Paris

bahamabride2015

FI and I are thinking of doing a 10-day trip to France, starting off in Paris and possibly taking a little weekend trip to another country (plane or train). Does anyone who has done this trip or similar have any suggestions for places to go/ things to see? Also, recommendations for a great place to go for the weekend would be most appreciated. I definitely want to see Versailles but other than that we have an open mind. Thanks!

daria24

We did about 10 days in France, 4 in Paris, then took the train out to Alsace and stayed in Colmar for 3 days, then went back to Paris for a few more days. I loved Alsace-we toured a bunch of different villages, went on a lot of wine tastings, went to Haut-Koenigsbourg castle. And ate. A lot. The train ride was very pleasant, about 2 or 3 hours. We went in May and the weather was perfect. If you are going in September/October, that is harvest season and they have a lot of events. 

bahamabride2015

We're actually going in March so not sure how warm it would be then (we live somewhere HOT so we aren't to worried if it isn't hot where we go) but obviously really chilly isn't ideal.  We are thinking about splitting the 10 days between France and the Amalfi coast as well for a bit more warmth and a change.

SBmini

Ahhh springtime in Paris! April is apparently the prettiest month to go, so if you can get past the chill, I'm sure March is very, very nice. Paris is a lot like Seattle weather wise. It's wet and cold. I went in January, we had a lot of rain and days in the 40s. In March, it warms up to the mid 50s during the day and down into the 40s at night. Europe is higher north than the US is so it tends to be colder there. Splitting your time between France and Italy is a good idea of you want the best of both worlds.

When I did Paris I mainly went to museums. Versailles is beautiful and super over the top, but it is a train ride out of the city so plan for all day. The Louve is of course a must, but I also really liked the Orsay museum, it's full of impressionist art and is an old train station which makes it very romantic. 

Biggest tip I can give you is be very wary of pick pockets and scams. Leave your passport in a hidden place at the hotel and don't stop for anyone or anything. Hold your bag in front of you on the subway and try to blend in. Don't wear anything that screams "I'm an American" and that includes white tennis shoes. Here's four common scams in Paris. My friend got caught in the spring trick, but thankfully, nothing was taken from her. Another scam is the poor mother begging with her child. But I have some sad news for you- that child is rarely hers and is often times drugged to keep him/her asleep. It's very, very sad. Don't let this keep you from going, just be smart and you'll be fine. 

daria24

Yeah March would be tough. I went to Sevilla in March and it was perfect-about 75 degrees, and it's probably the most beautiful city I've been to. 

bahamabride2015

Thanks SBmini ! 

We live in the Bahamas which is a high crime area and both have travelled pretty extensively (I have been to Italy and he has been to France but neither of us have been to both and both would like to go back) so we're pretty aware of our surroundings but always good to know what the current scams are! 

indianaalum

I HIGHLY recommend going to Giverny to see Monet's gardens (We went in summer, so check how weather is when you go). We loved it there. So beautiful and peaceful. We did a bus tour, and caught the bus in Paris. It included a lunch at the most adorable, gorgeous restaurant with great food  (I am telling you, so pretty, it's worth looking up         (http://giverny.org/restos/fourges/)

 Though, I know many people who did it by taking a train to Giverny. It is about 1-2 hours there from Paris and it exactly how you envision old france. It is just so beautiful and scenic there

honestly? I hated versailles.. Depending on when you go, it is sooooooo ridiculously crowded, it was hard to enjoy.  I spent more time inside the house and not enoughh in Gardens (because I did a group tour). If I was to go back, I would skip the tour of the house and just hang in the gardens. IF you go on your own, expect super duper long lines (at least in the summer when we went)

(on a side note, I did a tour that was morning in Giverny, afternoon in Versailles, if you are interested. I know several bus tours do that same route)

Other tips. If you want to go to the TOP of the eiffel tower, look for tickets NOW. It sells out months in advance.

Invest in the Paris Pass. It helps you skip lines at several locations which saves you HOURS of time waiting in line in various places and it lets take a bus tour of the city. WELL worth the money (at least for us, look into to see if you would go to those locations yourself)

Go to "Rue De Cler"--- buy a picnic lunch and eat on the grounds of the eiffel tower

Agree with others. Watch your purse like a HAWK...theft is very high in paris. We met some americans who had their passports stolen on day 1 while in the lobby of their hotel. be VERY VERY careful.

The Charles de Galles airport might have been one of the most crowded I have ever seen. We waited in line close to 3 hours to get through gate. Go early

Last, ignore the stereotypes. We found french people to be super nice and had no issues with language at all. We loved it there 

If you are adventurous, we drove around france. it was such a fun adventure and simply breathtaing in the countryside

bahamabride2015

Amazing, so helpful indianaalum!  I will look into Giverny for sure!  I told FI prepare for a full walking tour of Paris while I hunt for the world's best macarons (my favorite food in the whole world!).  I've had Ladurée but I want to try them alllllll!