Paris, How much??

DMG_49

Going to Paris in a few weeks..

Is Paris a dear place to go?

How much would it be to get into tourist attractions? like...

Eiffel Tower?
Louvre?
Catacombs?
(And any other attractions)

Do you pay anything for Notre Dame?

What about food?Is that dear?

Looking for a rough guide from anyone who has been before...

Corkblowin

Eeemmmm.....while you're online you could look at their websites.....

Anyway, been there a few times and have some recommendations....if you're not there long I'd skip going up the eiffel tower - queues can be horrendous and to the view isn't worth it.

The Louvre is ok, but most only go to see the Mona Lisa, the Musee D'Orsay is far superior and has a lot of the modern artists like Monet, Degas & Rodin. If I could only go to one I'd pick it. Having said that the exterior of the Lourve is spectacular and its a nice walk from there to the Place De Concorde (where Marie Antoinette was executed) either through the gardens (Tuileries) or along the street.

No fee for Notre Dame - and again a nice walk around that area too.

As for food - its same as everywhere - eat in the touristy places you'll pay more - but I was there this time last year and didn't think it was excessive in comparison to here.

Enjoy!

DMG_49

Corkblowin wrote: »

Eeemmmm.....while you're online you could look at their websites.....

Anyway, been there a few times and have some recommendations....if you're not there long I'd skip going up the eiffel tower - queues can be horrendous and to the view isn't worth it.

The Louvre is ok, but most only go to see the Mona Lisa, the Musee D'Orsay is far superior and has a lot of the modern artists like Monet, Degas & Rodin. If I could only go to one I'd pick it. Having said that the exterior of the Lourve is spectacular and its a nice walk from there to the Place De Concorde (where Marie Antoinette was executed) either through the gardens (Tuileries) or along the street.

No fee for Notre Dame - and again a nice walk around that area too.

As for food - its same as everywhere - eat in the touristy places you'll pay more - but I was there this time last year and didn't think it was excessive in comparison to here.

Enjoy!

Thanks for the reply, got prices for most things now.
What time would be best to go to effiel tower if we were going to go?

So food, drink etc is similar to here?

Gemma01

The best time to go would be in the evening when its still bright and then stay untill it's dark because it also offers a great view at night when the city is lit up. Sacré-Cœur is another great place to go to get a view of the city.

bills

Paris is expensive enough for food/drink.

But its a beautiful city & loads to see & do.

Lollymcd

Try and prebook as much as you can before you go, especially if your going to be there at the weekend, you could spend hours in queues otherwise.

fofany

If you are at Notre Dame, cross over the river to the Latin Quarter & there are streets of restaurants just there. Much cheaper to eat out there & if you haven't already booked your accommodation, it's a great area to stay - loads of bars & restaurants, metro station, nice walk along the Seine to Louvre, Tulliers Gardens & then Place de la Concorde, also very close to Chatelet des Halles & all the shops around there. I have been a few times (going again next week) & love Paris. Have a great trip.

FortuneChip

Gemma01 wrote: »

The best time to go would be in the evening when its still bright and then stay untill it's dark because it also offers a great view at night when the city is lit up. Sacré-Cœur is another great place to go to get a view of the city.

Favourite place I visited in Paris. Evening/Nighttime the view is amazing! Plus, some nice lads selling bottles of Heineken relatively cheap, performers singing, lots of people chilled out etc

Then, a short walk will bring you to the red light district which is an interesting place (probably mroe so in the afternoon when more places are open)

ncmc

I think Paris is one of those places that you can spend as much or as little as you want. The tourist attractions are suprisingly cheap compared to some cities, most are about €7/8. I would agree with the suggestion to skip the Eiffel Tower, when you are up there, you are missing the most recogniseable thing in the Paris skyline, the tower itself! Also, it is so high, the visability can be quite poor at times. You could easily spend half a day queuing to get up there and personally I think it is over-rated. Although I agree it would be lovely at sunset, I think if you are determined to see it, get there before opening in the morning and try and be near the front of the queue. I would recommend either the towers of Notre Dame or Arc D'Triomphe for views of the city. Notre Dame Tower is very impressive as you get to see the gargoyles up close.

I also agree with the advice to skip the Louvre and go to the Musee D'Orsay. Get there early, head straight up to the 5th floor where all the really famous pieces are and make your way down the floors. If you start at the bottom, you won't be able to get near the famous Impressionist pieces by the time you get to the 5th floor.

As for food, there is something for every taste bud and budget. As someone mentioned, there are tons of reasonable restaurants in the Latin Quarter, some better than others (a good tip is avoid any place that has pictures of their food on the menu!) If your hotel offers a breakfast, take advantage of that and fill up. My hubby and I like to have lunch from a vendor (crepe for me, hotdog fromage for him) there are so many lovely gardens and parks where you can eat if the weather is good, so much nicer than a stuffy restaurant IMO and dirt cheap too! We have a snack of a pastry or ice-cream in the afternoon, and then treat ourselves in the evening with a nice meal. Beer and spirits are dear, wine not so much, so skip the beer and stick to the wine if you are on a budget. Bear in mind also, that tipping isn't the norm in Paris, so don't feel you have to add 15 or 20% to the bill.

Have a wonderful time and try not to plan it too much. Paris is one of those wonderful cities that is best enjoyed when you just wander around and discover all it's wonderful secrets! Enjoy!

ihavequestions

I was just in Paris for 4 days and 3 nights! We stayed in the Grand Hôtel Clignancourt in Montmartre which was a 5-min walk from Sacre-Coeur. The hotel is very cheap and I would really reccommend it!

The metro is the way to get around, buy a carnet of 10 tickets ( 12euro ) as you need them! It is hard to get used to at first but it becomes easy to follow!

The only tourist attraction we paid for was the Eifel Tower, which was 6.50 I think, but only to the second level. The top was closed when we were there but id re-opening on the 10th Febuary! I was disappointed when we found out the top was closed but I soon didn't care as the second level was even too high for me! So scary for those with a fear of heights! We went at night, which in my opinion is the best time to go. Every night at 7.30pm the Eifel Tower lights up and sparkles brilliantly for a few minutes. It is a magical sight, one which can not be viewed if you are on the tower of course!

The Arc de Triomphe is a must go. Best view of Paris in my opinion. We went there at night also and it was amazing! Free to go to top! Hilarious to watch the mayham of the roads below-they have no system!! You'd have to be mad to drive there!

Notre Dame was also free, view from top was breath-taking. We went to evening prayer there at 5.35, which was basicly French hymns, was brilliant!

The Louvre is a must see, also free, prepare to be disappointed by the Mona Lisa! The painting on the opposite wall of the last supper is far more interesting in my opinion!

Père Lachaise Cemetery is also a must see. It is th burial place of over 1 million graves, including Fred Chopin, Oscar Wilde and Jim Morrison! Free of course! You'd need to give yourself a few hours here, it is massive!

In relation to food, it is not that dear! You can find really cheap cafe/bistro places that offer 3 course meals for as little as 11euro! We chose to eat out only once and cooked food in our hotel the other days!

You are def choosing the right time to go to Paris! We didn't have to queue up for any of the tourist attractions , at all like! I can't see how a little bit of sun would make it a better holiday! In total for my 3 nights and 4 days , including flights, travel, accommodation, food + EVERYTHING, I spent approx 220euro. Well worth it!