Paris advice?

[MaxBuck]

The best advice I could give regarding Paris is to use the Metro and the RER trains as much as possible, and to buy a multi-day pass that allows you unlimited fares during the purchased time. We were able to get to sites all around the city in our three days, and found the Metro to be clean, efficient and fast. The RER allows you to expand your travel even further. More details at:

 

http://parisbytrain.com/paris-visite-pass-card/

 

http://www.ratp.fr/en/ratp/c_21879/tourists/

[tvmovielover]

When we went in winter a couple of years ago, the Eiffel Tower was crowded with Parisian families who love their own city on the weekend and the wait without an advance reservation to go to the top was 2+ hours. The 45 min wait for level 2 was worth it but the top must be even better. Also, the view from the top of the Pompidou is worth the trip (you see all the other towers you have been up from a different point of view) and not all the art is super modern. But, as said above, get the museum pass for all the days there and use the Metro and RER trains when you are tired of walking.

 

On our ship overview of Paris tour, our TD told us of a special Monet exhibit at the Gran Palais (we also saw that on a weekend after a cold 2 hr wait in line!) for which she said there were no more tickets. When we got in from waiting, it was a fabulous retrospective with paintings from around the world and there were some other very good exhibits there at the time. So my advice is to check out what exhibits will be there when you are in Paris in case there is another great exhibit (some were jewelry etc not all art).

[wantabecruiser]

Freddie,

Love your post! Thank you for the great review of things to do in Paris! I can't wait to visit and have printed out your suggestions for our first visit to Paris!;)

[MVPinBoynton]

I know that Sainte Chapelle has been mentioned as a place to visit; but I consider it a must see. It is just incredibly beautiful. Here are some photos from our review.

 

 

[Got2Cruise]

Mike, thanks for posting your pic. That's the problem, so many "must sees".:) But it is a good problem.

[MVPinBoynton]

Mike, thanks for posting your pic. That's the problem, so many "must sees".:) But it is a good problem.

 

You got that right! It is a big problem; but a good problem.

[Dakota Traveler]

I saw that, and was just going to post it here. The thing to especially note is that these pickpockets are children. So never let your guard down. I am also planning to only carry a small amount of cash, and have everything else locked up at the hotel.

 

Good advice. Pickpockets are a major problem in Paris. They can and will be anyware you go in Paris. Take only what you need for the day and if you need your credit card use a money belt. It may make it inconvenient to get to when you want to use it, but it's not as inconvenient as spenting your day filling out a police report and calling you credit card company if it's stolen. Paris is a great place to visit, full of beautiful sites and wonderful history, don't let a pickpocket give you a different memory.

 

DT

[SatLhr]

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'm not sure what your mobility/access level is...but Paris is an extremely easy city to get around in. It will be cheaper to see the Louvre & Eiffel Tower on your own. As someone else mentioned previously I would also suggest going to the Musee d'Orsay. It's across the river from the Louvre and has SO many famous/popular works of art that you will NOT be disappointed...especially if you are a fan of the impressionists. My sister actually said that if she had known, before hand, how much she'd enjoy the Orsay she would have skipped the Louvre (shocking but true). :p

 

Be brave! Start the day with a cafe creme and hit the ground running! In 2 days you can tour (day 1) the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame (don't miss out on the gardens in the back!) AND the Sacre Couer, (day 2) the Louvre (it takes weeks to really see the whole collection but you can get the highlights) PLUS the Tuileries Gardens & Place de la Concorde and the Musee d'Orsay. Cabs are plentiful but you might get stuck in traffic. The Metro is easy to use.