Talk to me about things to do in Paris - I am thinking of going for my 50th

[angeldelightmintchocolate]

Will be me and DH. We are big foodies. Not into art but what else can we do ? obvs will do the Eiffel Tower.

I have visions of Paris being romantic, I am not usually a city-break girl but Paris really appeals to me, I have went once before, but that was about 25 years ago.

Love the Pantheon, pop down the Rue Mouffetard for a bite to eat and market, ride the tourist bus for a different viewpoint, marvel at the architecture, even if you don’t like museums, the Musee de Cluny is worth a visit, it’s small and quiet! Have a bite to eat at Angelina, wander round the Jardiniere Du Luxembourg, just sit and watch the world go by!

Went to Paris for our honeymoon 35 years ago and it will always be a special romantic place for me. We go back often and stay in the same hotel we stayed in on honeymoon!

Musee de Carnavalet in Le Marais is a museum about the history of Paris. It’s great and also free. The St Martin Canal area has a lot of very hip restaurants so is worth researching what restaurants you’d want to visit there. Download the app Le Walk and do a guided walk with your headphones, or find some guided tours with a historian so you can discover lots about the fascinating history of the city. Go inside the St Sulpice church in St Germain des Pres - absolutely gorgeous and lots of history, plus an interesting (but expensive) neighbourhood. Musee d’Orsay is beautiful and so much easier to get around than the Louvre. Jardin du Luxembourg if the weather is nice. We did the canal boat tour from the north eastern corner of the city last year right down to the Seine, and while it was interesting, by the third loch we were losing the will to live, and I think there were 9 in total. So that’s something to consider. Lots of street art though along the way. If you are there over a weekend then the St Ouen Les Puces flea market in the north of the city is fascinating and enormous. You can find everything there from second hand designer clothes, to vinyls, to furniture, jewellery, knick knacks etc. It’s huge but a great way to wander and spend a few hours browsing, and prices vary from insanely expensive to bargain basement. Marché enfants rouge is a very old food market - we had the best Japanese food in there recently, if you want a break from French cuisine. Also a lot of viral food spots in that area if queuing up and filming your lunch for instagram is your thing. Shakespeare and co is an old famous English book store on the left bank near the Notre Dame, also has an adjoining cafe with lovely views of the /Notre dame. And if you venture out of the touristy areas, you can usually guarantee the bakeries and patisseries will be good - you don’t have to go for the ones that have been made famous or gone viral, because if the locals use them, the bread, pastries and sweet treats will likely be delicious.

Visit the catacombs. Not romantic but very impactful!

Aww that’s lovely!

Google free walking tours. There are loads. Choose what interests you. So many different topics ...
Not actually free but you just pay what you think it was worth at the end

I love going to Paris. I have been often and will keep going. I've been to most of the places PPs have mentioned. I've never had the 'stinky, scary disappointment' but I do read and speak French reasonably well and have been to other parts of France too.

Google 'foodie Paris' for some ideas. Maybe sign up for a cookery morning/afternoon? Wine tasting? Cheese tasting? Vineyard tour? I've done these in other parts of France and enjoyed them.

Paris has a 'navigo' card for public transport; you can load it onto your phone or get a plastic, rechargable card in big stations.
https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/en/titres-et-tarifs/supports/telephone

There is a discount card for museums and other places:
https://www.parismuseumpass.fr/en

Google for bato-bus to get your Seine river cruise fix without disappointing food.

Rue Cler is a street full of bistros et cafés in case you need sustenance near the Eiffel Tower. I have stayed a few times at the Hôtel Royal Phare and Grand Hôtel de L'Eveque.
Agree that Eiffel Tower is great at night.
L'Arc de Triomphe - great view of the city, fun watching the cars go round and often there's an exhibit at the top. One time, I saw Napoléon's toothbrush!! Then walk DOWN the Champs Elysées (it's actually pretty steep) towards Place de la Concorde. Personally, I would avoid the touristy restaurants along the CE - just go a few blocks on any of the side streets and you'll spot a place full of locals and it will be much better.

Museums I revisit:
These are smaller and more concentrated - just an hour or so:
Musée de Cluny - Roman Paris (Lutetia) + unicorn tapestries
Musée de l'Orangerie - waterlilies
The Louvre is worth a visit. There is lots in there; read up and plan your route. One time, I was in the room where the jewellry was stolen last week and there was some kind of scare and they sealed the big doors at either end for about 20mins.

Last time (with a history buff/francophile/foodie friend for our 50th) I went to:
Les Invalides - Napoléon's tomb; lots of other historic tombs; huge museum full of crazy uniforms (leopard print!) and weapons/armour, plus exhibits about the Résistance and de Galle
Versailles was a bit blah for me; it was a box to tick but so was Les Invalides and there was much more to see: Versailles is a long, full day; many of the rooms are empty/hardly furnished which is disappointing compared similar palaces/muesums; the grounds are immense (book a rental bike with your ticket or you'll never make it to les Trianons)
la Grande Arche de la Cité

Places I haven't (re)visited:
Montmartre/Sacre Coeur
Near Nôtre-Dame are lots of book stalls selling antique books - not my thing but a well-known 'Paris thing'
Père LaChaise cemetary - my mother loved it but ...
Musée Rodin
Musée D'Orsay - I'll go back eventually, there just hasn't been time to fit it in recently
Sainte-Chappelle: beautiful but not much to see and a lot of faff/security
Ste Sulpice

Not planning to go:
Moulin Rouge - I suspect the food will not be very good - just lazy tourist fare. Maxime's is open but again, the menu looks disappointing.

Next time for me: les catacombes! Parc Buttes Chaumont? Paris vineyard tour/tasting, Nôtre-Dame

We took our mum for a big birthday in Feb and had lunch in the Eiffel Tower which was lovely, and not something we’d do every day, so nice as a wee treat! The ticket we had also got us an evening cruise on the Seine which was nice!

Paris is romantic. Strolls along the Sienne, down the Champs Elysees, sitting people watching outside cafes, lovely restaurants.

Am sure we walked a bit of this when we went about 25 years ago -- The "Paris high garden walk" refers to the Coulée verte René-Dumont, also known as the Promenade Plantée. This is a 4.5 to 4.7 km elevated linear park built on an old railway line that runs from near the Opéra Bastille to the Bois de Vincennes. It offers a green, elevated walk with views of the city.

Also went to sacre couer (after we had watched amelie!).

Dinner on a boat on the Seine
Musée d'Orsay Is amazing and has a fantastic place to eat
Royal Opera House
Dior museum
Just walk 😊
Enjoy

Go up the Sacre Coeur - you get a good view from the top.

Bouillon chartier is very French and very good value. https://www.bouillon-chartier.com/bouillon-chartier-grands-boulevards/

I love Paris and actually went there for my own 50th.

My favourite things:
The batobus. I could sit and watch the river bank scenery go past all day I think. Get a day (or multi day) pass so you can hop on and off
Concerts or the Opera, of that's your thing

This restaurant, and its cocktails: https://www.maisonmere.co/nectar

I went last month for my 50th. Highlights were definitely exploring Monmartre and a Seine Cruise. Not everyone's cup of tea but the best night we had was at one of the cabaret theatres We stayed very near the Moulin Rouge but tickets there are expensive and there were mixed reviews, so we booked in at one of the smaller theatres for a dinner and show. It was amazing and the meal was one of the best I've had.

If you are into perfume Dominique Ropion has opened a new atelier with his new collection of perfume. World famous 'nose' now doing his own thing instead of working for top designers. I am going in December and can't wait, also booked in for cirque soliel. We always enjoy Notre dame, food can be hit and miss so book a hotel with a great restaurant and ask them for a couple of outside recommendations. Paris is not what it used to be so keep away from tourist traps, pick pockets, protest marches they can get ugly and keep phone, jewellery and money out of sight. Have a great time x

I went for seven days and my fave day was the day I went to the Galleries Lafayette (after being at the royal opera house for a tour) and had a nosey around the designer shops, ate macaroons in the cafe and then took in the view of the city from the rooftop. It was just a lovely final day of the trip.

Went on a free walking tour with Guru walks called ‘montmartre without the crowds’ which was really interesting. Our guide had studied art history and was so knowledgeable. You tip at the end what you think it is worth. Someone on our tour had been to the Moulin Rouge the previous evening and said it was €250 each for dinner and the show and they weren’t impressed.
Notre dame (go early in the day before the crowds).
Rocaille Did a set menu for €49 in the evening which was good value for what you got. Full choice from the a la carte menu rather than no options. You could also do a wine pairing. It’s very small so do reserve a table

Montmartre and the Sacre Coeur. Notre Dame. Bateau Mouche (I wouldn't go for a meal on one).

Otherwise, just walk hand in hand along the Seine, and around the streets of Saint-Germain. Pop in to a bar or restaurant as they take your fancy.

We love the 2nd, it’s walking distance to the river and any tourist stuff you want to do in the first, but still feels local. We alway, always stay on/just of rue montorgueil - you can get the RER from CDG to Les Halles and then just walk down. Petit Careaux is our favourite bistro and Stroher is a bakery that’s been there since before the revolution. Also some great shops - we always spend hours in Kilawatch. If you head east you can find Marches Les Enfants which is just the BEST food market. Every booth has amazing food. I love musee d’orsay. Went to the Marais for the first time in May and that’s a cracking area, also great for shopping. Notre Dame is 💯 worth it, log on in the morning to book a slot. But the church at the bottom of Les Halles is my favourite - st eustace, there’s a piece of work by Keith haring in there as the church did loads to support aids patients in Paris.

I'm 56. I first went to Paris when I was 9 and loved it then. Been around 5 times and keep expecting things to have deteriorated due to attitudes like the ones you've heard and that you often see on MN.

In fact it's always wonderful, and we always find something new. So many little things... for example when we were there in August we stumbled upon The Stravinsky Fountain, which is utterly bonkers!

Have a wonderful time. I finally had a good time there and it was the best good time ever. Notre Dame was simply spectacular. I loved walking through the 6ème after dark.

Lots of things are open late on Thursday evening.

A relative who loves Paris recommended the restaurant Colvert.

Take the time to go to Versailles? It is so beautiful.

Hop on hop off Bato bus, by far the best way to see lots of Paris. Without the grotty bits.

https://www.batobus.com/en

I hate Paris in summer time but in winter/ early spring it’s somehow lovelier. If you go at Christmas time don’t missed galeries lafeyette, I think the area around bastille is nice for cafes, little galeries and bars and the opera is a nice experience

Book a guided tour of Opera Garnier. Brilliant.
Sainte Chappelle for the stained glass.
Cemeteries.