Any experienced travelers to Paris we appreciate your suggestions!
My wife and I will be taking our daughter, her husband, and three children (ages 14 – 9) on a trip to Germany and France in March. The trip will for certain begin and end in Frankfurt. Because my father and father-in-law, plus six additional uncles served during WWII, it is important for me to show our grandchildren miscellaneous WWII locations in France and Germany. Thus, we will travel via minivan to these locations. We would like suggestions regarding our visit to Paris concerning lodging for the family and how/where to park the van during our four night visit. Not practical to rent van twice with drop off fees etc between Germany and France. Two apartments or rooms is perhaps our lodging configuration. Is it practical to stay in Versailles or an area outside main Paris and train in for three days?
Posted by
Green Bay
21140 posts
With seven people, daily commuting costs will add up. There is a parking garage at Marne-La Vallee RER station that has multiday rates. Then you could all ride in and stay is Paris for three days and have more time to spend in the city. Big families mean big bucks, so whether that actually saves money, I know not. It will save a lot of time every day commuting. Marne La Vallee is on the way coming from Germany.
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
Sams suggestion is good, and on way in or out of area do check out Provins.. its a world heritage site redone as a living museum in the old town. The kids will enjoy it.. the old ramparts are still intact, there are jousting shows etc.. ( they may not be doing this in March, its off season, so I would check out the website carefully) . For a group of seven you are not going to find a hotel with a room for five, just not going to happen, so you would have to do a 3/4 split.. a bit awkward.. so an apartment may be best, but some do not like to rent for only 3 or 4 days.. you will have to check, perhaps being off season will be an advantage here. An apartment is great with kids, you can save money ( quite a bit really) by having breakfast in each day.. and loading the fridge with snacks and drinks for kids( if you eat out and order each child a soda it can come to 12-15 euros just for cokes for 3 , yikes) Tap water is free and fine to drink. I let my kids order one juice or soft drink a day out , then kept some juices in mini fridge for afternoon or evening drinks. Agencies that seem well reviewed and popular are VIP ( Vacation in Paris) and many like using VRBO.. with VRBO only rent from owners who have many reviews on their site and double check them out. Commuting in and out of Paris would be pricey.. its 14 euros a day from Marne la Vallee,, times 7.. too much to spend to me.. the cost savings in a hotel out of town wouldn't make up for waste of time and money ( train from Marne La Vallee is about 40 minutes into Paris, I would not want to commute 40 minutes twice a day with tired kids)