Trip with Teens to London and Paris the end of July
Jan 17th, 2005, 07:28 AM
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Trip with Teens to London and Paris the end of July
We are a family of six travelling to London (4 days, then Paris (4 days) and on to Germany to visit our former exchange student for the remainder of the trip flying out of Frankfurt.
Need specific ideas of what to see and do with teenage boys and girls. More interested in exposing them to the culture and fun of travelling than to seeing every museum and cathedral (we will see a few). Read something about watching the skateboarders near the Palais de Chaillot or Forum des Halles.
Thinking of seeing the Cartier International Day polo match. How difficult is it to get from London to Guards Polo Club in Windsor?Can you see the 3:30 match without attending the 11:00 match?
Trying to decide between renting a car and using public transportation. Any advice? Thinking of using public transportation the first 3 days in London and then renting a car for a day trip from London and then onto Paris via the Channel Tunnel. How long does it really take to go from London to Paris by car?
Thanks.
Need specific ideas of what to see and do with teenage boys and girls. More interested in exposing them to the culture and fun of travelling than to seeing every museum and cathedral (we will see a few). Read something about watching the skateboarders near the Palais de Chaillot or Forum des Halles.
Thinking of seeing the Cartier International Day polo match. How difficult is it to get from London to Guards Polo Club in Windsor?Can you see the 3:30 match without attending the 11:00 match?
Trying to decide between renting a car and using public transportation. Any advice? Thinking of using public transportation the first 3 days in London and then renting a car for a day trip from London and then onto Paris via the Channel Tunnel. How long does it really take to go from London to Paris by car?
Thanks.
Jan 17th, 2005, 11:03 AM
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"How long does it really take to go from London to Paris by car?
First, what are you going to do with the car? One-way drop off fees between the UK and the parts of Europe that drive on the wrong side run into the hundreds of pounds. An alternative is the Hertz Le Swap, which involves decanting from a RHD car at Folkestone, being shuttled to Le Shuttle, then picking up an LHD car at Calais.
Second, few questions are as impossible to answer as "how long does it take to drive to anywhere from London?" From where in London? What time of which day? What deal are you on with Le Shuttle (the cheapest often involve preposterously long checkin times?
From central London, leaving at 0400, and knowing the route out of town, you can - just - catch a Shuttle round 0615-0630. You'll get onto the French motorway just before 0800, CET, and should hit the Peripherique round 1100 if you don't really stop. Leave any later, and you're likely to take a great deal longer. There's no really convenient out of town location to hire cars from in the Dover/Folkestone direction, unless you go so far out that you're pretty much at the Folkestone terminal
First, what are you going to do with the car? One-way drop off fees between the UK and the parts of Europe that drive on the wrong side run into the hundreds of pounds. An alternative is the Hertz Le Swap, which involves decanting from a RHD car at Folkestone, being shuttled to Le Shuttle, then picking up an LHD car at Calais.
Second, few questions are as impossible to answer as "how long does it take to drive to anywhere from London?" From where in London? What time of which day? What deal are you on with Le Shuttle (the cheapest often involve preposterously long checkin times?
From central London, leaving at 0400, and knowing the route out of town, you can - just - catch a Shuttle round 0615-0630. You'll get onto the French motorway just before 0800, CET, and should hit the Peripherique round 1100 if you don't really stop. Leave any later, and you're likely to take a great deal longer. There's no really convenient out of town location to hire cars from in the Dover/Folkestone direction, unless you go so far out that you're pretty much at the Folkestone terminal
Jan 17th, 2005, 11:05 AM
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No - you definitely do not want to drive from London to Paris. And you won't want/need a car in either city. Plus w/ only 4 days in London you probably won't have enough time for a day trip except maybe to Hampton Court Palace, Windsor or Greenwich (which are all really w/i greater London and easily reached by public transport).
Even if it did make sense to drive to Paris - you would be renting a car in the UK -- i.e. right hand drive. You do not want to drive a RHD car in France unless you absolutely have too.
Now you might want a car in Germany, depending on where you will be. Just rent a car in Germany.
Even if it did make sense to drive to Paris - you would be renting a car in the UK -- i.e. right hand drive. You do not want to drive a RHD car in France unless you absolutely have too.
Now you might want a car in Germany, depending on where you will be. Just rent a car in Germany.
Jan 17th, 2005, 11:11 AM
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I agree - you'd be crazy to rent a car to get to Paris, and even crazier to drive there. 
Use public transport in both locations, and reconsider a day trip from London - you don't really have time.
Use public transport in both locations, and reconsider a day trip from London - you don't really have time.
Jan 17th, 2005, 03:57 PM
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Thanks for all your help. I was thinking it might be cheaper to drive with 6 of us then to take the train across the channel. But, it sounds like everyone thinks it will be more expensive to rent a car in UK that you can't use in Paris.
Will also rethink day trip. When you don't know when or if you'll be able to come back to London, I thought it would be interesting to see the English countryside and was leaning toward the Warwick castle. Looks like we'll stay put in London, especially since now we won't have a car!
Will also rethink day trip. When you don't know when or if you'll be able to come back to London, I thought it would be interesting to see the English countryside and was leaning toward the Warwick castle. Looks like we'll stay put in London, especially since now we won't have a car!
Jan 17th, 2005, 08:11 PM
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I would strongly suggest a Segway tour of Paris, and I would do it the first day. You'll see much more than you would by foot, and yet it is much more intimate and accessible than a tour bus. The website for Fat Tire Bike Tours is http://www.parissegwaytours.com/
The office is near the Eiffel Tower, so you could combine that visit with a tour.
People rave about the bike tours, too, which are also conducted during the day and at night. But for your kids, the Segway would be a highlight of the trip. They are very easy to manage for "kids" of all ages (I include my middle-aged self) and nothing matches it for a unique activity.
The office is near the Eiffel Tower, so you could combine that visit with a tour.
People rave about the bike tours, too, which are also conducted during the day and at night. But for your kids, the Segway would be a highlight of the trip. They are very easy to manage for "kids" of all ages (I include my middle-aged self) and nothing matches it for a unique activity.
