Bonjour,
I am planning a 1 week holiday in Paris for my husband and I, for the end of June 08 and I have a few questions.
I%26#39;m wanting to know what would be better value, a Paris Visite transport card – 5 days – Zones 1-5 or the 10 pass. My husband and I are good walkers and love the idea of experiencing Paris by foot but I will be 13 weeks pregnant and probably need some rest.
Also should I purchase the Paris Museum Pass for 2 days or 4? Does it work out to be good value?
Firstly I%26#39;ll give you an idea of what%26#39;s on our to do list as that will probably give you a better idea (I%26#39;d also love any suggestions you have of your fav sights and scene%26#39;s in Paris)I%26#39;ve also tried to group them in area, let me know where I%26#39;ve gone wrong. lol.
Versailles
Louve - Paris Royale - Tulleries - Arc De Triomphe
Notre Dame - Chapelle - Pantheon - Latin Quarter - ile St Louise
Sacre Cour - Montmarte
Marias - St paul for the antiques - Picasso Museum -
Musee De Orsay
St Germain
Our accomodation is not booked yet and I%26#39;m starting to panick! I%26#39;m looking for any recommendations for a 2-3 star hotel in a good area (Latin Quarter or Marias). I know it%26#39;s leaving it late for bookings as I have contacted a few highly rated places and they are already booked out.
Lastly, any suggestions on good markets for antiques and collectables.
Merci!
Chloe
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If you each take a 1%26quot; square picture, you can buy a weekly Carte Orange for significantly less than the five-day metro pass, but the pass is only good from Monday to Sunday.
Also, beware that many metro connections require significant walks and climbing up and down staris.
Have a great trip!
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Cloe
My partner and I have just returned (yesterday) from Paris and it was brilliant. We got a carte orange I can%26#39;t remember how much it cost but it was excellent to be able to just take as many trips as we needed throughout the week.
YES you will need to take public transport. There are metro stations everywhere and Paris is so spread out. My partner and I are late 20%26#39;s but it was too much walking for us, let alone being 13 weeks pregnant. Save the walking for where you%26#39;ll need it- inside the Louvre etc. Also plan your journey in the Louvre and have some sort or logic to how you see things as it is huge.
Buy your tickets ahead of time for Versailles or take a tour of the palace (not needed for gardens) you don%26#39;t want to have to stand in two lines each about an hour long.
Your not planning on going to the Pompidou centre? We didn%26#39;t get a museum pass which was lucky as I think to make it economical we would have needed to see more than one place a day. As it was the Louvre took over 5 hours and the Pompidou nearly 4 and Versailles was a all day trip the gardens are huge. My favourite place was Marie Antoinette%26#39;s Hamlet.
Can%26#39;t help on accommodation sorry.
I do have something at home about antique furniture. We were interested in Scandinavian furniture etc so went to a couple of furniture galleries/showrooms.
Hope this helps. All I can say is be ready for A LOT of lines and A LOT of people.
BP
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We spent a week in Paris last June, and did get a 4-day museum pass. I thought it was well worth it. With a little preplanning, you can organize your touring not only by location, but by what%26#39;s included. For instance, do free sites priot to starting the pass, and then after, and then try to maximize the use of the pass for the 4 days you have it. You can use the pass for the Notre Dame tower climb, Ste. Chappelle, and the Conciergerie - all close together - and then throw in a quick run-through of the Archological Crypt (underground in front of Notre Dame), something you might not spring for if it weren%26#39;t included. Also, having the pass saves time in lines (not for the tower climb though...). Another day we did the Cluny, the Louvre, the Orangerie, and then the Arc de Triomphe. Another benefit: you can revisit your favorites. I went back to the Louvre twice after the initial visit, once for aonly an hour or so - something I may not have done if I had had to pay another admission.
I agree that you will want to get some kind of transportation pass. We arrived on a day that wasn%26#39;t advantageous for getting the Carte Orange, so just got metro tickets in groups of 10. I walked a lot, but it does take a lot more time, and if you%26#39;re pregnant (congrats!), I think you%26#39;ll want to save some energy.
Since you%26#39;ll be there a week, have you considered an apartment, rather than a hotel room?
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Don%26#39;t bother with the Paris Visit pass. It is expensive and not worth its value. A Carte Orange is good on public transportation from Monday through Sunday. It can be purchased Friday through Wednesday (the Friday is before the week begins). There is a new name for the Carte Orange now. You still need to bring a 1%26quot; photo of yourself (or take one at one of the photo machines--if it is working).
Whether you want a 2-day or 4-day Museum Pass depends on how many museums you want to see and the sequence within which you plan to see them. Some Museums are free (City of Paris museums).
You don%26#39;t need a Museum Pass to see the Louvre. Just enter the museum on Rue de Rivoli through the door which has a red and white vertical banner which says Carrousel. You go immediately down an escalator and walk a hallway with shops on both sides until you get into an open area. Right at that location you will find ticket machines for the Louvre. Just buy a ticket and walk right into the Louvre.
The D%26#39;Orsay is a busy museum. I went twice on my last visit. Although crowded, I never had to stand in a line to get in--and I didn%26#39;t have a museum pass.
The smaller museums are less likely to have lines.
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Congrats on expecting. You have chosen a good time to travel. I went to California when I was about 12- 13 weeks along. Its a good time to travel since you tend to be over most morning sickness, but, you have not hit the heavy tiredness that strikes alot of woman in the last trimester. Enjoy the trip.
As noted the metro does have alot of stairs, but if you are a strong walker, being 13 weeks pregnant won%26#39;t make a huge difference , if the stairs get to be too much though, take buses instead. You can use the same passes bus or metro.
Take lots of breaks.
Do NOT eat the unpasterized cheeses( the soft yummy ones unfortuanately), pregnant woman should not, ask doc about the explaination on that one.
Do learn how to say pregnant in french, it may be helpful, and if you just point at your tummy they may just think you have gas since many woman don%26#39;t show much at that stage. I believe the word is enciente, but find out from someone who knows for sure.
Do make sure you have health insurance.
Do eat ice cream everyday,, you will need the extra calcium and protien,, LOL
Don%26#39;t rush about,you can go back someday.
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Chloe -
Congratulations on your will be baby.
Take a look at the hotels on the Ile St Louis - if they are within budget and they have a room, you%26#39;ll have a great location that is quiet at night and with a great view of the back of Notre Dame - it%26#39;s stunning at night with the lights.
Beyond that - it will be take what you can get if you%26#39;ve already done the Marais and Latin quarter search.
I am seldom able to plan very far ahead, so I understand the difficulty. Don%26#39;t worry about things you can%26#39;t control - and keep on looking - you will find something, and you will enjoy your holiday.
You can try www.ratestogo.com - especially if you get into June and have had no joy. They specialize in last minute reservations, and even have discounted prices for those. I%26#39;ve used them for many years for accommodation in multiple cities on three continents. I have never had a problem and every room has been exactly as presented. It%26#39;s always nice to have a plan B.
Bonne chance, and Bon voyage.
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Hi Chloe, we%26#39;ve just returned from Paris on Saturday and thoroughly enjoyed it.
We did a lot of walking but also made good use of the metro system. You can buy a carnet of 10 tickets that you can use on the most of the transport system. We didn%26#39;t use it but the Batobus on the river is also a good way of getting around (it only runs until about 7pm though).
We did get a 2 day museum pass and for us it worked out well, particularly as lots of places have special queues for those with passes (you will still have to wait in the line for the towers at Notre Dame though). Just be aware that the pass runs for consecutive days. Our second day of use turned out to be a bank holiday which I hadn%26#39;t been aware of and so the museums were closed, however we were fortunate and were allowed in the Musee Rodin %26amp; Les Invalides the following day with the pass (I%26#39;m not sure if they were giving people a %26#39;buy%26#39; or not but they checked the date on the back and still let us in).
It is possible to spend the whole day in the Louvre but if you are flagging a bit and are selective about what you want to see then you can do the main attractions in a couple of hours.
There is a funicular up to the Sacre Coeur which you may want to use (your metro tickets are valid on there). Be warned though, the area around the church is incredibly busy and very %26#39;touristy%26#39; so if you want to eat I%26#39;d suggest you do so further down in Montmarte.
Check opening times for the museums you want to see as many are open late and you can avoid crowds if you go early evening (we got to the Pompidou Centre around 6pm and it was a pleasure to walk around, we got straight in, there were no queues)
Hope that helps a little.
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Hey Chloe, I%26#39;ll be in Paris in September and we are staying 3 nights in the Latin quarter www.paris-hotel-7art.com and 3 nights in Montmartre www.swell-apartments.co.uk/paris/apartment/ to help us spread our time around the city.
I really want to check out the flea markets in Paris which are a good place to find antiques, I%26#39;ve found these two on the discover france website that i want to go to:
Les Puces de Saint-Ouen
Address: 48, rue Jules Vallès (Marché des Antiquaires), 93400 Saint-Ouen
(between the Porte de St-Ouen and Porte de Clignancourt, just outside 18th arrondissement)
The world%26#39;s biggest flea market welcomes 200,000 visitors each weekend. From 1970s leather jackets to a rare Louis XV chest of drawers. Hours: Sat. - Mon., 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Marché d%26#39;Aligre
Address: Place d%26#39;Aligre, 75012 Paris
Apparantly one of the city%26#39;s most interesting markets, made up of the covered Marché Beauvau (open since 1777) and an open-air market in the surrounding square with produce as well as flea-market stalls. Aligre is both well supplied and typically Parisian. It%26#39;s a great place to get an insight into life in the capital.
Hours: Tues. - Sat., 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 to 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
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I just booked a room for a week in July at Hotel Observatoire Luxembourg ajacent to the gardens and Latin Quarters. It was recommended to us and after researching it seemed like a perfect place and location.
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For the Marais you could try these budget but well located and decent 2 stars at a good price and with air conditioning
http://www.hoteldenice.com/
http://www.le-sevigne.com/ang_accueil.htm
Have you considered a flat? They are much cheaper and usually much more space
If so try this agency I used in 2006 and again will use this September
www.parisaddress.com
It has an availability search by dates required
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