Best option for London to Paris
 

We will be in London for 2 weeks and would really love to do at least an overnight trip to Paris. It seems as though most recommend the Eurostar over flying, but I wondered if anyone has a recommendation for one of the "package" options or are we better off just doing it ourselves? Our goal would be to at least visit the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.

Thanks!

Hi Shadow,

Are you doing 2 weeks in London, or 2 weeks in Great Britain? If the former, I suggest that you change your itinerary to 1 week London, 1 week Paris, especially if you haven't been to Paris yet.

It's two weeks in London. I understand what you're saying. It seems a shame to just do a couple of days in Paris, but there is also a lot we would like to see in London. We just feel as though it would be too bad to pass on seeing something of Paris, when we are so close.

I must agree with Ira, if not a week in each, at least do 3-4 days in Paris. Anything shorter seems a waste of time & money given you HAVE the time.

Not sure what you mean by a package. If you mean transport & hotel, I guess it depends on the hotel choices. Many hotels included in packages are in less than ideal/central locations & for a short visit, you don't want to be spending all your time traveling. Why not do some research here on hotels & price out the difference.

Recommend at least 4 nights in Paris. Go via eurostar. Plan and execute it yourself.

I understand what the others are saying - but you have made it clear you want to experience a LOT of London. So go ahead and do an overnight trip - if it were me I would probably try to spare 2 nights in Paris to give me two+ full days in Paris.

But if you only want to take one night away from London you can still see alot. Except for Scare Coeur and Versailles - 90% of the things you want to see in Paris are basically withing walking distance of each other.

Definitely take the Eurostar for such a short visit. It drops you right in the center of Paris and by the time you add in commute times and early check in requirements is actually a little faster than flying. Booking a specific hotel is usually better than going with a package simply because the choices are limited.

You can't see all of Paris in 2 days but you CAN see quite a bit - but then again you can't see alll of London in 2 weeks - so no matter what you choose you will miss something.

I don't see anything wrong with breaking up your 2 weeks in London with 2 days in Paris! Hopefully it will not be the only time you ever get to either place. You can do a lot of the major sights in Paris in2 days!. We've been to Paris at least 12 times and are off next week to spend 2 weeks there..been to London at least 25 or 30 times and never get tired of it.

Yeah, it's great to spend a week or two but 2 days will give you a sample and whet your appetite for more.

I've seen great deals advertised on the UK website for 2 day breaks in Paris..if I can find the site I'll post it for you,

Thanks for all of your input! I realize that two days (or even two months!)in Paris is not nearly enough, but you're right, it's just to get a taste so I have an excuse to go back! I will check out the Paris hotels recommended on an earlier thread today and compare them to the hotels offered in the packages.

Jody, if you can find the web site with the 2 day packages, that would be great!

Love London, but two nights in Paris is good, three night is better and four nights is even better.

Jody - 25 times in London? 12 times to Paris? My hat is off to you!

Definitely Eurostar it... you will spend close to the same amount, or more, on a flight, and will spend more time once you figure in airport transfers, early check in at the airports, etc. Waterloo-Gare Nord is the way to go - I've done it both ways (Eurostar and flying), and there is no doubt in my mind.

As for how much time in Paris, while more would be preferable, you can see a LOT in two days. My wife and I went a couple of years ago for a short break - 2 nights in Paris, 3 nights in London. (This is when we flew between the two, big mistake!) We arrived in Paris early AM after overnight flight from DFW, and hit the ground running. Went to Louvre, Champs Elysees, rode the silly ferris wheel (her idea), and walked through some of the shopping areas the first day. Second day, went to Versailles in the AM, then back to Notre Dame, Seine River cruise at sunset, then Eiffel Tower at night - great view of the City of Lights - I highly recommend going up at night! Third morning, went to Musee d'Orsay and Opera Garnier before transferring to CDG for our 2pm flight to LHR.

We were able to see all the major sights, save Sacre Coure, and still had time for people watching over espresso in a couple of great little cafes (Cafe De La Paix across from the Opera Garnier comes to mind...)

We are going back to London this Thanksgiving, and will be doing a same day return via Eurostar to Paris for a day (first train out at 8am, last train back at 9pm). I booked online for $94 round trip, which seemed fairly reasonable.

I would not go with a pre-planned tour. All the sites mentioned about (except Versailles) are walkable -- sometimes a long walk, but you get to see so much along the way! Just get a good map/guidebook (I love the full color illustrated Eyewittness Travel Guides) and set out on foot! You will have a marvelous time!

For Paris overnight tours, check out:
http://meleterc.com/britparistours.html
http://www.evanevans.co.uk/paris_overnight.htm

We did an overnighter to Paris from London by Eurostar last year and enjoyed the trip. I had also considered a packaged tour in the beginning but ended up going independent after comparing costs and more evaluation of our goals. I was able to find special offers on hotels and train tickets for certain dates/time that would fit in our schedule. Didn't really cost us more by going independent.

We stored most of our luggage with the Bell Desk at the London hotel and traveled light. Took an early train from Waterloo to arrive in Paris/Nord before noon. We had wanted to take the metro from the train station to our hotel in the 1st Arr. However, the ticket booth had a very, very long line, the ticket machine wouldn't take foreign credit cards and we didn't have enough French change. So, we took a taxi to the hotel. After checking in and a quick bite at a cafe nearby, we took the metro to Arc de Triomphe. Walked/shopped a section of Champs Elysees. Then I made another trip back to the hotel to drop off my acquisition as I didn't want to lug a shopping bag around. Went to Notre Dame; walked along Seine a bit and then through the Latin Quarter. Rested at a cafe in the 5th for a bit. Walked to the 6th, and window shopped a bit. Then dinner at Chez Maitre Paul where we had made reservation via email. After dinner, took the metro to the station nearest Eiffel Tower. That required a train/line change, I think. Went up the tower for a night view of Paris. Took taxi back to the hotel and hit the hay.

We slept in the next morning and missed the buffet breakfast which was included in the price. (Duh!) Had brunch at Angelina which was close to our hotel and then walked to Louvre. We entered from the shopping plaza and tried to buy tickets from the machine there. It was a very long line but already better than the other locations. But many transactions took a long time. It was because the machine wouldn't take cash and had trouble with most foreign credit cards. So, when I was out of my luck with all the credit cards we had in possession, I requested in my broken French to the French lady behind me to help me buy 4 tickets with her credit card. She agreed and I gave her the money in cash. We spent the whole afternoon in Louvre. Afterwards, we had crepes and monsieur croq's at a cafe nearby before heading back to the hotel to check out. Took a taxi to Nord for the Eurostar at 7:30p. Arrived in Waterloo a little after 9pm.

Yes, it was a very compact overnighter, but it worked for us while it could have been meaninglessly rushed for others. It all depends on personal preferences and styles.