OpenSkies/Paris Do, June 19-22 Planning Thread!
Jun 17, 2008 | 9:42 am
#212
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: PBI | Formerly CLT, LHR & AMS (with just a bit of PSP)
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Posts: 8,208
OK,
My final hotel update, for Friday, 20th June. (Still @ the Orly-Hilton for Saturday night)
I'm officially at Le Mridien Etoile (81 Boulevard Gouvion Saint-Cyr) for Friday night. Was able to get a confirmed Club President room with the expectation of 4PM check-out (and early check-in); as well as the included lounge access.
While Hotel Bellechasse Saint Germain did seem really nice, the Euro 175 rate and the additional bennies at Le Mridien Etoile just made it seem right...
And.... how could I come to my first DO (yes, this is my first, so, I'm officially a :-:virgin:-: DO participant) --- and not be staying at a property where I would be earning some miles&points!
My final hotel update, for Friday, 20th June. (Still @ the Orly-Hilton for Saturday night)
I'm officially at Le Mridien Etoile (81 Boulevard Gouvion Saint-Cyr) for Friday night. Was able to get a confirmed Club President room with the expectation of 4PM check-out (and early check-in); as well as the included lounge access.
While Hotel Bellechasse Saint Germain did seem really nice, the Euro 175 rate and the additional bennies at Le Mridien Etoile just made it seem right...
And.... how could I come to my first DO (yes, this is my first, so, I'm officially a :-:virgin:-: DO participant) --- and not be staying at a property where I would be earning some miles&points!
Jun 17, 2008 | 9:47 am
#213
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Siesta Key, Florida
Programs: UA GS4Life, AF/KL Lifetime Plat, BA Gold, AA 1MM, IC Diamond RA, Hyatt Humorist, Bonv Plat, et alia
Posts: 2,741
In 2 day can be done if one wants to Zip through.
The Louvre, D'Orsay, Centre Pompidou, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame. Cabbing it I would presume.As a a regular visitor to Paris, I am sure you are knowledgable about the time involved just going in & out of the Metro stations.
I chuckle when I see individuals in Louvre trying to run from Mona Lisa to The Winged Victory to Michaelangelo's Slave.
Sample Itinerary.
Friday: Land at 7:00AM. Cab to the hotel afterall you want to get the most of your 30 Euro Museum Pass.
9:00AM: Arrive at the Hotel. Room ready. Quick Check-in. Up to the room. Shower and change.
10:00AM: Metro to Louvre. Must see. Mona Lisa ,next Winged Victory,Next Greek Etruscan and Roman Antiquities to seeThe Venus de Milo.Quick run through Paintings. Delacroix :Liberty Leading the People ,David's:The coronation of Emperor Napolon and Empress Josephine.
1:00PM: On to the Metro. Notre Dame. Run through. Quick jog up the towers.
3:00PM: Lunch maybe.
By 5:00PM flatout.
Saturday: Up crack of dawn. Breakfast by 8:00AM. On the road by 8:30AM. First stop Arc de Triomphe .Walk around. Go up. Take photo.
10:00AM: Off to Centre Pompidou. Walk about to see the architecture. The colored pipes. Quick read of the history. Off to see works by Max Ernst, ManRay,Kandinsky,Klee. Of course quick glance only.
11:00AM: Musee D'Orsay. Out by 1:00PM.Again quick run through all the floors.
Off to the Eiffel Tour.Out by 3:00PM.
By 5:00PM flatout.
To appreciate Paris is to stroll through the neighbourhoods.Stop at a cafe. Pickup a crepe from one of the windowed stops in St.Germain de Pres.
Do a Museum in the morning. Leave the afternoon for strolling for sights & smells of Paris. That is a truly a Paris Experience.
Not running from museum to museum monument to monument.
The Louvre, D'Orsay, Centre Pompidou, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame. Cabbing it I would presume.As a a regular visitor to Paris, I am sure you are knowledgable about the time involved just going in & out of the Metro stations.
I chuckle when I see individuals in Louvre trying to run from Mona Lisa to The Winged Victory to Michaelangelo's Slave.
Sample Itinerary.
Friday: Land at 7:00AM. Cab to the hotel afterall you want to get the most of your 30 Euro Museum Pass.
9:00AM: Arrive at the Hotel. Room ready. Quick Check-in. Up to the room. Shower and change.
10:00AM: Metro to Louvre. Must see. Mona Lisa ,next Winged Victory,Next Greek Etruscan and Roman Antiquities to seeThe Venus de Milo.Quick run through Paintings. Delacroix :Liberty Leading the People ,David's:The coronation of Emperor Napolon and Empress Josephine.
1:00PM: On to the Metro. Notre Dame. Run through. Quick jog up the towers.
3:00PM: Lunch maybe.
By 5:00PM flatout.
Saturday: Up crack of dawn. Breakfast by 8:00AM. On the road by 8:30AM. First stop Arc de Triomphe .Walk around. Go up. Take photo.
10:00AM: Off to Centre Pompidou. Walk about to see the architecture. The colored pipes. Quick read of the history. Off to see works by Max Ernst, ManRay,Kandinsky,Klee. Of course quick glance only.
11:00AM: Musee D'Orsay. Out by 1:00PM.Again quick run through all the floors.
Off to the Eiffel Tour.Out by 3:00PM.
By 5:00PM flatout.
To appreciate Paris is to stroll through the neighbourhoods.Stop at a cafe. Pickup a crepe from one of the windowed stops in St.Germain de Pres.
Do a Museum in the morning. Leave the afternoon for strolling for sights & smells of Paris. That is a truly a Paris Experience.
Not running from museum to museum monument to monument.
Jun 17, 2008 | 9:51 am
#214
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 23,999
Updated your hotel, King.
Welcome ittboss!
^ I've added your info to the OP, and hope you join us for some fun in Paris as well! Any clue where you'll be staying in Paris?
^ I've added your info to the OP, and hope you join us for some fun in Paris as well! Any clue where you'll be staying in Paris?
Jun 17, 2008 | 9:57 am
#217
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Premier Executive, Continental Platinum, SPG Gold, IHG Platinum, Velocity Gold, Alaskan MPV Gold.
Posts: 461
Arrivals lounge access on the way back.
In order not to spend an arm and a leg to get to JFK from DCA, I got a shuttle on DL (which I never use) and I have to take a pretty late flight back on Sunday night. I'm flying back in Business from Paris so I'm wondering if I will be able to use BA's arrivals lounge to spend my time in until I have to go to terminal 3 and go home? Does anyone know? Thanks.
Jun 17, 2008 | 10:00 am
#218
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Siesta Key, Florida
Programs: UA GS4Life, AF/KL Lifetime Plat, BA Gold, AA 1MM, IC Diamond RA, Hyatt Humorist, Bonv Plat, et alia
Posts: 2,741
In 2 day can be done if one wants to Zip through.
The Louvre, D'Orsay, Centre Pompidou, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame. Cabbing it I would presume.As a a regular visitor to Paris, I am sure you are knowledgable about the time involved just going in & out of the Metro stations.
I chuckle when I see individuals in Louvre trying to run from Mona Lisa to The Winged Victory to Michaelangelo's Slave.
Sample Itinerary.
Friday: Land at 7:00AM. Cab to the hotel afterall you want to get the most of your 30 Euro Museum Pass.
9:00AM: Arrive at the Hotel. Room ready. Quick Check-in. Up to the room. Shower and change.
10:00AM: Metro to Louvre. Must see. Mona Lisa ,next Winged Victory,Next Greek Etruscan and Roman Antiquities to seeThe Venus de Milo.Quick run through Paintings. Delacroix :Liberty Leading the People ,David's:The coronation of Emperor Napoléon and Empress Josephine.
1:00PM: On to the Metro. Notre Dame. Run through. Quick jog up the towers.
3:00PM: Lunch maybe.
By 5:00PM flatout.
Saturday: Up crack of dawn. Breakfast by 8:00AM. On the road by 8:30AM. First stop Arc de Triomphe .Walk around. Go up. Take photo.
10:00AM: Off to Centre Pompidou. Walk about to see the architecture. The colored pipes. Quick read of the history. Off to see works by Max Ernst, ManRay,Kandinsky,Klee. Of course quick glance only.
11:00AM: Musee D'Orsay. Out by 1:00PM.Again quick run through all the floors.
Off to the Eiffel Tour.Out by 3:00PM.
By 5:00PM flatout.
To appreciate Paris is to stroll through the neighbourhoods.Stop at a cafe. Pickup a crepe from one of the windowed stops in St.Germain de Pres.
Do a Museum in the morning. Leave the afternoon for strolling for sights & smells of Paris. That is a truly a Paris Experience.
Not running from museum to museum monument to monument.
The Louvre, D'Orsay, Centre Pompidou, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame. Cabbing it I would presume.As a a regular visitor to Paris, I am sure you are knowledgable about the time involved just going in & out of the Metro stations.
I chuckle when I see individuals in Louvre trying to run from Mona Lisa to The Winged Victory to Michaelangelo's Slave.
Sample Itinerary.
Friday: Land at 7:00AM. Cab to the hotel afterall you want to get the most of your 30 Euro Museum Pass.
9:00AM: Arrive at the Hotel. Room ready. Quick Check-in. Up to the room. Shower and change.
10:00AM: Metro to Louvre. Must see. Mona Lisa ,next Winged Victory,Next Greek Etruscan and Roman Antiquities to seeThe Venus de Milo.Quick run through Paintings. Delacroix :Liberty Leading the People ,David's:The coronation of Emperor Napoléon and Empress Josephine.
1:00PM: On to the Metro. Notre Dame. Run through. Quick jog up the towers.
3:00PM: Lunch maybe.
By 5:00PM flatout.
Saturday: Up crack of dawn. Breakfast by 8:00AM. On the road by 8:30AM. First stop Arc de Triomphe .Walk around. Go up. Take photo.
10:00AM: Off to Centre Pompidou. Walk about to see the architecture. The colored pipes. Quick read of the history. Off to see works by Max Ernst, ManRay,Kandinsky,Klee. Of course quick glance only.
11:00AM: Musee D'Orsay. Out by 1:00PM.Again quick run through all the floors.
Off to the Eiffel Tour.Out by 3:00PM.
By 5:00PM flatout.
To appreciate Paris is to stroll through the neighbourhoods.Stop at a cafe. Pickup a crepe from one of the windowed stops in St.Germain de Pres.
Do a Museum in the morning. Leave the afternoon for strolling for sights & smells of Paris. That is a truly a Paris Experience.
Not running from museum to museum monument to monument.
It is not about a race to see everything, (although for those that do, the above itinerary could certainly be expanded upon and last until midnight at Pigalle or Rive Gauche).
The museum pass is convenient precisely because you don't have to stand in line with the hordes at the big museums. I stay away from Louvre, D'orsay and the others where I've been dozens of times, unless it is to see something specific, or a new acquisition or new exhibit. Since it's "free" you don't feel like you need to get your money's worth and see everything, you just do what you want.
The pass allows you to amble around, and pop into somewhere that strikes your fancy. You wander past the Musée de la Poste and are curious and pop in, maybe it is interesting, maybe it isn't. You walk past the Musée des Arts et Métiers and realize this collection of scientific instruments and technology over the ages is spectacular and nobody else is there. Newbies will of course be compelled to hit all the major tourist areas and I agree that's a shame, but the museum pass provides value for them, as well as for seasoned visitors. You need to just hit one museum/sight one day and two the next for it to pay for itself. Moreover, 30 Euro is worth it just not to have to stand in queue @ the Louvre so you win right there!
Last edited by vsevolod4; Jun 17, 2008 at 11:06 am
Jun 17, 2008 | 10:09 am
#219
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: PBI | Formerly CLT, LHR & AMS (with just a bit of PSP)
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Posts: 8,208
In order not to spend an arm and a leg to get to JFK from DCA, I got a shuttle on DL (which I never use) and I have to take a pretty late flight back on Sunday night. I'm flying back in Business from Paris so I'm wondering if I will be able to use BA's arrivals lounge to spend my time in until I have to go to terminal 3 and go home? Does anyone know? Thanks.
Didn't realize there was a DL shuttle from JFK (and not just LGA) --- that's cool!
Jun 17, 2008 | 10:11 am
#220
Moderator: CommunityBuzz!, OMNI, OMNI/PR, and OMNI/Games & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: ORD (MDW stinks)
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Posts: 24,157
I am looking forward to this. Biz outbound/Prem + inbound.
Have some family business to attend to Friday night and Saturday day but hope to see the crew on Sat night, got an award ticket for Mrs Sweet Willie to join as well.
Saturday night we will be staying at the Holiday Inn Paris Saint Germain des Prs. At only 5,000 points per night I couldn't pass it up.
What is the transportation situation upon arrival into ORY ? Are we scheduling a shuttle ? (apologize if I missed this discussion)
Have some family business to attend to Friday night and Saturday day but hope to see the crew on Sat night, got an award ticket for Mrs Sweet Willie to join as well.
Saturday night we will be staying at the Holiday Inn Paris Saint Germain des Prs. At only 5,000 points per night I couldn't pass it up.
What is the transportation situation upon arrival into ORY ? Are we scheduling a shuttle ? (apologize if I missed this discussion)
Jun 17, 2008 | 10:22 am
#221
Moderator: Mileage Run, United Airlines; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
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Programs: UA 3MM; Hyatt Glob*****; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,491
Does anyone who has been there before have an opinion about the on-and-off double decker bus? Apparently there are two, one is red and the other is yellow and they both appear to go to or by all the highlights. It might be a better way for a newbie to get around, rather than cabbing it everywhere.
Jun 17, 2008 | 10:22 am
#222
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: New York City, Northern NJ
Programs: AS, AA, Hilton, Marriott
Posts: 1,049
I think yyzprincess had exactly the same idea. Her post was responding to vsevolod4's suggestion of getting the museum pass. I think the "Sample Itinerary" was suppose to show that while it maximizes the museum pass benefits, this is probably NOT the best way to spend two days in Paris.
Notice her earlier posts:
Notice her earlier posts:
Jun 17, 2008 | 10:34 am
#223
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Premier Executive, Continental Platinum, SPG Gold, IHG Platinum, Velocity Gold, Alaskan MPV Gold.
Posts: 461
Nervermind about the arrivals.
I just looked at BA's website and they don't have that in JFK.
I also forgot I have a RCC membership so I can go back through security (yes, I have a seven hour layover, ouch!) and chill there. If they will accept my Delta boarding pass at the security gate.
Or I can take up the offer to go in to the delta lounge in terminal 3 that baccarat_king offered. This is starting to look like the best option.
By the way, Thanks baccarat_king for offering. Much appreciated.
I also forgot I have a RCC membership so I can go back through security (yes, I have a seven hour layover, ouch!) and chill there. If they will accept my Delta boarding pass at the security gate.
Or I can take up the offer to go in to the delta lounge in terminal 3 that baccarat_king offered. This is starting to look like the best option.
By the way, Thanks baccarat_king for offering. Much appreciated.
Jun 17, 2008 | 10:38 am
#225
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Orlando
Programs: DL 4MM/DM, UA 1MM/Gold, AA Paper
Posts: 1,386
Does anyone who has been there before have an opinion about the on-and-off double decker bus? Apparently there are two, one is red and the other is yellow and they both appear to go to or by all the highlights. It might be a better way for a newbie to get around, rather than cabbing it everywhere.