First Trip to Paris. What should we not miss ? Where to Stay ?

[Ron from Michigan]

We are making our first trip to Paris later this year and I wondered what we should not miss and where are some great places to stay. Thanks Ron.....

 

[Cyrano]

Hi Ron and welcome to DLP DIS board
We are a friendly bunch here so please join in on any other thread or if you have a number of questions then just start a new thread for each

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For some background to on-site and just off-site hotels have a look at the Hotel FAQ sticky

How many days is your stay for? Are you planning to visit Paris and Disneyland Paris?

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Yes Cyrano we are planning on spending 5 0r 6 days in Paris and than 2 or 3 days at Disneyland. Any help would be great. Ron.....

 

[lonegungal17]

My favorite thing in Paris is the Rodin Musuem.

 

[Mar31]

Another Michigander here! I went over to DLP back in 2004. We went to London first and then over to DLP, then back to London using the Eurostar. We stayed at Sequoia Lodge at DLP. We enjoyed staying on site, that's for sure and the Metro station is right there so that helps so much. We arrived on a Tuesday and went back to London the following Friday afternoon. Everything is in walking distance if you stay on-site.

 

[bavaria]

Ron, here are my thoughts....

5-6 days in Paris -

Day one - buy 2 day pass for hop on/hop off tour; spend most of day one recovering from jet lag (assuming that your flight arrives around noon) Ride the bus tour to get a sense of the city

Day two - use the bus tour to get around i.e. hop OFF a lot!

Day three, four - visit some of the other sites around the city. See the department stores (even if you don't shop there they are worth a visit!)

Day five - consider a visit outside Paris - perhaps to Versailles

Day six, seven - take the RER to DLRP and spend two days there

Day eight - fly home

What sort of price range are you looking for in Paris re hotels? You don't need to be right in the centre to enjoy the city. You could be in the La Defense area for instance and get to the centre very quickly on the metro/RER. Plus if you are at La Defense you will be near the red line RER which will take you to DLRP. Hotels right in the ‘heart’ of things can be very expensive if you are looking at the chain hotels, so consider being in a neighbourhood or looking for an independent hotel or a French chain if budget is a concern.

Rather than just look at location, consider a hotel near a metro stop. I was in a neighbourhood in the midst of nowhereland, but was only 20 minutes via metro to CDG Etoile, the station for Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysees. The metro stop was outside my door.

There is a good thread on Paris on the Budget Board as well. Here is the link http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1307736
You should also check out www.ratp.fr - you can set the site to English. It will tell you how to best get around using metro, RER, and bus.

There are a lot of guidebooks out there - find the one which seems to best mesh with your travel style before investing in one. Some focus on budget trips, others on 'off the beaten path', etc

I would also go to www.flyertalk.com and check out the Paris section for more good advice

For bargain shopping, check out Monoprix at several locations. For excellent baking, the chain Paul is located throughout Paris. For groceries, Monoprix or Franprix are good. Grocery stores are a great place to find souvenirs, by the way!

Hope that helps for a start - if you have specific questions feel free to PM me

 

[Cyrano]

The only thing I'd add to bavaria's informative post is as there is so much to do in Paris make a list of your must dos. Museums, architecture, shopping etc

 

[nbodyhome]

I'd not do the hop on/off bus - (though I know some people enjoy it). Paris is a wonderful walking city! I just love to walk, walk, walk! I had a not-good experience with a hop-on hop-off busy in London (waiting for 20 or more minutes for it, then being stuck in traffic, then waiting and we couldn't have gone more than a couple of miles in an hour or more!)

We stayed outside of the city center and I really enjoyed it (and plan to stay there again in a few months). There is so much to see in Paris - the museums are just a small part of it. The parks, the Seine, take a boat ride - I recommend Fat Tires bike tours. We went to Monets Gardens this past year, I plan to do Versailles this year (both with Fat Tires). I love Paris! We have photos of Paris (no DPL) on our site below - www.neesie.org. I have been to DLP (including a week-long stay in 2002), and I do plan to go again for at least part of one day this year. Probably not a full day, I want to get back to Paris!

I plan to spend 3 nights in London, 6 in Paris this trip. Make sure to get some pastries, go to the Monoprix, to Berthillon - see the Shakespeare and Company bookstore, have something to eat at the Latin Quarter! See the D'Orsay - the Rodin is wonderful as well, and Napoleons Tomb and the museum there are very interesting. Have a picnic in the evening at the Eiffel Tower. There are many wonderful parks in Paris as well. The city is amazing! Watch some French movies before you go - I'm watching Day for Night right now, but even films set in Paris (not necessarily from a French filmmaker) are great. Stay away from the bracelet people at Sacre Coeur. Go to a graveyard! They are very interesting there. At Montmatre, Truffaut is buried. Jim Morrison is at Pere Lechaise. So much to do, so much to see, no matter where you are in Paris.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Thanks everyone for the help.

lonegungal17- Thanks for the idea


Mar31- Hello fellow Michgander. Thanks for the help. We stayed in London for 10 days 2 years ago and really loved it. We took lots of day trips by train out from London.

bavaria- We really do not have a price range in mind yet for hotels. I know I do not want to spend a lot of $$$$$. Something midrange if possible. Any ones you would recommend.

nbodyhome - Could you tell me where you stayed on your last trip ? My Wife and I love to walk. We go for long walks every day if the weather allows us. I will look at you pictures tommorrow after work.

 

[woody73]

. . . I wondered what we should not miss . . .

My favorite . . .

Area to stay: St. Germain des Pres (6th Arrondisement)
Museum: d'Orsay
Painting: Renoir's "Le Bal au Moulin de la Galette"
Tourist cafe: Cafe Marly, overlooking the Louvre's pyramid
Patisserie: Laduree
Pastry: chocolate macarons
Chocloate shop: Debauve et Gallais
View: from the Eiffel Tower at night
Moment: seeing Paris dusted with snow
"Amelie" sight: Cafe des Deux Moulins
"Da Vinci Code" sight: Rose Line at St. Sulpice
Theatre experience: a night at the Opera Garnier
Daytrip by train: Tie between Palace of Versailles, and Chartres Cathedral (take Malcolm Miller's tour -- he makes the stained glass come to life)
Daytrip by car: Reims (in the Champagne region)
Meal: Boyer les Crayeres (Reims)

On our very first visit to Paris, we went on the hop-on, hop-off bus. Saw more of Paris' highlights in a day than we could have on our own. It was an excellent introduction, and inspired our subsequent visits.

Woody

 

[nbodyhome]

nbodyhome - Could you tell me where you stayed on your last trip ? My Wife and I love to walk. We go for long walks every day if the weather allows us. I will look at you pictures tommorrow after work.

Hi Ron!

We stayed at the Hotel De La Porte Doree. http://www.paris-hotels-paris.com/ (it is funny looking at the reception desk there, as they were tearing everything in the lobby up when we visited - no carpet, etc. there!) It is out of the main area, but I loved it! It is a small, family owned place (half American owned, she married a Parisian!) I found it from all the good reviews online.

There are other good hotels of course, too - many closer to the main tourist area. I loved the neighborhood of this hotel. (and it's where I'm staying in April). There are hotel photos as well as neighborhood photos on my site.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Thanks woody73 & nbodyhome for the info.