Stuck in Vincennes

Hi, we traded our timeshare here in the states for one in Paris! Unfortunately it is really located in Vincennes (Sunterra Royal Regency).

Now I need to figure out if it%26#39;s worth using...

My questions are:

What will be the approximate cab fare from CDG to Vincennes?

Are taxi%26#39;s readily available in Vincennes?

(Clearly at this point you realize I%26#39;ve never been to Paris!)

It seems difficult to manage the transportation system into paris each morning and home each night. So I am wondering if it is easier to take a taxi from our hotel to the Metro #1 each morning and each evening?

Also, would it be very expensive to just take a taxi to and from metro paris each day?

The timeshare is costing nothing and we are using mileage for the airfare, so we don%26#39;t mind spending a little to get into Paris.

Thanks for your advice!

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I don%26#39;t know where in Vincennes, but really i don%26#39;t think you need to use the taxi, the metro is so easy and just a few stops away from the very heart of Paris, your metro ride should no more than ten minutes!

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I think you need to take the bus to get to the Metro from that Timeshare.

The Metro is easy and quick.

The town of Vincennes is very nice place people there are very friendly. The cafes are good as well as the bakery.

Visit the Chateau de Vincennes. They remodeled in 2000. I think it was closed/ or partially open for a couple of years but it is entirely open now.

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Just another example that timeshares are made for resorts in the Caribbean and not European cities. Anyway...

Someone a few weeks ago was stuck in the same predicament and we had to give her some transport advice. It seems that this timeshare is not very far from the Vincennes RER, from which you can zoom into the heart of Paris in less than 10 mn. So no need to panick about taxis (quite rare anyway in the banlieue). Vincennes is a nice middle class suburb, not the kind of one where they used to burn cars, don%26#39;t worry.

To determine the exact location of your timeshare in regard to métro and RER, enter the address on www.viamichelin.fr

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Actually, I%26#39;ve just checked, the situation is worse than I thought: the closest public transport is RER Fontenay-sous-Bois, about 1 km away from your place. Well, what%26#39;s a healthy 15 mn walk if you get a free apartment?

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There is also bus line 118 right next to the complex which will take you over to metro line 1 if you dont feel like walking. Vincennes is very nice, not my first choice for visiting paris but its just outside of the city proper. I live in Paris and can walk to Vincennes in about 15 minutes. There is no division other than the ring road around the city.

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We stayed at the Royal Regency last year....I was with my aged mother. We wanted to go into the city each day and she could not walk the distance to the RER, so we took the bus the first day to the station and accidentally took the 118 going the wrong way, so stay on the same side of the street as the Royal Regency and pick up your bus going to the right from RR, it will take you directly to the station and you are so right, it only takes 10 mins into town, and the transportation system is clean and nice and real easy to use, use it from the airport too as you will find out that taxi ride cost us over $100 American dollars to get to RR the first day.

My stay at RR was remarkable, it was our first time in Europe period. We felt like we really got to experience as though we lived in France for one week. The accomodations were spare, but we spent all our time out and about anyhow. I loved going out to the market and bakery every morning, and trying to find the laundromat (it is like 8 blks away) everyone walks in Paris, that is why you will not see any fat women there. The desk clerk told us to walk to RER, even I at my age couldn%26#39;t fathom walking that far, but I think the locals did. There is a scrumptious little restaurant straight down the street in front of RR, just past the clothing shop on the corner, the langostino is to die for! And the grocery store one block past that has everything you would want, we pigged out on the cheeses and goodies in there, we truly felt like we lived there and I just absolutely adored it, apple tarts were out of this world at the bakery, (closed on Tuesdays so stock up!) I really felt like when we went downtown to Louvre etc we were in a quite commercialized place and lots of stuff in English and rude foreign tourists all around, I loved going back to our little Vincennes each evening. Only thing, having my mom there we did not go out in the evening, so save your taxi fare for the evening ride home, I am sure that would be the safest bet if you want to use a taxi. I hope you have or did have a fabulous trip to Vincennes, you can even go to Euro Disney because it is closer to there.

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We stayed at the Royal Regency last year....I was with my aged mother. We wanted to go into the city each day and she could not walk the distance to the RER, so we took the bus the first day to the station and accidentally took the 118 going the wrong way, so stay on the same side of the street as the Royal Regency and pick up your bus going to the right from RR, it will take you directly to the station and you are so right, it only takes 10 mins into town, and the transportation system is clean and nice and real easy to use, use it from the airport too as you will find out that taxi ride cost us over $100 American dollars to get to RR the first day.

My stay at RR was remarkable, it was our first time in Europe period. We felt like we really got to experience as though we lived in France for one week. The accomodations were spare, but we spent all our time out and about anyhow. I loved going out to the market and bakery every morning, and trying to find the laundromat (it is like 8 blks away) everyone walks in Paris, that is why you will not see any fat women there. The desk clerk told us to walk to RER, even I at my age couldn%26#39;t fathom walking that far, but I think the locals did. There is a scrumptious little restaurant straight down the street in front of RR, just past the clothing shop on the corner, the langostino is to die for! And the grocery store one block past that has everything you would want, we pigged out on the cheeses and goodies in there, we truly felt like we lived there and I just absolutely adored it, apple tarts were out of this world at the bakery, (closed on Tuesdays so stock up!) I really felt like when we went downtown to Louvre etc we were in a quite commercialized place and lots of stuff in English and rude foreign tourists all around, I loved going back to our little Vincennes each evening. Only thing, having my mom there we did not go out in the evening, so save your taxi fare for the evening ride home, I am sure that would be the safest bet if you want to use a taxi. I hope you have or did have a fabulous trip to Vincennes, you can even go to Euro Disney because it is closer to there.

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As previously noted, there is the #118 bus, which has a stop approx 50-75 yards east (at intersection of rue defrance %26amp; rue de la Bienfaisance %26amp; rue Clément Vienot) of the entrance to the CLUB SUNTERA ROYAL REGENCY, 69 rue Defrance, Vincennes. This bus will take you directly to the VINCENNES Metro station for the main #1 Metro ligne across Paris. The bus ride might take 5 mins. At a guess, the distance between your hotel and the VINCENNES Metro station is a bit less than 1/2 mile (a portion of which could run through a corner of the great park of Chateau de Vincennes). The walk might take 10-15 mins. at a leisurely pace.The Metro ride from VINCENNES to CHATELET is approx 17 mins and trains run approx every 2-4 mins during most of the day and evenings. There really isn%26#39;t need to take a taxi. The location isn%26#39;t great....but it isn%26#39;t nearly as bad as first blush.

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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;%26gt; Visit the Chateau de Vincennes. They remodeled in 2000. I think it was closed/ or partially open for a couple of years but it is entirely open now.

I just want to correct this slightly...the Donjon is still undergoing renovations (at least is was just a few months ago and their website says it still is), and is closed to the public. One can visit the grounds within the old walls, and the Ste Chapelle (a guided tour is available, but a recent press release tells that the chapel will be closed for renovations beginning Sep 06), but there really is no %26quot;chateau%26quot; to speak of, in the sense that most tourists might think. The two buildings built by Mansart for Louis XIV and Marie Therese now house military records and can not be visited. The park is magnificent, the Ste Chapelle quite historical, and when the Donjon reopens, it will be well worth the visit again. The Ste Chapelle is in dire need of repair, but it is still one of the great historic treasures left in France.

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We just stayed at the RR in July, 2006. Knowing going in that it is not in Paris gets you past the first hurdle. Vincennes is a nice quiet area. Yes, three bakeries within a half mile, 3 or 4 markets as well. We did use the laundromat, which is a five minute walk down the street.

We%26#39;ve gone to a lot of time share condo properties, and I would rate this as low on the scale of %26quot;luxury%26quot;. However, I don%26#39;t know that you could get anything this decent and reasonable around Paris, especially in the busy season.

Our specific issues with the property:

No Air conditioning, which is not unusual in Paris. However, since we were on the first floor, and there are no screens in the windows, we didn%26#39;t fell comfortable leaving all windows open, which would have helped. Request something above the first floor if you%26#39;re going in summer (there is an elevator)

The bed was the biggest issue, and I know other guests had problems with the beds as well. As we travelled through Europe, we found a few beds that aren%26#39;t geared toward the larger American customer. Both of us are carrying extra weight, but the bed was so soft and ill-supported, it became the focus of our dissatisfaction. Overall, the unit was large, kitchen was a bit tiny, but complete with full size (almost) refrigerator, stove, toaster, etc. It was in a bit of disrepair (cracked tiles, some flaking paint).

The front desk staff were excellent, and tried their best to address our problem with the bed. They are very helpful regarding transportation and Paris sites.

One note: Yes, the hotel is a walk from the Metro (which is closer than the RER) but either way (Metro or RER) I would recommend a taxi if you are hauling luggage. Unless you hit a slow period on the Metro or RER (there aren%26#39;t mmany slow periods) you will have to haul luggage through the stations and on and off trains. We got many stern stares (none fatal!) from other passengers on our trip from Gare du Nord to the RR. Our load also made us (me) a target for pickpockets. Thankfully, the one that made his move was fairly inept, and he got nothing when I caught him with his hand in my pocket.

All in all, as a way to visit Paris, the Royal Regency works fairly well. We got very good at negotiating the Metro system, which is easy to understand.

If you want to get familiar with Paris but want to save wear and tear on your feet, try the %26quot;L%26#39;Open Tour%26quot; busses. They are double decker busses that run 4 routes throughout Paris, with unlimited on-and-off privileges. (we thought the blue route is a waste for the most part) 25 euro per person for a day, but only 3 euro for the second day. This includes an audio tour in 6 languages.