- Versailles (including a visit to the small park with two houses on opposite sides, which dirty Louis crossed 'secretly' from one house to the other every night, to visit his mattress-e. For foodies, the early-hours Versailles market before Xmas is tops, Dec 30 is too late)
- La Defense, if that's your thing.
- Le Marais, THE ticket if you're into watching antique fags, everything around 'Ol Temple street is absolutely hilarious.
- If you can still spare the legs, also do Île Saint Louis, pretty special imo.
-FNAC in Paris still is A-no-1, imo.
-take the Seine tour boats, get off where you like, saves huge amounts of time in the city centre.
-see Paris, take a cab in the evening on the big streets, best 15 minutes.
Sacré Coeur, Beaubourg, and a long visit at the Louvre are a must. Split the Louvre hours by a lunch break, you only pay entrance once, the Egyptian section is one of a kind. (for lunch, cross the Seine, plenty eat places on the opposite side of the Louvre. Nice book shops there too, btw)
(Standard tourist cattle attractions are a waste of time if you're only 5 days there. I've spent thousands of hours in Paris, still refuse to stand in a line to go up the Eiffel tower in an elevator for way too many $$, same same for the other dollar-lift buildings as e.g. Tour Montparnasse. Make a picture and leave for more interesting stuff, or go spend 5 days at Euro Disney. For amazing sights, go stand in the Champs Elysees and see the Grande Arche at it's end when you look in the direction of La Defense)
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Just buy 5 tickets to see Star Wars !
or
Stay Paris Intra and just walk without taking the tube as Paris is a little town where all can be see by feet ! DOn't spend time to wait for Museum if less than 1 week !
The best is to begin from the center (the two island, Notre Dame) and each time to come back in different directions : only by feet
Notre Dame towards Louvre, Jardin des Tuileries, La Concorde then Champs Elysés.
Come back by Rive Gauche : La Tour Effeil, 7° arrdt, St Germain des Près, St Michel, La Sorbonne, Le Pantheon
Day 2 : Notre Dame towards 3° (very old Paris) et 4° arrdt : La Bastille, Le marais, Place des Vosges, Fornay, rue de Rivoli, Beaubourg Centre, Place de la République, Canal St Martin. Try to see Le Sacré Cœur to see Paris' roofs and le Petit Village du Sacré Cœur (2 hours).
Day 3 : Bateau Mouche sur la Seine river, little walk from Place du Trocadéro towards 16° arrdt then come back towards behind the Arc de Triomphe (above Champs ELysés). You may have also a little walk through the Jardin du Luxemburg from le Pantheon to Saint Sulpice Church then eating a macaron chez Pierre Hermé ! then comeback towards the Seine ; direction le Louvre seing before Sevres Babylone aera and its old Big Magasin : "Le bon Marché".
Spend some time between walking in Cafés : little, big, popular like Brasserie to taste the Paris behavior !
Don't go like the fools to Starbucks Coffee, Folie Bergere, FNAC shops (do you travel to shopping ???) etc entertainments, if if you take Metro as lacking time : just take the aerain metro which cross the Seine between Rive droite et Rive gauche. Don't go to the Museum with this few time, Paris in itself is firstly an architectural gem with many many different behaviors from a place to an other !
The night you can spend time around L'Opéra and eats excellent Japoneese foods near it... and for example walk after towards les grands boulevards et Place de la république.
or
Stay Paris Intra and just walk without taking the tube as Paris is a little town where all can be see by feet ! DOn't spend time to wait for Museum if less than 1 week !
The best is to begin from the center (the two island, Notre Dame) and each time to come back in different directions : only by feet
Notre Dame towards Louvre, Jardin des Tuileries, La Concorde then Champs Elysés.
Come back by Rive Gauche : La Tour Effeil, 7° arrdt, St Germain des Près, St Michel, La Sorbonne, Le Pantheon
Day 2 : Notre Dame towards 3° (very old Paris) et 4° arrdt : La Bastille, Le marais, Place des Vosges, Fornay, rue de Rivoli, Beaubourg Centre, Place de la République, Canal St Martin. Try to see Le Sacré Cœur to see Paris' roofs and le Petit Village du Sacré Cœur (2 hours).
Day 3 : Bateau Mouche sur la Seine river, little walk from Place du Trocadéro towards 16° arrdt then come back towards behind the Arc de Triomphe (above Champs ELysés). You may have also a little walk through the Jardin du Luxemburg from le Pantheon to Saint Sulpice Church then eating a macaron chez Pierre Hermé ! then comeback towards the Seine ; direction le Louvre seing before Sevres Babylone aera and its old Big Magasin : "Le bon Marché".
Spend some time between walking in Cafés : little, big, popular like Brasserie to taste the Paris behavior !
Don't go like the fools to Starbucks Coffee, Folie Bergere, FNAC shops (do you travel to shopping ???) etc entertainments, if if you take Metro as lacking time : just take the aerain metro which cross the Seine between Rive droite et Rive gauche. Don't go to the Museum with this few time, Paris in itself is firstly an architectural gem with many many different behaviors from a place to an other !
The night you can spend time around L'Opéra and eats excellent Japoneese foods near it... and for example walk after towards les grands boulevards et Place de la république.
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Did I miss Effeil Tower ?? Day one : before 7° arrdt : go from Champs Elysés to Effeil tower ( from Effeil Tower towards 7° arrdt by les Invalides Hos^pital and its beautifull golden globe).
Paris is short if you walk with a plan, if you spend your time in the crappy tube to go to a place from an other, you will never discover the Paris spirit and just putt cross to some places to just talk to your friends saying : i saw this, I saw that, blabla.... Paris is not digital but analogic place like a LP !
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Windows fog up on the Seine River cruises when it gets cold, so it's something to do in the Spring/Summer/Fall.
You will waste a lot of time in line for Notre Dame, if you want to get into the gothic spirit visit the Cluny Museum (musee nationale du Moyen Age) on the left bank near the Sorbonne. Anyway, the best gothic cathedral in France in Chartres which is a day trip, and never a wait to get in.
Must see is certainly the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay. Go early and prepare to wait in line a bit. Lunch in the Orsay is not bad.
Better book your dinner rez ASAP -- you can use Book the best restaurants in Europe - thefork.com, then call ahead to confirm.
You will waste a lot of time in line for Notre Dame, if you want to get into the gothic spirit visit the Cluny Museum (musee nationale du Moyen Age) on the left bank near the Sorbonne. Anyway, the best gothic cathedral in France in Chartres which is a day trip, and never a wait to get in.
Must see is certainly the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay. Go early and prepare to wait in line a bit. Lunch in the Orsay is not bad.
Better book your dinner rez ASAP -- you can use Book the best restaurants in Europe - thefork.com, then call ahead to confirm.
My wife and I will be spending New Years eve in Paris, actually Dec 30 -Jan 3. What are the "must do's"? What can I see/do in Paris in 3 days to make the most of it? Suggestions, please!
What you must do is get a Paris carte musee as soon as you get there if you want to do a few museums and skip all lines. It was too good to be true, cut two hour waits at the Louvre and go in your own side entrance plus free admission to most other museums. My daughter and I spent two full 6 hour sessions at the Louvre. I'm afraid our favorite restaurant experiences have inflated a lot in price.
Paris Museum Pass - Free Entry to over 55 Musuems and Monuments
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Oh you americans.... lol !
in 3 days it's certainly not a "must do" as Le Chartres is not "the best" (an engineer word) cathedral ! You can see Notre Dame from outside (though it's certainly a good idea to see Inside instead Cluny which is a good little museum, if yoi have no queue : rare in this period !). Orsay can be seen from the outside by bateau mouche !
Cmon guys, Paris is more subtle than those clichés... at least if you have 3 days only !
You don't eat good in Paris but if you have money... unluckilly but if you have a lot of money (2 stars restaurents and 3 stars) Paris is one of the worst place in France to know what is the frebch food ! Food at Orsay is just a nightmare, I mean for a french... a bad parodie !
Now, the best muséums can be seen one evening/night per week (jeudi if I remember : Google !) : an opportunity to see Orsay for example if you like modern period...
in 3 days it's certainly not a "must do" as Le Chartres is not "the best" (an engineer word) cathedral ! You can see Notre Dame from outside (though it's certainly a good idea to see Inside instead Cluny which is a good little museum, if yoi have no queue : rare in this period !). Orsay can be seen from the outside by bateau mouche !
Cmon guys, Paris is more subtle than those clichés... at least if you have 3 days only !
You don't eat good in Paris but if you have money... unluckilly but if you have a lot of money (2 stars restaurents and 3 stars) Paris is one of the worst place in France to know what is the frebch food ! Food at Orsay is just a nightmare, I mean for a french... a bad parodie !
Now, the best muséums can be seen one evening/night per week (jeudi if I remember : Google !) : an opportunity to see Orsay for example if you like modern period...
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Orsay from Bateau Mouche is like staring through the bakery window.
Wasn't suggesting a day-trip to Chartres on a 3 day venture, just pointing out that it is the most magnificent cathedral in France.
Cluny Museum gets a lot of visitors, it is a gem, rarely crowded. So are the Guimet and the Jacquemart-Andre. If taking your daughter, perhaps the Fashion Museum.
If you are into art, Musée d'Orsay is a must. A converted railway station along the Seine with art from the last two centuries. Overwhelming, to say the least. Even if you are not into art, the building is worth it in itself.
On Thursdays free admission (but possibly crowds).
Jan
On Thursdays free admission (but possibly crowds).
Jan
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We just spent 2 weeks in September in Paris. Wonderful! We walked 10 miles a day and took the Metro (subway) or bus back at the end of the day. By all means, go see all the famous spots. From the outside, and than buy some postcards. With such little time you cant afford to waste it in line.
Things we liked were the Pantheon (do see the lower levels), Notre Dame, the Montmartre cemetery (make sure you know where the entry is!) as well as the Montparnasse cemetery and the delightful Luxembourg Gardens and museum.
Paris has some great Bohemian areas, most likely magical at this time of the year!
Enjoy! And yeah: Go Paris GO! E
Things we liked were the Pantheon (do see the lower levels), Notre Dame, the Montmartre cemetery (make sure you know where the entry is!) as well as the Montparnasse cemetery and the delightful Luxembourg Gardens and museum.
Paris has some great Bohemian areas, most likely magical at this time of the year!
Enjoy! And yeah: Go Paris GO! E
Good talk from Jan about Orsay.
If you have no time like 3 days, seing Orsay like Notre Dame from outside is not like to look into the Windows of a Bakery... and this someone who spent many hours into many museum of the world who say that ! And guys, I was member for 20 years of the "Amis du Louvre" and didn't make queues to enter in the muséums of Paris and main expositions ! So... And yes Cluny is a gem, mostly for its architecture and some unique pièces Inside the museum. If a daughter, better is the musée des Art Décoratifs ihmo !
Don't forgett le new musée de 'l'homme (just re opened) and sur les quais de Seine between la tour effeil et St Michel ( to see large ; : Musée des Arts et Civilisations at quai Branly : from the outside : architectulary speaking it is fun with a good vertical garden made by the pope of vertical green walls !
I know Jack and Scott you are friend and I respect a lot what you say in audio engineering... But defintly no, saying Chartres is the most magnifiscent is just too basic and parodic... bad art history book level or turists guide ! One it is false and two it has no sense to say that and when you want to understand some things about french cathedrals where all european cathedrals came from, saying its the best, most Something is a point of view... how could I say this.... hummm : vertical. But I assure to you it's far more subtle... you forgett many things about Rouen Amiens, etc, etc.... Saying Chartres is one of the most interressant and a paradigm about certain aspects or this is the one you prefer will be more correct imho !
For me this affirmation is on the same level about the Truth (I mean Chartres is the BEST, or Orsay is a MUST do) than saying : 'Yes there are massive destruction weapon in Irak !"
But it's not a concour ; make your Paris your own, it's a gift, like Venice or Rome...Stalingrad, London* in a certain measure as well : the flight should be free for those towns !
And if you have just three days follow my advices in my post above and don't spend time in metro (but maybe the line who cross the Seine) or muséums... not with 3 days !
* :britanics are the only one who knows about driving a cabriolet car. top roof off the Newyears day or then the rain is weak and it's foggy ! Saw it in London a 1st janvier at night... in a TR4
If you have no time like 3 days, seing Orsay like Notre Dame from outside is not like to look into the Windows of a Bakery... and this someone who spent many hours into many museum of the world who say that ! And guys, I was member for 20 years of the "Amis du Louvre" and didn't make queues to enter in the muséums of Paris and main expositions ! So... And yes Cluny is a gem, mostly for its architecture and some unique pièces Inside the museum. If a daughter, better is the musée des Art Décoratifs ihmo !
Don't forgett le new musée de 'l'homme (just re opened) and sur les quais de Seine between la tour effeil et St Michel ( to see large ;
: Musée des Arts et Civilisations at quai Branly : from the outside : architectulary speaking it is fun with a good vertical garden made by the pope of vertical green walls !I know Jack and Scott you are friend and I respect a lot what you say in audio engineering... But defintly no, saying Chartres is the most magnifiscent is just too basic and parodic... bad art history book level or turists guide ! One it is false and two it has no sense to say that and when you want to understand some things about french cathedrals where all european cathedrals came from, saying its the best, most Something is a point of view... how could I say this.... hummm : vertical. But I assure to you it's far more subtle... you forgett many things about Rouen Amiens, etc, etc.... Saying Chartres is one of the most interressant and a paradigm about certain aspects or this is the one you prefer will be more correct imho !
For me this affirmation is on the same level about the Truth (I mean Chartres is the BEST, or Orsay is a MUST do) than saying : 'Yes there are massive destruction weapon in Irak !"
But it's not a concour
; make your Paris your own, it's a gift, like Venice or Rome...Stalingrad, London* in a certain measure as well : the flight should be free for those towns !And if you have just three days follow my advices in my post above and don't spend time in metro (but maybe the line who cross the Seine) or muséums... not with 3 days !
* :britanics are the only one who knows about driving a cabriolet car. top roof off the Newyears day or then the rain is weak and it's foggy ! Saw it in London a 1st janvier at night... in a TR4
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Are we stupid ? It's a place of music lovers ! Et les concerts, hein ?!
Of course if your feets are heavy, get a rest the evening for a concert at Salle Pleyel, the best acoustical place at Paris according to me : Salle Pleyel, Paris 8e - L'Officiel des spectacles
Of course if your feets are heavy, get a rest the evening for a concert at Salle Pleyel, the best acoustical place at Paris according to me : Salle Pleyel, Paris 8e - L'Officiel des spectacles
You are obviously of strong opinion, for me standing in front of the "Raft of the Medusa" and being able to touch the "Winged Victory of Samothrace
" alone is worth a weekend in Paris. I could survive on baguette and cheese for a few days anytime.
Frankly I find this condescending and insulting.
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Many good things already said; I'll try to avoid repeats.
A good point of view on Paris is to be found from the top of the Trocadero. The "Musée des monuments français" 's last level, dedicated to medieval frescoes' reproductions, is always empty, has amazing views on Paris and is a little gem on its own.
A charming place to wander a bit is the "Jardin du Palais Royal", behind "La Comédie Française".
Museums depend a lot on what you like. Pick according to your tastes and not according to "must see lists". Smaller museums like the Jacquemart André, the Luxembourg and the Marmottan Monet have often very good temporary exhibitions... but if the exhibitions are good, the queues are often long. It's a good idea to check their websites for online tickets to avoid most of those. If you're into Asian arts, I strongly second the Guimet.
A good point of view on Paris is to be found from the top of the Trocadero. The "Musée des monuments français" 's last level, dedicated to medieval frescoes' reproductions, is always empty, has amazing views on Paris and is a little gem on its own.
A charming place to wander a bit is the "Jardin du Palais Royal", behind "La Comédie Française".
Museums depend a lot on what you like. Pick according to your tastes and not according to "must see lists". Smaller museums like the Jacquemart André, the Luxembourg and the Marmottan Monet have often very good temporary exhibitions... but if the exhibitions are good, the queues are often long. It's a good idea to check their websites for online tickets to avoid most of those. If you're into Asian arts, I strongly second the Guimet.
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