Paris tours

[KathyJ]

As all the excursions for our upcoming cruise stop in Le Havre are sold out, has anyone done the included one to get into Paris and then done a private tour once there? Seems like the time frame may be tight. Looks like almost 2 1/2hrs each way travel time.

Thanks!  

[Haqdeluxe]

21 minutes ago, KathyJ said:

As all the excursions for our upcoming cruise stop in Le Havre are sold out, has anyone done the included one to get into Paris and then done a private tour once there? Seems like the time frame may be tight. Looks like almost 2 1/2hrs each way travel time.

Thanks!  

Paris is nice and all but Paris traffic can mess up schedules, shortening your visit time even more. Have you considered staying in Le Havre or maybe going into Rouen? Rouen is a beautiful city with much history and much to see. It is where Joan of Arc was executed there and there is a church and museum for her. 

[The Other Tom]

2 hours ago, Haqdeluxe said:

Paris traffic can mess up schedules, shortening your visit time even more.

Agreed.  We plan on a Paris only visit for several days.  

[KathyJ]

On 8/6/2022 at 4:46 PM, Haqdeluxe said:

Paris is nice and all but Paris traffic can mess up schedules, shortening your visit time even more. Have you considered staying in Le Havre or maybe going into Rouen? Rouen is a beautiful city with much history and much to see. It is where Joan of Arc was executed there and there is a church and museum for her. 

Thanks for the info. Definitely will consider those options.

[OneSixtyToOne]

19 hours ago, KathyJ said:

Thanks for the info. Definitely will consider those options.

Another option is to visit Honfleur which is right across the river from Le Havre. It’s a 1000 year old medieval town with a charming harbor that Monet painted. There are many quaint shops, an art museum, art galleries, dining, and the oldest still standing wooden church in France. It was founded by the Vikings and was the main port before it silted up and Le Havre was built. It’s also where the first settlers to Canada embarked. It’s worth a visit.

https://www.voyagetips.com/en/things-to-do-in-honfleur/

Edited August 11, 2022 by OneSixtyToOne

[donaldsc]

You are going to be spending half of your land time traveling to and from Paris.  Makes absolutely no sense to me.  

 

DON

[Gojagators]

We are booked for the included trip to Paris for our upcoming Trade Routes Cruise.  While I agree that the long ride to get there and back is going to make it challenging to see much, we decided that this may be our only chance to see Paris.  Does anyone know where we will be dropped off in Paris?  I've been looking at a map of Paris to come up with an idea of what we might be able to see.  Any suggestions from anyone who did this excursion?

[lackcreativity]

3 hours ago, Gojagators said:

We are booked for the included trip to Paris for our upcoming Trade Routes Cruise.  While I agree that the long ride to get there and back is going to make it challenging to see much, we decided that this may be our only chance to see Paris.  Does anyone know where we will be dropped off in Paris?  I've been looking at a map of Paris to come up with an idea of what we might be able to see.  Any suggestions from anyone who did this excursion?

There are multiple reasons not to do this, but I agree that  "a little Paris is better than no Paris at all" tops them all. 

 

I can't help you with the drop off point, but I know I have seen that information here before, so hopefully, someone will provide it for you. Enjoy your cruise. We loved that itinerary.

[OneSixtyToOne]

3 hours ago, Gojagators said:

We are booked for the included trip to Paris for our upcoming Trade Routes Cruise.  While I agree that the long ride to get there and back is going to make it challenging to see much, we decided that this may be our only chance to see Paris.  Does anyone know where we will be dropped off in Paris?  I've been looking at a map of Paris to come up with an idea of what we might be able to see.  Any suggestions from anyone who did this excursion?

I’ve been on two Viking River trips to Paris and both times there were multiple drop off points and a common pick up point. The pickup location was next to the statue of Winston Churchill across the street from the Grand Palais. This seems to be a common spot for tour bus pick up as there is parking for them. 

Edited August 27, 2022 by OneSixtyToOne

[TERRIER1]

I totally understand your position of this my be the only time you get to see Paris. However, as someone else said Paris traffic can absolutely mess up any free time you may have and that is not considering if there are strikes, protests or just a holiday. It take 2.5 hours each way without any traffic. Do you know the ships disembark and embark times? If it is not late embark then the trip into Paris may not be worth it. If you do go then maybe a hop on hop off bus to see the sights is the way to go. As others have said, I would go closer to Le Havre. Honfleur is beautiful.

[DGHOC]

We spend a lot of time in Paris and I'm inclined to agree, stay local, either Honfleur which is lovely or a dash to Rouen by train. 

 

The point at which the main route from Le Havre crosses the Paris peripherique is Porte Maillot where there is a major rail scheme being built. We were stuck there in heavy traffic for an age earlier this year. Paris is like any major city, traffic is very unpredictable. I can't begin to think how frustrating it would be to be so near so much and not have the time to enjoy it!!

 

I know it's easy for me to say as we're a short hop away but why not determine to splurge and spend a full week in Paris in the future. You would not be disappointed. 

[Gojagators]

Totally agree that we will not really see Paris.  We get off the ship at 8:30 am and get back at 7 pm.  We have already decided that if we can see the eiffel tower and take a stroll along the seine and possibly the Champs de elysees we will be satisfied.  Not really even going to try to see too much.  Hopefully we will be able to return for a longer stay but the craziness of the last few years has taught us to enjoy what we can when we can

[Mich3554]

10 minutes ago, Gojagators said:

Totally agree that we will not really see Paris.  We get off the ship at 8:30 am and get back at 7 pm.  We have already decided that if we can see the eiffel tower and take a stroll along the seine and possibly the Champs de elysees we will be satisfied.  Not really even going to try to see too much.  Hopefully we will be able to return for a longer stay but the craziness of the last few years has taught us to enjoy what we can when we can

If you decide to do this, then you might want to jump on a HOHO bus for one of the routes.   Our last trip, we bought a pass and used it to drop us off at the attractions we wanted to see.  While we did use the metro, and it was a more efficient way of travel, the HOHO let you see more.  You can also plan your route such that you get off with access back to the cruise bus.

[Gojagators]

We considered the HOHO option but decided with only 3-4 hours we'd likely spend most of the time just seeing things from the bus.  Plus we have read a few horror stories about being stuck in traffic.  It is definitely our plan to return for a multiple day visit but we aren't getting younger and there is a whole lot of the world we also hope to see.  

[formernuke]

The alternate to the HOHO bus is the river boats. I recommend batobus for getting around. No traffic issue and goes to the main sites you may be interested in. https://www.batobus.com/en. I've been to Paris twice and used it both times. Good luck.

[lackcreativity]

12 minutes ago, Gojagators said:

We considered the HOHO option but decided with only 3-4 hours we'd likely spend most of the time just seeing things from the bus.  Plus we have read a few horror stories about being stuck in traffic.  It is definitely our plan to return for a multiple day visit but we aren't getting younger and there is a whole lot of the world we also hope to see.  

I think you are wise not to get your heart set on seeing sites A, B, and C in your short time there. Set some easy goals once you get your starting point confirmed, and just BE in Paris. When your time is short, don't spend it getting frustrated over what you can't do, and enjoy yourself. I think you have the right idea!

[LindaS272]

I love Paris—it’s my favorite city and I’ve been there many times. Sad to hear this may be the only time you can see it. I don’t know where the bus lets you off but for a short day I’d take in some combination of strolling the Rue Clare (markets, shops, cheeses, crepes); seeing the Eiffel Tower and lawns there; maybe Napoleon’s Tomb nearby; Norte Dame; the Louvre & Ste. Chapelle; the Tuileries; and don’t forget cafe culture! Better yet, spend a few days to or from the cruise in transit, if you can swing it. 🥂🍾👣👨‍🎨👯‍♀️🦚🌹🌻🥐🍦 ☕️🎭🎷

[DGHOC]

Haha, love the emojis!

[longterm]

On 8/6/2022 at 3:09 PM, KathyJ said:

As all the excursions for our upcoming cruise stop in Le Havre are sold out, has anyone done the included one to get into Paris and then done a private tour once there? Seems like the time frame may be tight. Looks like almost 2 1/2hrs each way travel time.

Thanks!  

I agree with everyone who's pointing out the long travel time back & forth from Paris, but if it's your only chance to see it, it can be a great day.

I'd strongly advise your buying a Paris Museum Pass; with it, you can walk up to the Louvre, Musee D'Orsay, Musee L'Orangerie (and many more places) and get in without a wait. Since time will be an issue, you should strongly consider it. We were in Paris in late April and got into all 3 of those museums after waiting less than 3 minutes at each one. You can get a museum pass here: https://www.parismuseumpass.fr/t-en.

 

As sad as it is to say, there's just not much at all to see at the Notre Dame right now; it's surrounded by high fencing.

 

If you want to go up into the Eiffel Tower, be sure to get a reservation ahead of time; you can find their site online at https://www.toureiffel.paris/en.


 

Edited August 28, 2022 by longterm

[donaldsc]

3 hours ago, longterm said:

I agree with everyone who's pointing out the long travel time back & forth from Paris, but if it's your only chance to see it, it can be a great day.

I'd strongly advise your buying a Paris Museum Pass; with it, you can walk up to the Louvre, Musee D'Orsay, Musee L'Orangerie (and many more places) and get in without a wait. Since time will be an issue, you should strongly consider it. We were in Paris in late April and got into all 3 of those museums after waiting less than 3 minutes at each one. You can get a museum pass here: https://www.parismuseumpass.fr/t-en.

 

As sad as it is to say, there's just not much at all to see at the Notre Dame right now; it's surrounded by high fencing.

 

If you want to go up into the Eiffel Tower, be sure to get a reservation ahead of time; you can find their site online at https://www.toureiffel.paris/en.


 

 

How much time did you have in each museum?

 

DON

[Haqdeluxe]

50 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

 

How much time did you have in each museum?

 

DON

We spent an entire day in the Musée D'Orsay and allocated 3 days for the Louvre where we only scratched the surface. For a daytrip with limited time into Paris (which I don't recommend 🙂) I would skip seeing any of the museums. YMMV.

We flew through Paris several times, a couple where we could have had a 10-12 hour layover and traveled into Paris, but resisted traveling in for such a short and limiting visit. Our visit into Paris was for a full week and I would say it was barely enough to do it justice.

[donaldsc]

1 hour ago, Haqdeluxe said:

We spent an entire day in the Musée D'Orsay and allocated 3 days for the Louvre where we only scratched the surface. For a daytrip with limited time into Paris (which I don't recommend 🙂) I would skip seeing any of the museums. YMMV.

We flew through Paris several times, a couple where we could have had a 10-12 hour layover and traveled into Paris, but resisted traveling in for such a short and limiting visit. Our visit into Paris was for a full week and I would say it was barely enough to do it justice.

 

Yet Longterm saw all 3 museums plus maybe the Eifel Tower in the short time he had on his day trip to Paris.  I rest my case. 

 

That by the way is the problem with visiting almost any city as part of a cruise.  Not enough time in any city and trying to cram too much stuff in too little time.  I remember visiting the Vasa Museum in Stockholm.  The ship tour of Stockholm visited the museum plus a bunch of other places in the typical short ship tour time period.  We spent almost half a day at the Vasa Museum and did not see everything.

 

Another thing.  One of the great things about visiting any city is sitting in a typical café (whatever that means) and have a drink or coffee and doing people watching.  You sure can't do that on a 1 day ship Paris trip.

 

DON

[longterm]

2 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

 

Yet Longterm saw all 3 museums plus maybe the Eifel Tower in the short time he had on his day trip to Paris.  I rest my case. 

 

That's NOT what I said; when did I say I did a day trip there?? I've never done a day trip to Paris.

 

I said that we had museum passes when we went to Paris in May; we were there for FIVE days this last time. Using the museum pass over our time there, we went to the Louvre, Musee D'Orsay, l'Orangerie Museum, Ste. Chappelle, and the Eiffel Tower. We also took an excursion to Giverny, which we love and visit everytime we go to Paris.

 

I never said I saw them all on the same day.

 

A museum pass can be purchased to use over several days, which is what we did.

However, we're not people who spend all day in a museum; we went through the Musee D'Orsay (we've been through it many times) in about 3 hours if I were to guess, seeing everything we liked, zipping past some areas that we weren't as interested in.

We went to the Louvre on a separate day, probably spent about the same amount of time; religious paintings aren't high on my list, but we made sure to go through the entire museum, again zipping past areas where we didn't find it as interesting.

Some people want to spent 10 hours in an art museum; that's not us. If someone had a day in Paris, and had never been there before, here's what I would recommend:

 

Musee D'Orsay;
Walk by the Eiffel Tower; going up is okay but not a huge deal, in my opinion;

Sainte Chappelle -- the finest stained glass I've ever seen, and I've been in the Notre Dame many times, Chartres, lots of other great cathedrals;

Have lunch somewhere; a great place to go is the Latin Quarter, which we love.

Have a coffee on the street, watch people walk by; it's an essential part of the Paris experience.

 

Having been to Paris many times, I know what parts I want to see and what parts I can comfortably skip; for example, driving down the Champs d'Elysse is okay, but I've walked it, don't need to again;

 

Sacre Coeur was nice but not our favorite; Montmartre, on the other hand, is worth a visit; the Latin Quarter is nice, lots of great restaurants.

 

 

 

 

2 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

 

 

[longterm]

2 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

How much time did you have in each museum?

 

DON

As much time as we wanted; please re-read my post. I didn't say that we did all those things in a single day, nor do I recommend it.

[DGHOC]

On 8/27/2022 at 5:20 PM, Gojagators said:

Totally agree that we will not really see Paris.  We get off the ship at 8:30 am and get back at 7 pm.  We have already decided that if we can see the eiffel tower and take a stroll along the seine and possibly the Champs de elysees we will be satisfied.  Not really even going to try to see too much.  Hopefully we will be able to return for a longer stay but the craziness of the last few years has taught us to enjoy what we can when we can

Oh my, this subject could be much debated.... 

 

Gojagators, just have a walk, avoid all public transport. The heart of Paris is small and there's so much to see. The walk along the centre of what is Line 1 would be delightful. I don't know where you'll be dropped but pull up the Google Paris map and scroll in with the Tuileries at the centre of the screen. You could start at the L'Arc de Triomphe walking SE along the Champs Elysées, (personally I'd start at the Franklin D Roosevelt roundabout) and on this route you'll pass the Jardins des Champs Elysées on the left, you can turn off and see the Grand Palais and Petit Palace on the right if you'd like (minutes only) and then continue on through Place de la Concorde. The Tuileries are in front of you with Musee de L'Orangerie to the right. Carry walking through the Tuileries. The Seine is to your right, the Rue de Rivoli to your left . You'll pass by the magnificent Musee des Art Decoratifs on the left and the indescribable Louvre straight in front. Stroll and absorb the wonder!

 

Just past the Louvre on the rue de Rivoli is the Grand Palais which has a wonderful little formal garden at the back, where you can wonder around the quad and grab a coffee. Great place to relax and people watch. This road could take you into the Marais which is a fab shopping district with niche shops or cut right back to the Seine and enjoy the river. Cross the Post Neuf and walk around the island. Obviously Notre Dame is closed but you can still see the familiar outline, Saint Chappelle is there as is the Conciergerie where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned. Great little walk around the island.

 

Honestly, with coffee stops this alone would be a stretch. The area around the Tour Eiffel is not great and it's a little out of the way unless you really want to see it up close BUT you'll have frequent views of it popping up along this route especially along the river!

 

What a wonderful day you'll have!