Before you go:
Do your homework; read some blogs about what to expect. Here are some sites that may be helpful:
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/city- guides/free-paris-traveler/
http://www.swifty.com/cities/3641/12-helpful- things-to-know-before-visiting-paris#slide/1/0
http://www.hostelworld.com/videos/27/10-things- you-need-to-know-about-paris
Learn how to call home and how to call Paris.
http://www.howtocallabroad.com/france/
Go to your bank and get a lot of euros. Although you can get them at plenty of ATM’s, your bank might charge as much as twenty dollars for an overseas cash withdrawal.
You will need an electrical converter because they have 220-240 volts system. You can buy one at Radio Shack for about $ 20 including the accessories. Don't try to save money by buying a "converter". You may fry your laptop.
Book a hotel near the metro. Forget about driving a car around Paris where you don’t know the streets, the traffic laws, etc. With my luck, I know I’d have an accident with someone short-tempered who doesn’t speak English. Talk about the vacation from hell!
Familiarize yourself with the Paris metro because you really can’t visit the city without using it. Just plot your destination like “walk to the Luxemborg station, take the metro north (direction De Gaulle airport) to the St. Michel station. Switch to the yellow line, go one stop to Musee D’Orsay,” etc. The stops are listed on a board before the steps to a train. If you don’t see your stop, your about to go in the wrong direction. The stations are listed on a map inside each car so you can monitor where you are in relation to your stop. If you do end up going in the wrong direction, just cross over to the other side of the platform get the train heading in the other direction and continue your journey.
Just go to You Tube and watch one of the videos.
Try to get at least 4 hours sleep on the plane. Take a sleep aid if necessary. When you get to your hotel take a nap and get the other 4 hours.
From your hotel I would go online to Trip Advisor, look up your hotel and click on the browse nearby map. Click on the “Browse Nearby” map and click on “also show” and restaurants tab to find a nearby place to eat. Make sure it has at least four stars. I like to concentrate on the ethnic restaurants. There's no shortage in Paris. By the way, when you enter a restaurant or shop in Paris your supposed to say “Bonjour” and “Merci, au revoir” when you leave. Also, you must ask for the check. In France, its considered impolite to rush people out, so they may not give you the check unless asked. Some people spend literally hours at cafes. You’ll note right away a glass of wine is about the same cost as water. France has some of the best food in the world, so indulge a little.
Also, if your trip takes you by a restaurant with a “Trip Advisor” logo on the window or door, eat there. They only give these to the best restaurants, ones that consistently rate more than four out of five stars.
Day 2. This is an easy day because you may be suffering from jet lag. Start early. Take the metro to the Isle de la Cite or Cite exit. When you exit follow the signs toward the Palais de Justice. You need to enter the Palace of Justice to get to St. Chapelle. St Chapelle is a cathedral missed by many tourists, but it dates back several centuries and has magnifiicient stained glass windows. I think admission was 8 euros.
When you leave follow the signs to Notre Dame Cathedral. Free admission but you have to pay to see the towers, 10 euros, but well worth it.
From here you may want to cross the river to Place St. Michel to eat.
There are many tourist shops right next to Notre Dame. You can also get on the Hop-on Hop-off bus here. Also the area is famous for its bookseller stands that may have an out-of-print book or a first edition.
There are many sight-seeing boats departing from this area. Just walk to the river (Seine) and look around. You can do this now, but a better experience might be at night, more romantic. However, the dinner cruises are expensive.
Day 3. This is a long day. First, take the metro to the Louvre exit. You can just follow the signs without even going outside. Admission is 10 euros, but you may want to buy a Museum pass here for a few days. I recommend you look at the floor plan first and decide what you want to see. I recommend to first-time visitors that you see the Italian Renaissance (including Mona Lisa) and the Egyptian area first.
There is a cafeteria where the food is o.k. or you can go places to eat that you passed on the way to the entrance.
When you leave you will see the Jardin de Tuilleries, Tulip Garden, immediately in front of you. Stroll straight ahead through the garden until you get to the Place de Concord, where you can see an Egyptian obelisk.
From here you will be able to see the Arc de Triomphe. Although it’s tempting to want to stroll down the Champs Elysses, do not walk. It’s much further than it appears. Most of the shops you see are on the net or at the mall at lower prices anyway. Take the metro four stops to the Arc station.
Day 4. An easy day.
Today, I recommend you visit Versailles and/or Fountainbleu. Suggestion: take a picnic lunch. Don’t do this on a weekend; he crowds are hell! One option is to take a tour like Viator but they are expensive. ( I looked for a trip that combines both but didn’t find one, but I know I’ve seen them before.) You can do this yourself, however. First, you need to take the metro to the Versailles station. You will need to take the RER C- train to Versailles, then just walk about a kilometer to the palace. If you want to visit Fontainebleau, you need to take the metro to Gare de Lyon (Lyon train station) to Fontainebleau Avon station. Then take the bus marked “Chateau”.
For the evening why not visit the Eiffel Tower, which is best viewed at night. You should buy tickets on line a few days in advance. Make sure the weather is clear. You can walk up the steps to the first two floors for free. There is a restaurant on the second floor; I’m sure it’s expensive. The line to buy tickets for the top or third floor is often more than an hour and half long.
Day 5. Another day at the (great) art galleries. First, go to Musee D’Orsay, a converted train station, metro exit Musee D’Orsay. I like this better than the Louvre.
By the way, it’s almost directly across the river from the Louvre. There is a café right next door to the museum, I think it’s called Café de deux musees, where I have eaten before. There is also a pricey restaurant on the top floor.
If you like modern art, next stop is Centre Pompidou. Take the metro to Rambuteau station. Note that you have to start on the fourth floor (where you can see the temporary exhibits for an additional fee), then the third, then the second.
If you haven’t already done it, perhaps take the night cruise along the Siene.
One place you want to avoid is the Moulin Rouge. It’s famous but it costs at least 77 euros per person and up 420 euros.
Day 6. Today, consider a trip to the Luxembourg Palace (Palais de Luxembourg), not only a nice palace, but world famous gardens as well. Perhaps bring a picnic lunch. Take the Luxembourg exit from the metro.
In the afternoon, perhaps you will want to visit the Grand Palace. Just take the metro to the Champs- Elysees Clemenceau station. (By now you should be pretty good at getting around on the metro.)
Day 7. Etc. There are still a lot of places left in Paris; to name a few: the Cluny Museum, the Pantheon, etc.
If you have two days, your best bet is to visit the chateaux in the Loire Valley. It’s an easy train ride of less than half an hour.
Here is a helpful link:
https://frogandprincess.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/franc es-top-10-chateaux-in-loire-valley/
The best are Amboise, Chaumont, Chenoceau, Chambord, with over 400 rooms, and Villandry with its fantastic gardens. All of these are in a radius of about 25 miles, so you can rent a bike. You should probably limit yourself to two a day, however.
Another two-day trip would be Monaco, about a five and a half hour train ride, or Cannes, about an hour less.
If you only have one day left consider some of these: Reims, where the king was crowned , Chartes, with its magnificent cathedral, Givenchy, where the impressionist painter Monet got his inspiration, Normandy, where the D-Day invasion occurred, and Mont. St Michel, on the coast, where, when the tide rises, it becomes an island, etc.
St. Michel
Here’s a useful link:
http://www.fodors.com/news/best-day-trips-from-paris- 6327.html
There are also, “Tours de Chocolate”, a three day journey guaranteed to add a few pounds.
http://www.chocoparis.com/chocolate-walks/
I heard they were considering dismantling Disneyland Paris, but it seems to still be running.
Paris also has one of the most famous weekend flea markets, St Ouen.