SKPKCP11

Hi All,
Panning our first trip to France and need some info before we set about finalising.
We are 2 adults and 2 children of 13 yrs and 12 yrs.
we plan to arrive in Paris. Spend a week in Paris.
Please advise on areas / hotels where we can get a family room for around Euro 100/-. We need to be close to the main station as we plan to go to Strasbourg.
We like to see the usual places of interest but will not include Disneyworld and not too many museums. We like to eat hearty french food. Not interested in designer food. Is french food hearty like the German meats.
Do you recommend we stay in Strasbourg or in another small town in Alsace. We will not have a car and will depend on public transport.
Now for the next part - we want to go to Berlin. Is this feasible. I checked dbahn site but they do not give fares. Then I checked sncf and the fares were ridiculously high. If this is true we will skip Berlin and continue to Rhone Alps and fly out from Lyon. In fact sncf does not show options via Mannheim which is shown on dbahn. Am I doing something wrong. Please advise.
Kind regards.
SKPKCP11

Robert2533

Have you done any research other than check rail options? Read a guide book or two?

ParisAmsterdam

I think 100 euros for a quad room is unrealistic. You'll need to up your budget or stay well out beyond the tourist sites which will cost you more in train/metro fees.

There's no point in spending a week near the Gare de L'est just because your train departs from there. You needn't be close to a station as any station is easily accessed by metro or bus.

Hearty food? Sure... steak frites, roast chicken and the like available at almost any cafe, restaurant or brasserie. Chains like Clement, Hippopotamus and Relais d'Entrecote (where nothing but steak is served) are all popular with families.

Michael

Decided not to go to Norway?

janisj

Not sure why, but you have two essentially identical threads going . . . there are responses on both.

Christina

If you realy on public transport, then yes, I would suggest you stay in Strasbourg. There is no "main" train station in Paris, it's too big of a city to have something like that (I know many other cities, mainly smaller, do have one "main" station). There are many train stations in different parts of the city and trains depart in that general direction (eg, a station on the south side of town is where trains to the south leave). But Paris also has an excellent metro system so you don't really need to be near a particular train station because you are going to use it once, especially if you are there a week, there should be other considerations. All Paris train stations have metro stops in them, and some have RER (suburban rail) stops.

Trains to eastern points, like Strasbourg, leave from the Paris Est train station which is on the Right Bank. It is actually very near Gare du Nord (trains to the north leave from there, and England). It isn't that important you stay around them, but if you want to be relatively closer, look for places to stay in the 2nd-4th or 11th arrondisement, I'd suggest. YOur budget is too low for a quad, but the cheapest areas could be maybe the 10th or 12th in that general direction (and 11th).

If you like hearty French food, you should like Strasbourg where the cuisine is Alsacienne which is more like German food. Whether you eat "hearty" or "designer" food is up to you, depends on what places you go to. Designer food is generally in more expensive restaurants, so doubt if you'll go there (foam stuff, small portions, dribbles on the plate, all that nonsense which I don't like either).

Here is one hotel in an excellent location in the Latin Quarter (near the Seine, so not that far to Gare de l'Est) and it does cater to families. I think it even has a laundry room. You don't say when this trip is planned for which affects prices, of course. If in not peak rate season you can get a quad at Hotel Marignan for about 134 euro, which is very good. http://www.hotel-marignan.com/

SKPKCP11

Thanks all for the quick reverts.

Michael and janisj you are right. My first bet is still Oslo and then the fjords. But the downside is :
Hotels are way above my budget. Not getting anything in Euro 130/- range.
Not much clarity and info regarding train and ferry options.
In short planning and reading is getting me nowhere. It is disappointing.

Christina we plan to go in May 2015. If breakfast is included Euro 130/- range would also do. Not sure if it is peak season. We need to be near some good places where we can grab our picnic lunches and snacks. Maybe local markets. I love beer. Not sure if I would get my fill. Which areas should I look at.? Nothing too touristy as the prices are always high.
Read somewhere that 4,5,6 &11 arrondissement are good.

Need clarity for Strasbourg to Berlin sector. Please help.

Thanks to all.
SKPKCP11

adrienne

Not sure what type of clarity you're looking for but have you read your other thread where I and others have commented on travel to Berlin?

May is peak season and it's unlikely that you'll find a quad room in arrondissements 4, 5 or 6 within your budget. Most Paris hotels do not include breakfast in their price. I've made suggestions on your other thread.