Heading home — So some closing comments:
Paris Museum Pass: Extremely handy. They come in different denominations (days). It doesn’t “start” until your first visit, and you can re-visit a museum or site any number of times within the span of days for your pass.
Metro/Bus/RER Passes and Carnet: I was going to get a Paris Visite multi-day pass, but usually started my days walking, and then taking the Metro back to the hotel on a single journey ticket. I finally did get a carnet (10 tickets) but ended up carrying 4 unused ones home. Your ticket is read when you board a bus or enter a station — keep it with you throughout your journey in case an inspector asks for it. The RAPT web site has good information.
Pass Bundlers: Some services will bundle the Paris Museum Pass and the Paris Visite pass and either mail it to your home, or deliver it to your hotel. However, they charge a hefty fee for the service.
Hotel: I stayed at the Best Western Hotel Eiffel Segur. Small but clean rooms. Close to two metro stations. A little market diagonally across the street, and a convenience store a block away next to the Midas Muffler shop. The room was booked through Expedia.
Airport Transportation: I didn’t want to use the Metro or the RER lugging my suitcase. camera case, and knapsack. It makes you a “mark”, and with a case full of Leica gear, represents a pretty good chunk of money. Taxis are expensive from CDG, so I booked a door-to-door shuttle in advance. I used Paris Airport Shuttle. The total cost for both trips was 54 Euros. The confirmation e-mail is very detailed and gives you a toll-free number to call after you land at CDG.
