Taking my 21yr daughter to Paris week of Dec 2-6th I am overwhelmed with all the things to do in such a short time Staying in small hotel in Latin Quarter Know all major sites, What is best way to see them? What to wear , ? weather like, Best places to have fun shopping!
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Chances are it will be chilly and gray. Wear comfortable shoes. Let%26#39;s be honest, you%26#39;re not there to impress the locals. Wear what you%26#39;re comfortable in, but just know that Parisians don%26#39;t tend to wear athletic gear like we do in the states. Black is always good.
Get a good map and familiarize yourself with where the major attractions are you want to see and make a general plan of what to do each day - just don%26#39;t get upset if you don%26#39;t fulfill each days plan to a tee. Get a Pariscope when you arrive and you can find the current exhibits that interest you.
If you really want to pack in several museums, look into getting a museum pass (do a search on the forum and you%26#39;ll find lots of suggestions for the best pass to get). It%26#39;s important to note that some museums are closed Monday, some Tuesday, etc. Don%26#39;t plan to go to the Louvre the day it%26#39;s closed!
The best way to get around is walking. But of course there%26#39;s metro and I also love the bus. It%26#39;s a cheap tour of the city, especially if it%26#39;s cold and you don%26#39;t want to walk long distances.
For shopping - the large department stores are fun. I like Au Bon Marche, especially for the Grand Epicerie. There is also lots of good shopping in this part of the 6th arr. Rue de Rivoli is also good, in the 1st, between Pont Neuf and Hotel de Ville (if I remember correctly!) For window shopping, go to Rue du Faubourg Saint Honore, Rue Saint Honore and Place Vendome (for jewelry - Cartier and the like). The area around Place de la Madeleine is good for gourmet food (Fauchon, Hediard, etc.) All the chi-chi shops will likely have some beautiful holiday displays by that time.
Hope this helps. Enjoy your time in Paris!
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A few ideas other than the major sites.
City Walks: Paris 50 Adventures on Foot. Box of cards with walks around Paris. They can be purchased in any major bookstore such as Barnes and Noble or Borders. Last December I chose a couple of walks, enjoyed tremendously because they give a bit of history, The walks are not only the main tourists sites but also some stopped along the way at cafes and shops and any major sites. It was cold and gray weather wise however being from NH you probably won%26#39;t be bothered by the cold. I wore a lined all weather coat and layered. I did take a set of silk underwear that helped keep me warm however found they were too warm most days.
Take her to tea, I enjoyed Mariage Frieres on Rue du Bourg Tibourg in the Marais although there are other tea shops.
Choose a Performance at the Opera Garnier
Go to a Church Concert
Pick out the sites you want to see, look at a map and plan the major sites based on the vicinity they are in.
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Pick up a good travel quide. Personally I like Fodors or Frommer%26#39;s for complete hotel info. Fodor%26#39;s has a tear-out city map, although you might want another. I also like Rick Steve%26#39;s Paris guide for city/museum info; a good way to fiqure out what you want to see. You can study the suggested itineraries covering various # of days for ideas.
If you plan to go to a lot of museums/monuments, the Paris Museum Pass will save you money as it covers most of the major sites. It also will allow you to bypass ticket lines, although November will most likely not be a problem. You might visit smaller sites with the pass that you otherwise would not plan on or spend 5-8 Euros for. We were three people, our 23 y/o daughter loved sightseeing, and in 4 days with a 4 day pass we saved over 60E.
You will walk a lot, so make sure you both have comfortable shoes. Metro is the most economical way to travel, public bus lines also cover the sites but traffic can be an issue. A few lines take you past most of what Paris offers, with #69 being worth looking into. A taxi usually runs 6 Euros in central Paris area. The hop on/off bus ticket is also an interesting way to travel, although not always the most direct with some stops you might not get off. L%26#39;Opentour is a good one if weather good, and they also operate the Batobus which is a covered water taxi with approx 8 stops along the Seine, all near the major sites.
Paris is safe and easy to get around. You most likely will not get lost, but if you do, it just is more interesting.
Also consider a visit Versailles, as its very easy to take the RER C train line. The ride is approx 30 min going to the last stop, and chateau is just 5-10 min walk from the Versailles station. All trains leaving that station are RER C and return to Paris. It%26#39;s worth the time, and traveling on own allows you to come and go as you please. I would not hesitate to go by myself.
T
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Just returned from there, if you want to fit in have a black rain coat or black overcoat, black was everywhere. My daughter liked shopping in the marais district, theres a shop I think called Anne Elizabeth near the famous falafel shop that she liked. Also really like the new museum Branly for something different. Or how about a short cooking class together at Galerie Lafayette.
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