I am going with 2 teenagers over Easter break. Should I just book a hotel room and do day sightseeing trips or should we go on an organized tour? We do not speak french Is it safe to walk around and take public transportation? What hotels do you suggest. I would like to do a day trip to Normandy. Is that doable?
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Frankly, you can plan and book your tipalmost as easily on your own. Especially since what you appear to want is probably only a hotel/air package. The city of Paris (at least the parts that you%26#39;re coming to visit) is pretty compact Most touring in and about Paris can be easily figured out on your own--with the help of a good Paris Street map (STREETWISE PARIS).
Doing this isn%26#39;t at all complicated...but it does require investing a bit of time and effort on your part--as well as your children%26#39;s--to get the most out of it. FIRST--go out and purchase that good Paris street map and one or two of many good Paris guidebooks and begin to learn a little something about your destination. SECOND you need to begin to establish your own personal/family travel preferences, priorities, interests, special needs and BUDGET. Budget will often determine the %26#39;..category..%26#39; of hotel to look for. Orienting yourself to the city with the map and guidebooks will also begin to narrow down the area(s) of the city that you think you might like to stay. You can scroll back or SEARCH through the TOPIC %26#39;threads%26#39; on this (and other Paris Travel Forums) to begin to narrow down your focus and begin to discover places and things which %26#39;fit%26#39; with your preferences, etc. In the process you will also learn a great deal about Paris travel. You will also get better directed and more meaningful responses to better questions asked. As an example: %26quot;..Whats a good hotel in Paris for somewhere around $300 per night will get you responses scatter all over the place. But ask the question: %26quot;..What%26#39;s a good 3-star hotel, in the $150-200 range per night with %26#39;triple%26#39; rooms, close to great shopping for the kids and the Louvre and convenient transportation links?...%26quot; and those responses will tend to be better.
As an example, after checking some of the DAYTRIP topic %26#39;threads%26#39; you%26#39;ll have a pretty good idea of what is easily %26#39;..doable..%26#39;...from whom or DIY?...how?...when?... where?...how long?..for how much? You can arrive at informed decisions on at least which of the trips and options are NOT to your liking and which are. Then you can ask directed questions which will get you well directed and much more specific information to %26#39;fit%26#39; you general %26#39;plan%26#39; that you want and need much more quickly and efficiently.
As for walking around central Paris on your own at almost any time of day or night, you will pronbably feel safer and more secure than you might crossing the parking lot of your local mall to your car at closing time. Public transportation is relatively easy to figure out (especially the Metro which has MANY signs as well as color-coded, numbered maps and diagrams scattered about each station, train platform and train car. The system is also relatively inexpensive and %26#39;hop-on / hop--off%26#39; convenient with any of the several transportation pass options. As is getting to and from your Paris hotel from the airport.
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You can find answers to some of your questions in this compilation:
tripadvisor.com/…1921808
No need for an organized tour. Perfectly safe city (usual %26#39;big city precautions%26#39; should be observed); protect your belongings from pickpockets. Please learn basic %26#39;nice%26#39; words in French - it will vastly improve your experience and it%26#39;s fun. (ie. please, thank you, yes, no, sir, madame, hello, goodbye, do you speak English). Daytrip to Normandy is most likely offered by one of the tour groups I%26#39;ve listed in the above thread - but it%26#39;s a veeerrrry long day.
Too many hotels to mention. Please read the forum posts and learn about what hotels appealed to others - go from there. Also, the thread above lists good websites that show hotels with photos, and then you can read reviews of them here on TA.
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hello, i went to paris over the summer and it was a great break. everything over there is expensive and do avoid organized tour. travelling to paris is very easy once u get used to the transport. it was my first time and i got use to it in day two. however, i joiined the tour called %26quot;Paris excursions%26quot;. this was the worst tour i experienced. its expensive and a waste of money because they simply sit you in a coach and drive round paris. Dont expect to be dropped off and explore the place. So AVOID at all cost.
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Hi,
I%26#39;d echo the sentiments of the above posters, but since I visited Paris in July with two teenagers, I can say that safety was not an issue at any point in regards to bringing kids along. We did get lost a few times, but that%26#39;s kind of fun as long as you have a map. You%26#39;ll always be fairly close to a metro stop. Our experiences with the wonderful citizens of Paris were all great except for the metro lady, so make sure you know what you%26#39;re doing before hand since once you%26#39;re there it will be hard to figure out how the system works (even though it is simple). As suggested, speak French -- even if it%26#39;s just a little, and smile and you%26#39;ll be fine (except dealing with the %26quot;metro lady%26quot;).
As far as location to stay, I%26#39;d suggest St. Germain or the Latin Quarter -- arrondissements 5 or 6. We have stayed in other areas, but with kids I think this is your best bet... You%26#39;re absolutely within walking distance of some great attractions and there are plenty of shops, cafes, etc. open in the evenings. Without knowing your budget it%26#39;s hard to recommend a hotel, but there are dozens of good ones in those areas and enough to fit most budgets.
We didn%26#39;t take any organized tours on our last trip other than a day trip to Brugge, Belgium. I have taken a quick two hour bus tour of Paris in the past, and it%26#39;s not a bad idea for a first trip -- maybe the first morning. I wouldn%26#39;t recommend taking any organized tours to any of the major sites -- Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Louvre, etc. -- I don%26#39;t think they%26#39;re necessary. Just read up a little before you go to know the history, bring a good guide book or two and you%26#39;ll have a wonderful time.
Regarding the day trip to Normandy.... On a previous trip we have taken a bus tour to Mt St. Michel (in the area) and while it%26#39;s a long day, we found it worthwhile.
You will no doubt have a wonderful time.
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