Previously, I shared with you what my friends and I did in Paris for 5 days. I posted 2 blogs (Days 1 and 2, Days 3-5) giving details about our trips to the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Saint-Chapelle, Basilica of Sacré Coeur and all other Parisian landmarks. I also mentioned in my Days 3-5 blog that we took a day trip to Versailles to check out Château de Versailles. Allow me to share with you photos and some details about this day trip.
Château de Versailles or The Palace of Versailles is a former royal residence located about 20 kilometers away from Paris. It started out as a hunting lodge by King Louis XIII and was then expanded by King Louis XIV into a grand palace and estate. With the hopes of controlling his power and reign over Paris, King Louis XIV transferred the seat of his government and court to Versailles. That time, the Palace was the capital of France. The French Revolution prompted the royal family to return to Paris in 1789 bringing the country’s capital back to Paris.
The Palace of Versailles now sits as a popular museum visited by millions of tourists per year. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its contributions to French history. The 800-hectare estate is divided into sections: The Palace, The Gardens, The Estate of Trianon, The Park, The Royal Tennis Court, The Great and The Small Stables.
Transportation
Most people visit Château de Versailles on a guided tour. My friend and I decided to visit it on our own. From Anvers Station, we took the Metro Line 2 (Blue Line) to Place de Clichy Station, changed to Metro Line 13 (Light Blue Line) to Invalides Station. From there, we transferred to the RER C (Yellow) Service to Versailles Château Rive Gauche Station.
The train journey including transfers took about an hour but the train ride from Invalides Station to Versailles Château Rive Gauche Station only took half an hour. From the station, we walked for less than a kilometer (about 10 minutes) to the Palace Gate. We took the same way back to Paris after the visit to the estate.
I am very sorry I don’t have the exact cost as to how much the train rides cost. The trains, including the RER C (Yellow) service is included in the Navigo Découverte Weekly Pass we availed. Please note that there are other options to the palace from the Versailles Chantiers and Versailles Rive Droite Stations.
Opening Times
The Palace opens every day except Mondays at 9:00am and closes 5:30pm during low season and 6:30pm during high season. The Estate of Trianon opens every day except Mondays at 12:00 pm and closes 5:30pm during low season and 6:30pm during high season. The Palace Gardens and The Park open daily from 8:00am to 6:00pm except during extreme weather conditions like strong winds and snow.
TicketPRICES
The Palace of Versailles offers a variety of tickets depending on what the visitor wants to experience. The Palace-only ticket costs €19,50 per person; it guarantees access to the Palace on a timed entry, to the temporary exhibitions, the Palace Gardens, and the Park. The Estate of Trianon-only ticket costs €12 per person. This ticket guarantees access to the Trianon Estate from 12:30pm, to the temporary exhibitions within the estate, the Palace Gardens, and the Park. The Palace also offers a combination ticket for both the Palace and The Trianon Estate. This combination ticket called Passport costs €21,50 per person. There are still other ticket options; feel free to check these in the Palace website.
I mentioned in the Paris Days 1-2 and 3-5 blog posts that my friend and I availed of the Paris Museum Pass. This museum pass includes Château de Versailles in the list of museums and sites that can be visited with the pass. My friend and I used our Paris Museum Pass to enter both the Palace and the Trianon Estate. We did not pay anything to enter these sites.
Note: Château de Versailles requires timed entry bookings even for Paris Museum Pass holders. We booked our schedules through the Palace website a few weeks before our intended visit. We got the 9:00 morning schedule for the Palace and the 12:00 noon schedule for the Trianon Estate. The staff only scanned our Paris Museum Pass at the entrance.
Château de Versailles Photos
THE PALACE OF VERSAILLES
The Grand Commun
The Royal Chapel
The Hall of Mirrors
The Royal Apartments
THE GARDENS
THE ESTATE OF TRIANON
The Grand Trianon
The Petit Trianon
The French Gardens of The Petit Trianon
The English Gardens
Beautiful place, right? No wonder millions of people visit the estate yearly. Château de Versailles is a day trip worth taking outside Paris!
The Hall of Mirrors was charming without other tourists / visitors. It felt surreal seeing it in person. I also liked The Petit Trianon and The English Gardens. Which area of Château de Versailles is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about Château de Versailles? You may post them in the comments below or you may send them to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.
I hope you enjoyed browsing through today’s photoblog. Thank you for checking up to this part. In case you missed it, my friends and I also went around Paris, France for 5 days. Feel free to check my posts about this postcard-perfect city – Days 1 and 2 + Days 3 to 5. Everything about our 3.5-week trip to Euro can be found under the N9 in Europe category. Stay tuned for more posts about this trip!
Before you go, I hope you can visit, like and follow my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? It means a lot, cheers. Catch you in the next one!
Last time, I shared with you what kept us busy on our first 2 days in the beautiful city of Paris. We started our trip with a dinner meal at Carette, a visit to Place du Trocadéro, Champs-Élysées and Arc de Triomphe. We spent our second day knowing more about Paris, France and its history. We took the walking tour with SANDEMANs New Europe; we also visited Saint-Chapelle, Musée du Louvre and Musée d’Orsay.
Today, I will share with you what my friend and I did for 3 more days in the postcard-perfect city of Paris, France. Allow me to share again the details about our accommodation, public transportation pass and museum pass.
Accommodation
Given the high accommodation rates around the city, my friend and I decided to stay in Le Village Montmartre by Hiphophostels. We booked 2 beds in a 4-bed mixed dormitory room for 4 nights and paid €132 each including city tax. I wrote about the hostel, its amenities and our experience in the latest hostel of the day feature. Check it out here.
Going Around Paris
We opted for the Navigo Découverte Travel Card in our 5-day trip around Paris. We bought the week-long unlimited travel ticket for around €35 (including the card itself) and we had access to all RER trains, bus lines and city metro lines (in all of Paris’ 5 fare zones) until Sunday 23:59 that week. The ticket also included train lines to Paris Disneyland, Château de Versailles and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Tip: Please take note that the train card requires a photo of the card holder. You may bring your own photo or you can use the photo booths located near the train offices in CDG Airport and major train stations.
Tip 2: The Navigo travel card is valid for 10 years. You can use it again in your next trips to Paris. Also, the weekly pass validity starts 00:01 every Monday and ends 23:59 every Sunday. It is not advisable to get the weekly pass if you are arriving Paris on a Thursday or Friday.
Paris Museum Pass
We bought the 48-hour Paris Museum Pass for €52 (now €55). This pass allowed us fast-track entry to known museums and sites within Paris and the nearby region. Some museums and sites like Musée d’Orsay and Pantheon do not require reservations. The more famous ones like Musée du Louvre, Sainte-Chapelle and Château de Versailles require reservations prior entry.
Tip: Plan your itinerary well. The pass period count starts when the museum pass is scanned in the first museum or site.
Places Visited in Paris – Days 3, 4 & 5
We went around Paris for 5 days (or 96 full hours) and went to a lot of famous spots. We did not aim to see all places and decided to take our time in every spot. The only planned itinerary we had was when we used the Paris Museum Pass for 48 hours. Allow me to share with you days 3, 4 and 5 of our 5-day chill itinerary around Paris.
Day 3 – Versailles Day Trip, Pantheon & Jardin de la Tour Eiffel
Day 3 started very early with a day trip to Versailles. We visited the Château de Versailles; walked around The Palace of Versailles and The Estate of Trianon. I will walk about this day trip in a separate blog post – please look forward to it.
We dropped by KFC Versailles for late lunch and then headed back to Paris. We were supposed to go up the Arc de Triomphe but decided to change plans while we were on the RER C train – our Navigo pass allowed it. We got off at Javel Station on RER C and transferred to Javel – André Citroën Station. We took the Metro Line 10 (Dark Orange Line) and got off at Cardinal Lemoine Station. We walked for a few minutes and made it to The Panthéon. We got in using our Paris Museum Pass.
Note: The Panthéon does not require booking for Paris Museum Pass Holders. Visitors using the pass can use the fast-track line. Regular tickets cost Є11,50 per person.
The Panthéon was initially built as a church in honor of St. Genevieve. It was commissioned by King Louis XV. After the French Revolution, the government decided to make a place of honor for those who fought during the revolution. Nowadays, it is also a burial place of prominent French writers like Victor Hugo, Jean Jacques Rousseau and Alexandre Dumas. It is also where the famous scientists Marie and Pierre Curie are buried.
After The Panthéon, we walked to Place de l’Estrapade to check out the Emily in Paris shooting locations. We saw Emily’s apartment, the small park in front of it, Gabriel’s restaurant and the boulangerie where Emily got her first French pastry. We, then, walked towards Jardin du Luxembourg only to find out that the park was already closed. We had no choice but to leave and head to the Eiffel Tower. We took RER B Luxembourg Station to Denfert-Rochereau Station then changed to the Metro Line 6 (Green Line) to Bir-Hakeim Station.
Note: Unfortunately, I cannot post a photo of the Eiffel Tower at night due to copyright laws.
We met with our friends again at Jardin De La Tour Eiffel before heading to Gusto Italia 218 for dinner. We had pasta and wine to celebrate our friend’s memorable trip to Europe. After dinner, we walked back to Jardin De La Tour Eiffel for more photos with the iconic landmark. We bid our goodbyes to our friend and her family and took a FreeNow ride back to our hostel.
Day 4 – Sacré Coeur, Paris Highlights & More Eiffel Tower
Our 4th day in Paris started with a decent breakfast meal from Le Village Montmartre. After breakfast, we walked up to La Basilique du Sacré Cœur de Montmartre or the Sacré Cour Basilica. We also inside the church and saw the beautiful art painted in the basilica’s dome. This basilica is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It sits on top of a Montmartre Hill and has a panoramic view of Paris and its suburbs.
Note: Entry to Sacré Cour is free of charge. Just fall in-line near the steps for a quick security check.
After Sacré Cour, we walked down the hill and went to Barbès – Rochechouart Station. We took the Metro Line 2 (Magenta Line) to Les Halles Station and walked to Palais-Royal. We checked out Domaine National du Palais-Royal and took photos in this cultural landmark. We also strolled around the nearby Jardin du Palais-Royal.
Domaine National du Palais-RoyalDomaine National du Palais-Royal
Note: Entry to Domaine National du Palais-Royal and Jardin du Palais-Royal premises is free of charge.
Jardin du Palais-RoyalBurger King for Lunch
We had our late lunch at Burger King and continued our walk to one of the most beautiful Starbucks branches in the world – along Boulevard des Capucines. We then walked towards Academie National de Musique / Palais Garnier before heading to Galeries Lafayette Haussmann. We checked out the department store’s iconic dome and Christmas tree as well as its crowded roof deck.
Inside Galeries Lafayette HaussmannView from Galeries Lafayette Haussmann’s Roof Deck
After the quick visit to Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, we took the Metro Line 9 (Yellow Green Line) from Chaussée d’Antin — La Fayette Station to Alma-Marceau Station. We headed to Flamme de la Liberte (Liberty Flame). We also enjoyed the magnificent view of the Eiffel Tower from the banks of River Seine.
We continued our walk to Rue de Monttessuy where we found Chez Ming – a Chinese restaurant. We have been craving for rice so we decided to have Asian food for dinner. We ordered their set meal which included fried rice, fried spring rolls, sweet and sour pork, beef sauteed with garlic, dumplings and ice cream.
Flamme de la LibertéRice for dinner.. Finally!!
After dinner, we walked along Rue de l’Université to check out a famous photography spot with the Eiffel Tower. We went to Bateaux Parisiens by the River Seine and took the night river cruise. We got our ticket from Le Village Montmartre for only Є9 per person. We enjoyed the beautiful view of Paris from the upper open deck area of the boat while cruising along River Seine.
After the hour-long boat cruise, we walked back to Alma-Marceau Station and took the Metro Line 9 (Yellow Green Line), changed at Miromesnil Station and took the Metro Line 13 (Light Blue Line) to Place de Clichy Station. We walked towards the famous Le Moulin Rouge and checked out the place from the outside. We finished the day by taking the Metro Line 2 (Blue Line) from Blanche Station to Anvers Station and walking back to our hostel.
Note: I am still doing research about copyright if I can post photos of Moulin Rouge.
Day 5 – Montmartre & Goodbye Paris
Our 5th day in Paris was not that eventful. We started our day by packing our stuff and getting breakfast in the nearby French bakery – Les Fournils de France. We enjoyed their croissant, pain au chocolat and other local pastries. We also took some time to walk around the Montmartre neighborhood.
After check-out, we took an Uber ride to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Merci at au revoir, Paris!
This ends our 5 days around the postcard-perfect city of Paris. My friend and I have been to and have seen a lot but we still have not seen everything. My personal favorite is Saint-Chapelle from Day 2 – what is yours?
Which is your favorite Paris landmark or museum and why? Are you looking to visit Paris in the future? What are you most excited to see? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. Do you have questions about those mentioned above or about Paris in general? Feel free to post them as well below. You may also send them via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I will help you in any way I can.
Thank you so much for checking out today’s post about Paris, France. Please look forward to the upcoming posts about this trip. In case you missed the other posts about this trip, you can check them out under the N9 in Europe category.
Before you go, can you visit my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? It means a lot, cheers. Catch you in the next one!
I will share with you today what my friends and I did on the first 2 days of our 5-day trip around the postcard-perfect city of Paris. To be honest, 5 days were not enough to see everything the city has to offer. We did not aim to see and visit everything; instead, we had a well-planned and relaxed itinerary. I will share into details our day-to-day happenings around Paris.
Accommodation
Given the high accommodation rates around the city, my friend and I decided to stay in Le Village Montmartre by Hiphophostels. We booked 2 beds in a 4-bed mixed dormitory room for 4 nights and paid €132 each including city tax. I wrote about the hostel, its amenities and our experience in the latest hostel of the day feature. Check it out here.
Going Around Paris
We opted for the Navigo Découverte Travel Card in our 5-day trip around Paris. We bought the week-long unlimited travel ticket for around €35 (including the card itself) and we had access to all RER trains, bus lines and city metro lines (in all of Paris’ 5 fare zones) until Sunday 23:59 that week. The ticket also included train lines to Paris Disneyland, Château de Versailles and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Tip: Please take note that the train card requires a photo of the card holder. You may bring your own photo or you can use the photo booths located near the train offices in CDG Airport and major train stations.
Tip 2: The Navigo travel card is valid for 10 years. You can use it again in your next trips to Paris. Also, the weekly pass validity starts 00:01 every Monday and ends 23:59 every Sunday. It is not advisable to get the weekly pass if you are arriving Paris on a Thursday or Friday.
Paris Museum Pass
We bought the 48-hour Paris Museum Pass for €52 (now €55). This pass allowed us fast-track entry to known museums and sites within Paris and the nearby region. Some museums and sites like Musée d’Orsay and Pantheon do not require reservations. The more famous ones like Musée du Louvre, Sainte-Chapelle and Château de Versailles require reservations prior entry.
Tip: Plan your itinerary well. The pass period count starts when the museum pass is scanned in the first museum or site.
Places Visited in Paris – Days 1 & 2
We went around Paris for 5 days (or 96 full hours) and went to a lot of famous spots. We did not aim to see all places and decided to take our time in every spot. The only planned itinerary we had was when we used the Paris Museum Pass for 48 hours. Allow me to share with you the first 2 days of our 5-day chill itinerary around Paris.
Day 1 – Hello Paris & Hello Eiffel Tower
After arriving at Paris CDG Airport, I met up with my friend, Leng, who arrived at the airport a few hours before. She bought our Paris Museum Pass for €52 each in one of the tourist information centers while I was waiting for my luggage. We met at Terminal 2C and headed to Billets Paris et Ile de France or the train ticket office. We purchased our Navigo Découverte Travel Cards, went to the station and waited for the next RER B service to the city.
We took the 30-minute RER B train to Gare du Nord and changed to Metro Line 2 (Blue Line) and took the 5-minute ride to Anvers Station. We checked-in at Le Village Montmartre, took a rest for a while and freshened up. After a little over an hour, we took the Metro Line 2 (Blue Line) and the Metro Line 6 (Green Line) to Trocadéro Station and went up to meet our friends at Carette. I got Quiche Lorraine, greens salad and their signature hot chocolate for dinner.
After the meal, we braved the rain and strong winds and walked to Place du Trocadéro to take photos and videos with Tour Eiffel or the Eiffel Tower. We then took the Metro Line 9 (Yellow Green Line) to Saint-Philippe-du-Roule Station. We went to our friend’s hotel and waited for the weather to improve. Unfortunately, it kept raining. We then braved the rain (again) and the strong winds and walked around Champs-Élysées then to the iconic Arc de Triomphe. We took our photos from the center islands of Avenue des Champs-Élysées.
After that, we took the Metro Line 2 (Blue Line) from Charles de Gaulle – Étoile Station back to Anvers Station and walked up to the hostel.
Note: Unfortunately, I cannot post a photo of the Eiffel Tower at night due to copyright laws.
Day 2 – Paris Walking Tour & Museum Day
Our 2nd day in Paris started with a metro trip on Line 2 (Magenta Line) from Barbès – Rochechouart Station to Saint-Michel Station. We dropped by Soc Parisienne Restauration Rapide SP2 to have some croissant breakfast before going to Saint-Chapelle.
We got inside Saint-Chapelle at 9:00am with our Paris Museum Pass and explored the royal Gothic chapel. This chapel was commissioned by King Louis IX to house important Christian relics including the Jesus Christ’s Crown of Thorns. The said relic was transferred to the Notre-Dame Cathedral. The chapel has been converted to a museum. It is honestly one of the must-see places in Paris!
Note: Saint-Chapelle requires timeslot bookings for Paris Museum Pass holders. Visitors can reserve their slots via the museum’s website. Regular tickets to Saint-Chapelle cost Є11,50 per person.
After an hour at Saint-Chapelle, my friend and I prepared for a 2.5-hour walking tour by getting a quick bite at Brasserie Les Deux Palais. We got Croque-Monsieur, frites maison, salade to share – it is toasted ham and cheese with homemade salad and French fries. We walked to Place Saint-Michel to join our walking tour group.
Ham & cheese toast with saladWalking tour meet-up place!
We joined SANDEMANs New Europe’s Free Walking Tour of Paris. We met Harry, our guide, in front of Fontaine Saint-Michel. We walked around Latin Quarter, an area that was spared from the transformation led by Baron Haussmann. We, then, crossed the River Seine and walked to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris or more known as the Notre Dame Cathedral. The cathedral is currently closed and undergoing renovations after it caught fire back in 2019. We passed by Palais de Justice de Paris, Tour de l’Horloge du Palais de la Cité (Clock Tower) and Conciergerie (14th Century Royal Palace and Prison). We walked to Musée du Louvre (Louvre Museum) and finished the walking tour at Jardin des Tuileries (Tuileries Gardens).
Latin QuarterLatin Quarter
We learned about the history of Paris and of France during our tour with Harry. We also knew more about the stories of King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and the French Revolution from our guide. I highly-recommend this tip-based tour under SANDEMANs New Europe. I took a few tours under them in the Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic and Denmark and I have to say this Paris Walking Tour with Harry was one of, if not the best I have had with the company.
Clock TowerOutside Musée du Louvre
After the tour, we had our lunch at the nearby McDonalds store. Minutes before 3:00pm, we walked back to Musée du Louvre (Louvre Museum) and entered using our Paris Museum Pass. Musée du Louvre (Louvre Museum) is the world’s most famous and most-visited museum. It houses hundreds of thousands of objects and tens of thousands of artworks. It houses famous works such as Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Alexandros of Antioch’s Venus de Milo, Liberty Leading the People of Eugène Delacroix, The Raft of the Medusa by Théodore Géricault and a lot more. We roamed around the museum for 2.5 hours and we still did not see everything.
The Raft of the Medusa by Théodore Géricault
Liberty Leading the People of Eugène Delacroix
Note: Musée du Louvre requires a timeslot reservation for Paris Museum Pass holders. We booked our slots 2 weeks before the intended day of visit via the museum’s website. Guests can still book slots even if you do not have your Paris Museum Pass yet – in our case, we bought it upon arrival at Paris CDG. Regular tickets to the Louvre Museum cost Є17 per person.
Mona Lisa by Leonardo da VinciVenus de Milo of Alexandros of Antioch
Note: Unfortunately, I cannot post a photo of the Louvre’s Pyramid due to copyright laws.
We walked to the other side of River Seine and entered Musée d’Orsay using our Paris Museum Pass. This museum is located in the old Gare d’Orsay train station. It houses impressionist paintings and artwork by famous artists like Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Edouard Manet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Berthe Morisot.
Inside Musée d’OrsayVan Gogh Portrait
Note: Musée d’Orsay does not require timeslot bookings for Paris Museum Pass holders. Visitors can directly go inside the museum using the special lane for pass holders. Regular tickets to the museum cost Є16 per person.
After Musée d’Orsay, we walked to Assemblée Nationale Station, took the Metro Line 12 (Dark Green Line) to Pigalle Station, then changed to the Line 2 (Blue Line) and got off at Anvers Station. We dropped by the supermarket to get food for dinner before heading back to the hostel.
This wraps up our first 2 days in Paris. We visited a lot of places but we made sure that we learned something about the city, its history and culture.
Have you been to Paris? If yes, may I know which landmark or museum mentioned above is your favorite and why? If not, which is the first place you would want to visit when you fly to Paris in the future? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. Do you have questions about Paris or the itinerary above? Feel free to post them below or send them via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.
Thank you for joining me in today’s Paris itinerary. We are just starting on this 3.5-week trip around France, Italy and Spain. Make sure to check out the previous posts about this trip; it’s all compiled under the N9 in Europe category. Stay tuned for Days 3 to 5 and the other adventures we had in this memorable trip!
Before you go, can you please visit my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Means a lot, thank you. See you in the next one!
A few months ago, my friends & I flew to Europe for a 3.5-week holiday. Our first stop was the beautiful French capital – Paris. We explored Paris for 5 days & 4 nights & decided to stay in an authentic Parisian & affordable hostel. The hostel where we stayed at – Le Village Montmartre by Hiphophostels – will be today’s Hostel of the Day feature. Read on below to know more about why you should stay in this hostel on your next visit to Paris.
Le Village Montmartre
Le Village Montmartre is an authentic Parisian hostel found in Montmartre – the city’s artist district. The hostel is situated in a 5-storey (including ground floor) old building along Rue d’Orsel just a few meters away from the famous Sacré-Coeur Basilica.
Le Village Montmartre is part of the Hiphophostels Group – a chain of affordable Parisian hostels & hotels. The 30-year-old hostel group has about 20 properties around Paris. Their hostels & hotels, including Le Village, are located in the city’s most famous & important areas like Montmartre, Latin Quarter & Belleville. The group also offers affordable rates for as low as €15 per night. Check out the hostel group’s website to know more.
The hostel has a good location. It is 2-3 minutes by foot to Anvers Station on the Blue Line / Metro Line 2. It is 1-2 stations away from Gare du Nord – one of Paris’ main train stations. It is less than 30 seconds away to 2 supermarkets – G20 (our favorite) & Franpix. It is also near to a lot of restaurants, cafes & souvenir shops.
Le Village is about an hour away by train from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. It is about 40 minutes away from the airport by private transportation, Uber or FreeNow. Its location is an easy 10 out of 10; it made going around Paris by train easy.
Room Options
Le Village Montmartre has rooms for all travelers. The hostel has private rooms for those who want their own space during trips. It also has dormitory rooms for those who are traveling on a budget. Their private rooms have the following arrangements – double room with a double bed, twin room with 2 single beds, triple room with a single bed & a bunk bed & quadruple room with 2 bunk beds. All these rooms have air conditioning & heating systems. These also have private bathrooms & toilets with hair dryers. Bath towels are provided in these private rooms.
On the other hand, the dormitory rooms have the following configurations – 4-bed mixed dormitory room with 2 bunk beds, 4-bed female dormitory room with 2 bunk beds & 12-bed dormitory room with 6 bunk beds. All these dormitory rooms have in-room toilets & showers; these are also equipped with air conditioning & heating systems. Dormitory room guests are assigned lockers where they can store their valuables. Please note that guests need to bring their own padlocks & bath towels. Those who don’t have bath towels can rent them from reception.
Room & dormitory bed rates vary depending on season. We stayed in a 4-bed mixed dormitory room & paid €132 each (including city tax) for 4 nights – that’s €33 per night. My bank charged me a little over ₱8,100 (including foreign transaction conversion fees) for these 4 nights – roughly ₱2,025 per night. Note that we booked our stay 5 months before our intended trip. This is already cheap considering how expensive Paris is in general. Believe it or not, this property was one of the cheapest at the time of booking.
Each dormitory bed has a pillow, bed cover & a thin blanket. It also has a personal reading light & power socket. The dormitory room we got has a good amount of space to move around & has a window overlooking the communal terrace. It also has a shower (with hot water) & toilet, a small table & chair & lockers for 4 people.
Guest Perks, Facilities & Amenities
Like any other hostel, Le Village Montmartre by Hiphophostels has a long list of facilities & amenities which guests can enjoy during their stay.
Free Wi-Fi Access – All guests can access the hostel’s complimentary & stable Wi-Fi.
Breakfast Service – The property offers daily breakfast service to those who availed of this option at the time of booking. The big breakfast is available for purchase on the day itself or upon check-in for €9. It is also offered at a discounted rate of €6 if you confirm you’ll get it days before check-in. Breakfast is available daily from 7:00am to 10:00am.
Private Showers & Toilets – All private & dormitory rooms have their own toilet & shower areas. Please take note that bath towels are not included in dormitory rooms. Guests can rent one from reception for €2,5.
Air Conditioning & Heating Systems – All rooms are equipped with an air conditioner & a heater which guests can use depending on the season.
Shared Kitchen & Dining Area – The hostel also has a shared kitchen & dining area for those who want to prepare meals & eat these meals during their stay.
Communal Lounge Area – Guests can relax & chill in the hostel’s communal lounge area. There are seats & tables near reception that are available for all.
Communal Outdoor Terrace – The hostel has a communal outdoor terrace on the 1st floor. This area is open from 6:00am to 10:00pm.
Luggage Storage – Incoming & outgoing guests don’t need to worry where they’ll leave their bags before check-in or after check-out. Le Village Montmartre offers luggage storage for all guests.
Free Lockers – It also has free lockers for valuables which guests can’t leave inside the dormitory & private rooms. Please reach out to reception in case you want to use these lockers.
Hair Dryer & Ironing Facilities – The toilets have built-in hair dryers which guests can use when they need it. Ironing facilities are also available upon request from reception.
Computer Access – Need to book a flight ticket or research your itinerary? Le Village Montmartre has a computer which guests can use. Don’t hesitate to use the computer near the locker area.
Printing Services – The hostel also offers printing services for those who need it. Reach out to the person assigned in reception to know the latest rate.
Tour Desk & Ticket Service – Le Village Montmartre has an inhouse tour desk & ticket service. They offer airport transfers for a fee; they also offer Parisian Boat Cruise tickets for a discounted price. Make sure to check with reception which specific tours & tickets they offer.
24-Hour Reception – Guests arriving early in the morning or late at night don’t need to worry whether they can go inside the hostel or not. Reception is open 24 hours daily. Check-in starts at 3:00pm & check-out is until 11:00am.
Multi-Lingual Staff – The hostel’s staff speak many languages – French, Spanish, English & a few more. Guests who don’t speak French or English can still communicate with & ask questions to the staff at any time.
Daily Housekeeping – The hostel housekeeping checks & cleans the rooms & toilets daily. They make sure that the hostel facilities & rooms are kept clean & tidy.
Secured Hostel Access – The hostels doors are secured. Guests need to ring the doorbell so they can enter the hostel premises. Room access is limited to guests via their respective keycards.
The hostel doors. It is always locked & can only be unlocked by the person at reception. Secured!!
Lift Access – Le Village Montmartre has a small lift for guests who have big & heavy luggage & bags.
Hostel Experience
We had a nice stay at Le Village Montmartre. We won’t consider it eventful because we were out most of the time & we were only there to rest & sleep at night.
The hostel’s winning points are the price, the location & the excellent pre-booked breakfast. The hostel’s price for my 4-night stay was definitely the winner. It was the cheapest we got at the time, plus it even included the best possible cancellation terms. It was very cheap for an expensive city like Paris, France.
The hostel’s location was also a good selling point. It may be outside the main city & far from the other touristic place, but it is very accessible. It’s a few minutes away from Sacré-Coeur & Anvers Station of the Metro Line 2. It is also located in the lively & artistic district of Montmartre. Lastly, the pre-booked €6 breakfast was superb. It included croissant, pain au chocolat, baguette, butter, cheese, jam, yogurt, a cup of coffee (or tea) & a glass of juice. It was worth the price.
On the flipside, we wish the hostel had periodic activities which guests could join during their stay. We were there for 4 nights & we didn’t see anything happening. It doesn’t have to be a loud & chaotic party, but it can be something like a community dinner or games night where guests can join & meet other travelers. We’re sure many guests will be up for these activities.
Will I recommend Le Village Montmartre? Definitely! Will I go back & stay with them in the future? It’s a yes. You can never go wrong with this authentic & affordable hostel while in Paris. What are you waiting for? Go ahead & book directly with the hostel to enjoy the best rates!
Do you have any questions about Le Village Montmartre by Hiphophostels? Feel free to reach out to them on the following platforms:
Have you stayed at Le Village Montmartre in the past? How was your experience? Share your experiences in the comments section below. By any chance, are you planning to book your stay with Le Village? Do you have any questions about the property? Feel free to post them in the comment section. You may also send those questions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.
Thanks for joining me in today’s Hostel of the Day feature. Please also take time to check out my previous HOTD features by clicking this. Before you go, can you visit my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!
A few weeks ago, I shared with you my first ever flight experience with Emirates on their Manila to Dubai sector. I had a nice & smooth flight even though I didn’t sleep well on that overnight long-haul flight. Today, I will share with you my connecting Emirates flight from Dubai (DXB) to Paris (CDG) Charles de Gaulle on the Airbus A380 superjumbo. Join me in today’s flight report as we go into details on why this flight was an excellent one.
EMIRATES
Emirates commenced operations in 1985 from its home hub in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 37 years after, the airline is now one of the world’s biggest airlines. The airline is a subsidiary of the state-owned The Emirates Group. Most, if not all, of its flights depart & arrive from the massive Dubai International Airport Terminal 3.
The airline flies to over 80 countries & 150 destinations in the 6 habitable continents. It has a fleet of over 250 wide body aircraft with 200 more on order. The airline currently operates only Boeing 777 & Airbus A380 aircraft in their fleet; it is also the largest operator of both aircraft types. It makes use of Dubai’s strategic location in connecting people from all over the world.
Apart from its commercial division, the airline also has its cargo & corporate subsidiaries. Its cargo division is called Emirates SkyCargo, while its corporate & private subsidiary is called Emirates Executive. Emirates’ frequent flyer program is called Emirates Skywards. The airline is not part of an airline alliance but has codeshare & partnership agreements with airlines like flydubai, Qantas, United, Air Canada & a lot more.
Emirates is a full-service airline. This means that the airline offers services & amenities such as inflight meals & snacks & personal entertainment screens on every flight. All Emirates tickets also include check-in baggage allowance depending on the booking / ticket class where the passengers are booked.
I booked my Emirates ticket in January 2020 before all borders closed due to the pandemic. Back then, my ticket was from Hong Kong to Munich, Germany via Dubai & back to Hong Kong via Dubai from Budapest, Hungary. I wasn’t able to use this 2020 ticket, but I was so pleased that Emirates offered the most flexible airline ticket option.
Basically, they extended the ticket validity for 3 years & allowed passengers to rebook the ticket when they are ready to fly as long as there are seats available. The flights tickets should be used within the validity period. On top of this, they also allowed the passengers to change the airports of origin & destination as long as the airports are within the same Emirates region. Emirates also waived all fare difference, rebooking & change fees.
Fast forward to 2022, my friends & I decided to fly to Europe for a 3.5-week holiday. After getting my tourist visa from the Embassy of Italy, I called the Emirates hotline & requested for my ticket to be issued. I changed the airport of origin from Hong Kong to Manila (both in the Far East) & the airport of destination from Munich to Paris (both in Europe). My return flights were also changed from Budapest to Barcelona (both in Europe) & then back to Manila. I got my new ticket in less than 2 minutes after the Emirates agent confirmed my preferred flight schedules & details. The best thing was this new ticket didn’t cost me anything – no additional fees, change fees or airport taxes or whatever. It even included a 20-25 kilograms check-in baggage allowance from previously 15 kilograms.
Believe it or not, I only paid HK$4,039 or ₱27,072.73 for this return ticket. This ticket includes inflight meals, personal entertainment screens & even baggage allowance both ways. Compared to the usual tickets to Europe, this one didn’t cost much. Thank you, Emirates, for this flexible ticket. I know I’ve booked tons of cheap tickets in the past, but I believe this was probably the best-valued to date.
Travel Requirements
Last August 2022, France removed all pandemic-related restrictions & Covid-19-related entry requirements. This means that visitors only need to provide the usual entry requirements such as passport & visa (if needed).
Before the Flight
Emirates sent an e-mail & mobile application check-in reminder 48 hours before my scheduled flight to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The airline offers free standard seat selection during web or mobile check-in.
I already had my seats pre-booked at the time of booking this ticket so I didn’t bother checking or changing them during web check-in. I checked in for the flights to Paris immediately I received the check-in reminder. Take note that you will need your passport information & other necessary details to complete this early check-in.
Aircraft & Flight Information
This Dubai to Paris Emirates flight was operated by a 1-year-old (at the time of the flight) Airbus A380-800 aircraft. The aircraft, delivered to Emirates in December 2021, is equipped with 14 First Class seats on a 1-2-1 configuration, 76 Business Class seats on a 1-2-1 layout, 56 Premium Economy Class seats on a 2-4-2 configuration & 338 Economy Class seats on a 3-4-3 layout. The First & Business Class sections are located in the A380 upper deck, while the Premium Economy & Economy Class sections are found in the A380 lower deck.
This EK 073 flight to Paris departed Dubai International Airport on-time & landed at CDG Airport 15 minutes ahead of schedule. This smooth & non-turbulent flight only took 6 hours & 42 minutes.
Ground & Airport Experience
I already checked-in for my flight in Manila so I was at Dubai International Airport only for a good 3-hour layover.
DUBAI TRANSIT
Transiting in Dubai is easy. The airport is full of signs pointing passengers to where they should head next. After getting off the plane, I immediately went to the Connections area & looked for my next boarding gate. I cleared security & took the train from Terminal Concourse C to Terminal 3 Concourse A, where my flight to Paris will depart from.
DXB TERMINAL 3 CONCOURSE A MARHABA LOUNGE EXPERIENCE
My recently-acquired Security Bank Platinum Mastercard credit card (not sponsored) comes with 2 complimentary airport lounge access per year at any LoungeKey-affiliated lounge around the world. This is on top of the unlimited Marhaba Lounge access I have in NAIA Terminals 1 & 3 here in the Philippines. I used a complimentary pass & checked out the Marhaba Lounge at DXB Terminal 3 Concourse A.
Terminal 3 Concourse A’s Marhaba Lounge has plenty of seating & has complete food options – salads, sandwiches, breads, desserts & even fruits. Guests can also have coffee, tea, milk, juice & basic alcoholic drinks. The lounge toilets were clean & well-maintained. I arrived at the lounge during off peak hours so I enjoyed some quiet & relaxing time in it.
PRE-DEPARTURE
While at the lounge, Emirates notified me via the mobile application of the assigned boarding gate for my flight to Paris. The notification also included what time boarding will start & what time the doors will close. A few minutes, I got another notification advising that boarding was about to commence soon at our assigned gate. I finished my food, packed my stuff, left the lounge & walked to Gate A16.
The friendly Emirates ground staff welcomed me to the gate, even poked a joke that the flight I am about to take is going back to the Philippines & not France. They advised me to wait for our boarding group to be called & wished me a pleasant journey to Paris.
BOARDING
Boarding process commenced on time at 7:10am. First Class, Business Class & Skywards status holders were asked to board at their own convenience. Premium Economy Class passengers were asked to board the A380 lower deck first. Economy class passengers seated at the back went in the plane next. Passengers assigned at the front economy cabin boarded the plane last.
The boarding process took about 40 minutes & finished exactly at the flight’s scheduled departure time of 7:50am. The flight was almost full, so I won’t blame Emirates if the whole process took some time.
Inflight Hard & Soft Product
SEAT FEATURES
This flight from Dubai to Paris was operated by Emirates’ flagship Airbus A380-800 aircraft. This plane has 4 passenger classes – First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy Class & Economy Class. First class passengers have access to their own enclosed suite with a wide seat convertible to a lie-flat bed. According to SeatGuru, first class seats on Emirates have a seat pitch of 86 inches & a seat width of 23 inches. Business class passengers are seated in the upper deck business class cabin. Each business class seat can be converted into a lie-flat bed. This seat has a seat pitch of 48 inches & a seat width of 18.5 inches. All first & business class seats on the Airbus A380 have a 1-2-1 configuration; with all seats having aisle access.
Premium Economy SectionEconomy Class Seat
Premium economy seats on the Emirates Airbus A380 have a 2-4-2 industry standard layout. Each seat has 40 inches of legroom & 19.5 inches (an inch bigger) of seat width. The premium economy seats also offer a generous recline. These premium economy seats are found in the forward lower deck cabin. Economy class passengers on the A380 have access to a spacious 32 to 34 inches of legroom & a seat width of 18 inches. Economy seats have a 3-4-3 configuration & are located in the middle to rear part of the lower deck.
Economy class seats feature a touch-screen personal entertainment screen, a big tray table, a cup holder, a coat hook, a USB charging port, a seat pocket with Duty Free magazines & aircraft safety card, a shared universal power outlet (2 in a row of 3 seats), a pillow, a blanket, a pair of headphones & an adjustable headrest. Every economy class passenger also has access to spacious overhead cabins, individual reading lights & air vents.
I got window seat 57K for this flight; I was seated in the forward economy class cabin. The economy seats on the Emirates A380 are by far the most comfortable economy seat I’ve experienced in my years of flying. It offers spacious leg space & a comfortable seating experience.
ONBOARD BAR & SHOWER SPA
Emirates first class & business class passengers have access to an onboard bar & lounge area found at the rear upper deck of the plane. Here, the passengers can enjoy a glass of their premium drink of choice while having some canapes & chatting with their co-passengers or crew.
First class passengers also have access to an onboard shower spa. They can freshen up or even take a shower before they arrive at their destination. Please note that these facilities are only available to passengers flying in the premium classes & only on the Airbus A380 aircraft.
INFLIGHT MEALS
Emirates provides complimentary meals on all their flights. Passengers can access the inflight menu from the airline’s website as early as a week before the flight. They also have the option for passengers to request for or book special meals up to 24 hours before the scheduled flight. The airline doesn’t provide physical menus; instead, they ask passengers to access & browse the menus through their on-board portal.
Emirates offered 2 meals for this flight. 40 minutes after take-off, the crew went around & gave away continental breakfast to all passengers. They first served passengers who requested special meals, then distributed breakfast meals to the rest of the cabin. The continental breakfast meal has a fruit yoghurt, a breakfast cupcake, a cup of water & a choice between a blueberry Danish pastry or egg & cheese sandwich. It also comes with a drink of choice. Drink choices include fruit juices, tea, soda, wine, coffee or water.
Throughout the flight, the crew went around the cabin a few times to offer pretzels as snacks & water or juice as refreshments. Passengers can also request a snack or drink at any time.
2 hours before landing, the crew commenced lunch service. They distributed the special meals first, then followed by the regular meals. They offered 2 options for lunch – chicken in creamy mushroom sauce pasta & beef goulash. These meal options come with a roasted beetroot & couscous salad served with humous, an apple crumble with vanilla sauce for dessert, a bread roll, cheese & crackers, a cup of water, a granola bar & an Emirates-branded chocolate. It also came with a drink of choice – juice, tea, coffee, soda, beer, wine & other alcoholic drinks.
The meal offerings on this flight to Paris were tasty & of good quality. Also, the portions were big enough to fill the passengers’ tummies. These meals were one of the many highlights of this excellent flight.
INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
Emirates’ personal entertainment system, ICE, offers a wide selection of options to choose from. It has thousands of options to choose from; it has movies, television shows, documentaries, music albums & even games which you can play together with your seat neighbor. It even has region-specific movies & television shows. ICE also offers live television coverage of news channels like BBC World News, CNN International, Sports 24 & Sky News Arabia.
ICE also offers access to 3 aircraft cameras installed in the front, under & on the tail of the superjumbo aircraft. It also shows the complete flight & aircraft details & even has 2 kinds of moving flight maps. The airline indeed offers the best entertainment system in the skies – a system every airline in the world should copy.
The entertainment system on this A380 aircraft is probably Emirates’ latest. The entertainment screens are also equipped with Bluetooth connectivity. Passengers with Bluetooth headsets & earphones can connect their audio to the screens & listen from their own devices.
The entertainment screen on seat 57K was fast & responsive. I also noticed that the ICE on this plane offered more options compared to their 777 one I rode with to Dubai.
INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY
Emirates offers paid inflight wi-fi connectivity on their flights. Rates range from $4.99 – $16.99 depending on the type of use the passengers need. The cheapest onboard internet plan costs $3.99 & is only limited to messaging applications such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc.
I didn’t try this service during this flight; I don’t need to use the internet during this overnight flight. I think it would be nice if the airline offered complimentary but limited connectivity / data allowance at least for Emirates Skywards members like how Singapore Airlines offers to their Krisflyer members.
LAVATORY
The lavatories on the Emirates A380 were probably the most spacious I’ve seen in my years of flying. The lavatories had the usual amenities like tissue, hand lotion & perfume. The lavatory in the middle economy class section were kept clean & tidy throughout the flight.
CABIN CREW SERVICE
The cabin crew service on this flight was exceptional. The crew greeted me with their best smile upon entering the flight. One even helped me put my bag in the overhead compartment even if I didn’t need the help. The crew were friendly during the breakfast & lunch service; they also attended to the passengers needs one after the other. They also continuously offered snacks & drinks throughout the flight. Before deplaning, the same crew who welcomed me said thanks, bid goodbye & wished me a pleasant stay in Paris.
Disembarkation & Baggage Claim
The disembarkation process at Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport was quick, in order & efficient. Premium economy passengers deplaned first. Economy class passengers disembarked next. Immigration queues were fast.
Baggage claim took 20-30 minutes after I cleared immigration. This was due to the big volume of passengers & luggage onboard this superjumbo flight. On top of that, we arrived at the same time as another large Qatar Airways flight.
Final Thoughts
As the title says, it was an excellent flight with Emirates on their flagship Airbus A380 aircraft. Everything fell into place for this flight – from the time I entered the boarding gate, to the time I stepped into the aircraft & until disembarkation. I said this on my Manila to Dubai flight & I will say it again here. Emirates flight experience in economy class is worth the hype.
I have a long list of ‘likes’ for this flight. First, the ticket price was out of this world. Imagine flying 4 sectors to the other side of the world with baggage, meals & entertainment system included & in a modern & comfortable economy class cabin for only a little over ₱27,000 – it was definitely a steal! Second, the airline made sure that passengers in Dubai were informed of the real-time updates of the flight. They sent mobile application notifications where the assigned boarding gate is & when the flight is about to start boarding.
Third, Emirates offered world-class & modern economy class cabin on this Airbus A380 aircraft. The cabin was well-designed & even included wooden finishes from the lavatories to the tray tables. The seats were spacious & comfortable; it provided enough legroom & generous recline even with the 4-3-4 configuration. Fourth, the Airbus A380’s entertainment system had plenty of options to choose from. It was modern & very responsive; it even had Bluetooth technology for those who wanted to use their own audio pieces.
Fifth, the quality of food onboard this Emirates flight to Paris was exceptional. I know I raved about the beef tapa offered on my Manila to Dubai flight, but I seriously think the beef goulash & houmous served on this flight was on another level. The meals on this flight, particularly the lunch service, were delicious & full of flavors. The food portions were also bigger than the usual airplane food servings. So far, Emirates’ onboard food is worth raving about. Also, the meal service pace was just right – not too rushed & not too slow.
Sixth, the lavatories were clean & well-maintained throughout this 6-ish hour flight. The wooden finishes add to the class & premium feel of these lavatories. Seventh, the Emirates ground & cabin crew made a difference in my passenger experience from the time I arrived at the boarding gate up to the time I left the plane. They were all friendly, hospitable & very customer-oriented. Hats off to the crew on this EK 073 flight to Paris last 16 November 2022!
I know I’ve described this as an excellent flight, but I think Emirates still can improve on some aspects. First, I don’t know if it was just me, but my seat kept on going back to the normal upright position every time I moved towards the screen. I didn’t know how to keep it reclined for a long time. Second, it would’ve been nicer if the lavatories had additional amenities like toothbrush & toothpaste. Lastly, I hope the airline provides limited Wi-Fi access at least to Skywards members. The limited access could be something like 1 hour of free messaging or a consumable complimentary data allocation which passengers can use.
Overall, it was a fun first flight with Emirates’ Airbus A380 aircraft. I don’t mind flying the A380 every time; I hope that’s even possible. Thank you, Emirates, for this memorable flight! I already miss it & I can’t wait to fly with the airline again in the future.
Allow me to share the technical details of this flight to you:
Airline: Emirates Flight Date: 16 November 2022 Flight Number: EK 073 Route: Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB) to Paris, France (CDG) Duration: 6 hours & 42 minutes Seat Number: 57K (window) Aircraft: Airbus A380-800 Aircraft Registration: A6-EVR Engines: 4 x Rolls Royce Trent 972 Age (at the time of the flight): 1 year old Delivered: December 2021
Have you ever flown with Emirates on their Airbus A380 aircraft? How was your experience? I enjoyed my first ever flight with the superjumbo but I also want to hear about your experiences. Feel free to share them in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about this flight or the experience? You may also send your questions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.
Thank you for joining me in today’s Emiratesflight report from Dubai, United Arab Emirates to Paris, France. I hope you had an excellent time reading just like the flying experience I had with the global airline. This is just the start of our journey around Europe. Watch out for the upcoming posts regarding France, Italy & Spain. Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!
