Michel_Paris

I've been researching your hotel. It's not really in Paris, but in the suburbs (assuming Hotel Wilson - Asnieres).

To get to there from airport, will need a few transfers. Could take the RER train to Gare du Nord, then Metro line to Place Clichy, then Metro to Gabriel Peri...or could take the Roissybus from airport to Opera, metro to St Lazare, then metro to Asnieres. You are a few blocks (7or 8) from the Metro station to your hotel.

Michel_Paris

Or is it the Inter-hotel Wilson, in St Denis?

jody

MMmmm..there's also a Hotel President Wilson on rue Stockholm in the 8th..I wonder which it is?

Robespierre

Except for airport transfers and day trips, your total transport cost figures out to a maximum of &euro;32,50 per person for all 7 days. That's the cost of three <i>Mobilis</i> passes for Friday through Sunday (<i>carnet</i> tickets might be cheaper) plus a <i>Carte Orange</i> For Monday through Friday (<i>carnet</i> tickets probably won't be cheaper). You need to present a 1&quot; square ID photo when you buy a <i>Carte Orange</i> (digital is OK).

For anyone under 26 years old, each weekend day will cost &euro;3,20 for a <i>Ticket Jeunes</i> instead of a &euro;5,50 <i>Mobilis</i>, making that person's week total &euro;27,90.

If you show your RATP pass at the Batobus, you qualify for a discount that brings down the cost of a one-, two-, or five-day pass cost to &euro;7, &euro;8, or 10&euro;, respectively.

A six-day Museum Pass cuts your sightseeing cost to &euro;10 per day (not counting stuff like the Eiffel Tower and parts of Versailles).

kwren

The Museum Pass is the best thing we bought last week in Paris. If we were walking by something which was included - we just went in. Didn't like it? No big deal - we just left (that didn't happen often though!) We visited places we had never considered before. Go to any place included to buy the pass, but I recommend going to one of the lesser visited monuments so you don't have to wait on line to get it. The other thing to consider is that in some cases (not all though) you can walk right into a museum or monument without waiting in line.

The Eiffel Tower is not included in the Museum pass - it costs 11 euros to go to the third level.

I recommend the tower at Notre Dame - you will see the gargoyles, the bell tower and a great view. It is included in the Museum Pass, but plan to get on line about a half hour before it opens at 10 as you must wait in line with non-pass holders. The line moves very slowly as they only let small numbers of people up at a time. Definitely worth it if you can do 422 steps!

The Carte Orange runs from Monday to Sunday, inclusive. It is around 16 euro for unlimited bus and metro in zones 1 and 2. Consider Carte Orange even though as you will only have 4 days to use it. We broke even on our 4th day. You get one ticket (in a little credit card size folder) which you use at the turnstile or on the bus for the whole time. The convenience was worth it to us. Take your own 1x1 inch picture to put on the card, although no one ever bothered to look at it, not even when we bought the card.

Robespierre

I count five days on the CO. Three rides a day and you break even.

Fri - 27
Sat - 28
Sun - 29
<font color="orange">Mon - 30
Tue - 31
Wed - 1
Thu - 2
Fri - 3</font>

kwren

I didn't count Friday because leaving that day, I figured they would have to get to the airport. If you get a Carte Orange for zones 1 and 2, it will not cover the trip to CDG...and they will have to buy a separate ticket, or they might opt to use a taxi or shuttle.

kwren

...but I do agree that it is easy to break even or come out ahead in 3 or 4 days

Robespierre

p.s. One very comfortable/cheap way to get to CDG is to take the bus or M&eacute;tro to Gare Montparnasse or Gare de Lyon and ride the Air France bus from there. With a Paris City Passport, each traveler will pay only &euro;9 - 25% off.

rolisa00

Hello again, it's the Hotel Wilson - Asnieres. Instead of trying to find our way to the hotel by ourselfs from CDG we are going to take a taxi or shuttle. I know us and we will get lost! so to cut down on stress we'll just let a driver take us there. Plus my wife will take 2 large suitcases, a carry on and a purse!
I'll have just a small case and a hang up bag. I don't want to have to watch her, the suitcases, pickpockets, camera bag, signs in french etc. For sure now when we get there I will buy museum passes and public transportation passes for! thank you, those are some GREAT tips. As far as eating goes I think we will be fine with the money saving stuff you guys have have told me about so far. Have any of you ever been to Asnieres? I chose the hotel wilson because of the price and reviews I read on tripadvisor.com. Of 20 reviews I read not one was bad. Does any of you have personal experience at that hotel?
Thanx, Rick

rolisa00

Oops I meant. Merci Beaucoup, Rick

kgh8m

Agree that the transportation and sightseeing costs are over-estimated. Other than a taxi to and from the airport (which is also not a requirement), I wouldn't take a taxi anywhere else. I found the Paris Metro to be the best subway system in the world - and I don't speak French.

The Museum Pass will cover most of your to do list.

As for saving on meals: make sure you eat a hearty breakfast. Then, eat a late lunch. You might be the only two people in the restaurant, though. This will serve as lunch/dinner. Then, at 9-10 p.m. wander around for a wonderful dessert. I could have passed on much of the French dinners I had, but the pastries and desserts were unbelievably delicious. No use in wasting money and calories on stuff that isn't wonderful.

sandypaws3

Grab a sandwich at Gerard Mulot and eat it in Jardin du Luxembourg or go to Cosi for another kind of sandwich altogether. You may not be staying nearby, but you'll surely want to go to Jardin du Luxembourg, and they're both nearby.

Patisserie G&eacute;rard Mulot
76, rue de Seine 75006
Tel:01 43 29 92 83

Cosi
54, rue de Seine 75006
Tel: 01 46 33 35 36

Have a fantastic trip!

Sandy

Michel_Paris

Yes, with luggage it's probably a good idea to cab it or, as another alternative, a shuttle. The hotel looks good. Asniere is at the end of Line 13 Metro. If you take it into Paris, one of the stops (9 from your end) is at the bottom of the Champs Elysee. So that is not a bad place to start your day.

Robespierre

Is that the hotel at 10, Rue du Ch&acirc;teau? In that case, it's on the SNCF line from St-Lazare station.

Be sure to get RATP passes for Zones 1-3, as your hotel is in Zone 3. You could save a few bucks and still not have to find it on your own by riding the RER B to Gare du Nord or the Roissybus to Op&eacute;ra and hailing a cab from there. Probably about $25 for both of you.

pavfec

If you're going for a week, why is your wife taking 2 suitcases? That seems like an awful lot. She probably won't wear half of what she's planning to take.

I'd suggest one suitcase each. Even if they're rollerboard suitcases, you might still have to carry them at some point, so ideally you'd want to carry as little as possible.

jody

I don't want to be a spoilsport here, but that hotel is in the hinterlands if you only have a week in Paris. You can find hotels right in the center for what you are paying there. They may not includde breakfast, but since breakfast in most hotels consist of breads , croissants and coffee and not much else , you can find those at any cafe, a Paul or Pain Quotidien for a few Euros.

Check here for hotels right in Paris from 50 to 90 Euros ..http://tinyurl.com/s9559

francophile03

Has anyone noticed that rolisa isn't responding? Perhaps he's busy, but the requests he made are a bit mindboggling.

Michel_Paris

Good one Robes. I saw the station but was looking for RER not SNCF. This would be closer to the hotel than the Metro, calculates 7 mins from Asnieres to Gare St. Lazare, then can correspond from there via Metro.

jody

This is just one of the central hotels listed on the site above..looks terrific, right at BAstille ..no breakfast but you can get breakfast for 2 for under 8&euro; just about anywhere.

http://en.1-hotel-paris.com/