We will only have 4 days in Paris and it is soooo difficult to decide what all to squeeze in. Of courses, it is a matter of personal taste, but I%26#39;m wondering what your opinions would be for the %26quot;not to be missed places%26quot;.
Also, how far is it to Versailles (sp?) and is it necessary to spend the entire day?
I%26#39;m hoping to find a rental in a very convenient area... near restaurants, sites, museums, etc. so we are not travelling long distances every day just to get to the main areas. Any recommendation on the district to try to stay in?
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Hi,
Things not to miss: a walk down the champs elysee, a visit to montmarte (and the view from the beautiful sacre coeur church), dinner on a bateau mouche at night, musee d%26#39;orsay, the louvre, the tullieres and luxembourg gardens, the eiffel tower (goes without saying). Walking around Paris is a sheer delight especially st germain de pres and the area by Notre Dame cathedral. Not sure how far Versailles is took us 40 minutes by RER (train) because it had so many stops. To get full advantage you would need to go early and stay most of the day. When we arrived it was 3pm and certain sections were closed - it was January so that may be the reason. If you want to find a central location Rue de Rivoli is very central and beside the Louvre or Boulevard Haussman (in the right bank is the heart of the shopping area) also the Marais (in the left bank is very pretty). What you should do is get a detailed map of the city and decide from there. Also he metro system is very efficient therefore you are never going to be too far away from anywhere. Wishing you a wonderful time - bon voyage.
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My personal delights:
1. Lunch outdoors on a sunny day at Place Dauphine
2. Musee Rodin, especially the gardens and sculptures outside
3. Jardin Luxembourg or the Tuileries for a sunny day stroll
4. Ste. Chapelle and Notre Dame
5. Musee D%26#39;Orsay for the impressionist art
6. Musee Cluny for the medieval tapestries
7. Place St. Michel to people watch and have a drink
8. Strolling past the book stalls along the Seine
9. Dinner at Allard, especially the roast poulet Bresse with a good bottle of Volnay or Santenay red wine
10. Shopping at Bon Marche supermarket
As for Versailles, you need half a day, it%26#39;s just outside Paris, an easy train ride. Not sure it%26#39;s all that spectacular, though, I saw it once, don%26#39;t need to go again.
My advice: schedule one thing in the morning, one thing in the afternoon, to use your four days properly. Don%26#39;t try to squeeze in too much, half the fun of Paris is soaking it in leisurely.
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Forget Versailles and see the movie Marie Antoinette,
There is SO much to do in Paris!
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We met out daughter in Paris for 4 days this summer and managed to do quite a lot. Actually it became 3 1/2, when her plane was 4 hours late. After getting her settled in the hotel, we walked to the Louvre and spent the afternoon. My husband and I walked up Champs Elysees while she napped. We all had dinner in the 7th ARR and walked around Rue St Dominique; early to bed.
Next day we took the RER C to Versailles at 8:30 AM, leaving at 3:30-4. We were back in Paris to go to Notre Dame during 6PM Mass, and then walked to Ile St Louis and dinner. Chocolate crepe for dessert as we walked around the parks on the islands.
The next day we used the L%26#39;Opentour bus to the Arc de Triomphe. We shopped a bit on the Champs, had lunch, and then went to Eiffel Tower. Walked the parks, had ice cream in the Champs de Mars, watched children play with sail boats in the Tuileries, etc. That night we had dinner up by the Pont d%26#39;Alma, and went on the 10:45 Bateau Mouche Seine cruise.
Next Am, we went to Museum d%26#39;Orsay, walked to the Invalides and Napoleon’s Tomb, watched some men play boule. Walked tto Rue Cler and a thriving neighborhood, had lunch at Café du Marche. We then strolled back up to Rue St-Dominique. We went to St Germaine and LQ, shopped too much. Finally walked over to the Conciergerie, Berthillon ice cream along the way. Then back to Notre Dame and the nearby Archiological Crypt. We walked past the flower market. That night we sat on the stairs of Sacre Cleur, and just relaxed! Walked over to Place de Tetre, had dinner in Montmarte that night.
We did more but I can%26#39;t remember, saw a lot, could have done even more but we enjoyed the parks and taking in the atmospher. We still hit most of the top sites, of course, I%26#39;m already planning to go back!
Have fun, T
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Here%26#39;s a little more too choose from:
tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187147-i14-k78014…
The torture of coming to Paris and finding out, that no matter which street or square or alley you look down there is something new and exciting to see......and that you just MUST see it ALL - and that there is always another delicious dish or pastry or wine that you didn%26#39;t get to taste....... WOW, that is probably the sweetest tasting of all masochist frustrations you will ever come by in your entire life.
Because all the way home in the airplane you will be busy writing looong to-do lists for your next trip and the next again and....
And when you come home you find yourself glued to your computer (e.g. this forum) - googling for hotels, museums, restaurants, weather, shopping, quaint secrets........ It NEVER ends, so enjoy it.
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Among other things, I loved strolling along both banks of the Seine and crossing the different bridges.
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adreamvacation: where is your hotel? do you actually have 4 nights with 3 1/2 days? or do you have 4 full days. and do you know exactly which days of the week you%26#39;ll be there? those things can be important if you want to see a lot. some museums close on certain days, some are open late on certain days...so knowing all that in advance and the exact days you%26#39;ll be there can help a lot.
I also think it can be worthwhile to take a half day guided tour of the city to see all the major stuff to snap a photo and move on. write another post if you have the time and give us a little more specific information. there are a gazillion ideas on this board....sometimes you just have to post the right information or ask the right question to draw them out.
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There is a book called Paris ten best which is extremely useful for first times travelers
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All depends on your interests, don%26#39;t spend all day in the Louvre if you don%26#39;t like art, I really enjoy the double decker open top bus tour no matter how many times your%26#39;ve been to Paris, it%26#39;a a relaxing way to see alot of things and get off wherever you like. We also like the new museum the Branly, it%26#39;s very different, next to the Eiffle Tower. I also would recommend skipping Versailles.
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Our illuminations cruise on the Seine, leaving from Pont Neuf, was like a dream. Last time in Paris we did a tour of highlights on a bus, this was FAR better! Beautiful evening and so lovely to see everything you have seen by day with the lights.
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