Are we mad to book Paris for a holiday next week ?

[Munichfam5]

I’ve found some cheap flights and want to book a last minute break to Paris for me, DD (17) and DH

Do you think Paris be crazy busy / crazy expensive with the olympics coming up soon ,?

Any recommendations for a hotel appreciated too -
the flights are to Paris Beauvais Airport

TIA :)

Have you checked the forecast?! No need to worry about heat.

We recently came back from Paris. There is a lot of security at Gare Du Nord now. Felt very safe.

My uni child is going between the election and the olympics. They go with their friends every year at that time. It’s always been fine. They are not phased.

But they have done all the sights. If you go now I guess lower your expectations unless you are lucky with Louvre or Eiffel Tower tickets.

My area of choice is always St-Germain but it’s probably too late to get a bargain hotel or air BnB now.

Enjoy!

To answer your question ‘ yes’.

Loads of people worried about London in the Olympics and it was fine - I went in to work every day in Central London during London 2012 and there were no issues.

Not scared of the pickpockets at all. Just wear a cross body bad and keep it in front. That's it.

Just go for it and enjoy. MN can be very strange and cautious about this stuff. This is a site where people express horror at the idea that you can raise kids in London! It will be just fine. You may need to make some compromises but you will still have a great time.

DH and I stayed near Gare du Nord and my French friend was horrified that’s where we were staying. We found out why - it’s really rough, absolutely hated it, although the hotel was quite nice.

We stayed at Yooma Urban Lodge Eiffel.
It was decent, we got a 6 bed room with nice bunks for 5 of us. Could walk to the Eiffel tower everyday.
It's not the nicest part of Paris to stay in - but we found it nice enough and was good being so close to Eiffel tower / hop on hop off bus / river cruise.

We didn't use the metro at all - just walked and had a 2-day hop-on/off bus ticket. Pure tourist area - but that was what we were going to do.

They do need to sort that out. Those guys who hang around outside the station selling dodgy cigarettes and offering to "help" you find the Eurostar terminal are a right pain in the arse.

@Munichfam5

Have you actually checked on a map where Paris-Beauvais is?

It's a looong way from Paris if you are only going for a short break.

See my post upthread. They have “sorted it out”

i've stayed in a hostel right by gare du nord many times as a solo female. completely comfortable walking the streets at night. the area is absolutely fine if you're streetwise. if you've ever walked around any uk city at night you'll be fine in that area.

also a super convenient area for transport links, it's not next door to the tower but it's not a hardship to get there on the metro- very easily navigable

I was going to say, the hotels near the Gare de Nord are usually not amazing, and the area is not the best. Having said that I've stayed there many times and never got bitten or mugged.

I would go to Paris and not think twice about it, the Olympics won't even be on yet. And I remember when they were on in London we were told the whole city would be chaos but in fact it was absolutely fine.

Remember with some iconic locations they can be best appreciated with a bit of distance. The best view in Paris is from Tour Montparnasse because it includes the Eiffel Tower. The second best view is from the rooftop terrace of Institut du Monde Arabe (free, but you do have to pass through security).

Wear comfy shoes.

"I'd go later in the year - Paris, like many cities, is horrible in the heat."

What heat?!

I loved living in London during the Olympics. Such a good atmosphere, all the volunteers in central London and it just felt positive. Paris might be the same.

@TakeOnFlea ha ha indeed. Paris has very similar weather to the South Eastof England (unsurprising seeing as it is only a couple of hundred miles away). Next week it is forecast to be low 20s with some rain.

That said, I did walk across Paris a couple of years ago in mid July in 36 degree heat - it was vile.

Try to book now for any attractions you want to visit, otherwise you’ll have to queue for them all.

I imagine flights are cheap because Beauvais is as far from Paris as Dover is from London (my Dad used to drive to Beauvais regularly).

That said, if you can find a decent deal I'd say go for it. The Olympics doesn't start yet, and it was great in London in the run up to them in 2012. Bit of an extra buzz in the air.

We've stayed around Gare du Nord and the Opera house, but the best place we stayed was Montparnasse. It's a bit further out, but cheaper and transport is easy. Nice restaurants and relatively quiet too.

All the seating is up around Place de Concorde and the Eiffel tower, and lots of routes are closed. I really wouldn't go if it's your first time because you will miss so much. It's like going to London and not being able to get near Buckingham Palace

The two weeks before the opening ceremony much of the area around the route of the opening ceremony (which takes in many of the big sights) is closed off. You are not able to enter these areas without a permit because you live there or have appointment there etc. Maps are available online that show the closed off areas. I think if it is next week you will just about miss these fully closed off areas, but much of the staging and barriers are already built. My central Parisian family have been complaining a lot the last couple of weeks about the inconvenience, even though they are looking forward to the Olympics themselves.

Look for hotels near Marais or St Germain. From there you can walk uk lots of great places.

Paris is a dump. And sooo expensive.

So many better places to go, that won't cost you an arm and a leg : Krakow, Prague, Spain, Venice.