Google maps actually has all the RER and metro stations on their map of paris and ratp.info (I think) has maps and transfer points of all transportation in paris. I found it handy to plan my last short trip ahead.

As far as what to see, everything 4 days are way too little :) Most of the places I would recommend were already mentioned, but I’d give extra points to Montmarte. I also enjoyed walking Paris at night. The Pyramid at Louvre is nicely lit, and so are all historical/worthwhile sites in Paris – look at the up close or from Eiffel tower or Arc de Triomphe as the sun goes down and they all light up.

View from top of Sacre Coeur is beautiful, but to do that you’ll have to walk the height of the building on very very narrow stone staircase.

If you like walking, walk it all. On my last 3 day visit, I haven’t used transportation once, except from/to the airport to Gare du Nord. The rough map of my last trip is here, but it’s not fully complete (I’ll get to it one day).

Enjoy Paris!

Be sure to go to the Basilique Saint-Denis, where most of France’s royalty is buried. The church is the earliest known Gothic building (the apse, at least). Pere Lachaise is worth visiting (but don’t just go see Jim Morrison), as is the Louvre (ignore those who say it’s not). I found a Paris Museum Pass (can be purchased outside of Paris) to be quite useful- prepaid admission to museums, and no standing in line.

Have fun!

Your question inspired me to finally compile my own list of favorite restaurants, sites, and activities in Paris. You’ll find it at Paris. Four days! So few! You might wish to determine one area of the city to concentrate on, rather than scurrying around, frantically trying to hit all the hot spots. Have a great time!

Skip the Louvre, and head to the Musee D’Orsay instead!
And JenSaysThis is right – don’t miss the catacombs.
Montmartre and Sacre Coeur are beautiful.
Spend as much time as you can wandering the city – it is wonderful!
Have a great time!

I’d recommend visiting the Le Marais area for shopping/wandering.
http://www.parismarais.com/

The one thing I would recommend if you ever feel like staying up a bit late is this:

Nearby the sacre coeur in montmartre there is a cabaret house called “Le Lapin Agile”.

I can’t remember when it starts (9 or 10 pm, I think) and the group sings until about 2am.

It’s a great atmosphere and a lot of fun. The admission should also get you a free drink – their specialty cherry drink.

Hi,
Here is a Google Map with some places that I believe interesting to visit: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=EN&f=q&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=114762532434866914524.000448b76a1680a05546b&ll=48.865618,2.33717&spn=0.051945,0.122395&t=h&z=13

Oh, of all the things to see, so many have mentioned great places.

But, it does depend on your budget and interests. We walked the entire Louvre (minus one wing because it was closed) in one day (about 6-7 hours). We saw all the “main” art pieces and slowly saw everything else as we walked by.

Of course, that’s not the way to see the art work if you’re really into art, but we still specifically set aside an entire day for the whole museum. That was the minimum I could do for such fantastic work.

Sadly, we missed Orsay – which everyone tells me is better than the Louvre.

Besides pickpockets, watch out for the men making bracelets at the bottom of Sacre Coeur. They’ll spot you as a tourist, take your wrist, and act all friendly as they tell you about their lives in Africa while they braid a string bracelet. Then you find out it’s not free. It’s not even cheap. We got caught in that and they wanted 20 EUROS! I ended up giving them $20 for two bracelets; my cousin said she was followed and bothered by the guys all the way to the Moulin Rouge!

There are also beggars under the Eiffel Tower; one girl reached into our bag of food and took off with our cherries from Mireille’s shop! ON MY BIRTHDAY! DURING MY FIRST VISIT TO THE TOWER! Anyway.

Mireille’s (at Rue de Verneuil and Rue de Beaune) is a great little grocer, she’s very friendly and her husband speaks English. Her shop is catty-corner to Eric Kaiser’s boulangerie. Nice place.

I have more stories and places, but that’s enough for now =)

OH OH. The oldest chocolate shop in Paris is in Saint Germain. Very expensive, but oh so pretty. It’s across from the medical school; exit the metro on Saint Germain.

Give yourself lots of time for the Louvre…it really is amazing. You’ll see wall size paintings that you’ve seen thumbnails of in History text books, which I found amazing. Don’t waste all your time hunting down the Mona Lisa though.

I recommend doing a lot of walking around the city. Especially spend some time wandering in the less touristy areas for a more authentic French experience.

If you like art, a daytrip to Giverny (about 1 1/2 hours from Paris) to see Monet’s garden may be worth it. It’s very tourist overrun, but still worth seeing if you have any interest in his art.

Good luck, have fun!

Apart from the really great museum tips and the Montmarte (fab!), I really enjoyed the end of the day on the Seine. I would hit a bakery and grab a baguette. Then I’d grab some ham and cheese at a grocery store. Head down to the Port Henri IV on the right bank just south of Bastille (map) and enjoy the sunset with your sandwich and a glass of wine. Really great way to unwind and enjoy Paris.

I was in Paris just this weekend, and as I already ‘did’ the big tourist destinations I visited the lesser known onces – my favourites were the Rodin musuem garden (dirt-cheap at 1€) and Musée d’Orangerie (lovely Monets).

On previous trips I loved the père lachaise, very quiet and pretty on a nice sunny day.

Laduree was too expensive at 3,6€/Macaron, but Paris has tons of great bakeries so be sure to taste the pastries.

The Louvre is pretty sweet. Also – a boat ride on the Seine at night through Bateaux Mouches, the Latin Quarter, Montmatre, and Sacre Coeur. Also, Versailles isn’t too far away. Have a great trip!

definitely order a croque monsieur when you want a tastey snack!

oh, and if you’re into art history and check out versailles, try to get there right as they open. that way, you can pretty much have the gardens to yourself.

A few tips about the Louvre: don’t try to do the whole museum in one visit. Pick the rooms you want to see most (ancient Egypt and the sculpture galleries for example) and a couple of the highlights (Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo) and stick to those. Then if you have energy, keep going. It would be a shame to suffer museum burnout on your first trip to Paris.

If the lines into the main entrance at the pyramid are long, turn around and enter through the doors on rue de Rivoli, through the underground entrance via the metro from line 1 or using the (almost hidden) stairs near the Arc du Carousel (the arch facing the pyramid). Walk through the Carousel du Louvre shopping center, and follow the signs to the museum. This is almost always faster.

Also, another tip for avoiding crowds: if you’re here on a Wednesday or a Friday, take advantage of the late openings (until 10 pm, though not all the rooms are open all the time). Arrive about 6 or 7 and you’ll miss all the school groups and bus loads of tourists and have a much more relaxing museum experience. Remember that the museum is closed on Tuesdays.

definitely check out Trocadéro, it’s so beautiful! If you’re not sure how to get there, use the metro, it takes you right there [: