Tickets and sighseeing in Paris?

Question

What kind of ticket do I need to buy from Ave du General de Gaulle, Bagnolet to Luxemburg tube stop? I am going to stay three days in the area of Luxemburg. What kind of ticket do I need to buy in order to see the main sightseeings?

Also, Paris is one of the cities that you have thousands of things to do and see. What would you recommend as a must?

Thank you very much for your help in advance.

Answer 1

In Paris:

You are right, there are a thousands things to do and see.  If this is your first time, i suggest doing to core tourist stuff.  Even that will be too much to cram into 3 days, but it will all be fabulous stuff.

1.  Eiffel Tower - luckily, this stays open late.  You could save this for a late evening and go up in the dark when the city is all light up.

2.  Art Museums - there are so many.  If you have specifics that you want to see - be sure you know where they are and try to keep a tight schedule.  Otherwise you could get sucked into the Louvre and not wander out again for 3 days.  My favorite of the art museums is the Musee d'Orsay.  I ended up spending way to much time at the Louvre (I tried really hard to follow the guidebooks recommendations, but I got sucked in)  which would have been fine, if I'd had more time.  But I ended up having to sacrifice time in other places I really would have liked to explore.  I spent a whopping 30 minutes in the Musee Rodin - and I would have really liked to spend a couple of hours.  I'm not a huge lover of art, but I guarentee you will find things here that move you.

3.  Arc de Triomphe - be sure to go to the top.  If you get good day pictures from here, you can get your night pictures from the Eiffel Tower.  Interesting history, beautiful base of the arc, and spectacular view.

4.  Cathedrals - the Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle:  great artwork, incredible stained glass, cool gargoyles.  The history behind it is pretty cool too.  And the gardens behind the Notre-Dame are beautiful.

5.  Versailles - just outside Paris (train will take you within blocks).   There are no words for this place - it is both beautiful and painfully ostentatious.  They've done a great job at keeping the palace looking beautiful and the gardens are incredible.  Great place to sit and just enjoy the afternoon.  Bring a picnic and spend a couple of hours.

*** The Catacombs are always interesting if you like that sort of thing.  The city gardens are meticulously landscaped and so beautiful.   You could spend a day just walking around the city and not get bored.  There are more historical sights such as Napoleans Tomb, eat ice cream at Berthillon, take a river cruise, go to Disneyland.  

Oh, and Luxenburg is a beautiful park - since you are staying so close - be sure to walk through it.  This area is very close to the center of town.  You could walk most everything listed above except Disney and Versailles if you have a decent pair of walking shoes.  Disney and Versilles are outside the small unlimited pass in other zones.  So, I guess it depends on how often you'll use the train and such.  I think you could get away with buying the packet of tickets.  You are in such a great area to walk, not sure how much you'll actually need to the train.

Good luck and have fun.  Don't stress out about it too much. Have a general plan but just really enjoy Paris - it's so beautiful!

Answer 2

I was in Paris in April--it was fantastic and I hope you have an amazing trip!

I would recommend The Louvre (words can't really explain the massiveness of the structure, the art, or the experience) and I would urge you to go to the top of Notre Dame to see the architecture up close, and then explore Ile St. Louis, right behind Notre Dame.

The Eiffel Tower is amazing, but I would honestly recommend against going to the top of the Tower. The wait generally seems to be 2-3 hours, it is terribly crowded and chaotic at the top, and then there is a significant wait to get back down. I found the views from Sacre Coeur and Notre Dame to actually be more impressive and a much more pleasant experience. But please do see the Eiffel Tower up close, what an amazing structure (and if you're there after dark it really is cool to see the light show).

One last recommendation--go to Place des Vosges. It's Paris's oldest square and a wonderful place to eat a small packed lunch and people watch. When you're done, the surrounding area is perfect for exploring and very close to the Van Gogh museum and the Opera House.

Have an excellent time!

Answer 3

I went to Paris for 2 weekend trips, and the best thing I found to do when you first get there, if drop off your stuff (make sure it is secure and locked up if you are in a hostel), then go on a walking tour. I went on the Free New Paris walking tours (Free Paris Day and Montmartre Night, here is there website: http://www.newparistours.com/) They also offer tours in other European cities, they are all free and all of the tour guides I had were awesome! It is a lot of walking, so wear comfy shoes, and probably don't do both in the same day. However, it gave me an idea of how the city is set up and allowed me to get around much easier later. I already knew where things were so that later on I could go back and visit them in more detail myself. Have Fun!

Answer 4

I can answer the Paris part of your question...of course you need to see the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower (especially at night when it's lit up). The Sacré-Cœur is great to visit at sunset because the view over Paris is gorgeous. Also, if you're there in the evening you can hear them singing in the church :) Notre Dame was also incredible to see. We were there at sunset as well and it was really beautiful all lit up. We walked down the Champs-Elysees (good shopping there) and saw the Arc de Triomphe. I didn't get a chance to do this but they say the Arc de Triomphe is fun during rush hour when there are a million cars rushing around it and no lane markers! The Musée d'Orsay is also a great museum to visit...lots of incredible artwork there.

Of course, you have to sit and drink coffee, wine, and eat cheese at the little cafes all over the place. That's one of those things that's not to be missed.

Have a great time!