[Closed] Paris for a day.

http://www.leclosbourguignon.com/

My favourite spot in Paris. Totally unpretentious, proper Parisian bistro. Run by a wonderful, ageing couple, of which Madame is the matriarchal force of nature.

Chilled Fleurie and a Steak Frites, pure heaven.

I went to Paris last weekend for a couple of days on the Eurostar. The best part of Paris was Monmartre. It's the part where all the artists lived. Start at the steps of the Sacre Coeur and walk to the Moulin Rouge through all the side streets. Was defo my favourite part of the city. The rest was as expected.

What time do you arrive, when do you leave ? Which day of the week ? Too late to book a hotel and stay an extra day ?

What are you interested in, classic sights, ritzy or ethnic urban, museums, food and drink - all of that ?

With me starting a new job training Monday to Friday we are travelling to London on the Friday night and having a night out in London and staying near st Pancras so were booked on early train to Paris and latest train back so we can be home late Saturday night, gives me a full Sunday to do my "homework" then.

I've never been to Paris, food, history and architecture are what we like, when we've been to other big cities we've found that the places we'd never heard of and stumbled upon by accident have been far more pleasing than the more touristy places.

Saying that, the Mrs would like to do the Eiffel Tower, although she's scared of heights and Blackpool tower she held onto me like a limpet.

A good walk is to start at the bassin de villette and walk south along canal St Martin, cut through the Marais, across to note dame, wander round ole de la cite as desired and then to St michel, sorbonne, Jardin de Luxembourg. With side diversions that could take a day. Or for more culture musee d'orsay and depending on special exhibitions grand palais, petit palais, orangerie. Too much, really!!

we did exactly that a few years ago. my first time but she had seen all that tourist stuff on a school trip years ago... we just wandered along the Seine between the Grand Palais and Notre Dame then went eating and drinking our way round Le Marais, was a great day! never set eyes on the effiel tower. Took her to see Les Mis the night before in London to get the french vibe going too!

We had 2 days in Paris at the end of August with the 2 kids. For many of the attractions we chose not to go in, just look at, which meant we covered a lot of ground. We bought a day pass for the Metro/RER so we could get around easily. Like you, couldn't find a Paris Pass type thing that seemed to give us value for what we wanted to do.

Day 1 consisted of:
- Top of the Eiffel Tower (walked up to level 2 then lift to the top) we were there at 9.30 am and there were no queues for the stairs.
- Metro to Arc de Triomphe (didn't go up it, just walked under it)
- Walked down the Champs Elysees -> Grande Palais -> PDLConcorde -> Tuileries -> Louvre
- Metro to Montmartre (which was an ace area, agreed geologist) & Sacre Coeur

Day 2 consisted of:
- 1hr river cruise (from Pont Neuf)
- Notre Dame & area around
- Pompidou (from the outside)
- RER to Luxembourg Gardens (great (pay) play area for the kids)

Difficult to pick highlights as it was all good! Day1 prob had the highlights, try to sneak in Notre Dame, the Eiffel tower could take half a day so depends if it's a 'must' for you or not (it was for us!).

HTH

montparnasse tower. the highest, and ugliest, building in paris - but once your on top you can't see it!! It has the best view because you can see all of the landmarks from the viewing platform. I think it's 15 eur.

also if you that way boulevard edgar quinet; some nice parisian bars - nothing outstanding but nice and authentic local spots. Art market there on sunday AM too, but you'll miss that.

If its only a day I'd look at places you can walk to from Gard du Nord where the train comes in. I was there for a few days last Summer - stayed a short walk from the station and just walked everywhere from there.

You're only a short walk to Monmartre there anyway so on the afternoon we arrived we walked around there and up to the back streets to Recyclerie

From the same start point we walked a meandering route to Parc de Bellville for snacks at Panorama Gormand with great views - then to Parc des Buttes Chaumont, then from there into the city to the Pompidou past the Louvre to Arc de Triomphe stopping for amazing coffee at Cafeotheque and then back to Pilgale / Monmartre where we collapsed and got drunk very very easily!

Next day we walked off our hangover to Parc du Villette and back to the train and were back in London for tea.

If you've only got a day spend it being[i] in [/i] Paris, not on the Metro between bits of Paris.

If you can track down an old copy of Time Out's 'Paris Walks' book that has great routes in it that put you in the right places but away from the crowds

OK OP my 2 centimes 😉

Go to Eiffell Tower first, you get a great view from Trocadero so perhaps go there and then walk down and make a call about whether you go up (as another poster says if you walk up first bit you can avoid some queues). Note don't be spooked by the army, they are everywhere after the various terrorist attacks. How much time you spend there will dictate what next.

You may have time to go to the Arc d'Triomphe amd can make a decision about whether to go up. From tjere you can walk down the Champs Elysee (right hand side has chique boutiques, left has cinema and McDonalds 😉 ) watch out for pick pockets and "i found this ring" scammers. Its quite a walk (20+ mins) to Grand Palais / Place de La Concorde but plenty to see. You then join this route below.

If you don't have time to go to Arc from Eiffell Tower take Rue Saint Dominique to Invalides (military hospital) - maybe take in a coffee on Sainte Dominqiue, very traditional bistro near a small fountain on rhs (had my first date with my now wife there 🙂 ). From Invalides head for Pont Alexandre III and over to Grand Palais (note quay side here has many bars and maybe you could come back in the evening after dark for a drink, bridge is lit up and you can see the Eiffel tower - special lights on the hour). From Grand Palais through Jarden de Tuileres, past / through Louvre (queue for entry goes fast but maybe no time) then cross over small Pont nuef onto Island with Notre Dame (queue usually quite long/slow), go round the right hand side of Cathedral (small touristy cafe round the back is ok) and then over small footbridge to Ile de la Citie (very good ice cream seller just there). Have a wander round. A few cafes amd bistros there. This walk will tick a lot of the boxes for sights amd sounds of Paris.

Sacre Couer at night is quite cool and the small square with the artisits and bistros is touristy but ok. As another poseter says all the steep streets with stairs are very traditonally French and used in lots of movies. The small bistro Cafe Francoier (rie clarincourt) is a regular of ours, bistro classics, good burgers, classic decor and bar area. Not too far back to Gare du Nord.

If you go into St German (v popular tourist area, small streets etc near Luxembourg Gardens mentioend above) we like Chez Fernand on Rue Guisarde for dinner. Will tick your Paris Bistro boxes, the cafe gourmand is massive (note top tip: cafe gourmand is a coffee plus a selection of mini deserts or in the case of Chez F not so mini)

Transport. Walking always good for seeing things but maybe you are tight for time ? 10 ticket carnet for metro worh buying for 14 euros - metro lines run between trocadero and arc and arc and place de la concorde (each a couple of stops) for example if you want to save a bit of time. Metro to/from Gare du Nord also of course. Taxis operate from stands and also Uber works well in Paris and much cheaper (as much as I hate Uber a uk account will work but check card fees and you'll need mobile data). Any bistro/cafe will call you a taxi (maybe an extra charge but you are on a tight schedule)

Have a great time, hopefully the weather is kind

The Musee d'Orsay is my current Paris favourite - well worth a visit.

Agreed Musee d'Orsay is great and v close to Pont Alexandre III / Notre Dame if you have time

Also if you have data then google maps and/or download paris as an offline area so avaialble without data. Cafe's / bistro will often charge your phone if you ask nicely, bring usb wire. Electric socket (uk and French) on eurostar

Note area around Gare du Nord especially round the back towards Sacre Couer is a little rough and ready also with asylum seekrs / migrants sleeping rough under the elevated metro line, safe enough though if you keep your wits about you

The petite ceinture is pretty cool if you can incorporate it into a walk, and you have a taste for the off-piste. Abandoned railway that circles round Paris. Great sense of solitude. V slight chance of a mugging.
Official catacombs also amazing for a visit, Denfert Rochereau IIRC. Can be queues, though.

Just looking up CFH's restaurant recomendation it's near to Opera and Place Vendome both of which would be worth a stroll past, Opera especially its recently rennovated and interior is fabulous, Vendome if its on the way (lots of up market jewelers to window shop).