Once again experience shows that three or four days in Paris is worth the effort. That's all schedules allowed, and we're glad we did it.
Friday flight US to CDG was totally full, lots of Europeans taking advantage of the exchange rate.
Saturday in hotel by noon - Holiday Inn Republique turned out to be a great location, room was large by Paris standards (king bed, sofa, table, desk, and a nice tiled bath - and quiet though it looked right over the Place de la Republique. Staff pleasant and efficient. Breakfast there (resto is called R10, as in address 10 Place de la Republique) at 22 euro pp steep but quite wonderful - eggs and pancakes to order along with a large selection of meats, fruits, juices, cereals, cheeses, yoghurts, and of course croissants and breads. Lunch buffet at 17 euro was a very nice assortment of cold salads, meats, fish, couccous, etc. Metro right outside front door for lines 3,5,8,9,11 - great connections!
The collection of discount (last year's lines at 35-60% reduction) designer outlets called Val d'Europe is about 30 minutes on RER A, walk a block or two from the staion to the large mall with dozens of chain and a few specialty shops, a large Auchan and FNAC, then exit to the little village that houses the designer places. Large food court in the mall, a bistro in the desinger village. Place was packed with Christams shoppers - busiest designer outlet was Ralph Lauren Polo! This could be a day trip in itself for devoted shoppers, was a pleasant diversion even for a miser such as myself.
Great restaurant find - Le Trumilou, 84 quai de l'Hôtel de Ville, little place that has been there over 100 years - had a quite wonderful potage and coquilles provencale for very reasonable price, open late (dinner until 11p)
Revisited Restaurant 108, 108 rue Oberkampf (couple blocks from Metro Parmentier) and it was just as good as we recalled. Small, limited menu but all quite well done - had delicious warm chevre salad and steak frites.
Won't bore with other details, will add that seeing the Eiffel tower sparkle (first 10 minutes of each hour)from Trocadero was a joy, and the Champs Elysees illuminated for Christmas is a visual splendor no matter how many times I see it.
As we were leaving Tuesday morning it started to snow, and I really hoped for a weather delay, but no such luck...

Welcome home! Thank you for the compact, yet very informative, post. Lots of useful details.

I know how you felt when the snow began falling just as it was time for you to leave. Same thing happened to me when in Paris with my 11 year old grandson last New Year's Day.

As we sat in the plane on the runway at CDG waiting out the three hour weather related flight delay, we two fascinated Floridians watched the flurries thicken, transforming everything outside the window into a wonderously memorable sight.

Glad you enjoyed your trip, however short. And yes, Paris is indeed worth the effort.

I think Paris is almost always worth it.
Glad you enjoyed it again.

Seamus, DH and I were there for three days the first weekend of December. I agree, it is worth the effort!

Glad you enjoyed your jaunt, S.

Your jaunt just plain sounds like fun. I wish I could do that but from the west coast the fares are usually more and the flight time so long...I guess it's kind of like east coast people taking a long weekend in Honolulu..but how lucky you are and thanks for sharing..especially about the mall...shopping is my life!!!!! LOL

Seamus, I'm a big fan of the Holiday Inn Paris-Republique. It's a good choice for people who want a nice hotel without getting too over-the-top on rates; though it's certainly not what I would call a "budget" choice. Packaging the breakfast buffet into the room rate is a good option. The lively neighborhood including Rue Oberkampf makes it a great pick.