what to do in Paris: a top 10 list

A prospective traveler recently posted the following question on a travel forum:

I'll arrive in Paris on a Saturday at 10 in the morning, so what do you suggest we do over the weekend. And when is it that stores are closed? Is it the weekend, or what?


I must admit to rolling my eyes for a brief moment, but then I dashed off the following response:

What to do in Paris over the weekend? Museums. Parks. Monuments. Climb the Eiffel Tower. Sit in a cafe in the Latin Quarter watching people walk by. Get your picture drawn in the Place du Tertre in Montmartre. Have dinner at a great restaurant. Stuff like that!

I guess I should lighten up just a bit and acknowledge that different people want to have different kinds of experiences on their vacations, and shopping is one of those experiences. Although you may forgive me when you realize this post also asked where to buy Disney souvenirs in Paris without having to get a ticket to Disneyland Paris. But I shouldn't judge.

But what to do in Paris? Here's my top ten list:

0. Before you begin... buy a Paris Museum Pass. The successor to the Museum Pass, this gives you pre-paid admission to over 60 Paris attractions. A 2-day pass is 30 EUR for adults, a 4-day pass is 45 EUR for adults, and a 6-day pass is 60 EUR for adults, but wait to buy one in Paris and save the mark-up that you'd pay buying one in advance online. Best part: you skip the ticket lines and get fast-track admissions.

1. The Musee d'Orsay is the world's greatest collection of French Impressionist (and some pre- and post-Impressionist) art. It's actually too big. I much preferred Le Jeu de Paume, a small jewel of a museum, but the Musee d'Orsay is a must-see.

2. The Louvre. Of course, there's the Mona Lisa. You'll see signs throughout the museum pointing the way to La Joconde where you'll find hundreds of art lovers gathered around a tiny portrait encased in plexiglass. Definitely see Napoleon's bedroom. It's the most impressive exhibit in the Louvre (and not crowded).

3. A park. Le Jardin des Tuilleries, Le Jardin de Luxembourg, Le Bois de Boulogne, or whatever park you just happen to be walking by. You'll be doing a lot of walking in Paris. Spend some time off your feet just sitting, watching children play, looking at the tourists, gazing at the formal gardens, the beautiful fountains, and the amazing rows of trees.

4. A cafe. You'll be doing a lot of walking (see above). Sit at a table on the sidewalk watching life go by. Once you have a table, you can practically sit there all day (but you probably won't want to).

5. Notre-Dame. This cathedral set on the Ile de la Cite (the larger island in the Seine in the middle of Paris) is at the center of the city. In fact, all of the major roads from the provinces into Paris lead here. Whether you visit this cathedral, or one of the dozens of other Gothic churches in Paris, walk in and sit for awhile in one of the back pews (a good pause from all the walking you've been doing). Look at the arches. Notice how they lead your eyes upward. Look at the light filtering through the stained glass. Let Gothic architecture do for you what it was designed to do: remind you of the transcendent dimensions of life. Then, go outside Notre-Dame and see the park at the east end, Square Jean XXIII.

6. The Memorial des Martyrs Francais de la Deportation. From Square Jean XXIII, drop in and see the French Holocaust museum (which is at the eastern tip of the island, just across the the street). Enter by going down the steps, and view the impressive display of 200,000 quartz crystals commemorating that number of French citizens who were deported by the Nazis.

7. Walk across the bridge to the Ile St.-Louis. On the other side of the bridge, you'll find an ice cream shoppe, Berthillon. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone. They've got lots of flavors, and they're all great, but if you're a chocoholic, you've found heaven (see the above discussion on the transcendent dimensions of life)!

8. Visit the Place du Tertre in Montmartre. Watch the sketch artists at the Place du Tertre doing quick pastels of the tourists, or even get one made yourself. It's kitchy, but it's authentic Parisian kitsch. Then walk up towards the Sacre Coeur and enjoy the panoramic view of the city.

9. Climb the Eiffel Tower, the iconic Parisian experience. The Paris Pass does not cover this attraction, but this is something you will want to do, if only for the bragging rights. Perhaps make dinner reservations (well in advance) for Jules Verne, and ask for a table by the windows. Your travel agent or the concierge at your hotel can handle this for you.

10. Go shopping! Shopping is one of the things to do in Paris. There are incredible shops in the 1st arrondissement with fashion and jewelry. There are quaint antique stores on the narrow streets of the Left Bank. There are bookinistes lined up on either side of the Seine. Visit the Galleries Lafayette near the Opera and see the incredible stained glass dome over the main floor; they don't build department stores like this anymore. If you're seriously into shopping, you might even check out this blog about shopping in Paris. It is written by the owner of Chic Shopping Paris, a tour service that can help you put together the Paris shopping trip of your dreams.

This list http://www2.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifcould go on and on. The Cluny is a wonderful medieval museum with a famous set of tapestries. The Marais has a beautiful square (la Place des Vosges) and a great Picasso museum. Chartres is a fantastic Gothic cathedral in a small town outside of Paris; notice how the two towers, built in different centuries, have completely different designs. Visit Versailles and marvel at the opulence of this palace and its vast, beautiful gardens. Monet lovers should visit Giverny where you can see the lily pond that was the subject for so many of his paintings and the Japanese Bridge that is seen in others. Take in one of the great chateaux such as Fontainebleau. If you get the sense that Paris is my favorite destination, you're right!


Just posted, walking tours of Paris, including a link to a free download of The Heart of Paris.



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