We usually take one big trip during the summer and have typically gone somewhere in the Caribbean, but we're looking to switch it up and visit Paris and maybe some other places in Europe next summer. Once upon a time, my husband was in the Army and we lived in Germany and did a ton of traveling, but we were pretty poor at the time, so traveling now will likely be quite different. We're not rich by any means, but have a lot more than we did back then. Long winded, I guess my question is, should we find a good travel agent to help us plan? Does anyone have any recommendations? Our daughter is very into art and specifically asked about going to Paris.

I'd be remiss if I didn't chime in since I'm a travel advisor.

To answer your question honestly, I think it really depends on your travel style and how much time you want to invest in planning.

If you're comfortable researching neighborhoods, comparing hotels or apartments, figuring out transportation between cities and countries, booking tours, and building an itinerary that flows well, then you may not need a travel advisor. I don't think travel advisors are a necessity for every trip or every traveler.

That said, I do think we can add value in ways that go beyond simply making reservations. We can match you with the right hotels for your family's travel style, recommend experiences you might not find on your own, simplify the logistics, advocate for you if something goes wrong, and provide perks at many hotels that aren't available when booking yourself.

For a first trip back to Europe, especially if you're considering visiting multiple countries, it can be nice to have someone handle the details so you can focus on enjoying the trip.

Whether you work with an advisor or plan it yourself, I hope you have an amazing trip! I am here to help if you decide to go that route!

Traveling within Europe is much less intimidating than it seems. It's quite easy to book train tickets online, even flights are relatively cheap (and sometimes cheaper than trains) once you are in the EU.

As someone said: prompt Chat GPT or Claude with what you want to see, give it your timeline and requirements, and it will likely give you a pretty robust overview of what is and is not feasible. If your daughter wants to see art, a Paris - Florence - Rome itinerary is quite common and can be found all over the internet.

How many days is this trip going to be? That's always the first question.

As was said above, if you like travel planning, you can plan a perfectly good trip to Paris on your own, but, if you don't want to get knee deep in the details, and find working out logistics to be a bore, there's nothing wrong with enlisting a travel advisor. But, even if you go that route, the more you know about the subject (and particularly, the more you know about what you want to see), the more you will get out of a travel advisor.

I don't think we've decided on the total time, but I know we'll go for at least a week.
Thank you all for the input!!!

Kreg17 said:

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I'd be remiss if I didn't chime in since I'm a travel advisor.

To answer your question honestly, I think it really depends on your travel style and how much time you want to invest in planning.

If you're comfortable researching neighborhoods, comparing hotels or apartments, figuring out transportation between cities and countries, booking tours, and building an itinerary that flows well, then you may not need a travel advisor. I don't think travel advisors are a necessity for every trip or every traveler.

That said, I do think we can add value in ways that go beyond simply making reservations. We can match you with the right hotels for your family's travel style, recommend experiences you might not find on your own, simplify the logistics, advocate for you if something goes wrong, and provide perks at many hotels that aren't available when booking yourself.

For a first trip back to Europe, especially if you're considering visiting multiple countries, it can be nice to have someone handle the details so you can focus on enjoying the trip.

Whether you work with an advisor or plan it yourself, I hope you have an amazing trip! I am here to help if you decide to go that route!

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I sent you an email!

I went to Paris a year ago. I enjoyed everything until about 10 am each day, then the crowds get overwhelming. Even the sidewalks well away from the big tourist areas are packed. Fortunately for both the Louvre and Versailles, I was one of the first people through the doors in the morning, but by 10 am, both were wall to wall people.

If there are can't miss attractions that you want to see, make sure you book tickets in advance. You're not going to walk up to the Louvre, Versailles, or Orsay Museum, get tickets and see the place.

If you are Monet fans, go to the Marmottan. Get the first entry time you can and be there a few minutes early to line up. Then once you get in, head directly downstairs (we went down thru the gift shop). We had the whole Monet room to ourselves for a while. It was pretty incredible.

I'd also suggest getting the first available time slots for St. Chappelle. It tends to back up as the day progresses. That's probably my favorite stop in Paris.

BSD said:

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I'd also suggest getting the first available time slots for St. Chappelle. It tends to back up as the day progresses. That's probably my favorite stop in Paris.

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This is rock-solid advice.

Quote:

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Our daughter is very into art and specifically asked about going to Paris.

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My younger daughter wants to be an art historian or an art lawyer, so I have a few thoughts on this:

1.) I took my daughters to the d'Orsay before I took them to the Louvre. The Louvre is like The Met in that your experience can easily become unfocused and overwhelming. You can wander into the d'Orsay without a plan and have a wonderful time. The Louvre requires a plan of attack. For the Louvre, our plan of attack was "Egypt, Classical Greece, Rome." That's a full day, without more. The restaurant up top in the d'Orsay, with the clock, is one of the best places in Paris to take a kid picture.

2.) I honestly believe that Chartres is a better art experience than Notre Dame, but St. Chapelle is a better kid-introduction. I took my daughters to SC, but not Chartres. Part of this is proximity. Part of it is the size of the bite that you are taking.

BSD said:

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I'd also suggest getting the first available time slots for St. Chappelle. It tends to back up as the day progresses. That's probably my favorite stop in Paris.

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That's probably my most favorite attraction in Paris, so def plan on taking her there!!!

My wife just got back from France. A week outside of the city and a week in Paris. Between the crowds and heat Paris was her least favorite. She wasn't expecting different attractions/museums to close early (or not open at all) due to the heat. Admittedly, she said it would have been an entirely different trip if not for the heat.

NoahAg said:

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My wife just got back from France. A week outside of the city and a week in Paris. Between the crowds and heat Paris was her least favorite. She wasn't expecting different attractions/museums to close early (or not open at all) due to the heat. Admittedly, she said it would have been an entirely different trip if not for the heat.

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I wouldn't go to Paris in July or August, unless that's the only time I could make it. It's a great place to visit, but they are not set up to handle the heat. Paris in the spring or fall is one of the world's great travel destinations. In a summer heatwave, it's a mess. If you must go while school is out in the US, go as early in June as you can -- the weather is better, and the crowds are a little bit less as the French school year doesn't end until July.

BSD said:

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Ag with kids said:

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BSD said:

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If you are Monet fans, go to the Marmottan. Get the first entry time you can and be there a few minutes early to line up. Then once you get in, head directly downstairs (we went down thru the gift shop). We had the whole Monet room to ourselves for a while. It was pretty incredible.

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I wish I'd known about this.

I went to Muse de l'Orangerie to see the Water Lilies , and it was awesome. And I saw a large amount of Monet works at Muse d'Orsay.

But, I never knew about that museum.

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I didn't either until a coworker told me about it a few weeks before my trip. I was blown away. It was literally just my wife and me downstairs for about 20-30 minutes until two more people showed up. The painting "Impression, Sunrise" is there. Its name inspired the name of the Impressionist movement. And I had it all to myself for several minutes. It was a fantastic experience.

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That's awesome!

If I go back, I'll add it to my itinerary...

Monet is my favorite painter...followed by Picasso (saw a bunch in Paris, too).

My family (senior & freshman in HS and my wife) are going to Paris in November. We are going to do Paris for a few days and Normandy for two. I actually just posted looking for a spot in Paris to watch the A&M vs OU football game. Below are some of the items we are picking from for our agenda while in Paris.


Printemps Hausmann: coffee,
pastries, views at rooftop

Walk to Montmartre: hang out,
climb dome of Sacre-Coeur (tickets-
no reservation required)

Le Marais Top
Croissants, Pastries, Chocolates,
Cheeses Walk

La Samaritaine (iconic dept. store)

College football at The Moose

Eiffel Tower

Notre Dame Cathedral : visit
interior; climb to top of dome (no
advance reservation)

Luxembourg Garden

Jardin du Palais Royal

Eiffel Tower

Arc de Triomphe (tour inside and
top) and walk/shop Champs-Elysees

Catacombs

Paris Saint-Germain F.C. (Soccer)
at Parc des Princes in Boulogne-
Billancourt neighborhood. Possible
zipline tour at stadium…

Notre Dame Cathedral : visit
interior; climb dome (no reservation)

Louvre (make it super quick)

Orsay (Impressionist and Modern
Art go top level, behind clock)

Rodin Museum and Garden

5PM: SUNSET CHAMPAGNE on the
SEINE

If you can, hire Dale Booth for a Normandy tour. He was awesome.

agmike said:

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My family (senior & freshman in HS and my wife) are going to Paris in November. We are going to do Paris for a few days and Normandy for two. I actually just posted looking for a spot in Paris to watch the A&M vs OU football game. Below are some of the items we are picking from for our agenda while in Paris.


Printemps Hausmann: coffee,
pastries, views at rooftop

Walk to Montmartre: hang out,
climb dome of Sacre-Coeur (tickets-
no reservation required)

Le Marais Top
Croissants, Pastries, Chocolates,
Cheeses Walk

La Samaritaine (iconic dept. store)

College football at The Moose

Eiffel Tower

Notre Dame Cathedral : visit
interior; climb to top of dome (no
advance reservation)

Luxembourg Garden

Jardin du Palais Royal

Eiffel Tower

Arc de Triomphe (tour inside and
top) and walk/shop Champs-Elysees

Catacombs

Paris Saint-Germain F.C. (Soccer)
at Parc des Princes in Boulogne-
Billancourt neighborhood. Possible
zipline tour at stadium…

Notre Dame Cathedral : visit
interior; climb dome (no reservation)

Louvre (make it super quick)

Orsay (Impressionist and Modern
Art go top level, behind clock)

Rodin Museum and Garden

5PM: SUNSET CHAMPAGNE on the
SEINE

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Le Marais is pretty cool. It's the Jewish section of Paris.

Your comment on the "Louvre (make it super quick)" made me LITERALLY laugh out loud. There is no "make it quick" in the Louvre. I spent 6 hrs there, and I think I saw about 20% of what was in the Louvre - and I didn't stop to actually focus on things...Wish I'd had a lot more time in my schedule to see more.

If you've got a short period of time to kill, go by the Pere Lachaise Cemetery and see Jim Morrison's grave. Nothing big, but I found it interesting...

Also, look into Les Invalides. They have an Army museum, and it's where Napoleon's Tomb is. It's actually pretty cool to see.


Other notes:

Get the Museum Pass - it's worth it.

Get the Navigo Decouverte Pass and ride the metro everywhere. It is SUPER easy to get all over Paris on it.

Vestal_Flame said:

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Desole. Vous avez raison. Mon Franglais est bordelique.

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Qu'est-ce que c'est tu as dit?

Quote:

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If you've got a short period of time to kill, go by the Pere Lachaise Cemetery and see Jim Morrison's grave. Nothing big, but I found it interesting...

Also, look into Les Invalides. They have an Army museum, and it's where Napoleon's Tomb is. It's actually pretty cool to see.

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Pere Lachaise is profoundly underrated. Les Invalides is, likewise, entirely worth the time.

The point about visiting Paris before 1 July is really good advice, even without the heat. Paris is a weird-ass ghost town in August. Everyone on the streets is American, and it feels like every non-tourist business is closed.

Regarding the Louvre, I know and agree! My wife is an art historian while my two teenage sons definitely are not. Those are her notes and to-do items! Appreciate all the feedback on here.

Still need to find somewhere to watch College football (A&M vs OU)!

agmike said:

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Regarding the Louvre, I know and agree! My wife is an art historian while my two teenage sons definitely are not. Those are her notes and to-do items! Appreciate all the feedback on here.

Still need to find somewhere to watch College football (A&M vs OU)!

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Serious answer: get a VPN and stream it. Given the kickoff time, there may be a bar somewhere that you can find showing it, but I doubt that you can be sure of that. I've streamed stuff on the ESPN app using a VPN while in Europe.

Following this thread as we just booked a late May/early June trip (hopefully will beat the crowds and heat a little bit). Will be taking our then 12 year old twins.

Regarding the Louvre and other museums, any recs or thoughts on provate tours? (skipping lines and crowds a priority - but we're also very uncultured heathens and some additional commentary may be beneficial)

My favorite providers for this are LivTours and Context Travel.

IMO, the best (if budget allows) is this one: https://livtours.com/tours/private-evening-louvre-tour-the-museum-at-its-best/

They both offer Museum tours that cater to kids as well. I have booked with both of them for past clients and in one instance they put together a scavenger hunt for the kids. May be too childish for your kids but they do a great job.

I always recommend either the first/early entry or the after hours/late evening. The museums are much quieter since most tourists go eat dinner at 6:30/7pm.

I also have partners who can help put together a multi-day / multi-museum guided package if that's something you're interested in.

Happy to answer questions or help with the trip if you're looking for it!

Last year we took the kids to Grindelwald, Switzerland for 5 days and then took a train to Paris for 2 days. Great trip and more than happy to provide details.

Any thoughts on neighborhoods for an AirBNB? My research tells me to look in the 4th/Le Marais. But any other recs? Want to be centrally located and very walkable, nearby cafes, restaurants, etc. Availability in the 4th seems a little limited now but we are 10 months out.

MAS444 said:

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Any thoughts on neighborhoods for an AirBNB? My research tells me to look in the 4th/Le Marais. But any other recs? Want to be centrally located and very walkable, nearby cafes, restaurants, etc. Availability in the 4th seems a little limited now but we are 10 months out.

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It's hard to go wrong in the central area. 4, 5, 6, and 7 will all have great neighborhoods, but slightly different.

Make sure that you are renting a properly licensed rental property -- there are a lot of illegal ones (there are tight restrictions on vacation rentals), and people who sign up for these often find their reservations canceled just before traveling.

Les Marias is great. 2nd is also good for families. IME they both have better pricing than south of the Seine.

If you find one in your budget in the 5th (Latin Quarter) or 6th (St. Germain des Pres) those are also great neighborhoods.

ETA: validate they have AC if you're going in the summer and the accessibility. We had to walk up this tiny windy staircase which got old after a while.