Seamus

Last year we (along with many others) missed the last train to Paris from Rive Gauche station after the spectacle at Versailles (fireworks ended about 2330, last train departs Rive Gauche at 2350) and had to high tail it to the Chantiers station where we just made it for the last train.

This year there will be a masquerade ball at the Versailles Orangerie that begins at midnight on Saturday after the fountain and fireworks spectacle. Thinking this would be a treat, not sure we want to stay through to dawn. I am presuming our only option to return to Paris would be a taxi.
Anyone have a taxi service they would recommend for this? I am a bit hesitant to schedule something in advance because we may want to depart sooner or later depending on how the festivities turn out. So I guess I am looking for a taxi on demand that would be available late night.

An alternative would be to book a room where we could crash for a bit, maybe have breakfast before heading back into town. The Ibis is fully booked, but Residence Berry has room - anyone have experience with it, or can suggest an alternate ?

P.S. If we do attend the masque bal we will need to rent costumes - suggestions for where to do that most welcome!

Thanks!

Underhill

I can't help you with transport, but I'd sure love to go to that ball!

I think my husband looked at costumes here:

http://www.arlequinsommier.fr/

FrenchMystiqueTours2

I don't know anything about taxis but there are night buses between Paris and the suburbs. Noctilien bus N145 to Paris leaves Versailles Rive Gauche at 1:45, 2:55, 3:45 and 4:45.
http://www.ratp.fr/plan-interactif/c...en.php?lang=uk

Christina

Can't help you with names, but if I were you, I'd just book a cheap hotel room in Versailles that night. I have done something similar and when it was not really feasible to return to my original hotel after a concert some distance away where I had tickets, I booked a budget B&B near the concert and just paid for 2 nights accommodations (as I wasn't going to move all my stuff for one night, and it made it easier going to the concert). So I just packed a small tote bag to take with me for my overnight things, took public transportation both ways, enjoyed the concert, and could relax afterwards as it was within walking distance to the hotel.

If you have all this ball stuff with you, that might work better anyway as you could then return it to the rental place the next day before going back to Paris.

I wouldn't overly worry about finding the perfect hotel room for that one night as it really doesn't matter, just find any place that is convenient and is 2* or higher. That's what I would do, I wouldn't even care about people's experiences with various hotels.

Seamus

Good idea, Christina - same conclusion I reached after a bit of looking. There are three of us, so am looking for a triple room - any suggestions welcome. Ideally, a place to which we could walk; need basic functional not luxury.