What's the best way to quickly see Paris' main sites in about 2 1/2 hours?

Show all answers

Rillifane

You're right that its not optimal but you can certainly see a lot in that amount of time. Luckily, Paris is a very compact city and, assuming you are in good health, like to walk, and the weather is on your side, you could follow a route that would include (in order):

1. Notre Dame
2. Conceirgerie
3. Louvre
4. Arc du Carousel
5. Jardin de Tuileries
6. Orangerie
7. Jeu de Palme
8. Place de la Concorde
9. Elysee Palace
10 Champs Elysee
11. Arc de Triomphe
12. Palais de Chaillot
13. Eiffel Tower
14. Invalides.
15. Pont Alexandre III

Of course you'd just be seeing the exteriors of these places. There wouldn't be time to go into the Louvre or take the trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower. But you can walk this route in less than 2 1/2 hours at a fairly leisurely pace (The total walking distance is under 10 km or about 6 miles)

I leave it to you to Google each of these places and read a bit about them so you'll know what you are seeing.

kittysue2000

Take a Bateaux-Mouches boat tour
http://www.bateaux-mouches.fr/

worldglobetrottergirl

Get a Rick Steves' Paris Guidebook. Chock-full of great information.

I would recommend taking an introducory bus tour from either Cityrama or Paris Vision (both are located on the Rue de Rivoli, across from the Louvre and Tuileries Garden. Rue de Rivoli also has some great souvenir shopping.

I've taken the Paris Vision tour and, as you meander down the streets, you are given a plethora of historical information via headphones on the many sights of Paris. Highly recommended!

Katy

Honestly, pick up a guide book and walk. It's pretty easy to navigate, and there really aren't any guided walking tours in the area. The bike vending machines mentioned already are great, too, but again with no guide. Also, it lets you go at your own pace and leaves you enough time to get to your flight.

Another option would be a bus tour, and those are definitely available in English. Try to chose one where you can hop on and off wherever you want. The best for you, in my opinion, would be L'Open Air Double-Decker Tour Bus. Hop on at the Eiffel Tower (the stop is called Place de la Concorde) and get off at the Notre Dame. Plus it takes way less time than 2 hours, so you can get off and walk around a bit.

I remember that when I went to Paris there was a system where you could hire out bikes, kind of like a bike vending machine where you'd pay at one bike rack, ride it around & drop it off at another. I didn't use it so I don't know the details but there's some more info here http://uk.franceguide.com/press/Velib-Paris-new-bike-transit-system.html?nodeID=422&EditoID=88863 with a link to the bike company's site at the bottom. Any cyclist will tell you riding a bike around a city shrinks it to about the size of a pea!

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: