36 hours in Paris, what to do?

[Flambeur]

Never been in Paris before, and might stop by there with a friend. Basically get in in the morning, leave the next evening.

Suggestions, tips, must-dos? Preferably in the center, fun stuff - some culture, food, nightlife, walks, etc. Probably won't have enough time for real museums, tours, or stuff outside of the city center.

 

[rnoldh]

Originally Posted by Flambeur

Never been in Paris before, and might stop by there with a friend. Basically get in in the morning, leave the next evening.

Suggestions, tips, must-dos? Preferably in the center, fun stuff - some culture, food, nightlife, walks, etc. Probably won't have enough time for real museums, tours, or stuff outside of the city center.

Then why not the Louvre?

Worth at least 1/2 a day.

 

[Maharlika]

There are tons of museums in Paris. It depends on what your interests are. There's the Musee Picasso at the Marais. Marais district is also interesting as there are several shops and parks to explore. If Picasso does not interest you, there is Musee D' Orsay which is vast and has enough notable artworks to make it worth your while. The Louvre is not enough for the time you have, IMO. You can see Paris by the river boats called the Bateaux-Mouches and is not too time consuming. Savor your time in Paris, it's lovely specially if you go around May! One thing in your favor is you have a friend who lives there and will show you around.

 

[Master-Classter]

Spend a half day at the louvre, it'll barely be enough to see a decent amount
late afternoon walk along the champs elysee and do some quick window shopping. go up the arch triumph for a nice view
get to the eiffel tower in time for sunset...

I went up to the moulan rouge area and the sacre cuer one evening (might be a bit out of town though)...

 

[Flambeur]

All right, good stuff, keep it coming.

 

[globetrotter]

Louvre - here's how you do the Lourve the first time: get there early, maybe half an hour before opening. go first to the mona lisa, then the venus de milo, then winged victory. if you move quickly to the mona lisa you can be alone in the room, or one of a small handful. then, basically leave. but, after you get to the mona lisa, let yourself be drawn to things that you see along the way, don't hurry between the key sites. don't stay for more than 4 hours, the first time.

I'd also go to the museum d'orsay. that you can see everything in half a day or less.

I wouldn't do any other museums on such a short trip.


have lunch or dinner in a good brasserie (my personal suggestion would be balzar), hear jazz the night you are there - at petit journal, and walk extensivly, alond the latin quarter, along the river, around the gardens and museums on the right bank.

 

[scarphe]

the museum of rodin is important to see as well, if you liek more modern art.

 

[Fuuma]

Originally Posted by scarphe

the museum of rodin is important to see as well, if you liek more modern art.

Beaubourg and Le palais de Tokyo too but he has 36 hrs. I guess he has to do the boat ride and stop at the Louvres if he want the basic stuff covered. Then do some typical cafÃ

meal or something.

 

[audiophilia]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

Louvre - here's how you do the Lourve the first time: get there early, maybe half an hour before opening. go first to the mona lisa, then the venus de milo, then winged victory. if you move quickly to the mona lisa you can be alone in the room, or one of a small handful. then, basically leave. but, after you get to the mona lisa, let yourself be drawn to things that you see along the way, don't hurry between the key sites. don't stay for more than 4 hours, the first time.

+ 1

They'll move you through a different wing, but head straight for Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and the Delacroix 'Liberty Guiding the People'. Three stunning masterpieces. The Louvre itself is an artwork. And there are other amazing works, but there are thousands of French portraits that overstay their welcome after the first 100.

d'Orsay is fantastic.

3 days in Paris. Hmmm? So much to do.

 

[mr. magoo]

For 36 hours, I would skip the Louvre. It's too big, too much to see, has lines, etc. It's like having 36 hours in NYC and spending 4 - 6 of them in the Met. There's just too much to see!

For Paris, I would maximize my coverage and outside time, and get a feel for the central neighborhoods.

Day 1: head to Luxembourg Gardens in the morning, and have a stroll through that quintessential Parisian place, pass by the Pantheon, and skip through the Latin Quartier.

I happen to like the St. Sulpice area, so I would walk through that and cross the Seine onto Ile-de-France (or along the Seine for a block or two and cross onto Ile de St. Louis and then onto Ile-de-France). Look inside Notre Dame, and then cross onto the Right Bank. I would then stoll down the Seine, past Le Louvre, into Jardin Les Tuilleries.

If you must have art, cross back over the Seine to Musee D'Orsay, which won't take up more than about 2 hours. If you can stand not looking at pictures, I would stay on the Right Bank, and walk back up Rue St. Honore and around Place Vendome (major shopping area -- Colette, Charvet, etc.)

That puts you at Palais Royal, and may be enough for one day. If you still have time and energy, I would head past Hotel De Ville and Place de la Bastelle to Place Des Voges and then grab dinner or a drink in Marais. I happen to like this area of small boutiques and hipster restaurants.

Day 2: start at Arc Triomphe and walk down Champs Elysee, if you absolutely must (of course you must!) Walk through Place de la Concorde and cross the Seine.

Stroll under the Eiffel Tower (go up if you want a full view and have time) and through the Champ des Mars, which is the park around the Eiffel Tower. Stroll by Des Invalides and into the Seventh's shopping area. Walk Rue de Sevres (e.g., Bon Marche, Arnys) and the other Parisian shopping streets (e.g., Rue de Cherche-Midi). Have a late lunch and head out of town.

As you can tell, I'm Left Bank-centric, but that's the general approach I would take. You could easily focus on Montmartre and Sacre-Couer, the Opera shopping area, or some other cool neighborhoods, but I think you should keep moving to take it all in. Stop for a cafe or glass of wine when you're tired, look in a church or two, buy a gift, etc.

 

[Get Smart]

+1 on skipping the Louvre (and D'Orsay)

I'd hit the Pompideau Center instead if you like museums and modern art

and I think the Latin Quarter/Saint Germain area is more interesting for strolling around and wandering

but you cant go wrong just staying around the Opera/louvre and hitting up that area like St Honore, Rue Royal, Rue Madelleine etc which is the easy thing to do in a short time

 

[Fuuma]

Just go to Colette, eat at the restaurant and check out the hipsters, you know you want to.

 

[HHD]

Originally Posted by mr. magoo

For 36 hours, I would skip the Louvre. It's too big, too much to see, has lines, etc. It's like having 36 hours in NYC and spending 4 - 6 of them in the Met. There's just too much to see!

For Paris, I would maximize my coverage and outside time, and get a feel for the central neighborhoods.

Day 1: head to Luxembourg Gardens in the morning, and have a stroll through that quintessential Parisian place, pass by the Pantheon, and skip through the Latin Quartier.

I happen to like the St. Sulpice area, so I would walk through that and cross the Seine onto Ile-de-France (or along the Seine for a block or two and cross onto Ile de St. Louis and then onto Ile-de-France). Look inside Notre Dame, and then cross onto the Right Bank. I would then stoll down the Seine, past Le Louvre, into Jardin Les Tuilleries.

If you must have art, cross back over the Seine to Musee D'Orsay, which won't take up more than about 2 hours. If you can stand not looking at pictures, I would stay on the Right Bank, and walk back up Rue St. Honore and around Place Vendome (major shopping area -- Colette, Charvet, etc.)

That puts you at Palais Royal, and may be enough for one day. If you still have time and energy, I would head past Hotel De Ville and Place de la Bastelle to Place Des Voges and then grab dinner or a drink in Marais. I happen to like this area of small boutiques and hipster restaurants.

Day 2: start at Arc Triomphe and walk down Champs Elysee, if you absolutely must (of course you must!) Walk through Place de la Concorde and cross the Seine.

Stroll under the Eiffel Tower (go up if you want a full view and have time) and through the Champ des Mars, which is the park around the Eiffel Tower. Stroll by Des Invalides and into the Seventh's shopping area. Walk Rue de Sevres (e.g., Bon Marche, Arnys) and the other Parisian shopping streets (e.g., Rue de Cherche-Midi). Have a late lunch and head out of town.

As you can tell, I'm Left Bank-centric, but that's the general approach I would take. You could easily focus on Montmartre and Sacre-Couer, the Opera shopping area, or some other cool neighborhoods, but I think you should keep moving to take it all in. Stop for a cafe or glass of wine when you're tired, look in a church or two, buy a gift, etc.

This is good advice (I'm speaking as a Parisian)... It's pleasant in Paris in May, walk around the city a little, visit the Palais Royal gardens, the Ile St Louis and its quais, the Marais. The museums are wonderful but unless you have a particular interest it may be better to save the culture for a longer trip. If there is a particular subject which interests you, there may be a small museum dedicated to an individual artist or theme: These can be gems and often aren't as busy as the grander museums. Also check your dates: City and national museums are closed Mondays and Tuesdays respectively.

 

[whnay.]

Originally Posted by mr. magoo

For 36 hours, I would skip the Louvre. It's too big, too much to see, has lines, etc. It's like having 36 hours in NYC and spending 4 - 6 of them in the Met. There's just too much to see!

For Paris, I would maximize my coverage and outside time, and get a feel for the central neighborhoods.

Day 1: head to Luxembourg Gardens in the morning, and have a stroll through that quintessential Parisian place, pass by the Pantheon, and skip through the Latin Quartier.

I happen to like the St. Sulpice area, so I would walk through that and cross the Seine onto Ile-de-France (or along the Seine for a block or two and cross onto Ile de St. Louis and then onto Ile-de-France). Look inside Notre Dame, and then cross onto the Right Bank. I would then stoll down the Seine, past Le Louvre, into Jardin Les Tuilleries.

If you must have art, cross back over the Seine to Musee D'Orsay, which won't take up more than about 2 hours. If you can stand not looking at pictures, I would stay on the Right Bank, and walk back up Rue St. Honore and around Place Vendome (major shopping area -- Colette, Charvet, etc.)

That puts you at Palais Royal, and may be enough for one day. If you still have time and energy, I would head past Hotel De Ville and Place de la Bastelle to Place Des Voges and then grab dinner or a drink in Marais. I happen to like this area of small boutiques and hipster restaurants.

Day 2: start at Arc Triomphe and walk down Champs Elysee, if you absolutely must (of course you must!) Walk through Place de la Concorde and cross the Seine.

Stroll under the Eiffel Tower (go up if you want a full view and have time) and through the Champ des Mars, which is the park around the Eiffel Tower. Stroll by Des Invalides and into the Seventh's shopping area. Walk Rue de Sevres (e.g., Bon Marche, Arnys) and the other Parisian shopping streets (e.g., Rue de Cherche-Midi). Have a late lunch and head out of town.

As you can tell, I'm Left Bank-centric, but that's the general approach I would take. You could easily focus on Montmartre and Sacre-Couer, the Opera shopping area, or some other cool neighborhoods, but I think you should keep moving to take it all in. Stop for a cafe or glass of wine when you're tired, look in a church or two, buy a gift, etc.

Great advice. Only thing I'd change is to eat in the 5th or 6th instead of the Marais. Le Petit Pontoise would be on the list (great bistro).

 

[mr. magoo]

Originally Posted by whnay.

Great advice. Only thing I'd change is to eat in the 5th or 6th instead of the Marais. Le Petit Pontoise would be on the list (great bistro).

Mais oui -- the Fifth or Sixth are great areas for dining, and the Marais probably isn't as impressive for food. But I think it's got a nice night life feel to it. A little younger than some other popular parts of Paris.

If you wanted to end up on the Left Bank (i.e., 5th/6th), one could simply reverse the entire itinerary of Day 1. Start on the Right Bank and end up on the Left. But try to make Jardins du Luxembourg before it closes as it's really nice. (Btw, I think Sartorialist takes a lot of photos at these gardens, as it's sort of a popular spot for Parisians to stroll and hang out.)