Dear Becca,
Sorry it took me a while, I've been to somewhat crazy days lately.
Here's the itinerary.
Day I
=====
Start the day with the Eiffel Tower. From there, take the train, or
walk (it is within walking distance) to the Invalides - the compound
containing Napoleon's tomb. If you're interested, go to the military
museum nearby (but this would, of course, mean that you'll have to
sacrifice time in other places). From this area, take the train to
Place de la Bastille and begin the walking tour suggested by Frommers
in the Marais (see link below). The Marais is full of restaurants, and
you can surely find something that you'd like there. From Place de la
Bastille (at the end of the tour), take the train to Champs-Élysées
(here I shall quote Fodor: ?if you'd like to walk most of the broad
avenue, get off at the Franklin-D.-Roosevelt stop. If not, get off at
George V (near the top) or Charles de Gaulle Étoile (by the
roundabout) and head to the Arc de Triomphe. From the top of the arch
there's a great view of the "star" of avenues. If platinum-card
shopping is on your list, head to avenue Montaigne, which branches off
the Champs.?). The Arc is especially beautiful in the early evening or
the afternoon. From there (or before ? the Arc is open till 10:30 or
11 PM), a dinner would be recommended.
Nightly options:
- Opera back in Marais
- - See a performance at the Centre Ppompidou
Tour Eiffel (Web Site)
<http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/>
Opens at 9:00, open every day. Ride in the lift all the way to the top
costs EUR 10,70 pro person. The earlier you come, the less you'll
queue; plus, it's better to come on a weekday, if that works for you.
Wikipedia - Eiffel Tower
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiffel_Tower>
Les Invalides
<http://www.invalides.org/> - Open every day of the year, except for
the first Monday of every month, and January 1st, May 1st, November
1st and December 25th.
Open from 10:00 to 17:00, from October 1st to mars 31st,
and from 10:00 to 18:00, from April 1st to September 30st.
Wikipedia - Les Invalides
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invalides>
Frommer?s suggested Marais walking tour
<http://www.frommers.com/destinations/paris/0062020035.html>
Champ Elysees
< http://www.champselysees.org/>
Wikipedia ? Champ Elysees
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champs-%C3%89lys%C3%A9es
Arc de Triomphe
< http://www.monum.fr/prehome/prehome.dml> open from April 1 to
September 30: 10 a.m.-11 p.m.
from October 1 to March 31: 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
The cash desk close 1/2 hour before
Closed on January 1, May 1,May 8 (morning) July 14 (morning), November
11 (morning) and December 25 Admission 7? ($8.05) adults, 4.50?
($5.20) ages 18-25, free for 17 and under
Recommended Restaurants in the Marais:
-------------------------------------
Bofinger
<http://www.bofingerparis.com/en/>
(Review of Bofinger at Guardian Unlimited's Food Monthly:
<http://observer.guardian.co.uk/foodmonthly/story/0,9950,645846,00.html>)
Chez Clement
<http://www.toptable.co.uk/details.cfm/qs/rid%7C2155/>
Recommended restaurant in Champs-Elysses
---------------------------------------------------------
La Fremette
<http://www.blanc.net/fermette/>
Ladurée Champs Elysées
http://www.laduree.com/
75, avenue des Champs Elysées - 75008 Paris
Tel : 01.40.75.08.75 - Fax : 01.40.75.06.75
Restaurant open daily 7.30am to 12.30am
The shop is open daily 7.30am to 11.30pm ? for the chocolates,
macarons and that Champs Elysees coffee.
Notes on Day I
-------------------
- If you want to go to the opera or to a performance at the Pompidou
Centre, you?ll do wisely to buy a ticket through the Internet.
Museums, too, sell their tickets through the Internet, and I?d
recommend reserving a place in the restaurants, too.
- To avoid the horrible Eiffel queues, and accomplish all of those
places in a day come to the Eiffel early. Naturally, this itinerary is
a bit faulty in a foggy day, but that could be said about the next
days as well?
- It is the common touristy cliché to sit and drink coffee on the
Champs-Elysees. The problem is, that Paris in general, and this area
in particular, is full with horrible tourist traps with atrocious food
and ghastly prices. NEVER agree to order without seeing the prices ?
the vilest joints use this tactic. Don?t even follow the crowds,
thinking ?this place is full, that probably means it?s good?. They are
probably misguided tourists who don?t use Google Answers. I recently
told French friends of mine that in my broke back pack? tour to Paris
I?ve ended up ? how pathetic ? drinking my dreamt on coffee at the
Champs-Elysees McDonalds. Their answer: we too. I do recommend Ladurée
Champs Elysées, which is expensive but good.
Day II
====
Start the day late (after last night?s opera) in the Musee D?Orsay.
The daily guided tours in English start at 11:30. From Musee D-Orsay,
take the train to the Denfert Rochereau station. You can visit the
Paris Catacombs there. Spend the afternoon in the Latin Quarter, using
the route suggested by Frommers. Whatever left of the afternoon and
evening could be spent shopping. Tomorrow you start really early.
Musee DOrsay
< http://www.musee-orsay.fr/ >
Wikipedia ? Musee DOrsay
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mus%C3%A9e_d'Orsay>
Show Caves -Catacombs
< http://www.showcaves.com/english/fr/misc/Catacombs.html>
Frommer?s Walking Tour ? Latin Quarter
< http://www.frommers.com/destinations/paris/0062020034.html>
Julien Degorre?s recommended restaurants in the Latin Quarter
< http://www.lri.fr/qip06/restos.pdf> (PDF)
Day 3
====
This is going to be a very exhausting day ? so much to see, so little
time. Start your day at the Louvre museum. The Louvre has a guided
tour, daily, and it might be best to take it. Check when you get in.
The Louvre ticket is a day ticket ? you can get out and in as much as
you?d like, and you might just like to skip the rest of the day and
stay there, depends on how much of an art lover you are. After you
leave the Louvre, exit towards the Samaritaine department store, and
admire the Art-Nouveau building from the outside (it is closed for
renovations). A nice restaurant in the area is Café Marly, if you
haven?t used the restaurants inside the Louvre. Take the train or walk
to St. Chapelle. From there, lick some afternoon ice cream at
Berthillon, and continue to Notre Dame. For the late afternoon and
early evening you can see the view from Notre Dame, but also take the
train and continue to Centre Pompidou, a centre of modern arts and
museums. Since it should be already at dusk or later, don?t miss the
panoramic view on Paris (6th floor).
Louvre
< http://www.louvre.fr/llv/commun/home_flash.jsp?bmLocale=en>
Wikipedia ? Louvre
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louvre>
La Samaritaine
< http://www.lasamaritaine.com/>
Café Marly
Tel: +33-1-4926 0660; Fax: +33-1-4926 0706; 93 rue de Rivoli, Cours
Napoleon; 75001 Paris 1er ; Open: Mon-Sun 8am-2am; Metro:
Palais-Royal-Musee-du-Louvre
Wikipedia - St. Chapelle
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainte_Chapelle>
Berthillon
< http://www.berthillon-glacier.fr/>
Notre Dame
< http://www.cathedraledeparis.com/FR/0.asp>
Centre Pompidou
<http://www.cnac-gp.fr/> - The Centre Pompidou is open every day from
11am to 10pm, except Tuesdays and May 1.
Wikipedia ? Centre Pompidou
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centre_Pompidou>
Notes for the 3rd day
--------------------------
- Pompidou and the Louvre are shut on Tuesdays.
- Naturally, this is a relatively good option for a rainy day.
- As mentioned before, you can buy tickets through the Internet, and
it would save you time standing in line. Since the name of the game at
the Louvre is to save time, this is important. Another tip on saving
precious Louvre time is not to enter through the main gate (the
Pyramid), but from another gate.
- It is best to plan your Louvre time well. If you don?t buy a guide
that would help you with that (or use the daily guided tours), spend
at least few minutes deciding what is the most important for you to
see.
- If you?re not totally exhausted, try a performance at the centre Pompidou.
Day 4
====
You have several options for the last day. You can go to the
Eurodisney, if this is your ?thing?, or to take the train to
Versailles. However, my recommendation is different. This day would
start with a walk (again, as prescribed by Frommer?s) in Montmartre.
While the remains of the afternoon could be spent shopping, or
visiting additional sites not featured in my itinerary, I recommend
returning to the area for some night entertainment at the Moulin
Rouge.
Frommer?s ? Montmartre Walking Tour
< http://www.frommers.com/destinations/paris/0062020033.html>
Moulin Rouge
< http://www.moulinrouge.fr/home-flash-gb.html>
Eurodisney
< http://www.disneylandparis.com/index2.jsp>
Versailles
< http://www.chateauversailles.fr/>
Further Information
============
Events in Paris in July
< http://www.whatsonwhen.com/scripts/query.asp?month=7&overview=0&loc_id=134133&categories=5926>
I hope this answers your question. Please contact me if you need any
clarification on this answer before you rate it. |
