Graduation Trip to Europe w/Daughter
 

Hi - I'm in the midst of planning a trip in April during Holy Week with my daughter. We are going to arrive in Venice on Friday, 4/3 for 3 nights and our final destination and departure city is Paris.
I only have a week - does anyone have any recommendations on the route to arrive in Paris for a 2 or 3 night stay there before leaving on Saturday, 4/11. After reading about the horrors of the night train - should I plan on stopping in Switzerland en route to Paris? Thanks for any and all help.

Have either of you been to Venice or Paris before? Two or three nights, especially after a long train trip, is too short a time in Paris for one's first visit. Do you want to stop in Switzerland or is this just a convenient place to overnight? Your arrival day isn't going to be worth much if coming over from the USA. If I were you, I would add another day to Venice and depart for Paris via a lowcost airline on Tuesday morning giving you three and a half days in Paris. Still too short, but if you fly, you can get there early and refreshed and use Tuesday afternoon and evening to see many things. Be sure to build in time for shopping as that is what my teen girls wanted to do in Paris.

With your limited time, I'd definitely fly.

I think you can do it and get a taste of two countries without trouble if you make sure you target what you want to see and do.

We flew Paris to Venice last October and I'd recommend you stick to the two cities for that brief time.

Fly to Venice (you will probably have to stop in London or Paris), then back to Paris. I don't know why you'd want to "stop in Switzerland" on your way to Paris. The flight from Venice to Paris is a short one.

Have a wonderful trip!

That's a really short trip, way too short to consider a stop anywhere in between. Take an early morning flight from Venice to Paris.

Thanks to all of you who responded - I'm now going to change my plans to only see Venice & Paris. I guess I needed some clear cut thoughts on how to map this out. Coming in from US to Venice as my cousin lives there and will now take a flight out from Venice directly to Paris.
If there are any recommendations for me with a 17 year old in either of those two cities - I'm very open for suggestions.
Looking for 3 - 4 Star places but not necessarily. B & B's would work also. Looking for more of a bohemian feel for her.
Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

We stayed at the Locanda ca levele in Venice (in the room pictured on the site) and it was great. Just a short walk to the vaperetto, it's on a canal and the owners are really nice guys. Breakfast is brought to your room each morning (included). You just tell them what time you'd like it and they knock on your door with it.

http://www.locandalevele.com/home-ho...mp;id_hotel=21

In Paris we stay in an apartment in the 15th because we like being in a more "Parisian" neighborhood, but for a brief visit with a teen I'd recommend looking in the Marais or St. Germain (4th or 6th) to be near lots of cool restaurants and shopping.

Mychoneys,
We like a little 2* hotel called the Andrea Rivoli. It is small, clean, inexpensive and in a great location, just a few blocks from many of the major sites and on the edge of the Marais.

Paris Hotels, B&Bs, Apartments
http://www.hotel-andrea-rivoli.fr Hotel Andrea Rivoli
http://tlp.netfirms.com The Languedoc Page
http://www.123france.com/ Paris Hotels
http://www.chateauxhotels.com/ This group has more than 500 chateaux, manor houses, and restaurants. Average price for a double was $100 (March 2001).
http://www.chezvous.com/main.html Paris Apartments
http://www.cityorganiser.co.uk/, click on Paris, then on airports
http://www.eurocheap.com/ budget hotels
http://www.france-hotel-guide.com/ has a list of budget hotels
http://www.france-hotel-guide.com/ Hotels Paris and France
http://www.france-hotel-guide.com/h75007muguet.htm Paris Hotels
http://www.hotelstravel.com/france-paris.html has a small map of the Paris arrondissements.
http://www.hotelvernet.com/ Hotel Vernet
http://www.karenbrown.com/ charming inns and B & B's in several countries
http://www.paris.org/ Paris Tourism Hotels Museums also has old comments from past hotel guests
http://www.parisavenue.com/ some hotels, restaurants (including categories like "Sunday lunch", "best terraces" etc), sightseeing, maps, e-postcards, etc
http://www.parisbandb.com/ bed and breakfast
http://www.parishotels.com/ only a few hotels
http://www.parishotels.com/ Paris Hotels
http://www.relaischateaux.com/page.php3?lang=en Paris Hotels
http://www.relaisdusilence.com/FR/ this association represents more than 150 3 and 4 star establishments throughout France that are in particularly tranquil settings.
http://www.smallandeleganthotels.com/ Smal and Elegant Hotels in several companies
http://www.travel-in-paris.com/ Paris Hotels
http://www.travel-in-paris.com/relai...ce/english.htm Paris Hotels

mychoneys - what a great trip!

I took my children (18,15,11) to Paris over Christmas for our second trip and we really enjoyed staying in the Latin Quarter this time. I prefered the left bank over the right bank (we stayed in the 1rst on our first trip).

My 18 year old REALLY liked the Montmartre area. Not sure it is a great place to stay for a first trip though. I prefered being close to everything but with the Metro - it seemed like everything was really pretty close.

Hey,
I am a student living in France right now. I have been to paris a few times. Definitely is a great city. You just have to plan out what you want to see and do in advance, so that you can try and see it all. the metro really is the best way to get around. the whole city will be within 10 minutes of where you stay.

Make sure to see the city/castle of Versailles! it makes for a great half day, and well worth it.

also a lo of my friends have suggested this bike tour around Paris. http://www.bikeabouttours.com/ they are supposed to be great, and tell you tons of stuff you would never know. (it is too bad i didn't hear about it til after i got back from paris)

I know you will have a great time. You could fly into Marseilles, France for a day and get to see some cool stuff, and then take the 4 hour train to Paris from there.

You guys are really great with all of your responses. I can't thank you enough for giving me your input and listing the web sites and places to stay.
I now feel very prepared to map this trip out and will use your suggestions in making this a memorable trip for my daughter.
Thanks again!