Paris sightseeing tips?

[tinkertaylor05]

So with 2 weeks to go I figured it's time I started to make a plan, never this disorganised!

We'll be spending 3 days in Paris, staing in Opera district prior to DLP, I've been to Paris several times but always on somebody else's dime so to speak. This will be my mum and dd's first time into the city, after 3 DLP trips it's about time

So far all I have done is book Eiffel tower tickets, things we'd like to do are the louvre (maybe on Wednesday late night opening), notre dame, arc de triomphe, take a trip along the seine, weather permitting hang out in some of the beautiful Paris gardens and ice cream at berthillion ... sure picking an ice cream alone will take dd a couple of hours

Can anyone recommend anything we should try to do or see? Has anyone use the Paris museum pass and was it worth it? I'm thinking of buying a couple of carnets for the metro to get around but haven't even planned our travel between the airport, hotel and DLP

Any tips or input gratefully received

Also apologies for any typos using iPad

 

[Carrie_Cat]

What do you like doing ? Shopping, walking,markets, museums (any special interests) eating etc etc ?

There are tons of possibilities so I'm trying to narrow it down

For the Louvre definetly go in the evening - and enter by the Carrousel entrance to beat the main queues

visiting parks and gardens, go to the Luxembourg gardens which are far nicer than the Tuilleries - lots more to see and do

you could do a Foxity tour - great way of seeing the main monuments on the cheap

http://www.foxity.com/en

if you are doing a boat trip the oldest company and the ones who do the longest tour is the Bateaux Mouches

http://www.foxity.com/en

 

[tinkertaylor05]

What do you like doing ? Shopping, walking,markets, museums (any special interests) eating etc etc ?

There are tons of possibilities so I'm trying to narrow it down

For the Louvre definetly go in the evening - and enter by the Carrousel entrance to beat the main queues

visiting parks and gardens, go to the Luxembourg gardens which are far nicer than the Tuilleries - lots more to see and do

you could do a Foxity tour - great way of seeing the main monuments on the cheap

http://www.foxity.com/en

if you are doing a boat trip the oldest company and the ones who do the longest tour is the Bateaux Mouches

http://www.foxity.com/en

Thanks Carrie ummm I like doing all of the above lol really don't know what to do but want to avoid over planning too if you know what I mean. I'm going to look at the tours now, I want to do the Rodin also just worrying about boring dd too much

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Rodin is a good one with a lovely garden and there used to be (haven't been for a couple of years) a not too over priced café where you can sit out

You have free walking tours that you can just join if you feel like it and you can give what you like to the guide

http://www.discoverwalks.com/paris-walking-tours/

These ones gets good press ^^

You have street markets everyday in Paris in the different arrondissements.

They can be fun to look at and you can buy picnic supplies and find a little park nearby to eat a lunch if the weather is good.

You've got a full list here

http://paris.angloinfo.com/information/6/markets.asp

Great views for free from the top of the Galeries Lafayette dept store and Printemps next door has a nice roof terrace plus amazing architecture.

They are both open until late on Thursdays and are just round the back of the Opera so not far for you to walk

 

[Carrie_Cat]

For something different you could always walk a bit of the Promenade Plantee and break it up with a lunch or a ice cream along the way in one of the less touristy areas. There's also a local park with things for children to play on - it's free to do and the walking tour page below gives you the gist of what to look out for etc


http://www.paris.fr/english/parks-w...enade-plantee/rub_8212_stand_34230_port_18987

http://www.paris-walking-tours.com/promenadeplantee.html

There's a lot of great info on that site concerning walks in Paris and garden and parks like the Luxembourg one

http://www.paris-walking-tours.com/palaisduluxembourg.html#jl

 

[tinkertaylor05]

Thanks again carrie , really like the look of some of the walks :

Have decided against the museum pass I think, I may book some opine tickets this week or just pick them up on the day, just need to do a rough day plan now and see where we want to go on what day

Have decided to book shuttle transfers for all the travel, comes in a little more expensive but hopefully hassle free, does everyone usually tip their drivers? Roughly how much if so?

 

[Carrie_Cat]

I've never used a shuttle service here always just ordinary taxis and we don't tip them as such. I'll round up if they have been efficient and haven't taken me round the houses or waffled on all the way

I don't think museum passes are great ideas as there is often cheaper tickets to be found online and some off the queue cutting aspects don't work that great in reality

Put up your list when you've finalised it and I'll see what rates I can find

 

[tinkertaylor05]

I've never used a shuttle service here always just ordinary taxis and we don't tip them as such. I'll round up if they have been efficient and haven't taken me round the houses or waffled on all the way

I like your tipping system

Ok so I've booked a shuttle from CDG to Paris hotel and HNY to CDG. Now just need to sort Paris to DLP, any idea roughly how much a taxi costs?

So far the very basic plan is ... Arrive check in etc by 2:30pm Wednesday, not sure what to do upon arrival except eat somewhere around 4pm, then looking to go to the Louvre around 5pm. Should we buy online tickets for Louvre?

Thursday morning up and across town to the Eiffel Tower have booked tickets for the first slot of the day, will pick up some breakfast en route as previously suggested. I expect this will take a few hours so afterwards will pick up some lunch along the way and thought maybe go along the Seine and take in some more sights during the afternoon, does the bateaux mouches allow hop on hop off or just a tour? Hope to visit Notre Dame in the afternoon, hit Berthillion for ice cream and whatever else we can fit into the afternoon/evening probably go for a wander around Luxembourg gardens.

Friday I haven't made any plans during the day at all, hopefully fill in some sight seeing blanks, I'd like to visit Sacre Coeur, Rue du Bac and anything else we can manage followed by dinner near the Eiffel Tower and a last wander around to see the Tower lit up at night before a reasonable bed time ready for DLP.

I'm not sure how long to expect things to take, want to fit in as much as possible whilst still making the whole trip enjoyable

 

[Porsche44]

Don't forget to do Sainte Chapelle not far from Notre Dame, tucked into the back of the Conciergerie. In my opinion it has the best stained glass windows anywhere and I actually really love the lower chapel with all the painted walls etc. I am visiting Paris for a week in early December with my two teens and it will be their first trip there and I know they are going to be blown away. They both adore history. Hope you have a great trip.

 

[TotallyAngelic]

Thursday morning up and across town to the Eiffel Tower have booked tickets for the first slot of the day, will pick up some breakfast en route as previously suggested. I expect this will take a few hours so afterwards will pick up some lunch along the way and thought maybe go along the Seine and take in some more sights during the afternoon, does the bateaux mouches allow hop on hop off or just a tour? Hope to visit Notre Dame in the afternoon, hit Berthillion for ice cream and whatever else we can fit into the afternoon/evening probably go for a wander around Luxembourg gardens.

We have used these in the past ..... they are HOHO boats on the Seine. Really great for getting to all the major sights.


http://www.batobus.com/

 

[tinkertaylor05]

Thank you both ^^ am now just at the point where I'm hoping we don't get too much rain I accept some looks like it's just bad luck and the weather's going to dip next week ..... looks like I'll be using the sexy blue poncho I picked up at home bargains

 

[Jenene]

I am going for a quick five days, and I love all the ideas on this thread!
First time to Paris... So much to see so little time

 

[Ware Bears]

We have used these in the past ..... they are HOHO boats on the Seine. Really great for getting to all the major sights.


http://www.batobus.com/

We used these one day last week and they were great, and a very welcome excuse to rest our weary feet! They run until 9:30pm at night.

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Don't forget to do Sainte Chapelle not far from Notre Dame, tucked into the back of the Conciergerie. In my opinion it has the best stained glass windows anywhere and I actually really love the lower chapel with all the painted walls etc. I am visiting Paris for a week in early December with my two teens and it will be their first trip there and I know they are going to be blown away. They both adore history. Hope you have a great trip.

The chapel is being renovated atm with parts of it and the windows blocked off - Not sure when it is due to finish so it might still be that way in December