If you happened to be in London, one of the city which you should not miss out is Paris. One can even do a full day or simple night over Paris without much frills since there is a high speed rail which connects the two cities (across 2 continents).
From London St Pancras station (in London) to Paris Gard Du Nord (in Paris), the full railway trip only takes two and a half hours. Eurostar railway (eurostar.com) prices reduce dramatically if you’re able to book a couple of months in advance. The company currently accepts bookings for up to 180 days before departure.
The minimum check-in of 30 minutes before departure for all Standard and Standard Premier travellers. Take the early train out of London and you can be in Paris by lunch time. (London is one hour ahead of Paris). I would recommend a Standard Premier ticket which you will have assigned seats, cosier cabin and in-cabin light meals and beverages.
Outward Journey
Mon-Fri: Depart 5.40am – Arrive 9.17am
Sat: Depart 6.18am – Arrive 9.47am
Sun: Depart 8.19am – Arrive 11.47am
Return Journey
Sun-Fri: Depart 9.13pm – Arrive 10.39pm
Sat: Depart 8.13pm – Arrive 9.39pm
Reference for Eurostar schedules : Schedule sheet 1, Schedule sheet 2
Once you have reached the Paris Gard Du Nord station in Paris, it is recommended to get the Paris Visite Pass (Travelcard) which is valid to use for journeys in central Paris on the Metro, RER, Buses, Trams and SNCF.
The Metro and subway network is open from 05:20 until 01:20 every day and your Paris Visite Travelcard is valid to use at any time of day, any day of the week. As your travel in central Paris is unlimited with the Travelcard, this opens up the whole city to explore. The Paris Travelcard is valid in Central Paris (zones 1 – 3) for use on:
– Metro
– RER
– Buses
– Trams
– SNCF Trains
Mercure Paris Gare du Nord – A night stay in Paris
This hotel is in an outstanding location less than 3 minutes walking distance from the Gare du Nord international station, the excellent Parisian transport main hub for metro connections, the regional urban network, the TGV-high speed train service and most of the international lines to European cities –Thalys and Eurostars.
Mercure Paris Gare du Nord hotel features high-quality services and complimentary free Wi-Fi in all rooms. There is also a restaurant to taste French traditional cuisine. Room service and overall cleanliness are also good.
Hotel details:
Address : Mercure Gare du Nord rue La Fayette, 175 rue La Fayette, 75010 PARIS
Website : www.accorhotels.com/
Email : H8575@accor.com
Tel : 01 44 89 89 10
Strictly speaking, it will take a week to cover Paris is great details. But I have listed out some key attraction areas which you should not miss out for a day out in Paris:
1) L’Arc de Triomphe
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Paris and the most famous man made arches in the world, the Arc de Triomphe was constructed in 1806 to memorialize the triumphal battles of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Standing 164 feet (50 m) high and 148 feet wide (45 m), the arch features intricate reliefs depicting victorious battles and engraved names of many who died fighting for the emperor. Beneath the arch is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from the first world war.
2) Shopping district along Champs-Elysée
From the Arc de Triomphe, one can walk along the world famous Avenue des Champs-Elysées where most prestige shops are for much delighted shopping.
3) River Seine
A boat trip down the Seine is a great way to see some of the major sites along the banks. Many do a loop from the Eiffel Tower, past Notre Dame and back along to the Louvre.
If the weather is good, you can mount on your gears and have a good run along the river bank. There are running tracks along the river banks to catch glimpse of all the key monuments.
4) Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower was the tallest building in the world when it opened for the 1889 Exposition Universelle. It is still the most famous structure in the world, and the icon for Paris and France. Named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel who designed it in 1889, it has a height of 324 meters – the tower is the tallest structure in Paris and was the tallest tower in the world from 1889 to 1930.
Address: Champ de Mars, 75007
Contact: 0033 8 92 7012 39; tour-eiffel.fr
Getting there: Metro Bir-Hakeim
Opening times: daily: Sep to mid-Jun, 9.30am-11pm; mid-Jun to Aug, 9am-midnight
5) Trocadero Gardens
Trocadero Gardens are imposing gardens located near the iconic Eiffel Tower (on the opposite bank of the river Seine) in Paris. The most dominant feature of the gardens is the Fountain of Warsaw, which was built in 1937 for the International Exposition of Art and Technology in Modern Life. Palais de Chaillot which is situated above the gardens offers a spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower together with the gardens. It is one of the most popular spots for taking photographs of the Eiffel Tower.
6) Musée du Louvre
Both art collection and royal palace, including chunks of medieval castle concealed in the basement, the Louvre is mind-boggling in its scale and sheer wealth of treasures: from classical sculpture, Egyptian mummies (always a hit with kids) and Mesopotamian antiquities via renaissance and baroque painting to the early 19th century, and some of the galleries still have their original painted ceilings.
Within the Museum, you can also find the famous Mona Lisa painting and other masterpieces, like the Aphrodite (Venus de Milo), The Marly Horses and Delacroix’s painting of Liberty Leading the People.
Address: Cour Napoléon, 75001
Contact: 0033 1 40 20 50 50; louve.fr
Getting there: Metro Palais-Royal
Opening times: Wed-Mon, 9am-6pm; some galleries open until 9.45pm on Wed and Fri
7) Le Jardin du Luxembourg (Park)
The vast Le Jardin du Luxembourg covers 25 acres of the Latin Quarter. It’s also got a forest, pond and huge greenhouses with a famous orchid collection. The Luxembourg Gardens park is the garden of the French Senate, which is itself housed in the Luxembourg Palace. The park is the second largest in Paris. Visitors here can picnic or stroll leisurely among beautiful lawns, formal gardens and fruit orchards that feature many artistic statues and fountains.
8) Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles is the central part of a complex that housed the French government, most notably its royalty, during the reigns of Louis XIV (France’s famed “Sun King”), Louis XV and Louis XVI. After the French Revolution in 1789, it ceased to be a permanent royal residence. Located about 10 miles (16 kilometers) southwest of Paris, it is beside the settlement of Versailles. The palace is also filled with tons of paintings and sculptures within those ornately designed rooms.
Hopping onto a Metro train is the most straightforward way to reach the Palace. Metro lines serve Paris and the RER is a train system which serves Paris and its suburbs. A round trip to Versailles by train cost 7,1€ per person all included. This price makes it the cheapest way to reach the caste. It will take you around 1.5 hours to get the castle by the public transport.
The Palace of Versailles is only a 13-minutes walk away from the train station. Pick an exit and follow the signs to the Chateau de Versailles.
These should give you a quick glimpse of Paris history and highlights, hopefully you can have a longer vacation in France alone to explore the more interesting areas out of Paris.
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