job816

Back to my beloved Europe finally. It's been two very long years. Last there to visit beautiful Provence and see Lance climb Alpe d'huez in his race to win his six tour. But I digress. My husband is a big fan of the DaVinci Code and wants to visit Paris – he's never been. We are planning an 8 night trip in September. I have been twice in my younger days (early and mid twenties) and never really loved it. As a vegetarian, the food situation has always intimidated me. Let’s see, I think I ate French fries everyday from McDonalds by the Sorbonne during one visit. But now that I am reaching 40, I feel a little more confident and I looking forward to the romance of going with the man I love. Am I boring anyone yet?

So I need help:
1) I want to keep within a range of $125-250 at night, but not the Left Bank. Otherwise, I am not particular about location as long as it’s close to a metro station. I see some folks are recommending Marais.

2) We plan to stay for 4-5 nights in Paris and then rent a car to visit the countryside. Right now I am thinking we drive out to Versailles then continue into the Loire Valley (never been) to do some chateaux sightseeing and some wine tasting. Any recommendations?

3) And finally if folks think that a 3-4 day trip other than to the Loire Valley should be considered – I am open to suggestions. We like wine tasting, so I was also considering the Alsace and Burgundy regions.

I know am asking a lot, but Fodorites always provide the best information and I want to hear it all. Thanks.
- Jodi

Underhill

When are you going to Paris? Hotels will be tight from now through October, but I'd recommend trying at the Hôtel Mansart. It's in the 1st, just off the Place Vendôme; in fact, it shares a wall with the Ritz. The hotel is nicely Old Parisian, with antique furnishings. We had a superior twin, and it was good sized and had a very large tiled bathroom.

On the same street as the hotel are a post office, a pharmacy, and an ATM. The hotel is within easy walking distance of a number of good restaurants, including L'Ardoise and Le Soufflé. Superior rooms are around 190 Euros.

gard

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Hi

My wife and I went to Paris in April and I have posted a trip report with pictures and links on my homepage http://gardkarlsen.com/Paris_France.htm . Maybe you can find some useful information there We stayed on the right bank so I can't really help you with the hotel question. Have a great trip and get in touch if you have any questions or comments

Regards
Gard
Stavanger, Norway
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Powell

Caron de Beaumarchais in the Marais might fit your bill:

-On Right Bank, near Ile St. Louis
-Attractive if small rooms, A/C
-Price circa 140 euros
-Near Metro


Marais a Bohemian-type place with many nice patisseries, restaurants, shops

Gretchen

Hotel Muguet. Near 2 Metro stations and 5 bus lines. Endless restaurants.
Vegetarians can do very well eating in Paris. There are even whole restaurants.

ira

Hi J,

&gt;... not the Left Bank.

Is there a particular reason why?

With only 8 nights for a first-time visit for your DH, I suggest staying in Paris with 1, maybe 2, daytrips.

Chiquita

A couple of years ago I stayed in the Marais in Hotel de la Place des Vosges. Very quaint and moderately priced, but clean and comfortable in a non tourisy neighborhood - 5 minute walk to the metro. It's very close to the old jewish section. I especially remember a very well known restaurant famous for their falafal and hummus sandwiches in the neighborhood. Someone will remember the name. I'm going back to Paris next spring and altho we're staying in the 6th, we'll make a trip out there just for a falafal sandwich.

job816

I want to apologize for not responding earlier. I have been doing loads of research and wanted to be more specifc when I next posted. Thanks to all who replied. I realize now in my initial post I said LB - when I should have said Latin Quarter. I stayed in the 5th bordering of the 14th previously and want to try something new. From the reading I've been doing, the 4th seems wonderful, but being my husband's first visit and years since I've been, I think 6th (or bordering 7th) is a nice blend of it all. I have narrowed down some choices, but have become incapable of making a decision. I have read all the reviews, but I am just stuck. Help, please.

Hotel la Perle
Hotel St Thomas D’Aquin
Hotel Bonaparte
Hotel du Palais Bourbon
Hotel Latour Maubourg
Odeon Hotel

The good news, we have figured out the rest of our trip.
Day 1: Fly into Paris, pick up car, and drive to Bayeux - staying at Logis Les Remparts.
Day 2: Battlebus American Highlights Tour
Day 3: Drive to St Mont Michel, stay overnight – no reservations yet.
Day 4: Drive back to Paris, stopping at Caen Museum
Day 5-9: Paris – will seek advice on restaurants and shopping once the bones are set.

Thanks all,
Jodi

francophile03

I prefer the locations of Hotel La Perle, Bonaparte, Thomas d' Aquin, and Odeon Hotel. The other two are in quieter areas.

I stayed at the Odeon and the rooms are allright, not too large, but all well equipped. I didn't think the desk staff were approachable except for the night clerk-funny because night clerks are usually not as helpful as day clerks. Plus there is no real sitting area or lobby except the for the breakfast room that doubles as a sitting room after breakfast is served.

Bonaparte they require a prepaid deposit not a c/c guarantee. I don't mind that as much as the fee they charge for any cancellations.

La Perle looks very overpriced for the type of rooms they offer. And the St. Thomas d' Aquin is a basic hotel with tight rooms (notice the photos that were shot at an angle on their site).

So I'd choose the Odeon Hotel out of your choices, but still would look around. What about the Millesime Hotel? It's on rue Jacob in the same area of St. Germain. I've read alot of good things about the hotel and its staff.

ira

Hi J,

&gt;My husband is a big fan of the DaVinci Code ...

The Bonaparte is around the corner from St. Sulpice and within walking distance of the pyramid at the Louvre.

It's also where we always stay.

Laurala

Hi! I love Paris and I love de Marais. Concerning the hotel I would like to suggest you the Hotel Molay or my favorite one Villa Mazzarin that is a little bit more expensive, but really a fantastic place. Normally to book I use this site www.parisby.com that has fantastic photogallery and not-only conventional hotels http://www.parisby.com/molay/index.html
http://www.parisby.com/villa-mazarin/index.html
Concerning the restaurants you can buy pariscope in paris (is a small guide you can buy everywhere) that has all the restaurants and things to do in Paris for a week with the service time for the restaurants and all the info.
I hope that's can help you! For Loire Valley sorry but I've never visited but you can try to visit www.franceby.com (the same network as Paris)

job816

While waiting to hear back from Hotel Bonaparte, I took Francophile's advice and looked at Millesime Hotel. Of course it is perfect, exactly what I am looking for, but alas booked. However, I ended up on Patrica Wells' site and found Hotel de Fleurie. Based on all the positive reviews on tripadvisor, I went for it. It's a little more than we wanted to spend, but sometimes you just have to splurge - won't tell the hubby just yet. That's what happens when you let your wife do all the planning . Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll be back soon for other Paris advice.

Marie007

Bonjour,

A friend and I spent a wonderful holiday in the Loire Valley last &quot;vacances de P&acirc;ques&quot;/Easter holiday (in April 06). We chose a very pleasant &quot;chambre d'h&ocirc;te&quot; at a very &quot;sympathique&quot;/nice person's house called &quot;Les Mariniers&quot; in Mareuil-sur-Cher, a nice and very quiet village close to the lovely little town of Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher and its beautiful castle, Romane/&quot;Romanesque&quot; &quot;Coll&eacute;giale&quot;/collegiate church and streets with old timbered-houses.

Mareuil is not far from Blois, and very close to Chambord, Chenonceau ch&acirc;teaux, plus plenty of other big or intimate ch&acirc;teaux (Montpoupon, Montr&eacute;sor castles,Ch&eacute;mery, among others...), sweet villages, and the beautiful zoo of &quot;Beauval&quot;, etc. Lots of little or more famous restaurants and good wineries can be found in the area (among which the great dry and &quot;moelleux&quot;/mellow Vouvray !)

www.lesmariniers.com

Our host, Viviane Vincent is &quot;d&eacute;licieuse&quot; and very helpful, her house is superb, the breakfasts in the big kitchen the walls of which are decorated with lovely &quot;barbotines&quot;, is gorgeous : lots of croissants and a homemade different cake EVERY MORNING, good tea and coffee, etc. Your host chats with you if you feel like it when she serves you and gives you hints and leaflets to help you find the &quot;ch&acirc;teau&quot; you want to visit, etc. The house and bedrooms are beautiful (nice furniture, lovely curtains, etc., brand new bathrooms, soft and thick towels) and you'll see Viviane's paintings on the walls. You'll sleep like &quot;a loir&quot; (French expression : &quot;dormir comme un loir&quot; = &quot;sleep like a log&quot and only the birds's songs will wake you up in the morning...

We paid 56&euro; per night for the &quot;Maena&quot; bedroom, the brand new bedroom called &quot;Jade&quot; (each bedroom is given the first name of one of Viviane's &quot;petites-filles/granddaughters) which was not finished in April is now ready and costs 64&euro; since you can enjoy its nice private terrace... Voil&agrave; ! The American friends who joined us and slept in the beautiful yellow room can give you their opinion when they have the time to do it !

The Loire Valley is a wonderful place and it gives you &quot;un sentiment de pl&eacute;nitude&quot;/a blissful feeling because everything is so quiet and harmonious in the countryside... Cordialement ! Marie (Normandy, France)

Marie007

I typed too quickly and made a few typos, among which the one concerning... &quot;breakfasts&quot;. Please read &quot;breakfasts... ARE gorgeous&quot; So sorry !

The &quot;d&eacute;partement&quot; in which Mareuil-sur-Cher is located is &quot;le Loir-et-Cher&quot; (41)

We bought great Vouvray wine (AOC dry and &quot;demi-sec&quot; 2004 Vouvray, the dry Vouvray costs 4,70&euro;, the &quot;demi-sec&quot;/mellow one costs 4,80&euro; per bottle) at this address, where a good American francophile friend who lives in the area, also buys his wine :

Jean-Claude et Didier AUBERT, EARL
Viticulteurs
10, rue de la Vall&eacute;e Coquette (what a sweet name, lol !)
37210 VOUVRAY (T&eacute;l. : 02.47.52.71.03)

You can &quot;d&eacute;guster&quot;/taste any type of wine and the people are very nice Marie

flsd

&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&g t;As a vegetarian, the food situation has always intimidated me. Let’s see, I think I ate French fries everyday from McDonalds by the Sorbonne during one visit. But now that I am reaching 40, I feel a little more confident and I looking forward to the romance of going with the man I love. Am I boring anyone yet?


Well, I'd suggest you rethink that whole veggie obsession. Life is too short to waste on uninteresting cuisine - or to be intimidated by something so inconsequential as meat.

Travelnut

Oh, nevermind what others think about 'vegetarianism'... there are many options and actual veg. restaurants in Paris these days.

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34489189

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34806006

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34769523

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34674761

JAGIRL

Intimidated by food in Paris because you're vegetarian ? But whatever for?

I'm vegetarian and never had a problem finding great meals in Paris. In fact I've never had a problem anywhere! It's usually easier for me to find something great to eat than the usual meat eaters with whom I'm travelling!

And if you can even believe it I never had a single French Fry while there!
I still can't believe that one!

Travelnut I must bookmark those threads for future Paris trips. Thanks.

job816

Thanks Travelnut. I actually looked through your photo album yesterday (Paris Encore posting) - wonderful pictures - especially the first one! I just told hubby tonight, who loves Chinese food, we are going to have Chinese food in Paris due to your reports on Gourmet d Asie. I also decided to make a trip Rouen. The pedestrian area looks wonderful.

job816

JaGirl - it really was more an issue of being young and letting myself feel intimdated because I was not able to communicate what I wanted. But when we were in Provence two years ago, I really go over it. And I know what you mean, because I ended up having an easier time than my hubby who is a meat eater. By the way does anyone know how to say &quot;Please cook it well done?&quot;

JAGIRL

job816
Me and my sis in law were in Heidelberg,Germany at a street market. There was a stall with cheese, cheese and more cheese. We love cheese and wanted to taste a couple of them before buying. We got in line, mouth watering...yet nervously wondering how to ask &quot;may we taste the cheese?&quot;
When we got to the top of the line and saw the grumpy looking lady serving we just backed away like two daft schoolgirls!
It is intimidating sometimes when you don't know how to express yourself. That is true!