Once again I am seeking advice from all you parisian experts. We will be arriving in Paris on Wednesday, May 30th at 1:20 pm and leaving Tuesday, June 5th at the crazy hour of 7:00am. I would like to see many of the popular sites during this time, but I would also like some time to just wander around and soak up the atmosphere of Paris so I am trying not to overbook. The must do sites for us are: Louvre, Notre-Dame, Eiffel Tower, Sainte-Chapelle,Versailles,Orsay,and Dineyland (kids choice). We would also like to take a boat tour as well as spend some time at the Jardin des Tuileries and Jardin du Luxembourg. After much reading, I am getting confused on which sites to do on what days and in what combinations. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Irene

Let's see, you have four full days, and you've got two out-of-town daytrips to Versailles and Disneyland, so that leaves you with two days plus one extra afternoon in Paris. You're going to be busy!

It would be easy to visit Notre Dame, and Sainte-Chapelle on one day, combined with the Musee d'Orsay. You could take an evening boat tour down the Seine to see the Eiffel Tower at night. On your second day you could go to the Louvre and perhaps walk through the Jardin des Tuileries and on to the Eiffel Tower if you kids want to go up in the tower during the day.

You might use your first afternoon for a leisurely stroll through the Luxembourg Gardens.

I think that covers all your Paris sites, and still leaves two days for your daytrips.

HOWEVER, if it were me, I'd drop the Louvre and Disneyland and spend more time just wandering and soaking up the flavor of Paris.

i pretty much agree with Chris. except try to see the Louvre too. Disneyland ? do not know from where you are from but it is not even near the one in the US.


Paris will give you plenty and of course Versailles is Versailles (i live nearby so i am biased ok)

Unfortunately my kids will kill me if we don't make it to disney. We go every year in the states and it was one of the conditions for not spending our entire vacation in disneyworld this time. Do you have any thoughts on what days would be better for disney and Versailles vs. the museums and Eiffel Tower? Or does it really matter? Thanks
Irene

i have been once to disneyland (boys of 13,13,15) and not again;they like the French park to the north of Paris Parc Asterix. So cannot help you on disneyland. but I used to lived near Orlando and did go there many many times; no comparison.

as to Versailles; the mornings are better and try tuesdays,wednesdays and Thursdays. Wednesday is the biggest market day; place du marché de Notre Dame; with your back to the chateau walk straight out into ave de paris; until ave de l'Europe turn left and go straight into the marché only 10 mins walk.

to the chateau ;better get off to the right into ave des reservoirs and get on the side entrance (locals do it) and it is a lot less crowded. just walk around to your right as you face the chateau and you will see the big wrough iron gate entrance.

here is a map to help you ,can be work in english,its from the Versailles city hall.
http://www.mairie-versailles.fr/citymap.php?id=1&pg=647&zoom=F4

hit the different icons on the map and will explain what is there.

My suggestion - whatever you do, make the Disneyland trip your LAST day -- that way if the kids get the Paris bug you may not have to go there at all, and if they don't, having that in their future may make it easier to get them to do other things without "whinging"...

Do take a look at Amy's thread too, for ideas of things that might interest your kids that are more French than a French version of an American theme park.

Judy

Irene, how old are your kids? I don't mean to patronize, but why would you go all the way to Paris to go to Disneyland :-( I entirely agree with Motherjudy that you should leave it for last and hope they change their mind--there is so much else to immerse in in Paris for kids of all ages. Our son is now 23 and a Graduate student; we took him all around the world from the time he was two--he first went to Paris at two and then again at 15; he does not remember his early travels but enjoyed most of it. Occasionally, especially in his teenage years he did have his 'days' when he did not like what we thought we should do and sulked. Recently during a mom and son lunch he told me that in retrospect he realizes now how lucky he was with his travels and vacations and how much he 'learnt' from it and not just in the academic sense...

Have fun, I would slow down a bit but I hope your kids will decide to skip Disneyland

If there are children involved, I'd be inclined to leave out the Louvre. It is very big, very overwhelming and you have to fight off the crowds to see the well known bits like the Mona Lisa (in fact, if there's a long queue you only get about 30 seconds to look before the crowd pushes you on!)
I'm inclined to think the children would be bored unless they have a specific interest in one of the collections e.g. the Egyptian or the Etruscan.
If you feel that you must go to the Louvre, check for evening sessions which are often offered more cheaply. Then you could fill up the day with lovely walks and "pop in" to the Louvre for a couple of hours in the evening.

I think children might also like La Defense with it Grand Arch and all the modern buildings.

Hi Irene,

Our daughter is now 13 and has visited Paris four times, in total for about a month. On visit #3 (two weeks long), she and I made the trip out to Disneyland. We really do like Disney, and in the couple of years prior to our EuroDisney daytrip, we had done several vacations to DisneyWorld in Orlando. (My husband couldn't imagine taking a day in Paris to go to Disneyland, and he stayed in the city.)

I'm glad to have seen Disneyland, but it is absolutely nothing compared to any of the parks in Orlando. The attractions are mostly "Magic Kingdom" attractions, though there are a couple that you would find in Orlando at other parks. A few attractions are unique. It was interesting to see how a couple of attractions had a different European approach. I also found it interesting how America was presented (especially the concept of the old West).

Quite simply-- compared to DisneyWorld, we were disappointed. I can't compare it to Disneyland in California, but if you have been to the Orlando parks, you will feel let down... maybe a lot.

In our case, we had been traveling in Europe for three months at the point we arrived in Paris. Our daughter was then 11 years old. We thought this would just be something fun for her (and I was interested to make the comparison and add a pin to my little collection). Afterwards, we wish we had stayed in the "real" Paris. I think it almost seems stranger to visit a Disney park in Europe than in America-- there are so many magical places that are REAL... the Disney park seems so artificial and manufactured. The beloved Disney characters seem out of place. (Why visit a fake castle when you can see so many real ones???)

If I had only four days in Paris, I definitely would not go to Disneyland. You can find REAL MAGIC for your kids in so many other places right in Paris!!!! (Tell them Kelly and her mom can attest to this!!!)

Tell us the ages of your kids and what they enjoy doing. You've got many other good suggestions here-- we can offer many more if you tell us about your family.

Kathy

Thanks to everybody for their recommendations. My daughters are not that young (11 and 16) although you would think it since they are such Disney nuts. I have no doubt that ya'll are right but I think they will have to find out for themselves. I am however going to schedule it for our last day, as suggested, in case they change their minds or if they get bored early and want to leave and go do something else for the evening.
Irene

Irene,

Don't forget about jetlag. And if your teenagers are anything like my teenagers, they want to sleep all day and stay up all night. Frankly you have much to much in your intinerary. When you land on Wednesday you will need to get to your hotel (where are you staying?) and drop off your luggage. It's going to be around 4 p.m. by the time you make it there and you may be DOA so it's probable that sleep might be in order. If it were me I would make reservations at 8 p.m. to have dinner aboard a barge on the river for your first evening. Not great food but the scenery makes up for it and you have your boat ride.

The next day, plan on getting out around 10 a.m. First order of business, get to a Metro station and get a Carte Orange Metro pass for everyone. Versailles is in zone 5 and I think Disney is in Zone seven. This gives you unlimited rides on all public transportation including the RER which runs to Versailles & Disney. The pass runs Monday thru Sunday but your only there for 4 days and the convenience is priceless. To get a Carte Orange you need to bring a passport size photo of everybody.

So now it's around noon on Thursday and you have your passes and it's off to your first site.

According to my Eyewitness guide;

Notre Dame and Saint Chapelle are open daily 10 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.

The d'Orsay will not be open until Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Tower is open daily 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 p.m.

The Louvre is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdy thru Monday.

Disney is open daily 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Versailles is open 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday thru Sunday.

Here is a page from my Trip Report detailing our visit to Versailles.

Please do double check times and days as my guide is old.

If money is no object I would make reservations at the Jules Verne resturant for dinner at the Tower for an evening viewing freeing up your day for other things.

Hope this helps.

Ginger