TOtripper

We are going to Paris for ten days at the end of June. Nous sommes tres excited!
Has anybody heard of or stayed at the Hotel de Varenne in the Invalides district? Any thoughts or opinions?
And are there any restaurants nearby that you think are worth a visit? All Paris restaurants look yummy from the outside.

Also, is a day trip to Normandy do-able?

francophile03

Yes, I have heard of the Varenne. I was thinking of staying there but changed my mind as I would rather stay in the 5th or 6th districts instead. However, I did like the fact that Varenne is close to the Rodin and Orsay museums.
Through my correspondence with the hotel I can tell that the staff is very welcoming and attentive. Plus the hotel has a small patio/garden and it looks inviting. All the rooms have a/c too; for the rates I think it's really good. They even have a nice summer special-too bad you're not going in mid-July or August when the rates are really low and includes breakfast.

I think you can day trip to Normandy but I am not sure.

Anyway, I am sure you will have a great trip to Paris and your stay at the Varenne will be most comfortable.

Tess_Durberville

Been a few years since my Paris trip and the hotel that I stayed in (it's name eludes me at the moment) and was just down the street from the Hotel de Varenne. Walked past it and could see it has an interior patio/gardena and looked quite pleasant. Being in this neighborhood is quieter than parts of the 5th or 6th; plus it's close to the Rodin Museum and the Varenne metro stop. However that immediate location doesn't offer as many restaurants as the 5th or 6th, or other areas. Not that it was that far ...

Christina

My opinion on the location is about the same as Tess' -- not terrible but I don't think of a lot of stuff around there (seems more residential and big govt or official buildings). I don't consider it that close to Musee d'Orsay. Hotel looks very nice from their web site, though.

As for Normandy, that is an entire region -- Giverny is in Normandy, as is Rouen and Honfleur. I am guessing you mean D-Day beaches and cemeteries Normandy trip, as people usually do when they ask about that.


You can do that in a day trip. On your own, take the train to Caen or Bayeux and hook up with a local tour group guide. BusFly is one I've heard of. You can find a lot of info on www.normandy-tourism.org

Here is a site for various tour groups in that area:
http://www.normandywebguide.com/menu.html

You can also book a one-day bus tour through a group from Paris which could be more convenient. See www.cityrama.com or www.parisvision.com

pegprescott

We have reservations at the Hotel Varenne at the end of September. It was recommended by a friend who has an apartment nearby. We stayed in her apartment on our last trip to Paris and enjoyed the quieter neighborhood (some great market streets nearby) Has anyone actually stayed at the Varenne? If so I'd like to know if you have any reservations about it.

grandmere

I think the 3 starred vegetarian restaurant L'Arpege is on rue de Varenne. The food and service are supposed to be superb--and pricey, of course.

pegprescott

Don't book at the Hotel Varenne unless you are ABSOLUTELY sure you won't have to cancel. I just had to cancel my reservation there for late in September and discovered that they impose a 3% cancellation fee plus a 5E booking fee for any cancellation made ANYTIME after booking. This is not typical of this type of Paris hotel. It was not obvious on their website or indicated on their confirmation email. I suggest you take your business elsewhere to one of the many hotels with a more flexible (and transparent) cancellation policies.

ira

Hi TO
See response to http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34443200