Where to stay in or near Paris with a multigeneration group

I'd look into renting two apts in Paris. Some agencies have 2 or more that are in the same building. VacationinParis.com is a good agency. You can also go to ParisNotes.com for a long list of reputable agencies in Paris.

Andrea Please stay IN Paris! Traipsing to Paris from the outskirts by train / RER / metro will be no fun for any of you but especially for the youngest and oldest. And the evening is really a special time to wander the streets, take the bateau mouche (tourist boat) in the city of light, and see the Eiffel Tower lit up. By being IN Paris you also have time to freshen up before dinner and have the option for any of the group to go back to the apartment during the day. Good you are starting early to reserve large apartment(s)! Bobbie

Thanks! I'll look into these sites.

Bobbie, I agree. All of the older folks among us have been before so we thought a house might be a fun option, and we could use it as a base for exploring outside the city. But the reality of needing two or more cars makes it a hassle. Still, it's equally challenging finding a large enough (and affordable) rental in the city. There are some beauties but trop cher!

What you spend renting three cars for 11 people, you could put toward renting two apartments in Paris. This sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime trip as a group. I'd save up, bite the bullet and go for it.

Andrea, Last summer we spent a week in Paris. Myself, wife, 2 teenagers and my mother in law. We rented an apartment with Parisperfect. It was a two bedroom with a view of the Eiffel Tower. It was great. I know they have dozens of rentals, some in the same building. Good luck.

Thank you. I'm hearing about how terribly expensive Paris is and we are rethinking to only spent one day there and then drive elsewhere. But I will definitely check this out.

the airbnb website has homes and flats to rent. do a search by putting in the number of bedrooms you need. Be sure to see how close to Paris you really are by putting the address in google maps. You can use public transportation into the city.

I so agree with Bets. Paris is amazing and worth every penny.

I actually would NOT characterize Paris as "terribly expensive" (it is not London or NYC or Tokyo), so don't let others scare you off. Vacation in Paris has some very reasonably priced rentalsyou might have to split up and have apartments in the same building but frankly (and I say this as someone that has rented ski condos with large family groups) it can be really nice to NOT have everyone is the same space 24/7.

I agree with Christy too. I would not characterize Paris as expensive. There are lots of reasonably priced hotels, apts are even less, you can eat out very inexpensively, you can picnic, and there's lots of fun free or low cost things to do. I think Paris is very reasonable. I live a few miles north of San Francisco and for a tourist, SF is expensive. Not Paris.

These are interesting comments about Paris not being as pricey as I heard. More to consider! Thank you all.

Yes, I third the Paris not being so expensive.I do think you should stay IN Paris, commuting is not a great idea really, and frankly I also think renting two apartments in same building is a great idea,, people like to have some space to themselves ,, but with two apartments in same building you can still meet for meals and socailizing. Plus,, ,one big place may only have one, possibly two washrooms, whereas with two apartments you will have at least two washrooms, maybe three or four. June is one of the most expensive months for visiting Paris though,, but hey,, its a once in a lifetime trip,, and you can cheap out on food while there( and still eat well) Renting cars is not a good idea,, for so many reasons,, parking is not free, its hard to find, gas is expensive, and and hard to find in city( its there its just not obvious where) ,, and you would need at least 3 cars,, THAT would be expensive.

Number four for feeling Paris is not so expensive as compared to other cities. Apartments are the way to go, even if you can't find two or three apartments (you would probably need three for 11 people) in the same building, maybe at least within a block or two. The advantage of course is that you can have breakfast in apartments and have some time to lay on couch and relax. Picnics are a great way to go and there are many great parks to sit and enjoy. For the age spread you are talking about, see about senior discounts and student and family discounts. There are also many free things to do in Paris. We only drank wine at dinner but I think there is some advise on getting water with meals, bottled water is more expensive than tap water or something like that. Someone else can help you with that. Enjoy.

Yes,, for savings,, never let kids order cokes in restaurants,, they are a rip off, house wine is often cheaper,, and tap water is good tasting and free( careful you don't order bottled water by mistake). Street food is good and cheap, love the crepe stands and picking up sandwiches at bakeries,, often plain baguettes with a bit of cheese or ham and butter, but so tasty !
Having an apartment is good for savings on breakfasts and storing cokes( which can be purchased alot cheaper from stores ) .

Thanks, we have tried vrbo and if we change our travel dates might have found something with them. I'm finding that many of the larger apartments whether on vrbo or homeaway or vip are already booked for our dates. For smaller groups or one family, these sites are ideal.

I haven't been to Paris yet but I've spent a lot of time looking up rentals on this website: http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/europe/france/ile-de-france/paris
They have a huge list of rentals available for Paris and many are reasonably priced.