Sreilly

My sister and I are going to be in Europe for 5 days (fly in the morning of the first day, and leave the morning of the 6th), flying into Paris from India (we are there for a wedding) and then leaving Paris for the US. This is our first time in Europe and it will probably be a while before we can afford to go back. We have been evaluating our options for day trips and we are having a hard time deciding. My sister is a huge BBC fan and would LOVE to see some of London. Which do you think would be best? Having a "ground" in Paris and just taking the train to London for a day? Or splitting our time- like 2 nights in London and 3 nights in Paris? I'm just thinking it may be more of a pain to cart all of our luggage to different hotels versus being able to leave it at a hotel and just traveling with a day pack. But regardless we would love to make it work!

We are also hoping to relax in Paris too-looking forward to cafes, museums, and wine! But we still want to see as much as we can! Versailles? Mont Saint Michel? Reims?

I know we will be jet-lagged, but we are ready to push through and experience as much as possible in the time we have.

Any recommendations on day trips (specifically to London) would be great!

Thank you

bvlenci

You can't see much of London in one day, but a little of London is better than none! You should plan very carefully how you'll spend your time, but I urge you to plan your own trip, not to accept other people's ideas of what you should see.

I wouldn't go inside any churches, abbeys, or museums. Just stroll around, seeing the things you've always wanted to see.

Travel_Nerd

With only five days plus a wedding, I would say that going to London might be a bit ambitious. I'm assuming the wedding will be during one of your five days? If so, that day in of itself may make it difficult for you to do any sightseeing, dependent on what day and time the wedding is at.

What do you want to see in Paris? You mention museums, but not which ones. Museums, in general, suck up most of your day sightseeing (add for queues for entrance and/or security). Versailles itself takes a full day. Mont St. Michel and Reims might not be possible for this trip considering the amount of time you have.

I think you may need to research what to see exactly what you want to see in Paris itself to decide of any day trips from it. You can get a decent taste of Paris in 4-5 days, with Versailles (that's typical--without a wedding, though), but it is a busy one depending on what you want to do.

Can a day trip to London be done, sure; but I think you need to be realistic, too, about how you're spending your time.

RonZ

The Eurostar to london takes 2.5 hours. You double that, then add 4 trips going to and from stations. That's why it's impractical.

Kathie

We spent 10 full days in Paris last year and didn't to a day trip - too much to do and see in Paris! It's up to you, but I wouldn't consider it. I expect that your short time in Paris will leave you hungry for more.

We are considering a London/Paris trip for 2016 - we'd have about three weeks total to divide between the two cities, and I'm sure we will feel like we didn't have enough time in either place, even though we've been to both cities before.

janisj

The train takes about 2 hrs 20 mins . . . but you gain an hour because of the time difference. Leaving Gare du Nord at 07:40 gets you into London at 9AM. So you could actually see quite a bit. But only you can decide if the hassle is worth the money and time away from Paris.

As day trips go- it is very easy.

29FEB

I agree with Janisj, it is very easy.

I was in your shoes a decade ago - in Paris for a short visit and my friend had never seen London. We took the Eurostar over for the day and had a wonderful time. Yes, of course she returned for a longer visit, I think about three years later.

Like your first responder said, "but a little of London is better than none!" Go for it.

bilboburgler

I'd plan for a long day, get an early train out, hit just a few main things (check the weather the day before to confirm if mainly indoors or outdoors) and then soak it up. Late train back.

5 days is not much for Paris but you could fit in Reims (an easy train hop) but I think the Mount is a bit far. Reims is waaaaaaaaaaay smaller than London let alone Paris so not such a crash visit and to a certain extent everything stops at 5pm.

sandralist

I disagree with the advice not to pick any indoor things to see. Why not? Especially if there is something particular to the BBC indoors that would be interesting (have no idea). But if you would really love to see the Elgin Marbles -- or the portrait of Princess Di! -- why not go? Just becauase you are only there for a day doesn't mean you can't get involved with something that would mean a lot to you.

Rubicund

Following on from janisj's post, once you get to St Pancras in London, you can catch the tube (Underground) to get wherever you want to go. You'll have about 10 hours in London after travelling time. You need passports to travel of course and you need to allow time for immigration controls at both the English and French sides.

The last train leaves London at around 8pm UK time, but remember that you lose the hour you gained on the way out, once back in France. French time will be around 11:30pm once you're back at the Gare du Nord.

Bitter

As others have mentioned, it's doable. I think, though, you need to map out what you want to see in Paris and that will dictate whether you really want to venture to London (you may be too busy in Paris).

stokebailey

A day trip to London is certainly doable, and makes more sense for you than ones to Mont-St-Michel or Versailles.

Go early, and get a free central London bus map and a One Day bus pass at St. Pancras Tube stop. Get on the 59 bus, go upstairs and sit as far forward as you can. A few stops later get off at Aldwych. If you want, walk a block east and peek into the Middle Temple, through the archway under Tudor-looking half-timber facade. Maybe stop in at Twining's and sample tea.

Then walk west on the Strand to Trafalgar Square. Go to the National Gallery or just watch the outdoors scene. You can catch a bus , like the 11 or 24, that will take you to Westminster. Figuring out where to stand for which bus can be a little tricky. Cabs are nice, too. Tube is fast, but then you miss everything above ground.

janisj

Lots of options.

>>You can catch a bus , like the 11 or 24, that will take you to Westminster.<<

Or you could take the #15 east past St Pauls and to the Tower/Tower Bridge. The bus stops list all the routes that use that stop. Say you are on the Strand - if you want the #11 or the #15 -- just look at the signs. If the route you want isn't listed -- just walk to the next bus stop a few yards up/down the road.

Sreilly

This is great advice! Thank you for all your responses, the wedding is in India so it won't get in the way of our Paris time. It sounds like the day trip would work great with an early morning train, then back late at night. Do you think that the day trip would be a better option than trying to split our time, 2 nights in London and 3 nights in Paris?

Kathie

My opinion - and it's only mine - is that you would be best advised to choose one city, spend your full five days there and enjoy. Plan to visit the other city next time.

Think about how you like to travel - we are all different - and use that to guide you. For me, a day trip to London would merely be frustrating. I'd feel like I was wasting time on the train when I could be in Paris doing X. And once I got to London - there is so much to do and see, I'd feel frustrated that I only had a few hours. But if you are someone who likes to move fast, rather than someone who likes to dig deep you might be fine with it. Or if you have something in London that you MUST see and you would be content with seeing just that, then it might work for you.

Christina

Of course you can do a day trip to London, why couldn't you?

I do think it will save time over moving hotels.

Forget Mont St Michel, though, I don't think you have any idea how far away it is.

I don't agree that one should only see one city on a European trip, I prefer to see something different. Most people don't have that much money or time to go to Europe all the time that they can just stay in one place and not see anything else (or they just aren't interested in anything else).

Sreilly

Also, would it be crazy to take a later train back to Paris? Like if we wanted to see a show that gets out at 10:30pm, could we take the train that leaves at 12:30 (back to Paris at 4am)? Our hotel is 4km from the train station and we could always take a cab if public transportation is unavailable. Would that be safe? I feel like it would be fine, but I don't want to do something stupid.

janisj

>>Also, would it be crazy to take a later train back to Paris? Like if we wanted to see a show that gets out at 10:30pm, could we take the train that leaves at 12:30 (back to Paris at 4am)<<

AFAIK there are no late trains. Every time I've checked for Eurostar tix the latest trains have been around 8PM

janisj

to clarify -- - an 8PM London departure time.

stokebailey

>>Or you could take the #15 east past St Pauls and to the Tower/Tower Bridge.<< Yes! In fact, what a good idea.

Get off at St. Paul's if you want, then back on another eastbound #15 to the Tower. Go inside or not, as you choose.

Then you could walk down to the pier just west of Tower Bridge and catch the next Thames Clipper enclosed boat (not included in day pass, but you can buy ticket on the pier) ride upstream to Embankment pier. No narration, just seeing it all glide by. Disembark, walk up the hill and there you are near Trafalgar Square.