't mind stairs you can climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe for stunning views.

My DH and I spent a weekend in Paris a couple of years ago. On one of the days we went to the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, the Vendome, and took a boat tour without feeling at all rushed. We just went to a bakery for baguettes with cheese for lunch, and then had a really nice meal at L'Atelier D'Robichon that night (Late--around 10 PM). We went to the Eiffel Tower but did not get to go to the top because the wait to go up was around 3 hours (it was a Saturday).

We also reached all these places on foot. It was a lot of walking but Paris is pretty flat. Plus if you walk you get to see more of the architecture. Our hotel was in the 18th arrondissement (aka far away!) but we were able to walk back and forth to it no problem.

 

[Danauk]

The Bateaux Mouche river cruises that go from near the Eiffel Tower are really good, you see various sights including some cathedrals, the origional statue of liberty etc. The various cathedrals are really nice, Notre Damme, Sacre Coeur (sp??) Walking up the Monte Matre (to Sacre Coeur) is really nice too. The Louvre is a nice museum to visit, the Palace of Versaille is worth a visit too.

Paris is a really nice city to visit and very easy to navigate on the Metro. If you are going to the Eiffel Tower make sure you go early, the lines get really long, especially if you want to take the lift up rather than the steps!!

Have a great trip.

 

[Star Wars mom]

No spot in Paris is more than 700 meters from a metro station...and most places are closer to a stop than that. So if you do feel rushed, don't be afraid to use the metro. Its very easy to navigate and we felt more comfortable on the Paris metro than on the NYC subway (and we're pretty comfortable on the subway . It sounds like your hotel may (?) be close to Sacre Cour. In which case, I would highly recommend you visit. There is a funicular (cable car-type thing) you can take up the hill to the cathedral, and the views are spectacular. If you visit, make sure you go inside. The mosaic on the ceiling of the Sacre Cour is breathtaking. Some people pack picnic lunches and dine on the hill in front of the cathedral.

Whatever you decide, I hope you have a great time in Paris!

 

[emiliezola]

There are bus tours here in the city that include tickets and time slots for the Eiffel Tower and a boat ride on the Seine. You can have a narrated tour of the major monuments-- excluding Sacre Coeur-- and they finish with a drop off at the tower and you already have tickets, so you don't have to wait in line. After the tower, you cross the street to the quai and catch one of the frequently scheduled boat tours. Again, you will already have your tickets. This company picks up on Rue de Rivoli at the front of their office. I think this is a good, concise way to have an overall viewing and taste of Paris. I don't have enough posts for adding the link, but the company's name is ParisCityRama. I, too, love going to Montmartre and sitting on the steps for a picnic in front of Sacre-Coeur. Another thought-- the Louvre can be pretty intensive and overwhelming-- you might want to consider Musee de Orsay that is located right across the river. It is a beautiful, smart museum also. Living in this city is wonderful. I hope you and your wife have a great visit.

 

[EMom]

If you like Impressionist art, then you must visit Musee d'Orsay. If you are particularly fond of Monet, then visit Musee de l'Orangerie for the MASSIVE Monets there. Everyone says to visit Notre Dame and I can't disagree, but I found Sainte-Chapelle to be far more beautiful. It is near Notre Dame. If it is a sunny day, the stained glass will take your breath away. As for the Louvre, just know that it is enormous beyond words. You can't see a fraction of it in one day. It would be like trying to ride everything in all 4 WDW parks in one day during the busy summer season. If you decide to visit, my advice would be to pick the things you MOST want to see there, and then hit those selectively.

You simply cannot go wrong in Paris.

 

[Pakey]

I was coming here to post about the Orsay also. We enjoyed it much more than the Louvre. Of course our day at the Louvre turned out to be a rainy day and we were told it caused the horrendous crowds there. The Orsay was very nice in comparison.

My favorite thing, besides just walking the streets, was the view from Notre Dame. It was not nearly as crowded as going up in the Eiffel Tower but provided great city views just the same (plus I have a thing for gargoyles).

 

[MichelleinMaine]

My favorite thing, besides just walking the streets, was the view from Notre Dame. It was not nearly as crowded as going up in the Eiffel Tower but provided great city views just the same (plus I have a thing for gargoyles).

When we went, the line for Notre Dame was nearly as bad as Eiffel Tower (and of course fewer can do ND at a time.) If OP does not want to do the timed ticket for ET or wait in line for ND, I highly recommend going up the Arc de Triomphe. There was no line, great view (not to be obvious, but you can get your pictures of Paris WITH the Eiffel Tower in them. )

My favorite view in all of Paris is the back side of Notre Dame. There is a little garden back there, and the back of the building is just beautiful.

Our first trip to Paris was a day trip (we lived in Germany.) I think we went to Centre Pompidou (the top used to be the best free view of Paris, IMO, though now you have to pay the museum entree to get there. The courtyard area out front is neat though, lots of artists and fun to people watch),Notre Dame (not in the tower), boat tour on the Seine, Eiffel Tower, much too quick trip through the Louvre, lunch at a cafe... There's tons to do, just depends on what you're looking for!

 

[Charade]

Thanks for the advice! My wife is really excited.