"Off to Paris for 10 days, what to see and do?" Topic

I am going to Paris, France for 10 days soon. Other than the typical sightseeing destinations, what is there for a history buff/wargamer to see and do in Paris this time of year? Any easy day trips the TMP community can recommend? Are the U.S. Normandy beaches too far away? How about the Somme?

Thanks to all in advance!

The Musee Armee ("Army Museum") is awesome. I spent a day there and felt rushed.

Napoleon's Tomb, the Louvre

Yes, the Army Museum, worth it for a French viewpoint on WW2.

And Napoleons Tomb.

The Armee Musee has much more than WW2 stuff. A fabulous collection of medieval and renaissance armor and weapons (including early firearms), for instance. An FT-17 tank. And, of course, the cathedral for the invalides, which has scores of captured enemy battle flags along the ceiling.

Normandy beaches are too far away for a daytrip, unfortunately.

i believe there is a shop somewere in Paris from Histoire & Collection. They have a nice range of books for anywone interested in military history / wargaming. Many of their titles are also available in English. Subjects from ancient to WW2 and beyond.

The Invalides, especially the uniforms, and miniatures, don't forget the Vauban models in the attic!

Napoleon's Tomb ( also Vauban, Turenne.)

Pere La Chaise cemetary. It's like a tour of history. Jim Morrison. Chopin, General Augereau, the Mur de Federes.

The Musee de la Mariine. The Etoile for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

There's a WWI museum which probably has special exhibits this year. It's in Meaux just outside the city.

Go to Notre Dame. Napoleon did. Climb a bell tower like Quasimodo and look at the Gargoyles.

The Louvre has several famous David's with Napoleonic themes.

Sit on the Champs Elysées at any sidewalk cafe with an aperitif and admire the passing filles francaises and growl at any passing German tourists.

If you're there in August check all museums in advance, Europe is on vacation.

Both the Somme and especially the Normandy Beaches are more than a day trip and must be carefully planned in order to see much.

And don't forget to go out to the Palace at Versailles. Its only a short train ride out. can very easily be done in a day or less.

Jim

Another vote for the Musee d'Armee – lots and lots to see

Versailles is certainly worth a day trip – lots to see there

The Louvre – in addition to the paintings there are the Imperial Apartments

Ah – plus climb up the Arc de Triumph

Crazy Horse Saloon and post pictures:).

sewer tour!

Army Museum, Invalides, Day trips: Versailles, Chartres, some WWI battlefields; Normandy beaches. Transportation is easy--you can see a lot in 10 days.

The Musée de l'Armée has collections from medieval (the rooms with the collections from Asia were closed when we were there in May) through the 18th/19th centuries – covering the WSS/SYW/Napoleon's wars and up to WWII. That should take most of one day. Dôme des Invalides, which contain's Napoleon's tomb, is on the same site.

You won't see all of the Louvre in a day, so get a guide and decide which wing interests you most.

The Musée d'Orsay contains works by artists from the middle of the 19th century to the present including some military subjects (including Detaille's 'Le Rêve'), serveral van Goghs and the famous 'Origine du Monde' by Coubert.

If you're up to walking down dozens of steps out and in, the Catacombes at Denfert-Rochereau are interesting, if a little macabre.

A ride on the express lifts to the viewing gallery of Tour Montparnasse gives panoramic views of the entire city. It's open from 0930 to 2330 every day. And you can see the Tour Eiffel from it!

Montmarte and the Sacre Coeur are touristy, but worth a visit. Don't be tempted by the 'artworks'at the Place du Tertre, most aren't very good.

If you want a cheap (for Paris!) meal, try Chartier. bouillon-chartier.com/en It still has its Belle Epoque fittings…and surly waiters :) We paid €60.00 EUR for a three course lunch for two with a bottle of wine.

Consider getting a Paris Museum Pass en.parismuseumpass.com

Avez-vous besoin d'autre chose? :)

For wargamer he asked; I suppose he has done his homework on the usual tourist stuff.

Provins SE from gare de l'est , about 1 hour away; well preserved walled medieval town.

Meaux about same distance; look at how to go from museum site.
Museum of the great war 1914-18

the Air museum in Le Bourget; 1/2 h from center (north)

Normandy would ask for a car rental and better at least one night out. (Bayeux etc.)

Depending where you stay and what is planned; for outside trips you'd better not stay in the center all times.

Normandy* by car with a GPS is only 1.5-2 h drive. If you stay near Versailles for ex, assuming you do spend the compulsory day there (closed monday), it would be even easier (and possibly cheaper) to move base and drive from there.

About 1 h south also La ferte allais; collection of WW1- WW2 planes, all flying.(form memory only Sundays) *

You have to plan properly and check all opening days and times. Till late August except on next We and 15-17 /8, you should not have too many jams as many Parisians are blissfully away, stacked by the sea.
Don't think of using a car inside for the socialists administration, in their natural practical ways, have managed to shut down some of the main arteries so as to have the proper amount of jams inside.

Only noted * would you better drive. The rest is 100% better by train/ metro.

The Air Museum was great, accessible by RER plus a short bus leg. Versailles was an anthill with crowds swarming all over, the worst part of the trip…

I found several game shops within strolling distance of Notre Dame (my wife and I stayed for a week in June, on the Ile St. Louis), figures and boardgames primarily. I was able to look for game stores because we had hit the highlights last fall… go see the cool sites first, THEN look for gameshops.

Check out the yellow pages for a game shop called "FG Games". It was a treasure Trove of goodies with some awesome painted figures on display. Franck (the "f" in FG Games) speaks really good english and has been very helpful in sharing additional sources in Paris for figures, models and books.

v/r
Tom Dye

Here are the stores I looked for:
I recommend the first 3 stores, didn't like number 4 as much (Variantes), and didn't get to the last two

l'Oeuf Cube: 24, rue Linné (V) (Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Jardin des Plantes, Institut du Monde Arabe)

Starplayer: 16, rue Lagrange (V) (Ile Saint-Louis)

Jeux Descartes: 52, rue des Ecoles (V) (Sorbonne – Collège de France)

Variantes: 29, rue Saint-André-des-Arts (VI) (Fontaine Saint-Michel)

Repaire du Dragon: 44, boulevard Magenta (X) (Gare de l'Est)

Troll2Jeux: 22, rue Hector Malot (XII) (Gare de Lyon)