Independent Paris; May 1-9, 2020

I'm not on your trip but I'll tell you that I've taken this SLC to Paris flight a number of times. It is awesome. The last couple of times it seemed to arrive at a time when no (or few) other international flights are landing so I got thru Immigration really quickly. I DO advise you to make a comfort stop before you get at the Immigration line. There are usually bathrooms on the walk from deplaning to the Immigration area but also on the left right before you enter the roped off area. My guarantee is if you don't go you'll have a line, if you make a comfort stop you'll sail thru, lol!!

If you need to get yourself in to town the easiest way is going directly to the official taxi queue. Ignore anyone in the terminal who asks if you need a ride. It will be 53E from the airport to the hotel it looks like RS uses for this trip on the Right Bank. Otherwise if RS has done your airfare they'll let you know how to meet up with your transport. As you exit out of the baggage claim/customs area (customs is just a walk through so no big deal, immigration is what takes time) at 2E which is where this Delta flight comes in, there will be a line of folks holding signs or nowadays iPads with people's names on them. I've seen Road Scholar greeters there with a RS flag as well.

Take a waterproof jacket with a hood as you may have some rain. No big deal, but you'll want to stay dry. I've never had a need for waterproof shoes in Paris. Do take shoes you can walk miles in. I have horrible feet so I wear athletic shoes for everything including group meals.

This looks like a wonderful itinerary. You are hitting the highlights and it looks like they will teach you how to use the Metro which is key to getting around Paris on your own. It doesn't look like they've updated the itinerary since the Notre Dame fire - it is of course not accessible although you can see it from the outside across the river and down one side. They will find something else to sub in for visiting here.

On Day 4 it looks like you have a free afternoon. You may have something in mind for this but you could also consider meeting up with one of the tours offered by Paris Walks if there is something interesting on offer. You just meet up with the guide at a certain Metro stop, pay your 15E along with everyone else and off you go. As a solo traveler to Paris I do these several times during my visits. Go to www.paris-walks.com Usually the schedule is up for a month or two in advance. It looks like it's only up thru March right now.

I go to Paris solo as often as I can so if you have questions I'm happy to answer them. I hope you fall in love and will be back again and again!

~Pam

Pam, Thank you for such helpful information. I am, of course, now worried about the virus; but am not about to be hasty in making a decision to cancel my trip. Do you have any current info regarding spread in Paris? Susan

Susan, I'm reading the Trip Advisor Paris forum daily for what that's worth. There are a number of people on there who actually live in Paris as well as a number of people who are quite alarmist so you just have to read then step back to evaluate. I also read the Rick Steves forums which are less alarmist but also have a few people who actually live in Paris or other European locations and who post.

I also follow a couple of Paris-based tour guides who post on FB and have blogs. The two I like best are French Girl in Seattle Takes France (she started leading some Rick Steves tours last season) as well as A French Frye in Paris (an independent guide). Corey Frye also does a weekly video walking tour which is fun to watch (and can give you some ideas about what you might want to see on your own time!). They are all posted on youtube and he noted yesterday this weeks will be live streamed on youtube vs his previous ones which were live streamed on FB.

Hard to tell what this is going to be like in 7 weeks! Who would have thought that 7 weeks ago we would be where we are now? I think you are wise to wait to make a decision.

The Louvre is limiting admissions to those who have timed entry slots. To be honest the security guards there have a strong union and started striking last July over too many people being admitted so it seems like they are using the Corona virus as leverage to continue to decrease the numbers admitted daily. I'd wait to get timed entrance tickets and do it at the last minute when you know your trip is a "go".

Here is a link to the ticketing webpage. I just took a quick look at dates/times in May and they look wide open so no pressure to book.

https://www.louvre.fr/en

Fingers crossed you get to go!

~Pam

Susan, I'm reading the Trip Advisor Paris forum daily for what that's worth. There are a number of people on there who actually live in Paris as well as a number of people who are quite alarmist so you just have to read then step back to evaluate. I also read the Rick Steves forums which are less alarmist but also have a few people who actually live in Paris or other European locations and who post.

I also follow a couple of Paris-based tour guides who post on FB and have blogs. The two I like best are French Girl in Seattle Takes France (she started leading some Rick Steves tours last season) as well as A French Frye in Paris (an independent guide). Corey Frye also does a weekly video walking tour which is fun to watch (and can give you some ideas about what you might want to see on your own time!). They are all posted on youtube and he noted yesterday this weeks will be live streamed on youtube vs his previous ones which were live streamed on FB.

Hard to tell what this is going to be like in 7 weeks! Who would have thought that 7 weeks ago we would be where we are now? I think you are wise to wait to make a decision.

The Louvre is limiting admissions to those who have timed entry slots. To be honest the security guards there have a strong union and started striking last July over too many people being admitted so it seems like they are using the Corona virus as leverage to continue to decrease the numbers admitted daily. I'd wait to get timed entrance tickets and do it at the last minute when you know your trip is a "go".

Here is a link to the ticketing webpage. I just took a quick look at dates/times in May and they look wide open so no pressure to book.

https://www.louvre.fr/en

Fingers crossed you get to go!

~Pam