Best way to do a few days in Paris

Best way to do a few days in Paris

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al1991

Original Poster:

4,552 posts

195 months

Saturday 11th July 2009
quotequote all
Few questions for you lot then.

I want to go away with the Gf to Paris in September and I'm not a big fan of flying so going on the Eurostar I think. What's the best way of getting from the Gare Du Nord to the hotel? And can anyone recommend a decently priced hotel? I've been looking on the Eurostar website and most of them are £100+ a night, is this about right for Paris or are there better bargains to be had?

Any other information or tips would be appreciated smile
Ta.

Edited by al1991 on Saturday 11th July 23:30

thehawk

9,335 posts

222 months

Sunday 12th July 2009
quotequote all
Taxi is the best way to go and they are easily available from the station, although a queue can form when a Eurostar has just arrived.

Depends what you want in a hotel, but I've used the Mercure and Ibis in Montmartre and they are reliable, functional and I think well located. (Walk around Montmartre, walk to Sacre Coere, walk to the Opera House & Galleries Lafayette area, easy access to public transport)

Mr POD

5,153 posts

207 months

Sunday 12th July 2009
quotequote all
al1991 said:
I've been looking on the Eurostar website and most of them are £100+ a night, is this about right for Paris or are there better bargains to be had?

Eurostar website is making a mark up !!

www.hotels.co.uk

It all depends how far from centre you want to be. £38 a night on the outskirts to £1000 +

1700 to chose from.

Puggit

49,089 posts

263 months

Sunday 12th July 2009
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Gare de Nord has excellent metro and RER links - if travelling light there's no need to ignore this option.

Colonial

13,553 posts

220 months

Tuesday 14th July 2009
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Easy. Get to Gar Du Nord and then get on a train to Bordeaux.

God paris is over rated to the extreme.

thehawk

9,335 posts

222 months

Tuesday 14th July 2009
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Yes, the Paris metro is very good, but for a first time visitor taking his wife, potentially arriving late at night with luggage, it can be a real pain in the ass.

navier_stokes

948 posts

214 months

Tuesday 14th July 2009
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Sod the metro, Paris is small and making use of your feet and their excellent biking system is easily the best way to do it, you see so much more.

Depends where you're staying, you may need to get the metro with your bags initially, but after that I wouldn't use it. Somewhere like the Marais is a nice, fashionable area that's about half an hours walk away from the Eurostar stations; so you don't need the metro at all!

Planet Claire

3,381 posts

224 months

Tuesday 14th July 2009
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Never been to Paris but I'm still looking myself. Checkout www.short-breaks.com, which also includes Eurostar, a friend of mine has used them many times.

bull996

1,442 posts

224 months

Tuesday 14th July 2009
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Colonial said:


God paris is over rated to the extreme.
Good god, a sensible post on PH.

I have no idea why people get wobbley knees over Paris...I had a long weekend there, and I was surprised how utterley bored I was. I was expecting gastronomic delights as well, but frankly the food was awful (and we did try some very nice looking places)and so were the sights.

It really is notyhing to write home about and I have had more romantic times in a Travelodge next to the M4 than in Paris.

thehawk

9,335 posts

222 months

Wednesday 15th July 2009
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bull996 said:
Colonial said:


God paris is over rated to the extreme.
Good god, a sensible post on PH.

I have no idea why people get wobbley knees over Paris...I had a long weekend there, and I was surprised how utterley bored I was. I was expecting gastronomic delights as well, but frankly the food was awful (and we did try some very nice looking places)and so were the sights.

It really is notyhing to write home about and I have had more romantic times in a Travelodge next to the M4 than in Paris.
It's a one time destination that has some must-sees that you can do in a 3-4 day long weekend. (But then I think that of most cities, I''ve been on a number of short breaks to European cities where you start getting pretty bored on the Sunday because you have ran out of things to see and do)

I've never found it particularly romantic and the Avenue des Champs-Élysées - what a load of crap that street is, avoid at all costs.











Colonial

13,553 posts

220 months

Wednesday 15th July 2009
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In all honesty, I had a much more enjoyable time in the following cities:
Barcelona
Madrid
London
Edinburgh
Bordeaux
Berlin
Copenhagen
Lisbon

Than Paris

The only must see is the Musee d'Orsee imo. Stunning. Everything else is, well, over rated.

It's a nice enough city filled with a bunch of people who think they are far more important, smart and good looking than they really are.

XJSJohn

16,085 posts

234 months

Wednesday 15th July 2009
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Having spent quite a bit of time in paris over the past few decades, its a city that takes some time to know. The gems tend to be well hidden rather than an obvious bistro on Rue Rivoli. This tends to make it difficult for the average weekend tourist.

Hotels in Central tend to be small, tatty and expensive. In the past i have used The Mercure at La Defense, which looks a long way out on the map at first but is actually a very quick ride to Les Halles from which you can do many sights on foot.

Friday Nights always used to get a fantastic bike ralley at Bastille and there is a good Bistro there called Bofingers

I have to admit though that it has been at least 5 years since i was last in Paris so some info may be a little out of date now.

HappyGoLucky

1,159 posts

227 months

Wednesday 15th July 2009
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Colonial said:
Easy. Get to Gar Du Nord and then get on a train to Bordeaux.

God paris is over rated to the extreme.
Really, Love Bordeaux Only a few extra hours on the train too!

XJSJohn

16,085 posts

234 months

Wednesday 15th July 2009
quotequote all
HappyGoLucky said:
Colonial said:
Easy. Get to Gar Du Nord and then get on a train to Bordeaux.

God paris is over rated to the extreme.
Really, Love Bordeaux Only a few extra hours on the train too!
I do sort of agree with all this, but also to the OP, Paris for a weekend does have plenty to do, just depends on your expectations.

Eiffel Tower, look in all the boutiques on Champs Elysee, a snapshot of the Louvre (it would take a month to do that gallery properly) or perhaps the d'Orsay that is a bit smaller or just walk about on the South Bank.

Just remember that this is a big European Capital City no different to London, Berlin, Rome, Madrid etc, with all the same potential issues / failings.

Trooper2

6,676 posts

246 months

Wednesday 15th July 2009
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I will pay one U.S. dollar for ever Parisian you spit on...., knock your self out!.... biggrin



























just kidding, I don't have that kind of money.

al1991

Original Poster:

4,552 posts

195 months

Tuesday 21st July 2009
quotequote all
Alright, cheers for the advice. I have taken onboard some of the more negative posts but we've never been to Paris before and we're only young so I feel I've got to give it a try! Some of the links and info has been very useful too, so thanks a lot.