There seem to be lots of people on this site that know a lot about Paris so I'll give you my deliemma and see what you cna come up with.

We have been to Europse several times and have been in Paris before. We are headed to Europe for Christmas. We arrive in Paris on December 16th. The morning of the 17th we are going to rent a car and drive to see a friend in Heidelburg. Then we are on to Rothenburg, Munich, Salzburg, Colmar and back to Paris for a couple of days before coming home.

Since we are 1)only going to be in Paris for one night at the beginning of the trip I was thinking maybe it would be smart to stay somewhere on the East side of Paris so we could make a quick getaway in the morning and 2)we will want to pick up the car somewhere close to where we stay. We will probably take the metro into Paris that first evening to enjoy the city. On past trips we have stayed in Rue Clar and we have seen lots of recommendations of the Jean d'Arc in the Maurais area but both seem to be in the heart of the city.

Where do you recommend we stay?

After seeing this posted I decided I need a spell-checker. Foders help me out here.

I stayed at the Timhotel Nation. My room was small, but clean. The Avron metro station was about fifty yards from the front door. Pere Lechaise cemetary is close by, and I highly recommend it. I hear that in the winter, it has the best views of the entire city. Can anyone confirm this?

AisleSeat-
I'm curious..What airport are you flying from? We are flying to Paris on Dec 15th, arriving on the 16th.
MIA-DTW-CDG

A couple of people have enjoyed the Hotel de la Porte Doree, which is situated just inside the Periphique and across from a metro.

http://www.paris-hotels-paris.com/index.htm

http://www6.mappy.com/sid69fUUZOvGx7...amp;show_poi=0

I'm not sure that staying n the east side or Paris is really a benefit. Since you will be leaving from where you rent the car, what really matters is where the car rental office is. To be most convenient you should be near - or have easy access (a stgraight run) - to the peripherique - so you can simply highway to the main road out of town - rather than make yur way through local streets. SoI would locae the car rental place forst, then decide on a hotel convenient for getting to that.

i agree with travelnut...i was also thinking of this area. charenton actually but same general idea - this is right at the peripherique and gets you into paris on the metro in about 15 min - to bastille.

poochie, we are coming from Detroit to CDG. Thanks to all who have posted your ideas. I have checked various car rental companies and they usually have several places to pick up a car in a city the size of Paris. It is a chicken or egg type thing...I don't know if I should book the hotel or the car rental first. I couldn't find this listing for a while so there is yet another posting I put up on the same subject. Pardon my stupidity.

Aisleseat, are you a mourning Redwings fan?

AisleSeat-
There is a great possibility that we are on the same flight. I guess I know where you'll be sitting. Ha-Ha
We did Munich the past two Christmas times. It was great. You will really enjoy Germany at that time of year.

I would not waste time coming in and out of Paris at the beginning of the trip. I'd rent a car at the airport and stay over night in Senlis or Compeigne, Reims or Chateau Thierry.

I agree with Moxie. It doesn't sound as if you are arriving in Paris with the intent to do something in Paris before you leave for Heidelburg. So save a lot of backtracking and rent your car at the airport and stop someplace east of Paris on your way. Reims sounds like a great idea.

I agree.