How to do 18 Hours in Paris?

Question

Greetings,

I'm arriving at the Charles de Gaulle airport on 29 July at 6:35P and leaving the next morning (30 July) at 11:30A. I would love to take in as much of the city as possible during my layover, and I would absolutely love some feedback. A little about me: 22 y/o American student; non-drinker. Also, are there lockers in the airport to store my stuff while in the city? Also, what is the best way to get around (i.e., from the airport to the city, while in the city, etc.) and to stay safe? Thanks so much. j.h. COL1:18

Answer 1

Metro is the best, can get you literally everywhere. I don't remember seeing any lockers at the airport. Where are you planning on sleeping, are you planning to sleep. I would find a cheap motel near the airport and dump your stuff. For that evening I would go the Eifle Tower, the Arc du Trompe, & Jurden du Tuillieries (huge park). Very popular tourist spots, there should be alot of people and when I was there, there was security guards at the tower and the metro is very nearby for all. Get up really early the next morning and just pick one musuem you would like to see and go there. I suggest Musuem D'Orsay, I believe there open at 9am, really you could spend a whole day there, so I would research before going. Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Hi,

there are no lockers at the airport but there are some at train stations in Paris. The airport is one hour away from the center of Paris. To go to Paris, you need to take express train RER B, so you could leave your luggage at the Gare du Nord Station which is on the RER B line. The lockers are open from 6:15 am to 11:15 pm and are located at level -1 next to the taxi station and car rentals. Or book a cheap hotel room along this RER line.

http://www.eurocheapo.com/paris/hotel/ho... (you can walk to Chatelet les Halles RER station)

http://www.eurocheapo.com/paris/hotel/ho... (between Luxembourg and St-Michel Notre Dame RER stations)

If your plane lands at 6:35 pm you won't be in Paris before 8:30 pm (that's when people start having dinner in France so restaurants will be full and lively). The next morning you will need to leave Paris at 8:30 am to arrive at the airport two hours before your flight.

In Paris you could go to the Eiffel Tower, the line is not as long at night. You can take the one-hour cruise along the Seine either from the Pont de l'Alma bridge, near the Eiffel Tower or from the Pont Neuf bridge between the Louvre and Ile de la Cité (the central island that Notre Dame is on). Then just hang out in the 4th to 6th arrondissements, those are the liveliest districts, since you are arriving on a weekday. You will find some places open until late at night in those districts. The fact that you don't drink will be very well accepted in Paris, getting drunk is not their idea of having fun.

Paris is relatively safe at night except in the north-east arrondissements. Just stay where other people are but DO watch for pickpockets in crowded areas and on the subway.

A lot of the attractions will be closed at the time you arrive (except for the boat cruises and the Eiffel Tower). You can get a nice view of the city from Montmartre as well (outside the Sacré Coeur) = a nice sunrise activity in my opinion when it is quiet and romantic, before the hords of tourists arrive and the trinket stores open. It will be bright until 10 pm in Paris (sunset is at 9:32 pm on 7/29 but twilight is very long because of the northern latitude) and sunrise is a little after 6 at the end of July.

Notre Dame Cathedral opens at 8 in the morning so you will have 30 minutes to visit it before heading back to the airport (actually a little less if you need to stop at Gare du Nord to collect your luggage from the locker).

Check the tourist office website for a lot of info on public transportation and much more.

http://en.parisinfo.com/

Here are useful maps too:

http://www.gostreetmaps.com/paris.html

http://www.paris.org/Maps/MM/MMF.html

http://www.ratp.info/orienter/cv/cv_en/c...