Okay. I'll be in Paris in late March . Will it be really cold? And travel tips?

Question

I only have three days to show my BF the sights. What is a can't miss for each day?

Notre Dame

Sacre Couer

Eiffel tower (better at night or day -- i've only been at night)

Illuminations tour -- worth it?

Catacombs or not?

We have to go fast and we love photography, so want to sort of stroll about and get the flavor, while making sure he sees the famous stuff like Arc d'Triomphe.

Any super cute neighborhood for strolling and cafes?

We are not shoppers and not interested in 5-star dining...

Thanks

Answer 1

Notre-Dame by night

Sacré Coeur by day

Eiffel Tower by night

Illuminations tour (do it yourself version), nice

Catacombs. That's a NO

You should try: Saint-Etienne-du-Mont. Panthéon. Arénes de Lutece. La Mosquée. Institut du Monde Arabe. They're great.

Strolling and cafés:

Touristic: Montmartre or Saint-Michel. île-de-saint-louis, touristic but worth it.

Off the beaten track: Butte aux cailles (13ème) and near luxembour garden.

Not very cold, but expect some spring rains.

To photograph: Eiffel Tower is a must. Concorde by night. Hôtel-de-Ville.

Enjoy!

Answer 2

also include the Sainte Chapelle, on the Ile de la Cite, no photography allowed inside but beautiful XIII architecture visit the musee Rodin it has a garden with statues including the Thinker etc, beautiful little hotel particulier

have a cup of coffee in the evening at Cafe Marly in the courtyard of Louvres museum oppoiste the glass pyramid

stroll on rue des rosiers and around rue de sfrancs bourgeois

on a sunday afternoon, fun and distracting, taste the falafells at Mariannes on the corner of rue des rosiers and the little market (there is an outside window to buy them from

have a cup of coffee or a salad on rue de seine near teh art galleries etc, also rue de buci (left bank)

stroll in the jardin du Luxembourg anytime

Catacombes are fun especillay on a rainy day

Tour de Notre dame for the view

if teh Samaritaine shop is open again check out the view from their panorama on the roof of the main shop, better than the ND towers

Picasso Museum is nice for the architecture of the hotel particulier there

Place st george is fun for bars and restaurants

avoid Montmartre

beware of pickpockets all over tourist places and on trains and buses expecially as you get on or off

Answer 3

Average high temperature is 11 degrees celsius/51 degrees farenheit, and the average low is 3 celsius, 38 farenheit. Average number of days with snow is two in the month, with average days with precipitation of some sort at eighteen.

Seeing Paris in three days is, as I suspect you know, a pretty difficult task. Its a city very rich in history and culture. So you're going to have to "skim" as it were. To maintain some coherence I suggest a theme for each day. with that in min, here's my suggestion.

Day one, the Paris of long ago.

Begin at Notre Dame. Start at the Plaza in front. there you will find the "Zero Mile Marker" from which all distances in France are measured. Stroll thru the church and then climb the tower to orient yourself to the city.

Cross the plaza and skirt around the Prefecture of police to the Court buildings and check out Saint Chapelle (which is now surrounded by other buildings) that Louis IX (known as Saint Louis) built to house the Crown of Thorns he had brought back from the Holy Land.

When you exit walk north and when you reach the river don't cross the bridge but turn left. Here is the Conciergerie an ancient, rather grim looking palace that was the home of the Grand Concierge, an import royal official in the middle ages. During the Revolution the place was turned into a prison. You can see the cell where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned before being beheaded.

When you exit keep walking in the same direction until you reach the last bridge crossing the Isle de la Cite (which is what you're on). This is the Pont Neuf (the "New Bridge"...although actually its the oldest bridge in Paris). there is a small park, (the Vert Galante)  down some steps. At the very end of the island is the spot where Jacques De Molay, Grand Master of the Knights Templars was burned at the stake on March 13 1314.  It is said that as the flames engulfed him he cursed King Phillip and Pope Clement who had jointly condemned him to die. Both men died that same year.

Now cross the Pont Neuf to the south and turn right heading back in the general direction of Notre Dame. The booksellers along the Seine have been their since medieval times when they sold to the students who gave the Latin quarter its name (Latin was the language of scholars in those days).

When you reach the Blvd. St. Michel turn right and walk until you cross the Blvd. St. Germain. On your left along the rue des Ecoles is the Cluny Museum. its housed in a 14th century abbey that is, in turn, built on top of a Roman Bath. the Museum house medieval antiquities and the famous Lady and the Unicorn tapestries. Its a small managable museum and well worth a visit. the roman baths have been excavated and you can visit them also.

When you leave the Museum keep walking down the Blvd St. Michel (well okay..its actually uphill) and the Luxembourg Gardens will be on your right. The palace you will see there was built by Marie de Medici in 1615. It is now used by the French Senate and you can't enter but its gorgeous. The gardens are open to the public and a favorite place for people to gather.

That should be enough walking for one day. Find a cafe and have a glass of wine.

Day Two. Paris in the Belle Epoch

Start at the Arc de Triomphe. Take the elevator to the top and you can see the Paris that Napoleon III's city planner, Baron Hausman made. Hausman took the medieval city of twisting, narrow lanes and carved out the "Grandes Boulevards." Eleven of these radiate from the Place Charles de Gaulle, formerly known as the Place D'Etoile (Place of the Star). The Arch celebrates Napoleon I's many military triumphs.  Underneath is the French Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

You can then walk down the rue Kleber (thru a very nice neighborhood) or take the metro a few stops to the Place Trocadero. Walk thru the majestic collonades that form the Palis de Chaillot and you have the most magnificent view of the Eiffel Tower across the river. Its a classic photo spot.

Walk down and cross the river and have a look. Its really not worth going up. There are usually long lines and the view is really not that good. Turning your back to it you will see a large park. This is the Parc Champ de Mars.



Walk thru the park to the Ave. de la Motte Picquet. which will cross your path at 90 degrees. You will see a peace memorial and across the street the Ecole Militaire.



Turn left and walk up the Ave. de la Motte Picquet to the corner where the Ave. de Tourville crosses. Turn right and continue a few blocks and you will see the Invalides on your left. This was built by Napoleon as a hospital for his wounded troops. The French army museum is here. There is a large church on the right side of the grounds which houses the tomb of Napoleon and of his son the King of Rome. Both buildings are open to the public.

Continue down the street to the Blvd. des Invalides and turn left. the Rodin museum will be immediately to your right (cross street is rue de Varenne). When you get to the rue de Grenville the street you are on takes a job to the left and changes name but simply continue in the same direction until you reach the river.



Across the river you will see the Grand and Petit Palais, huge art deco exhibition halls.  Crossing the river to your left is the Pont Alexander III, considered by many to be one of the most beautiful bridges in the world. (If you've seen the movie "Desiree" this is where Michael Renne meets Jean Simmons) . This is another great photo.

Turn right along the Quai d'Orsay and the French National Assembly will be on your right. Continue walking and the Musee d'Orsay built in the old train station will appear. This houses the Impressionists and is thought to be the best of the Paris Museums. You may want to take some time to visit it.

Alternatively, the Louvre will be right across the river and you can cross on any of the bridges you see.

Day Three Old and New Bohemians

Start the day by going to Montmartre. Get to the Anvers metro stop then walk north on the rue de Steinkerque and take the funicular up the hill to Sacre Coeur. This Romano-Byzantine structure was built following the disastrous Franco-Prussian War in something of an attempt to show that France was still a great power. The view of Paris is marvelous.

The surrounding area ,the "butte Montmartre" was the haunt of many famous artists in its glory days. Now, its largely a tourist trap. The place de Tertre to the left of the church has probalby the worst collection of hideous art assembled in any one place at any one time.

Head back down the hill and turn to your right along the Blvd de Clichy. You'll walk past the infamous Place Pigalle (which WWII GI's knew as "Pg Alley") then and now a haunt of really ugly hookers (don't worry the area is actually perfectly safe). Eventually you'' see a red windmill (in french that's Moulin Rouge). This famous dancehall is now just a very expensive Vegas style nightclub but its still the place that Toulouse-Lautrec made famous with his posters.

Grab the metro the (Place Blanche) and head for the Centre Pompidou (metro:Rambuteau). On nice days there are street performers and a general good time in the huge plaza in front of the Center which houses the Museum of Modern Art.

Walk from the Pompidu east along the rue Rambuteau which will become the rue des Francs Boureois and turn south (right) on the rue de Vielle du Temple to the rue des Rosiers. This is the center of the old "Jewish Quarter." Get yourself a fallafel sandwhich at l'As de Fallafel (Ace of Fallafel). Best place this side of Tel Aviv.

Keep walking along the rue des Rosiers until it ends then turn right again until you get to the rue de Rivoli. Turn left and continue walking (the street changes its name to the rue St. Antoine) Until you reach the Place Bastille and the new Opera house.

This entire area you have been walking thru from the Centre Pompidu is known as the Marais and is the center of the g*y community in Paris.