So it looks like for my trip this summer I am leaving Sunday night, arriving in Paris on Monday afternoon and staying until Friday morning.
What should I see, do and eat?
I am already planning on doing the major stuff: Eiffel Tower, Champs-Elysses, Notre Dame, Versailles, Louve. What else would you recommend? Keep in mind I'm not a hipster.
Where are some good Cafes/breakfast spots to sit on the street and people watch? I really want to do that.
As an aside, I'm checking flights -- looks like IcelandAir from Dulles, stopover in Iceland and then into Paris is my best bet for about $300, Wow is slightly cheaper but they charge for carry ons.
I don't get how those airlines can be so cheap (and apparently nice and reliable) versus, say, United which wants literally $2,000 more for the same flight/route.
Am I missing something?
Keep checking for direct flights. The transfer in Iceland isn't bad but it still adds about 3 hours to what should be a 6.5-7 hour flight. IcelandAir is solid, though. Good airline. HOT stewardesses.
I think demand is way down after terrorism and some other factors. I paid around $600 to fly to London last year on British Air. A few years earlier I spent $1500. All about demand. Plus there are a bunch of low-cost airlines like Wow that are driving down the prices to Europe. Even higher end carriers are lowering prices.
I try to avoid US airlines when flying abroad. The service and amenities are always better on foreign carriers. Unedited movies too.
Anyway, know where you're staying in Paris yet? Picking a neighborhood to stay in is key and depends on how much you'll pay.
Honestly, you've already got a lot to see/do in the time you'll be there. For instance, doing the Louvre and the Notre Dame will take up an entire day. Book tickets for sites in advance whenever you can. Check out the Paris card and see if it makes sense for you. Musee d'Orsay was good too, I actually liked it more than Louvre.
I highly recommend the restaurant Les Papilles. We went, delicious. Recommended it to family and friends and they all loved it too. It's incredibly hard to find a bad meal in Paris. The food is just good. Drink wine, beer is expensive. I didn't have time to go but the Catacombs seem cool. Luxembourg Park is a nice place to relax on a nice day. Bring wine and cheese. Pont Neuf is a nice spot on the river to chill. I'll try to dig up some more recommendations from my '12 trip.
I never had friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?