Julex

Hi everyone...! You guys are great. Glad to have joined the community. My sweetheart and I are planning to go to Paris in June 2011 for about 10 days. We've done some research and have decided to stay at a studio on Montmartre for the first week. In addition, to taking the train to Brussels and/or London. Wanted to gather your thoughts as with everything there is to see in Paris, I'm not sure if I may be pushing it with an additional train trip to other countries. Our primary objective is Paris. Oh and one more thing... where to stay the extra days...? June 6 - 11th (Apartment) 11 - 16.... (?????)

Does it make sense to stay an additional 4 days in an apartment, or should I book a hotel in another arrondisement?

Additionally, what are your thoughts on Paris in June? I'll go search the forums in case I missed this..

Thanks!!!

DJ

Michel_Paris

Not sure understand "extra days". Booking an appartment is a good idea for such a long stay. Montmartre is a bit away from the main sites, but you will get a 'local' feel to Paris.

If you really felt the need to see two areas of Paris, I might consider a hotel/appartment in the 4-6th arrondissements...maybe first days, then Montmartre for remainder. From the 5/6th you could be at the Seine, walk to a lot of the sites,etc..

Get a guidebook as a starting point., or Fodor's guide here. You will not be able to see everything, but we can help plan an itinerary.

For London, lots of people here have done day trips between the two cities.

June is a good time to go...greenery!

Michel_Paris

If you plan it right, there is also La Fete de la Musique on the summer solstice, where musicians all over Paris take to the streets. One corner is jazz, next one pop, classical...

bardo1

DJ,

Yes, book a hotel in another arrondissement for your final 4 days - preferably in a hotel close to the river and to the islands. Also, consider an apt. in the 1st, 4th, 5th, or 6th if you have not already put down a deposit on the Montmartre apt.

Maybe it's just me, but I consider Montmartre "the suburbs".

Are Brussels and London day trips or overnights? It's not clear to me.

sam86

Keep the apartment instead of getting into the hassle of moving to a hotel in the middle IMO.

You could go to Bruges too. Or the French country side. Lots of options and what you pick depends on what you are interested in.

Just to be clear - you have a total of 10 days in Paris and how many more days for other places? Or do you mean day trips within those 10 days?

Michel_Paris

Within the Paris area, Versailles, Chartres and Giverny are popular tourist day trips.

For me, staying near Seine is one of my pre-conditions But last few trips I've stayed a bit further out, seeing the less hectic life away from the crowds. Liked it..but as a first time visitor, I might want to be closer to the centre. In Montmartre you will have to use buses/Metro to go see things.

Christina

I don't understand your plans very well. It would make sense to me if you meant you will be in Paris a week and then leave and take the train to London or Brussels for the rest of your stay. But why would you come back to Paris, then? Brussels is okay for a day trip, but I think London is too expensive for that. The trip is a bit longer also, I think, but it can be very expensive. Well, maybe if you get some special tickets, it can be okay. But in your schedule, it just sounds like it would be perfect to just go to London and not go back to Paris.

I seriously would not recommend you booking two different apartments for a 10 day trip, that sounds awful to me. Booking one is a lot of trouble, let alone two. Why do you need an apartment so much, anyway.

Julex

Hi thanks again. It would be a ten day 10 stay in Paris, with one or two of those 10 days to either see London/Brussels. Fell in love with this little studio in Montmartre. So yes, it seems like the consensus is to book an apartment elsewhere for the last few days, versus a hotel. I love Jazz, havent had a chance to look at potential events during my stay. Bruges sounds great as well.

Thing is the apartment we want to stay at rents the entire week only, not partial weeks.. Hence our need to find shelter elsewhere past the 11th.

So let's see:
6 -11 in Montmartre.
11 - 16 Arrondisements (4th and 5th) Can't make up my mind, they both sound great.

Help!

DJ

Michel_Paris

With pre-planning, an appartment followed by a hotel would be OK. Take your little pied-a-terre in Montmartre, have a hotle booked, and finish your stay 'downtown'.

You may think that you will run out of things to do in Paris, so a day trip or two is required...but you won't . I've been many times and have yet to see some of the sights.

Overnights outside of Paris mean possible accomodations in tow locations, or having to uproot three times...that is why I might suggest, at most, just a day trip.

What are your interests?

bardo1

Here's a studio apartment 1 block to the river and 3 blocks to Notre Dame. $99/night!

http://www.vacationinparis.com/apts/id_100.htm

Or if you prefer a hotel:

http://www.paris-hotel-7art.com/ (in the best part of the 4th)

http://www.delhyshotel.com/ (in the best part of the 5th)

Julex

I actually would prefer to spend the majority of my time in Paris, with just one day trip, perhaps as mentioned by Christina, to Brussels. I believe it is 1:25 hrs from Paris via train.

My interests while in Paris are more about the experience than the attractions. Though I'm sure I'll see the Eiffel Tower and head over to the Sacre Couer, I'm looking forward to walking around Monrmartre, Marais and the Latin Quarter. Hoping to get a good feel for Paris through its people, neighborhoods, cafes, jazz, etc.

I'm sure ten days will not be enough..which means I'll have to come back.

With that said, any suggestions from you great people on out of the way cafes, places to listen to jazz music?

Thanks!!

DJ

Michel_Paris

Bardo,

Good info.

$99 a night is...quite reasonable

I stayed across street from Delhys at Hotel Notre Dame. RER to airport is right there. And some old cathedral

Village St Paul is a neat area too. Budget less of a concern, Ile St Louis in the 4th is one area I've liked too.

StCirq

If this is your first trip to Paris, I'd rethink the idea of basing yourself in Montmartre for a week. For most of its existence, it was pretty much a separate village outside Paris, and it still has that feel to it in parts. It's a fair bit of a haul from there to most of the sights, too. I think it will be difficult to get yourself oriented to the city as a whole by beginning your first visit to Paris in Montmartre.

But it's not a huge issue; if you've got your heart set on Montmartre, go for it. Just realize that you're going to be a commuter that first week. And find a nice centrally located hotel for the rest of your stay.

As for your daytrip, personally I wouldn't go to another big city; I'd want to mix it up and see a smaller town or rural area. Bruges is nicely different from Paris (it's not rural, though), and there are countless short trips you could make from Paris out to see some countryside and small towns in France: Chantilly and Senlis, Auvers-sur-Oise, Ile des Impressionistes, Versailles, Fontainebleau...many, many choices.

HappyTrvlr

Brussels would not be my idea of a good day trip from Paris. Why not spend those extra days in London, traveling there by train. Or Amsterdam?Or venture out to NOrmandy or Burgundy, easy bytrain. We always stay in Paris for at laest a week and never run out of things to do. Day trips to Versailles and Giverney would top my ist.

bardo1

Start here:

http://www.timeout.com/paris/search/?tag_id=4286 (music)

http://www.timeout.com/paris/restaurants-cafes/ (cafes)

http://www.timeout.com/paris/search/...ars-pubs-clubs (bars/pubs)

Cliff09

My recomendation would be to go late May as the crowds are not nearly what they will be in june also the weather will be hotter. I agree with the above that Montmartre is too far out St germain is my favorite but I have also stayed in the Marais. London can absolutely be done as a day trip on the Eurostar as I have done this twice. first train out last train in gives you a wonderful day and the food on the Eurostar is great. Chartre can be easily done as a 1/2-2/3 day trip.

Julex

Due to work constraints the earliest I can go is in June, which is ok. I think I will stick around Montmartre for the first part of the trip (albeit somewhat distant from the Paris center) and then do the hotel somewhere in the 5th for the rest of the stay. Checked out Brugges, looks amazing for a day trip, in addition to Loire Valley for the castles.

Greatly appreciate everyone's help, will keep you guys posted as I shape the itinerary. May throw in London somewhere in there.

Thanks!

DJ

Michel_Paris

Another good reason to plan only day trips with no pre-bought tickets, and not overnighters...if the magic of Paris overwhelms you, you don't have to leave.

There was a good thread here recently on Jazz clubs..I will look.

Michel_Paris

That was easy..

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...h-in-paris.cfm

http://www.francemag.com/travel-fran...-scene--229727

Julex

Thanks for the links all. Will check them out now.