Another newbie in the apartment quest

[ell08]

Hello! I was referred here by Denise and I can already tell that this is the place to be!

My fiance and I are planning a two-week trip to Paris in October for a small wedding ceremony. We are doing the papers and legal mumbojumbo at home and then having a small ceremony in Paris.

Anyways, I have already become OBSESSED with finding a great apartment for our stay. We are on a budget...I'm a doctoral student so I never have any money.

The only problem I am having so far is that we aren't planning on staying in one area the entire time. The plan right now is to stay in one area of Paris the first few nights (something central) leading up to our ceremony, splurging on a ridiculous room for our wedding night, driving up to MSM and Normandy for a couple of days, and then staying in a different area of Paris for the last few days...probably Monmartre (That sounded even more confusing than I thought).


I've already enjoyed reading your topics on this board and any advice that you can offer would be greatly appreciated!

Liz

[sandy]

Hi Liz, welcome and congratulations!
There´s a similar thread about budget apartments in Paris, maybe you will find some ideas there:
www.ourparisforum.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=apartments&thread=1880&page=1

[Happygoin]

And also, not to rain on your parade further, many of the apartment companies have a three night minumum. Are you quite settled on the idea of apartments as opposed to a hotel?

Oh and btw, welcome to the forum .

[ell08]

No nothing is completely settled...just like the idea of having the amenities of an apartment and each place that we stay in Paris will be for 3 or 4 nights so I thought we could probably swing it. Our plans keep changing everytime that we discuss it though

A washer would be great so that I could pack very light. Wifi would be another great perk...I'm planning on keeping a little blog during the trip so my family at home (and anyone else who wants to) can follow along. Other than that, nothing has to be too fancy. Hopefully we'll be out and about most of the time!

We happened to get a good flight deal to Paris and that was our number one destination all along really!

Do you think that any district is a fine base for seeing all of the sights?

[Happygoin]

How about something like Citadines? I don't know much about it except that it's something like a cross between an apartment and a hotel. Here's a link to one in St. Germain. There is a list of other properties in Paris.

www.citadines.com/en/france/paris/saint_germain_des_pres.html

See if this might fill the bill.

[Becky (Berkeleytravelers)]

Don't give up too quickly on the apartment idea - Vacation in Paris (www.vacationinparis.com) has several properties that are available for as few as three nights, and you apparently will be there for four nights. Check their web site and then give them a call (toll free in the US) to discuss your options.

[GitteK]

>>splurging on a ridiculous room for your wedding night<<

Not that I would know personally, but the right place including the worlds most attentive and highest praised customer service should be "Four Seasons George V" as far as I remember from reviews in TA. click here

Only I suspect it would blow your (and any elses) budget.

And your trip plans strike me as very confusing, lot of work put into moving around, IMO. But if that's what you really want ?

[ell08]

you think it would be better to just stay put in paris the entire time? maybe we are trying to squeeze too much into two weeks....

i am completely open to input...that's why i am here!

i guess the original idea was that we are flying into and out of Paris so it would be smart to stay there at the beginning and end of the trip, but to try to fit in a trip up to Normandy...my fiance is a Monet fanatic

maybe stay in Paris but make it a day trip?

[Darcy]

Hi and welcome!

Considering the weather in Normandy in Oct, iffy to say the least, you might consider a day trip from Paris to Giverny to satifsy your fiance's Monet addiction.

[Becky (Berkeleytravelers)]

Darcy is definitely right about Giverny - it was an amazing experience. I was concerned that it would be touristy and "Disnified" but it wasn't at all. If you can time it when it's not overrun with hoards of visitors, you will feel like he just put down the brushes and went down to the local cafe, and you're waiting around for him to return.

[Laidback]

You may be over-complicating things. I am a devotée of apts. for long stays , but when doing shorter, broken up visits to Paris we usually choose hotels. There are a few exceptions, but most apts. have a week minimum and require a security deposit, which would require more "upfront" money. Short stay hotel visits are considerably less complicated and you have the advantage of the front desk/concierge to help with any questions, reservations, etc. This allows you the flexibility to easily become familiar with 2 different neighborhoods. You can check out the location for your 2nd choice while still being in your 1st hotel and if it doesn't light your fire, you have the ability to change with short notice with no cancellation penalty, usually no more than 24 hrs. is required. This is definitely not the case with an apt. and more and more hotels are now offering wifi.

As to Monet, there is more of his work in Paris at the Musée Marmottan and Orangerie than in Normandy; many people are surprised to find practically nothing of his work in Giverny, just his house and garden.

[ell08]

Okay...I must admit I feel a little silly now. Back to the drawing board!

[Jody]

I do know the Hotel Relais Bosquet has a few apt. that they rent by the night. You also have the advantage of using the hotel services.

www.apartmentparishotel.com/

I saw very little of Monet interest in Normandy, much more in Paris and a day trip to Giverney would be excellent.

[suzanne]

For less than a week I'd probabley go with the hotel idea. The Citadenes, as mentioned, is an option. There is one in St. Germaine and one near the Louvre. They do have laundry rooms. However, I thought they seemed a little pricey for what you are getting. I would recommend a small boutique hotel. If you really need to do laundry we found laundrymats all over Paris. Even when we had a washer in the apartment we went to the laundrymat down the street to do the towels. I always plan to cook in the apartment but I rarely ever do. You can't take but a few steps on the street without running into some yummy smelling eating place. We have on occaision had light meal in our hotel room.

Hey, it's your honeymoon. Live it up!

If you just want to do an easy daytrip to Normandy check old the Parisvision web sight.

welcome aboard.

[Darcy]

Liz, don't you DARE feel silly!

You asked some very good questions and now you are armed with more information from which to make very intelligent decisions. Or, you can just ask us more questions. As you can see, we are not shy in giving our opinions.

[GitteK]

Ell08 - you are NOT silly, grrrrrrr............... well, maybe a bit silly for thinking you are silly !

I just thought that for me it would be great to have period in Paris and then a period in the country, e.g. Normandie, to see the famous beaches and war memorials and Mont St. Michel.

But I would not skip around like you propose, and certainly NOT in Paris. It really doesn't matter where you stay in Paris, because it is such a small city, that you will get around to a lot of quatiers anyway. You can walk from one end of the city to the other, as it is only 13 x 15 kilometers big, intra-muros.

So perhaps I'd start with, say, 9 days in Paris (in a small apartment, which can be had for as little as 60-80 euros per night) including a few one-day excursions to Giverny, Chantilly, Versailles, Chartres, Reims, Fontainebleau (or whatever you like) - and then finish off with 5 days in the countryside, e.g. Normandie. Rent a car, so you can really get around.

And DO go see Mont St. Michel - I swear when you first spot it from the coast, it feels like you've seen some kind of mystic apparition. Overwhelming experience.

As to the luxury hotel night. It's a LOT of money, so personally I'd bring some really nice clothes, dress up and spend BIG money on a Michelin dinner instead, with all the trimmin's, and in stunning surroundings.......(e.g. Le Grand Vefour).

And I'm sure that if you tell them when you book your table that you are celebrating you wedding, the staff will be on the tip of their toes for you !!

[holger]

;D

Don't really mean to pry. But what is your actual lodging budget? Given the weak dollar,it is probably wiser to take an apartment for the two weeks as you may get a discounted rate. It also enables you to prepare some meals in and to splurge on a few. With the TGV trains, it is easy to do day trips quite quickly to places like Lyon and Dijon as well as to the more standard locations.

Gail at perfectlyparis has a range of apartments from about 650 euros per week on up. And I believe LuckyLuc has an absolutely charming studio with a private courtyard where you could sit and have drinks or coffee which would make a perfect place for a honeymoon.

[laurel]

Hi, Elle8, and welcome from another Newbie. We have surely found the right place for planning our trips. Congratulations on your upcoming marriage!
My fantasy hotel is the Meurice - a room overlooking the Tuileries looks so romantic, and if you're splurging...