Paris, Part II

Bon joir! There is nothing more exciting than your first day in Paris as you embark on a day of sightseeing and there is nothing more deflating than spending hours waiting in line or arriving at a museum to find out that it is closed. So here are a few tips to consider before heading out that might save you some time and frustration.

· Plan on being at major attractions 30 minutes before they open in the morning to avoid the long lines. There will still be lines, but not as bad.
· Purchase your tickets online in advance if possible. I know you can do this for the Louvre and most of the museums and Versailles. You might also want to look into the Paris City Pass.
· Always have a plan B so that if it rains or several tourist buses just pulled up right before you got there you have an alternative plan.
· Early in your trip take a guided walking tour. I am not a huge fan of guided tours. I enjoy discovering an area for myself, but I have found it helpful and very interesting to take a small group guided walking tour. You can learn a lot of things from your guide that you won’t read in travel books and the guides tend to have great tips since they live there. The one that I took a few years back was through http://www.paris-walks.com/ . On my recent visit my sixteen year old daughter was with me so we went on a Ghost Tour. It was very interesting and different. The guides weren’t as polished as some, but they were very entertaining and had some very cool “creepy” stories. This group was http://www.mysteriesofparis.com/ .
· I have always found that taking the metro in the morning or when changing attraction locations during the day is the most cost effective way to navigate the city which is why it is essential to have a good Metro Map. However, after a day of sightseeing and walking you will be exhausted take a taxi back to the hotel. Trust me this little splurge will be a life and feet saver. I never spent more the 10 Euro taking a taxi back and the average was between 6 – 8 Euro. Try to take a taxi before 4:30 or after 6:00 pm.
· Not all metro stations have person to buy metro tickets from. They have machines that you can purchase a book of 10 1 trip tickets for 11 Euro. However, these machines only take coin Euros so make sure that you have that on you.
· I have found the book of 10 1 trip tickets the most convenient especially if you plan on taking taxis at the end of the day. We purchased two books of 10 and I still have a couple left.
· Unlike USA subways a lot of their train doors do not open automatically at each stop. You have to push either a green button or pull a lever. The first time I went to Paris I did not know this and stood at the doors waiting for them to open. They never did and the train left the station. I sat down and waited for someone to get off at the next stop to figure out what to do.
· Also, unlike US subways their trains aren’t air conditioned. This leads to a not so nice aroma by mid-afternoon in the summer. Another reason to take a taxi.

I hope these tips help you navigate the City of Lights. Happy travels. Au Revoire!