Trying to find a reasonably cheap break to Paris for 2 adults & 2 children (13 & 11) during the school Easter Hols.

- We break up on Friday 30 March and return Monday 16 April - so anything will be considered between these dates.

- Can anyone offer any advice or point me in the right direction to look for this

- Only after 2 possibly 3 nights.

- Would prefer to fly from North West airports

- Would consider Eurostar and add a couple of nights on in London if cheap

- Are there any Travelodge style hotels in the middle of Paris that sleep families?

Thanking all respondees in anticipation - Cheers
John

Toasted and Tatty (sounds like something scrumptious for tea!) glad to be of assistance. I hope that you both enjoy your visits and I hope that you get one of those wonderful spring days that makes Paris light up like a light bulb!

John, no easy way of saying this but trying to get a cheap flight this close to the Easter holidays will be a task of enormous proportions. Broadly speaking, the earlier you book a flight , the cheaper it is unless you are prepared to leave it until about 2 days before you want to leave! The only thing I would suggest is the laborious task of combing every site you can think of for a cheap flight. Try a site that attempts to draw it all together for you like http://madstock.co.uk/sites.php?cat=6397 for flights and http://madstock.co.uk/sites.php?cat=8201 for hotels.

For our last visit we stayed at the Hotel Paris Ares near the Eiffel Tower and it was fine and quite cheap for the four of us. I think we paid slightly less than £200 for a family room for four nights B&B. Their web site is here: http://www.ares-paris-hotel.com/ but we booked through superbreak or hotelrooms (cannot remember precisely which one it was) and got a cheaper deal than with the hotel direct.

I'm staying in Montmartre for a couple of nights very soon. Just wondering are there any recommendations anyone could pass on for restaurants/bistros or music bars in the area, to save us having to go further afield at night?
Also is it safe to walk about here at night?!
Hope someone can help. Thanks.
( I'm also posting this on the France thread)
FAO Magster Had a look at your blog...... interesting & entertaining .............excellent!

Hi Toastedmallow - we are staying in Montmartre from next Thursday to Sunday. Same info would be handy for us, but we are taking the kids - 13 and 16 - and looking for places which will suit all of us hopefully. Just going to go and find out about transfers from CDG - the thread is a bit long to try searching through..

Hello again Toasted and thanks for the compliment re my blog! It's always nice to get some positive feedback.

I can't help with the restaurant request but for safety, yes you will be as safe as you are in any other large city! Just take the usual precautions and you will be fine. The only really dodgy areas in central Paris at night are Pigalle and Gare du Nord.

Thanks again Magster. That's reassuring!

Meerkat...we booked Paris shutttle from CDG to our apartment. We're travelling with Easyjet & this option is on their website. 18 euros one way. Didn't think it was too bad compared to what you'd pay bus/metro/ taxi or whatever other option. (although there's just the 2 of us som less expensive than for your family)

Thanks toasted - seems like a good price. Roll on Thursday

Couldn't agree more....Can't come quick enough!

Hpoe you have a good time, i dont go until the 24th its going so slow... Fill me in on the must's when you are back

Emma x

if i was to get the metro to the Bir Hakeim station from CDg airport can i get a direct route or would i have to change over at some point?

thanks x

Hi Emma - you need to get a shuttle bus from CDG to the (main line) train station (bus is line 2 from the stance outside door 22 at CDG - free shuttle). Once you get to the train station, buy tickets into Paris (costs 8 euros) and go to the Gare Du Nord. Once you are there you can use the same ticket on the metro without exiting the station. I will need to check the map for how to get to Bir Hakeim - will post later. However the metro is really easy to use and changing lines is very straightforward - didn't get lost once!!! I thought the train station would be right at CDG - it isn't, but doesn't take long on the shuttle bus.

Thanks Meerkat, that is brilliant advice thanks very much, i got told the other day it isnt a trip if you dont get lost!!

Hi there!
Just wanted to let you kow we had the most amazing weather for our long W/E to Paris. Sitting outside having lunch on Sat in t-shirts & then strolling about without a coat was an added bonus to a great break. Had to capture on camera 'cos no-one would believe us.
Can't wait to return sometime....thanks again for your advice. Montmartre was fab and yes I did feel safe! ( and well fed!! )

Hi again Toasted

wonder if the weather will stay that way till saturday?

Hi toasted - yes it was excellent at the weekend wasn't it. Although cold at the top of the tower last Friday!. On Saturday one of those weather temp pillar things was showing 17 degrees!. Had to take jackets off, and it was lovely sitting in the sun having a crepe and watching the world go by. Montmarte is a great area - so much to see and do. Oh to be back again - 4 days wasn't enough.

Hi Emma - I think on the metro it looks like you go on the pale blue line from Gard Du Nord to the stop after Port Royal (sorry, writing on my map too small and I can't read the name) Change there on to the pale green line and that will take you up to Bir-Hakeim. Hope you have a lovely trip -which part are you going to?

Hi Meerkat, we are staying right by the Eiffel Tower, that sounds great your description of the way we should travel. Thanks to you both

Only 3 more days to go!!

Yep Meerkat..the w/e exceeded my expectations in lots of ways & the unbelievable weather was the icing on the cake!
Tatty hope you have a similar experience. Let's know how you get on!

Thanks i will do

Just checked the weather and its going to raining the whole time im there, best pack my umbrella..

Aww Emma - hope it doesn't rain the whole time for you. If it does rain, you will have sit inside some lovely cafe with a nice glass of vino and watch the world go by until the sun comes out again. Fingers crossd though!