<p>The Rodin museum is really nice. It’s like an ordinary house with the sculptures spread throughout and out into a beautiful garden. </p>
<p>You can definitely get a bit museumed out in the Louvre! I would recommend planning in advance what you want to see, and just popping in 1-2 hours before closing. It used to be half price if there were less than 2 hours opening time left (but I have not been in the Louvre for years because similar museums are free in London so I don’t feel the need).</p>
<p>“go to Saint Chapelle on the Isle St. Louis for the beautiful stain glass windows and have ice cream (glace) at Berthillon’s around the corner.”</p>
<p>If you go to Saint Chapelle and the timing works go around sunset for the best light. And don’t let the line deter you from Berthillon; it’s definitely worth the wait.</p>
<p>Honestly, you could skip the Louvre if the lines are too long. The Mona Lisa looks just like it does in every picture of it you’ve seen since the beginning of time. I’d almost rather picnic in the courtyard and just enjoy the scene. </p>
<p>I wouldn’t skip Notre Dame. </p>
<p>I think you can skip going up in the Eiffel Tower too. If I have to view Paris from on high, I’d rather do it at ND. </p>
<p>So much of Paris is just walking around and drinking it all in.</p>
<p>12 people is going to be hard to have every meal together. I would suggest for you to scope that out before you go or agree to break up the party sometimes. I think the tour bus is the way to go. With 12 people, I may even organize a private tour with your own mini van. I have done that a few times and we got to see a lot more places than if we’ve done it on our own. It didn’t cost that much more either.</p>
<p>Musee d’Orsay.</p>
<p>Last time we were in Paris, we had dinner at the restaurant in the Montparnasse Tower (see Bunsen Burner’s post). It was overpriced, but sitting there watching as the city grew dark and the lights came out was very special. In particular, when they lit the Eiffel Tower, it was stunning. </p>
<p>We also went to Monet’s gardens. We loved it, but don’t recommend as part of a 3 day visit–too far away from Paris. Also, the season matters. You want to be there when everything is flowering–we were there in May. </p>
<p>A friend just got back from Paris with her family and raved about their tour guide in the Louvre. (It was Context Tours). The tour was selective and deep rather than broad and shallow, and the guide was so passionate and interesting that all of them including the jaded teenagers and MD father (who usually isn’t much into art) were enthralled.</p>
<p>Paris is a fantastic place, but the logistics can be daunting.I agree with the posters who have suggested a private tour guide for the 3 days. The care and comfort of 12 people ages 15-85 should be left to professionals. Your group can only travel as fast as it’s slowest member.</p>
<p>If anyone likes art from more recent times, you could consider the Pompidou Center. My art student thought the Louvre was good but she really lit up at the Pompidou. </p>
<p>I second the river cruise, especially in late afternoon or evening. The problem with seeing the lights on the Eiffel Tower at night is that in the summer it won’t get dark until really late.</p>
<p>Are you going to be there over a Sunday? D was just there for May term and said a lot to things shut down on Sunday. So their favorite place to visit then is an area called the Marais, historically Jewish and therefore open on Sunday. Lots of cool shops. If go to Louvre, be sure and spend time on cool things that aren’t on tourist list. Annoyed D that people created log jam to see Mona Lisa and walked by other great artwork. Loved Musee D’Orsay and the Invalides (if like military history…war exhibits were my history major D’s favorite).</p>
<p>Lots of people on the trip means lots of opportunities to split up and do different things. Even when only 2 of us go, we tend to split up and go off on our own part of the time. I wouldn’t think of missing the Louvre, and haven’t in many trips, but others (obviously) can take it or leave it. There’s more to it than the Mona Lisa. I love the Palace apartments and the Middle East stuff and the excavations below it.</p>
<p>Eyewitness has a top ten Paris book. Copy some pages and have people rank what they’d like to see and then use a map to plot where the places are so you can plan the routes. </p>
<p>I don’t like the Champs - except for the car dealerships. The Renault store is fun. Food & drink along is too expensive and low quality. </p>
<p>Look up the markets and find one in the area you’re staying. Wander through and marvel at the variety.</p>
<p>Musee Marmottan, out by the Bois de Boulogne, has a large collection of Monets. It isn’t on the museum pass and isn’t the easiest to get to, but is beautiful.</p>
<p>My husband really likes the Invalides/Military museum. I’ve never been. He and the girls also enjoyed the sewer tour.</p>
<p>The Place de la Republique has just been reno’d as has the former expressway (Les Berges) by the Seine. Places to walk and sit and people watch. </p>
<p>We’ve done the Segway tour - great fun. The old Opera house is beautiful and lots of shopping in the area (the shoe floor at Galleries Lafayette is something else). The cafe(teria) in GL has many choices for food and even a wine dispenser, much like a pop dispenser. It’s a nice place to rest your feet and get a reasonably priced snack or meal.</p>
<p>Look on Chowhound for some restaurant ideas and plot on your map where some are in case you’re in the area and want something to eat or drink. Nothing worse than being hungry in a strange city and not knowing where to eat.</p>
<p>If it’s in the summer, I’d skip the top sites altogether, Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Ste. Chapelle other than walking around the outside. There will be huge lines and bus loads of tourists of all nationalities. Ste. Chapelle is a nightmare to get in when the lines are long for a few minute visit. There’s not that much to see inside, although it is breath-taking and worth it if you have the time. I’d suggest the Rodin museum. Sacre-coeur would probably be doable, esp. walking around behind. I’d skip the Louvre (or any of the other major museums) unless you do a guided tour where your guide can navigate you through it and help avoid the lines. With a large group of people, a guided tour would be much more feasible. I’ve never been there when the Picasso Museum was open, but that might be a good choice. I second the Orangerie. Giverny is too far for such a short trip. Versailles would be manageable (do subway/bus, not the train as it’s quite a trek from the train station). However, I would stay in the gardens and see the grounds and other buildings rather than fight the lines to get inside. The Musee du Cluny is another good one.</p>
<p>Plan your visits to see the outside of the top spots, look for smaller museums off the beaten path, and do guided tours of any of the top sites you just don’t want to miss. There is a LOT of walking, even if you are used to it, and it’s not comfortable walking (lots and lots of stairs if you use the subway, bustling often narrow sidewalks, cobblestones). You might want to think about chartering a van to take the whole group around rather than trying to navigate the subway, keep track of inexperienced travelers, and keep such a large group together.</p>
<p>I knew this was the place to ask.
Yes it is a family trip. The grandparents are fairly mobile. One has a knee problem and her walking might be limiting. The GP’s have been to Paris many times, this trip is a way to share their love of Europe with the grand kids. One GP was born in another European country and is very in Europe. Private half day tour of Louve is booked already for the first morning. One dinner reservation has been made. I think there will have to be some divide and conquer as logistically 12 is a large group to maneuver.</p>
<p>I once got dh through a bit of each of the top things to do there- in a grand total of 48 hours. And including Versailles (half the tour which coincidentally started a few min after we arrived) plus Cluny and St Denis. And time to sit. He was an unusually cooperative subject. This was one of those dirt cheap bus trips- transp and hotel- from another city, so we accommodated. (And the bus gave us an hour layover at V, so it worked.)</p>
<p>My tip for getting around is (after walking the Ile and Left Bank)- if you’re trying to do lots, bite the bullet and pay for taxis. I usually walk, but whirlwind is different and some will tire. Unlike the Metro, you can feast your eyes from the cab.</p>
<p>Also be sure you check which days some museums are closed.</p>
<p>One of the days will be a Sunday.</p>
<p>I am a big fan of the Batobus. It keeps you outside in the sunlight (which helps get over jetlag) as you travel from one notable sight to another and honestly, who doesn’t enjoy a boat ride…in Paris no less! It may be a good way to get your crowd around for a day. [promenade</a> en bateau a paris - balade en bateau sur la seine - promenade bateau seine - bateau sur paris](<a href=“http://www.batobus.com/]promenade”>http://www.batobus.com/)</p>
<p>We were in Paris two years ago during the summer and did not find the waits so onerous, particularly if this might be one’s only visit.</p>
<p>If you do decide on Versailles and can get there early (right when it opens) go past the Chateau entrance. Take a left and go directly to the gardens. Straight ahead you will find golf carts for rent. You can tool around the immense gardens for as long as you please,avoiding stress to old knees, and see lots and lots of interesting stuff.Added bonus there is a lovely little restaurant down below where you can buy sandwiches and wine for a picnic ala Watteau’s “Fetes Galantes.”</p>
<p>added a picture so you know what to wear:</p>
<p><a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Antoine_Watteau_034.jpg[/url]”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Antoine_Watteau_034.jpg</a></p>
<p>We loved Invalides also -old arms and armor - nice ww1 and ww2 museums - Napolean’s tomb - beautiful chapel (easy to miss - just has a unmarked wooden door to enter) - old relief maps of french towns - all included in the museum pass. It is also right next door to the Rodin museum (also accepts the pass).</p>
<p>When we took the kids to Paris, at the Louvre, we only went to see the Mona Lisa (which I do think is worth it, all cleaned up.) The kids were more taken by the huge mural style oils in that room. And the tourists elbowing to snap pictures. Then the Venus, some meandering and after roughly 90 minutes, out to have baguette sandwiches we had bought earlier, by the fountains- another highlight for them. We got our museum passes at the Louvre- downstairs across from, yup, Starbucks. (I hear there is now a McDonald’s there, too.) Thing is, if you can appreciate museums in the first place, you can have the comfort of knowing you will return, you will absorb the bits you do see, without having to go through the place gallery by gallery.</p>
<p>The nice thing about Notre Dame is it’s an emblem for old Paris and right there on the water. Great views, great sense of the isle. Crepes off to one side. Gypsies. Berthillon not far. On the bridge to Berthillon, performers. Another highlight.</p>
<p>One thing I love is to stop at one of the cafes for a pot of hot chocolate. Get the French waiter experience, sit and people watch. Feel like you are part of it, forever. We also made dinners easier by eating a bit earlier than the crowds. </p>
<p>I think OP will have a grand time, no matter what. It’s a city you breathe. So, keep lots of just plain wandering time and whatever combo of things you see will work. Try to get to Montmartre at sunset. Try to see the Eiffel at night.</p>
<p>I really love the comments posters are making- seems we all could almost travel together, laid back and appreciative. Over on the travel sites, it’s so often about run, run, run, cram it all in.</p>
<p>ps. Good site, official web for city tourism: en.parisinfo.com. I think it was through them that we had a personal evening walking tour through Ile St Louis, free service. Great experience. Just us and a volunteer guide, no script.
I think this is it: <a href=“http://www.parisgreeters.fr/?lang=en[/url]”>http://www.parisgreeters.fr/?lang=en</a></p>
<p>love Paris. I agree, Musee De orsay is the best, have been a couple of times and I love it. Notre Dame , don’t remember the long line, San Chapelle is gorgeous love the concert idea. Eifel tower at night. Bouton Mouches at night, seeing the cathedrals all lit up gorgeous. Montmarte just so Paris. Caf</p>
![http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Antoine_Watteau_034.jpg[/url]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Antoine_Watteau_034.jpg%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
