My favorite place to spot the Eiffel Tower when it's twinkling is when I'm in a taxi crossing over from the Place de la Concorde to the A.N. The view of all three still makes my heart go weak. And I have been living in Paris for so long, it's shocking to me.

K

POINT 3.....Most anytime the view of Tour Eiffel is great BUT unless one is going up the tower itself the view of the lights can best be viewed AWAY from underneath the tower which is a mess of people and blocked views. As suggested, the Trocadero is a good viewing point. And some of the neighborhood streets whose view frames the tower are fascinating.

POINT 4....The bateaus at night seemingly are a great view to see Paris. However, from my experience it depends on the boat one takes. I have found that the larger boats (unless one is seated in the outdoor section) have obstructed views. Some of the views are good only on the side one is sitting and the glass roof coverings of the sections distort the view above. Gets a bit frustrating.

Re: Question #3

The twinkling lighting on the Eiffel Tower is a sight to behold starting at dusk on the hour every hour for 10 minutes...What a sight to behold! It made me think of the sparklers we had as kids for Fourth of July. I saw the new lighting for the first time in October 2003.

I have taken the Bateaux Mouches innumerable times during the day and at night. I like it best at night to enjoy the City of Light.

Re #3. Not sure when they turn on the Eiffel Tower lights at dusk. A good place to see it at dusk are the steps of Trocadero, and it is even better when the lights are on.

Re #5. You probably need to get there early, and defend your viewing spot from pushy tourists. By October, the mist from the fountains is going to be pretty cold and wet, and possibly a strong breeze, so wait upwind. Also you need to check the website indicated previously for exactly which fountains are going to be turned on.

Re #2. Everything depends on how many days you will be in Paris, and what you want to do. If you want to go to a lot of museums, then the museum pass is useful, as indicated previously. If you want to use the Metro and busses a lot, there are many types of passes you can get, but make sure they have enough zones covered to include Versailles. If you use the metro sparingly, a 10 ticket Carnet should be adequate. A bit of a warning, to never hire a taxi to try to get any great distance in Paris during rush hour - use the metro, as even busses can get jammed up in the traffic, especially on bridges.

General. You might also check the other parts of the Discussions for off-beat places to go, day trips, and shopping.

Question #5

Les Grandes Eaux Musicales, a water display coordinated to complimentary music, takes place from the beginning of April until the end of September in the breathtaking gardens of Versailles.....every Saturday and Sunday from 11.00 AM to midday and 3:30 PM until 5:00 PM.

For more information:

www.chateauversailles-spectacles.fr

Welcome!

We just got back from a week in Paris.

1. No.

2. I highly recommend buying one of the Paris Museum Passes. You can get them for 2 consecutive days, 4 consecutive days, or 6 consecutive days. If you do 10 museums/attractions in the 6 days, it will pay for itself. But the best part is the time it will spare you from waiting in lines.

For the metro, we used the carnets (booklets) of tickets rather than a pass. That worked very well for our group of 3 adults fares, and one child fare (she got her own carnet).

3. Yes. It is spectacular at any time of day/night.

4. We didn't do a dinner cruise; but for sightseeing, the Bateaux-Mouches were our favorite.

5.

6.

7. I don't know about Rick Steves, but we used the Access: Paris Guide by Richard Saul Wurman. He organizes his info on sights, shops, hotels and restaurants by neighborhood, so if you're walking along and sunddenly want to find a place to sit down and eat, his book is a lot easier to flip through than others'.

[HELLO FROM A NEW MEMBER

Will be in Paris for 10 days in Oct. 2007. Need advise!!!!

1. Staying at the Normandy Hotel, anyone been there?
2. What are the best passes to purchase?
3. Anyone been to Effile Tower at sunset?
4. What do you think of the Boat cruises on the Seine?
5. I have heard that there are certain days and times that
the fountains and music is on at Versailles?
6. What are some fun Bistro's, cafe's in the Vendome, Opera
and Madilaina area.?
7. I have heard that Rick Steve's guide on Paris is one of the best.

Many thanks in Advance....
PS. How do I change font, size and color???