4 Hours in Paris or full day in Normandy?

[skisteamboat]

If you really want to see Paris, I would fly in a couple of days early and take the Eurostar from England for a day (or two) trip. My brother stayed with me in London a couple of years ago and we did a day trip. He saw everything he wanted but if you really want to see Paris, it will take a week (or a lifetime).

 

Four hours is nothing more than a post card visit but you can see a lot in a day trip. I would definitely take a full day for Normandy over a 4 hour Paris trip, especially since you could do a day (or two) in Paris via Eurostar.

 

Cheers

[skisteamboat]

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.

 

You can do that probably a great deal cheaper on your own but the itinerary is pretty good, even if the "lunch" is likely a fixed menu at a mass market restaurant. The boat ride on the Seine is nice and if you book your own, you can use it as a waterborne HOHO. Stops on one I took a couple of years ago were the Hotel de'Ville (City Hall), Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and others. Wandering around at one of the boat stops to find a local restaurant / sidewalk cafe is a good experience.

 

Cheers

[roaminggoat]

Op's original post did not specify they were in le havre so I presumed she was closer to Normandy as she stated the ride to paris was 3 hours. Lets try to help op and not tell others how they need geography lessons. Having lived and travelled in France my grasp of geography is fine but maybe I need a lesson on the carnival ports of call. It is about the same distance to mont st michel as it is to paris and I would still pick that over d day beaches.

 

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[KirkNC]

I am surprised the poll is so close. I find the concept of riding three plus hours each way to spend four hours in Paris a very bad idea. You can't see Paris in a week. If the OP has such a desire, see Paris pre or post cruise.

[agabbymama]

OP

 

We had a ten hour layover at Charles DeGaulle Airport (which is a heck of a lot closer than any port). We arrived at 8:00 am and by the time we got our luggage, made it to the bus into Paris, checked our luggage at the train station, we barely made the "Bat-O-Bus" (like a hop on hop off bus only a boat on the Seine). Did the hour loop, SAW all the sights, THEN RACED back to the train station to get our luggage and just caught the bus as it was leaving to go back to the airport.

 

I had really wanted to see the Normandy area and villages, but there just wasn't enough time. Then on our return flight home, we had two whole days, I thought sure we would make it to Normandy. Alas the Gods were against me, it was raining, with low clouds and fog. Couldn't see your hand in front of your face. Cancelled the car and stayed couped up in our hotel at Charles De Gaulle Airport for the two depressing days. I am still very disappointed I never got to see the Normandy area. I'm 67 and will probably never make it back over there.

 

Moral of the story, do what your heart tells you to do. Everyone thought we were crazy to race through Paris, but we stood under the Eiffel Tower, we rode a boat on the Seine, we saw the Louvre and Notre Dame (we have the pictures to prove it). It's whatever is important to you, the reason you travel.

[Sargent_Schultz]

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.

 

Then go to Paris.

 

Last time in Le Havre I did the Paris on you own tour. Ever since, I regretted not doing Normandy. I did see some of the highlights of Paris but had been to Paris a few times before and knew what I wanted to revisit - kind of sort of.

 

I can tell you the Carnival bus left me in Paris! They tell you where to meet the bus and what time. I got there in time but there were about a 1000 buses to choose from, many of which look alike and you have to look for the bus number on each of them until you find yours.

 

Not to be too much of an alarmist, many of the buses are Carnival tours and I simply hitched a ride back on a different bus.

[KirkNC]

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.

 

So true, we spent well over an hour in line and that's with a reservation. The trip to the top was organized chaos and took well over another hour. All told, three hours, it was a great way to spend an evening but we had five days in Paris.

[relaxatsea]

I think it all depends if you have never been to Paris. If this is your best and only chance to see Paris, then four hours is much better than not at all!

 

My DH and I did the "Paris on your Own" with RCCL, taking the bus to and from Le Havre.

 

The bus stopped right by the Eiffel Tower. We saw that the lines were way too long to buy a ticket and get to the top, so we went with Plan B.

 

I had a good map with me, and so we walked over to the Arc d' Triomphe and spent some time there. The walk also allowed us to see some of Paris on foot.

 

We had time for a leisurely lunch in a bistro where I practiced my French, and was happy to see that it still worked!

 

We strolled back to the Eiffel Tower, paused to look at the Seine, and rested for twenty minutes in the nearby park before boarding our bus.

 

We were very glad we did it. Next time we will spend the day in Normandy or maybe in Rouen, but it was well worth it.

[CHOPPERTESTER]

So true, we spent well over an hour in line and that's with a reservation. The trip to the top was organized chaos and took well over another hour. All told, three hours, it was a great way to spend an evening but we had five days in Paris.

 

We made reservations at the restaurant on the 2nd level (you have to repay the menu fixe) and that gets us in within 15 mins. Yes the restaurant is pricey but so is our time and, heh, you only live once (in most faiths).

[melody hounddog]

I don't care if only 4 hours in Paris is a tease, I would totally regret not going. Life happens while you're making plans. Things change and you may never make it back for one reason or another.

 

See Paris. You will not regret it.

[Giantfan13]

First a little background. We did a Baltic Cruise out of Dover, with a pre and post stay in London. We knew this would be our only chance to see Paris so we did the Eurostar for a day there. We had a bit over 8 hours there and we used every minute of that time. We simply loved it. I was on this site before we left and people told us we were nuts, you just cannot see Paris in 8 hours. We went anyway and have not regretted it one iota.

 

That said, if seeing Paris is your dream and you KNOW you might never get back there, do it. But 6 hours of traveling for 4 hours in Paris is not good odds. Are you doing it yourself, or on a ships tour, or another pre arranged tour?

That might be your best bet. That way you know what you will see and will not see. If you are doing it on your own, my best suggestion to you is to head for the Eiffel Tower. Forget getting to the top, the lines are huge. From there, either do the HoHo bus or the Bat-a-Bus which is a hop on hop off boat that will take you along the Seine to Notre Dame and back. The entire route with stops is 1 1/2 hours. Forget the Arc D Triumph, and just stay along the Seine. You can go the the Louvre and walk along the Seine till Notre Dame. You will not have any time to go to the top of that either, maybe not even to go inside.

Believe me, this little adventure will take about 4 hours, but you will have seen Paris.

We do not, for a minute, regret our choice.

 

That said, depending on how much you want to see Normandy also, will determine what you should do. Are you a Veteran, have family that may have been there?> If so, that may be very important to you to see it.

 

You have to decide.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[karinad]

I'm trying to make the same decision! We are on the Sept. 1st sailing on the Legend. We were in Paris as a shore excursion and road the 3 hrs. there. We had a nice day there. We didn't go up the Tower, the line was long, but walked around it and went in the Gift Shop. We walked the streets and had a light lunch at a sidewalk café. We then went and sat on the lawn in front of the tower and took pictures. It was worth it!

 

We're now trying to decide to go back this time and do the HOHO Bus or stay in Normandy or do one of the other tours. To be honest, I don't have a desire to do the cemetery , even though my uncle died and was buried there, but then brought home years later and buried. I didn't know him. My mom also has a friend, he's about 90 something and was in the war and goes around speaking to schools, etc. about it.

 

If I were you, I would go to Paris!

[Turtles06]

We're now trying to decide to go back this time and do the HOHO Bus or stay in Normandy or do one of the other tours. To be honest, I don't have a desire to do the cemetery , even though my uncle died and was buried there, but then brought home years later and buried. I didn't know him. My mom also has a friend, he's about 90 something and was in the war and goes around speaking to schools, etc. about it.

 

If I were you, I would go to Paris!

 

A day spent in Normandy visiting the D-Day sites is about much more than the American Cemetery (although that is a very moving experience). Standing on one of the landing beaches at the water's edge and looking back at the cliff side, at the German bunkers still there, and imagining the crossfire and wondering how those brave men got out of their landing craft... Walking inside a bunker at Pointe du Hoc and imagining what it was like on the morning of June 6 to suddenly see the Allied flotilla... Etc. It is fascinating to visit Normandy and if you have any interest in the history at all, well worth it.

 

But only each person can decide that for herself/himself (v. Paris or anywhere else).

 

Have a great time whatever you decide!

[Kevin's girl]

Four hours in Paris would be just long enough to look at all of the things you always wanted to see and not enough time to explore them. As said above, if your cruise is leaving from England you could go a couple of days early and take the Eurostar into Paris and spend the day. Here is the Eurostar site http://www.eurostar.com/us-en?gclid=CNzbyKfIqrkCFe9aMgodVnAAKQ

[cruiserking]

During our port stop in Le Havre we had six hours in Paris with the transfer from the ship. Slightly longer than your potential visit but, still worth every minute.

 

We were dropped off at Place de la Concorde, took a random boulevard nearby grabbed some lunch, able to use my French language skills always a thrill, dined in the Tuilleries Gardens near the Louvre. Took an epic hike to Notre Dame, strolled back along the Seine and saw the magnificent Hotel de Ville and many other beautiful sights along the way.

 

The architecture, the excitement it is so thrilling to be in Paris, whether it's only a few days or a few days, don't miss it!

 

Jonathan