Staying in Versailles - need advice
 

My husband and I will be staying in Versailles from December 27 to January 4 (I know its out of the way, but the rooms were completely free) at the Trianon Palace Versailles. My husband has never visited France so we will be seeing all the BIG things in Paris. (Montmartre, Louvre, Notre Dame, etc) My questions are as follows:

1) Should we rent a car the whole week we are there? Or just depend on the train back and forth?

2) Outside of the "normal" tourist destinations in Paris, what are some really cool places to visit or restaurants to try? We love hitting the places where the locals eat.

3) Isn't there a Paris underground tour I've read about? I can't find a link anywhere.

4) Any suggestions on how to spend New Year's Eve in consideration of our hotel's location?

5) Is it out of the question to consider day trips to Normandy or Mont - St. Michel?

6) We love wine, we love food and I love driving through the countryside. In consideration of the season, where should we drive where we could enjoy all of these things?

Yes, day trips to MSM and Normandy are out of the question. You could drive and spend a couple of days.
I hope you are planning to spend days and days in paris, and not just wandering the countryside. ;o)

Do not drive into Paris! RER and SNCF both service Paris-Versailles.

Your hotel will probably do a New Year's celebration and given the hotel, it should be very nice and priced accordingly.

There is a catacombs tour which has never interested me in the 40+ years I've been going to Paris. Many people find it interesting. Not sure if there is still a sewer tour--another one I find difficult to understand. Having mild claustrophobia is a deterrent.

Rouen and Chartres would be easy day trips from Versailles.

See gracejoan's current thread, lots of photos of lovely Paris restaurants, mostly in the 7th arr. I would try to book a few ahead.

Take the RER into and out of Paris. A car isn't necessary for that, though you may want one for daytrips to other places.

Not sure what you mean by "underground" Paris tour. The catacombs tour was a huge meh for me. Never did the sewer tour - never want to.

A daytrip to Le Mont-St-Michel or Normandy wouldn't do it for me - too far and especially for Normandy, too much to see in a day.

If your hotel isn't doing a New Year's Eve event, ask them for suggestions - and get on it, as reservations well in advance are necessary.

The "countryside" isn't going to be all that pretty that time of year. Paris will be a lot less bleak and afford you lots more opportunities to enjoy things.

Don't rent a car -- even for any day trip(s) IMO. W/ the very short days and likely weather you probably won't be doing any day trips, but if you do - take the train -- like maybe to Chartres.

If you want to see Normandy (Bayeux, invasion beaches and Mt St Michel) then rent a car and do a 2 night stay in the area. (Since the Versailles hotel is free - no problem missing a few nights).

You absolutely do want want to drive to and from Paris - train is the only thing that makes sense.

As for "underground" are you askin about the Metro (subway) or do you mean something else - like tour of the sewers of catacombs?.

Taking liberties w/ nytraveler's post - I am 100% sure she meant >><i>You absolutely do <B>not</B> want want to drive to and from Paris</i><<

Yes, Thanks

Agree with all the above. You don't want or need a car - take the train to Paris and to Chartres (a "must see" in my book). It will be a convenient day trip from Versailles.

The days trips you mention can't reasonably be done at the time of year you will be traveling. You will have about 8 hours of sunlight and possibly bad weather.

Driving a car to/from Paris would be insane. Where you would park and how much time all that would take would be a mess, not to mention the cost (do you know how much it costs to park in a garage in Paris?)

I don't know what you mean by underground either but am guessing the sewers. Never appealed to me, but I had a friend who did it and said, guess what, it smelled. But it is quirky, so if that's what you mean, here is some info
http://www.paris.fr/loisirs/musees-e...943_port_23931

http://en.parisinfo.com/museum-monum...-de-paris-les-


Entrance is in front of the Orsay museum, more or less.

Yes, I meant the Catacombs. Sounds like that is no fun!

As noted car is not recommended at all for Paris.

Suggest you look at getting a zone 1-5 moblis pass, it will cover your daily commute, plus all your metro and bus use in PAris, consider your travel needs and see if it adds up ( commute in and out of Paris on RER will cost 7 euros roundtrip , then add metro trips around to sightsee etc).

check out this website, its makes it easy to figure stuff out,

parisbytrain.com/