AIBU to ask about what sights to see/things to do in Paris?

[PamplemousseRouge]

Hi everyone (or bonjour!! )

So I'm going to Paris later this week, and was wondering if you had any ideas on what sights to see or activities to do while I'm there?

There's obviously all of the very well-known sights to see like the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe (hoping to try and go up it while I'm there!!), Sacré Coeur, but I'd be really interested to hear if you have any other ideas on what to see please? Particularly the less well known parts of Paris, or hidden gems :)

Thank you!! :)

The catacombs. We queued for 4 hours in the blistering heat and both agreed that we'd happily have queued for twice as long. It's like nothing else you'll ever see.

(You probably won't have to queue for that long at this time of year, we went in the height of tourist season)

I love the Pompidou centre. I think I've been four times now and have taken all three dcs and they loved it. I love the area around it too. It's very laid back.!

We went in October for my birthday and this river cruise was fab ... food excellent
www.tripadvisor.co.uk/AttractionProductDetail?product=5836DINNERCRUISE&d=187147&aidSuffix=xsell&partner=Viator

Also the palace of Versailles is a short train ride out of the city and well worth a visit

Ooh thank you sooo much everyone!! Getting very excited now :) you're all of course more than welcome to join me on my Paris jaunt!!

Six days is a long enough time to see lots of sights with time to spare. I think I would make a list of sights/monuments /museums and plan from there, not necessarily in the same area, you can easily get from one side of the city to the other on the metro. Also with 6 days I would plan to just wander a bit every day, have a long morning coffee or lunch, often just as enjoyable as sightseeing (sorry if this sounds a bit obvious). The sales start on 11th January if you are interested in shopping.

I enjoyed the sewer tour

Plus the catacombs of course.

The bird market on ice de la cite on Sunday morning- surreal!

Coincidentally, just been looking up catacomb tours for a friend and they are closed January 9th - February 9th.

That should be ile de la cite!

Nooo can't believe the catacombs are shut while I'm there :( thanks very much for checking, weasel!! I guess I'll just have to plan another lengthy Paris trip very soon to visit the catacombs and the Manoir de Paris then

Shopping! Try and make time for an hour or so in the Galerie Lafayette even if you aren't a shopper. It's lovely inside, the dome is beautiful and there's also a rooftop garden where you can sit and take in the views.

We practically got straight into the catacombs on Christmas Eve! If I lived in Paris I think I'd have to try and sneak into the unofficial part. One thing I wondered about - truck art! where did that come from? I don't remember noticing it so much in the past but nearly every truck is graffitied, like they used to do with subway trains.

If you do book into La Coupole for a birthday meal, let them know it is your birthday (or make sure someone else does) and they'll present you with a sparkler-decorated dessert while the other diners all join in singing 'joyeux anniversaire'!

If you're into clothes and beauty shopping, post on Style and Beauty too - lots of knowledge there on where to go.
Oh, and don't miss the Palais Royale. Or, if you like medieval things, the Musee de Cluny.

Thanks again everyone!!

Ooh also just wondered if my old metro tickets might still work??

I've got quite a few metro tickets from summer 2014, when I last went to Paris. I thought they might work this time around, but I've just seen, annoyingly, that ticket prices have gone up since summer 2014.

Do you think I should still try and see if they'll accept the old metro tickets?

Definitely Père Lachaise cemetery. But avoid Jim Morrison like the plague. Oscar Wilde is in much better company.

Deyrolle, a taxidermy shop that's been there forever, absolutely fascinating, it's near rue du bac metro in 7th. Also eat at cafe marly in the louvre courtyard. Best view ever of the courtyard and pyramid from the steps up to the ladies loos. Eat too at Le train bleu in the gare de Lyon for classic French cooking and the most opulent decor (gold and frescoes) ever. Food hall at Le bon marche near sevres babylone is just gorgeous too. Boat trip from pont neuf will be touristy and freezing cold but worth a try. Hot chocolate at Angelina's and pastries from Pierre herme (macaroons are his speciality) are to die for.

Lived in Paris for many years, got married there, my favourite place ever.

Also the aquarium under the trocadero is great for cold / rainy days, definitely get to the orangerie for monet and imho the musee d'orsay is better than the louvre.

There's a huge sephora on the champs elysees if that's your thing (it's permanently packed so take a deep breath) and Europe's largest ice rink is open at the moment at the grand palais. There's also an ice rink on the first stage of the Eiffel Tower but I think it's for ice hockey this year only. Book right now if you want to get a lift to the top of the tower, tickets go fast. And your metro tickets will be fine to use.

I spent 2 years living in Paris as a twenty something and spent every weekend working my way through every possible thing to do.
I have to say, out of all of it, the catacombs was my fave! I really hated the Pompidou Centre but agree the area around it is nice to hang around in.

Watching as I'm going later in January too

The museum of magic was fun when I last went but that was 2009!

Obviously you have to go to the Louvre!

Gallery Lafayette - rooftop is better view than Eiffel Tower.
The Rodin.
Walking the bridges.
Les invalides.
Monmatre, definitely.

I miss Paris , you're making me jealous. I'm odd so I enjoyed the flea markets at d'orsay (north) - it did have tat but there was a furniture abs antique place too. If you like that type of thing. Well rated bistro there but was closed when I was there.

I am not into touristy stuff but really enjoyed going up Eiffel Tower. Late night so Qs not too bad