Bastille Day and Paris

[jillrobinson]

Circumstances meant we had to postpone our March trip, it has been rebooked for July and means we are at DLP on Bastille Day - Sunday 14th July, now we we were planning 2 park days, then spending the weekend in Paris( travelling by train from DLP) and then 3 more park days.

Is this still realistic with the Bastille celebrations ? I understand the Louvre is free to visit on Bastille Day, do any other attractions do the same ?
We'd like to see the military parades, where would I find times and route ?

Naturally the Eiffel Tower is on our list but will that be open on the Saturday & Sunday or closed while they set up the fireworks display, I intend to prebook the tickets online but any recommendations for best times to visit?

And lastly if we stayed to watch the Paris fireworks how easy will it be to get back to DLP, or should we just head back to DLP and enjoy the fireworks there ? Is there ever anything on in the village, Billy Bob's maybe, to celebrate - my boys are 19 and 14 so no little ones to worry about.

I'd chosen Saturday and Sunday to visit Paris to avoid the chaotic Park, but we have 7 days so we can be pretty flexible.

Thanks in advance.

PS Read somewhere that most shops close on Bastille day is that still the case ?

 

[Carrie_Cat]

This is an info thread I did 2 years ago

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2723703

This was last years program

http://www.parisinfo.com/sortir-a-p...u-programme-des-festivites-du-14-juillet-2012

The fireworks start at 22.45-23.00 and finish 30 minutes later - It is then advise to avoid taking a metro in the area as it is very unpleasant and even dangereous crush wise .

Metros run later but no idea about RERs - If you can't stay in Paris that night I'd be watching them at DLP.

The Louvre is the only one open for free but all the other ones will be open as usual.

Shops are nearly now all open even though it is a public holiday

TE is open as normal, the fireworks aren't let off there but from behind at Trocadero - they will shut it earlier to ordinary visitors but the restaurant(s) are open on reservation. Previous years are last entry at 18.00 closing at 20.00 on the 14th

hth and will add later

 

[jillrobinson]

Thank you Carrie_Cat, lots and lots of information there
Think we might give the Paris fireworks a miss then, as we'd be wanting to go back to dlp that night, but nothing stopping us spending the day in Paris as planned.
If I can pick you brains again one of my other loves is Big Cats and I know there is a sanctuary/breeding centre not too far from DLP, have looked on the SNCF website who seem to recommend taking the bus, I can't get it to come up with a train journey, but the Park website tells me there is a station at Melun ? Is that station a long way from the cat park so rail travel isn't an option and if road is the better link would a taxi be very expensive ?

 

[Carrie_Cat]

http://www.parc-des-felins.com/en/

This one ? We've been only by car - will check out the train/bus instructions for you

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Ok when you get to Melun you then have to take a bus to the park.

But it means that you have to go into Paris first so 35 minutes to Gare de Lyon with the RER A then out from there to Melun on the RER D - with a direct train 25 minutes - and then the bus N° 1 to the park entrance another 55 minutes. That's without counting waiting on trains and changing stations/platforms etc

You could do it all by bus from DLP, I'll have a go at calculating the length of time needed, you'd take the N°17 and then change at Coulommiers to the N°1.

I'll come back again

 

[Carrie_Cat]

It takes 40 minutes from Chessy to Coulommiers- Gare SNCF with the n°17 and then 15 minutes from there to the Parc des Felins bus stop with the n°1.

So not only shorter but a lot cheaper as you can do the above journey with 1 Ticket t + costing 1,70€ pp or 1,33€ pp if you buy a carnet of 10

N° 17 - http://sme.seine-et-marne.fr/lines/218.pdf

N° 1 - http://sme.seine-et-marne.fr/lines/1780.pdf

 

[cherrymarzipan]

Thank you from me too, Carrie - another one added to my information list for us to do some time.

Jill, for what it is worth, we have spent the last few July 14s at DLP and enjoyed the atmosphere there, however DD2 and friends went into Paris in 2011 for the celebrations there and said never again. She said the crowd crush and journey back to Chessy was really frightening and her friend had her Iphone snatched out of her hand and stolen.

 

[jillrobinson]

Thanks for all the information Carrie
I shall have a good look later, I'm in work at the moment.
Cherry, although my boys are teens and both big tall lads I think with what you've added to what Carrie has said we'll give the Paris fireworks a miss, might just do the Louvre as it's free in the morning and head back to DLP in the afternoon.