Tips for Paris please

[bendmeoverbackwards]

Off to Paris for 3 nights with my 22 year old daughter next week.

So far we have booked Musee D'Osay for the afternoon after we arrive. We also want to book the Louvre - can you do both in one day?

Booked Moulin Rouge show (at great expense), they only have the 11pm show available so that will be one late night.

What are the other must sees? I've been to Paris before but dd hasn't. She wants to do the Eiffel Tower and I want to go to Angelina's for hot chocolate!

Amazed they’re still doing the 'gold ring' scam - we were pestered by that a lot last time we were in Paris and that was years ago (far too long!). Just pay absolutely no attention and walk away. Don't let them give you the ring or get drawn in.

Good decision to just do the Musée d'Orsay on one day, OP. It’s a lovely place but the Louvre as well would be too much. Oh, and not to put you off but the catacombs didn’t do it for me….it's so dank and cold and once you start walking through them you’ve just got to keep going on till the end, and it never seems to finish, somehow….

Rodin museum is lovely (as mentioned by pp) and the Marais is lovely for a wander, Places des Vosges? I really liked Rue Mouffetard and I still love Montmartre even if it's full of tourists.

For the Paris Catacombs you need to book a week in advance to the hour

www.catacombes.paris.fr/en#

If you miss booking there are resellers / guides online, eg on Get Your Guide who sell the tickets at very inflated prices

No, you can’t. You can however negate buying the Navigo completely by installing the IDF mobilités app on your phone and buying a carnet of 10 directly onto your phone. Otherwise go straight to counter in metro at Gare du Nord and get the Navigo Easy with a carnet of 10.

Under 26s can get a Navigo weekend jeunes daily pass at a reasonable rate, but check how many trips you think you’ll do. Paris is small and walkable.

Any visitors after June should be aware that they’re upping the cost of our weekly and daily tickets, plus individual trips, by over 100% during the Olympic period.

You can buy last minute tickets on the day itself via official website. Now that French school hols are over, might be worth it.

My restaurant recommendations are Le Sarassines on the Ile St Louis - a small place that has a bargainous €14.50 ‘menu di bonheur’ at lunchtime during the week (not been on a weekend so not sure about then). A steal for 3 courses in a pricy area of Paris.

Also the various Bouillons .. Julien is the most beautiful and can be booked. Bouillon Pigalle takes no prisoners, but is cheap, handy for Montmartre (walk up back route via Bateau Lavoir/Maison Dalida)) and can be booked.

For something funkier, if slightly off the tourist trail, La Felicità and it’s food court is great fun, with a variety of food options to please everyone. Part of the Big Mamma group which are funky, fun restaurants.

Just reading some of the other messages, I do have to agree that sainte-chapelle is worth a visit - doesn't take long and it's very close to Notre-Dame and some interesting sight-seeing areas.
Montmartre - very popular, but for a reason, definitely worth a stroll.
I also think the Rodin museum is wonderful. I've done it as a night tour (we were provided with head-torches) and in the daytime. It's one to see, if not on a first visit, then certainly on a second.

Just noticed that OP was visiting in April! Hopefully this post will be useful for someone else. These questions get asked continually and this will save me posting again the next time someone asks the same question.

Thanks to everyone for the metro tickets advice, I think I will get the paper tickets if available to avoid queuing at Gare Du Nord on arrival.

According to the Eurostar help page carnets are still available onboard .

help.eurostar.com/faq/uk-en/category/connections

@bendmeoverbackwards we went to the Louvre two years ago, and had tea in their own branch of Angelina's. We queued for a while to get in, but it was worth it. We sat outside with a view of the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Very €€ but nice.
We also went to Moulin Rouge and loved it.
We went to the earlier show. The dancers are very athletic and only a few of them were topless. It didn't feel seedy or cheesy (for us). We ate at Bouillon Pigalle beforehand, which is close by on the same stretch of road. You can't book a table.

Really?? I absolutely loved it, it was spectacular!

Join a cycle tour group around Paris. It’s a lot of fun.

You can definitely book a table at Bouillon Pigalle; I booked last week for a group of visiting friends.

@Pusspot and @Menomeno what did you wear for Moulin Rouge?

@bendmeoverbackwards I think I wore smart trousers and a slightly shimmery top, with flat shoes. I'm not sure if there's a dress code, but when we went there was a big mix of people in the audience, with quite a few wearing casual clothes.

Be aware that some exhibits are closed on certain days in the Louvre. - We went on a friday and one of the only things I wanted to see was the Egyptian area - which was closed on a friday.

I suggest the paris pass - Includes the hop on hop off bus & the boat tour.

Also take reusable straws or you'll be stuck with paper ones that disintegrate after one use.

We travel to France next week and I wanted to see the Catacombs, but I am not too good going down on steps - bad knees. Has anyone any advice, are they really steep etc.

Many thanks.

@bendmeoverbackwards we arrived early and were sat at a rectangular table for 6 people. Because we were the first couple to arrive, we were slightly closer to the stage. There were a few singers entertaining the existing guests who were having the pre show meal. So probably worth arriving earlier than later.
Hope you enjoy the show!

I think with the Louvre it's either just look at the main things or spend a day there. It's massive.

Musee D'Orsay is amazing.

Le Petit Palais is also with a visit if you're in the vicinity and it's free.

I also think Sacre Coeur is worth visiting.

I'm guessing you don't have time for Versailles?

Second going onto the Galleries Lafayette for the dome roof and view from the terrace.

Paris Opera is stunning but costs to get in.

BTW if your DD has a European passport most things are free.

We’re here and having a great time! Packed a lot into the first two days but tomorrow and the next day we have nothing planned so I’m plenty of time to wander and explore. Saw Isle of Louis briefly today, is it worth going back there for shopping?

Want to do Galleries Lafayette tmw, where else would you recommend for nice shops?

@FiveShelties on their site it says there are 131 steps to go down and 112 steps to climb up, and the circuit you walk is 1.5km 🥴

I’m a bit surprised because I remember going down (and up) in a lift and tbh I don’t recall steps, but maybe I’m just blotting it out as I didn’t enjoy the whole experience at all…

@Halsall many thanks. It was their website warning which put me off, I would hate to hold everyone up as I am slow going down stairs - fine going up. Still thinking about it, just cannot decide what to do.

Not particularly steep but a lot of them!

The Bríncusi exhibition at Centre Pompidou, if you’re still looking for things to do. You can download the English language podcast for it.