Right now I feel like a kid with a new toy because my wife just got clearance from her boss to take her vacation September 17 through October 3. (The administration where she works demands long range planning for two week leave periods.) So we are going to Paris. Those of you who know the town please give me your best input on selecting a 2-star or 3-star hotel, and on one excursion for a day outside of Paris other than Versailles. (I already have a working list of hotels from prior postings, e.g. Levesque, Britannique, etc.) <BR> <BR>Also, other than the Louvre and the Eifel Tower, which I regard as virtually obligatory, I would welcome suggestions on what to see and/or do. (We are conservatives on night life.) And any suggestions as to a good tourist guide will be ultra welcome. <BR>

Well, you might want to do just a bit of research on your own (published tour guides at your local bookstore, perusing the fabulous resources within this website) before requesting "where to stay, go , do..." Any effort you choose to expend will pay off enormously. Arrogance and presumptions have their own reward! Do a search of the posting herein (above).

<BR>Dear Mr Sanford <BR> <BR>I have on disc a fairly long note on night travel in western and central Europe, and am sending you a copy by E-mail. <BR> <BR>The reference library of a city near you may have the Thomas Cook European Timetable. Table 32 has your train. I took it this spring. You dine in a restaurant on the square opposite Paris Est station, walk over to your train, and get on board about 2200 (10 pm). You start to go to bed: the train leaves at 2229. You wake somewhere in Bavaria, and snooze until the train stops at Augsburg at 0812. Then you've three quarters of an hour to rise, wash and dress before you reach Munich main station at 0849. At Munich there are luggage trolleys on every platform: a passing German will show you how to release one. <BR> <BR>In late June you can usually book a berth up to three days before you go, so you can probably leave buying your tickets and berths until the day you reach Paris. You can book at the International desk in any big railway station in Paris. Staff take credit cards, and some wear badges to say they speak English. The most English speaking staff in the least crowded booking offices are at Gare St Lazarre and Gare du Nord. <BR> <BR>You've a choice, to book first class and so be sure of a compartment to yourselves, with 2 berths, or to book second class. Compartments there have three berths, and except for 3-person parties men and women are divided, to let them get into pyjamas. I'd risk the second class. First, if you do get divided you are only a door apart, and the company in the compartment may be interesting -- as you know, young back-packers take trains across Europe partly for the good conversations. Second, if the train's not very full and you see the conductor at 2150 or so then he or she may juggle lists and put you together, alone, in a 3-berth compartment. <BR> <BR>The second class single fare is 135 US dollars, and you add a sleeper supplement of 40 dollars, total 175. Or first class the fare with supplement is about 260 dollars, or 520 for the two of you, which is perhaps a bit steep. <BR> <BR>Your route is that of the Orient Express. Twice a week at 1749 sleeping cars leave Paris Est destined for Bucharest. Perhaps next year ? <BR> <BR>You'll see the Eiffel Tower anyway from many places: there's no point in a special trip there. There's a good list of museums, with opening hours and brief notes, on the site http://www.pariscope.fr, under "Musees". Nearer the time you'll want to look at the same site under "Concerts", and on arrival in Paris, in the airport or the railway station, I recommend that you buy the magazine "Pariscope", which is the same text on paper. <BR> <BR>Did you find the guide book you want in a library or bookshop ? If what you buy does not include the bus map, then you might like to look in the street in front of your arrival station (or on top of the Gare du Nord) for an information kiosk of RATP, the Paris bus system, to get their free bus map. Busses are frequent and fairly fast, and of course you see Paris all the time, as against the viewless metro. The single travel card covers metro and busses. If you're a week or more in Paris then you might find it worth while to buy the Michelin Paris Plan 1/10.000, which is a street atlas, maps for bus, metro and suburban rail, and lists of offices and places of worship. It lets you get where you want fast and with a secure feeling. <BR> <BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome to Europe. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines, London <BR> <BR>

Hi Bob! <BR> <BR>You are going to Paris at one of my favorite times of the year-all the city dwellers will have just come back into town and the city start to feel like its old self again after the summer. <BR> <BR>As you have noticed, there is a ton of info on hotels, so it is probably best to narrow down the list and then ask folks about specific choices-you don't mention if this is a first trip or not-or if you already know the city well. I think the most important thing to decide about your hotel (other than what is important to you about the amenities) is to decide the location and the nieghborhood feeling you want, because like a lot of big cities, Paris has different types of neighborhoods-the Latin Quarter (5th-6th) is pretty touristy and fairly lively, the 7th (near the Eiffel tower) is know to be quiet and is filled with diplomats, the Marais (the 3rd)is kind of the new SOHO, fun lively bars, etc and great architecture. It seems like most everyone likes to stay near the center and the river, whcih is generally a good idea because there is the best access to the metro from there and a lot of the sites are there. <BR> <BR>In terms of day trips, my vote would be Chartres-it is a beautiful city and near the Cathedral, it seems like the archetype of the perfect French village. <BR> <BR>In terms of what to do in Paris-what kinds of things interest you? Are you most interested in the food/wine scene or music or art/architecture or other stuff I haven't thought about... <BR> <BR>I have spent the past 20 years living part-time there-so if I can help, feel free to e-mail me directly. My husband is French and we have family there, so I don't know as much as some of the folks here about hotels-but I would stake my shopping knowledge against the best of them! <BR> <BR>Jeanne <BR> <BR>Have a great trip!

Bob, <BR>I'm not too sure a respondent with Georgia Tech in his Email address should be corresponding with an UGA Bulldog, but here goes nevertheless. Pick up a copy of the Blue Guide to Paris. There is an abbreviated version and a lightweight one of some 1600 pages. Get the latter. It'll tell you more than you''d ever need to know about Paris' delights and suggest some you wouldn't think of in a thousand years. By all means make time for the Rodin Museum (Hotel Biron), its gardens, Rodin's home and workshop and garden side restaurant as well as his sculptures and those of his one time model and mistress Camille Claudel. Have lunch on the upper terrace of La Samaratain department store for the sweeping views of Paris and the Seine that it offers. Visit Ste. Chapelle which has the most magnificent stained glass in the world. Take a day trip to Givenchy and Monet's home and gardens.

I think I need to answer some of the resonses to my Paris post. Thanks to all of you who have graciously responded cogently. When I wrote my request, I was all pumped up and ready to go, but perhaps too euphoric for clarity. <BR> <BR>This might as well be my first trip, because the true first one was 43 years ago. As for a choice of hotel locations, I think the 7th or 15th ARR appeals to me unless I get strong signals to the contrary. And I would aim to stay at a 2-star hotel, unless a 3-star abode offered an unusual opportunity. For interest topics, here is my list in order: (1) the historical aspects of Paris (2) the "mood and spirit" of the city (3) art, sculpture and classical music and (4)food and shopping. I am not a high roller -- sort of a square guy, but I like to eat. <BR>I would appreciate any tips on catching a classical concert or two while there. <BR>(We attend regularly events in Atlanta and on campus here at home in Athens.) <BR> <BR>And Wes, it is ok. I have co-authored 3 books with a Ga. Tech graduate with whom I was a colleague from 1979 through August of 1998. I freely acknowledge that many of the best Industrial Engineers come from Tech; as do some very good architects. After all, I only work for UGA, I am not steeped in the traditions like an "old grad", i.e. my son. <BR>

I am planning a trip for Marc staying only in Paris and have done most of my research on the internet. There are lots of sites for France and Paris, go to Rick Steves and look at his graffiti site, also www.pariswater.com to get in the mood for your trip. Things that I have heard of are the catacombs, the flea market at Clignacourt, the bird and flower market on Ile de la Cite, the booksellers on the Seine. There seem to be museums for every interest, www.intermussee.org lists all that are on the museum pass. It was suggessted somewhere to me to by two 3day passes instead of 0ne 5day so you don't have to pack it all in at once. <BR> <BR>The previous message refers to Monet's last home. It is in Giverny (Givenchy is a clothing designer) and they have a nice website www.Giverny.org i think. <BR> <BR>If you want to get my travel notes in April send me an email and i will put you on my list of "Webbuddys" for a note when i get back.

<BR>&lt;You'll see the Eiffel Tower anyway from many places: there's no point in a special trip there. &gt; <BR>That is a true classic quote! Don't go see the Taj Mahal when in that area of India either, nor the Vatican when in Rome or <BR>San Marcos when in Venice. They are all overrated and best to just see at a distance when passing on a bus.

<BR>I just want to add that the second half of your trip coincides with "Fashion Week" in Paris, acutually 2 weeks devoted to unveiling the spring 2000 collections. Don't wait to make your hotel reservations, lock in something now. I am going at the same time and have already been shut out of some of the large and small hotels. You can always change your reservation later if you come up with another hotel you prefer. Just make sure you know what the cancellation policy is.

Bob and Christina, <BR>GIVENCHY, when I meant GIVERNY; what a faux pas! Oh, my AACHEN back! I Le HAVRE to make a clean BREST of things and apply some ELBA GREECE to get stuff right. ISLE take some MONET, buy DEGAS, FULDA tank, get in the Renault, close the DIOR, release the BRAQUE and make the VAN GOGH far, FAROE way. I'll SPLIT for the English CHANEL where I CANNES LYON the beach and GAZA my FIRENZE SOFIA, CAPRIcious NANCY and BASEL DRESDEN in their swimsuits as they MUNCHEN BOLOGNA sandwiches and STEINEs of BEERS and take a sun BATH on the GRAZ. (Hope they don't BERNE.) Sounds NICE! <BR> <BR>I'll try to make NAMUR mistakes in giving advice on TOURS as I ROMA round Europe. <BR>Should be a PISA cake. BONN Voyage! <BR>

Arrrrrrrrrrrghh!!!!! <BR>Wes. How could you! Laughing this early in the morning [okay I'm not a morning person...] is *painful*! <BR> <BR>

Bob, <BR>If interested in history, by all means visit the Palais de Justice which occupies half of Cite, just opposite Notre Dame. Originally a fort dating back over 1600 years, it became the Royal Palace of the Merovingian and Capetian kings prior to the Louvre. It contains the Concierie, a prison where Marie Antoinette and others where held pending their execution. Sainte-Chapelle is also in one of its courtyards. The whole place reeks of history. Check out the Hotel des Invalides, as well. Dating from the time of Louis XIV who initiated it, it contains the Soldiers Church with Napoleon's tomb and two fascinating museums: the Musee de l'Armee and military museum and the Musee des Plans-Reliefs which has an extraordinary collection of dimensional reliefs of 17th Centtury towns and cities, Antwerp, Bordeaux and Strasbourg among them. Quite unusual. (Don't think I spelled anything wrong!)

Bob, my first trip to Paris was in October. I was especially delighted with St. Chappell, Giverny (lots of flowers and no crowds), and the Rodin museum, his Gates of Hell scuplture was awesome! Also, the shear beauty of the architectural lines of the interior at Notre Dame was a big surprise, since I never cared for the outside that much.

We just spent 5 days over New Year's at the Hotel du Champ de Mars in 7th of Paris. Our family (including 2 teenage girls) really loved the hotel and would highly recommend it. It is a small, very charming hotel with lots of personality. We had two rooms (one double, one with twins) both with bath and they were about $70 each per night. The Rue Cler street market area that the hotel is located in is just terrific -- lots of fresh produce, meats, boulangeries, chocolate stores etc. There are several ATMs close by and there is a post office on the way to the metro stop which is only 1 1/2 block away from the hotel. <BR>Another big plus that our family enjoyed is that the hotel is less than a 10 min walk from the Eiffel Tower. We would walk over there at night as our last venture of the day. You really must stand underneath the tower and look straight up -- quite a site. <BR>I made reservations at the hotel thru email after calling them on the phone to ask a few questions. They speak english so there wasn't a problem. They also have a website. The street address is 7 rue du Champ de Mars, 75007 Paris; phone is 01 45 51 52 30; email is [email protected]. I would definitely stay is this hotel again. Have a great trip to Paris; we are hoping to return again someday as there is so much more to do!!

Thanks to all of you who have given me so much helpful information.

The best way to see the gorgeous Ste. Chappelle is to attend a concert - it's like enjoying the classics inside a gorgeous jewel box! A feast for the eyes and ears. <BR>Also, there are posters all around the town advertising upcoming concerts, and Pariscope has a weekly listing. The small intimate and richly ornamented churches with their wonderful acoustics are my favorite venues.

I understand your wanting advice, I am planning a week there this Spring and still am overwhelmed with things to do. We have a room two blocks from the Louvre at $120 a night (which is a very good rate in that area) and it is 3 stars. Will let you know how it rates, it is part of the Atel hotel chain. If you go to www.atel-hotels.com, they have a ton of small hotels all over France. Aurore there has been very nice, answering all my questions by email very quickly. <BR> <BR>As for the excursion, if you like champagne, go to Reims. It is not a place worth more that a day (we had 2 slated there and got bored and left). But the Mumm and Tattinger offer free tours with tastings, and no reservations required. PLUS, the champagne is very cheap at the caves, we bought a bottle of Mumm not even carried in the US for $30. <BR>

Mike, what is the website for the Hotel Champ de Mars?

Krista, <BR>Take a look at: <BR>www.paris.org/paris-cgi/pdb/hotel.cgi?ht2228 <BR>You'll find location, nearby atractions, phone, fax, etc and a number of highly favorable comments from travelers who have stayed there.

Bob, I envy you. I will also suggest Chartres as a great day trip. It works well because it is so easy to get to and from in a short time, and it is easy to see all that you want to see in a few hours. If you love cathedrals like I do, it is a must. The restored old town is very pretty. <BR> <BR>As for Paris, I will concentrate on themes: <BR> <BR>1. History: Notre-Dame, Carnavalet Museum, Conciergerie, the Deportation Memorial behind Notre-Dame, the Musee de l'Armee, Napoleon's tomb, Place des Vosges, Louvre, underground exhibit on the early city in front of Notre-Dame, Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Hotel de Ville, and the Cluny Museum. And of course Versailles, if you haven't been there. <BR> <BR>2. Views: Eiffel Tower (yeah, it takes a while to go up, but I am one who would have regretted it if I didn't), Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame, Samaritaine Department Store Roof, Pompidou terrace, the Quais of the Left Bank around Notre-Dame, Pont Alexandre III, and a boat ride on the Seine after dark. Montparnasse Tower is also supposed to be good. <BR> <BR>3. Feel of the City: Champs Elysees; the area running from around the Opera House past Place Vendome for the wealth and extravagance side of Paris - fancy shops and people abound; Ile-St-Louis; backstreets of Montmartre and the Latin Quarter; Luxembourg Gardens on a warm weekend afternoon; Place de la Concorde and Arc de Triomphe at morning rush hour; a metro ride in a less touristy area; walks along the Seine in the early morning or evening. <BR> <BR>4. Art and culture: Old opera house, Rodin Museum - a must see, Louvre, Orsay. <BR> <BR>5. Food - I will stick mostly to areas since I am horrible at remembering restaurant names: market on Rue Cler, brasseries and cafes around the church of St-Germain-des-Pres, Fauchon shops on Place de la Madeleine, the street in running in front of Place des Vosges to the Place de la Bastille (I think it is called St-Antoine) for a variety of shops, Latin Quarter for quick and ethnic, pastry shops and Berthillon ice cream on Ile-St-Louis.