Paris metro/Parking help
 

So, after looking at RATP and ViaMichelin and reading lots of threads on ticket types I am still in need of assistance. We are planning on 1 week in Normandy next summer. Unfortunately, due to budget and work constraints we will not be able to add a few days in Paris. My thought was to take a reverse day trip into the city to see the 2 things the kids have requested: Mona Lisa and Tour Eiffel. It looks like our route will take us to the Metro station La Defense Grand Arche. My questions are:

1. Is there parking at or near the station for our rental car?
2. There are 5 over 10's and 2 unders. For the roundtrip from this station into central Paris will 1 carnet (10 tickets for 2 rides per adult) plus individual tickets for the kids be OK?
3. Are we restricted by zones with the carnet?
4. What is the best way to get Louvre tickets so we don't have to stand in line since we have so little time?

Any other information or tidbits will go right into my planning file.

Thanks.

La Defense is a large business complex area, there is definitely parking there.

The carnet of tickets can be used anywhere on the metro and zones are irrelevant for the metro. Zones only apply for the RER. I'm not sure what zones can be used for the RER with a carnet ticket -- I think 1 and 2. The RER for La Defense is zone 3, though, I think, so you should take the metro (there are both metro and RER stops at La Defense). In the city, it won't matter.

sure, your ticket plan sounds okay. If the kids are under four years old, they are free and don't need tickets. In theory, they aren't supposed to take up a seat though (sit on your lap). Otherwise, they should get a 50 pct discount, but I'm not up on whether you can do that for a few tickets or need to buy a carnet to get that discount.

The Louvre isn't too bad nowadays as there are lots of entrances and automated machines selling tickets so the wait hasn't been that long for me, even in summer. Buying a ticket in advance somewhere is going to take up time, also, of course. For example, you can buy advance tickets at FNAC and there might be one at La Defense (or Virgin Megastores), but it will take you time to do that shopping (or to pick them up, if you order online in advance).

Thank you Christina. The RATP site had us eusing the Metro for the journey so we are good there.

Here is a map showing Parking at La Defense:

http://www.ladefense.fr/pratique_parking.php

Travelnut - Thank you for the map. I don't think we will need it but I will save the link.

We are back to our original 10 day plan. I'll just squeeze a few more dollars out of each paycheck and my sister will tell her boss that she needs more than 1 week to go all the way to Europe.

I'll be back with lots more questions as the year goes on!