I'm not going to give you the play by play of the weekend; reading about other people's vacations isn't that thrilling. What I wanted to share were some things we learned and appreciated about the great City of Lights as well as some tips in case you have a chance to go too.
First of all, let me say I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the city. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting a disappointing experience, but I didn't expect to love Paris quite that much. Large cities just aren't my thing. But, what makes Paris different is that it has so many places to escape to. If you find your way to a nice quite side street where Parisians are just going about everyday life without tripping over tourists, you find the real city.
Now of course, you can't take your first trip to Paris without seeing certain things. It would be like going to Egypt and missing the pyramids. As someone who has experienced that, I strongly recommend not skipping the must-sees. I'd say for a weekend's trip, that list is as follows: the Eiffel Tower (duh), Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre Museum, and the Arc de Triomphe. If you catch those, you're good to go. My thoughts:
1. Eiffel Tower. Without a doubt, it is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world, if not the most recognizable. From the ground, it doesn't disappoint. It is a pleasure to photograph and after dark it is absolutely stunning. Now, of course, you have to go inside. There's a right way and a wrong way to do this. Unless you are physically prepared to climb the hundreds and hundreds of steps up to the three levels, you take the elevator. A wise person makes reservations ahead of time online. The rest of us stand in line for an hour with the bored kids and cranky old folks. If you make a reservation, you bypass all that and head right up. An even wiser person climbs the tower at night. Why? Paris is beautiful, but it's absolutely stunning after dark. We did our ascent around noon yesterday and didn't make a reservation. If we ever do it again, we're gonna do it right. Last tip, take the elevator up if you aren't the stairs type, but take the stairs down when you're done. Why? No lines, it's probably just as fast, and you can enjoy the view and the tower's architecture as you go.
2. Notre Dame Cathedral. You have to see it. But let me tell you something, it's just like all the other massive Gothic cathedrals out there. The only difference is that it's famous. In and around the cathedral is just as crowded as the Eiffel tower. Much like it would be during the Middle Ages when the cathedral was a major pilgrimage site, you file through it like cattle. They tend to rope the nave off for services, so you may not get a chance of seeing the altar. Unless you know how to take low light pictures, you aren't going to get good photographs inside. If you want to climb more stairs, you can pay to do so in one of the towers (cathedral entrance is free). I have bad memories of climbing the Statue of Liberty a long time ago, so repeating the experience isn't high on my list. But, I hear the view is better than the one from the Eiffel Tower.
3. The Louvre Museum. Ah, the Louvre, the Louvre! If you like art, I mean really like art, you'll love the the Louvre. It is enormous, maze-like, beautiful and overwhelming. Most people go to see the quite small and barely accessible Mona Lisa, but that painting is just the tip of the iceberg that is the Louvre. Sculptures, artifacts, and paintings go on for miles and miles. You will need days to see it all. My recommendation is this, accept the fact that you can't see it all and probably don't want to anyway. Visit the website ahead of time to locate the things you do want to see and plan your attack. Get the really famous stuff like Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory out of the way first while you have more energy and are likely to have a little more patience with crowds. Once you're out of those sections, the other galleries clear out. An area worth seeing is the Napoleon III Apartments in the Denon wing with its over the top interior decorating. Now, a couple of things to keep in mind when going to the Louvre. The first Sunday of the month most museums in Paris are free. While it's tempting to go on that day, trust me, saving some money isn't worth all the congestion. Even the less popular galleries are crowded. In the really popular areas, you get herded like cattle again. If you happen to be of smaller stature like myself, you may not even get a decent view of things. On the free days, they close off some of the other Louvre entrances and funnel everyone through the glass pyramid. Pickpockets are major fans of the free days too, FYI. Wait to go on a weekday (it's closed on Tuesdays. Other places may be closed on Mondays) and in the off season, a.k.a. not Summer. Also, buy a Paris Museum Pass either ahead of time online (you have to pick it up at their office or have it mailed to your home before you leave) or at one of the smaller participating museums. Details and the list of participating locations are on the website (just Google it). Not only do they save you some money if you plan on seeing several sites on the list, they also allow you to bypass admission lines. Personally, I'd pay more for that chance!
4. The Arc de Triomphe. Once again, you can ascend the Arc, but if you've already done the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame, you probably don't need another view of Paris. You can go in the rest of it too and learn all about it and what it commemorates (it takes the Museum Pass), but if you're all museumed and French military historied out, walking around the outside and imagining what the area is like during the Tour de France is probably enough.
Now that those sights have been seen and conquered, where else to go on a weekend? I recommend catching an evening boat tour on the Seine. We went with Bateaux Parisian which provides you with a decent tour commentary in several languages. You can also take a lunch or dinner cruise with several different companies.
La Sainte-Chapelle, the Holy Chapel, is worth a visit (they also take the Museum Pass). The stained glass is absolutely stunning, and in my opinion despite its much smaller size, it's more enjoyable than Notre Dame.
The Archaeological Crypt near Notre Dame provides an interesting look at Paris's early history, but unless you have some familiarity with how archaeological sites are interpreted and what they look like, you might find it a bit confusing. The plus side is it's cheap, accepts the Museum Pass, and it's not very popular with the thousands of tourists walking above.
Speaking of underground attractions, the Paris Sewer Tour at the Pont de l'Alma is surprisingly fascinating. It is a good spot for history buffs, literature buffs, and even engineers. I'd say it was one of my favorite spots. It has an odor, so be prepared.
There are, of course, many museums to choose from besides the Louvre. If you love military history, the military museum and Napoleon's tomb will satisfy any craving. If you prefer more modern art, the Orsay or the National Museum of Modern Art will not disappoint. The Cluny Museum of the Middle Ages is often overlooked, but I found it to be one of my favorite places. There are several more spots to choose from, of course. It seems Paris is not only the City of Lights, it is also the City of Art.
Despite all of these incredible attractions, I believe the best part of visiting Paris is walking through it. Leave the crowded tourist trap areas, browse the antique book stalls along the Seine, stroll through one of the several parks, or get lost in the Latin or Jewish Quarters. Rent a bicycle from one of the many corrals throughout the city and enjoy the excellent system of lanes and paths (unless it's marked don't ride on the sidewalk please). Parisians love to cycle, so you won't be alone.
When it comes to getting around Paris, by foot or bike is best, but the Metro and buses work splendidly for when you're in a hurry, tired, or have far to go. Just like Washington D.C. and Manhattan, you do not need to set foot in a car during your visit. The Metro system is very easy to use, with little risk of getting lost or confused (something that will happen if you drive in Paris). Plus, there is always a station nearby. If traveling to Paris from somewhere else in Europe, take a train in. The cost may come out the same as driving or even flying, but you can relax on your trip and avoid the parking, security, and bagged headaches. From the train station, catch the Metro to you hotel. Piece of cake.
Paris is full of hotels, but sites like Trip Advisor or guides like Lonely Planet or Rick Steve's Paris take out the guess work. Try staying at a locally owned hotel away from the hotspots for a more authentic experience and lower prices. The rooms may be small, but they're clean and all you need. Three stars and up seem to be the best for creature comforts, like WiFi and breakfasts (additional fee). Our hotel was smack amongst apartments, so if we opened the windows we got to experience the sounds and smells from Parisian home kitchens.
Dining in Paris is a whole other topic which I can't even scratch the surface of. For the most part, we seemed to end up eating in the Rue Cler neighborhood which has a decent local selection of cafes and restaurants with varying costs. But, if you don't want to listen to dopey, loud tourists order "Ratatooeel" and make jokes about the nude statues at the Museums this isn't the place for you. For us, it was a nice break to be waited on in English though. We did not think the Parisians lived up to their snobbish stereotype. We were always greeted with a smile and treated with graciousness and patience when
we couldn't communicate very smoothly.
Bottom line, I can't wait to go back to Paris. Next time, we will go when the weather is nicer so we can take the dog and stroll for hours, pack a picnic lunch to enjoy in the gardens, and sit outside at a cafe for some afternoon coffee. Now, that we have the must sees under our belts, it will be nice to go see Paris for Paris.
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