Our parents turn 70 this year and as a surprise we would like to send them to Paris for a day (on their way back from a trip to Italy). Our father is a golfer so he walks a lot, but our mother can%26#39;t spend an entire day walking. Does anyone know of any good tours - either walking or car - that would be appropriate for them? We want them to see as much as Paris in a day as possible without completely wearing them out.
Suggestions on hotels would be greatly appreciated. Nothing over the top expensive, but nothing dirty either. Also, what is going to be the best way for them to get to a hotel from the airport?
|||
There are two main tour companys in Paris , well known etc.. you can google them and check out their websites.
Cityrama and ParisVisions- both about same, I used Cityrama for a daytrip to Loire Valley and since I compared iternirarys, which were identical I just chose the one that was 5 euros cheaper. LOL .
Easiest , especially since your parents may have luggage to haul about is to get them to either take a taxi into Paris, or arrange a shuttle. I have done neither, but then I am not 70, LOL . I take train, problem with RER ( train ) is they then may have to transfer to the Metro ( subway) and many of the stations involve a fair amount of walking and stairs , sometimes LOTS of stairs, not fun with luggage.
There are some decent shuttle companys I have seen posted on this site about, so hopefully someone willl post with their recommendation, or you could just do a search onsite here. There are apparently two companies with VERY similar names, one is good and one is horrible, so please be careful when you read posts.
I don%26#39;t know your budget so can%26#39;t really help on hotels , they range from 60 to 1000 euros a night, many good decent places in the 100-200 euros range. Read reveiws on site here, click on %26quot; Paris Hotels%26quot; and start scrolling and reading.
|||
1. Tours - I would suggest a boat/bus tour. That way, they don%26#39;t have to walk too much but will be able to see the sites from the Seine/the bus.
A company called Cityrama (www.pariscityrama.com) gives a bus tour that is hop-on, hop-off for the validity of the ticket (1 day or 2 days). They can also do a boat tour with Batobus, though leaving the boat involves lots of stairs because the Seine isn%26#39;t at ground level.
Your parents can also take both tours to receive a discount. The tours can even be combined with the Air France shuttle service from Charles de Gaulle Airport to receive all three at a discount.
Prices:
Bus Tour: 1 day = 26E/adult
Boat Tour: 1 day = 12E/adult
Bus/Boat Combination: 2 consecutive days = 37E/adult (only version)
Bus/Boat/Airport Shuttle: 2 day pass with airport transfer + bus and boat = 49E/adult.
An incredibly cheaper alternative would be the Métro. It%26#39;s efficient. It%26#39;s convenient. It%26#39;s trusted by Parisians and visitors alike. With a good guidebook, they can make their own tours and move at their own pace.
2. Hotel -%26gt; Airport transportation
-Airport shuttle - convenient, but might stop at a distance from the hotel
-RER line B - very cheap, comes often, crowded
-taxi - can get pricey, very convenient because it picks you up
-hotel shuttle - most convenient, but may not be available.
I hope that helps.
|||
I%26#39;m turning 70, not a golfer, and my wife is not a walker. We travel on carry-ons only, no check-in luggage.
I suppose all grandparents would like to watch grandkids play, even if not their own. So I suggest a stay near either Luxembourg Gardens or the Tuileries.
Spend 1-2 hours in one smaller specialty museum, depending on their interests. E.g. d%26#39;Orangerie at Tuileries; or Rodins sculptures; or period furnitures etc. The Louvre and d%26#39;Orsay are too expansive and intensive. Ride the metro at least once, and watch the lighting up from Batobus (while the food may not be great, it saves sometime).
Now, are they allowed time to shop?
|||
I doubt that anyone who is not a good walker would be happy taking the métro--there are all the stairs and the long, long walks to change lines or get to the trains. My suggestion would be to take one of the longer boat cruises down the Seine, perhaps one during the day and a shorter one at night to see all the historic building s illuminated.
For something fun, you might give them a tour in a Deux Chevaux:
bonjourparis.com/Articles/…
Our favorite hotels are the Madison, in the 6th, and the Mansart, right off the Place Vendôme in the 1st. Have your parents take a taxi from the airport--much the easiest.
|||
I am well over 70. I buy the dreaded Paris Visite card and hop on and off the buses and the metro, whichever suits my purpose. I can still walk a couple of miles if necessary, but find a good rest approx every hour or so in a cafe with a cafe creme and studying my map or guide book keeps me going. Have a good breakfast, a long lunch and a smallish dinner and you will be fine.
Use the L%26#39;Indispensible %26quot;3 plans par arrondisement%26quot; which gives bus stops and details of metro station entrances as well as detailed street maps and a decent guide book like Michelin and you can%26#39;t go wrong.
Just let the world drift by, don%26#39;t rush, if you miss out on that must see museum or whatever------well theres always next time.
|||
-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-
This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.
To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html
We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.
Removed on: 10:18 pm, September 13, 2009
No comments:
Post a Comment