We arrived at CDG about 9:00 AM on June 17th - getting through the customs and picking up luggage was trouble free - probably about 45 minutes tops. Picked up a city/metro map from an information booth then followed the signs to a Roissybus and found it easily. Only a handful of people on the bus and it took about 45 minutes to get to Opera Garnier. I ordered Euros (400) ahead of the trip so had cash for Roissybus. Our hotel was Hotel Langlois - not far from Opera Garnier. We were too early to check in right away but were able to store luggage while we wondered the neighborhood. After a checking in and an hour nap we headed out in search of Sacre Coeur with map in hand. I am convinced we took the longest route there but totally enjoyed the walk which was well worth it. Thanks to Tripadvisor posts were prepared for the many men who wanted to tie strings around our wrists and either ignored them or told them firmly %26quot;non, merci.%26quot;
Our first full day we started with a purchase of a carnet (10) of Metro tickets and headed to Eiffel Tower to meeting place for Segway tour through Fat Tire Bicycle Tours and it was fantastic fun - I highly recommend it, especially for teenagers. Also that day visted Eiffel Tower (no wait for taking the stairs) Primtemps and Gallerie Lafayettes - very,very expensive stores, didn%26#39;t buy a thing. Side note about metro tickets - for our 9 day trip the two of us went through 2 carnets - we walked a lot.
Other observations/comments:
Louvre - spent about 4 to 5 hours including lunch in one of the restaurants which was pretty decent. Used the metro entrance, bought a 4 day Paris Museum Pass (didn%26#39;t accept credit card) and had no wait - pass wasn%26#39;t even checked for the start date. Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo were super crowded. Especially enjoyed resting our feet sitting along the pools surrounding the pyramid.
Musee d%26#39;Orsay after Louvre - Paris Metro Pass helpful - avoided a long line and got in quickly. This was our favorite museum. We started on the top floor where the majority of the impressionists are.
Orangerie - didn%26#39;t plan to visit this museum but so glad we did - close second to Musee d%26#39;Orsay. The Monets are mesmorizing - just go to it.
Food - we spent considerably less on food than I budgeted. Breakfast was always pastries at the wonderful bakery near Hotel Langlois (6 Euro for two), we would have a late lunch at a cafe and picked up sandwiches for dinner except one night at Pasta Papa. Stopped at Monoprix a couple of times for snacks for our room (interesting to compare Parisien grocery shopping to US). Never did an evening meal in a formal restaurant - we were always way too tired to head out again. Don%26#39;t feel like we missed anything because cuisine was not the experience we were looking for.
Notre Dame - the line for the cathedral was long but moved quickly 5 to 10 minute wait. The line for the tower was long and moved slowly (45 minutes for us) but glad we did it. Have fun pictures with the gargoyles.
Giverny - another tour through Fat Tire Bicycle Tours - and this too was fantastic. Included train to Vernon , picnic lunch along Seine (purchase own supplies in Vernon), bike ride to Giverny (very easy, flat and short) and tour of Monet%26#39;s gardens and home. Excellent - another highlight of the trip.
Versailles - glad we went simply to enjoy the gardens - had lunch there which was good. Wandered more in the gardens than the chateau. After a while the rooms kind of start to look the same. Probably a fluke but the line for Versailles was much, much longer for those with prepurchased tickets than day of sales!
Stairs - I have never walked up so many stairs in my life - Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame - all very worth it but be prepared!
Champs d%26#39;elysee - visited on a Sunday after Arc de Triomphe - way, way too crowded was not enjoyable at all.
The only disappointment - Opera Garnier. We were leisurely strolling through taking in the total opulance of the place and before we got to the auditorium everyone was being rushed out - they were closing for tourists because of an upcoming performance. Not sure if we didn%26#39;t notice the closing time or weren%26#39;t told. Sorry to miss the ceiling by Chagall.
Unexpected discovery - Salvador Dali museum in place du tetre near Sacre Coeur. This is a small, private museum that doesn%26#39;t accept Paris Museum Pass - but is still worth the entrace fee. Worth the stop.
Pace - we didn%26#39;t pack our days full of rushing from one attraction to another. We had one or two places we wanted to get to each day which then left plenty of time to stroll and linger and stop anywhere that looked interesting. Ended up with a very relaxing vacation.
Return to CDG - followed advice for Tripadvisor and booked shuttle transport to CDG through Shuttle Inter and was extremely satisfied. Shuttle arrived exactly at 9:00A and got us to airport in 30 minutes. We had 3 1/2 hours before our flight which was more than enough time.
Awesome trip of a life time - thanks for all the posters who helped with so many details!
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Thanks -some helpful stuff here
Agree -LOrangerie waterlilies are so serene and the downstairs collection is very good too.
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I enjoyed your report. However I just wanted to ask about the shuttle. I have read so many different things on TA I don%26#39;t know what to do. My sister and I are going in October and we will probably have too much luggage so I was thinking of Shuttle Inter both coming from and going to the CDG Did you have any problems with the reservations, calling them the night before for pickup etc?
Thanks for the assistance.
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goodlawgirl,
We used Shuttle-Inter for both directions and we had no problems. The only confirmation I got was the original booking. You have to book each direction separately on their website, but they will reply with confirmation when you complete it. You pay them in cash after each trip. If you are worried about ensuring they are coming, they don%26#39;t have a problem if you call or email them the day before. I agree with the poster that they will get you back to the airport CDG pretty quick.
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NOT the trip of %26quot;a lifetime%26quot; -- you have cleverly saved some things to see on a return trip!
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What a wonderful report! You have really whetted my appetite!
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Thanks for the report. We%26#39;re also going to be staying at the Langlois. How was the walk from the Roissy bus to the hotel?
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Good Law Girl - I reserved with shuttle inter by internet sometime the week before we left - I believe they require 48 hour notice. When they respond to your request they ask that you reconfirm (by e-mail) and then that is it - your shuttle is arranged. I have to admit to a bit of anxiety the day we left and the possibility that they wouldn%26#39;t show up - my back up plan was to walk to the near by taxi stand for ride to airport if the shuttle didn%26#39;t arrive within 15 minutes of pick up time. But the shuttle was exactly on time. And because you pay cash to the driver you don%26#39;t risk losing a deposit or up front payment if they don%26#39;t show up.
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Nossat - the walk to Hotel Langlois from Roissybus drop off at Opera Garnier was our first little adventure in Paris. It wasn%26#39;t a difficult walk just confusing to tired, blearied eyed tourists who hadn%26#39;t yet figured out how to read a map of city that isn%26#39;t layed out nicely in a grid. From my research I knew that we needed to head behind Opera where we would find Galleries Lafayette then continue past or behind the store. At one point I spotted a large church in the distance and assumed it was the Trinite church that is near Hotel Langois and the Trinite metro. And I was right - we were then on rue St. Lazare - we headed right to reach the one way portion of St. Lazare and found the hotel about a block in. The sidewalks were very busy with lots of people but we weren%26#39;t the only ones pulling suitcases - even some local appeared to be pulling suitcases or carts along behind them.
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