Paris - getting there and around advice please
Discussion
I want to take the other half away as a surprise one long weekend and would like a bit of advice about how best to get to and around Paris.
Ideally, I would prefer to drive there (330 miles one way), get a ferry to get across the Channel, possibly leave the car at the hotel for two days and take the metro around. Paris's infamous travel issues mean that I will not risk driving around the city and I am sure that parking is as tricky as it is in London. This method would be cost effective too, I would think.
Booking good value plane tickets in advance are another option but it would be difficult/impossible to get money back should we not be able to go.
Appreciate any observations.
Ideally, I would prefer to drive there (330 miles one way), get a ferry to get across the Channel, possibly leave the car at the hotel for two days and take the metro around. Paris's infamous travel issues mean that I will not risk driving around the city and I am sure that parking is as tricky as it is in London. This method would be cost effective too, I would think.
Booking good value plane tickets in advance are another option but it would be difficult/impossible to get money back should we not be able to go.
Appreciate any observations.
I did Paris and back in a day via the Eurostar. Travel on a friday was £125 return in standard class so its damn cheap. Taxi to and from my meeting was only 20 Euro, so overall the trip was fantastic value for money. Flights would have been £250 at a minimum and then you have taxi's either end.
Try Eurostar and take the money you have saved to use taxi's and get pissed as often as you like. Seems a good deal to me.
Try Eurostar and take the money you have saved to use taxi's and get pissed as often as you like. Seems a good deal to me.
Unless you happen to live in Dover, taking the car is the wrong thing to do. Trying to park in Paris is 100x worse than London. (And living in Dover won't help you with that bit 
)
Take the Eurostar - go Leisure Select - and treat the missus to unlimited champagne and reasonable grub for the 3 hour journey.
Parking is easy at Ebbsfleet or Ashford or, if you live in London, just hop on at St Pancras.
)Take the Eurostar - go Leisure Select - and treat the missus to unlimited champagne and reasonable grub for the 3 hour journey.
Parking is easy at Ebbsfleet or Ashford or, if you live in London, just hop on at St Pancras.
Obviously, if you have a toy car and really want to drive it, do that. Otherwise...
Unless Kings Cross is very awkward for you, I'd take the Eurostar. It is as quick as the plane, end to end, and far more pleasant. Paris is an old city, like London, so you can get about much of it on foot. Failing that, the Metro works. Driving a car around Paris is best avoided, especially if it is a nice one!
Unless Kings Cross is very awkward for you, I'd take the Eurostar. It is as quick as the plane, end to end, and far more pleasant. Paris is an old city, like London, so you can get about much of it on foot. Failing that, the Metro works. Driving a car around Paris is best avoided, especially if it is a nice one!
Have just done this trip, in the car. All I can say is if you don't have a place off road to park, Forget it. Take the Eurostar (Gare du Nord?) the Metro is easy to use, a 3 day pass for €19 allows the Metro and busses, of a Carnet that last ages. Less stress getting there and about, no worrying about leaving the car anywhere
Also, at most of the Metro stations and around are bike stations where you can hire a bike for however long you want it, it's a pick up and drop service, once you've registered you can take any bike and it's cheap.
Velib Bikes
Also, check there is no Religious Holiday at the time you're going
Also, at most of the Metro stations and around are bike stations where you can hire a bike for however long you want it, it's a pick up and drop service, once you've registered you can take any bike and it's cheap.
Velib Bikes
Also, check there is no Religious Holiday at the time you're going
Fidgits said:
yes, take the eurostar right to the centre.
walk a lot - you can metro it, but walking around the places you get to see so much more..
Nods, stroll form the Arc de Triumph down the Champs Elysee, up Mont Marte and down through the Latin Quarter.walk a lot - you can metro it, but walking around the places you get to see so much more..
Take Eurostar, driving there is a nightmare and parking is even worse, far worse than London.
spikeyhead said:
Fidgits said:
yes, take the eurostar right to the centre.
walk a lot - you can metro it, but walking around the places you get to see so much more..
Nods, stroll form the Arc de Triumph down the Champs Elysee, up Mont Marte and down through the Latin Quarter.walk a lot - you can metro it, but walking around the places you get to see so much more..
Take Eurostar, driving there is a nightmare and parking is even worse, far worse than London.
going all the way along the champs elysee, to place de concorde onto the lourve is a nice walk..
Also from the Arc to the tower is a nice walk...
Just got back from Paris in the car managed to park just off the Champs Elysees for 20 Euros per 24 hours, you won't need a car when there as it is a very small place so you can walk everywhere. The advantage of driving is you can visit the GP circuit at Reims on the way back which is much better than Paris (your Mrs may not agree)
Ben
Ben
Will add to the comments about "Walk everywhere". Paris is a lot, lot smaller than London, and you really can walk from one side to the other in a couple of hours. It's quite do-able, and you see A LOT.
Failing that, Metro is good and cheap. With the usual provisos.
Getting there - Eurostar is good, but you get very cramped in the standard class seating. I'm small (5ft8-ish), and even I struggled for legroom. How anyone more than 5ft10 manages it is beyond me.
Oli.
Failing that, Metro is good and cheap. With the usual provisos.
Getting there - Eurostar is good, but you get very cramped in the standard class seating. I'm small (5ft8-ish), and even I struggled for legroom. How anyone more than 5ft10 manages it is beyond me.
Oli.
Chrisgr31 said:
Eurostar every time! Straight to the centre of Paris, and then Metro to your hotel, then its on foot.
Incidentialy you might want to go for dinner on a Bateau Mouche, very romantic!
Do not dine on a Bateau Mouche. The food will be sIncidentialy you might want to go for dinner on a Bateau Mouche, very romantic!
t. They are fine for a river trip if you don't know Paris. Go to a good bistro, like Chez Paul, unless you are feeling sufficiently flush to go somewhere like Helene Darroze or Senderens.Edited by Zod on Saturday 6th September 00:30
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