Hi,
My partner and I are travelling to Paris on 16th April and are staying for 4 nights at a hotel just next to Pernety Métro in Montparnasse, leaving on Monday 20th April. I’d appreciate any feedback and suggestions on our planned itinerary for the 4 days……….
We have a 2 day Paris Museum Pass, so were planning to see all the museums etc over Friday and Saturday, with a view to having a more relaxing day on Sunday. We’re only flying from Glasgow, so shouldn’t be bothered with jet lag at all. I haven’t been to Paris since I was a student (about 12 years ago now….) and my partner hasn’t been at all, so we’re really looking forward to it!
Thanks in advance!
Day 1:
Arrive CDG 11.35am
Taxi or bus to hotel
Check in, have lunch locally
**Open to suggestions as to what we can fill the afternoon with – poss just wandering round soaking up the atmosphere**
5pm: Return to hotel to get changed
6.15pm: Leave hotel and make way to the Palais Garnier, to see ballet (Onegin, John Cranko)
10pm-ish: Late dinner in the Opera area, then return to hotel
Day 2:
Breakfast locally
Métro to Trocadéro
Batobus from Eiffel Tower to Notre Dame
Visit Sainte Chapelle
Coffee
Visit Notre Dame
Lunch on Ile St Louis – possibly le Tastevin?
Batobus round to Musée du Louvre
Visit Muséee du Louvre
Walk through Les Jardins Tuileries for coffee at Angelinas
Métro to Arc de Triomphe, go up to the top.
Dinner - open to suggestions as to location, possibly in the Montparnasse are up to €60 per person. Though had considered Florimond or Le Père Claude as well.
Day 3:
Breakfast locally
Metro to Invalides
Walk around area to the Musée Rodin
Visit Musée Rodin
Coffee
**Suggestions to fill the space between this and lunchtime**
Lunch – possibly from local patisserie
Visit Musée d’Orsay
Walk through Jardins Tuileries to l’Orangerie
Visit l’Orangerie
Walk to Place Vendôme for Martinis at The Ritz
**Possible visit to Galleries Lafayette**
Evening Seine cruise
Sunset visit up the Eiffel Tower
Dinner in Le Marais area **suggestions welcome, happy with any cuisine, max €60 per person**
Day 4:
**Suggestions welcome to fill a nice relaxing day, to follow the last 2 busy days**
Evening:
Drinks somewhere in Place du Tertre **recommendations welcome**
Sunset visit to Sacré Coeur
Dinner in Montmartre area – possibly Le Chartier or La Famille, suggestions welcome
Drinks in piano/jazz bar in Montmartre **suggestions welcome**
Day 5
Local breakfast
Few hours wandering round before we go home….
Leave hotel around 1pm
Fly out of Paris at 2.45pm
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As you are planning on a cruise, why do you want to use Batobus the first day? It is soooo slow, i would take the metro/ or bus. Plus especially from Ile St LOuis to the Louvre, you will wait for the batobus, wait for people to disembark for such a short ride, you are better off walking to the Louvre from Ile St LOuis, it will be quicker.
I think your days are very very full. if you can%26#39;t do the Arc the first day, from the Invalides you are not very far.
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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;As you are planning on a cruise, why do you want to use Batobus the first day? It is soooo slow%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;
BATOBUS is a pleasant %26#39;excursion%26#39; service..but it would be a mistake to confuse it with efficient %26#39;..public transportation..%26#39;. It often takes more time than you might think to get from place to place via Batobus. There are only a few stops, located along a fixed-directional (counter-clockwise) %26#39;..circuit..%26#39;. Just walking from wherever you happen to be, to one of these stops, then waiting for the next boat heading in the %26#39;direction%26#39; you want to go (or going %26#39;round the circuit%26#39;...certainly a pleanant boat ride...but not especially efficient) may take more time and effort than simply walking directly....or taking the more %26#39;direct%26#39; Metro or Bus . Batobus also have limited service, with Last Boat running at 19:00 (7 PM) during the period of your visit.
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Thanks for that advice, much appreciated!
We had been keen to have a cruise on the Seine by day and by night, to appreciate the different views. Think we%26#39;ll schedule that in to Sunday for a relaxing afternoon and enjoy the cruise itself, rather than using it as a mode of transport as such.
Any other feedback or ideas are more than welcome!
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Hi Mitch
We came back on Saturday after another great trip to Paris. You will love it!
I advise getting the RATP Roissybus from CGG to Opera(8,90E), then catch a taxi to your hotel.
The Rodin Museum is fantastic, and it is worth hiring the English version audioguide to learn more about the exhibits and history. Les Invalides is in the same area.
Day 4 - spend the afternoon wandering around Montmartre. Abbesses Metro station is one of only 2 left which has the original Art Nouveau glass canopied entrance. The Musee de Montmartre is worth a visit, and if you are interested in Dali, the Espace Salvador Dali is near the Place du Tertre. Don%26#39;t linger there for drinks - it%26#39;s a huge rip-off and full of large tourist groups.Stroll a few streets away, and find a hidden gem, or there are lots of nice cafes and bars around Rue Des Abbesses.
For a special meal, Le Moulin de la Galette is excellent. We also loved Chez Marie at 27 Rue Gabrielle. However, there are loads of great restaurants, so see what takes your fancy.
Other general sights to see - St Eustache eglise, then stroll around Rue Montorgueil; exploring the Quartier Latin including the Pantheon, lively Rue Mouffetard and its many food shops, the jardin des plantes; or St Germain des Pres, the Luxembourg gardens, pretty rue de Buci.
So much to see, so little time!
Hope you have fun. Cheers.
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There used to be free organ concerts on Sundays at Notre Dame, around 4 pm, as I recall. It was only about 1/2 hour, but free and how often do you get to hear an organ in a medieval cathedral.
The Orsay is big. I suggest you start on the top floor (the best of the collections) and work your way down.
You are walking thru the Tuileries twice. Once is enough. BTW the Orangerie is at one end, the Louvre at the other. I%26#39;d start with the Orangerie when they open (not so many people, go straight to the water lilies - once the rooms fill up it is much harder to appreciate them), then go thru the Tuileries to the Louvre.
Eiffel tower at sunset - I hear the lines are very long and the museum pass doesn%26#39;t help, so either revise your plan to be at the Eiffel tower when it opens, or leave enough time for waiting in line. OTOH the Arc de Triomphe is probably very nice around sunset.
The Louvre is HUGE. Decide ahead of time what interests you, study the floor plan and map out your visit.
A great area for walking and exploring is on and around Boulevard St. Germain (Latin quarter), esp on Sunday morning. The Bois de Boulogne would also be lovely, perhaps in the afternoon.
And if you pass any churches, anytime, do go in for a peek. They are all interesting.
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%26quot;Leave hotel around 1pm
Fly out of Paris at 2.45pm%26quot;
You%26#39;re not leaving yourself nearly enough time to get to CDG and check in and get through the 3 different security checks (one to get up the stairs, one to check your passport and then the x-ray check), imo. Also, there are often enough transport strikes in Paris which means a less frequent service to CDG. If you read some posts here you%26#39;ll see that people often advise getting to CDG 3 hours before your flight departs as it sometimes has problems. Me, I like to get there about 2 hours before but I suppose it depends who you are flying with and I suppose April won%26#39;t be as busy as later in the summer. If it was me I would leave the hotel no later than noon.
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Thanks so much for all of the great advice. Can%26#39;t wait to put it to good use!!
Mx
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You don%26#39;t happen to be flying out from Glasgow do you? Those flight times match almost perfectly the flight times from Glasgow, that%26#39;s why I ask.
As far as getting to CDG goes, the Airport can be a little confusing if it%26#39;s your first visit, so I%26#39;d maybe opt for the 3 hours suggestion. If you%26#39;ve been before 2 should be fine though.
Cheers!
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Wow. Sounds like an awesome trip. I would only add that we went on the evening Seine cruise once and I%26#39;ve had friends do the same thing, all looking for the quintessential romantic river cruise, which it is not. Think Kon-Tiki sans the grass skirts and with better food and wine.
Given the list of things you%26#39;ve said you want to ogle, I would suggest at least a little time at Les Invalides and Napolean%26#39;s tomb. It is without a doubt one of the most over-the-top things I%26#39;ve ever seen, all in a city that does over-the-top every few minutes. The museums and other sites are great, too, but only if you have time.
Have a great trip.
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Hi,
Yep, am flying from Glasgow International with good old €asyjet. We%26#39;ll bear in mind the advice re. getting to the airport and leave early on the Monday.
((Although I can think of a lot worse things than missing the flight having to extend my stay in Paris!))
Thanks for the info on the Seine cruise as well - I think when we do that, we%26#39;ll find a restaurant to eat in either before or after, so we%26#39;re not distracted from what%26#39;s around us. I%26#39;m sure if we try we can still make it quite a romantic experience!!
Mx
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