Our family of 4 (husband, myself, 21 year old daughter and 17 year old son) will arrive in Paris from the US around 10 am on Sunday, July 1. I am sure we will be tired, but we know from past experience that taking a nap is not what works for us. Hopefully we will get some sleep on the plane, but that might not happen. By the time we get to our hotel in the 5th it might be around noon. Does that sound right?
Since we might not be able to get into our room upon arrival we will leave our luggage there and go out for some lunch. I am sure my guys will be starved.
Any suggestions for a nice lunch in the area? Possibly a Cafe to sit outside (if sunny) and people watch with decent, but not $$$$ food? I have some places in mind for dinner depending on where we decide to go that first day.
Also, since this is the first of the month and free museum Sunday are there any places that you recommend to take advantage of this? I have read that the Louvre is TOO crowded on free museum Sunday and should be avoided. Are Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle also too crowded or since it will be late afternoon would that be a good choice? What about Orsay? I would like to visit the Orsay.
We thought about doing the Hop On Hop Off Bus the first day to get acquainted with Paris. If you get on in the 5th which direction does it go and how long does it take?
We will be in Paris for 5 nights arriving Sun. and leaving Friday for Rome. Tuesday we have a Grayline tour to Normandy D Day beaches and will be out of Paris all day.
I am confused about whether a carte orange or a carnet is our best choice. Please help with that.
Sorry this is so long. Thanks in advance for any help or advice.
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I am not sure about a restaurant but I think a Carte Orange might not work for you since they are Monday to Sunday. You arrive on Sunday and will be out of town all day Tuesday so maybe a carnet will be better. As for museums, we usually buy a museum pass. We have never jhad the opportunity to be there onthe Sunday they are free. The Louvre is crowded. Orsay is too. Notre Dame is free all of the time so mayabe it won%26#39;t be as crowded with everyone else trying to get in free to the other museums. We have been to Sainte Chapelle before but did not go in November 2006. It is so beautiful. However, I have read here about long lines and I believe I read something about restoration work inside. You may want to check that out. Enjoy Paris with you children we brought ours in November 2006 for Thanksgiving week and it was a great trip.
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I%26#39;m not clear where you%26#39;re staying, but your estimate for arrival into the center of the city sounds about right. I do agree you should just get out and walk around, and lunch probably would be a good way to do some people watching and help get yourself onto local time.
I can%26#39;t recommend a specific place for lunch (again, not sure where you are!) but suggest you just walk around and look at posted menus (by law, the menus always are posted outside). Just one note of caution: don%26#39;t eat in places that have their menus in English! My suggestion is to get off the %26quot;main drag%26quot; wherever you are, because even two or three blocks in from the really tourist oriented areas you will find bistros/cafes catering to French people, which will be much better food and most likely more interesting as well. (I don%26#39;t know if it%26#39;s near you, but I like La Pallette on rue de Seine -- I%26#39;ve had lunch there several times, and I%26#39;ve heard good things about their dinners as well.)
I see your questions about museums have been answer. As ot the bus for the first day, that probably would be fun (and not stressful when you%26#39;re jetlagged), and would be an easy way to get oriented to the city and learn a bit about places you want to spend more time later in your visit.
Have a good time!
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Thanks. We are staying at Hotel Henri IV Rive Gauche.
I appreciate the help.
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Looking at the map you have two good choices after dropping your bags. You can walk to the Ile de la Cite to Notre Dame and then to the right to the Ile St Louis. There is a nice Brasserie there, the Brasserie D%26#39;Ile St Louis where you can have a drink and a snack outdoors. It%26#39;s very nice there. If all of the tables are full you can try just across the street. If all else fails try an icecream from the place on the corner.
Or walk away from the river on the Rue St-Jacques to the Blvd St Germain. If you make a right you will come to no end of outdoor cafes to try. I usually stop at the Relais Odeon at 132 Blvd St Germain for a Leffe brune.
hth
Pjk
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Thanks everyone for your helpful advice.
Our hotel called the Museum and found out this information:
We called Musee D%26#39;Orsay today concerning the brunch on Sunday, you no need reservation, you just buy a ticket at the entrance and of course you can visit the Museum and go the museum%26#39;s restaurant (open at 12.00 AM).
So, this won%26#39;t be an option for us. I know my family will be much too hungry to stand in line for lunch.
Thanks again!
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How nice of them to find out and let you know the answer to your question! I%26#39;ve stayed there and liked the hotel and staff, so I%26#39;m not surprised. Have fun on yoru trip!
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Given a hotel location in the upper-5eme, you shouldn%26#39;t have any difficulty finding a likely looking café in the neighborhood--upper-Latin Quarter Saint Germaine des Prés, Île Saint Louis--fto suit all of your criteria for a leisurely light-lunch (after an overnight flight, it%26#39;s usually best to eat lite). After checking in with your hotel and dropping your bags, running some %26#39;..housekeeping..%26#39; errands should take you around you immediate neighborhood---to the Saint Michel Metro station to purchase either your CO%26#39;s or CARNETS (CARNETs will probably be the better %26#39;..deal..%26#39; but bear in mind that this may be your only chance to get a %26#39;..photo-personalized..%26#39; CARTE ORANGE for its souvenir value. Other errands might be purchasing post cards, finding a local Tobac to purchase stamps for the post cards, locate the nearest ATMs to your hotel and using it to make certain there are no difficulties, etc.
Sunday is probably the best day of the week for the L%26#39;Open Tours bus...since traffic in central Paris tends to be lightest. For L%26#39;Open Tours routes and stops. Depending on which of the four %26#39;..circuits..%26#39; you want to take, you can pick-up a L%26#39;Open Tour bus at PETIT PONT (for the Saint Germain-Montparnasse or the Bastille-Bercy circuits) or at Place Saint Michel (for the Grand Tour circuit). Either of these stops will be no more than a short stroll from the Hôtel Henri IV Rive Gauche. Download the L%26#39;Open Tour brochure and route maps and stop locations at--
http://www.paris-opentour.com/index_eng.htm
As an alternative, there%26#39;s also the BATOBUS--
http://www.batobus.com/
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Thank you so much EVERYONE for your wonderful advice and encouragement.
Yes, the hotel staff has been wonderful so far and we are really looking forward to staying there.
Great information. We are very excited about our first visit to Paris.
KDKSAIL, thank you for the wonderfully detailed information about the transportation. I really appreciate your thoughtfulness in taking the time to help us with that.
Thanks again.
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The free museums you could go to near your 5e : The Cluny museum is hardly crowded and also the Pantheon. There are so many good restos on your walk to both of those two places. If you go to Rue Mofftard there are many good places to eat there... it is behind the Pantheon.
You could buy each day a 1-2 zone Moblis ( about 5 euros) or you can buy the 10 ticket metro/bus tickets. How much do you plan to use the metro/bus per day? I have used the metro /bus enough in 4 days to make buying the Carte Orange worth my money. It all depends on how much you plan to use the system. Sorry! I just reread that you will be gone to Normany for a day. So I don%26#39;t think you would get your money out of the Carte Orange.
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Thank you! I am not sure how much we intend to use the metro each day. This is our first trip to Paris and I do not really know how to plan for that aspect of the trip. We will be doing the %26quot;usual touristy things%26quot;.
I really appreciate the helpful advice everyone so generously offered to us. Your kindness is greatly appreciated.
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