Paris with a few free days...

A work trip to Paris in mid February and I thought I’d fly the wife out.

With just a couple of free days, where to? Maybe jump the train to Dijon? We like simple, casual travel and as my wife says “cute” is a priorty.

I just stayed in Beaune for a few days and it would definitely fit that description.

Another easy train ride from Paris is Strasbourg - bigger city but the old town also fits your criteria.

Of course there are side trips from either place or you can have fun right there.

Versailles is “cute.”

Have you and she been to Paris before? My first inclination with just a couple of days is to explore the city… Montmartre, etc. You can train out to Giverny for a few hours and see the gardens Monet painted, etc. But… Paris is one of Europe’s great cities and if you two haven’t explored it I don’t really see a need to go elsewhere.

Feb might be a bit early for gardens. If you love Monet I recommend the Marmottan museum in Paris. On par with the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam.

Thanks, as you’ve mentioned, its been decided with just a few days we will stay in Paris.

should be fun.

I second the recommendation for the Musee Marmottan. It’s off the beaten path a bit, but well worth the effort to get there.

Also the Jaquemart Andre Museum. Musée Jacquemart-André - Home | Musée Jacquemart-André

+1 on Musee de Marmottan. Yes, it’s quite off-the-beaten-path, but well worth it for the Monet paintings.

If you’re a Cezanne fan, there’s currently an exhibit at Musee du Luxembourg. I love this museum and usually add a nice walk in the serene and pretty Luxembourg gardens. The exhibit runs until the end of February.

There have been some renovations done at the Musee d’Orsay, at least since the last time I was there in 2010. There seem to be much better lighting on the artwork and I like the very visible gallery groupings on the impressionists, by periods and styles. If going, go very early to avoid the large crowd.

There is no need if you have a few free days to ever leave Paris, especially if this is your first time. Even for Versailles. Even then make it to there early, so you get back to more Paris.

Having said that, if you rent a car, Champagne country is less than 2 hours away.

This is from someone who’s done the train to Dijon/Lyon, and driven to Rouen and Normandy. Ahh, Normandy.

If you’re going to a museum, especially for an exhibit, try to get tickets in advance. Often these things get sold out, and that way you can avoid disappointment or a long wait. The tickets are usually (maybe always) for a specific day and time.

Agree. We got ours from digitick.com, which is easy to navigate with just using my iPhone’s internet. No booking fee or any other fee. I buy our tickets while having our morning coffee and croissant and will ask our hotel’s reception to print for us before we leave.

Handy! It sometimes happens that these exhibits sell out way in advance–we couldn’t get into the Monet (?) show a few years ago, for ex.

We’re back, great trip. We stayed in bastille near a metro and lots of bus lines. Comments:

  1. French take the whole sidewalk cafe thing seriously. It’s a way of life.
  2. You can walk everywhere, we did 4-5 hours a day. Then bus or metro when needed.
  3. Metro is great
  4. French people wear black. If not, then red or orange pants are acceptable.
  5. Cafe, pastry, and chocolate shops are the foundation of the economy.
  6. Even in winter, half the people in Paris are tourist.
  7. French people are very helpful.
  8. German tourist are not.
  9. French like building monuments
  10. Is OK to let your dog shit anywhere
  11. Art is important (culinary, fine, music)
  12. Law requires wearing of scarfs.
  13. Museum pass is a life saver.
  14. There are a lot of stolen national treasures in the louvre.
  15. Paris is the best large city in the world