4 Hours in Paris or full day in Normandy?

[rae.holmes]

We've never been to Paris and I've been obsessed since before I could remember. We're on the Carnival Legend in September and have to option to travel three hours both ways for four hours worth of time in Paris. I think we can have an amazing time in for hours, but I'd like everyone's opinion.

[bruisin4cruisin]

Do Paris, if you do not think you will be back. I would hate to want to be there for my whole life and not see everything I wanted to. If 4 hours will keep you from regretting going, head to Paris. Personally, I would do the day in Normandy, go to Paris when I could "see" Paris...but that's me.

Good luck!

[JPEvans]

We've never been to Paris and I've been obsessed since before I could remember. We're on the Carnival Legend in September and have to option to travel three hours both ways for four hours worth of time in Paris. I think we can have an amazing time in for hours, but I'd like everyone's opinion.

 

If you are departing from Dover. I would fly over a couple days earlier

And take the Eurostar to Paris for a day trip. You would get more than

4 hours in Paris and might cost less than the ships excursion. You

Could take an early train from London get to Paris by 10 am or so.

And take a later train back to London. If you plan it correctly. You

Could have 10 hours in Paris instead of 4.

[MrBanana1240]

Paris. You can enjoy the beautiful city in 4 hours. Go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, visit the Arche de Triumphe, pass the Louvre and Notre Dome and choose what you want to do after exploring the city. Then you get some empty ship time as all of the other passengers explode over Northern France.

[Macklovin38]

I was in Paris last year and I think 4 hours is going to be such a tease but I would still go- you'll regret it if you don't!!

 

 

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[CHOPPERTESTER]

We've never been to Paris and I've been obsessed since before I could remember. We're on the Carnival Legend in September and have to option to travel three hours both ways for four hours worth of time in Paris. I think we can have an amazing time in for hours, but I'd like everyone's opinion.

 

A lot of cruisers get off the ship in Le Havre and stay in Paris a few days before heading back. Don't know if that is an option for you.

[lrowe70]

I'd do Normandy, but only because I've already been to Paris.

Since you say that Paris is a life dream for you, I can't think of any reason to be so close and not go.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Normandy. Very much more emotional than Paris.

 

Not many WWII vets left and you might just be lucky enough to meet one or more before they are all gone. Without them, they would be speaking German in Paris.

 

Anyway, we will be touring the beaches on our cruise.

[rae.holmes]

Normandy. Very much more emotional than Paris.

 

Not many WWII vets left and you might just be lucky enough to meet one or more before they are all gone. Without them, they would be speaking German in Paris.

 

Anyway, we will be touring the beaches on our cruise.

 

 

We've thought about it, I like the tours our roll call has been talking about. I just worry I'll regret not taking this chance to see Paris.

[luvsviola]

I'd do the full day in Normandy, personally. 4 hours isn't enough to do anything, and you will have spent more time traveling than there. If there is traffic on the way, you'd get even less time.

 

I'd go back and do a Paris day some other time.

[Bobby_Mac]

If Paris is something that you've wanted to see, then go. You should be able to zip around on the Metro and quickly see the major sites without going into them and moving on.

 

The Normandy region has a lot of sites to see and awesome if D-Day and military history is of interest. To really take everything in, it will take more than a day.

 

When I was stationed in Germany I made it to Paris three times and Normandy twice. Both places are great to see, but the people in Normandy are much friendlier.

[jenng1976]

I voted Paris ... Since that's what we are doing! So excited about it! :)

 

We are taking the train ... Walking up the Eiffel Tower ... Seine river cruise ... And train back to port.

 

Jenn :)

[marshhawk]

I lived in Paris for three years when I was a child, I understand the wanting to see it, but 4 hours is but a tease, and you are seeing no more of Paris than you would with a book or a post card. Go to Normandy, the history of the world changed there. Do Paris after your cruise, make the time and money to do so.

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

We've never been to Paris and I've been obsessed since before I could remember. We're on the Carnival Legend in September and have to option to travel three hours both ways for four hours worth of time in Paris. I think we can have an amazing time in for hours, but I'd like everyone's opinion.

 

where are you docking?

[rainbowflag]

You only live once, you don't want your last thought to be " I never saw Paris."

[HarpHarp]

Go to Paris if you can't go at the beginning or end of your cruise.

Don't bother going up the Eiffel Tower. It will eat up at least 2 of your 4 hours & as an old Parisian told me, the best view is from Sacre Couer on Monmartre-the tower is in the view. :)The tower is best at night anyhow.

You won't have time to go in any of the museums.

I'd suggest some sort of tour for the most efficient use or your time.

 

Of course if it's Paris shopping that interests, head for Galleries Lafeyette .

[Jenna1983]

I've never been to Paris but will be spending four days there after my Sunshine cruise. I've always dreamt of Paris and four days doesn't seem enough for me, so four hours, seems a tease. I'd use the day for Normandy. I'm at a crossroads right now bc I want to do Normandy but it's quite possible that there may not be a half day tour available on the dates I'm there. I think maybe I need to go back for a proper time in Normandy.

[Lovefuninthesun]

I am an incurable Francophile, and Paris is my absolute favorite place on earth! But in only four hours you will really just be able to drive by a few landmarks, and will spend much of that time in taxis or on the bus/Metro.

 

On the other hand, Normandy is totally awesome as well -- I would spend the day in Normandy, maybe see Mont St. Michel or Omaha Beach.

 

Go to Paris when you can spend at least 3 or 4 days.

 

Bon voyage!

[roaminggoat]

If there is an excursion to mont st michel I would do that as it is much closer. It is one if those places to see before you die and a UNESCO world heritage site. Good creperies and moules /frites. I can't imagine doing Paris in 4 hours. If you do skip the eiffel tower as lines can be very long. Great views from sacre coeur instead.

 

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[idlenote]

Our first time in Paris we had 48 hours, we hit Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Seine river cruise, the Van Gogh exhibit on the south side of the Seine, Montmarte and a couple of hours on the hop on/hop off bus. Add in a couple of great meals and by the time we crawled back on the train to London we were exhausted. Last trip we had 3 days and we saw some of the other things we missed the first time around, but still missed out on Versailles.

 

There is no way to do Paris in four hours, that will leave you disappointed that you spent so many hours on the bus going there and back and really didn't get to see anything where you could spend the time on it. Do Normandy and save Paris for when you can give it a lot more time.

 

Hate to say it but the Parisians are a whole lot more friendly than they were in years past. I could not believe how may of them can speak English and will go out of their way to be helpful.

[Lovefuninthesun]

Paris. You can enjoy the beautiful city in 4 hours. Go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, visit the Arche de Triumphe, pass the Louvre and Notre Dome and choose what you want to do after exploring the city. Then you get some empty ship time as all of the other passengers explode over Northern France.

 

Sorry, but there is no way you can do all that in 4 hours -- we have spent 2 hours in line at the Eiffel Tower.

[John Bull]

Carnival Legend cruise ends at Dover, the morning after the port-of-call in Le Havre.

As the choppertester mentioned, some cruisers jump-ship in Le Havre to spend time in Paris & fly home from there. Given notice (or perhaps that should read "if their permission is requested" :rolleyes:) cruise lines don't have a problem with that, and open-jaw flights are no more expensive than a simple return.

But I'm guessing its too late or too expensive to change flights?

 

Paris in 4 hours is a nonsense.

You'll get a great deal more out of the D-Day beaches.

 

But according to a website your ship is in Le Havre 7am to 10 pm.

Even with the usual caveats that should allow you at least seven hours in Paris.

Whichmakes the decision more difficult.:confused::confused:

 

roaminggoat - see me after school for extra French geography lessons. :p

Mont St Michel is actually a little further than Paris, & almost twice as far as the D-Day beaches.

lovefuninthesun. You may care to join us. :p

 

JB :)

[rsquare]

This debate reminds me of Voltaire's line about the best being the enemy of the good. Ideally, you would have several days in Paris. But you don't live in an ideal world, you live in a world in which your best shot at getting to Paris only gives you four hours. We were in that same situation some years back and opted for Paris - and didn't regret it. Incidentally, our ship also left in the evening, but our constraint was when the ship's coach departed Paris; apparently people like to be back at the ship in time for first dinner seating:(. Rae.holmes may face the same situation.

 

Our Paris-on-your-own coach let us off at the Eiffel Tower. Trust me, walking under the Eiffel Tower and looking up at it is nothing like seeing it in a picture book or postcard. Rather than waste time going up, we walked across the Pont d'Iena and up the stairs to the Trocadero Palace (a wonderful art deco remnant of the 30s). On the Trocadero terrace, if you turn around you will be able to get the entire tower in one photo.

 

Here's one doable way to spend your time. From the Trocadero plaza, walk out to the street, and there is a Metro Station on your right. Take a Line 6 train to Etoile, which is the Arc de Triomphe, and the beginning of the Champs Elysees. Sure it's trite and touristy, but you have to do it once, even if only to walk a block or two, or to have lunch in a McDonalds that serves wine. Go back to the Etoile station, or walk a few blocks along the Champs Elysees to George V station, and take a Line 1 train marked Chateau de Vincennes to Chatelet. You will exit on the rue de Rivoli, about three blocks north of the Seine. Walk down to the river and across one of the bridges to the Ile de la Cite and then to the plaza in front of Notre Dame. With this little time, don't even think about going inside, but admire the carving and soak in the bustle of the crowds.

 

To return, track back to the Metro station, Line 1 again but this time take the train marked La Defence-Grande Arche and get off at Etoile. Back to a line 6 train, this time headed to Nation (actually, you can't take the 6 anywhere else, it ends at Etoile) and get off at Trocadero; if you miss your stop, the line curves around and you can also get off at Bir Hakeim, south of the tower.

 

Did you see much of Paris? Not really. But you've seen some of the more iconic sights, and you've had the experience of being on its streets and soaking up its atmosphere, and the next time you see a movie or picture showing one of these sights, you'll know its context - what's behind it, what's across the street. And if you've navigated on your own through a foreign city, you'll return to the ship with a priceless experience.

 

Anyhow, that's my vote.

[lrowe70]

Why is it exactly that you have only 4 hours? Train schedule or something? Any way you can change that, even if it means starting your journey at the crack of dawn?

 

You can see a bit of Paris in 4 hours, I'd suggest the hop on/hop off bus. And you can walk to the Eiffel Tower.

Depending on date and time you may have time to go up.

When we went in the middle of summer the line for the elevator was 2 hours long. However there were exactly 4-yes 4-peple waiting on the other side to walk up the stairs. It took almost 30 minutes to walk, but only because I stopped every 10 feet to take photos! If we had just walked up like normal, it would've been 5 minutes. Totally worth it, I wonder if people don't realize that there are stairs?

On your way out you can grab a crepe at one of the street vendors too!

No, you won't see much, but you will get a sampling.

[flamomo]

Here's my take on it ..... I'll be cruising from Southampton in a couple of months, and the itinerary includes porting at LeHavre. I know there's a lengthy bus ride to Paris, but I have never been there and, given my age, this will likely be my only opportunity to put my feet down on the streets of Paris. I have opted for a ship's tour that includes a boat ride down the Seine river, in hopes of seeing some landmarks and the views of the city from the boat. There's also lunch in a Paris restaurant, and a bit of a bus tour of the city before returning to the ship.

 

I have no desire to spend my precious few hours seeing Normandy ..... not when I can actually walk on a Paris street!!