3 days in Paris - Best things to do?
14 October 2004, 11:59 AM
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3 days in Paris - Best things to do?
I'm going to Paris tomorrow with my wife. Can anyone recommend a 3 day plan that will cover the best bits? She wants to spend the whole of Saturday at Eurodisney, so bear that in mind!
Is it worth seeing the Moulin Rogue show? What about the palace of versailles?
Cheers!
Is it worth seeing the Moulin Rogue show? What about the palace of versailles?
Cheers!
14 October 2004, 12:07 PM
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LOL
Must sees:
Eiffel Tower, Louvre and Notre Dam.
Versailles is simply stunning, especially the gardens. Makes buckingham palace look like a wendy house.
D
Must sees:
Eiffel Tower, Louvre and Notre Dam.
Versailles is simply stunning, especially the gardens. Makes buckingham palace look like a wendy house.
D
Last edited by Diablo; 14 October 2004 at 12:10 PM.
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14 October 2004, 12:20 PM
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go to the newly refurbished bit in the Opera - better than versailles, galleries layfeyette next door, nice little restaurant is la fermette marbeoff(sp?) just off Ave george V, musee d'orcy, notre dame, moulin rouge only so-so, eiffel tower at night.......
14 October 2004, 12:27 PM
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Go up the Eifel Tower ( stunning views ) If you are around on Sunday morning, head down to Notre Damme for around 8:30am and go in to watch morning mass.
The metro system over there is superb and can get you anywhere quickly and cheaply.
The metro system over there is superb and can get you anywhere quickly and cheaply.
14 October 2004, 01:54 PM
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You just must go to the Louvre but be prepared for the shock at the size of the place. Some of the paintings in there are bigger than galleries I've been in.
I'm told, though don't know how true this is, that this is peak tourist season in Paris as it is "closed" most of August. I found that if you turned up at about lunchtime you could just walk into the Louvre without standing in a queue. I guess most tourists are having some organised lunch at that stage.
The Muse d'Orsay is just across the river and is also fantastic, especially for the more modern french stuff, impressionists mostly but others as well. Again there might be a queue but in my experience it moves quite quickly. It doesn't have the same scale as the Louvre, even if you don't like art the Louvre is worth a visit just to take in the scale of the thing.
It is wonderful to go down there on a misty autumn evening and watch the mist on the river and the Louvre across the way. You can't beat it.
I'm told, though don't know how true this is, that this is peak tourist season in Paris as it is "closed" most of August. I found that if you turned up at about lunchtime you could just walk into the Louvre without standing in a queue. I guess most tourists are having some organised lunch at that stage.
The Muse d'Orsay is just across the river and is also fantastic, especially for the more modern french stuff, impressionists mostly but others as well. Again there might be a queue but in my experience it moves quite quickly. It doesn't have the same scale as the Louvre, even if you don't like art the Louvre is worth a visit just to take in the scale of the thing.
It is wonderful to go down there on a misty autumn evening and watch the mist on the river and the Louvre across the way. You can't beat it.
14 October 2004, 02:30 PM
#18
Use Metro from your hotel, and surface on the Champs Elysees at "Champs Elysees Clemenceau" or "Franklin D Roosevelt".
Walk along the right hand side of the C/E towards the Etoile, looking into anmazing shops at the same time. If it's picnic weather, there's a monoprix along there with a supermarket in the basement selling all sorts of nice stuff, take your own bottle opener.
Visit the Arc de Triomphe, the view fro the top is pretty good. There are WC nearby.
Walk down Avenue Kleber to the Place du Trocadero, and onwards for the Jardins du Trocadero, where we take our picnic if the weather is OK.
From here you'll get the unforgettable view of the fountains with the Eiffel tower in the background.
You can now cross the Seine to the tower, go up if it's clear, it's worth the wait.
By now you'll be tired so take a batobus to Notre dame, and visit the cathedral. AVOID the cafes near Notre Dame unless you are seriously flush, or in love
:
Behind the cathedral is a nice squatre with toilets and benches for a sit down, bottle of water etc.
Also nearby is St Chappelle, with probably the best stained glass in the world, worth paying a few euros to get in, but not the easiest place to find, it's actually inside the Palais de Justice, entrance on Boulevard du Palais, looks as if you're going into a court., complete with baggage check by x-ray machine! Go into the church and up the stone staircase for a shock!
Cross the Seine from the bidge at the very rear of the cathedral for the best pic of it, and walk along the left bank (left as you're going downstream) to the junction with the Boulevard St Michel. Turn left here intio the Latin quarter for lovely pavement cafes, not too dear, nice bars, and more restaurants than you can shake a stick at. We usually walk around for an hour or so, soaking up atmosphere before making a choice, but if you can't find somewhere to eat here, you ain't hungry!
Once it's dark retrace your footsteps or take the metro, for a look at the tower with the lights on it.
Sacre Coeur is also worth a visit, especially as the sun sets, but difficult to do on the same day as the above.
Buy a mapguide when you get there: mine is "Paris Pratique par Arrondissements, and cost about £2.
Ask for a "Plan" at the first metro station, (pronounce it "Plon").
Buy metro tickets by the carnet (carnay), conaining 10 at a go, for a good saving. One ticket per journey any distance, one stop or 31!!
Metro lines are colour coded, and the trains run in a direction according to whichever line you're wanting and the terminus of that line, so you need a plan (map). It won't say westbound etc, it'll say, for example : 4, Porte de Clignacourt, meaning it's line number 4, trains heading in the direction of Porte de Clignacourt. It's dead easy once you have a map.
The metro tickets ae also valid on RER trains under Paris, so you can use those too, they tend to have fewer stops and so get there quicker, good if you have to cross the city.
As far as dangerous places: ANY large mainline station especially Gare du Nord for pickpockets. Just don't stand around looking lost or like a daft tourist. I've spent LOADS of time there in some of the poorer areas, and had zero trouble.
Owt else, PM me.
Alcazar
Have fun.
Alcazar
BTW: been about 6 times, only EVER fell out with a Parisien ONCE and he was a surly waiter! The others I've met have been nice people.
Walk along the right hand side of the C/E towards the Etoile, looking into anmazing shops at the same time. If it's picnic weather, there's a monoprix along there with a supermarket in the basement selling all sorts of nice stuff, take your own bottle opener.
Visit the Arc de Triomphe, the view fro the top is pretty good. There are WC nearby.
Walk down Avenue Kleber to the Place du Trocadero, and onwards for the Jardins du Trocadero, where we take our picnic if the weather is OK.
From here you'll get the unforgettable view of the fountains with the Eiffel tower in the background.
You can now cross the Seine to the tower, go up if it's clear, it's worth the wait.
By now you'll be tired so take a batobus to Notre dame, and visit the cathedral. AVOID the cafes near Notre Dame unless you are seriously flush, or in love
:Behind the cathedral is a nice squatre with toilets and benches for a sit down, bottle of water etc.
Also nearby is St Chappelle, with probably the best stained glass in the world, worth paying a few euros to get in, but not the easiest place to find, it's actually inside the Palais de Justice, entrance on Boulevard du Palais, looks as if you're going into a court., complete with baggage check by x-ray machine! Go into the church and up the stone staircase for a shock!
Cross the Seine from the bidge at the very rear of the cathedral for the best pic of it, and walk along the left bank (left as you're going downstream) to the junction with the Boulevard St Michel. Turn left here intio the Latin quarter for lovely pavement cafes, not too dear, nice bars, and more restaurants than you can shake a stick at. We usually walk around for an hour or so, soaking up atmosphere before making a choice, but if you can't find somewhere to eat here, you ain't hungry!
Once it's dark retrace your footsteps or take the metro, for a look at the tower with the lights on it.
Sacre Coeur is also worth a visit, especially as the sun sets, but difficult to do on the same day as the above.
Buy a mapguide when you get there: mine is "Paris Pratique par Arrondissements, and cost about £2.
Ask for a "Plan" at the first metro station, (pronounce it "Plon").
Buy metro tickets by the carnet (carnay), conaining 10 at a go, for a good saving. One ticket per journey any distance, one stop or 31!!
Metro lines are colour coded, and the trains run in a direction according to whichever line you're wanting and the terminus of that line, so you need a plan (map). It won't say westbound etc, it'll say, for example : 4, Porte de Clignacourt, meaning it's line number 4, trains heading in the direction of Porte de Clignacourt. It's dead easy once you have a map.
The metro tickets ae also valid on RER trains under Paris, so you can use those too, they tend to have fewer stops and so get there quicker, good if you have to cross the city.
As far as dangerous places: ANY large mainline station especially Gare du Nord for pickpockets. Just don't stand around looking lost or like a daft tourist. I've spent LOADS of time there in some of the poorer areas, and had zero trouble.
Owt else, PM me.
Alcazar
Have fun.
Alcazar
BTW: been about 6 times, only EVER fell out with a Parisien ONCE and he was a surly waiter! The others I've met have been nice people.
14 October 2004, 02:49 PM
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Thanks for that Alcazar and Hedgehog - will print this thread out and take with me...
Now we are going to Eurodisney for one day (saturday) - since it is massive, whats the best plan (we dont really want to bother with too many rides)?
Now we are going to Eurodisney for one day (saturday) - since it is massive, whats the best plan (we dont really want to bother with too many rides)?
14 October 2004, 03:28 PM
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Keep you wallet in your underpants !!, especially on the metro, and by the big tourist attractions.
Do the Eiffel tower (to the top), batobus as mentioned, Notre Damme (big chruch, nice windows), avoid the cafe's and bars on the well know roads / tourist attractions, go one street in and you'll find much better value.
Mind the dog s**t, oh and don't say "excuse me" cos' no f***er else does.
That said, have a great time.
Ian..
Do the Eiffel tower (to the top), batobus as mentioned, Notre Damme (big chruch, nice windows), avoid the cafe's and bars on the well know roads / tourist attractions, go one street in and you'll find much better value.
Mind the dog s**t, oh and don't say "excuse me" cos' no f***er else does.
That said, have a great time.
Ian..
14 October 2004, 08:14 PM
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A Saturday will be a busy day for Disneyland. So get there early and decide what you want to go onto. Go there and get the Fastpass tickets. That way you go back later and no queue's.
Catch the parades and if your there late, fireworks too. Watch all from in front of Sleeping Beauties Castle.
You can go between the Disney Studios and the main Theme Park, but the only good part in the Studio's is the Stunt Show.
For Paris, it will take at least an hour to go through the queue for the Eiffel Tower, but it is worth the wait to get to the top.
The batobus goes up and down the Seine from the Tower to Notre Damme, and is the best way to get about.
2 Days at Disneyland if you've got kids, and 2 in Paris is all you need.
There wasn't really anything else I wanted to see or do in Paris to spend a 3rd day there.
David
Catch the parades and if your there late, fireworks too. Watch all from in front of Sleeping Beauties Castle.
You can go between the Disney Studios and the main Theme Park, but the only good part in the Studio's is the Stunt Show.
For Paris, it will take at least an hour to go through the queue for the Eiffel Tower, but it is worth the wait to get to the top.
The batobus goes up and down the Seine from the Tower to Notre Damme, and is the best way to get about.
2 Days at Disneyland if you've got kids, and 2 in Paris is all you need.
There wasn't really anything else I wanted to see or do in Paris to spend a 3rd day there.
David
14 October 2004, 09:50 PM
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Also - Paris is not a dirty City at all. Having been there dozens of times (quite literally) I find it the one place I adore.
The crappy areas are around the two train stations "Gare Du Nord" and "Gare De L'est". That's where the Algerians loiter around and the homeless/leary people. The real pParis is a pleasure to visit.
Stick to restaurants off of the main roads. The restaurants on the Champs Elysees for example are ****. Go on the quaint side streets.
Have fun.
The crappy areas are around the two train stations "Gare Du Nord" and "Gare De L'est". That's where the Algerians loiter around and the homeless/leary people. The real pParis is a pleasure to visit.
Stick to restaurants off of the main roads. The restaurants on the Champs Elysees for example are ****. Go on the quaint side streets.
Have fun.
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