France - 14 hours in Paris, how to arrange the day?

We may have a day in Paris en route from an event in Spain to an event in the Netherlands: inbound train arrives about 8 a.m. and we have the option to spend the day and get a late evening train to AMS area instead of taking the mid-morning train onward. This would be in mid-May.

I know nothing about Paris from a visitor's point of view, and wondered if the experts here might offer a few suggestions. We would have to change train stations, so I'm thinking of first going from the first one to Gard du Nord, where we depart from, and storing the bags there would be a good idea in case we're later getting back to than planned.

My companion is very much into the history of the world wars, and sites related to those would be interesting. Marie Antoinette and Co. would hold zero interest, as would romantic Paris. Gourmet dining, also not on the agenda for several reasons, but if you know a good chocolate shop/tea shop/cheese shop, do share! Gardens - yes, galleries - probably not. Eiffel Tower if it's convenient (which I don't know), Notre Dame - ditto. Louvre - probably not feasible.

Also, what's the French for "Where is the loo, please?" ;)

Moving to the France forum - please continue to follow over here!

stut
Co-Moderator
Europe Forum

Also, what's the French for "Where is the loo, please?" ;)

http://babelfish.yahoo.com/ @:-)

Search is always your friend. Very similar question to yours http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/france/1230875-suggestion-needed-paris-first-time-only-23-hours.html

Stash your luggage and head off to the St Michel Notre Dame metro station. If you are quick you might beat the crowds and be able to enter the cathedral.

Near the cathedral is a stop for the hop on hop off Paris Open Tour (http://www.parislopentour.com/paris-accueil.php?lng=gb)bus, I don't know the name of the street but when you exit the Cathedral keep walking, you can't miss it. Buy a ticket for the green line which will take you by any of the sights that you'll be interested in. You can easily judge when and where to get off. I wouldn't consider visiting the Louvre with such little time to spare.

I hate those buses and would rather slit my throat than go on one again (a friend once convinced me to take one with her), but then I'm not the one who only has a few hours to spend in one of the world's great cities.

Search is always your friend. Very similar question to yours http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/france/1230875-suggestion-needed-paris-first-time-only-23-hours.htmlI spent some time looking at all the similar threads listed in the sticky at the top of the France forum and while there seems to be much generic Paris info in them, I didn''t see any that gave info on our specific interests; i.e. sites related to the two world wars.

Can you suggest any such places? We're not interested in generic Paris and we're on a tight schedule, so if visiting historic sites (and maybe a Paris specific, like the Eiffel Tour) isn't feasible, then we'll likely head straight on to our next destination.

I hate those buses and would rather slit my throat than go on one again (a friend once convinced me to take one with her), but then I'm not the one who only has a few hours to spend in one of the world's great cities.Greatness is in the eye of the beholder, and I fully agree with you on those buses.

I spent some time looking at all the similar threads listed in the sticky at the top of the France forum and while there seems to be much generic Paris info in them, I didn''t see any that gave info on our specific interests; i.e. sites related to the two world wars.

Can you suggest any such places? We're not interested in generic Paris and we're on a tight schedule, so if visiting historic sites (and maybe a Paris specific, like the Eiffel Tour) isn't feasible, then we'll likely head straight on to our next destination.

Greatness is in the eye of the beholder, and I fully agree with you on those buses.

For the history, a lot of it may be buildings so there is of course the Bastille which is easily reached by Metro. There is also the Jardin Tuilleries, the Place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe which can all be done easily by the able bodied.

I would also try to get to one of the Maison du Chocolate places for your chocolate fix and cheese wise may be head to the Grand Epicerie (it may be a little out of your way given the tight time frame) and head to the Jardin Luxembourg to enjoy your cheese selection.

<...> i.e. sites related to the two world wars.

You could go here (http://www.museedelagrandeguerre.eu/en) (Musée de la Grande Guerre). (To be clear: "la Grande Guerre" is WW1.)
But with only 14 hours in Paris I'm not sure if you'll find it worth going to Meaux and back. But the train to go there leaves from Gare de l'Est, next to the Gare du Nord.

And in Paris, part of the Musée de l'Armée (http://www.invalides.org/) is dedicated to WW1 and WW2.

I spent some time looking at all the similar threads listed in the sticky at the top of the France forum and while there seems to be much generic Paris info in them, I didn''t see any that gave info on our specific interests; i.e. sites related to the two world wars.

Can you suggest any such places? We're not interested in generic Paris and we're on a tight schedule, so if visiting historic sites (and maybe a Paris specific, like the Eiffel Tour) isn't feasible, then we'll likely head straight on to our next destination.

Greatness is in the eye of the beholder, and I fully agree with you on those buses.

I was nearly knocked down the stairs on that damn bus by a large Italian gent who was racing to get to the front seat before anyone else. I helped to increase his French vocabulary with a few words that he probably hadn't learned in school!

For a slightly different experience you could just spend an hour or two visiting Pere Lachaise cemetery then have lunch nearby, it's an interesting old non-touristy part of the city.

The Shoa Memorial (http://www.memorialdelashoah.org/)near the centre of the city is remarkable, and has much material related to WW2 from a Jewish perspective. I found it to be astonishing (I'm not Jewish btw, so no personal connection).

If it's a pleasant day, which is likely in May, you could start at Notre Dame, stroll along beside the river until you reach the Louvre, then walk through the Tuileries. Cross the river to the south until you reach the entrance to Musée des égouts de Paris (http://europeforvisitors.com/paris/articles/paris-sewers-museum-information.htm) which is one attraction in Paris where there will be no long waits to enter.

After your visit there, continue heading west, it might be fun to keep crossing the bridges so you get to see both the left and right banks, heading towards the Eiffel Tower. There's likely to be a long wait to go up the tower, I wouldn't bother myself if I had to wait at all. I've been up there once, and don't feel the need to do it again.

Near the Tower is the Palais de Chaillot, terrific museum that isn't all that well known to non-French people and well worth a look.

You could go here (http://www.museedelagrandeguerre.eu/en) (Musée de la Grande Guerre). (To be clear: "la Grande Guerre" is WW1.)
But with only 14 hours in Paris I'm not sure if you'll find it worth going to Meaux and back. But the train to go there leaves from Gare de l'Est, next to the Gare du Nord.

And in Paris, part of the Musée de l'Armée (http://www.invalides.org/) is dedicated to WW1 and WW2.The Musée de la Grande Guerre does look interesting, but I agree that it is too far for a 1 day visit. Musée de l'Armée is feasible, in combination with the Tour Eiffel, and perhaps the Palais de Chaillot - I've a fondness for World's Fair sites and stories, but sewer museum we will likely skip.

How do the Maison du Chocolate places compare with anything we might find in Brussels?

Thanks, all, for the tips.

I will throw my 2 cents in for a few sites:

With the limited time, I would go to Notre Dame, walk up the banks of the Seine to Musee d' La Orange (BadgerBoi can correct French spelling). Great Monet paintings there and I found it overlooked by many (or at least not nearly as crowded as the Louvre). Same for the Musee d'Orsay. Not nearly as crowded as the Louvre but could be busy. You can book online a time to visit the Eiffel. You get a reservation for a specific time and get to the skip the very huge lines there. If your interests are in the world wars, go to Hotel d' Invalides and the Army museum. The museum covers France's history in both wars. Located very close to the museum, is the Rodin Museum. Again, it wasn't crowded at all (it was Sept when I went there). A key to museum entrances is if you get the museum pass, it allows you to skip most of the lines. You could also use the metro to get around. I found it extremely convenient and fast.

Enjoy your time in Paris. Make sure you make plans to go back and spend several days there. You will be hooked for sure.

I will throw my 2 cents in for a few sites:

With the limited time, I would go to Notre Dame, walk up the banks of the Seine to Musee d' La Orange (BadgerBoi can correct French spelling). Great Monet paintings there and I found it overlooked by many (or at least not nearly as crowded as the Louvre). Same for the Musee d'Orsay. Not nearly as crowded as the Louvre but could be busy. You can book online a time to visit the Eiffel. You get a reservation for a specific time and get to the skip the very huge lines there. If your interests are in the world wars, go to Hotel d' Invalides and the Army museum. The museum covers France's history in both wars. Located very close to the museum, is the Rodin Museum. Again, it wasn't crowded at all (it was Sept when I went there). A key to museum entrances is if you get the museum pass, it allows you to skip most of the lines. You could also use the metro to get around. I found it extremely convenient and fast.

Enjoy your time in Paris. Make sure you make plans to go back and spend several days there. You will be hooked for sure.

Some great ideas, particularly the Rodin - I've been a few times and it's never too busy. I wasn't going to correct you, but since you invited me to it's "L'Orangerie". Both of these are small and can be visited with limited time.

I would hate to have to make choices with just 14 hours.

I would hate to have to make choices with just 14 hours.

Agree and am finding I've got lots to fill up 10 days in June so couldn't imagine paring that down to 14 hours.

Some great ideas, particularly the Rodin - I've been a few times and it's never too busy. I wasn't going to correct you, but since you invited me to it's "L'Orangerie". Both of these are small and can be visited with limited time.

I would hate to have to make choices with just 14 hours.

I know...having just 14 hours would make it difficult to narrow down all the great things Paris has to offer. I did hour trip with some very ungrateful tourists that complained the entire time.

The bottomline CDTraveler is to make the most you can with the time you have there. Just make plans to go back and spend several days when you get the time.

BadgerBoi, thanks for the correction. My French spelling is not nearly as atrocious as my German. :)

The bottomline CDTraveler is to make the most you can with the time you have there. Just make plans to go back and spend several days when you get the time.Not wishing this thread to end up in Omni, I will simply say tastes differ; I've avoided France for 30 years of visiting Europe, and the only reason I may be there this year is if we decide to travel from Spain to the NL via a surface route rather than by air.

I appreciate the specific suggestions of activities, but you're not likely to make a Francophile out of me. ;)

Not wishing this thread to end up in Omni, I will simply say tastes differ; I've avoided France for 30 years of visiting Europe, and the only reason I may be there this year is if we decide to travel from Spain to the NL via a surface route rather than by air.

I appreciate the specific suggestions of activities, but you're not likely to make a Francophile out of me. ;)

It will be interesting to see what comments you may have after your half day in Paris. During my frequent visits there I've found many people in that city to be rude, pushy and obnoxious - they've invariably not been French but fellow anglophones (with the occasional person from a neighbouring country thrown in for good measure, see my earlier comment about the hop on hop off bus :D ).

As for history, well, we could all look in our own back yards I guess.

You'll have a great time there, and I really do look forward to hearing your comments.

Are you arriving on a Mon. or Tues.? Most museums close on one of these days. [Generally, city owned museums close Mon. and national museums on Tues.--but there are exceptions.] Check the web sites for any museums you plan to visit.
Invalides area has a several museums, these have exhibits related to the 2 world wars.
Assuming you will never return to Paris (a horrible thought), just wandering around the various neighborhoods (Marais, Latin Quater, Pigalle etc.) can be a fascinating experience--instead of visiting museums.