Paris for a day

[Monr0e]

We are fitting in a day in Paris during a stay in France. We have booked a river cruise but apart from that have nothing specific planned. DS wants to visit the Louvre. Should we pre book tickets for this? Anything else we should definitely try and do?

I am not the most confident traveller and DH is even worse so I try and plan as much as possible I'm not too stressed when we are there!

Happy to have a day just wandering around and fit in some must do things if we can.

In Paris I love walking around Montmartre and going up to Sacré-Coeur. However that might not be the best choice if you're planning to stay around the river, geographically?

I'd personally do Eiffel Tower early in the morning if you've never been before - it's a bit cliché but a must-do in Paris.

Thank you

We are definitely planning on doing the eiffel tower also. Is it best to pre book tickets or is it OK to just buy them on the day?

Also just sitting in the cafes having an eclaire or meals soaking up the place is a must.it feels different doing so in France as you look down the street to a view of the Eiffel..

Thank you, yes, we plan to pootle about and do some sitting in cafes 🙂

Apart from the eiffel tower and the louvre we don't have much else planned

Is it best to pre book tickets for these? There seems to be different tickets you can buy for the eiffel tower, not sure which to go for

I was in Paris recently, you MUST book tickets for the Louvre. Although it's really a huge chunk of time if you're only going for the day. We managed to get walk-up tickets to the Eiffel Tower but it was midweek, in May, and after 8pm. I'd book those too if you're planning on going.

I second Montmartre and the Sacre Coeur. The Arc de Triomphe is a great place for sight-seeing (book in advance) and a good start for a walk down the Champs Elysee.

Oh, and go to the top of the tower!

The Louvre is ENORMOUS. You need to seriously cherry-pick what you want to see because you will not see everything!

I'd go on a hop on, hop off bus because although expensive they do take you to a lot of sites of interest in a day. Very good for quick photo ops to say you've been there. The Metro is much cheaper but if you aren't used to public transport it may seem a bit intimidating.

Thank you so much, I'll define book tickets for both.

I recently had a spare day to wander around Paris during a work trip. There's a nice park outside the Louvre, on the side where that big glass pyramid is (I can't remember what it's called and for some reason I thought that was the Pompidou Centre, but as I discovered, that is somewhere completely different).

The trams were also good for getting around if you get fed up of walking.

The park near the Louvre is Tuileries Garden.

If I only had one day in Paris, I wouldn’t do the Louvre, it’s huge and so busy. I’d go to the Rodin Museum. It’s fairly close to the Eiffel Tower, has some beautiful sculptures inside and out, is much smaller and less crowded. I love it there.

I’d also go to Sacre Coeur because I like the little finicular railway to get up there.

Enjoy!

We went last week. Unfortunately the Louvre was closed as some Muppet had thrown cake at the Mona Lisa!
Having been there before I would only go to certain exhibits as it's huge!
We took the metro to the Louvre, walked through the Tuileries Garden and crossed a bridge to the Eiffel Tower. It took about 45 minutes and was lovely.
We hadn't bought our tickets for the tower and when we arrived (midday ish) they had sold out for going to the top. This did change while we were in the queue but I'd book in advance to avoid it.
The tower has great views and things although souvenirs and snacks are extremely expensive (2.50 for one macaron for example!)
We were there for a couple of hours.
Bought crepes at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower and then went on an hour long boat ride along the Seine. Very interesting and a pleasant journey.
Kids were exhausted by that point so we returned home.
Notre Dame is one I've always done too but it's covered in scaffolding and we had a pretty good view from the boat.
Montmartre is interesting but steep and not as near to the other places. Depends on how much you want/can walk.

Louvre, Eiffel tower, boat trip and lunch in a cafe will fill the day really

If you’ve booked the river cruise, get your Eiffel tickets booked for before that. You’ll appreciate the sit down plus they’re in same location (assuming departing from Pont d’Alma). Notre Dame not really worth it at moment as still has scaffolding up.

Louvre is huge; I second leaving and doing the Rodin museum instead. You’ll be literally rushing through to get to Mona Lisa otherwise and it’s a waste of the ticket.

Montmarte is lovely; walk up the back route from Abbesses instead of up from Anvers. You’ll see a windmill, artist houses and much more. There’s a reasonably priced restaurant called Chez Plumeau at the top, just behind the Place du Tertre.

You only have one day so personally I'd leave the Louvre for another time.

Maybe try a smaller museum - the Cluny is lovely....then wander around the Marais and Latin quarters, enjoy a nice lunch, maybe see the Pantheon which has a nice view or Sainte-Chapelle. Plenty of options.

Thanks everyone for your lovely suggestions

The Louvre is the one thing 15 year old DS has asked to do so think we will have to go, he doesn't ask for much. Happy to keep it simple though and think Eiffel tower and boat trip in the morning followed by the rest of the day in the Louvre sounds like it will be more than enough to fill our day.

Yes I'm sure it will be enough. Plus meals out take longer in Paris than they often do in the UK. You can make more of an event of it.

Check that the Louvre is open on the day you plan to visit. Not sure about summer but it shuts one day a week in the winter.

And the cruise!

sitting in cafes...

that's more than a days worth!! Can't you at least stay a night or two. Paris is not to be rushed!!