4 days in Paris, Please critique this itinerary! | France - Lonely Planet Forum

ONLINE

Mon, 20 Mar 2017 15:36:10 +0000

Hello!

My husband and I along with our 2.5 years old daughter will be making our first trip to Paris this May. We just have 4 days and want to cover some of the top attractions in Paris. We will be arriving on a Monday morning at 8 am at CDG airport and will be departing on Friday morning the same week. We will be staying in the 7th arrondissement, quite close to the Eiffel tower and have already booked our stay.

As we do not want to wait in long queues with our toddler, we plan to buy a Paris pass for two or three days. Would like to know if its a sensible decision. (The pass will provide us with a one day Big bus hop on tour, which also looks appealing, in terms of travelling hassle free.)

I have put together a rough itinerary for our 4 day trip. Could you please go through it and critique? Does it look doable or are we being too ambitious? Any suggestions for improvement are welcome.

Here it goes:

Day 1

Arrive at our apartment by 10.30 am. Get settled and grab something to eat. Take the metro to Notre dame and then explore on foot, Notre Dame, Latin Quarter and Sainte Chappelle, by following Rick Steve’s Historic Paris walk map (or at least part of it). Have a free evening to relax and watch Parisian life go by!

Day 2

Probably make use of the Big bus this day. Stop and visit the Opera Garnier and then the Arc de Triomphe. Lunch from someplace handy, maybe in the Champs Elyssees. In the afternoon, shortly stop at the Place du Trocadéro for some pics and then an evening ride up the Eiffel Tower (Have already booked our tickets online for 4 pm)

Day 3

Visit the Musée d'Orsay

Walk to the Tuileries garden and have a picnic lunch there.

Visit the Louvre and then try the wine tasting if we feel up to it. (From what I understand, the museum is open till night on Wednesdays)

Dinner, maybe near Saint Germain des Pres

Day 4

Versailles.

Day 5

Take the morning flight back home.

Thanks in advance! :)

ONLINE

Mon, 20 Mar 2017 16:17:52 +0000

I don't think you should plan to visit two huge museums in the same day -- chose the Musée d'Orsay or the Louvre. You will have museum overload and your daughter is too young to get much out of either of them. Both places are crowded but the Musée d'Orsay is a bit smaller.

The 7th is not the most exciting area of Paris for people watching. And I suggest you look elsewhere for a place to eat than the Champs Elysées. Head rather for the 14th arrondissement near Denfert-Rochereau for ordinary restaurants. By choosing the best-known tourist areas, you will get lousy food and high prices.

Copy and paste the url below to share the link.

ONLINE

Mon, 20 Mar 2017 17:48:30 +0000

I agreed with bjd on the museums. .they are both large,crowded and tiring.Two of them on the same day will be exhausting. ..especially with a baby.

I'd leave it as open as you can in general. .decide as you go,based on how you feel, the weather etc.

Copy and paste the url below to share the link.

ONLINE

Mon, 20 Mar 2017 22:03:12 +0000

The Paris Pass is a total rip-off. Don't buy it. It's nothing more than a collection of tickets to things you can buy on your own more cheaply, plus a host of really stupid stuff no one ever does in Paris. Just buy a carnet or two of métro/RER/bus/tram tickets and use those.

You will not, unless you are extremely lucky, get to your apartment at 10:30 the morning you arrive. Figure around noon instead.

Is your apartment legal? Most in Paris are not.

I wouldn't eat on or near the Champs Elysées. Get into the 2-digit arrondissements if you want good food at affordable prices.

The Musée d'Orsay and the Louvre on the same day would slay me, and I can't imagine doing them both with a toddler.

Copy and paste the url below to share the link.

ONLINE

Wed, 22 Mar 2017 10:37:55 +0000

I recommand you to use the batobus and to by a pass. http://www.batobus.com/
Many monuments are builded along the river and it more funny to get the boat instead of the subway.
Have a nice stay in Paris!

Copy and paste the url below to share the link.

Wed, 22 Mar 2017 13:47:45 +0000

This post has been removed because it may not have met our community guidelines.

Mon, 10 Apr 2017 13:09:16 +0000

This post has been removed because it may not have met our community guidelines.

Fri, 23 Mar 2018 01:01:02 +0000

This topic has been automatically locked due to inactivity. Email community@lonelyplanet.com if you would like to add to this topic and we'll unlock it for you.

Pro tip