So, enjoyed your first day in Paris? C'est Bon? Now you are ready to spend your second day in Paris with a bang. First, start at:

1. Ile St-Louis
The neighboring island to La Cité is Ile St-Louis, lying to the immediate east of the larger island. Beautiful antique town houses with charming courtyards, tree-shaded quays opening onto the Seine, mansions that once housed such famous literati as Voltaire and his mistress, antiques shops, and little restaurants and cafes fill the narrow streets on this island of platinum real estate. A great way to break in your second day in Paris is by wandering the streets and quays in the early morning before the museums and attractions open. After arriving 


at Pont-Marie on the Right Bank, head south across the bridge, Pont-Marie, to Ile St-Louis. Cut immediately to your right and walk along quai de Bourbon. We suggest that you circle the entire Seine-bordering quays, including those south of the island, quai d'Orléans and quai de Béthune. When you reach square Barye in the far southeastern corner, take in the scenic view down river before crossing by Pont de Sully. At this point you can cut inland and walk the entire length of rue St-Louis-en-l'Ile, which will take you along the "main street" and the most historic part of the island.
After your stroll, take the Métro to Solférino.

2. Musée d'Orsay
This splendid museum will take up the rest of your morning; at least 2 hours. It shelters the world's greatest collection of the Impressionists, including all the old masters, such as Manet, Monet, and Van Gogh. You'll even get to see the fabled painting of Whistler's Mother -- and it's by an American. This former railway station also presents a vast array of sculptures and decorative arts, with other departments devoted to 

architecture, photography, and cinema. Most of the works span the period from 1848 to 1914 and the beginning of World War I. To speed you on your way, English-language information is available at the entrance. Audio guides offer analyses of more than 50 masterpieces on display.
Because it's time for lunch, we suggest you eat on-site.
Restaurant du Musée d'Orsay -- Serving first-class cuisine, this elegant restaurant should be visited if only for its setting, although the food is excellent. Gabriel Ferrier designed this Belle Epoque room with its panoramic vista of the Seine and its splendid chandeliers. If you want something cheaper, you can patronize Café des Hauteurs, on the fifth floor behind one of the former train station's huge iron clocks. For food on the run, patronize a self-service food stand directly above the cafe; it's open Tuesday to Sunday 10:30am to 5pm; Thursday 10:30am to 9pm. 1 rue de Bellechasse, 7e. tel. 01-45-49-47-03.
After lunch, take the Métro to:

3. Hotel des Invalides/Napoleon's Tomb
Still beloved by many French people, the little megalomaniac who tried to conquer Europe lies locked away (or at least his remains are) with some of his family members in six coffins of red Finnish porphyry. After seeing the tomb in Eglise du Dome, you can leave at once or else take a quick look at the Musée de l'Armée located here. This is a gaudy celebration of French military history, but most first-timers to Paris skip it.
 
From Invalides take the Métro to the Right Bank, getting off at the Alma-Marceau stop. Here, you can embark on one of the:

4. Bateaux-Mouche Cruises of the Seine
We know of no better way to enjoy Paris than on one of these scenic boat tours from the riverbank point of view. They allow for one of the most dramatic vistas of Notre-Dame. Tours depart every 20 to 30 minutes during the day and are in English, lasting about 75 minutes. First, you sail east all the way to Ile St-Louis, and then you return west past the Eiffel Tower.
 
As the afternoon fades, head for "the top of Paris," the legendary Montmartre district, reached by Métro going north to the Abbesses stop.

5. Basilique du Sacré-Coeur
Before heading for Sacré-Coeur, you can wander around the legendary square, place du Tertre. Dozens of young artists wait for you to give them the nod to paint your portrait. This may sound corny to sophisticated travelers, but thousands of visitors consider these portraits their most memorable souvenirs of Paris. Perhaps your portrait will be painted by tomorrow's Toulouse-Lautrec. The basilica of Sacré-Coeur, or the Church of 

the Sacred Heart, with its many cupolas, is a brilliant white and as much a part of the Paris skyline as the Eiffel Tower. Ascend to the dome at 80m (262 ft.) for one of the greatest panoramas in all of Europe, extending for 65km (40 miles) on a clear afternoon. After coming down from the dome, we always like to sit with dozens of other visitors on the steps of Sacré-Coeur, watching the afternoon fade and the lights go on all over Paris.
After dinner, perhaps in one of the little bistros that surround place du Tertre, head for a Paris landmark for your final toast to the City of Light. Take the Métro to Opéra or Pyramides.

6. Harry's New York Bar
This is the official headquarters of the International Bar Flies. Such cocktails as the Bloody Mary, the Sidecar, and the White Lady were created here. The bar looks much as it did at the time of the Liberation, when 

Hemingway was one of its patrons. The main bar attracts sports fans, especially rugby rooters, but the downstairs piano bar is more attuned to a romantic conversation over a cocktail.
A final stroll through the streets of Paris before turning in will be your adieu to everyone's favorite city (well, almost everyone).