Wlfan

Hi All!
I will be traveling to Paris with my fiancé next week, we will have five full days to sightsee. This is my itinerary so far. I was wondering if I can get some input? If there’s anything I should omit/ condense with another day/ switch around. I really really appreciate it any suggestions!Day # 1

1. Picasso Museum ( then explore The Marais neighborhood).
2. Lunch: Marche De Enfants (Oldest covered market in Paris)
3. Musee D’Osay: (Best Impressionist artwork)

Day # 2

1. Eiffel Tower .
2. Arc de Triomphe.
3. Champs Elysee
4. Stroll through Rue Cler: buy cheese, desserts and wine, go to Champ De Mars Park for picnic and to watch the Eiffel Tower Light show.

Day # 3

1. Louvre
2. Notre Dame Cathedral
3. Sacred- Cour

Day# 4

1. Catacombs of Paris
2. Stroll and shopping through Champs Elysee
3. Eiffel Tower light show.

Day # 1

1. Luxembourg Gardens.
2. Musee Rodan.
3. Seine River cruise.

Day # 2

1. Trip to Versailles Chateau and Garden

janisj

Welcome to Fodors. OK -- I'm completely confused. You say five full days in the city . . . then you list 7 days. Besides that, are the sites you list in the order you intend to visit them?

Almost none of your listed sites are arranged geographically near each other. Look at day 3 for example Notre Dame (still under restoration) to the Louvre than up to Montmartre/Sacré-Cceur - why? Day 2 -- you have the ET then over to the Arc and Champs-Élysées, thenall the way back to Rue Cler which is like 1/2 a mile from the ET - again - why? Day 4 is the ET again, the Champs-Élysées again, and the catacombs (which are not near either one)

I think maybe you have cut and pasted some days from various plans you've worked on and have mixed them up a bit???

mjs

You are leaving for Paris next week and you seem not to have done much reading about the city. You need to start reading some guide books. Fortunately you have a decent amount of time in Paris so you do not have to rush. If there is a Borders near, you can look at any number of guidebooks. Most will have a sample itinerary. As you mention Rue Cler you might have a Rick Steve guide? That would be fine. Do look at a map of Paris. Where will you be staying?

AJPeabody

Random thoughts on your random itinerary.
Group your places to see by neighborhood. A map is very useful.
Notre Dame burned and is not yet restored.
The Champs Elysees is just a bunch of high end storefronts, plus a fabled name.
You left out the St-Chapelle with its wondrous stained glass. It requires a sunny day.
An outdoor picnic in November?
The Musee du quai Branly has a magnificent collection of ethnographic art and artifacts.
The Musee de Cluny has the rightly famous Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries, plus Roman artefacts and sculpture and Middle ages artefacts.
The Pompidou Center is the place for modern art.

Many sites now require timed reservations. Get yours or be disappointed. And bring your vaccination card or equivalent or you will be out of luck.

Jean

I get the sense the OP posted prematurely... perhaps it was a this? or that? itinerary query. Whatever. The suggestion to group by neighborhood/geography is important, mostly to save time but esp. as the weather looks to be chilly with possible occasional showers. Also, reservations, reservations, reservations. Not just for sights but for dinners. Winging it just isn't realistic on this trip.

Michael

Day one: instead of the musée d;Orsay, stroll through the passages on the Right bank, since you will be close by.

https://flic.kr/p/7CQCT3
The suggestion that you group visits geographically is a good one. Get a map of Paris.

Instead of the Sacré Cɶur visit the Sainte Chapelle:

https://flic.kr/p/7D4TN7
In my opinion, the Champs Elysées are not worth a visit, two is excessive.

shelemm

Follow a good walking tour of the Marais, I am pretty sure there are plenty posted on the internet.

I am very familiar with Marché des Enfants Rouges, if that's what you are talking about in Day One. If you go, there is a very good fromagerie on the same block. Ask for some cheese 'un peu liquide.' Something you probably can't get back home. Get a baguette and you'll have a great snack to bring back to your hotel room.

Wlfan

Hi All!

I apologize, this was suppose to be a rough draft that was not ready to be posted yet, it was just me throwing ideas (lots of cut and paste). Anyway, I'm glad it did get posted because you have all given me such amazing ideas and suggestions.

I will continue to clean up my itinerary and post it when it's ready.

Thank you all, I really appreciate this.

AJPeabody

Very good! After your trip, maybe you could post a report for the benefit of those who helped and those who may come after.

janisj

That's sort of what I figured

JoJoSiestaKey

Sacre Coeur and Montmartre are fun to see at night.

Champs Elysees also at night. It's lit up for the holidays starting November 21st.

I did a picnic one night in front of the ET. Make sure you have a plastic ground cloth or poncho to lay on the ground and dress warm. It's so beautiful!

TPAYT

I agree to group sites by location.
Since you can’t go in Notre Dame view it from the outside and the go INSIDE St. Chapelle a few blocks away.

We did a night tour in a Citroen that was fantastic……
https://en.citywheels-paristours.com/

Another suggestion is an English tour of the inside of Palais Garnier (opera house) and then over to Galleries Lafayette. Even if you don’t want to shop or don’t care about opera houses they are both gorgeous , memorable places to see.

And a real showstopper is lunch, dinner, or even just a drink at Le Train Bleu in the Gard Lyon. Real Parisian elegance but it’s in a train station so you don’t have to be dressed in Armani, etc. to go in there.
https://www.le-train-bleu.com/fr/

Catacombs is far from everything

Place Vosges along with The Pompidou

D’Orsay over The Louvre..The Louvre is not to be missed on the outside,but gigantic and filled with dark, religious art where D’Orsay is the Monets and more recognizable art in a beautiful setting.

Versailles garden will be closed at this time of year.

Just one persons take on her favorite city.

Michael

The Louvre is not to be missed on the outside,but gigantic anhttps://flic.kr/p/2hVagknd filled with dark, religious art where D’Orsay is the Monets and more recognizable art in a beautiful setting.

Admittedly a special show but ...

https://flic.kr/p/7D1fvH
or the arts décoratifs section. at times darker than the paintings galleries:

https://flic.kr/p/2hVagkn

annhig

Lots of brilliant ideas there, Wifan, and here's another idea, if not a brilliant one - make sure you factor in some time for just strolling and enjoying Parsi - like a walk through the Tuilleries or the Jardins du Luxembourg on a nice day, a river trip on the Seine on a Vedette, sitting outdoors at a cafe and just people watching - all part of being in Paris.

tomboy

and "le passages"