7 days in paris too much?

[vee05]

Are 7 days visiting Paris, France too much?

Also, what are the must see's and do's around Paris?

TIA

~V

[jnettie]

Oh, no! We planned 3 days, ended up staying 4, and only left because we had reservations elsewhere. Plus, you could certainly take a few day trips out of the city, too. You're not far from Monet's home and Versaille is a day trip, too.

There's a million things to do in Paris, it all depends on what you like. It's filled with muesums, there's the Paris Opera and Ballet, the best shopping EVER, music, Notre Dame.... It's also great for just walking around and exploring (if you're good at map reading and not afraid to get a little lost!). We found a great Creperie on Ile St. Louis, called le Sarrasin et le Froment.

Also, get the Carte Musees-Monuments (Paris Museum Pass). It's good for a few days (we got 3 day passes) and gets you in all the major museums and monuments, letting you bypass the long long long lines. Includes the Louvre, d'Orsay, l'Arc de Triumph, among others. Totally worth getting.

I also reccomend guide books by Rick Steves. He tells you everything you need to know about avoiding lines, reserving rooms, etc. He also has one of the best phrase books ever. It's good even if you don't know a lick of French.

Ok, I could go on! We really loved France. It's beautiful there. If you have any specific questions, I'll see what I can answer.

[vee05]

Awesome...i went to France with my parents in 1999 when i was 16....this time ard i am headed there with my DH whose a Europe virgin and i wanna make sure we cover as muchas posisble to make this trip memorable. Wer history buffs and love to just roam ard places....im definately looking forward to this now...crossing my fingers on getting our vacations approved!

[bellabonga]

I especially love the Latin Quarter and everything around Notre Dame. You should make a Seine cruise starting at Notre Dame (takes about an hour). It was sooo beautiful and I have to do it again the next time I´m in Paris! :) I also like Les Halles for shopping and eating. It´s not that pricey and somehow it´s nice there. You can easily spend a week in Paris as there are lots of places to see that are all very different.

[tlew12778]

7 days is nice bc you can do things in a relaxing manner. No rushing out of the hotel at 9AM to come back at midnight.

[jnettie]

Ah, yes, good point. It's a large city, and we found ourselves running ragged to see everything we wanted to see.

Glad you're up for adventure! Some of our best memories are the result of getting lost or doing something crazy. DH talked his way into the workshop of a luthier one day!

*sigh* I've been hanging out here in the travel section, living vicariously through others' travel plans. I loved Europe.

[Rosebud]

You can easily spend 7 days in Paris-- there's plenty to see and do there. Also, you'll have time for one or two day trips out of the city, perhaps to Versailles or Chartres. There are many different options.

I would recommend checking out this thread about travel in France: Travel in France (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=20091)

There's also a thread called Favorite non-touristy things to do in Paris (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=9152)

I also wrote a trip review about my honeymoon, part of which was in Paris. There are some tips and photos here that may help you out: My European Honeymoon trip review & photos (http://www.constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=10130)

I also highly recommend the message boards at Fodors.com for tips on what to do in Paris. This is a great resource. Fodors Talk Boards- France (http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2)

Last but not least, a ton of trip reviews from users of The Knot who honeymooned in Paris. There are lots of great sightseeing and dining recommendations here: The Honeymoon Bio Reviews (http://www.angelfire.com/oz/honeymoonbio/Europe.html)

Have fun! :)

[vee05]

is renting a car a must?

[Asha]

no, i used public transportation and was completely fine.

[jnettie]

We got all over Europe using trains and busses. Very easy.

[fifibee]

I agree with everyone else -- 7 days can definitely be used up quickly when you are in Paris! Museums, gardens, day trips to Versaille and Monet's house, walking around the different neighborhoods...it's filled with all sorts of adventures. DH and I spent 7 days in Paris last year and felt that we still needed more time to see what we wanted to see. I highly recommend Rick Steves (http://www.ricksteves.com/)as a great intro guidebook for anyone's who's never been.

As for rental car, I'd say definitely NOT necessarily. Paris has a wonderful public transportation system. Renting a car will only add headache and expenses, and not convenience. HTH!

[Leia]

No rental car.

I agree with everyone else. Beyond all the many great sites IN Paris, there are so many great day trips. Bruges, Normandy, Giverny, the Loire Valley, certainly Versailles, and even Disneyland Paris. I would almost argue 7 days isn't enough time.

[la_bride_2004]

No rental car :)

We went for a week this March, and honestly, we didn't get to see everything I wanted to and we were busy every day.

I highly recommend day trips out of the city- we took 2 tours from an outfit called Paris Vision. One was an all day guided tour of the Loire Valley, another was a half day trip to Versailles. The office is right off a metro stop so it was very convenient, and when we go back again I know where it would be worth driving to with a car! (Not in Paris though, that's for sure).

We also took a Seine cruise- you can pick up a boat from near the base of the Eiffel Tower- no reservations were neccessary, and it was a lovely tour around the city (I would recommend sunset!).

[Leia]

I used Paris Vision on a trip as well and had a very good experience - also to the Loire Valley. I was staying right across from the Louvre (biz trip) and met the bus just down the block (at like 6AM!). I would recommend it - your hotels will have brochures and I am sure you can google them.

[vee05]

Thanks Ladies!

I just ordered couple of Fodor's books on Paris so i have an idea of where things are. Am grateful for all ur insights :)

~V

[vee05]

also, any recommendations for beginner's French? DH used to be fluent in french in high school but since hasnt used it.

[bellabonga]

Definitely no rental car! Not only is it not necessary but driving in Paris is pure hell!

[kemaji]

Most people in Paris speak at least a little English. My experience was that they appreciate it when you try to speak in French, but hate to listen to American accented French (something about butchering their language ;)) so they will quickly switch to English. As long as you know some basic phrases, I think you'll be fine.

[vee05]

lol itl work then i have a american/Indian accent ;)