5 days in paris

Hi i have a chance to spend 5-8 days in France,landing in Paris-never been before-husband wants to try and get to Nice but i think its too far away-2 days in paris-any ideas of what to do with rreamining3-4 days?? jan

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Hi jannievn,

If you do go to Nice, it is a very short flight from Paris. You could break up your time between the two cities.

I don%26#39;t know how you are returning to Vancouver, but I assume you can connect from Nice as well.

Happy Travels.

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I wouldn%26#39;t go to Nice with only 5-8 days available.

You really need a week to begin to see Paris and

can always take a short trip to Versailles or the

Loire. 2 days in Paris? Don%26#39;t shortchange yourself.

I%26#39;ve probably spent 6 weeks in Paris over several visits and there are still all kinds of places I haven%26#39;t seen yet...

With the time you have available Nice would

take up too much travel time getting there and back...

The train is 5 1/2 hours. You need to be at the station 20 minutes in advance plus travel time from your hotel then travel to your hotel in Nice... so you%26#39;ve pretty well lost a whole day. If you have to return to Paris to fly home you%26#39;ll pretty well use up another day.

Air is not much quicker as you have

the travel time to and from airports etc.

So drop Nice, go and enjoy Paris and save the

south of France till the next trip.

Rob

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Welcome to the forum jannievn.

If you need additional input, spent the time in Paris and enjoy the city. See a concert, visit Versailles, explore a different museum. Paris is a magical place to be enjoyed over and over. Settle in for a few days and relax.

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thx. Rob for your imput..

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Hi jannievn,

Welcome to the TripAdvisor forums! It looks like you%26#39;ve already gotten some good advice. Please feel free to post any more questions you might have about your upcoming trip. We have lots of friendly members here who would be glad to help you out.

Have a great time in France, and be sure to tell us about it when you return!

Best regards,

TA_MikeW

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I%26#39;m going to be in Paris for a week in December. It will be my first time too! And already I feel it%26#39;s too short... So like everybody else I would advice you to stay in Paris and enjoy it slowly and maybe safe Nice for other time :)

I don%26#39;t know whether it%26#39;s actually worth a visit or not maybe people who%26#39;s been there can help you out but I%26#39;m planning to go to Chateau Chantilly which is a bit outside Paris city... 1 hour train ride if I%26#39;m not mistaken... maybe you can consider that... or watch Opera and Ballet... or just relax in cafes... wander around, shop, go through flea markets and bookshops and people always say that it gives a different feeling to watch movies in Paris so I%26#39;d do that if I have the time...

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Removed on: 12:19 pm, October 14, 2009

10 days - drive or public transport

Hi

My husband and I are planning a trip in April for 10 days and were thinking about doing the South of France, possibly flying into Marseille (from London).

We do not have any concrete plans and are looking for suggestions. We want to see as much of the beautiful coastal areas as possible, and dont mind travelling 1-2 hours a day. We are 27 %26amp; 30, and just looking to see as much natural beauty and culture as possible. We even considered doing Italy, France and Spain coast in the 10 days but figured that might be over-optimistic.

1. Would you suggest we rent a car or is there adequate public transport along the scenic routes?

2. Any particular route? Or not-to-miss areas?

3. We even considered renting motorhome -but have never done that -is it a cost effective way to travel to see this area??

Thank you!!

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ImpiSa !!!

I would recommend driving. The sea coast areas along the Mediteranean are stunning.

To see a lot, perhaps you could consider flying to Barcelona, returning from Italy, or flying to Toulouse/Perpignan and returning from Nice.

You would have to check on a one way auto rental with drop off.

This way you get the benefit of no backtracking and you could see more.

Have fun !! That is a beautiful time of year to plan a trip like this.

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Thanks!

Unfortunately its about an extra £300-£500 fee if we drop off the car in another country, which I think is a bit much.

So we might try find a central location to hire a car and then do a round trip, seeing the coast and a bit inland....

Its a bit overwhelming all the possibilities!!! But our budget is not that overwhelming :) so trying to see what would be best value.

Thanks again

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ImpiSA !!

Then you can do a beautiful loop trip from Marseille, Nice, or near Spain.

Some of the very beautiful areas are Cassis, Collioure, Villefranche, Menton. The whole coast is very beautiful.

Enjoy !!

Use viamichelin.com, very good for routing, scenic driving and distances.

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I strongly recommend that you rent a car for the entire duration of your stay in the South of France as doing so will enable you to really explore rather than be limited in what you can explore based upon public transportations schedules. Whatever you do I would not recommend renting a motorhome especially because of the cost of fuel.

Ideally you should consider establishing a base for day trips to visit the type of sites that you enjoy, however members of the Trip Advisor Forum will be better set to assist you as to where you might want to base yourselves if you could say a bit more baout your interests than that you %26quot;want to see as much of the beautiful coastal areas as possible%26quot; - do you want to hike, are you also interested in historical sites, food etc...

Also, I recommend that you post your next inquiry on the Provence Forum for more specialized information.

AlpillesGal

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Depending upon where it is you want to visit, there is adequate public transportation, the problem is frequency of service. Having a rental car allows you to make the most efficient use of your 10 days.

Unfortunately, there are too many routes that qualify as %26quot;not-to-miss%26quot; areas in the south of France. Additionally, I should characterize the coastal areas to the west of Marseille (generally flat) are quite different that the areas east (mountainous, cliffs). Of the most compelling coastal visits from the area of Marseille and to the west are Cassis, Saintes Maries de la Mar, and Cassis. The points east are generally better known: Villefranche, Menton, Antibes. These are contrasting areas and there are yet many locations farther inland which could be recommended.

Motor home rental has interesting options: allowing you to avoid hotels and even restaurants if you want. There are many campgrounds in the south but I recommend your checking availability as many may not be open in April. It%26#39;s advantages become less obvious if you want to visit the metropolitan areas. Here is a resource:

http://www.ideamerge.com/

No matter what French forum you post in (and it really does not matter) the best way to obtain specific information is to pose specific questions.

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Correction to previous post:

Of the most compelling coastal visits from the area of Marseille and to the west are Cassis, Saintes Maries de la Mar, and COLLIOURE.

An edit function would work well for me.

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Hi --

You%26#39;ll have a much more satisfying trip if you first read some guide books for the areas that interest you so you have some idea of which stops are best suited to your taste. Then come back to the forum for specifics.

It%26#39;s all well and good for us to tell you where to go, and how to get there, but that%26#39;s our trip and not yours. I always think the investment of time and money is great enough that it deserves enough research to allow you to design a trip that is perfect for you. What we contribute is the icing on the cake.

Re motorhome: Probably not a great decision for first timers in an area with so many accommodation choices and such narrow roads. The mileage isn%26#39;t high but the fuel costs are.

I%26#39;d save this for a different trip where accommodation and restaurants are more sparse on the ground. Generally, it%26#39;s hard to make this choice work in terms of economics unless you dine on board almost exclusively.

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Thanks for all the tips. I think you are right - I will do some more investigation about the area, but the more we think about it, the idea of the motor home will have to wait for another trip.

I%26#39;m going to get reading and surfing the net, but thinking about this as a possible loop:

Fly into any starting point and rent a car:

Marseille - Cannes- Nice - Antibes -Monaco -Menton - up to either Torino or Milan (to see a bit of Italy,so anywhere that is scenic) - Geneva- Villefranche Sur Soane -Marseille

Its about 1200 -1300km but that sounds managable in 11 days.

I%26#39;m concerned because it will be over Easter that I need to get booking soon to get places!!

Thanks all!!!

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It sounds to me as if you are trying to do way too musc in a relatively short time.

If guess the only question is whether you want to %26quot;experience%26quot; the places that are along the way or you will be satisfied with just having driven through so you can say that you%26#39;ve been there. Frankly, that%26#39;s not my vacation style, but, to each his/her own.

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If you have no intention of visiting Cassis, Hyeres, Toulon or St. Raphael, skip Marseille and fly into Nice. What%26#39;s left is still more than sufficient for 11 days.

Avignon, Arles or Aix one week in November

We arrive in Nice from Italy and plan to stay a week in Provence before our final departure from Paris. This is our first visit to the south of France and I have no idea which area would be more central for exploring the region. Avignon (Les Angles), Arles (central) or Aix? Any advice or recommendations would be most helpful at this stage. Thank you.

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The most authentic village - away from the %26quot;tourist - traps%26quot;.

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I urge you to consider using St. Remy as a base for your explorations as it is well situated for exploring all of Western Provence. It has a wonderful %26quot;Provencal%26quot; feeling to it and, while it is large enough to have a number of good restaurants, it doesn%26#39;t have the %26quot;big city%26quot; feel of Avignon.

In order to have access to the entire region you will need a car because access to many towns, via public transportation, is quite limited and will require you to time your explorations based on their timetable rather than yours.

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I second the recommendation of St. Remy. Husband and I spent a week there in June with a rental car. It was fabulous!! Great location. The fartheest place we went was Uzes, for the Saturday market. That was about 1-1/2 hours.

You will love this part of France. Have a great time.

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I think St.Remy could be a good location to explore the surrounding region. The drive from Nice to St.Remy is about 2 hours and this is doable seeing that we arrive in Nice from Italy via the train and plan to take the TGV to Paris from Avignon at the end of our stay.

Thank you for the insight!

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I wouldn%26#39;t hurry out of Nice. There%26#39;s lots to see and do there and in the surrounding area. Maybe spend three nights there, then move on to St. Remy or Avignon.

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I%26#39;ll third St Remy, it%26#39;s divine. IMO Western Provence is much more interesting and prettier than the riviera. I think of Aix Arles Avignon as the golden triangle though my favourite places to actually stay are l%26#39;Isle sur la Sorgue (for weekends) St Remy, Hyeres, Apt and Cassis.

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I think Arles or Avignon could be the best choices if you prefer little towns with history and fine arts. If you prefer a very quiet stay, you can choose St. Remy (I was there last summer) or Gordes in the Luberon, an outstanding region not far from Avignon.

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Thank you. The votes are 3 for St. Remy!!! I will proceed with St. Remy seeing that I have a car I can always explore the other places from there. I am so much looking forward to our visit, I can%26#39;t wait!

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Removed on: 12:20 pm, October 14, 2009

Visit Moet and Chandon

dear friends,

how can we get to Moet and Chandon from Reims center by public transport? is it doable by walking and how long will it take? do we have to make reservation for tour and how? thanks in advance for help.

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Moët and Chandon are in Epernay. Epernay is a 20 minute train ride from Reims (4.40E-5.80E). Buy the tickets at the Reims station ticket counter (French=guichet). The champagne house is a five minute walk from the Epernay train station.

http://www.moet.com/site.php?lg=us

Click %26quot;Guided Tours%26quot; near the bottom right corner. That%26#39;ll give you pricing information. On the left, you%26#39;ll find %26quot;Opening Times.%26quot; For directions, click %26quot;Maps %26amp; Access,%26quot; then click %26quot;By Train%26quot; at the bottom of the map.

The site recommends reservations for tours in French and English. I would shoot them an e-mail using the %26quot;Contact Us%26quot; link near the bottom right corner.

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Removed on: 12:21 pm, October 14, 2009

Find that village!

This is just a shot in the dark. I was an Au Pair in Corsica over twenty years ago, the family had a holiday home where we spent the summer, in a little village about an hour from Bastia. It was up in the mountains and had about 12 houses and a church - thats all! I don%26#39;t remember the name of the village and that is the problem. I am going back to Corsica on holidays in Sept. and taking my husband.I

have a romantic notion of driving back to see the village. I have had no contact with the family since and don%26#39;t even remember their name so I can%26#39;t ask them. Has anyone any suggestions as to the general area I might start looking in? All I remember is that is was the highest village up a very steep and twisty road and you could see other villages all the way down. It was also very green! Not much to go on I know.

Any advice appreciated.

Daisy

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The steep and twisty road to a highest village mean that my money is on Sant%26#39;Antonino. Have a look at: www.francethisway.com/mbv-santantonino.php and see if you can find anything familiar. It is green up there and you should make sure you don%26#39;t go up a cloudy day or the views will be spoilt.

If it isn%26#39;t there, then I think you%26#39;re probably describing one of the Balagna villages you%26#39;ll find to the South of Ile Rousse. You don%26#39;t have to stay in Bastia for these places, both Calvi and Ile Rousse are in easy driving distance.

Good luck!

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Thank you. I will start there and maybe it will all come back to me when I get there!

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I don%26#39;t know - it sounds more like a village in Cap Corse - the bit that looks like a finger pointing up north of Bastia, if you have a look on the map - than Sant Antonino to me i) St A is considerably more than an hour from Bastia ii) it%26#39;s not that high, and the road up to it is not really that steep and windy, and it has many more than 12 houses iii) Cap Corse is particularly green..

Unfortunately I don%26#39;t know Cap Corse at all well, especially not inland, so can%26#39;t be of more help than that.

Other possiblilities could be above St Florent (Oletta, etc) or even the Castagniccia (also very green, full of tiny places, about an hour from Bastia, inland from the coast road south of Casamozza)

have a look at Google maps plus photos and see if that triggers any memories

Best of luck!!

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I would say that your best bets are either the Casinca (perhaps around Penta di Casinca) or the Castagniccia (inland from Moriani Plage).

Neither the Balagne nor Cap Corse are especially green in the summer (which is when you were there). Also you mention that there were only about 12 houses and that you could see other villages all the way down - both of these comments point to these two areas.

Let us know if you find the village.

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You%26#39;re right Balanina. Overlooked the 12 houses bit, although I%26#39;d reckon on not much more than an hour and a bit to get to the Balagna.

Not a windy road? It%26#39;s on the top of a hill - you even have to spiral up to get to it! But even if itsn%26#39;t your village, it%26#39;s well worth a look.

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Daisy,

Can you remember anything about the journey from Bastia to the village (or vice versa)? For example, on what side (left or right) of you was the sea? If on the left I think we are looking at Castagniccia.

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Ok, I do remember that coming back down to Bastia, once we were on the flat again,the sea was on my right and there were fields of vegetables between the road and the sea. I also remember roadside vegetable/fruit shops. One name that does ring a bell was mentioned by balanina - %26quot;Oletta%26quot;, this was, I think either on the way or on a signpost we passed on the way, so would have been somewhere nearby.

Thank you for all your suggestions.

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As I thought, you approached Bastia from the south rather than from the north, suggesting Castagniccia. It may have been Orezza that you remember on signposts. Once down the mountainside you would have been close to a seaside village/resort of Moriani-Plage, on the main road to Bastia. The road down to the coast from the mountains 20 years ago or so would have been particularly terifying, especially on the descent, as it had no barriers and a steep drop. Different from other mountain roads in Corsica because of the lack of vegetation - you could look across the ravines and see the road opposite. Cervione ring a bell?

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If it were the Castagniccia you might remember the distinctive architecture/geology, different from elsewhere in Corsica. The houses and rooves are made of slate, not stone and tiles, and the villages are often perched along the top of ridges, rather than on single pinnacles, as elsewhere in Corsica. Many of the roads are buried under chestnut forests, so very green and shady and often damp - almost like England - compared with the high mountains, maquis or pine forests elsewhere in Corsica. It is also full of tiny hamlets (how will you ever find the right one?)

It sounds as if we%26#39;re getting warm - highly likely to have been the Castagniccia or the Casinca, not least because this was once the most populous part of Corsica, so lots of people have family homes there where they return for the summer.

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Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply. Although the place names suggested do not ring a bell exactly (Orezza maybe), from what you have told me, I think you are right and we are getting warmer. Castagniccia could be the right area, so I am going to start there and drive. I remember the village clearly, there was another church about half way down between %26quot;my%26quot; village and the village below, so I am pretty sure I will know it when I see it. Can%26#39;t understand why I am unable to remember the name of the village, I was there for 3 months! must be the age related memory loss!

Daisy.

Visit Moet and Chandon

dear friends,

how can we get to Moet and Chandon from Reims center by public transport? is it doable by walking and how long will it take? do we have to make reservation for tour and how? thanks in advance for help.

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Moët and Chandon are in Epernay. Epernay is a 20 minute train ride from Reims (4.40E-5.80E). Buy the tickets at the Reims station ticket counter (French=guichet). The champagne house is a five minute walk from the Epernay train station.

http://www.moet.com/site.php?lg=us

Click %26quot;Guided Tours%26quot; near the bottom right corner. That%26#39;ll give you pricing information. On the left, you%26#39;ll find %26quot;Opening Times.%26quot; For directions, click %26quot;Maps %26amp; Access,%26quot; then click %26quot;By Train%26quot; at the bottom of the map.

The site recommends reservations for tours in French and English. I would shoot them an e-mail using the %26quot;Contact Us%26quot; link near the bottom right corner.

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Removed on: 12:21 pm, October 14, 2009

Christmas Eve Mass and restauant, any suggestions?

We will be in Paris from Dec. 21 - 26. Anyone have any suggestions where to go to church and dinner Christmas Eve? We are traveling with two teenagers so want dinner cost to be reasonable.

We are staying in the Latin quarters.

Thanks

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Try typing-in %26quot;christmas mass notre dame paris%26quot; on Google. All kinds of things pop-up , including midnite mass at the Cathedral Notre Dame (very near the Latin Quarter and would probably be quite an experience). There are numerous advertised dinner packages (Google: %26quot;christmas dinner paris%26quot;) but most seem to be quite expensive. Good luck.

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I don%26#39;t know that I%26#39;d recommend Notre Dame for Christmas mass if you are looking for a comfortable (ie, seated) experience without a crowd. However, it may be a good place for awe and pagentry, if you can get in.

You may want to try any one of the hundreds of smaller neighborhood churches throughout the city. There is a partiuclarly quaint one on the Ile St Louis that is just north of the latin qtr. and would probably be my pick for that neighborhood.

For dinner, many of hte chains are open. Perhaps a festive meal at La Coupole would be a good option for your group.

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I have the same question... I%26#39;ll be staying in the Marais (4th) and would like to attend mass and have dinner somewhere on Christmas eve. Since I%26#39;ll be traveling solo I would like dinner to be more informal and comfortable. I appreciate any suggestions.

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For the church nearest you, go to mappy.com and enter the address of your lodgings. The map that appears includes metro stations, churches, gyms, hospitals and parking lots. As you roll your cursor over the Cross Icon a pop up appears with the name of the church. From there it is an easy google to the church%26#39;s website iwth mass times and contact info.

As for restaurants, there willl be plenty open in the Marais, as this is the Jewish qtr. However, I am not sure kosher cuisine would be your idea of the ideal christams dinner (the falafel is world class, though). For a Marais dinner that is not too fancy, but rather festive, try Bofinger. http://www.bofingerparis.com/ Belongs to the same group as La Coupole and there is a good chance they%26#39;ll be open on xmas eve.

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St Eustache and Pied de Couchon are close to each other [Les Halles Metro].

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Christmas Eve mass at Notre Dame will be packed..and unless you get there early, you may get stuck back in the %26#39;cheap seats%26#39;.

But if Paris has an abundance of anything, it%26#39;s wonderful old churches, with extraordinary music...and most pull out all of the stops (no pun intended) for Christmas masses. So there are any number of wonderful alternatives. All have grand organs and fine titular organists. In addition to the liturgy of the mass...most will also have some sort of Christmas Concert performance schedule. A %26#39;..short list..%26#39; for the Left Bank would include--

ÉGLISE SAINT-ETIENNE-du-MONT--Place Sainte-Geneviève (behind Pantheon), 75005--

catholique-paris.cef.fr/diocese/…

ÉGLISE SAINT-SÉVERIN--1, rue des Prêtres Saint Séverin, 75005--

http://www.saint-severin.com/

ÉGLISE SAINT-SULPICE (of %26#39;DaVinci Code%26#39; fame?)--Place Saint Sulpice, 75006--

http://www.paroisse-saint-sulpice-paris.org/

http://www.danielrothsaintsulpice.org/

ÉGLISE SAINT-GERMAIN-des-PRÉS--Place Saint Germain, 75006--

http://www.eglise-sgp.org/

ÉGLISE NOTRE DAME des CHAMPS--92 Blvd.du Montparnasse, 75014--

http://www.paroisse-ndc.com/

ÉGLISE SAINT-LOUIS-EN-L%26#39; ÎLE--(on Ile Saint Louis)--19bis, rue Saint Louis en l%26#39;Ile, 75004--

http://www.saintlouisenlile.com/

CATHEDRAL de NOTRE DAME de PARIS--

http://www.cathedraledeparis.com/FR/0.asp

DIOCESE de PARIS--

http://catholique-paris.cef.fr/index.php

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buckeyeinla -

phread%26#39;s suggestion of the church of St. Louis en l%26#39;Île would be a good choice, just a short walk from the Marais. The church of St. Paul and St. Louis on rue St. Antoine would perhaps have a more %26quot;parish church%26quot; and less touristy feel to it.

I do not know which if any of the restaurants in the Marais would be open besides Bofinger. If you want to get lost in a crowd Bofinger would be a good place. If you are looking for somewhere a bit smaller and more intimate here are a few suggestions. You could call them and ask if they will be open.

Le Rouge-Gorge on rue St. Paul is a tiny place, really more a wine bar than a full-fledged bistro. The food is really excellent and just a litlte out of the ordinary. There are some great wines that the charming and friendly owner is happy to serve by the glass. 01 48 04 75 89

Baracane on rue des Tournelles is another little place where I%26#39;ve always found the food to be good and the welcome warm. 01 42 71 43 33

On the lovely pl. du Marché Ste. Catherine the Bistro de la Place 01 42 78 21 32 is a lively and friendly place with good food. Do NOT confuse it with the next door bistro, Le Marché, on the corner of rue d%26#39;Ormesson that I would not recommend.

The Auberge de Jarente on rue de Jarente 01 42 77 49 35 and Vins des Pyrénées on rue Beautreillis 01 42 72 64 94 are a bit bigger than the others and a bit %26quot;heartier%26quot; both in terms of the ambience and the menu. I like them both but they may not be what you are looking for.

Last, not anywhere near the Marais, Au Petit Marguéry on bv. du Port Royal on the southern edge of the 5th (actually northern edge of the 13th) 01 43 31 58 59 is a place I love. The food is great. The Grand Marnier soufflé is a splendid (if clichéd) special occasion dessert, and I don%26#39;t know a restaurant anywhere that has a more deft touch at making everyone feel welcome and %26quot;special.%26quot;

The Rouge-Gorge would be my first pick in the neighbourhood, Au P.M. if you wanted to travel further afield. But I don%26#39;t know if either will be open...

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Thank you for all the information! I never expected everyone to be so kind. This is the first trip to Paris for our teenagers so we want them to have a great experience without killing our wallet.

We are staying at Hotel Des Grandes Ecoles, Latin Quarters. It is one of the few hotels we found that offer a quad room. Have any of you all heard about this hotel?

Again, thanks for all the advise.

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Here is the link to threads for Hotel des Grande Ecoles

http://tinyurl.com/tx3uz

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The %26#39;quad%26#39; at the Hotel des Grandes Ecoles should be adequately spacious enough for a four people. It%26#39;s been a few years since I saw the %26#39;quad%26#39; room but I recall that the way that it was made-up at the time was with a double bed and a pull-out slepper sofa.

http://www.hotel-grandes-ecoles.com/

TA Past Guest Reviews %26amp; Candid Photos--(What ya%26#39; see, is what ya%26#39; get)

tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g187147-d194227…

Paris Individual Sigtseeing at night and early morning.

Hi

I have 17 hours layover in Paris; from 4:00PM on Sunday to 6:00AM on Monday. I want to rent a car (to store our laguage) and go do Paris sightseeing by night with my Wife. I looked on the forum and know about the fattirebike tours and many night bars. Not our cup of coffee.

Could you direct /suggest me to the other things we can do?

What is romantic and safe in Paris at night (and morning) hours?

Thank you vry much for all your suggestions and help

Cheers,

Robert

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Robert, Paris is a walking city, with great options for public transportation.

How about instead of renting a car, just book an inexpensive hotel room. You can store your luggage there, and freshen up. By the time you rent a car, put up with wicked Paris traffic, and pay to park it, you could save some money, and see more.

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Thank you for your reply. I thought about it too.

My pros are exactly as yours however my cons are as follow; I need transportation for all night (we dont plan to go to sleep at all) , that is after midnight too. Traffic is difficult but I hope that it will not be that bad on Sunda nigh/Monday morning. Also car with a GPS should help menavigate Paris.To top this all I need to be at the CDG airport at 6:00AM to check in for my flight back to US. And yes I am going to miss possibilities of taking the shower...but cest%26#39; la vive...just this one time...

Again thank you for your reply and I would be gratefull for suggestion of what to see and do.

Best

robert

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Don%26#39;t bother renting a car. Driving in Paris is a nightmare, which would be compounded many-fold by trying to do it at night.

Don%26#39;t bother sightseeing at night. Everything (attractions, restaurants, *everything*)is closed, and the lights go out about midnight (varies by attraction.)so there won%26#39;t be anything to see. (and what fun is sightseeing with your nose pressed against the locked security gates?) It%26#39;s cold and damp this time of year, too...adding another dimension of %26quot;not very fun%26quot; to the list.

Don%26#39;t even think about leaving your luggage in your car. Doesn%26#39;t matter where you park, you%26#39;ll return to your car to find the windows busted and your luggage long gone...and I%26#39;ve been reading that recently credit card companies (and rental car insurance companies) have quit paying out if you leave luggage in plain sight in the car.

Check into a hotel. Go have a nice supper. Have a decent night%26#39;s sleep. Then go to the airport for your flight.

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I really think it is not safe for anyone for you to drive at night. It is dangerous, and getting acquainted with Paris traffic in the night wouldn%26#39;t be something i would ever recommend. Plus you will be super tired, you will just want to have a good night sleep i guess. I agree with idea of the hotel, have a nice supper somewhere central, and then order a taxi early to make it back to CDG.

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Hi,

If night clubs aren%26#39;t your cup of tea than you won%26#39;t have much to do at night. Sacré-Coeur closes at 11PM, so that can be your last stop, and then just get some rest before your flight. As other posters have said, everything will be closed (except bars) by about midnight.

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Any possibility that you can increase your layover?

I agree--do not rent a car. At the main train stations in Paris you can store your luggage (Gare du Nord, Gare de Lyon, etc.) That would just cost you a few Euros.

You have time to get into Paris, see the Eiffel Tower lit up (lights twinkle after dark for 5-10 minutes on the hour each hour through midnight) see Notre Dame lit up, walk around Ile St. Louis (and perhaps have dinner here)--it is next to Notre Dame. Even the Arc de Triomphe is open in the evening and you could go up there and see the magnificent view.

How much luggage do you have? If not much, you could take the train into Paris. If you have a lot of luggage, you might want to take a taxi or an airport shuttle. There is also an Air France bus which goes into Paris and drops people off at a couple of distinct locations.

Since you are getting to Paris late afternoon, I think it is worth going into the city and enjoying the evening there. Then either get a room and sleep a few hours or go back to the airport to hang out--contented that you got a glimpse of the most wonderful city in the world.

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Hello Fellow Travelers !

Please let me thank you all for trying to help me. I REALLY apreciate it very much.

Also, risking to apear stubborn and/or stupid please let me reiterate my objectives; I have 17 hours in Paris, I am willing to be uncomforatble during that time in order to see the City of Lights, pun intended. I understand that Almost all (and after 11:00PM literrally all) attractions will be closed. I am willing to go to the Notre Dame and just walk around %26quot;inhaling%26quot; lights and shadows of this magnificent structure, the same goes with other attractions. Question is what are those attractions?

Would I prefer to have few days to do this and not be forced to give away good night sleep and drive in Paris rented mini van? But of course I would!, however I am willing to sleep back home (cannot do this on the airplane, not with my body habitus).

However since I am going to be in Paris with my Wife of 22 years one thing that I am not willing to compromise is our personal safety.

So please help me up by giving me hints to which places and locations would you go/take your Family if you would happen to have sleeples night and have zest for romantic walk (even if it is raining...).

Again, I thank you for your time, thoughts and replies!

best

robert

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Well then i think you will compromise your personal safety if you learn to drive in Paris in the dark. You can book a cheap hotel to store your luggage and then use the metro/ walk around. The Ile de la Cité with Notre Dame and the Conciergerie are lit up, the Louvre is also well lit up, the Opera. And with a car you can%26#39;t really appreciate, no time to actually look at things

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RobertToni !!

I am an earlybird, and I thought the area around the Bastille had a lot of nightlife, clubs, bars, for a snack, people watching and could be a good pitstop for you.

Drive as much as you can first and then pull in someplace to relax.

I am certain you will enjoy !!

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I agree with others in that you should not rent a car. Get the inexpensive hotel room and stash you things there while walking around. Since you are game to walk around and see the sights then I would recommend checking for a map on-line and walking the streets to see Notre Dame and St. Chapelle that are near one another, the Opera building, la Madeleine Church, place Vendome, Bastille and Place de la Concorde. In another direction you could walk up the Champs d%26#39;Elysees, see the Arc de Triomphe and head down Avenue Montagne to window shop the expensive shops and hotels. If you have energy and time you could take the metro to the Eiffel Tower and see it lit up at night. It really depends on what you%26#39;d like to see as walking does take some time. Somewhere along the try to find a place to eat or pick something up (if anything is open at that time) and take it to the Eiffel Tower for a probably cool and damp yet romantic picknick on a bench. Once done head back to your hotel room and freshen up then take a taxi to the airport a couple of hours before your flight.

car train from nice to paris or from frejus to metz in nov

has anyone used this service run by SNCF? I%26#39;m thinking of using it to get back to the UK but there doesn%26#39;t seem to be much information their site.

IT keeps mentioning that you can travel separately from the car on a different train but can you also travel on the same train as the car in the night?

There is also a service, I believe from frejus to metz, i wonder if this is easier for me to use (final destination is Calais) so I don%26#39;t have to drive through paris.

Any info would be great, thanks.

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Frejus-Metz is June to September only. Only Paris routes in winter: voyages-sncf.com/guide/…

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Paris it is then, thanks for letting me know. Have you used this service? I%26#39;ve looked on their website and I can%26#39;t find the departure/arrival times anywhere only that they travel on tuesdays, thursdays and saturdays.

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No, I haven%26#39;t used it - been tempted a couple of times though and may still use it in future. If you do use it, let us know how it went!

They don%26#39;t seem to give precise times for the trains anymore. They used to, but I can%26#39;t find them now. But what they do give is the precise time intervals when you can load and unload your car - on the link above click %26#39;telechargez tous les horaires et destinations -hiver 2008-09%26#39; for after December 14, or enter Nice and Paris above this text and click the resulting PDF for dates up to then.

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On thinking about this further, there%26#39;s no need for SNCF to give the precise train times. You cannot travel on the train with your car, so loading/unloading times are all that matters. For personal travel, you have to get a different train, either overnight or during the day.

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that%26#39;s good to know about having to travel separately then. I travelled down from Calais to Nice in September with a different company (not SNCF) and it was all very easy. On that train you do travel down with your car. I shall report on here after I%26#39;ve been on the SNCF one. Thanks for your help.

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Removed on: 1:19 pm, October 14, 2009

Hotel in CDG for 3 - Novotel or Holiday Inn?

Hi,

We are arriving in CDG on 3/3/09 and looking for an overnight stay at an airport hotel on a budget. There are 3 of us (wife and teen-daughter). Both Novotel and Holiday Inn seem to offer rooms for 3 people with breakfast included. Any experience with the 2nd bed? Is it a rollaway, sofabed, sofa, etc.

Thanks,

Z

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Email the hotels and ask them. It%26#39;s possible that the arrangement is different for different rooms, so guest experience could be misleading. Better to get the information from the horse%26#39;s mouth, so to speak.

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Removed on: 1:20 pm, October 14, 2009

travelling in Paris

Hi, Hope you can help. I%26#39;m coming over for aconceet next Thursday, flying in to Charles de Gaulle about 7pm and then need to get to my hotel in Place de Clichy, Montmartre. Looking at the map would I be best going by train to Gare Du Nord then swapping onto metro? its not clear from the metro map. Really glad of any advice.

Maggie

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I would call the hotel and ask what they suggest. If they suggest the Metro, ask if there is an lift (elevator) or escalator at the station.

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Thanks for that good idea about contcating the hotel, not too bothered about stairs/escalators.

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If your hotel is located at or near PLACE de CLICHY Metro, it%26#39;s on the #2 Metro ligne. From the RER %26#39;B%26#39; ligne arrival platforms of GARE du NORD, you%26#39;ve two options. The first is to make your way up to the Metro portion of the station and make the long CORRESPONDANCE passageways and over to the inter-connected LA CHAPELLE Metro station and take the #2 Metro ligne (heading in the direction of Porte Dauphine to the PLACE DE CLICHY station...or...from GARE du NORD, take the #4 Metro ligne (heading in the direction of Porte de Clignancourt) one(1) stop to BARBÈS-ROCHECHOUART station, then switch over to the #2 Metro ligne (heading in the direction of Porte Dauphine) to PLACE DE CLICHY station.

There%26#39;s also the #54--GABRIEL PERI-METRO/PORTE D%26#39;AUBERVILLIERS Bus Route (heading in the direction of Gabriel Peri)--

www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan.php…

from the stop just out in front of Gare du Nord, at rue de Dunkerque

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thats really helpful, I just couldn%26#39;t see from the metro maps how I could get onto the right line!

thanks a lot

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The Montmartre metro%26#39;s are the deepest in Paris and when we were there it there were people struggling to make it up the spiral staircase. In the rest of Paris the stations were one and 2 stories deep, but at Montmartre it seemed like 5 or 6.

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Crikey - I see what you mean. I%26#39;ll bear that in mind especially with a suitcase!

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Removed on: 1:21 pm, October 14, 2009

planning my first trip to Paris from 27th to 30th dec,

my husband and i are planning on going to paris for our 10th wedding anniversary and were wondering what the weather will be like...freezing cold, windy, dark and wet or bearable? we will pack winter coats and warm shoes and clothes but is it worth the trip? what are the nice , pretty and centrally located hotels to stay in. will it be too cold to go up the eiffel tower, is there much else to do there in the cold?

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Removed on: 2:15 pm, October 14, 2009

Gare du Nord: left luggage facilities?

We get into CDG from Oz at the (unholy) hour of 6:55 and – once we manage to funnel through the woefully understaffed passport control (along with the other 3 jumbo loads of passengers that seem to always manage to arrive at that time slot) – the current plan is to catch the RER, drop of our baggage and use what%26#39;s left of the morning to do something while we wait to get into our apartment.

I%26#39;d read somewhere recently that scanning equipment had been implemented and the left luggage lockers at Gare du Nord – and some of the other bigger stations – were back in operation.

Can anyone confirm?

I%26#39;m also assuming we will have to %26quot;sortie%26quot; to access luggage lockers – which will mean we will need new billets to continue our journey?

Thanks...

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Yes, the luggage facilities are in operation, they open at 6:15 at Gare du Nord. Since a few years there%26#39;s scanning equipment at the entrance of the luggage lockers.

And yes, you need to exit the metro/RER system to enter the %26quot;consignes automatiques%26quot;, and you will need new tickets to continue your journey.

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Thank you!

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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;I%26#39;m also assuming we will have to %26quot;sortie%26quot; to access luggage lockers – which will mean we will need new billets to continue our journey?%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;

YES...you will have to Exit the lower-level, turnstile/gate controled RER/Metro portion of the Gare du Nord station compex, come up to the upper, SNCF/THALYS/EUROSTAR, portion of the station, walk the length of the main concourse, to far,southwest corner (near the regular TAXI rank) for the entrance down to the CONSIGNES (Left Luggage) area.

But depending on where your apartment is located within the city, you may be better off making your way to the most convenient SNCF station, with a CONSIGNES facility (Gare du Nord, Gare de l%26#39;Est, Gare de Lyon, Gare d%26#39;Austerlitz, Gare Montparnasse...NOT Gare Saint Lazare nor Gare Bercy), to your apartment%26#39;s location.

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All is right.

Yes, you will need new billets to continue your journey, but if it is within Paris with the metro or the RER, it will cost only 1.2 euro per person. Not a lot.

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Our apartment is on the rue du Fer a Moulin in the 5th and I picked Gare du Nord after playing with various combinations on the www.ratp.fr site because:

(1) we could go straight there from CDG (no need to change);

(2) it%26#39;s close to the Marche des Rouge Enfants (where we can have lunch and pick up some provisions); and

(3) heading back to the apartment, we can get off at Censier-Daubenton (which minimises the walk dragging our bags).

Any better approaches greatly appreciated.

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Sounds like a well thought out and researched %26#39;..plan..%26#39; to suit your purpose nicely.

Since you will be un-encumbered by baggage, you could easily walk the distance (2?..3? km) to Marche des Rouge Enfants, stopping for breakfast en route at any likely looking place along the way.

I suspect that the %26#39;..problem..%26#39; you may encounter is that once at Marche des Rouge Enfants, you may be sorely tempted by all of foods, wines, etc at the stalls there, to %26#39;..shop..%26#39; more than you should...and then have to carry not only your baggage...but enough provisions for a regiment for a month back to your apartment. It%26#39;ll HURT...but try to exercise some shopping restraint....or simply add a mental 10% to every purchase you make...and use this added amount for the taxi fare to your apartment....with LOTS of tasty stuff.

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Damn. The flaw in my cunning plan - managing our baggage AND the stuff we pick up at le Marché.

I guess we%26#39;ll just have to practice shopping constraint - knowing we have many other markets to visit all with yummy, fresh produce to buy.....

Who am I kidding? This just isn%26#39;t going to work, is it? We%26#39;re going to buying way too much stuff - and the jet lag is just going to make the impulse control harder.

The best laid plans....

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Removed on: 2:16 pm, October 14, 2009

Boulevard Raspail: hours on Sundays

Can anyone tell me what time the Boulevard Raspail Marché Biologique finishes up on Sundays? Seems they%26#39;re open to 2:30pm Tuesdays and Fridays but the only info I can find on google is %26quot;Sunday mornings.%26quot;

Ta!

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According to the official municipal site (www.paris.fr), it%26#39;s open from 9:00 until 15:00 on Sundays.

www.paris.fr/portail/Economie/Portal.lut…

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Removed on: 2:17 pm, October 14, 2009

Alone in Paris on Christmas

Hi... I was just wondering what exactly can you do in Paris o xmas day if you%26#39;re alone? Would it be depressing? Also what days do the shops, galleries etc closed around xmas? Do they only closed on the day or before and after as well? Thank you for the help!

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If I may ask, how do you happen to be alone on Christmas; I know people travel alone, but on a holiday one is usually with some family or friends. I do not know what is closed or open; there are many threads on %26quot;Christmas%26quot; or %26quot;holidays in Paris%26quot; in the search box, or someone else can help. Are you religious? Attending a mass at Notre Dame or Sacre Coeur would be lovely, and you%26#39;d be surrounded by others. Hope you have a nice day regardless.

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haha that%26#39;s because I don%26#39;t generally celebrate xmas at all with family most of my family and relatives are buddhist so xmas is not a big thing for us...

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Try something new, go to a Church with Music, you could check out the churches in Paris.

Could be very beautiful and informative !!

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Since you don%26#39;t celebrate Christmas, consider it is just a %26quot;normal%26quot; day, very much Sunday alike as the shops will be closed (only on Christmas day, everything will be open on Wednesday 24th and on Friday 26th).

So stroll around a few neighborhoods, sit in cafés with a hot chocolate and a good book, enjoy a nice meal...but don%26#39;t miss the Christmas windows at the Grands Magasins on Boulevard Haussmann (the windows are great and so are the kids in front of it)!

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Thanks heaps for the tips guys... definitely would love to see those xmas decorations and maybe go to a church etc... makes me feel better to know that they%26#39;re open before and after xmas day because I don%26#39;t want to waste too many days just walking around but can%26#39;t actually do anything (visiting museums/galleries/shopping etc)

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Lufchic - just an idea. I have a lot of Jewish friends who don%26#39;t celebrate Christmas - you could head to one of the Jewish area%26#39;s of Paris - here%26#39;s a paragraph from a NY Times article this Sunday and the link:

As you enter the narrow, cobblestone rue des Rosiers, the smell of fresh-baked challah drifts from bakeries, and school kids in yarmulkes pop out of doorways adorned with the Star of David. This is the heart of Jewish Paris. Many Parisians say that the nation’s best shwarma and falafel are served at L’As du Fallafel. Alas, every tourist from every continent seems to be in on the news, resulting in lines more common to Madonna concerts. Instead, cross the street to Mi-Va-Mi (23, rue des Rosiers; 33-1-42-71-53-72), where the lines are shorter, the service is friendlier, and the falafel (5 euros) and spit-grilled shwarma (7 euros) are almost equally good. Ask for some zesty red salade Turque on top and finish with excellent fig strudel (3.20 euros) at nearby Florence Finkelstein (24, rue des Ecouffes; 33-1-48-87-92-85).

…nytimes.com/2008/10/19/travel/19hours.html

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My first trip to Paris as an adult was during Christmas (although I think I arrived on 12/26). I stayed in a very inexpensive hotel that had a nice common area and met quite a few fellow travelers. It was quite cold when I was there, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself, including being snowed on one evening by the Pantheon. I just googled Paris at Christmas and found this great photo essay for inspiration (not much info, though). …about.com/od/…parischristmas_10.htm

I also found this list of museums open on Xmsas day: I%26#39;ve never been to any of these, but it%26#39;s a longer list than I would have expected.

Musee du Luxembourg http://www.museeduluxembourg.com/

Musee Jacquemart-Andre -- I%26#39;ve heard this is wonderful www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com/en/jacquemart/

Paris Erotic Museum www.musee-erotisme.com/fichiers/billet.php… and they have a voucher on the web site for a 3E discount

Espace Salvador Dali www.daliparis.com/english/practical.html

Musee du Grevin Wax Muxeum http://www.grevin.com/discover (Closed Jan 5 - 9 inclusive)

Have a great time!~

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Okay...one more thing...Notre Dame%26#39;s official site has a calendar of events, including concerts and masses on Christmas eve and day.

Christmas Eve: www.notredamedeparis.fr/index.php…

Christmas Day: www.notredamedeparis.fr/index.php…

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Think of this as an adventure! I think it will be amazing, not depressing. Walk around the city, enjoy the sights and sounds. I find myself alone on many holdays also. Many people don%26#39;t understand that not everyone has family. I prefer to travel solo also. It beats making myself a third wheel in someone else%26#39;s house! Have a wonderful time!

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Jeanne - don%26#39;t suppose you found what is open on New Year%26#39;s day?

Bed & Breakfast Directories

We are looking for a nice but inexpensive B%26amp;B close to a somewhat less touristed village. I have found several potential candidates via sites like chambres-en-france.com and the Gites de France website. but wondered if there are more complete online resources I am missing. Our ideal scenario would be a B%26amp;B with studio type rooms to rent by the night (and we have seen some of these). We are looking to spend less than 60 Euros per night. Also are there other resources for finding self catering studios or gites that rent by the night?

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Not really. Nightly rentals isnt a big thing, It%26#39;s too labour intensive, because the cleaning for one night is no less than the cleaning for a week, so people tend not to do it.

An Aparthotel is what youre after - but you wont find any in the country

Simon

http://daysontheclaise.blogspot.com/

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While you MIGHT be able to find a place or two that would be willing to rent to youon a daily basis if you were planning to travel WAY out of season, Iagree with the WizardofAus about why they usually wont. However, because distances are relatively close in Western Provence you will probably be better served by establishing a base and using it to make daily explorations of the region rather than spend the time and effort to relocate every day. Doing so will also mean that you will not have your belongings in your car every day.

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I should have said that while our ideal scenario is a studio, we would also happily stay in a nice B%26amp;B.

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http://www.chambresdhotesfrance.com/

Is the B%26amp;B directory. I%26#39;ve never used it, so i can%26#39;t verify how good or otherwise it is.

Simon

http://daysontheclaise.blogspot.com/

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Half Full,

Check out http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/ some of the properties allow you to rent multiple nights and not just by the week.

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Removed on: 12:47 am, October 12, 2009

Paris on New Years Day

My husband and I are traveling to Paris for the New Year...I know that things will be running on Sunday but what should we expect for New Years Day on Monday? will the metro be running? As far as shops and restaurants, should we plan on eating at the Hotel? Any suggestions for what to do on New Years Day? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

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I and my friends are also travelling to Paris for the New Year. We also need any suggestions for what to do on Sunday and Monday.

Thanks.

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here is the official list from the city of Paris of which attractions will be open the 25th and the 1st.

…parisinfo.com/rub8283.html%26id_article=23680

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i cannot find this information right now, but Montmartre %26amp; the Eiffel Tower will be swinging

valerie

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Removed on: 2:20 pm, October 14, 2009

june-july/august

Hi how are you?

just woundering could anyone suggest good web sites for summer work in Biarritz.

currently i m studing french so i hope to have it in fair level to work some seasonal job-preferebly in retail or watersports. Thank you very much :)

kristy

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Hi Kristy,

Start here:

http://www.sudouest-emploi.com/

It might also be worth taking a trip there, armed with CV and so on, so you can actually doorstep shops and so on.

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Removed on: 8:26 am, November 03, 2008

attractions near orly

Hello! We will be arriving in Feb. 2009 for a 6 hr. stop over in Orly (we already visited paris on an earlier leg of our trip.) Is it feasible to visit Versailles during this period? how? I have read about the forfait loisirs, but have only found valid dates up to dec. 2008. Does anyone know if it continues in 2009? If visiting Versailles is really out of the question, what are my other possibilities nearby Orly?

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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;...6 hr. stop over in Orly....it feasible to visit Versailles during this period?%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;

NO...not even close.

You could take the ORLYBUS to DENFERT-ROCHEREAU RER and find a likely spot for a pleasant luncheon....or visit Le CATACOMBES de PARIS....but I can%26#39;t think of much around ORLY that I%26#39;d risk a visit to with such a brief amount of time. Upon return to ORLY, you%26#39;d need to allow two(2) hours of lead time for check-in and to clear airport security...to be on the safe side.

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Thank you. You have been very helpful. I will do exactly what you suggest.

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Removed on: 3:16 pm, October 14, 2009

Best Holiday Inn in Paris

I need to use some Holiday Inn points for lodging. Can anyone tell me the best Holiday Inn to use them?

Thanks!

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We stayed at the HI Place de la Republique in May/June. It was a lovely hotel within walking distance to Canal St. Martin and some nice restaurants. The Place de la Republique metro stop is within 50 feet of the front door. It is a little %26quot;out-of-the-way%26quot; from the central area, but we really liked it.

BTW, we chose it because the others, more centrally located, were not available for our dates - the French Open was in full swing while we were there.

Katharine

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There are a few Holiday Inns in Paris. I say the one at Place de la Republique is best because due to its location. There are 4/5 metro lines converge there. I certainly avoid the one at Gare de Lyon area.

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Removed on: 3:16 pm, October 14, 2009

Caen vs. Bayeux in January

I will be in Normandy the end of January, arriving on the Ferry from the UK...landing near Caen. I will be there four days.

My plans are to visit the beaches and I am wondering if I should stay in Bayeux or Caen. (I have my eye on staying at the Kyriad Caen Center because the price is right.) Caen seems larger, but many recommend Bayeux. Which city has the best restaurants? And are the restaurants open in January?

I have been advised that in January it may be difficult to find a tour of the beaches. Suggestions?

Tim

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Caen is a fairly prosperous university town with good infrastructure. Therefore you will find plenty of places to eat, near and even in the Chateau, particularly Rue de Vaugueux, serving the local business and student population. A 1* Michelin restaurant (Le Pressoir) is about 1 mile from Kyriad. The excellent Twisto tram service will get you around town if you want to venture a little further. If you go to the Memorial (%26quot;Peace%26quot; Museum) the restaurant there is also good and not expensive. The only down side of Caen is that it is not a particularly attractive tourist destination, with a lot of post-war construction, but safe and clean.

Bayeux is definitely more attractive. Restaurants will still be open - this is France - but your choice will be more limited as their core business is seasonal.

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Thank you very much for this. I%26#39;ll probably stay in Bayeux.

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Bayeux is much more compact, easier to get in and out by car, and much more pleasant to walk around. You will find enough restaurants for a 4 day stay in the city or within a few miles (Arromanches, Port-en-Bessin, Sully).

For tours, you can email the tour companies in Bayeux - you%26#39;ll find recommendations on this forum.

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Removed on: 3:17 pm, October 14, 2009

Paris Hilton Hotel needs a makeover

For those of us old enough to remember the 50%26#39;s, there used to be a particular yellow color that they put on appliances and Rambler cars that was sort of a bright yellow. After spending 9 days at the Paris Hilton I realize that they must have cornered the market on this paint. We stayed on the 9th floor in the %26quot;Executive%26quot; floor which allows you to eat and drink in the Executive Room on 10. The halls are all this yellow which is weathered. My $500/night room had a nice view of the Eiffel Tower but it was very weathered for an Executive Room. The only thing executive was the signs which they obviously have to put on the rooms doors to impersonate executive. The saving grace for the hotel is the concierge and front desk staff. Nice people and helpful. The Pacific Restaurant in the Hotel is a good place to eat and look at the Eiffel Tower and the foie gras is some of the best I%26#39;ve had. Due to its location, you can easily go to a great neighborhood shopping area called Rue de Cler. Worth walking to just to eat at the Cafe du Marche%26#39; or to walk around a buy ham and cheese and bread to eat on the park bench on the grassy area by the Eiffel Tower

Bottom Line: Hilton, redo this hotel. I%26#39;ve stayed here over the years several times and know it is in the right location. Just needs some new wallpaper and carpeting and fancy beds like your other properties.

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Perhaps the Executive room in which you stayed has not been recently renovated or refreshed.

We stayed at the Hilton Paris last September (in a %26quot;regular%26quot; room) and everything was brand new, including the bed (king) and the bathroom, which was gorgeous. The room was enormous. Best, we paid $120/night with Hotwire.

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I quite agree. We stayed on the 6th floor in

August 2008 and found the wallpaper peeling

and things looking %26#39;tired%26#39;.

As we were paying just $141 US through

Priceline I really can%26#39;t complain... I

WOULD have been complaing at $500 a night!

Of the 4 hotels we stayed in during our 2

weeks in France this was the only one with a

CRT television... the others had LCDs.

Not that we were there to watch television

but it showed me that the hotel is behind

many others in updating. It%26#39;s amazing

how less intrusive an LCD screen is in rooms

that are not huge to begin with!

I wonder if the property will remain a Hilton

as I heard a doorman tell a regular customer

they were likely to change in 2009...

Rob

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DJK... you must have got lucky and had a room

on a floor that had been renovated as our floor

was definately on the shabby side.

Rob

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Indeed we saw peeling paint also and mildew in the shower. Where is the Hilton inspection team? There shouldn%26#39;t be GOOD rooms and old rooms in a 4 star hotel

The view of the Eiffel Tower is fantastic, the location is fantastic. Very nice neighborhood and full of interesting restaurants.

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They are selling it to Accor on Jan 1st so you can expect no renovations at all and that would explain the neglect at well. No reason to invest when they are getting rid of it.

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Aha! So the doorman was right!

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I wonder what the story is with Hilton. It is selling the Nile Hilton in Cairo on Jan. 1st as well.

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Does Hilton actually OWN all the properties with their name on them? Or are they like Best Western or Ramada who don%26#39;t necessarily own all

the hotels?

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Removed on: 3:18 pm, October 14, 2009

Own car or Hire Car

We are thinking of getting the boat and own car to France and having a family (4) holiday in France driving next summer for 2 weeks.Could also consider flying and renting a car.

Was just wondering which is the best option.

We wanted to stay a few days in various places but keep travelling around. Not sure where to go! So any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks

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Hi there,

If you%26#39;re taking the car from Donegal, which way will you go? The Pont Aven from Cork to Roscoff is a lovely big Ferry, and will only take you 14 hours to get across. But its a long way from Donegal to Cork.

And will you go camping www.keycamp.ie or are you looking at hotels?

We take the car, driving through the UK but we take 3 1/2 weeks or so. We also stop off for a treat in the UK on the way home. And we usually involve my siblings in the UK in this escapade.

The advantage of the car is that you can pack it with whatever you want, and bring back as much wine as your car will allow.

But the plane will get you further faster.

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We nomally take our own car when going to France but last time when we stayed at a friend%26#39;s house near Limoges we hired a car.

Hiring the car was no problem, we hired it from HyperU, and seemed reasonably cheap compared to UK prices and everything was ok when we returned it. In fact we got some cash back because we hadn%26#39;t done too many miles.

Two things that are obvious, but may be a problem, are the insurance and where you have to pick up and leave the car.

Insurance shouldn%26#39;t be a problem unless you have any type of accident. You will have to pay the first £100/£200/£300 excess for even the slightest dent or scratch. Anything worse and you%26#39;d better be proficient in speaking French or you%26#39;ll be spending longer in France than you anticipated.

Picking up and returning the car can be awkward depending on what time of day or night you need the car. Most hire firms only work %26#39;office hours%26#39; and can be shut weekends and Bank holidays.

If you%26#39;re going to Southern France and want to get there quickly then flying and hiring may be your best option but otherwise I%26#39;d recommend taking your own car.

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Removed on: 3:19 pm, October 14, 2009

Versailles Tour

I have been in Paris in October 16 this year, and to make my vacations better, the concierge at the hotel were we have been, The Paris Marriot Rive Gauche, called to the company Paris Trip in order to take a tour to Versailles. The driver-guide picked us up at the hotel and dropped us off at the door of Versailles and asked us to meet her at 11.30 in an specific place.

We paid The Paris Trip company $150 Euros in cash for this tour at the time the driver-guide dropped us off.

At 11.40 after more than 10 minutes looking for the bus, we called the company because we didn%26#39;t found the bus, and they told us the bus just left , five minutes ago,withouth us, because we were late.

We asked her to ask the driver to return and pick us up and she said thath we need to take the train because the drive was not going to come back for us.

We were 8 people total and she left with just 4 because the other 4 were looking for her.

I want every body who is reading this, do not take that tour, it%26#39;s name is PARIS TRIP, because they are not profesionals and is much better to take the train and pay $1.50 for the trip and $6.00 E for the entrance to Versailles and you have your our time and do not have this kind of inconvenience, finally we lost our money.

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I am sorry this happened to you.

I hope you let the hotel concierge know what occurred, these people do have quite a bit of influence. Additionally, communicating with the tour company management might prove valuable as well. It%26#39;s possible the management has no idea their drivers are leaving passengers behind.

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Sorry this happened to you( because you lost a lot of money) , but , you said you were looking for them, meaning I guess that you were not at the appointed pick up place on time, and unfortunately they did have 4 other people to keep on schedule. Frankly, I would not have been happy to take a tour that was so short anyways,, you had what a total of two hours there?

Tours often are quite prompt on leaving since they likely had an afternoon tour and couldn%26#39;t fall behind. Sort of sounds like this was not so much a tour, but just transportation since its just a driver and a van.

Next time take the train, by purchasing a Forfaits Loisirs Pass you get the train ride and admission to the Palace and Petit and Grand Trianon, and the Hamlet , and line jumping prividles for less then 25 euros each.

I would definately complain to the concierge at your hotel, as they recommendation got you to use that company, but, ultimately remember the concierge is not always the best source of help as the possibilty of kick backs can make some concierges more likely to promote certain services /comapanies over others. Doing your own homework online often really pays off.

Hope you enjoy rest of your long stay! Lucky you!

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Removed on: 4:15 pm, October 14, 2009

Trip Report days 1 & 2 Long...

We just got back from our honeymoon to Paris 10/17-10/23 and I must say it was better than I even hoped it to be. Our time there was not even close to enough, we running non stop everyday and wanted to do so much more.

Day One: We arrived in Paris about an hour early to CDG, which was good in that we got off the plane but bad for plans. We booked shuttle inner from the high recomendations on this site and they were there waiting for us with our names on a sign even with our early arrival, everything went smoothly. We rented an apartment on Isle St Louis from Paris Address and we were not supposed to meet with them until 1:30 but arrived at the apartment arround 12:15. I had their phone number and figured I could just find a pay phone and call them, but I could not find a phone to save my life and after about 40 minutes of wandering aimlessley arround the Island I gave up and we waited on a bench overlooking the river until they arrived for check in. The check in went ok, but the internet and TV in the apt didnt work so the guy told us to go out and he would fix it, so we walked over to Notre Dame and just sat in the square in awe of everything arround us. Im a west coast girl and we have nothing old or even close to old arround here so I felt like everything I looked at couldnt be real, It was like I was at disneyland or something and I think I felt that way the first few days. We wandered back to the apt and there was a note saying that the problems couldnt be fixed but we would recieve a 10% discount which was ok other that us carrying the laptop all the way over for no reason. We were both exhausted but decided if we took a nap we may not wake up until too late so we decided to take a boat cruise since that involved no real effort besides sitting. The boat cruise was good but we were both so tired it was a real struggle to stay awake so after we walked back the apartment to rest before dinner. I had made reservations at Le Fin Gourmet on Isle st Louis and the restaurant turned out to be wonderful, The menu was 28 Euros for either an entree and main or a main and dessert with house wine included. I had a mushroom ravioli with an amazing sauce as my starter and a roast chicken with mushrooms and potatoes and it was excellent as well. My Husband had the same and then got a great dessert described as warm chocolate cake with srawberry mousse and caramel ice cream and it was so good. Our total bill was 58 Euros for two which I thought was good for the level of food that we got. After dinner we stumbled home and passed out for the night.

Day 2: Today I had book a private tour with Michael Osman and I had read many good reviews and a few bad on here but I was looking forward to it. I can say that he is so great and I cannot recomend him enough, for me our day with him was the highlight of the trip. Michael took us all over the city, we started by walking to metro and going to the Louvre just for a highlights tour and he told us so much that I would not have seen on my own. From there we got on a bus and went towards to Eiffel Tower, we got off and walked across the bridge towards the tower and on the way saw every scam mentioned on ths forum which was quite entertaining and I must say anyone fooled by the scams nust not be that bright. When we got up to the tower the lines were insane I couldnt imagine waiting in that. We took the obligated pictures behind the tower and continued walking on through the side streets and we started to get close to rue cler and decided to go over and see how many Rick Steeves books we could spot, and unfortunatley we only spotted one, it was saturday and it really seemed to be mostly locals enjoying a nice day out with their families. The street accutally was really nice and I can see the attraction to it, we grabbed some sandwiches from one of the many stalls and went and ate it in a nearby park I cant remember the name of it now. From there we hopped on another bus over to the Luxumbourg Gardens and walked arround there, it was a beautiful day and the park was full, The garden was different than I thought it would be I guess I was expecting more of a garden but it was more like a park, anyone who has been to San Diego I would compare it to our Balboa Park. From there we got on the metro and went towards the shopping triangle of george V ave Montaigne and Champs Elysees, we walked down the street window shopping, the shops there are amazing there was probably 5 employees for every customer in them but I guess for the money spent that should be expected. From there we got back on the Metro and went towards St Germain and wandered the streets, I had mentioned I wanted to try macaroons after reading so much about them and I must say I wasnt disappointed they were very good. We went into various churches along the way which were very interesting but I cannot remember their names : ( We continued just walking the streets and getting on and off busses into the Latin Qtr. I was so sad when our day with Michael came to an end and we felt really lucky he made time for us that day because his father was in town visiting him for the first time, if it werent for that we probably would have booked him for another day or two. After Michael left us arround 5:30 we wandered back to the apt to rest for a bit, for dinner that night we werent that hungry after the snacking all day so we just went to a local cafe and had a small meal and then off to bed.

Days to be continued if you can stand reading anymore and please pardon my many spelling errors.

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Great report, can%26#39;t wait to read more! Thanks for sharing............JO

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Enjoying your TR. More please.

Theresa

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First, congratulations! I can%26#39;t imagine a more perfect place to spend a honeymoon than Paris. Thanks for the great report. I am looking forward to hearing about the rest of your trip.

Can you share what shuttle service you used? I am possibly interested in this, since there will be three of us and a good bit of luggage. Thanks!

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Congrats on marriage and yes, I am enjoying your trip report very much, look forward to reading next installments.

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Removed on: 1:36 am, October 13, 2009

Parasites at Le Marina Hotel Vannes

My experience: a dirty room infested with parasites. Did not sleep all night was so petrified of being bitten. Fleas, tics etc were coming out of the matress. I was very dissapointed by this hotel as I had an interview the following morning !!!! ...... Just wanted to warn people so that%26#39;s all I shall say about this hotel.

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If you really want to help other travellers, you should post this as a review of the hotel under the %26quot;reviews%26quot; section of TripAdvisor. This way whenever anyone looks up this hotel, they will see your review and be warned. Many people may not check the forums for this type of warning so the review section is best.

If there is no already established page for this hotel, then it just takes an extra moment to create one yourself.

LL

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The person who posted this thread back in June 2007 has had no further posts since then. This leads me to believe that this may be a malicious post.

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Removed on: 6:19 pm, August 31, 2009