Right well here is the first installment, fairly mammoth but hope it's entertaining if not helpful!!
Cast
Me! 28 year old Disney mad lady been to DLRP 6 times
DH 33 years old Disney convert been to DLRP 4 times
Well as the heading says this trip we decided to venture into Paris for a few days first (If not interested in the Paris bits I will title the headings as to where we went!)
We got up at stupid o clock (04:30) and embarked on our short car journey as we flew from Exeter with Flybe (possibly the worlds smallest airport - my husband commented our local Sainsbury’s was bigger….and cheaper!!)
When we left England it was grim, cold and rainy. Good flight about an hour long we left on time and then we landed in Paris CDG (Terminal 1) to find the weather there was hot, hot, HOT (luckily I had packed sun cream). Anyway we got off the plane in this humungous place, checked the screen to see which carousel our flights luggage was going to be on and off we went down long conveyor belts and escalators to find it! It’s pretty easy to navigate CDG its well sign posted. We got to our carousel and within 10 minutes the luggage was out (always find CDG really speedy with the luggage)
We needed to get the RER to our hotel so had to transfer to Terminal 2 so we set off looking for the signs for the onsite CDGVAL it was easy enough. Look for the signs that say “Sortie” and look for the signs that say “CDGVAL” as they are usually together. Those of you at Terminal 1 don’t be fooled the sign says CDGVAL and is pointing outside-so my hubby and I went outside and couldn’t see it anywhere so we retraced our steps and the CDGVAL entrance is actually sneakily hidden to the right of the doors Exiting the airport. We didn’t feel too stupid as it was an easy mistake to make and it seems several others did exactly the same!
The CDGVAL is super easy (Once you have found it!) They are like a tube, get on at your terminal, get off at the terminal you want to go to and they are every few minutes, very clean, very quick. Once we reached Terminal 2 it actually drops you right at the RER so we purchased a ticket to our stop at Parc des Expositions (queued for ages but us Disers are used to this!) and off we went. It is worth noting they DO speak pretty good English at the ticket kiosks in fact this whole holiday I found the French couldn’t have been nicer and more English equipped if they tried despite me doing my best with my schoolgirl French because I had been told it was the exact opposite in Paris!
Our hotel was only one stop from CDG and 30 minutes to the centre of Paris (e.g St Michel - Notre Dame Station). We stayed at a Premiere Classe hotel this was located about 200m from the RER you get off the RER, go left and it was right in front of us. It was sited ona business park, I noted a couple of restaurants, but I liked the fact there was nothing around us, it was wonderfully quiet-a real tonic from the rest of the holiday as lets face ot, Paris is buzzing). Check in wasn’t till 2 pm and it was just after 12, so we left our suitcases at the Kyriad next door (this is always manned whereas the Premiere Classe isn’t but they seem to work together) and went off to discover Paris, back to the station to purchase a 2 day Paris Visite card @ 27.50 (euros) for zones 1-6 (this covers centre of Paris to Disney basically) you can use any mode of transport (Metro, RER, Bus, land train in Montmartre) unlimited for however many days you have purchased for. We had heard the first Sunday of every month the museums are free so first stop was the Louvre. We got there via RER B first to Chatelet des Halles then we wanted to go to the Palais Royale Musee de Louvre stop which was a Metro line (yellow and No. was Line 1) so we looked for a yellow circle with the number 1 and then headed to it. Metro is easy peasy, you need 2 maps, one for the RER and one for the Metro and view them as you would the tube in London-need to get to the Eiffel Tower?? Look at which station you are at is it RER or Metro (it’s obvious) is the Eiffel Tower stop (Champ de Mars) an RER or Metro stop? Then look for the connecting lines. You will find you never have to make more than 1 change to get anywhere and you are never within more than 400 yards from a station!
<a href="http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/0rion33/?action=view¤t=Disney08007.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/0rion33/Disney08007.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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Anyway we reached the Musee de Louvre and as we walked out the Metro it was right in front of us (this made a refreshing change we went to Barcelona back in Jan and there you have to hunt using a map for everything!!) The Louvre is huge! The courtyard was wonderful full of people relaxing round the fountains and it was blazing hot. We wandered around for 20 minutes wondering where the entrance was before we discovered that HUGE great glass pyramid is actually the entrance (we had researched this thoroughly can’t you tell!) So in we went barely had to queue at all straight in, straight down the escalator, grabbed a map in English from the main info desk to the right of the escalators as you are coming down. This map explained really well where the main things are and it really was FREE to go in so we headed off to see the Mona Lisa (bigger than I thought)
<a href="http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/0rion33/?action=view¤t=Disney08021.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/0rion33/Disney08021.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
and the Venus de Milo (surprisingly disappointed by how unattractive and plaster of Paris this looked-it was hardly a work of art really not next to some of the other pieces there) but it was one for the album.
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Too much to take in on a matter of hours you could easily spend a day there and then some but we took in a bit and it was indeed beautiful and well worth a visit. We were peckish at this point so we turned left from the Louvre and walked along the Rue de Rivoli (noting where Angelina’s was for future reference for the famous hot chocolate) got a sandwich (please note this means huuuuuuuge “baguette” there about 4.70 euros for jambon et fromage) and went and sat in le Jardins de Tuileres from here you had the Louvre at one end and Place de la Concorde with views to the Arc de Triomphe at the other. We walked through le Jardins, here was the Seine and on the other side of the river the Musee D’Orsay. We went to the D’Orsee (it was free) but the queue was crazy so we left it for perhaps another day (we sadly never did get back to it) instead went back to the hotel to check in.
Well we had only paid £25 a night for both of us, so when we found our room had 3 single beds not a double and the bathroom/shower room was the size of an airport cubicle, we were not even remotely surprised. However it was very clean and the two singles pushed together made a massive and very comfy double, the shower worked great what more did we need?
After unpacking (and room re arranging) we headed back to check out the Pompidou Centre (also free today) we had a brief look round but just not our thing so went off to explore other avenues and came across Notre Dame. This was as beautiful as I remembered it from years ago and mass was going on which was a sight to see. After Notre Dame we mooched some more, grabbed a Croque Monsieur (an extortionate 8.50) but when you eat by a major tourist attraction then that is what you expect but it was nice to sit watching the world go by from Notre Dame with a glass of wine and a croque monsieur so really it was priceless.
<a href="http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/0rion33/?action=view¤t=Disney08067.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/0rion33/Disney08067.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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After dinner we decided a cruise on the River Seine was a good idea so we went by RER from St Michel N.Dame to the Pont de l’Alma stop (brings you out other side of the Seine further down) went left down the river in the direction of the Eiffel Towere and got on one of the “Parisienne Mouches” boats, which at 9 euros each with commentary was pleasant enough and we went about 8.30pm so we had the benefit of the daylight, then the dusk then the night aspect throughout the trip it was very romantic and stopped under the Eiffel Tower at 9.45pm.
<a href="http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/0rion33/?action=view¤t=Disney08091.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/0rion33/Disney08091.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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We legged it past the souvenir sellers (these guys are a pain) and positioned ourself near the top of the Champs de Mars so we could get the whole aspect of the Tower, then bang on 10pm, it glitters for 10 minutes (it does this at intervals, possibly hourly from dusk every night) it really is a beautiful site to see!
<a href="http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/0rion33/?action=view¤t=Disney08133.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/0rion33/Disney08133.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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After this we bought ourselves a cheeky crepe smothered in Nutella for the journey home and then off to bed!
Cast
Me! 28 year old Disney mad lady been to DLRP 6 times
DH 33 years old Disney convert been to DLRP 4 times
Well as the heading says this trip we decided to venture into Paris for a few days first (If not interested in the Paris bits I will title the headings as to where we went!)
We got up at stupid o clock (04:30) and embarked on our short car journey as we flew from Exeter with Flybe (possibly the worlds smallest airport - my husband commented our local Sainsbury’s was bigger….and cheaper!!)
When we left England it was grim, cold and rainy. Good flight about an hour long we left on time and then we landed in Paris CDG (Terminal 1) to find the weather there was hot, hot, HOT (luckily I had packed sun cream). Anyway we got off the plane in this humungous place, checked the screen to see which carousel our flights luggage was going to be on and off we went down long conveyor belts and escalators to find it! It’s pretty easy to navigate CDG its well sign posted. We got to our carousel and within 10 minutes the luggage was out (always find CDG really speedy with the luggage)
We needed to get the RER to our hotel so had to transfer to Terminal 2 so we set off looking for the signs for the onsite CDGVAL it was easy enough. Look for the signs that say “Sortie” and look for the signs that say “CDGVAL” as they are usually together. Those of you at Terminal 1 don’t be fooled the sign says CDGVAL and is pointing outside-so my hubby and I went outside and couldn’t see it anywhere so we retraced our steps and the CDGVAL entrance is actually sneakily hidden to the right of the doors Exiting the airport. We didn’t feel too stupid as it was an easy mistake to make and it seems several others did exactly the same!
The CDGVAL is super easy (Once you have found it!) They are like a tube, get on at your terminal, get off at the terminal you want to go to and they are every few minutes, very clean, very quick. Once we reached Terminal 2 it actually drops you right at the RER so we purchased a ticket to our stop at Parc des Expositions (queued for ages but us Disers are used to this!) and off we went. It is worth noting they DO speak pretty good English at the ticket kiosks in fact this whole holiday I found the French couldn’t have been nicer and more English equipped if they tried despite me doing my best with my schoolgirl French because I had been told it was the exact opposite in Paris!
Our hotel was only one stop from CDG and 30 minutes to the centre of Paris (e.g St Michel - Notre Dame Station). We stayed at a Premiere Classe hotel this was located about 200m from the RER you get off the RER, go left and it was right in front of us. It was sited ona business park, I noted a couple of restaurants, but I liked the fact there was nothing around us, it was wonderfully quiet-a real tonic from the rest of the holiday as lets face ot, Paris is buzzing). Check in wasn’t till 2 pm and it was just after 12, so we left our suitcases at the Kyriad next door (this is always manned whereas the Premiere Classe isn’t but they seem to work together) and went off to discover Paris, back to the station to purchase a 2 day Paris Visite card @ 27.50 (euros) for zones 1-6 (this covers centre of Paris to Disney basically) you can use any mode of transport (Metro, RER, Bus, land train in Montmartre) unlimited for however many days you have purchased for. We had heard the first Sunday of every month the museums are free so first stop was the Louvre. We got there via RER B first to Chatelet des Halles then we wanted to go to the Palais Royale Musee de Louvre stop which was a Metro line (yellow and No. was Line 1) so we looked for a yellow circle with the number 1 and then headed to it. Metro is easy peasy, you need 2 maps, one for the RER and one for the Metro and view them as you would the tube in London-need to get to the Eiffel Tower?? Look at which station you are at is it RER or Metro (it’s obvious) is the Eiffel Tower stop (Champ de Mars) an RER or Metro stop? Then look for the connecting lines. You will find you never have to make more than 1 change to get anywhere and you are never within more than 400 yards from a station!
<a href="http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/0rion33/?action=view¤t=Disney08007.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/0rion33/Disney08007.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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Anyway we reached the Musee de Louvre and as we walked out the Metro it was right in front of us (this made a refreshing change we went to Barcelona back in Jan and there you have to hunt using a map for everything!!) The Louvre is huge! The courtyard was wonderful full of people relaxing round the fountains and it was blazing hot. We wandered around for 20 minutes wondering where the entrance was before we discovered that HUGE great glass pyramid is actually the entrance (we had researched this thoroughly can’t you tell!) So in we went barely had to queue at all straight in, straight down the escalator, grabbed a map in English from the main info desk to the right of the escalators as you are coming down. This map explained really well where the main things are and it really was FREE to go in so we headed off to see the Mona Lisa (bigger than I thought)
<a href="http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/0rion33/?action=view¤t=Disney08021.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/0rion33/Disney08021.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
and the Venus de Milo (surprisingly disappointed by how unattractive and plaster of Paris this looked-it was hardly a work of art really not next to some of the other pieces there) but it was one for the album.
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Too much to take in on a matter of hours you could easily spend a day there and then some but we took in a bit and it was indeed beautiful and well worth a visit. We were peckish at this point so we turned left from the Louvre and walked along the Rue de Rivoli (noting where Angelina’s was for future reference for the famous hot chocolate) got a sandwich (please note this means huuuuuuuge “baguette” there about 4.70 euros for jambon et fromage) and went and sat in le Jardins de Tuileres from here you had the Louvre at one end and Place de la Concorde with views to the Arc de Triomphe at the other. We walked through le Jardins, here was the Seine and on the other side of the river the Musee D’Orsay. We went to the D’Orsee (it was free) but the queue was crazy so we left it for perhaps another day (we sadly never did get back to it) instead went back to the hotel to check in.
Well we had only paid £25 a night for both of us, so when we found our room had 3 single beds not a double and the bathroom/shower room was the size of an airport cubicle, we were not even remotely surprised. However it was very clean and the two singles pushed together made a massive and very comfy double, the shower worked great what more did we need?
After unpacking (and room re arranging) we headed back to check out the Pompidou Centre (also free today) we had a brief look round but just not our thing so went off to explore other avenues and came across Notre Dame. This was as beautiful as I remembered it from years ago and mass was going on which was a sight to see. After Notre Dame we mooched some more, grabbed a Croque Monsieur (an extortionate 8.50) but when you eat by a major tourist attraction then that is what you expect but it was nice to sit watching the world go by from Notre Dame with a glass of wine and a croque monsieur so really it was priceless.
<a href="http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/0rion33/?action=view¤t=Disney08067.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/0rion33/Disney08067.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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After dinner we decided a cruise on the River Seine was a good idea so we went by RER from St Michel N.Dame to the Pont de l’Alma stop (brings you out other side of the Seine further down) went left down the river in the direction of the Eiffel Towere and got on one of the “Parisienne Mouches” boats, which at 9 euros each with commentary was pleasant enough and we went about 8.30pm so we had the benefit of the daylight, then the dusk then the night aspect throughout the trip it was very romantic and stopped under the Eiffel Tower at 9.45pm.
<a href="http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/0rion33/?action=view¤t=Disney08091.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a245/0rion33/Disney08091.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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We legged it past the souvenir sellers (these guys are a pain) and positioned ourself near the top of the Champs de Mars so we could get the whole aspect of the Tower, then bang on 10pm, it glitters for 10 minutes (it does this at intervals, possibly hourly from dusk every night) it really is a beautiful site to see!
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After this we bought ourselves a cheeky crepe smothered in Nutella for the journey home and then off to bed!
