Hikrchick & Hikrguy -- Paris in October is set!
 

We've got our flights -- JFK to CDG, depart Friday evening Oct. 14, arrive Saturday morning Oct. 15. CDG to JFK, Saturday Oct. 22.

And we've booked our hotel -- Citadines Bastille Marais, a studio deluxe. Thanks to suggestions and recommendations here, we feel this is the best of hotel (concierge/secure entrance) and apartment (kitchen/fridge/microwave). This is the amazing part -- we signed up as a member on the Citadines website, and the special member (nonrefundable) rate, for 7 nights, without added breakfast is .... 639 euros. Wow! I looked on tripadvisor and this hotel is currently being renovated, and their website says it will be a renovated room. We were hoping that we could do the entire week under $5,000, and with this price, it will definitely be possible, maybe even with a little left over for chocolate ;-)

Now for the actual planning: We've got our Fodors 2016 guidebook and Patricia Wells' updated book, both already highlighted and tagged, and a Streetwise map though I feel like I need a magnifying glass to look at it!

We've decided to reserve a Paris Greeter and now we're brainstorming on what topic -- Paris during World War II or the French Revolution, or Hidden Gardens of Paris, or ????

We have 6 full days on the ground, not counting Saturday when we arrive, which will be probably going to a market for food and snacks and walking off the jet lag. We are going one day to visit one of Hikrguy's dear friends, who is now working for his international firm as an expat with his family, and they live in a village outside of Saint Germain de Laye, which looks beautiful. We'll take the RER out to them, and go to the chateau there and Hikrguy's friend will come with us to visit Versailles, so we can do those two things in one day. So that leaves 5 full days.

The only thing that we've put for certain on the schedule is the Louvre during its Wednesday evening hours. If that doesn't work out for us, we'd still have 2 more days to attempt it.

I was in Paris in 1986 for 5 days when I was in college. Hikrguy has never been.

I'll be back with a bunch of detailed questions as we work out a schedule ... thanks in advance of your assistance!

Congratulations on getting flights and hotel done....I understand your excitement. If you have money for chocolate, you will have lots of great choices in Paris. I love the chocolate covered almonds at Pierre Marcolini. There are at least 3 locations in central Paris. Enjoy the planning and your trip.

That's a very good price on those accommodations, sounds like a good deal, especially for October when hotel rates are high. The Bastille Market that runs along bd Richard Lenoir is Thursdays and Sundays, mainly morning, so don't buy too much stuff the day before when you arrive (of course buy stuff like toilet paper, etc.) if you plan to go to that for food. There is a Franprix supermarket not too far from that location on rue St Sabin, between rue du Chemin Vert and bd Lenoir.

That's a pretty trendy area, and you aren't far from the Oberkampf area which has tons of nightlife.

We stay near Oberkampf (at Richard Lenoir). I love that neighborhood. Enjoy! Lots of reasonable (and good) restaurants. You are far from Alain Ducasse's chocolate factory (an entire factory!!)

Sorry, I meant to say you are not far from the chocolate factory. (And yes, they have a factory store....)

Sounds a great trip. I can offer no advice sorry but will follow your post with interest for planning my own trip to Paris.
The Citadines Bastille Marais looks really good - I put in the random date of 8 to 15 October and could get a week there for NZ $1500. Seems incredibly reasonable and I will join up for the special member rate.

thanks everyone! JulieEC, thank you for mentioning the Ducasse chocolate factore -- that sounds sublime!

Christina, thanks for the details on shopping -- that will really come in handy, especially since I love visiting supermarkets in foreign countries.

we are very excited.

now I have to think about weather and clothing. I already told Hikrguy he cannot wear his hiking pants with the detachable legs in Paris .... ;-)

Oh my, hikrchick... Can you tell my husband he can not wear the removable legs?

Why could he not wear those in Paris? You can wear anything in Paris. Have you ever walked around any normal neighborhood in Paris and seen what people are wearing? There are no fashion police in Paris, and 90% of the population that isn't going to a fancy office job or to work in a 5-star hotel look like all the slobs in the rest of the world.

This place is not only run down, but also filthy. There is no evidence that basic cleaning is being done anywhere.

My first room ($200 per night) had rust in the bathtub, holes in the wall, soap scum around the sink, holes in the curtains, and terrible chemical smell. I immediately asked to move.

The second room was no better. There was hair on the bathroom walls, not just in the shower. It is clear that the room had also not been cleaned in a long time.

There were over 20 cigarette butts just outside of the door leading to the courtyard.

If it had been possible, I would have gotten my money back and moved.

look at pictures of the hotel on tripadvisor

thanks yeadonite. I read that the hotel is being renovated and will be finished by the autumn. I'll keep watching for that, though.