overnight stay in paris
 

I am scheduled to arrive in Paris for a layover at 7:00 in the evening and fly out the next morning at 11:00. I would love to see some sites but I have no idea where to stay, or how to get around. I only speak English and am nervous that I will feel very lost. Any suggestions or help would be very appreciated. Thank you. The date of arrival is April 12.

It can be a challenge when you are in a particular foreign country for the first time and don't know the language, but if you have traveled at all before to other foreign countries or large cities, you should do fine. It's only one night, so don't worry about searching for the perfect hotel -- just pick a decent one in a very central location and then you won't have to worry about figuring out the local transportation system and buying tickets, etc. If you pick a hotel near Notre Dame or the central islands, you will do fine. You can walk to a few things you'd want to see from there. Now if you have something in particular you are dying to see, say so, and someone can suggest a hotel near it.

to get to/from the city, you have several options. If you don't mind the cost, just taking a taxi both ways will make it very easy for you. Otherwise, I'd suggest taking the Air France airport shuttle bus which costs around 12 euro one-way I think (anyone can take it). There are signs in the airport or tourist info can direct you to their pickup point. In Paris, they stop at a couple points -- near Gare de Lyon and Arc de Triomphe and Montparnasse Tower (farthest). So a hotel near one of those points would make it easy, also. That bus is convenient and very nice and doesn't stop between the airport and the city.

Another option is the city's Roissybus which goes from the airport to the Garnier Opera building.

Lots of people in central Paris in hotels or who deal with tourists speak enough English that it shouldn't be a problem.

so state your budget or what you want to see and some folks can recommend a hotel

Christina's suggestion to stay near Notre Dame is a good one. If you arrive in Paris early enough to take a Seine cruise, it will allow you to see many sights of Paris by night. You will have to leave for the airport fairly early in the morning. The Bateaux Vedettes du Pont-Neuf, a Seine river cruise boat, leaves from very near Notre Dame and will provide a good view of many of the sights from the river.

Thank you, any infomation is so helpful. I dont want to spend a ton of money but I want to feel safe in the hotel. I think it sounds great to get on the river and see some things, and eat at a nice place. Any specific instructions are very appreciated. Thank you to those who have helped so far.

You can do a search here for several long threads recommending hotels in Paris. What price range are you thinking of for a hotel?

I have never taken this tour but a guidebook I have mentioned it: http://en.parisvision.com/2,52-paris-illuminations.htm. I think it starts at 10 pm in April so it would work for your time frame. The Seine cruise also sounds fun.

Here's a message thread about Seine boat cruises (which I have to admit after reading appeals to me a bit more than the bus tour) http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...uise-paris.cfm.

Here are hotel threads: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ank-thread.cfm and http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ank-thread.cfm.

I think either the bus tour or the boat cruise would be nice at night. The boat is easy, only takes an hour, and doesn't cost much, so that might be good. I've done it and it was really nice.

I realize my idea of staying near Notre Dame doesn't work with the airport shuttle buses that well. Of course you can do it, just take the mtro or taxi from the dropoff point to your hotel. It is a perfect idea if you want to take the RER train to/from the airport, though, and just find a hotel near one of its stops (like St-Michel or Luxembourg). It's just a bit more complicated that way and more to figure out as you have to figure out the RER sytem and its tickets. If you don't have to worry about luggage with you(other than an overnight bag, I presume), that would be the way to go, though. It isn't that hard, you just go to the RER station in the airport and ask for a ticket to central Paris. Then do the same in reverse.

What is really your idea of not spending much, people have very different ideas of what that means. Does that mean less than 100 euro or does it mean 100-175 euro or what.

Alternatively, since you are arriving at CDG(?), get hotel there and get hotel there. Then take RER into the city. No need to lug luggage into city and back. One layover I stayed at the Sofitel, very nice.

Take RER into City, get off at St Michel (Notre Dame). Take Vedettes tour. You may need to scramble to get last one of night. Wander banks of Seine, bridges, views of Eiffel, maybe finish at jazz bar.

I think I would like to stay in Paris looking to pay around 150-200 dollars what hotel would be good if I want to be able to walk to the river to catch a boat and have a nice dinner and good breakfast?