24 Hours in Paris...

Jason · Feb 26, 2018

I am having a bit of good fortune in that my company's bi-annual European support conference is taking place later this year (May) in Europe. After the conference ends (on a Friday), everyone is being given a weekend in Paris. So, before flying back to the States on Sunday morning, I'll essentially have 24 hours in Paris to do some sight seeing and in general just have a good time. The last time I was in Paris was just the airport as I was headed to Bordeaux some 30 odd years ago, so it's been a while. I speak a little French and can get by enough to order a meal, find my way around, etc. but am no where near fluent enough to subsist without resorting to English.

I'd like to do some non-typical tourist-y type things while there. Naturally I'll likely do 2-3 of the standard tourist kinda things like check out the EIffel Tower, the Louvre, and I was debating one of those night time cruises on the Sienne...but beyond that, am kind of at a loss as to how to spend the remainder of my time. Perhaps this could be considered writing research for a short story or two, but I am trying to approach it with an open mind, so...

Any suggestions for how you would spend 24 hours in Paris? I'd basically have Friday night through Saturday at midnight...as my flight leaves Sunday at 9am

Thanks in advance for any and all ideas

KTC · Feb 26, 2018

When I was walking down a street parallel to the Seine, I heard a thump, thump, thump beat. I was intrigued. Turned out to be this:

https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/101766/Bus-discotheque-Sortie-bus

The disco bus. It's a nightclub IN a bus. Fun. Loud.
I'm a Paris junkie, but I'd probably suggest touristy things beyond that. Notre Dame---go at 7:30-8:00 am...NO LINES. Throughout the day, the line up is ridiculous.

Right across from Notre Dame...to the right and across the river when your standing in front of it...is Shakespeare & Company bookstore.

I love walking the spiral staircase in the Arc de Triumphe to see the view from atop it...the Champs de Elysee looks incredible from there.

I'm a walker. You can cover a lot of the biggest things around the Louvre-Tower-Arc-Notre Dame area in that time. (-:

Jason · Feb 26, 2018

Thanks KTC - I am a walker too, so your Arc do Triumphe and Notre Drame suggestions are probably right up my alley! I will definitely keep a disco bus in mind

Enlightened · Feb 28, 2018

Food tour.... Stay off the main street, for food, at the Eiffel Tower. The restaurants cater to foreigner tastes (you will see American foods and what not). There's a restaurant on the actual Tower. Videos on YouTube of it, if interested.

vhilal · Mar 5, 2018

With such a short time, I recommend you start from the Eiffel Tour and cross over to the Arc de Triomphe, continue down les Champs Elysées to the Louvre. You can spend some time at the Louvre and continue on to Notre Dame. This can all be done on foot since you said you enjoy walking. Otherwise (or if you're short on time), you can rent a bike from the Velib stations you'll see everywhere and get around that way, or if you're more daring, take a motorcycle taxi! Once you hit the must-see places, take the time to have a "café" or enjoy a meal in one of the back streets away from the touristy areas. Have fun!!

jjdebenedictis · Mar 7, 2018

It takes 4 hours to get tickets to go up the Eiffel tower, from what I remember, so skip it. You don't have time. Ooh and aah over it from the bottom.

The Louvre? Don't go in; same deal. You don't have time. It's MASSIVE. You could easily spend three days in there. Ooh and aah over it from outside, however; it's gorgeous.

Beyond that? Walk around the area with the Grand Palais, Petit Palais, pont/bridge Alexandre III, and Les Invalides. That area really gives you an understanding of why Paris is considered so beautiful. It's also worth trotting over to the Arc de Triomphe (PS - there are tunnels to take you across the roundabout to the Arc; do not attempt a crossing of that insanity of traffic.)

I also liked Notre Dame, but I'd probably re-visit the sites listed above before going back to it, if I had to do a short trip.

Paris is a little too large to walk between the good stuff comfortably. I'd recommend sorting out the Metro and using it to get around. (We didn't do that, so I can't help you with knowing how to get tickets; that information is probably Googleable.)

frimble3 · Mar 7, 2018

If the conference is at a nice hotel, ask if the desk can get you tickets for the Eiffel Tower ahead of time, perhaps?

Jason · Mar 8, 2018

Good points all - I like the idea of finding out what hotel the conference will be putting us in (if any) to inquire about getting tickets for locales ahead of time...and as it turns out, it looks like I can even purchase the tickets myself right now!

https://www.toureiffel.paris/en/rates-opening-times (just bought it)

I could possibly take a later flight back on Sunday, with minimal change in cost, but suspect most things would likely be closed Sunday anyway.

tiddlywinks · Mar 8, 2018

Lots of great suggestions already. If you can time it to catch a free organ recital at Notre Dame or St. Sulpice, I would highly recommend. Amazing experience! I've been to a recital at ND; have heard that St is the better organ though I can't attest to that personally.

I'm an art buff, so I would get twitchy not seeing the Louvre, but it can be daunting if you don't have a period preference. You could do the Great Hall (if I'm remembering the name correctly offhand - has a lot of the Renaissance - Baroque hits. Giotto, da Vinci, Caravaggio...). The Musee d'Orsay could be a good alternative. It's in a former train station and is quite lovely just for the architecture. And the impressionist exhibit in there...*sigh*

Montmarte District is cool. There's a merry-go-round below st. Chapelle and you can ogle some of the living statues around there, which can be fun.

Sunset up on the Arc is lovely.

So many options. Have fun!!

Bacchus · Mar 8, 2018

I would echo what others have said about times - especially the louvre. A whole day is really just enough to decide which bit you want to spend the next few days in! That said seeing the Mona Lisa is worth the trip on its own. Your first thought will be that it's much smaller than you thought it would be, and then you'll just stare and realise why it probably the single most famous painting ever,

It should be quite pleasantly warm in May, 20-22C ish but feeling much more in the sunshine, I would definitely, definitely, definitely buy a few bits and pieces from a patisserie and wander up to sacre coeur for a picnic. You might still feel like a tourist, but you'll feel like a French one (c:

Raindrop · Mar 9, 2018

I love Montmartre (not far from Notre-Dame). It's just magical.

For cheap, tasty food: try the Quartier Latin (as far as I remember, anyway; I've only been to Paris a few times, and it was years ago -- I remember we had the best couscous ever).

Brightdreamer · Mar 9, 2018

It's probably wrong of me, but when I see this thread, I find myself thinking:

Hours 1-2: Mostly normal, until witnessing the murder.
Hours 3-5: Escaping police who wrongfully think OP killed the person, before falling in with a shady character who knows more than they're letting on.
Hour 6: Brief downtime in an out-of-the-way cafe while backstory is filled in and characterization further fleshed out. May or may not involve time travel, in which case OP may actually be the murderer, but it'll be shown to be justified/necessary to save the world by the time you reach Hour 24...

Jason · Mar 9, 2018

Ha, I actually thought of putting together a montage of sorts on my 24 hours in Paris, but more for documentary purposes in photo format to share with family/friends rather than a plot for a book...

But I like the idea...

:evil

Jason · May 21, 2018

Hey all - I am back from my trip, and wanted to stop in and give some closure to this thread, in case anyone is interested in how the "24 Hours in Paris" went for me. Sadly, not as expected...

Friday
1900 hrs: Arrived in Paris via Eurostar from London with team from work
2000 hrs: Maneuvered across town to hotel via two metros
2100 hrs: Got checked in and deposited bags in hotel room, then back out for a bite to eat
2200 hrs: Bite to eat finished with colleagues from work, four of us decided to go check out a local jazz bar that was close to hotel
2300 hrs: Arrive at jazz club - band mgr is serpentining through club sushing people as band plays some really jiggy, cool, new age-y kinda jazz

Saturday
0000 hrs: Band finishes set, and we go to bar to get a drink
0100 hrs: One decides to go back to hotel, and asks us to ensure the gal gets back ok
0200 hrs: Another work colleague arrives - other two leave, so now it's just me and this Russian guy (who lives in Australia for work) at the club
0230 hrs: Band finishes, and Russian guy decides he wants a shot of tequila, gets two rounds
0300 hrs: Have various chats with interesting folks (the ones I remember are a Spaniard from Toronto, a Russian from Moscow, and two folks from Poland) before we decide to call it a night
0400 hrs: Back at hotel and set alarm for 0800 (meeting my US Training team for breakfast at 9)
0800 hrs: Wake up not feeling too great, but shower and dress, and make it downstairs by 9 - coffee and a croissant should fix it though, right?
0930 hrs: Back in hotel room, regretting the coffee and croissant (*)
1000 hrs: Slide DND sign on door as clearly, I am sick beyond words and spend next several hours dispelling whatever nastiness I took in last night
1200 hrs: Sweating profusely, finally fall asleep, still fully clothed
1600 hrs: Cell phone wakes me up with the reminder that wherever I am, it's time to head over to Eiffel tower. I fall back asleep
1700 hrs: Cell phone wakes me up again, reminding me my Eiffel Tower run is about to start. I fall back asleep
1830 hrs: Cell phone wakes me up. It's a text message from mgr, saying he's not seen me all day, and expects me to be at hotel for team dinner at 7...
1845 hrs: Cleaned up and make it downstairs to dinner. Order a Sprite, and waiter brings a salmon cake with some normally delicious looking side but not to me, I wave it and the subsequent salad off, nibbling only a few bits of crust off some French bread
1900 hrs: Manager shows up at table - pats me heartily on the back, "Hey J, glad ya made it...are you ok?" He noticed my profuse sweating
1910 hrs: Manager tells me to go take care of myself, I obviously am not well
2100 hrs: Wake up, not sure how I made it to my room. Severe muscle cramp in left leg, stomach feels tight too - though can't tell if it's soreness or...

Sunday
0000 hrs: hotel mate comes back to room, drunk as a skunk, and giggling. Hard not to laugh and be jovial with him, but my sides still hurt from earlier hour-long wretching session(*)
0100 hrs: hotel mate returns to room (when did he leave?), saying he found clean towels for the morning if I want to shower (I feel both sick and horribly embarrassed)
0400 hrs: alarm goes off to go wake up, shower and head downstairs and get taxi to airport
0500 hrs: Phone rings, waking me up - concierge says taxi is here
0505 hrs: Arrive at main lobby with bags, manager is there (we're sharing a ride to the airport), we pile into taxi
0530 hrs: Wake up from taxi pulling up to airport, and we head in to CDG, mgr points me to Lufthansa check-in
0545 hrs: Drop baggage and head through security, head home
1545 hrs: Finally back in Denver, now feeling substantially better after sleeping entirely through a 10 hour flight from Frankfurt to here (don't ask me how I made the connection when my plane left CDG to FRA over to my flight back home, because I have no recollection)

So much for 24 hours in Paris

DanielSTJ · May 21, 2018

Damn! I'm sorry it was not more enjoyable.

I hate being sick. It turns me into Mr. Grouchy Daniel.

Still, at least you went! : D

Siri Kirpal · May 21, 2018

Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

Ouch! A thousand blessings for your health.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

DarienW · May 21, 2018

So sorry, Jason. Sounds like food poisoning, which is no fun no matter where you are!

Glad you're feeling better!

jjdebenedictis · May 21, 2018

Well, that sucks, and I am so sorry you had to endure it. I hope you're feeling 100% now, or at the very least will be soon. Maybe you won't remember enough of Paris to have any bad associations with it, and you'll be able to go back and enjoy it properly someday!

Lavern08 · May 22, 2018

DANG! - Sorry your 24 Hours in Paris was a bust, but your account of it was a really interesting read, so there's that (?) :Shrug:

Jason · May 25, 2018

Thanks for the kind thoughts all - but sadly, there's no photos or book forthcoming of the "24 Hours in Paris" variety LOL

DanielSTJ · May 26, 2018

LOOOOL!

Dang.

24 Hours in Paris...

Jason

Ideas bounce around in my head

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

Jason

Ideas bounce around in my head

Enlightened

Always Learning

vhilal

jjdebenedictis

is watching you via her avatar

frimble3

Heckuva good sport

Jason

Ideas bounce around in my head

tiddlywinks

Chaser of Shineyyyy Plot Bunnies

Bacchus

Raindrop

Brightdreamer

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist

Jason

Ideas bounce around in my head

Jason

Ideas bounce around in my head

DanielSTJ

The Wandering Bard

Siri Kirpal

Swan in Process

DarienW

jjdebenedictis

is watching you via her avatar

Lavern08

Sit Down, and Shut Up!

Jason

Ideas bounce around in my head

DanielSTJ

The Wandering Bard