appletan

Hi, I'll be in Paris in early October and would like any idea on where best to stay for 2 nights with following requirements:
- nice neighbourhood with good attractions within walking distances (or about 2 km surrounding) on a Sunday
- easy access to train to Versaille on the next day
- (this one is most critical) - easy train transfer to get to Paris East station by 8:20 am on a Tuesday morning (Oct 5) when my TGV will depart.

Thank you so much. I'm a bit worried about the last one but I don't think (from limited researching) that I should stay near Paris East station.

WillTravel

First of all, to be pedantic, you definitely want to be at the train station in advance of 8:20 AM. That's the departure time, but loading starts some time before that. Plus, it can take a while to figure out your platform and walk to it. And traffic can get stalled in Paris at the worst moments, like when you are trying to get to the train station. So I suggest trying to be at the train station for 7:50 AM.

Although staying near the Gare d'Est train station is not the most popular choice, I don't think it's dangerous. And you'd be near to transport, and the Canal St. Martin area, and not really that far from popular attractions in the Marais and around the Louvre. I'm not recommending it necessarily, but it wouldn't be awful, in my opinion.

I recommend using this site:
www.ratp.fr - this will tell you how to use public transport to get from one address to another at specified times. It will help you figure out how conveniently located you are.

Also use Google maps to figure out the distances and routes between addresses by walking.

With less than 2 days in Paris, also remember you can take cabs should you make a slight misjudgment in time or distance.

I'm avoiding an actual recommendation, because I don't have any sense of what you really want to have as a traveler, and what your budget range is.

zeppole

You should take a cab to catch your TGV, and pick a hotel in a location convenient to what you want to walk to see in Paris, in a neighborhood you think will delight you.

I also like to see Paris on foot, but when I pick a hotel, I look for ones that are also very near Metro stations. That way, if it is rainy, I have another way to get around.

There is more than one train departure point for Versailles, so you should google up the options and see if you want a hotel within walking distance of a departure point.

williams_R

Hotels close to the railway station in Paris are Hotel Modern' Est, Holiday Inn Paris-Gare de l'Est and Le Rocroy Hotel Paris. From here you can easily reach the major attractions of Paris commuting via a cab. Cabs are easily available at these hotels for their close proximity to railway stations which can take you to the desired place. Staying somewhere near the station will save good time and also helps in avoiding the traffic jams.

ThinGorjus

Excuse me, but lines 4, 5, 7 of the Metro all stop at the Gare l' Est. You could stay at a hotel near any Metro stop of these lines and make the TGV in plenty of time.

Get yourself a Streetwise Paris Map. They are available at Barnes/Noble bookstores. These maps show all the Metro stops/stations in Paris.

Metro line 4 stops in St. Germain. There are plenty of hotels in this neighbourhood that are recommended by Fodorites. One example is the Hotel Bonaparte.

The 6th is an ideal location for exploring Paris.

I think the train for Versailles leaves from St. Michel Station--RERC 5. If you stay in the 6th, St. Michel is within walking distance or you can arrive at the station by taking Metro line 4 from Odeon, St. Germain, or St. Sulpice.

Good luck.

Thin

Michel_Paris

I'd skip taking cabs everywhere, and walk/Metro. To get to gare de L'et, Metro again....unless you have lots of luggage, in which case maybe consider a cab. I'd not stay near Gare de L'est just because it is your departure point.

Something near the St Michel RER station would be good (St Germain). That RER would get you to Versailles, as well as CDG if arriving by plane. Notre Dame and Seine are right there. You could walk to many sites from there. Seine river cruise blocks away. Lots of restaurants in area.

Metro Line 4 also goes directly to Gare de L'Est from there. (9 mins travel time)

www.ratp.com is a good site for transit info

k9korps

We did what you're talking about, and did not stay near the Gare de L'est. We stayed in the St. Germain area and liked it -- near the Sorbonne, Latin Quarter, Lux Gardens.

On the day we took the train, we used a taxi early in the a.m., and it worked out fine. I don't remember exactly how long it took to get to the station, but it wasn't a long ride.

appletan

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

Seems like St. Germain or Opéra are good choices. I'll research more on the areas and hotel choices.

Can anyone advise how'd it be like to travel on metro with a couple of small luggages on a Tuesday morning to get from St. Germain or Opéra to Gare de L'est? Will the metro be too crowded in this peak hours? I'm planning to get to Gare de L'est by 7:40 am to be safe with my 8:20 am. departure.

Thanks again!

appletan

BTW just curious, what kind of neighbourhood is area near Gare de L'est? I read somewhere that it's punky and busy partying district. I'm just concerned that it'd be too rowdy.

William_R: you suggested some hotels in the area. Do you have personal experience staying in the area?

WillTravel: re. your questions, my preference is apartment or hotels, clean and reasonably priced near transport. I didn't really set budget but probably 3 stars or above but not too expensive.

zeppole

Good question, appletan! You should factor into your struggle with the luggage during the morning rush hour the possibility it may be raining. In other words, stay in a nice neighborhood in a nice hotel and take a cab to the station.

Tripadvisor has current reviews of hotels, where people often talk extensively about whether the neighborhood is rowdy, safe, a good location for transportation, next door to ongoing construction.

ThinGorjus

Excuse me, appletan, but you seem to be a Nervous Nancy when it comes to travel.

Millions of people come to Paris and stay at hotels all over the city. These people manage to get to CDG, which is about an hour drive from the center of Paris, on time to make early-morning flights.

Please don't come to Paris and think you have to stay right outside a train station just because you have to get on the TGV in the morning.

If you are nervous about taking the Metro to Gare l'Est, then take a taxi to the station.

Any reputable hotel in Paris will order you a taxi THE NIGHT BEFORE your departure.

A taxi from St. Germain to Gare l'Est will probably run 12-15 euros and take about 15-20 minutes.

There is really nothing wrong with the area around Gare l'est, but this is not the chic area of Paris.

You really have to decide what you want to SEE and DO in Paris and then decide where in Paris to stay.

Thin

k9korps

As noted earlier, I'm with the "take the taxi" crowd, which is what we did. I don't know how much luggage you have, but do you really want to wrestle with it in the Metro at rush hour? You can have your hotel call for a taxi ahead of time and, for the few euros, save a lot of aggravation.

appletan

Guilty as charged...yes, I'm the nervous kind...but you got to forgive me.. being my first time in Europe, can't speak French, etc.

Seems like taxi is the way to go.

Thin - One more question though, your estimate of 12-15 euros and 15-20 minutes from St. Germain to Gare l'Est has taken into account the morning peak hour traffic?

St. Germian is on the other side of the river from Gare l'Est. Usually, here in Melbourne, in morning peak hours, traffic is real heavy on all bridges near the city. Would this be something I should worry about?

Now my SEE and DO are mainly, walking along the Seine, visit the Louvre and Verseille. The rest, if I can fit anything else in, will be bonus. Would St. Germain still be the best choice? I'm also considering 3rd Marais as it's close to 11th for Gare l'Est and 1st for the Louvre.

Thanks to all for helping me plan my dream Paris trip (though just a rather short one).

venturegirl

For such a short stay in Paris, the Marais is a perfect central location for getting around to sights. Find a hotel that provides you easy access for sight-seeing and then take the cab the next day - and yes, from the Marais it will be a shorter ride.

For Marais I would consider staying more in the 4th closer to rue St. Antoine/rue Rivoli.
Thd "1" Metro line runs along there

venturegirl

sorry - to continue...

For Marais I would consider staying more in the 4th / 1st border closer to rue St. Antoine/rue de Rivoli - near Hotel de Ville.
- The "1" Metro line runs along there for easy access to the Louvre (recommend going to the Louvre in the evening if you're there on a Wed or Fri as it's open till 9/10pm and you'll avoid the crowds and can use you're day for other sight-seeing
- You can catch the RER off the "1" at the Chatelet transfer point
- Marais is very lively at night with lots of good food/bar options - and nice sidewalk cafes...but also good daytime shops.
- Easy walk to the Seine and the Islands/Notre Dame
- Pompidou is nearby
- Just consider: there's so much to see and enjoy in Paris - do you really want to do Versaille. I wasn't overly impressed with the interior, but the grounds are lovely.
- Also consider the carte musee (which will also get you into Versaille): http://en.parismuseumpass.com/ You have to do the math as to whether it's worth the cost for 2-day pass, but if you think you might visit several of the options (and it's a good list), it could be worth it...especially for the added value of not having to wait in lines once you have the pass. Be sure to buy it at a non-busy venue.

kerouac

When you don't speak the language, it is better to take public transportation instead of a taxi, in my opinion.

The Gare de l'Est area is a pleasant (formerly) working class part of town with a huge selection of excellent restaurants in the area. The nearby Canal Saint Martin has become a very interesting area for strolling and very popular for nightlife, with restaurants and bars all along the way. Parisians appreciate the area very much, since many of us do not feel comfortable, either budgetwise or in terms of who hangs out there, in the Saint Germain des Prés area.

cathies

I have been on the metro in peak hour - Friday at about 5pm. There were 4 of us with one piece of luggage each and we were NOT popular!! In hindsight we should have taken a couple of cabs instead - next time!!

ThinGorjus

Kerouc, since Miss Thing's main priorities are to go to Versailles and the Louvre, it would make more sense for her to stay somewhere near the the Rue de Buci/Rue de Seine area. She could then walk over to Station St. Michel for the RERC 5 to Versailles and easily walk over to the Louvre via the bookinistes of the Quai Grand Augustines and cross the Pont Carrousel.

Miss Thing, when your hotel orders you a taxi, the driver will come inside the hotel to retrieve your luggage. Have the hotel desk clerk tell the driver you want to go to Gare l'EST.

I honestly can't conceive that a Parisian taxi driver would not know "Gare l'Est" even when spoken by someone from Fountain Lakes, Melbourne.

If you are that nervous, write "Gare l'Est" on a piece of paper and hand it to the driver yourself.

Also, when you order your taxi from your hotel, ASK the reception desk HOW LONG THEY THINK IT WILL TAKE YOU TO GET FROM YOUR HOTEL TO GARE l'EST. They will be able to gauge at what time to have the taxi arrive at the hotel to get you to Gare l'Est on time.

It is that difficult, sweetie darling. Calm down. Have a Kylie Minogue Chardonnay Shandy and chill.

Thin

ThinGorjus

>It ISN'T that difficult<

Thin

appletan

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

Kerouc - thanks for describing Gare de l'Est area. I've pretty much decided to book Villa Saint Martin since Tripadvisor comments are good and it's near Gare de l'Est plus next to Canal Saint Martin.

I'll just catch metro to Marais and other sightseeing.

Venturegirl - thanks for your lovely ideas. Unfortunately, my Louvre day will happen to be the first Sunday - free entry day but very crowded.