Paris advice?

Our river cruise will start with 2 nights in Paris in early May. Does anyone have any good tour companies to recommend? Here is what Avalon is offering for their included excursion, but I do not believe we will actually enter any of the places, so thought I would look into purchasing a more detailed tour of Paris.

Paris’ famous sights are living history: your included city sightseeing shows you magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, the unique Louvre Museum with its glass pyramid as a contrast to its ancient architecture, the commemorative Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, Champs Elysées, and the Eiffel Tower, a structural miracle of its age. The city is well known for its colorful nightlife, including some of the world’s most famous cabaret shows.

Liza

I agree that you will be driving past these places. Take a taxi or the Metro from your hotel to the Eiffel tower and the Louvre. We actually took the Chunnel from London and visited both sites in one day. The Louvre is fantastic. Be sure to get the English audio guide. IMO you can get "museumed out".

Hello, yes i am trying to work out the same thing. I have looked at a couple of tour companies for the Eifle Tower and the Louvre but they charge so much for their tours as they have a guide for the 2or 3hours. The entrance fee for the Eifle Tower i saw was only 13 Euros and the Louvre about the same but these companies wanted about 50 Euros . The reviews all say its worth it as you dont have to be in the long queues . Hopefully we might get some advice from people who have been there before.

Our river cruise will start with 2 nights in Paris in early May. Does anyone have any good tour companies to recommend? Here is what Avalon is offering for their included excursion, but I do not believe we will actually enter any of the places, so thought I would look into purchasing a more detailed tour of Paris.

 

Paris’ famous sights are living history: your included city sightseeing shows you magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, the unique Louvre Museum with its glass pyramid as a contrast to its ancient architecture, the commemorative Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, Champs Elysées, and the Eiffel Tower, a structural miracle of its age. The city is well known for its colorful nightlife, including some of the world’s most famous cabaret shows.

 

Liza

In Paris you do not need to book an expensive tour .

Near the front of Notre Dame Cathedral (facing the cathedral in the street running across the front and on the left hand side of the cathedral) you will find the Stop for the Red HOHO Bus . A ticket lasts two successive days. Buses start at 10am daily . Jump on commentary in many languauges with plug in ear pieces . Go right round takes around 2 hours and get your bearings. Then next day return and jump on and off see what sights you want, and service is very frequent .

Paris is an easy city to explore by foot and metro and the HIHO bus is another good option. We get the museum pass so we can come and go as we please (and take them in small doses) and a metro pass so we don't have to stop and get tickets every time.

Watch your valuables in the tourist areas, especially near the Eiffel Tower, as the pickpockets there are in a class by themselves.

Did you find the lines for the Eifle Tower and The louvre extremly long?We will be there at the start of June

Paris is an easy city to explore by foot and metro and the HIHO bus is another good option. We get the museum pass so we can come and go as we please (and take them in small doses) and a metro pass so we don't have to stop and get tickets every time.

 

Watch your valuables in the tourist areas, especially near the Eiffel Tower, as the pickpockets there are in a class by themselves.

We did Paris on our own for three days prior to our cruise. No need to hire a tour company. As already mentioned, easy to walk to major

attractions. Two things we would highly recommend. One, buy Fodor's PARIS book. It includes an excellent detailed map. It was our three day guide and cost little.

The second most important thing, buy the museum

pass. The only place you cannot use it, is for entrance to the Eiffel Tower. But, with the pass, you have the ability not to have to stand in any lines at all other major attractions. You go to the front of the line, show your pass, and you enter immediately. With only two days, this

would be of tremendous value.

Another good book is Rick Steve's book on Paris. After reading Fodor's and reading Rick Steve's book, select the sights you want to see. Use

your map to circle your points of interest. You will enjoy Paris so much more than seeing sights from a bus.

If you have any more questions, we would be happy to respond.

We arrive early morning in Paris on day 1, we have the rest of that day, (after a nap) and the next day, and then leave in the morning on day 3, so we only have the evening of the day we arrive, and one full day the next day, so not a whole lot of time. I was thinking maybe trying to do one of the tours that offers a evening Siene cruise and the Eiffel tower maybe??

A day and a half in Paris is not much time, especially after a long flight.

You can easily do the Eiffel tower without a guide as well as some of the other notable sights like Notre Dame Cathedral, Sacre Coeur/Montmarte, Arch de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, etc etc. The Metro is really easy to use and gets your around fast and easy.

We enjoyed simply having a glass of wine or coffee on the Champs Elysees, shopping, walking around Pere Lachaise, and we actually enjoyed Musee d'Orsay more than the Louvre. You could spend several days at the Louvre and not see all of it. The Musee d'Orsay is much more compact. Your choice obviously.

One word of warning....watch for pickpockets, romas and petty theives. They love the tourists (we were targeted several times but never victimized). As always, do some homework before you leave.

... Here is what Avalon is offering for their included excursion, but I do not believe we will actually enter any of the places, so thought I would look into purchasing a more detailed tour of Paris.

 

Paris’ famous sights are living history: your included city sightseeing shows you magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, the unique Louvre Museum with its glass pyramid as a contrast to its ancient architecture, the commemorative Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, Champs Elysées, and the Eiffel Tower, a structural miracle of its age.

I agree that you will be driving past these places.

I'm surprised that everyone seems to accept that the Avalon-supplied tour would just be drive-bys of all these places. Is this normal for the river cruise lines to provide such cursory tours? Or is this just Avalon?

Our river cruise will start with 2 nights in Paris in early May. Does anyone have any good tour companies to recommend? Here is what Avalon is offering for their included excursion, but I do not believe we will actually enter any of the places, so thought I would look into purchasing a more detailed tour of Paris.

 

Paris’ famous sights are living history: your included city sightseeing shows you magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, the unique Louvre Museum with its glass pyramid as a contrast to its ancient architecture, the commemorative Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, Champs Elysées, and the Eiffel Tower, a structural miracle of its age. The city is well known for its colorful nightlife, including some of the world’s most famous cabaret shows.

 

Liza

When in May are you going? We are going on the Scenery on May 6th.

We are going on the Central European Experience May 2nd.

When in May are you going? We are going on the Scenery on May 6th.

I contacted Avalon and they told me that their tours are just an overview of the city. I wish i had of known about the cruise only price as i think that would have been a better option than what i have booked. The hotels will be amazing where we are staying in Paris and Prague but i am sure there were much cheaper options as well that would have just been as good.

I'm surprised that everyone seems to accept that the Avalon-supplied tour would just be drive-bys of all these places. Is this normal for the river cruise lines to provide such cursory tours? Or is this just Avalon?

. I was thinking maybe trying to do one of the tours that offers a evening Siene cruise and the Eiffel tower maybe??

There is no need to do an expensive tour to do the boat ride. Ask your concierge for a schedule of the English speaking boat rides and simply purchase a ticket and get on. We like to go at dusk and watch the lights come on over the city. The ride shows Paris at its best.

<Did you find the lines for the Eifle Tower and The louvre extremly long?We will be there at the start of June> Yes, they can be and you are there in high season.

< Is this normal for the river cruise lines to provide such cursory tours? Or is this just Avalon?> Yes, this is the norm IME. This is why we generally do not participate as these tours are cursory overviews of the town/city in most cases. When the included tour includes entry fees to a site we are interested in (Abbey at Melk, Palace at Wurzburg) we will go along for that portion but these intro tours upon arrival into a port are not in depth. We research and explore on our own or hire an independent guide.

Two years ago we took an Ocean cruise that had two days in Le Havre. Our time is Paris was extremely limited as we had to take the train into Paris in the morning and be back onboard by 5 the next day. The first day we started out at Notre Dame and did it on our own, then we took the HOHO bus to get a scenic feel for the city. There were lines at the cathedral but they moved well and once inside we could take our time.

The HOHO was okay but when we circled the Eiffel tower for the third time we relaized it took too long in transit. With limited time we would of been better off deciding what we wanted to see and taking a taxi. Time was more of a concern than money.

The best investment for us was the Louvre tour with the guide we took the next morning. It fit in perfectly with our time table so we could get on the train by 1. The tour included entry and the guide was extremely knowledgeable. We not only got to skip lines but he knew the highways and byways of the museuem and we were able to see all the highlights.

With the size of the museum I know we would of barely scratched the surface on our own. Where there were big crowds he would take us down a different path and we were looking at what they were waiting to see within minutes. It greatly

added to our enjoyment of the musuem. Like the Hermitage the Louvre is huge and a guide is invaluable.

Doing it on our own would of only been a third of the cost, but I think we would of only seen about 20% of what we saw. Your choice, but again with limited time the 3 hours packed in a lot of stuff.

Check out Paris Walks. Touring with them was quite reasonable -

http://www.paris-walks.com/

During our 5 day stay in Paris last September we used City Free Tours and they were very good. Chris and Tamara have a number of very informative walking tours and they are free. All they ask for is a small tip at the end if you are satisfied with their efforts. If you wish you can check them out at ...

http://www.cityfreetour.com/home/

I highly recommend them.

Thanks for all your advice, i was thinking that maybe we could just catch a boat down the Seine without doing a tour so i may contact our hotel beforehand for that. I asked Avalon re their Prague tours and they replied that it does include a walking tour but not an extensive one. I heard back from Jana but unfortuantley she will be away the date we are in Prague so she has recommended someone else .

There is no need to do an expensive tour to do the boat ride. Ask your concierge for a schedule of the English speaking boat rides and simply purchase a ticket and get on. We like to go at dusk and watch the lights come on over the city. The ride shows Paris at its best.

 

<Did you find the lines for the Eifle Tower and The louvre extremly long?We will be there at the start of June> Yes, they can be and you are there in high season.

 

< Is this normal for the river cruise lines to provide such cursory tours? Or is this just Avalon?> Yes, this is the norm IME. This is why we generally do not participate as these tours are cursory overviews of the town/city in most cases. When the included tour includes entry fees to a site we are interested in (Abbey at Melk, Palace at Wurzburg) we will go along for that portion but these intro tours upon arrival into a port are not in depth. We research and explore on our own or hire an independent guide.

We were there for a few days and bought Hoho bus and Bateau boat tickets. We liked sitting upstairs on the bus and taking pictures. (Maybe we still had jet lag.) We got an overview of everything, but it did take time. We also used the Metro and walked a lot.

The Eiffel Tower was a highlight of our trip as was the Orsay Museum. Great place to go if you love impressionist art!

You can also go super touristy and do a seine river dinner cruise. The food was fine (not the best, not the worst) but you get to see many of the sights at night.

Paris is a very walkable city ( except for montmartre/sacre coeur) Assuming a decent fitness level, you can start at the Eiffel tower, go over to the Arc de Triomphe, walk down the Champs Elyssee, head to the Louvre and then over to Notre Dame. There are plenty of bistros, etc on the way to recharge with coffee/wine/pastries.

Have fun!

We were there for a few days and bought Hoho bus and Bateau boat tickets. We liked sitting upstairs on the bus and taking pictures. (Maybe we still had jet lag.) We got an overview of everything, but it did take time. We also used the Metro and walked a lot.

The Eiffel Tower was a highlight of our trip as was the Orsay Museum. Great place to go if you love impressionist art!

Liza555 - I have had the good fortune over the years of showing many friends, relatives, and business colleagues a bit of Paris, anywhere from a couple of hours to a couple of weeks. I am not sure where you're staying; so I can't tell you how close you are to certain things. Therefore, I will simply give you some suggestions of my favorite things to do and see in Paris. Much will depend upon your inclination to walk, to take the Metro, to spend time in museums, etc.

Early May is often ideal in terms of weather, with the chestnut trees blooming in the Tuileries and tulips and daffodils (jonquils) everywhere. So, for what it is or ain't worth, here are some ideas:

Best views in Paris:

1. From the top of the Eiffel Tower. Of course, you certainly must go to the top for the best views; but the restaurant on the first level - Altitude 95 - is quite decent and has wonderful views, especially at lunch when it's not so crowded and you may be able to get a table by the windows. Here's the Eiffel Tower restaurant website: http://www.restaurants-toureiffel.com/ Here's the main website for the Eiffel Tower: http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/ There's a very fancy and very expensive restaurant in the tower called Jules Verne. I've read that it's quite good but not worth the $$$ compared to other high-end restaurants in Paris. It's also fairly dressy, which irritates me.

2. From the steps in front of the church of Sacre Coeur in Montmartre. (See below for more dope about this neighborhood.)

3. From the top of the Grande Arche de la Defense - http://www.grandearche.com/international/english.html Most tourists don't do that last one because they don't go out to the high-rise business complex of La Defense. But it's a very cool perspective of the city, as the Grande Arche is in line with the Arc de Triomphe and the smaller Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel at the Louvre end of the Tuileries Gardens. Thus, you get a splendid view of the main corridor of Paris. Quite spectacular. When you take the train or metro there, don't get off at the station nearer the Seine (Esplanade de la Defense) because you will then have to walk the whole length of La Defense (quite a long ways) before you get to the Grande Arche. Rather, get off at the station called La Defense (or maybe it's called La Defense Grande Arche).

Do you have a map of Paris yet? If not, you can get one at Barnes & Noble or Borders. There will almost certainly be free maps of the city at your hotel, usually provided by Galeries Lafayette, one of the big department stores.

Here are some random remarks about several of my favorite places and things to do:

1. Notre Dame - When you visit Notre Dame, try to go up in the tower. The views from the top of the towers are wonderful and it's fun to see the gargoyles up close. You also get a much better sense of the remarkable aspects of gothic architecture when you are in the towers. As I recall, the entrance to the towers is via a separate ticket booth around to the left side of the cathedral (left side if you're facing the cathedral). The steps are pretty steep and worn stone; so wear good shoes. Another good thing to do at Notre Dame is to walk all the way around it on the outside. Most people never see it from the back. There is a nice little rose garden at the back as well.

2. Sacre Coeur - The best way to get there is to take the Metro to the Pigalle stop and then walk up the hill to the church (or to the Funiculaire de Montmartre which takes you the last ways up and saves quite a few steps). Montmartre is an interesting neighborhood to walk through on the way to the church. Just around the corner from the church is the Place du Tertre, which has all kinds of (mostly terrible) artists and (mostly mediocre) restaurants. But it is great to visit, both during the day and at night. If the weather is good, it is fun at night because all of the restaurants set up outdoor sections in the square. Even though the restaurants there are only okay and are a bit expensive, it's a real Parisian tourist experience. I like to find an outside table and just have some wine and a basket of frites (fries) and maybe some moules (mussels) and watch the whole scene.

3. Sainte Chapelle - The most beautiful gothic church in Paris (and probably anywhere in Europe) is this little jewel box. It's in the complex of the Palais de Justice, just a block or two west of Notre Dame on the Ile de la Cite. You enter through the gates on the Blvd. du Palais and then follow the signs to the ticket booth for the church. You enter on the lower chapel level, which isn't too interesting. Then, you go up the little staircase into the magnificent upper chapel, which has fantastic stained glass windows. A few years ago, a business colleague of mine was in Paris and went to Ste. Chapelle at my suggestion. When he returned, he told me the place was pretty boring. It turned out that he never went to the upper chapel and thought the whole place was the lower chapel, duh!!

4. Tuileries - In May, the Jardin des Tuileries can be quite quite lovely, with the chestnut trees in bloom. Even if they aren't, it's fun to walk through the gardens and look at the statues. A stroll from the Arc de Triomphe du Carousel by the Louvre through the Tuileries, and then down the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe is a genuine Paris experience.

5. Versailles - Try to go on a week-day, as it can be very crowded on week-ends. The only reason to go on a week-end would be if the fountains will be running. They're magnificent and might balance the negative aspect of big week-end crowds. The best way to get there is by the RER (regional train). After touring the chateau, wander about the grounds. They are quite beautiful.

6. River Seine tour boats - Along the quais near the Eiffel Tower are a number of services offering city cruises on the Seine. It is very touristy and absolutely a must to do. If the weather is good, pick one that has seats outside on the top deck. They're good both during the day and at night and give you a totally different sense of the lay-out and architecture of the city. I would advise against taking a lunch or dinner cruise, as they are expensive for dreary food and, more importantly, you'll be distracted from the wonderful viewing of the city. If you can do it, try a cruise during the day and another at night. Most of the monuments and important buildings are lit up at night and quite cool.

7. Getting Around - The Metro (and for places like Versailles, the RER) is the way to go. A several day pass will be the best deal.

8. Picnics & snacks - Toss into your checked (not carry-on!!!) luggage a good pocketknife, corkscrew, and a couple of metal or heavy plastic glasses (we don't take wineglasses - we just take small tumblers) for picnics away from your hotel. That way, if the mood suits you, you can buy a baguette, some cheese, sausage, a bottle of wine, and some tasty pastries and have the best food experience in France.

9. The Louvre - People tend to overdose at the Louvre by trying to see the whole collection at once. My strong advice is to spend no more than two or three hours there at a time. After that, you just get punchy and all the art starts to fog together. There is no requirement to see every stupid painting there anyway. I love the museum but will not spend more than two hours there at a time. The museum passes allow multiple visits, as I recall.

10. People Watching - Parisians like to spend time at cafes just sitting, chatting, sipping coffee, wine or beer. It is lots of fun to do the same at any of the hundreds of outdoor cafes, particularly in the Latin Quarter, along Blvd. St. Germain or the intersection of Rue de Buci and Rue du Seine.

Have fun! Cheers, Fred

Liza555 - A few more ideas for spending your time in my favorite big city in the world:

Paris Opera House - It's absolutely gorgeous inside, well worth a visit (and, I think, included in the Museum Pass if you get that pass).

Pompidou Museum - Unless you really love modern art, it is not worth the bother to go to this museum. The building itself is hideous - it looks like an oil refinery. The layout of the collection is very confusing. (You might have guessed that although I love modern art, I hate the Pompidou.)

If you like Rodin sculpture ("The Thinker", etc.), a visit to the Rodin Museum, which is housed in a lovely old villa called Maison Biron (or something like that) is fun. Rodin's sculpture is quite sensual and wonderfully displayed at this museum.

The Tomb of Napoleon in the Museum de l'Armee at Hotel des Invalides is worth a visit. You will also note that for some of his generals, their bodies will be in one museum or church and their hearts will be in another!! Creepy, no???

When you are on the Left Bank, you will be close to my two favorite markets in Paris, which are very different from each other:

First, the street market in Rue de Buci is a classic local French market, with a number of wonderful shops, selling everything from fish to cheese to bread. It's at the intersection of Rue de Buci and Rue de Seine (as I recall). You'll find Rue de Buci just a block or two before Blvd. St.-Germain when going from the Seine towards Blvd. St.-Germain.

My other favorite food market in Paris is the incredible food hall of the Bon Marche - La Grande Epicerie de Paris, 38, rue de Sèvres. It's a wonderful adventure in French food. It's also the best place I can think of to get some goodies for a picnic, either in a park or in your hotel room. I can’t find an English website; but here is the French one:

http://www.lagrandeepicerie.fr/en/html/services/services.htm

The store is located just south of the intersection of rue de Sevres and Blvd. Raspail, a block or two from the Metro station "Sevres-Babylone". If you simply google, La Grand Epicerie, you'll get a map and loads of comments about the fantastic store, which some people consider to be better than the glorious Food Halls at Harrod's in London. (I have to disagree with that sentiment; but I remain convinced that La Grand Epicerie is a worthy stop on a visit to Paris.)

The food halls at Lafayette Gourmet in the Galleries Lafayette at 48 Blvd. Haussman are also quite good, although not nearly as vast as those at La Grande Epicerie. Have fun. Yumm, yumm!!

A bientot for now. Cheers, Fred

Thank you!

Liza555 - A few more ideas for spending your time in my favorite big city in the world:

 

Paris Opera House - It's absolutely gorgeous inside, well worth a visit (and, I think, included in the Museum Pass if you get that pass).

 

Pompidou Museum - Unless you really love modern art, it is not worth the bother to go to this museum. The building itself is hideous - it looks like an oil refinery. The layout of the collection is very confusing. (You might have guessed that although I love modern art, I hate the Pompidou.)

 

If you like Rodin sculpture ("The Thinker", etc.), a visit to the Rodin Museum, which is housed in a lovely old villa called Maison Biron (or something like that) is fun. Rodin's sculpture is quite sensual and wonderfully displayed at this museum.

 

The Tomb of Napoleon in the Museum de l'Armee at Hotel des Invalides is worth a visit. You will also note that for some of his generals, their bodies will be in one museum or church and their hearts will be in another!! Creepy, no???

 

When you are on the Left Bank, you will be close to my two favorite markets in Paris, which are very different from each other:

 

First, the street market in Rue de Buci is a classic local French market, with a number of wonderful shops, selling everything from fish to cheese to bread. It's at the intersection of Rue de Buci and Rue de Seine (as I recall). You'll find Rue de Buci just a block or two before Blvd. St.-Germain when going from the Seine towards Blvd. St.-Germain.

 

My other favorite food market in Paris is the incredible food hall of the Bon Marche - La Grande Epicerie de Paris, 38, rue de Sèvres. It's a wonderful adventure in French food. It's also the best place I can think of to get some goodies for a picnic, either in a park or in your hotel room. I can’t find an English website; but here is the French one:

 

http://www.lagrandeepicerie.fr/en/html/services/services.htm

 

The store is located just south of the intersection of rue de Sevres and Blvd. Raspail, a block or two from the Metro station "Sevres-Babylone". If you simply google, La Grand Epicerie, you'll get a map and loads of comments about the fantastic store, which some people consider to be better than the glorious Food Halls at Harrod's in London. (I have to disagree with that sentiment; but I remain convinced that La Grand Epicerie is a worthy stop on a visit to Paris.)

 

The food halls at Lafayette Gourmet in the Galleries Lafayette at 48 Blvd. Haussman are also quite good, although not nearly as vast as those at La Grande Epicerie. Have fun. Yumm, yumm!!

 

A bientot for now. Cheers, Fred

Fred, you did a great job encapsulating in a very personal manner, how to see Paris. I wanted to augment what you have already suggested. I agree that the Pompidou is sort of like the Guggenheim is to NY....less than impressive artwork to many, but has one of the best views of Paris' rooftops, and you can pop in there with the Museum pass, ride the whacky escalators, see the view, and leave. Also worth mentioning is that the views from the top floor cafes of both department stores (Galeries Lafayette and the Printemps) are free and give up close views of the Opera and rooftops. Also, another way to experience the beauty and spirituality of Sainte Chapelle is to stop by during the day and get tickets to an evening concert there. You avoid the long lines and get to gaze at the statues and stained glass windows while listening to Mozart! And since you've mentioned La Defense with it's unbelievable view, don't forget about the view from the top of Montparnasse Tower, which might be the ugliest structure in Paris, but if you time it right, you can go up at night (it is open late) and see the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower and Sacre Coeur also lit up. It is a good way to start a trip to Paris to get your bearings. Voila! Voila!!

Jesterscourt - I must admit that the view from the ghastly Montparnasse Tower is quite good; but the building is so hideous and entirely out of place in its section of Paris that I cannot bear to go there on aesthetic grounds. ;)