Hi! My husband and I want to travel to Paris in late December 2000. (First time in Europe for both of us.) We would also like to take the tunnel to London for 2-3 days. He has heard rumors from his classmates that it's freezing in France during that time frame and there will be nothing to do, which is leading him to doubt us going there. (Going during the summer is not an option since the airfare is too expensive.) We know what winters in the Midwest are like. So, I'm wondering, is Paris and the rest of France really all that bad, weather wise? Worse than a Midwestern winter? Also, since we're college students on a budget (yeah, I know, who isn't), if we do go there we would have to stay at hostels. Can anyone recommend a few? Are they comparable to Holiday, Days, Red Roof Inns? Thanks Much! YW <BR>

Paris will be cold, but think Virginia or DC, not Fargo. Since Paris has so many indoor things to do, weather has only a minor impact (if you go to a ski resort, and there's no snow, you're screwed; if you go to Paris, and it rains, so?). Unlike Palisades Park or Coney Island, which shuts down in the winter, Paris and all of France continues to function, just like Des Moines or Detroit. Hostels can be very inexpensive, but with 2 of you, a room in a budget hotel would be about the same, and you would be able to come and go as you please (hostels usually have lockout times) and lock your room (most hostels have either no storage space for your stuff, or it is a common room). You may want to do a little research before you make any decisions; it's fairly common knowledge that hostels consist of dorm-type rooms, communal bathrooms and showers, and communal eating areas. That would not equate with any Holiday Inn that I know.

I ageee with Elvira regarding the temperature. We were in Paris a few days before Christmas last year. We are from Wisconsin thus used to winter weather. No colder than here, probably a bit warmers. Take winter coats, warm shoes/hiking boots, and stuff to layer and you'll be fine. London will be a bit warmer but damper. Everything is open in Paris - it is a big city and tourists are always present.

Yeah, Westin, go for it. I've never been to Paris but I've made several trips to Great Britain (England and Scotland) in winter, as I cannot afford summer rates, nor can I stand the little I've seen of summer crowds. It gets dark very early in London (and even earlier in Edinburg) and many shops do close around 4 but, again, there is so much to do. If nothing else go on a pub crawl even if you're a teatotaller and have a soft drink. You'll meet real people doing real things in their lives. Strike up a conversation or two. <BR> <BR>I'm from Kanzas, known for it's weather extremes. London gets cold but NOTHING like what I've experienced here. The other postings offer good advice, dress in layers and make your outer layer something that you can take off. I have a nice, warm, water repel jacket that I bought through Sierra. The sleeves zip off in a flash leaving a vest, or the whole thing rolls up into a pouch no bigger than a belly pack. <BR> <BR>DON'T miss the trip, believe it or not it is important to you. I'd go to London (or Paris or any other number of places) even if I knew in advance that they'd be virtually deserted. All the better to rubberneck, eh?

Thanks for the information so far--maybe I can still convince my other half to go. Elvira, you said that budget hotels may be a better option. Are there any you (or anyone else who reads this message)have used and can recommend? Have any of you spent 12/31 in P? I would really love to spend 12/31 in Paris, but with school beginning 1/2, I'm wondering if returning 1/1 is worth it since there wouldn't be time to unwind after the trip before getting into the swing of things. Is it feasible to swing by any other part of France within this 11 day time frame? Thanks, again.

There are quite a few posts on here about real cheap parisian hotels, I remember listing several in the Latin Qtr for some guy not too long ago (search on the word "Cujas" as I know I mentioned the Cujas Pantheon, the title was something about "saint michel"). It would be good for you to do some more reading about these things as hostels are not remotely like Holiday Inns etc. (FYI the term "dorm room" in hostel lexicon is not like your college dorm room, it means very large group sleeping rooms of maybe 6-8 people). My college-age niece just went to Europe and of course would not listen to me even when I offered to help--she had a terrible time and left early because she did not understand what hostels were, how cruddy and disgusting and uncomfortable they could be, that you had to hang around places with your luggage for long periods, that it might be good to have a French travel phrasebook, etc. Anyway, there are a few hostels that do have reservable family rooms for couples etc that are not group rooms, here is the URL for the international hostelling assn facility in Paris (called FUAJ there) www.fuaj.fr, if you click on their "d'Artagnan" facility in the 20th arr., it has family accommodations. However, that is very far out in the burbs so might not be worth the savings, and won't be as nice as having your own room in a more centrally located extremely cheap hotel. There are a couple places calling themselves hostels in Montmartre that are kind of more like very cheap hotels, you could look at them as I've heard young people who said they were nice (ie, Woodstock and Le Village hostels). Try these: www.hostels.com, www.cheaphostel.com, www.hostelblueplanet.com, www.villagehostel.fr, and www.eurotrip.com for info. Having to come bad New Year's Day sounds a bit rigorous to me just because you might not feel to hot if you are partying a lot the night before; on the other hand, flying on holidays is usually more stress-free as it's less busy and those flights don't usu. leave till at least 1 pm to the US. I can't even imagine being in Paris for NY Eve, flying back NY day and starting classes on 1/2. But, if I were going at that time of year, I would probably want to experience a NY Eve bash in Paris and would try to struggle through my classes rather than come back early. Have you checked out air fares for this? Often they are pretty expensive right around that holiday period. Anyway, I concur with the weather advice, I live in Wash DC and one nice thing is that it is always about the same weather in Paris as it is here, temperature-wise; the only diff. is it doesn't get as hot and humid there in the summer; probably 40s during daytime at that time of year, but you never know, it can get a lot colder, but doesn't usually, and rarely snows. There will probably be plenty to do, also, with the exception of actual Christmas and New Year's Day. What do you want to do? Odds are nothing will be closed officially that tourists do except on those days. I've heard London is actually deader at that time of year than Paris.

Have a great trip, Westin! At your age, you can handle the jet lag and still get back to school on time. We're going over for a few days at the end of the year and have to return to work on Jan. 2nd, and we're 20 years older than you are! If hostels are all you can afford, stay there. Yes, I imagine they are not as comfortable as a 3 star place, but exactly how much time do you plan on spending there anyway? We were able to get reasonable airfare at that time of year. It wasn't the BEST fare we've ever gotten to Europe, but it was by no means summer fare prices. There are street parties around Paris on New Year's Eve. Joyeux Noel et Bonne Annee!