My 16-year-old son and I are planning our first trip to Europe – we plan to arrive in London and to spend 3 days – then take the train to Paris and spend 5 days. My son is in his 4th year of French and I can order wine. I want to make the most of this trip, but have no idea how to start. I’ve read a few trip reports and am beginning to form an opinion, but want to here about day trips out of Paris and even an over night trip. We want to pack as much into our stay as possible. Ideas?

Gerbs,

Welcome to Fodor's!

If you really want "pack as much into our stay as possible", then I strongly suggest NO DAY OR OVERNIGHT TRIPS from Paris. The travel and moving time time will eat into your scant five days there.

As to how to start, I suggest you give us some more info:

When are you going? (exact dates if you have any)

Where are you departing from?

What is your hotel budget?

For such a short trip (and a first to Europe), I suggest you stay a centrally as possible. Perhaps the Covent Garden area in London and St. Germain du Pres or the Latin Quater in Paris.

For a starting point for sightseeing look at the first three days of Fodor's "The best of London in 5 days":
http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgr...;feature=30002

and all of "The best of Paris in 5 days":
http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgr...;feature=30003

If you want to see this thread in the future, just click on your name (it's in blue) at the top of the screen.

I arrive London at 10pm August 14th and will stay at The Park Lane Hotel checking out 8/17 - take the train to Paris and staying at the Le Meridien Montparnasse (using points at both hotels) and taking the train back to London 8/22 - its a short trip, but an important one.

Thanks, the links are great!!

Hi... and welcome to the Europe forum (a "place" that some of "us" treat like a second home)...

...so this is offered, sincerely... in the spirit of helpfulness.

Although you are not the first, or only person to post a message with a header like this... it's a common custom here... and courtesy... to include info about your <i><u>destination(s)</u></i> in your message header.

So, before this thread proliferates further, would you please nip it in the bud, and re-post?

... and mention <b>London</b> and <b>Paris</b> in your message header?

If everyone put this kind of message header on their questions, as you have...

...it would be a bit like walking into the library, and seeing shelf after shelf filled with rows and rows of volumes... and on the spine of each one of them, you would see &quot;Guess what this book is about.&quot;

So, please, do re-post...

Best wishes,

Rex

I agree with Rex.

However, see Paris Superthread
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34519236

100 Great Things to Do in Paris
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...mp;tid=1277898

Degas’s Paris Walks
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34712768