Heading to Paris in early May

[Sun-Moon]

Hello-
Anyone have any tips or suggestions on where to go/stay in Paris?
Thanks

[ZZenith]

1. What kind of budget are you traveling on? Prices vary widely depending on which part of the city you're staying in.

[Sun-Moon]

2. Excellent question about a budget

Would like to stay in a hotel that is centrally located- 200-250 USD a night and in a very safe area is preferred.
If I can walk to the museums, by the river etc- that would be best.
Are the trains safe to use?
Any recommendations on visiting another country from Paris for an overnight?
Thank you.

[sinkingfeeling]

10. Definitely use the Metro. You can buy a book of tickets and it's really easy to follow their

route maps and go everywhere. Also, I've taken trains to several castles and even to Belgium from Paris.

My favorite hotel with great access is the Renaissance Paris Vendome.

Since you have time before your trip, consider buying a Paris Pass (must be purchased before arrival). It offers tickets to 90+ attractions and museums.

https://parispass.com/en

[ZZenith]

12. I can heartily recommend Les Jardins d'Eiffel in the 7th Arrondisement.

From some of the rooms you can see the Eiffel Tower from bed, and while the rooms are small (ALL hotel rooms in Paris are small unless you spend big $,) they are clean and the staff is really kind. The location is very central to many things you’ll want to see and the Le Tour-Maubourg Metro station is close by. The Metro system is fantastic and easily navigated, especially if you download an app for it.

I would highly recommend Sainte Chappelle on the Ile de la Cite - Notre Dame is cool and all (and on the same island in the Seine River) but Sainte Chappelle is literally breathtaking. Also, the Palais Garnier, the opera house that inspired The Phantom of the Opera has to be experienced. Napoleon’s tomb in Le Hotel des Invalides really gives you a feel for what a heavy cat he was in French history and there’s an excellent military museum there if you’re into that kind of thing. The Rodin Museum is right around the corner if you care to stand before the Gates of Hell and do some thinking.

An unexpected delight for us was a picnic lunch in the Jardin du Luxembourg, where Parisians go to escape the tourists. Also, I could spend the rest of my life happily watching the madness that is Paris traffic from atop the Arc de Triomphe, and the view in all directions really gives a sense of the layout and scale of Paris. I can think of a hundred other delightful places there but those are ones I will definitely return to see again. Art museums - The Louvre, of course, but be prepared to be overwhelmed, the Musee d’Orsay to stand in front of a Van Gogh and see color like he did, the Pompidou to catch up with the crazy modernists, and the L’Orangerie if you’re into water lillies and such.

If an overnight trip is in order, I would head West to visit Mont Saint-Michel before I thought of going to another country. I guess it depends on how much time you are going to be there, but that’s another place I want to revisit before I die. DEFINITELY learn a leetle bit of French before you go - the simplest greeting in their native tongue will open the door to remarkable hospitality, while failure to do so will be met with the cold aloofness for which they are famous.

Excited for you! You can leave Paris, but Paris never leaves you.

[dhol82]

13. Agree with all the recommendations and also

just be sure to go Sainte Chapelle on a sunny day. The stained glass will knock you out!

[deRien]

3. I stayed in

the Marais arrondissement which was great. The second arrondissement had a lot of walkable places and transportation- The Louvre was a 15-20 minute walk from where we stayed. We didn’t have any problems with trains.

[surfered]

4. Buy a copy of Rick Steve's' guidebook for Paris.

You can get a cheap used one on Amazon. The book doesn’t have to be current as the sights do not change. It gives you the days and hours the sights are open.

A Pais Pass can save you money if you see the major sights. Reservations are recommended for those to avoid standing in line. Plan your visit and make reservations on line.

It’s my wife’s favorite city in the world.

Pro tip: the French are a very formal people. They expect you to say hello, please, thank you, and good bye. If you don’t, they will think you are rude. Learn those words, use them, and you will be treated better.

[fierywoman]

8. Yes! Be prepared to walk into a store and say, "Bon-jour-r-r Madame!" in a sing-song-y way -- life will

be much more pleasant that way.And if you're a woman, wear a little makeup -- at the least, mascara and lipstick. And no schleppy clothes. Get a little dressed up -- it's fun, and you'll "get" Paris better that way!

[mnhtnbb]

5. The last time I was in Paris

I stayed at the Hotel Albe St Michel
https://www.hotelalbestmichel.com/

I found it using booking.com and wanted a hotel near the train station because we would be coming up from Bordeaux on the train. It also was convenient for friends who lived just outside of Paris to come and meet us at our hotel.

Sites like booking.com will show you walking distance to various attractions and also map other hotels in the area so you can compare them for pricing and features.
There is so much to see in Paris you'll have to make choices. Get entrance tix in advance. May is a popular month. Be careful while using the Metro to protect your valuables--or on any trains. A friend who was recently in Paris found her luggage left in the area for big bags at the end of the train car was gone when they arrived at their station.
Paris is a magical city. Be sure to just sit at a cafe and people watch. Have a wonderful time!

On edit: if you speak any French, do not hesitate to use it, no matter how rusty it might be. If you don't speak any French, at least learn some basic phrases--definitely please/thank you and to ask for the check.
Any attempt to speak French will be most appreciated even though many people you encounter will speak English.

[fierywoman]

9. The Metro has a Carte L'Orange which is a week or month use for one price -- would definitely save you some $.

Also, re safety, keep your purse close to you -- a "crossbody" bag works well.

[elleng]

6. Bon voyage!

Stayed somewhere with Road Scholar, but I forget where.

'Yank' may recall.

[CTyankee]

16. Oh, I wish I could! I knew I shudda kept a travel diary!

I've been on 2 sea voyages and another voyage down the rivers of Holland and now my memory is getting worse and worse. I am probably gonna end up in assisted living cuz my house is getting to be too much for me, but we keep going. Hubby is handicapped so my options have been limited (hence the sea voyages where you get excellent services). But I keep going. My second book is getting wrapped up after many starts and stops along the way. I'll announce it on DU, later in the spring.

[elleng]

17. Me too! Did see pic of LaDuree today, that much I recall!!

[elleng]

18. IMPRESSIVE!!!

I'm lucky if I can recall a D. Parker poem!!!

[surfered]

7. For years, we stayed in a hotel in the 6th Arr near Quai de Conti in the Art District.

It was across the Seine from the Louvre and within walking distance to St Chapelle, Musee D'Orsay, Notre Dame (it's open now) and St Chapelle. On our latest trip (Oct 2023), we stayed in the Marais District. It was a little farther afield and required taxis (as we have gotten older and can't walk as far), but it was a neighborhood people actually live in and it felt more accommodating.

Learn the Metro system for getting around and more explorations, like the Palace at Versailles. I really can't reccomend other close by cites other than London by Eurostar train thru the Chunnel.

[Sun-Moon]

11. Thank you all

For your advice- it is much appreciated!

[dhol82]

14. I booked a couple of places via AirBnB

They are all over Paris and in all price ranges. I have been intrigued by some of the quirks but also appreciative of the locations and the price. You can get a decent place for around $100/night. If you book for a week or two you usually get a small discount.

[58Sunliner]

15. I recommend having someone drive you over the main bridges at night. Fabulous way to see the city of light.

A nice walk on foot is the river bank across from Notre-Dame. The metro is convenient, but you miss a lot of the ambiance if you don't travel on the city streets. The Rodin museum is well placed for the view as well. I found the Louvre was a bit overwhelming to see in one day. I really enjoyed the Musée de l'Orangerie and the Musée d'Orsay as well as the Petit Palais and the Centre Pompidou. Versailles is interesting if even just to appreciate the sheer magnitude of the size and scale of an over-the-top royal palace. Have fun.