Paris Train Stations
 

We will be arriving in Paris from London on the train. We have only two nights in Paris and then would like to take the train to Avignon. Can someone recommend a hotel that would be convenient for sightseeing and also the train station for our trip to Avignon? --Would like to stay under $275 USD/night. Thanks.

The train to Avignon departs from Gare de Lyon. My Paris hotel is under $90 so you wouldn't be interested.

That's a problem for me as well. I wouldn't spend more than $100 for a hotel room in Paris.

I would stay in an area that interests you and simply taxi to the train station. I don't see any need to stay right by it, especially in your price range. Pick something nice in the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th all which are convenient to sightseeing.

Hey, what's wrong with the 2nd?

We've been staying for years at the Hotel Vivienne.

Luckily you now know the the hotel budgets for both Kerouac and Spaarne... you were no doubt dying to know! ;^)

The Gare de Lyon can be reached by taxi (and yes, I know... some people NEVER take taxis!) for 20 or so euros from anywhere in central Paris so as Suze says, the location needn't be by the station.

I too prefer to spend more than 100 euros a night... here are a few you might like:

http://www.hotel-saintmichel-paris.com/
- my wife and I stayed a week in 2009 and loved it

http://millesimehotel.com/
-frequently recommended by regulars on TripAdvisor

http://www.hotel-britannique.fr
- friends have stayed here and liked it

Bon voyage!

Rob

<i>Luckily you now know the the hotel budgets for both Kerouac and Spaarne... you were no doubt dying to know!</i>

They are the two smartest travelers on the forum. You people who would rather spend your time soaking in your 4* tubs and miss the streets of Paris are nuts. I spend my extra money on the cheese platters.

Our favourite Hotel very close to Gare de Lyon is Hotel Palym (about 100 Euros a night) - you can see the station from the Hotel. A very nice renovated Hotel with wonderful staff.

It is very easy to travel around Paris from Gare de Lyon - by Metro and bus. There is a direct bus from Boulevard St Germain - close to the Odeon Stop. It is also an easy walk to the Bastille and then from there down to BHV and the Notre Dame.

Haven't used them, but these two on my list -

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...de_France.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...de_France.html

and they show up well here too -

http://www.venere.com/france/paris/#...|r6-c|all_rate

Glad to have this list, as we find it very convenient to stay near the station we will be leaving from (or arriving at late evening).

Others can pooh-pooh staying near the Gare, but having once been caught unexpectedly by a metro strike that had all available taxis already in use, we don't mind if it's a short one or two day stay. We missed our train, the next one both classes were "complet" and the train after that only had first class tickets at full price...since the original tickets were non-refundable Prem's, it was an expensive experience!

If you do end up staying at/near Gare de Lyon, be sure to either have a meal at Le Train Bleu or a drink in the bar. We hopped on a bus near the Eiffel Tower that went directly to the Gare on a spur of the moment and they were able to take us, but I recommend reservations for meals. As someone said above, bus service is excellent from this area and you get to see more of Paris than you do underground.

I have always liked staying near train stations, because everything has extended hours near a big station, besides having more things open on Sunday.

I would only say that if you stay near the Gare de Lyon and wnat to go to the traditional tourist centers (Louvre, etc) you will be on the Metro line most notoriously frequented by pickpockets. This is not to induce paranoia but caution. Thousands of people take this line daily without incident. But it is an issue.

The standard trick is to target people standing near the car doors (which tourists do because they are afraid of missing their stop). The pickpockets make their move at the last second and jump out the door as it closes. Train gone, wallet gone, bad guys gone. It did not happen to me, but I watched it happen to someone else. Don't stand near the door.

<i>you will be on the Metro line most notoriously frequented by pickpockets</i>

That's because you will be on the Metro line most frequented by *everybody* (in addition to being popular with tourists). But the advice is well said.

* * *
This is a good list - bookmarking.

Actually line 4 is the line with the most passengers, not line 1. Line 1 has long been the favorite for pickpockets, but I'm not sure if the new system of double doors will simplify or complicate their activity -- or of it will be exactly the same as before.

The final stations are now being outfitted with the platform doors before total automation (like on line 14) around the end of the year.

Okay, somebody can go back on topic now.

The reason that line has the most pickpockets is because it has the most tourists as the Louvre, Champs-Elysees etc is on it. That is true, it does, I've seen official statistics. However, one should guard against pickpocketing everywhere, so learn how to do that.

Depends how close you want to be, I've stayed at the Pavillon de Bastille once and it was a real nice hotel (right across from Bastille metro stop). However, it could be noisy, I'll warn about that, for a room overlooking the street. It wasn't near that rate.

I would say a hotel near the line going to Gare de Lyon would be convenient for both and that would be a hotel near Bastille or the Louvre or Madeleine metro stops, among others.

I'd suggest the Hotel Brittanique, also, which is right near Chatelet metro stop but on a side street so is pretty quiet. I just stayed right near there last summer (but in a different hotel which was okay also, but I would have stayed in the Brittanique if it didn't cost more than I wanted.

I also stayed at the 4* Villa Beaumarchais or something like that near Chemin Vert metro stop and it was

If you stay near the Gare de Lyon, check out the restaurant in the station, Le Train Bleu. It's a piece of old Paris, richly decorated in the Belle Epoque style. And a good restaurant too.

I've stayed at the Ibis right opposite the Gare de Lyon - www.ibishotels.com or www.accorhotels.com - they may even have weekend specials at times. Like our Holiday Inns IMO. there may be a Novotel there as well - same company but a step up from Ibis.

And there is also a Mercure attached to Gare de Lyon -- another Accor brand.