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Ancient Paris
Reading about Rome before a visit, I am frightened by the number of old things, columns, ruins, churches, fountains, too much to ever begin to take in
With a little work, we could also uncover ancient Paris
there is a round arena, there is the remainder of the Paris Wall, there are the foundations under Le Louvre
And this is just the beginning
Maybe include a timeline
How Old are the Bridges?
Joan of Arc
Jeanne d’Arc (Place des Pyramides)
1874 French gilded bronze equestrian sculpture by Emmanuel Frémiet
Paris Itinerary
2022 Paris Itinerary
This year we travel to Paris BEFORE the Holidays
So many Museums, Restaurants and Events are closed during the Holiday
And it became a Puzzle planning the logistics
That said, it was always exciting departing to Paris for the Holidays
To arrive in Paris on Christmas Eve (even though many shops were closing early)
To go out into Paris early Christmas Day to the Sunrise Mass at Notre Dame
(one of a few days when Paris is empty and you have it all to yourself)
To eat a Christmas Bowl of Onion Soup at Au Pied de Cochon, maybe have some Oysters
But Paris is Dead during the Holidays and to return on a Flight on New Years Day was often Precarious
10 Nights
2 Weekends
4 Hotels
Last year
We learned from all indications that the Hammam at the Paris Mosque is now only offered for females
(a disappointment, but also somewhat of a relief)
Last year we received mixed message whether Eau de Paris was available (or not) due to COVID. This year we will continue our quest to discover fizzy Paris water.
We will continue the Museum Tours which we engaged in last year, it multiplied our experience and pleasure measurably.
There was an excellent English tour at Centre Pompidou of works and artist which we would have discounted otherwise. The l’Orangerie Tour made the works that we view each year explode.
Find a New Church
Take a tour and explore Churches and their Organs during the rebuilding of Cathédrale Notre-Dame
Run in Paris
We are in training for the Rome Marathon, so our training must continue
Let’s Run Paris has runs Monday and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings
(we never participate in tours, but these runs with “locals” are the next-best-thing to a guided tour)
Versailles offers it’s garden and canal
La Defense has runs through plazas and parks
Thursday, December 8th 2021
Depart for Paris
If you can, shop for a reasonable Non-Stop Flight
which arrives in Paris early in the day
Things will be so much easier
-You will have most of the day to become situated
-Even If there are delays, there is less chance of a disaster
Friday, December 9th 2021 (DAY #1)
First Day in Paris
This day of full of opportunity
We usually start our visit in Montmartre
This meshes with our respect for weekdays, which are precious and few
Be Careful: It’s Jet-Lag-Day – your nerves with be frayed and your patience has been spent,
So it’s time to engage your “sangfroid”
Conduct Airport Business (Museum Pass, Postage Stamps)
Buy an RER ticket into Paris and a stack of 10 Metro Tickets “a Carnet” for travel through Paris
Travel through Paris Center briefly to see Paris
Maybe have breakfast at Pied de Corchon
Check-in to the Versailles Hotel (Breakfast Included)
Our best way to adjust your body-clock to Paris time is to go to bed early and get up and get out of bed early the next morning.
Don’t do too much the first day, other than a bath
Versailles is always Closed on Mondays and Wednesday (Christmas)
(Although the garden is open 365)
Saturday, December 10th, 2021 (DAY #2)
RUN Paris (Saturday Morning Group Run)
A Movie
A Day with So-Many-Possibilities
Museum Pass Day #1
Week Day #1
It is a Weekday, it is before Christmas – treasure it
Over the Holidays everyday seems to be either the weekend or Holiday
So Weekdays are precious
Have a Special Lunch (Chez Denise?)
Hammam Opportunity (drop off bags) #1
Tour of Bridges, Fountains or Cemeteries
Get in line early after visiting Eric Kaiser for a Pain au chocolat or Pain aux raisins and our daily Baguette aux céréales
Sunday, December 11th, 2021 (Day #3)
Sunday Morning
Church
Louvre
Afternoon Theater
Hammam Opportunity
One of Our Favorite Days:
This is a day to enjoy the morning, sleep-in, RUN the grounds of Versailles
The hotel has an excellent breakfast, it’s one of the few Paris Hotel Breakfasts worth paying for
Montmarte on Christmas Day (Sacre Couer)
Maybe a good day for a Movie
Museum Pass Day #2 (Pomdidou)
(Notre-Dame de Paris)
Monday, December 12th, 2021 (DAY #4)
MOVING DAY
The Chateau of Versailles will be closed Monday
The Gardens of Versailles are open every day of the year
Up and Out, Early and in-line when the Museums Open
Museum Pass Day #1
Week Day #1
Le Louvre
Back to Versailles on RER
Tour the Chateau (if the line is manageable)
Otherwise tour the grounds and outlying buildings
Discover Versailles, located in the western suburbs of Paris
There are a variety of bakeries and groceries in historic Versailles, we avoid the other touristy side of town
Day #1 of Velib 7 Day Pass (Thursday, December 26 – Wednesday, January 1st)
Tuesday, December 13th, 2021 (DAY #5)
RUN out to La Defense
Breakfast in Versailles
Tête de veau (a traditional Christmas food)
Musee D’Orsay is the only Major Museum open on Tuesdays
Hammam Opportunity (drop off bags)
Back to Versailles on RER
Tour the Chateau (if the line is manageable)
Otherwise tour the grounds and outlying buildings
Discover Versailles, located in the western suburbs of Paris
There are a variety of bakeries and groceries in historic Versailles, we avoid the other touristy side of town
Museum, Falaffel back to Bercy
Check-out of Montmartre Hotel (Sans Breakfast)
Move to Bercy (early move)
Museum Pass Day #2
Week Day #3
If you Move Early – Not required to leave museums early
(and spent multiple hours shuttling between hotels)
Able to have lunch, visit a second museum and utilize a precious weekday)
Monday Night Run (7:30)
Wednesday, December 14th, 2021 (DAY #6)
MOVING DAY
RUN Bercy
Run in the Garden
Breakfast in Versailles
Up and Out for a Saturday morning RUN (Lets Run Paris)
No Museum Pass
Visit venues not covered by the Museum Pass
Thursday, December 15th, 2021 (DAY #7)
Run Versailles
Lunch Opportunity
Pompidou and Flaffel
Pere LaChaise Cemetery
Friday, December 16th 2021 (DAY #8)
MOVING DAY Week Day #5
Up and Out Early into Paris for Church Service then in-line when the Le Louvre Opens
Weekday!
Lunch at Wine Shop or Falafel
Velib to Naturalia
Picpus Cemetery
Saturday, December 17th, 2021 (New Years Eve) (DAY #9)
RUN Paris (Saturday Morning Group Run)
Hammam Day #3
Check-out of La Defense Hotel
Move to Bagnolet (early move)
We call this our final day in Paris (although it is not)
Visit a Museum, transact our final business
Musee D’Orsay is the only Major Museum open on Tuesdays
Discover Père-Lachaise/Gambetta Neighborhood
Museum Pass Day #3
Week Day #5
It’s guaranteed to be a wacked-out crowded, crazy day in Paris
Up and Out Early and in-line when the Museums Open
Le Louvre
Then Tie Up Loose Ends
Do some final shopping
Buy some groceries and New Years Eve goodies, maybe some Champagne
The last two (3) years we purchased theater tickets, but it is not the best night to be out in the Metro returning to our hotel at 11p while people rush through the subway on the way to midnight celebrations. So celebrate early and visit churches and theaters the night before (you can be practical in Paris or you can succumb to the tourist experience)
There have been no fireworks in Paris on New Years Eve for several years
Last year there was an impressive light-show at the Arc de Triomphe
Although we are seldom up for midnight, La Defense has an spectacular plaza overlooking the City Lights of Paris
Sunday, December 18th, 2021 (DAY #10)
Morning:
Church
Louvre
Afternoon Opera (Le Petite Boutique des Horror)
Hammam Opportunity
Initially, New Years Day was the day to fly home
Now we arrive one day earlier, stay one day later
New Years Morning is like Christmas Morning
-Go to Church
-Go to Breakfast
-Walk some empty street (perhaps the Left Bank)
Saturday Morning Run 9:00
Final Day in Paris (But almost everything will be closed)
Museum Pass Day #4 Pompidou and D’Orsay
Finish your correspondence and write Postcards
(Best Selection of Postcards on ground floor of le Louvre and a post office to buy French stamps)
Relax and enjoy your last afternoon in Paris
Lunch in Bagnolet
Ride the Velib
Monday, December 19th, 2021
Depart from Paris
RUN Eiffel Tower
Breakfast in Bercy
Mail your postcards (or leave them at the Front Desk – to amuse the staff
Check-out then ride Metro into Paris and RER train to Airport
Departure from Paris (CDG)
We like the idea of flying to Paris economy, but returning First Class (but overall, it is probably a bad and expensive idea)
Stay in:
Montmartre (Traditional First Stay, wonderful neighborhood, Sacre Cour, Cemetery
Champs-Élysées (Checking Out a Hotel for a Future Visit
Versailles (We like the departure, we like running in the garden)
Pantheon (Trying-Out a New Historic Hotel on the Left Bank)
Museums:
Louvre (Special Pass)
D’Orsay
MUSÉE DE L’ORANGERIE
Pompidou
Petit Palais and Grande Palais
Winter Exhibits: _______________
* A good traveler has no fixed plan and is not intent upon arriving” – Lao Tzu
Les Cinq Hôtels provides further information on the Five Hotels where we stay
Subscribe to Paris Memos (our email list)
Pavillions du Louvre (Richelieu Wing)
Pavillion Turgot
Pavillion Richelieu
Pavillion Colbert
Pavillion de la Bibliotéque
Pavillion de Marsan
Pavillion de Rohan
Pavillon de l’Horloge (the Clock Pavilion)
Paris Culture: The New “Clock Pavilion” at the Louvre
Pavillions of the Palais du Louvre
https://wp.me/p3hvvc-2rE
Paris for the Holidays 