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1 - Accommodation : the website of the tourist office of Paris give a list of all the hostels and accommodation in general. On this link you'll also find info about museums, transports etc.

http://en.parisinfo.com/paris-hotels/young-paris/

One of the cheapest hostels is near Bastille square = central, from 14 euros per night, breakfast included. At this price, don't spect a great thing, I read some bad reviews on tripadvisor.

http://www.aijparis.com/

There are supermarkets and inexpensive restaurants around.

Restaurants cost from 15 euros for lunch and from 20 euros x dinner, plus drinks ... Drinks are more expensive than food, you can ask for tap water "une carafe d'eau" as we all do here.

I don't like places like Gare de l'Est and Gare du Nord train stations and around tube stations : Pigalle (lots of sex shops, drug addicts etc), Abbesses, Barbes, Porte de Clignancourt, Saint Ouen.

Check hotels and hostels on http://www.tripadvisor.com/

2 - Transport : depending on the days of the week you'll be in Paris, a Navigo Pass valid one week may be cheaper than a Paris Visite card valid 3 days. The Navigo pass, valid 1 week costs 18,85 euros x unlimited public transport within Paris (tube and bus). Check at any tube station on your arrival.

http://www.ratp.fr/

If you go to Versailles, you have to take a regional train, RER C direction Versailles Rive Gauche, 35' from the Eiffel tower, about 6,50 euros return. You buy this at any tube station, but if you only spend 3 days in Paris, you may not have time for this.

Sightseeing :

I suggest you do some research on the web as in 3 days time, you have to choose what you'd really like to see.

The most visited are :

Louvre museum (full day visit, better to arrive early in the morning)

Notre Dame Cathedral

Eiffel tower (if you want to go to the last floor, book the entrance ticket long in advance on their website, otherwise, you'll only find tickets to the 2nd floor)

Montmartre : Sacre Coeur basilic and place du Tertre.

Beaubourg, centre Pompidou.

Latin Quarter

Champs Elysées avenue

My favourite places :

Saint Louis island (75004)

Sainte Chapelle (75004)

Saint Germain des Près area (75006 and 75007)

Rodin Museum (75007)

Orsay museum (75007)

Marmottan Monet museum (75016)

Le Marais area (75004)

Tuileries gardens

Luxembourg gardens

Monceau Parc

Place DES Vosges

http://paris1900.lartnouveau.com/paris04/l_ile_sai...

http://www.musee-orsay.fr/

http://sainte-chapelle.monuments-nationaux.fr/

I don't know current youth hostel prices in

Paris but I guarantee you won't spend $300 a night at one. Look online for Parisian hostels. One I stayed at in the Marais section of Paris is called the Mije but who knows if it is there anymore? (Edit - the mije is still there!) Get your self a Frommers guide to Paris in a book store. Paris is jam packed with history and things to see. What if i asked you how i could see LA in 3 days? Paris is a fraction of the size of LA but so much has happened there and there are so many buildings, cathedrals and cultural events that you will not possibly be able to see it all in 3 days. So you should understand that and just pick a few things to focus on in advance then come back later to see the rest if you are so inclined. The good news is that you will save a lot of money through the metro. You can get packets of tickets or sign up for all day passes. The metro will take you from the air port and take you all around Paris. I know you are a Los Angeleno - but you would really be much better off NOT renting a car. It is much more compact than you are used to and it is hard to park. I'm serious! No car! Use the metro! It is the best way to get around Paris hands down.

Take a bus tour your first day.

Don't miss mont martre. There are many museums to choose from and my guess is that you will most likely hit the louvre. But this is where your guide book will come on. Something like the louvre, d'orsay or the military museum is easily a day a lone by itself. And you only have 3. So read up and pick wisely. I'm assuming you are going to hit the eiffel tower - so I will recommend seeing it at dusk.

You really need a week for Paris - but 3 days will give you a good intro.

Be sure and hit a few cathedrals and pay for a tour for at least one of them. Since most people couldn't read back when they were built the meanings conveyed in art were incredibly important and you should have some one point it out to you or you will miss the significance of it all. Notre Dame and St. Chappelle are near each other. You will be going nuts taking pictures.

Plan on visiting some of the gardens and parks to - and bring plenty of film! Jardin du luxembourg and the tuilieries shouldn't be missed. You'll be taking lots of photos. Versailles is an all day trip outside of Paris - and you only have 3 - so unless it is really high on your list - save it for later because Paris is so centralized and fulll of things to see you may want to consider the wisdom of giving up a whole day of your 3 for just one thing - although it is amazing.

The metro is fast and efficient. Follow the map. You might even buy one at a news stand.

You need to know the end destination of the train you want so you can follow the signs easily.

A good website is www.french-culture-adventures.com for all sorts of interesting information.

Trip Advisor is also very good for hotel reviews.

Sainte Chapelle, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Seine boat tour at night - many of the sights are lit and you can get some wonderful pictures. Arc de Triomphe, Sacre Coeur in Montmartre and Montmartre neighborhood is great for wandering around. And, the Louvre.

1. Boarding. You will need at least $300 dollars per night to get barely decent lodging in the city. Check youth hostels for affordable lodging. There are affordable modestly priced hotels in the outskirts of Paris that are OK, but then you will have the problem of the transportation into the city.

2- Transportation. The Subway is self explanatory, easy, convenient and cheap. Taking a taxi cab in Paris is nearly impossible.

3- Trip advisor is a good website to check reviews of hotels

4- Must see. Well, if you are a photographer and with such a short time, just stick to the basics: the Eiffel Tower, Versailles, a trip down the Seinne river, Champs Elysee's, Arc d'Triumph, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur.

A Must see, is the museums if you are into art. I love the Museum of D'Orsay, small and very good with Van Goghs and Rembrands etc. located in what it used to be an old train station, very visually appealing; and of course, the bigger and most famous museum "Louvre" will take a whole day to see, don;t know if you want to do that, but you can see the Monalisa and other famous works of art. This museum is GIGANTIC!

PS/ Paris is expensive and cold. Food is good. It is very crowded and full of tourists all day. Some touristic places are very dirty and smell like urine. There are a lot of peddlers bugging tourists all the time. One thing: on stores and souvenir stores, they have everything under lock and people will follow you around to make sure "you do not steal anything". This is only on the stores on the tourist traps, I find it very uncomfortable to have to be followed just to buy a $30 crappy t-shirt. I prefer France's country side better

Good luck

Apartments in Paris:

http://www.24paris.com/

Paris Video/Map Guide

http://www.24paris.com/travelguide/

I know! How do they expect her to learn a lesson after only 3 days? Why are they waiting for her to kill someone? That's what's going to happen.