Le Havre to Paris by train and then hop on hop off bus

[jmwg49]

Has anyone any experience with getting from cruise port in Le Havre to the train station and then into Paris to use hop on hop off bus.    Which train station in Paris is best?   Is this easy to do on your own    We have an excursion booked on Carnival to do Paris on your own; but I think this would be faster and more economical if we had some guidance from those that have done this.  

[Hlitner]

So lets talk about the train.  It is a little more than a mile from the port to the train station (in Le Havre) and you can sometimes have a problem finding a taxi (at the port) to do the short haul.  All the Paris trains go to the St Lazare Station which is on the northern side of Paris.  The trains generally take over 2 hours (each way).  While some folks like HoHo's I am not a big fan...especially when you are in a big city (with lots of traffic) with a limited amount of time.  You are going to spend several hours of your day just waiting for buses and being stuck in traffic.  If you know where you want to go it is faster to take advantage of the Metro and walking.

 

As to doing Paris "on your own" it is the only way DW and I ever do Paris (or most cities).  Paris does have an excellent Metro system (great for getting from point A to point B if its too far to walk).  But DW and I have literally spend weeks walking in Paris (the best way to appreciate this city).  As we walk down the various streets smelling the food, browsing the windows, visiting shops, we cannot help but notice the tour buses (and HoHos) with the noses pressed against windows.  Seeing a city like Paris through a window is akin to seeing it through a TV tube (just one person's opinion).

 

On a typical port day you cannot possibly see all of Paris.  So what to do?   Your homework.  You should prioritize your "wants" and develop a strategy.  Keep in mind that many attractions such as the Eiffel Tower and Louvre are very popular and will usually have queues if you actually want to go inside.   DW still considers Paris her favorite city (in the world) although our recent (last week) visit to Prague had us thinking that city does give Paris a run for the money.

 

Hank