Paris, Nice and Vernazza traveler tips?

[madmmac]

After seeing the Tuscany thread I figured why should I not use this great brain trust also.

Anyways, we'll be spending 3+ weeks in France and Italy, beginning in Paris for 10 days and then taking the high speed train to Nice. We will have a car (yes, already have International Driving Permit) in Nice and plan to do some day trips and are spending a couple of nights in Vernazza, Italy.

Yes, we will be doing some of the touristy stuff, but if you have some special off the grid places to see, visit, eat/drink at or whatever, that would be great to hear about. Or, heck even places to avoid works well also!!

Thanks, Mitch

[MRM]

For Paris my main suggestion is to stay someplace in the city center as close to the Metro as possible and to walk and use the Metro as much as possible. You can't turn a corner in Paris without stumbling onto something interesting and historic, and you miss it if you're not walking. The Metro is insanely convenient. You can get within walking distance of almost anything worth seeing in the city.

There's so much to see that is touristy and absolutely fascinating that it's hard to go wrong. Your main risk is not knowing where you are or what to do next and losing time due to inefficiency. The first day of my first visit to Paris I actually took a half day city bus tour. It was fantastic and well worth the time because it oriented my to where everything was and helped me prioritize what to see and in what order. I highly recommend it.

Not to be missed is climbing to the top of the Arch de Triumph. It looks so much different than from the ground. It won't take much time and can be done as you're walking from one attraction to the next. The Musée d'Orsay is hands down the best art museum in the world. Buy the full audio tour and lose yourself for a whole day. The Rodin Museum is a slice of paradise. bring a lunch and eat it in the sculpture garden, preferably as you think about the world while gazing at The Thinker. Lafayette Square and Champs-Elysées are essential. Go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Have lunch at Altitude 100. The Jules Verne is at the top, but I think you need reservations months in advance. Do visit the Louver and find the Mona Lisa. Stand in front of her and try to ignore the tourists around you who complain that she's too small and let her magic captivate you.

Things I would pass on if I went again include The Moulin Rouge. We went to a show and it just didn't do anything for me. It was expensive and crowded.But do get off at the Metro there and walk down Pigalle, the red light district. The Moulin Rouge marks the end of the red light district. I didn't really like Versailles. The Louvre can be too overwhelming if you don't have a plan. Otherwise I can't think of anything I would pass on the next time I visit.

[creaturecat]

kids/no kids?
Last year:
We had an awesome time in Vence, while we were in the south.
We were on a motorcycle.
Lots of small roads/villages to explore north of the city.
Beautiful town centre.
Marseille has supposedly transitioned into a great place to visit.
We had looked forward to being in Avignon, however it was a disappointment, compared to the times that we have visited it in the past. The charm has seemingly dissipated
Paris - Museums, churches, parks and cemeteries. Train ride to Versailles. Train ride to Monet's garden.

[glewis80SC]

We spent 3 days in Paris this past June..family of 4...agree with d'Orsay don't miss it and give yourself plenty of time the Impressionist collection is outstanding, skip the Louve. Schedule a tour of the Eiffel Tower great information and gets you in front of the line, be warned it is BUSY watch your stuff. Yes get to the top of the Arch de Triumph definitely worth the climb, don't miss Notre Dame and walk the Latin Quarter. Get a Paris Pass or Museum Pass its worth it gets you ahead of the lines.
Get to Normandy if you can and The Palace of Versailles...we didn't and regret it. Have a picnic in the Tuileries Garden relax and enjoy Paris eat away from the touristy spots. We did the Airbnb and stayed in the Montorgueil Quarter, its was great to stay where the "locals" live, shop and eat.

[imcarthur]

I can only agree with many of the suggestions above. Except ‘skip the Louvre’ . . . the building is stunning let alone the treasures inside. Just plan ahead & use the Porte de Lions entrance to bypass the major line up at the Pyramid.

10 days is a long time in Paris. Even I would get sick of the place with that extended a stay. Depending upon the time of year, the chateaux of the Loire are only an hour away by train & you could easily spend a day or two there. Ditto Lyon which is just south of Burgundy & on the TGV line.

In Paris, the Jardin Luxembourg is always a must go for me. I recently remotely treated a dealer, his wife & daughter to dinner at Le Diane (near the Arc) & he told me that it was the best meal, with the best service that he has ever experienced. My wife & I thought it was easily the equal of the 2 & 3 Michelin starred restos we have been to. Jules Vernes is still worth it if you can get a reservation, however.

Ian

[jcommin]

A long time ago, my wife and I traveled by train from Geneva to Nice. We rented a car and spent several days traveling the Rivera coast and went into Monte Carlo. Beautiful small towns and scenery, great food and wonderful beaches.

Took a plane fron Nice to Paris and spent six days in the city. Didn't need a car: used the Metro and taxis. Lot to see and do. Take your time, pick and choose what you want to see.

Sounds like a nice trip.

[rick-l]

Originally Posted by MRM

For Paris my main suggestion is to stay someplace in the city center as close to the Metro as possible and to walk and use the Metro as much as possible. You can't turn a corner in Paris without stumbling onto something interesting and historic, and you miss it if you're not walking.

+1 We walked 8-10 miles a day


from my running watch:

[tevake]

Nice is not far from Manaco, worth a visit. Stroll the waterfront. Walk up to the casino along the route of the racetrack.

We had a nice stay in Lavandou a bit to the west, pleasent small beach town.
Stayed in a quirky little place called Le Krill. Facing the water. Nothing fancy but we enjoyed it. Must have been 15 years ago.

A fun read about the area is "A year in Provance "

[look 171]

When we go to Europe and usually wing it without any tours or guide. In strange or off the beaten paths type places, we usually like to stay near the central station. Everyone knows where the central train station is so going back after a long day of getting lost in a big city is always safety net. Issue is, not all hotels are always 5 stars.

Another place we felt in love with is the Lorie Valley. See the chateaus as tourist, Please do that, but we lover the little towns with the small church and the small cafe with little tourist. Country folks are super nice. We ate at many of the small eateries with the owners living in the back and cafe in the front. Good times. Paris was OK, but worth the visit if you haven't been.

[look 171]

Oh, gotta to have dinner or at least a drink in the world's most famous street , the Champs Elysees.

[Cajundaddy]

It's been 15 years since we were in Paris so memories are a bit dim. We stayed on the Left Bank (Rue des Ecoles) which was an easy walk to Notre Dame and the art district.

Unexpected pleasures-

Getting a guide in the Louvre and soaking up all the history and back stories about these magnificent works of art.

Grabbing lunch in an outdoor cafe and people watching.

Having our girls portraits done by art students along the Seine. They still treasure these.

[look 171]

There's something about sitting down eating or drinking outdoors in France. Why is that?

[LakeCleElum]

I have friends in Nice and Monaco.....They will hop in your Hire car and take you to places you would never find on your own.....Their fee is a lunch and beer.......Speaking of Lunch: High above Monace in the Mtn of France is the small Hamlet of "Eze"........Eat/drink outdoors while overlooking the Harbor and all of Monaco.........Heaven...

[Lyle O]

Below Eze, water-side, is the little village of Ville Franche sur Mer. Great spot, a little tough to drive into (small wining roads). Have been going there for years. Stay at the Welcome Hotel. What a gem.

[Cajundaddy]

Originally Posted by look 171

There's something about sitting down eating or drinking outdoors in France. Why is that?

I don't know. I always enjoy people watching but Paris might be the best place on earth to do it. A nonstop parade of interesting folk from all over the world mixed with Parisians going about their day.

Rio is another great spot for this.

[madmmac]

Thanks for all the info everyone and keep them coming.

In Nice, we are actually staying in Ville Franche sur Mer, instead of Nice. My wife loved the smaller feel of it when she was there a couple of years ago. Not me though, I was playing in a golf tournament in Yakima whilst she was in Europe. I indeed got the short end of that stick.

We are staying in the 1st district in Paris in the Les Halles area, if that helps. We have a tour of the Eiffel Tower scheduled and a river/dinner cruise also. Museum passes and Sim cards for the phones upon landing.

The youngest traveler is 21 years old.

Thanks again....Mitch

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by madmmac

We are staying in the 1st district in Paris in the Les Halles area,

If you get homesick for American food there is a great gourmet burger place nearby. Blend Hamburgers on Rue d'Argout, a side street off of the Rue du Louvre. The Cheesy is VG.

Ian

[bleucamaro]

Another +1 for staying close to city center and using bus/trains/walking to get around. Paris traffic sucks, and so does parking. So, you'll be walking and using public transit anyway and the car will be a money waste. Instead of taking the train from Paris to Nice, add a couple days in and drive, stop in Beaune or one of the Luberon Valley towns east of Avignon. I prefered the small towns over the big cities, but maybe thats just me.

And as the others said, head over to Monaco for a day or 2.

[madmmac]

No car in Paris, we knew that it would be a horror with parking and congestion.

We figured the train would be a relaxing way to get to Nice from Paris.

The car is for cruising along the Mediterranean probably from around Marseille to Vernazza.

[imcarthur]

A couple of things . . .

Subway stations & passes. Our passes worked great except for the 2nd time I used mine. I put it in once & the gate didn't open. So, I stupidly slid it in again & it was seized. The machine ate it. And of course, there was no attendant at this unmanned station. And I didn't see the reputed callbox which wouldn't have helped anyway because my French isn't that good. We went to the main Halles station nearby to complain & after 5 minutes of pointless arguing with a French-only attendant – “La machine mange mon billet!” - I surrendered & bought another one. By that time, there were 20 pissed off Parisians in line behind me . . .

Other things to see & do. The re-opened Picasso Museum. The catacombs. Walk around a cemetary or two. Use some of the Paris bikes & cruise the streets. See all of the Statues of Liberty. A day trip to Giverny. A daytrip to Fountainbleu. Visit remnants of Roman Paris at the Arènes de Lutèce & the Cluny (the tapestries are a nice bonus here btw). Eat a ham & cheese crepe at one of the disappearing window cafes. Buy a fresh baguette & go to the park at the tip of the Île de la Cité near the Pont Neuf & watch the Seine cruise boats while you munch on the best bread you will ever have.

Ian