mingtsainy

Am thinking of going to Paris for a week on the first/second week of January, before school starts. Can someone tell me what the weather is like during this time of the year? Also, any recommendations for inexpensive french or special ethnic restaurants I should try? And what kind of day trips are possible from Paris?

Merci.

francophile03

I went last January and it was great. Weather is cold and drizzly or rainy in general. But I got a couple of sunny days as well.



Which district will you be staying? I ask so it will be easier to recommend restaurants to you. Also how much do you want to spend per meal?



For daytrips, you can see Versailles, Chartres, Barbizon/Fontainebleau, Mt. St. Michel, Loire Valley, and even Brussels. But a week is not a long time to explore Paris itself. There are alot of things to see there. I suggest you take no more than one daytrip if any at all.

ira

Hi ming,

You might find this thread helpful:

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

mingtsainy

Gotoday.com has a package for 6 nights + airfare for ~$900 (single traveler). I believe the hotel is in the 17th arros.

I haven't been to Paris in almost 10 years so I will probably do a couple days of tourist thing, a couple days of lounging around and try to be "local" -- ie. restaurants, bookstores, supermarkets, cafes, etc. And maybe a day trip to some place I haven't been before.

By then, I will be ready to come home and start classes again.

Shalott

weather trends and forecasts:
www.weatherbase.com
www.accuweather.com
www.washingtonpost.com
www.wunderground.com

elaine

good weather websites above.

You mentioned doing daytrips you haven't done before. Which ones have you done before?

mingtsainy

The only day trip I've done is Versaille.

How long does it take to cross the channel (sp) to London? Is London doable as a day trip?

Madison

Mingstainy - Crossing the channel via Eurostar is 2 hrs 35 minutes.

Seamus

It most likely will be at least quite cool if not outright cold, with a good chance of some form of wet stuff falling from the sky now and then. Bring layers, scarf, gloves and a folding umbrella.
I have a brief list of inexpensive to moderate restaurants that I will be glad to send to you if you contact me offline at jphinc at grandecom dot net.
As to London as a daytrip - it is doable but makes for a very long day. If you could manage to make it an overnight visit you would enjoy it more. London hotels do run to the expensive; you might wait until you are in Paris and check out some local travel agencies, which sometimes offer well priced packages to London.
Another enjoyable day trip from Paris is Chartres.
Bon voyage!

Flyboy

A very nice day trip is to Chartres. It's a pretty cheap train ride from Montparnasse and here's a site with some pics:

http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildi...Cathedral.html

We will be in Paris Jan. 13-16 too -- so I hope you have great weather!

Pittsburgher

We took our son to Paris in January for his 16th birthday (now 4 years ago!). The weather was every possible combination -- cold and rainy and dreary to warm enough to sit at sidewalk cafes in shirtsleeves. We've done day trips to Chartres and Versailles but our favorite, on the birthday trip, was to Normandy/Bayonne and the WW II battlesites -- this was when 'Band of Brothers' was being broadcast. I would recommend that if that era of history is at all interesting to you.

mingtsainy

Thanks for the advice on day trips. I've been to Versailles so I will definitely check out Chartres.

P_M

I went to Paris in January 2005 and I have no regrets at all. It was cold and drizzly at times, but quite bearable. My fondest memory of Paris in January is ice skating on the Eiffel Tower. I am a terrible ice skater, in fact it was only my second time to ice skate. I looked like such a clod. But I would do it again in a heartbeat because that memory will be with me forever.

It will get dark quite early. In most cities that's a bad thing, but in Paris it's a bonus. Why, you ask? Because Paris is the city of lights!! As beautiful as it is in the daytime, Paris is even finer at night.

Bon Voyage!!

nancy

Check out Rouen as a day trip. There is much to see: three cathedrals (my favorite being St. Ouen), you can walk all over the town with historic bldgs/ half-timbered bldgs plus along the river, museums (I found the wrought iron museum very interesting), places to stop and relax. I left Paris on the train at approx. 9:00am and caught the 5:00pm train back.

I have been to Chartres and the cathedral is beautiful but much more interesting if you go on Malcolm Miller's tour and take binoculars - don't know his hours/days in January. However, I didn't find the town as interesting as Rouen.

Regarding London: I can't imagine that with the long trip there you would see much. To me it sounds like "I've been there." I would save that for another trip.

I would love to visit Normandy and the WWII sites but while staying in Paris and researching myself, you really need at least a couple of days.

If you'd like my Rouen day trip report, e-mail me at [email protected].

blanc6

Weather is cold in january.
Chartres is a good idea (heading west). But on the other direction, you also have Reims and it's famous Champagne !
You will also find a cathedral and most of all will be able to visit the best champagne makers. It's also 1H by car, but heading east, this time.

mingtsainy

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will definitely read up on Rouen and Chartres.

I love Morroccan food (tagine, couscous). Does anyone have a recommendation for an inexpensive restaurant (<25 Euros) in Paris? I plan to eat a lot of French cafe food since I can't afford haute cuisine.