Paris x 2

We are so fortunate to be able to go back to Paris again this year. Last year I didn%26#39;t think this would happen for awhile since we rarely go anywhere twice. However I was able to talk my husband into it.

Last year our favorite places/ things were Versaille on a day when the fountains were running, Orsay, Rodin, Luxembourg Gardens, Eiffel Tower (picnic at twilight, Bike tour, and Paris walks tour of Notre Dame area.

We also went to Montamarte (but not inside Sacre Couer), the Louvre, St. Chapelle, and the Arc de Triumph.

This year we are tentatively thinking of spending our three days at the Marmottan, Orangerie, Marie Antoinette%26#39;s house with Versaille gardens, Night bike tour, boat ride, and the Pompidou (although we are not usually big on modern art). We were going to visit the Orsay and Rodin again briefly as well as a Paris walks tour of Marmottan possibly.

I%26#39;d like to do a little shopping afternoon (not on Champs Elysse) and visit another great park as well.

Any thoughts on things/ places we should really visit?

TIA,

JND

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You can also go to Marais, musee Carnavalet (free) and Musee Picasso after Pompidou.

A Saturday morning at market on avenue du President Wilson and you can see musee Guimet (metro Iena) and musee d%26#39;art moderne de la ville de Paris with Palais de Tokyo next door.

They are great small museums with good views of Eiffel Tower.

I would not go back to Versailles. Try an other chateau like Fontainebleau or Vaux le Vicomte or even chateau at Saint Germain en Laye, easily accessible by RER.

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When you go to Marmottan, you walk through a nice local park Jardin du Ranelagh . . .

Parc Monceau in the 8th/17th is a lovely one, nice for a stroll or people-watching, has a children%26#39;s play area, quite a few joggers and some interesting %26quot;follies%26quot; worked into the landscaping.

We%26#39;re going to walk through the Bercy park and %26#39;new%26#39; area this fall. . .

For a 3-day visit, I think 3-5 museums is more than enough; working in a nice garden or park is a good idea, don%26#39;t forget some of the traditional squares, such as Place des Vosges (Marais) and Place Dauphine (Ile de la Cité) and step on down from there to the Square du Vert Galant . . .

I%26#39;m not much of a shopper, but there are some cute places on the main street of Ile St Louis, some funky places in the Marais, high-end on rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, or hit the Galeries Lafayette even if just for the beautiful interior.

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Three gardens to consider: Butte Chaumont, Parc Monceau (and visit Musee Nissim Camondo on its edge), or Musee Albert Kahn at St. CLoud Bologne metro stop -- it is a variety of gardens laid out in a small intricate space e.g. Japanese Garden, French Espaliered Garden, English Garden etc etc

If you haven%26#39;t climbed the bell tower of Notre Dame definitely something to do at least once for a close up of the gargoyles

Fountainbleau is a great day trip -- uncrowded unlike the zoolike atmosphere of Versailles (since you have already done Versailles)

we loved the chamber concert at Sainte Chapelle -- you see the lovely windows at sunset as well as enjoy the concert - but perhaps the one visit was enough?

I%26#39;d bag the Pompidou -- the most overrated museum in Paris (unless you actually want to see what is there) and IMHO the PIcasso museum is a monument to his least important art -- I think it is made up of the %26#39;taxes%26#39; paid by the family -- a disappointing trip

make a point of strolling down the Seine at night towards Notre Dame and around it -- a stunning sight

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Darn, I was actually looking forward to seeing some Picasso, Leger, Matisse, Chagall, Kadinsky, Magritte, Pollock, Ernst, Soutine, and a few others. I%26#39;m in the mood.

On a more classical note, the Petit Palais/Musée des Beaux-Arts is a nice smaller gallery, very manageable for a quick visit (an hour or so) - free, but you get an entry ticket at the desk.

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I love love the Marmottan.And L%26#39;Organgerie is so serene.

If you mean ParisWalks tour of Montmartre we did it w/ Fred and it was excellent.

Also the Jacquemart Andre museum/house. Audioguide included is very good.