I have some time this holiday wknd and thought I had better start researching our March trip to Paris! Very excited first timers. My mother (67), myself (48) and my daughter (21). Trip of a lifetime for the 3 of us but I am a bit overwhelmed. We are staying at The Westin for 6 nights, 1st-6th. Transportation. Wil the strike still be happening; I have been reading the updates, find this a bit daunting. I would purchase a week long pass but why if there are horrid lines/delays/etc.? I understand our hotel to be close to many attractions. I think my mom is up to some walking. We are interested in dining....is smoking allowed in all restraunts? I could not have cared less but recently developed a respiratory condition. We do love 5 star dining with wine pairings. We would love some advice. Is there something like a weeklong pass for The River Seine (for transportation purposes)? I am looking into a couple of sightseeing trips. My daughter wants to go to Moulin Rouge and my mother wants to see Normandy. I am looking at the Mont-Saint Michel Cityrama tour which drives through the Normandy region. Looks gorgeous. Or should we just do the Landing Beaches of Normandy? Lots of questions....thank you in advance for your kind replies!
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Paris is overwhelming. I spent my first 3 hours there hyperventilating :P
I%26#39;ll try to answer some of your questions.
1. Strike or no strike? The President of France doesn%26#39;t know the answer to that one. You should plan for strikes, but if they are over, your vacation will be easier. For tips about transportation during the strikes, check the Paris forum.
2. Week long pass? Are you referring to the Paris Museum Pass? For major attractions, the pass allows for you to skip through the regular ticket lines. If you are referring to the Carte Orange Hebdomaire (weekly métro pass), it might not be worth it if the service is too spotty. It all depends on how often you plan on using the métro and what lines will be closest to you.
3. Nonfumeur (no smoking)? Paris is in the process of rendering all public establishments smoke-free. It should be done by February 2008, but it case it%26#39;s not, here is a list of smoke-free restaurants in Paris -%26gt; http://www.smokefreeworld.com/paris.shtml
4. Transportation on the Seine? There%26#39;s the Hop On/Hop Off bus (http://www.batobus.com). They have a consecutive 5-day pass for 17E/person.
5. Nomandy? I%26#39;ll leave that adventure to someone more worthy than me...
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I’ll hedge my bets and say that the strikes will be over in March. Strikes usually take place in the fall... the weather’s nice, no important holidays, not yet planning for summer vacation! In any case, strike or no strike, plan on doing a lot of walking... that’s the best way to see Paris. Bring comfortable walking shoes.
Personally, if I had only 6 nights, I would spend that time in Paris. A day trip to Normandy is possible but there’s so much to see in the city that you’ll just be running yourselves ragged trying to do more. In my opinion, simply sitting at at a café, watching the world go by and getting a feel for the place is vital.
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If it%26#39;s a trip of a lifetime, I think you should definitely do a daytrip to Normany if your mom%26#39;s heart is set on it.
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So far as Normandy goes you must take a couple of things into consideration. Firstly, if there%26#39;s a sentimental reason why you want to go to the landing beaches, I can%26#39;t say you shouldn%26#39;t, but it will be a pilgrimage rather than a sightseeing tour. The landing beaches (like Courseulles) were chosen because they are long and shallow. That means once you%26#39;ve got the measure of them, that%26#39;s it. They are wide stretches of dead flat beach with nothing, but nothing, going on these days. There%26#39;ll be some memorials you could move on to, however.
Normandy itself has countless other attractions. You have identified the Mont St Michel as one, Rouen is another, Bayeux is another, then there%26#39;s the lovely little seaside harbour towns like Honfleur with its artistic traditions, and the lush and picturesque Calvados countryside with its cows, orchards and old farmhouses.
My personal advice would be to consider Bayeux, Honfleur and maybe Monet%26#39;s garden at Giverny. With an early start and sound planning you could take in two out of 3 of these and take in the lovely countryside en route.
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Not far from hotel is Carre des Feuillants, a gourmet restaurant not to be missed.
March could be a bit early in the season to go to Normandy unless there is a spectacular spring like we had in 2007.
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