Help us get to Paris in October please.

[MegCleary]

My lovely mumsnetters who have always helped us. I need to get a family of four to Paris near October half term. DD will be 17 and doing A-levels art and graphics and she really wants to see Paris for inspiration.

We live in the arse end of Norfolk so could fly from Luton, Stansted etc or I was wondering whether the Eurostar worth a punt? We would probably have to stay in London the night before for that (would probably have to do that for an early flight anyway!!). Out the 25/10 back 29/10.

What area in Paris best to stay? Usual museums and sights to see. Hotel or air BNB?

The hive mind has always helped us, advice appreciated.

Also are there days when museums, shops not open. Didn’t realise shops in Barcelona closed on Sundays and not sure our gils have forgiven us yet!

Anyone?

I think you can exchange Tesco club card vouchers for Eurostar tickets.

For cheap London accomadation, consider Youth hostels. You can get family rooms and the London ones I’ve stayed at are quite nice.

Haven’t been to Paris for a while but there’s the usual sites, Eiffel tower, Louvre etc. wouldn’t know where to stay.

Why stay overnight in London? It's only about 3 hours from you to the Eurostar or 7 hours to drive to Paris.

I think you're overthinking this. Ryanair will take you from stansted for about £25

Eurostar seems a civilised way to travel.

I think you're best placed to decide if you'd prefer a hotel or airbnb.

Ibis hotels are all over Paris, cheap and convenient. Not luxurious but good.
We always use Eurostar. Fast and super convenient.
Musee Rodin slightly off the beaten track but your dd might appreciate it. The catacombs are a unique experience. Pere Lachasie cemetery is huge and stunning - amazing monuments and architecture.
The conciergerie and Saint Chapelle (get a joint ticket) are both must see and there are lovely squares on the Ile de France where you can get lunch.
Musee Cluny is again full of art and usually quieter than the Louvre etc.

@Iasonnas i can’t see any flights Stansted to Paris!
The reason for going the night before would be to get as early as flight/train as possible and have as much of the Thursday as possible in Paris.
@Mama1980 they sound ace thanks and will look at ibis hotels…… or Airbnb 🤔

We have never driven to London always done the train, so would have no idea where to park for Eurostar etc. Was thinking train to London Wednesday night and then stay, get train in am. Or do the same if we could fly from somewhere.

I know I over think, that’s why mumsnet is my sounding board!

I can’t find it right now but I used old threads on here about Paris to plan a recent weekend there with dd 16. We stayed in a hotel in the Latin quarter right near the Pantheon and jardin de Luxembourg which was nice but soooo expensive for a very “bijou” room! We had breakfast out (lovely cafe/creperie near our hotel) and I did think afterwards air bnb would’ve been fine if it was cheaper.

i think staying slightly further out would be fine if you’re on a good transport line.

I honestly wonder how some folk manage to get themselves dressed in the morning. France is the closest country to the UK, and Paris is its capital. Not exactly difficult to get there! 🤦

Could you not do train to London first thing, Eurostar 11ish, Paris by 2pm

@MegCleary if you drive down you can park at Stratford international car park, at westfield for about £50 a week - it's got CCTV and I've never had an issue - pre book though.
I usually stay at the travelodge near King's Cross the night before and then it's about a five minute walk to King's Cross and the Eurostar. First train out is at 6am which I usually get as then I'm in Paris in time for breakfast lol.
There are cheap and spacious lockers available at gare du nord if you can't check in right away.
Tbh I'd steer clear of air bnb in Paris, lots of people annoyed about the use of them (like there is in Spain) at the moment. There's a good few ibis by gare de l'est - from there it's about a thirsty minute walk to place de Concorde (right in the centre of the city) or just hop on the metro if you don't fancy the walk.

I think Stansted would be quickest from Norfolk, can you drive there?

@LibertyDuck thank you for that helpful post. As I explained I like the use of the hive mind, people’s experience and tips I find very helpful. I have travelled internationally, being an immigrant in the UK for about 25 years now. But ya know what people are often helpful, even on the internet when they have no need to. But some people like to pass comment, when they have no need to.

@Mama1980 that is the exact example of fab knowledge it would take days of internet searching for me to glean. Thank you so much.
i am nervous of Airbnb too but with the snoriest husband on the planet it may be more doable than two hotel rooms.

@User364837 that is a good idea to trawl old threads👌

@DelphiniumBlue yep can do Stansted but cannot see flights to Paris. Can Luton and easyJet I think but again it’s the 2 hour drive etc which now look like I could do Stratford as suggested by @Mama1980 !!!

Honestly I love mumsnet help, it’s got us to paraolympics in 2012, around fuertaventura, many tips for New York.
legendary

I would definitely do Eurostar if you can. CDG airport is horrible and Beauvais which I assume the cheap airlines use is miles out. Eurostar gets you straight into the heart of Paris so maxes your time there.

I got advice from an old thread on here...
Don't go to the Eiffel Tower ... instead book tickets to go up Montparnasse Tower in the evening to see the city and the Eiffel Tower when it lights up at night.

The Orangerie is lovely for getting up close to Monet's waterlily paintings.

We always like a boat ride in a new city to see the sights.

@Flatandhappy it is looking wisest
@orangetree1999 we love a bus tour!
thank for the tips both

I don’t want people to hate me but have you considered euro Disney? You’d have all the Halloweeney stuff!!!

You could easily get the train into London and take the Eurostar - doesn’t necessarily always work out hugely cheaper then flying but is MUCH nicer (CDG Airport is awful….someone proudly told me no one has ever tried to replicate it and its one of a kind…I didn’t feel i could tell them its one of a kind because no one would ever WANT to copy it…). And the other airport is ages outside of Paris so Eurostar will really maximise your time there

No travel advice as based outside the UK. But it sounds like you'll want to spend some serious time exploring local museums, so definitely look into getting the Carte Musées Monuments which not only gives you a fixed price on an unlimited number of visits but also lets you bypass the dreadful queues on some of the more popular locations.

https://www.parismuseumpass.fr/en

@GrumpyPanda ooh thanks
@stayathomer been many years ago
@IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece need to convince himself now of the train

If you're travelling by train from to London for the Eurostar there are special tickets you can use which go to "London International". These aren't any cheaper than off-peak tickets but do allow you to travel at peak times for only slightly more than the off peak price. They'll also cover tube travel between the arrival stations and King's Cross.

I find them really useful as it means I can get an earlier Eurostar without paying horrendously inflated peak fares.

They're not easy to buy online but you can get them from a ticket office a day or so before - take a print out of your Eurostar ticket with you. I've never known them bother to check but sod's law if you don't take it......

I would look at not staying somewhere slap bang in the middle of Paris but one of the “suburbs” outside of the Peripherique that is close to a metro or RER line, so somewhere like Boulogne Billancourt, Levallois, Neuilly, Versailles. Ibis and Adagio are cheap and cheerful hotels.

If you are thinking of going near to airport/Eurostar terminal on Wednesday evening, then getting early flight/train on Thursday - could you stretch that to leaving a couple of hours earlier on Wednesday and getting yourself to Paris late at night on Wednesday?

• you'd save time overall (no finding hotel near Eurostar/airport, getting there and back, checking in and checking out, unpacking and packing up again)
• you'd be much better rested on your first day in Paris, not having had to get up at 4:30 to catch a 6am flight or some such (unless you are naturally early risers)
• you wouldn't have any issues with what to do with luggage while it's too early for checking in, nor would you have to go back to fetch it from lockers as PP suggested. On Thursday morning you could simply step out from your hotel with your day packs and start exploring.

Definitely the Rodin museum if your dd is interested in art: you can get a combined ticket with the Musee d'Orsay (also worth a visit). She might enjoy the Picasso museum as well - I'd give the Louvre a swerve though (really big and you can be in there all day - too many other things to see in Paris).

It's just a lovely city to wander around - little streets onthe Ile St Louis or the Marais; the Sainte Chapelle first thing on a sunny morning (get there when it opens as the queues build up quickly) is breathtaking. The Samaritane department store is worth a quick visit for its beautiful Art Nouveau interior, and there are some lovely Art Nouveau metro station entrances dotted around (the one at Abesses springs to mind) . For first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower, go to the Trocadero metro - when you come up out of the station the Eiffel Tower is right in front of you and it's a stunning view - you can make your way down the steps and across the river from there. Agree with a poster upthread that the Montparnasse tower is the better one to go up though, as you get the city view with the Eiffel Tower. I love Paris - it's a beautiful city - have a fab time!

Eurostar will be better I think for you.

Musee Marmatton may be of interest, large collection of Monet paintings and some of Berthe Morisot, the female Impressionist. Or even just the large scale Orangerie canvasses.

Agree about Ibis or other chain hotels on the outskirts. Paris suburban transport has been improved over the last few years with some Metro extensions and tram lines.