Paris
Travel Advice for Seniors: Paris
Our second international trip together was to Paris. Where else, right?! I’ve been to Paris several times and it is always a treat. I can spend an entire week just inside La Louvre. The language is a bit of a barrier, but with a little memorization of a few key phrases you can get by in Paris. Key is to be friendly and respectful.
We arrived in Paris on the morning of January second for a week. Just barely enough to hit the highlights, but a vacation is a vacation after all!
Since it was early to check in to the hotel, we dropped our luggage by and went to the Pompidou Centre for an afternoon of modern and contemporary art. We like to hit the ground running when we go on holiday, usually because we are so excited to be traveling and secondly to try to adjust our body clocks to the new time zone. Another trick to adjust is to set your watch to the time that you are traveling to on the last leg of your flight and start tailoring your behavior.
The Pompidou is a quite an interesting architectural work itself. It is an “inside out” building with a lot of the servicing equipment showing clearly on the outside of the building and painted in bright primary colors. It was a major scandal when it was built and was thought “a blight on the skyline”. Happily, the contents of the Pompidou are stupendous and include many of the biggest names in modern and contemporary art such as Warhol, Duchamp, Matisse, Mondrian, Picasso, Brancusi and many more. Modern and Contemporary art aren’t my favorite period, but a well-rounded appreciation of art is important despite your preferences.
Second day and first full day in Paris was to the La Louvre, one of the most famous museums in the world and arguably the best. We ate lunch there also in a nice café so that we could spend the entire day. There is so much to see and every time you turn the corner it seems another famous masterpiece is waiting for you. Most of the great masters throughout time are represented in this defining museum.
If you are short on time, be sure to at least see the Mona Lisa (even though it is behind plexiglass and crowded with tourists), Winged Victory of Samothrace and the Venus de Milo. If you are going for the half day visit, be sure to see Liberty Leading the People by Delacroix, The Raft of the Medusa by Gericault, Coronation of Napolean by Jacques-Louis David, the Great Sphinx of Tanus, and the Renaissance Rooms. Truly a day of exhaustion but a happy brain.
Third day, the incomparable Musee de Orsay and the Orangerie. The Musee De Orsay features works from the mid-19th to the early 20th centuries, the main group is Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works. The Musee itself is built in an old Beau Arts train station. Must see works include the Card Players by Paul Cezanne. Bal Moulin Galette by Renoir, Starry Night and Self Portrait by Van Gogh and several Manet and Monet pieces among many others. Spend a couple of hours here.
The Orangerie is close by and features more Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works, the main work being Monet’s Water Lilies in all their splendor. We also walked through the Tuileries gardens a bit where the Orangerie is located. We went for a viewing of the Eiffel tower since we were in the area, but the long lines and cold weather helped us decide to go back to the hotel and seek out some Chinese for dinner.
Fourth day was quick hop by a local flea market followed by a trip to the World Heritage site Palace of Versailles, Louis XIV’s rococo palace built in the 17th century and home to a great many French kings. Besides the incredible gardens, highlights include the Hall of Mirrors, the Royal Chapel and Marie Antoinette’s estate. Plan on spending most of your day exploring the Palace and grounds…there’s a lot to see.
Fifth day we visited some very important Parisian monuments and churches. Notre Dame was the first stop. Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, medieval Catholic church is located on the Île de la Cité and is a symbol of Paris. Dedicated in honor of the Virgin Mary, it is considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. It is said to house the Crown of Thorns, believed to have been worn by Jesus Christ during his crucifixion. Gutted by fire in 2019, is it scheduled to reopen in December 2024.
Second stop was Sante Chapelle next door for a look at the exquisite stained-glass windows. It is about 100 years older than Notre Dame and began as a royal residence. The windows are worth the trip inside. There are also a number of relics housed here.
Final stop was Hotel des Invalides for a look at Napoleon’s tomb and a bit of France’s military history.
Sixth day a visit to the Picasso Museum was in order. It houses the largest public collection of Picasso’s art, plus some personal items such as sketchbooks, photos and more. This is a nice stop if you are an art or Picasso fan, but definitely second tier to the Louvre, Musee De Orsay and Orangerie.
Next a stroll through the Latin Quarter to arrive at the Pantheon, a beautiful neoclassical structure that pays homage to Paris and burial site to its famous including Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Émile Zola. Finally, some window shopping down Champs Elysee before settling in to our hotel for the evening with a nice bottle of wine and some hors d’ oeuvres.
Day seven was a trip to the Montmartre area where many artists have lived in Paris and a side trip down the Rue de Clinchy to the red-light district for a pass by the famous Moulin Rouge. We stopped at a surprise art fair enroute to the The Basilica of Sacré Cœur de Montmartre, a uniquely beautiful structure that looks like a cream puff. Fair warning: It’s a pretty steep walk to get to the church, but the art fair was a nice distraction on our way up. Also, we found a wonderful restaurant for lunch simply by looking around at the places that were full of locals. If you break up the walk up, it’s not too bad!
Finally, a stop at the Galeries Lafayette for shopping and time to appreciate the amazing Art Nouveau architecture.
Last day we made a return visit to the Eiffel tower, another symbol of Paris. This time the lines weren’t as long so we ventured up to the top and then the second floor for a fascinating view of Paris. It was also fun to see some of the places where we had been over the week. There were still a lot of people visiting the tower and the elevators were crowded with some lines. Still a nice view if you have the time.
One final museum on our last day…the Musee De La Mode, now the Palais Galliera, a must-see venue for all fashion and haute couture enthusiasts. It did not disappoint. This followed by a last souvenir stop at a Paris classic, Printemps Department Store. Note this and the Galeries Lafayette are a bit pricey, but smaller fun items can be found that are still luxe and still from Paris!
We used the Metro subway system to get around the city rapidly and simply. It may seem a little intimidating using it for the first time, but it is easy to figure out which way the trains are going and what stop you need to exit to arrive closest to your destination. In fact, the Eyewitness Guidebooks that we use note the Metro stop closest to the attraction, but it is easy enough to google. The hardest part about using the Metro is paying for a travel card the first time. The passes are readily available in the main Metro stops and are very convenient. The Paris Visite card is specifically for tourists.
Though there is somewhat of a language barrier, Paris is still….Paris! I enjoy it every time I visit and always discover something new. I can visit the Louvre for days and still come back for more. Plenty to see and do, not to mention the haute cuisine!
Where we stayed: Hôtel Monsieur Cadet
How we got there: Flew from US to Orly airport. Cab to hotel.
General Accessibility Information: Major tourist areas, newer hotels, transportation and most cities are accessible. Many museums offer free or discounted admission for people with disabilities and their caregivers. Historic parts of cities may have cobbled streets, and some sidewalks may be blocked by parked cars. Call in advance to verify and make specialty arrangements. See our sections on specialty apps and accessible travel for more on accessibility assistance.
