Let’s Talk About Our Weekend in Paris: Why You Should Travel by Eurostar
If you’re planning a trip to Paris, this is your sign to take advantage of Eurostar’s flash sales. I highly recommend signing up for their marketing emails to stay updated on these deals – that’s how I discovered the one we used for our trip. For this particular weekend, it cost just £35 for an adult ticket and £35 for a child one-way. On the return, it was £35 for the adult and £34 for the child – pretty reasonable in my opinion.
Although flying is often cheaper and faster, there are definitely advantages to traveling with Eurostar, especially when traveling with kids. The experience is far less stressful than flying – no need to arrive three hours before your departure or scramble around trying to find your gate. It’s a much more relaxed way to travel, and you don’t have to worry about the 100ml liquid rule.
Another perk? You can choose your seats for free through the app. Eurostar is also a great option for families with kids under four, as they can travel for free as long as they sit on an adult’s lap (though it may not be the most comfortable option, it’s a good way to save money).
One more thing I love about Eurostar is that passport control is done before you even board the train, meaning no long queues when you arrive at your destination. There’s also no weight limit for your luggage, which is a big win. And while I’m not claiming to be the Queen of sustainability, it’s worth noting that traveling by train is much better for the environment compared to flying.
The only downside to our Eurostar journey was the Wi-Fi, which was honestly terrible. While it’s no big deal to go without internet for two hours, I thought it was worth mentioning. If you’re someone who enjoys watching films or scrolling through TikTok while travelling, be sure to download everything in advance.
We took the Eurostar from St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord, and the journey was just over two hours. It ended up being a bit longer due to speed restrictions, but we knew we’d be arriving after dark as we travelled on a Friday evening and returned on Sunday evening. Still, we had plenty of time to explore Paris.
At the station, I bought a three-day travel pass (Paris Visite package), and it was incredibly easy. Just change the machine’s language to English and follow the instructions. We got the pass for zones 1 to 3, which cost €30.90 for adults and €15.45 for kids aged 4-11. This was much cheaper than using Uber everywhere, so I highly recommend it. The pass covers all transport networks, including metro, tram, bus, RER, and train (SNCF Transilien). While I bought the tickets at the station, you can also get them on your phone.
I chose this hotel primarily for its price and proximity to Paris Gare du Nord. It turned out to be a great location—just an hour from Disneyland Paris, about 30 minutes from the Eiffel Tower, and conveniently located near a metro station, supermarket, and fast food options. It was definitely a good spot for our weekend stay.
For two nights, I managed to book a hotel for just £54, thanks to Hotels.com’s rewards system, which recently switched to One Key. With One Key, members can enjoy Member Prices and earn or use OneKeyCash on eligible bookings, making it a great way to save.
We stayed at the Best Western 11BAUER Paris St Ouen. Based on the photos and reviews, I thought it would be a decent choice. However, when we arrived and saw the exterior, I thought I had made a huge mistake! Thankfully, I was wrong. Check-in was quick, and the staff were incredibly friendly, which I really appreciated. In less than five minutes, we were given our room key.
Our room was lovely, though there were a couple of small negatives. First, the room had carpet, which I’m not a fan of, but it wasn’t a major issue. The toilet roll was also quite poor quality, but again, not a dealbreaker. The room itself was clean—I made sure to inspect it thoroughly as I always do. We had a large queen-size bed, which was very comfortable, and the pillows were fantastic.
The only other downside was the lighting in the room, which wasn’t the best, but it didn’t ruin the experience. Our room had tea and coffee-making facilities, storage for clothes, a TV, a shower, toilet, sink, hairdryer, and towels—everything you’d expect for a basic stay. One surprise was the view from our room. When we arrived in the evening, I didn’t notice, but the next day I realised we were directly opposite a cemetery. Not exactly the best view, but since we didn’t choose the hotel for its views, it wasn’t a big deal. We were there to explore Paris, and for that, it was perfectly fine.
Using Apple Maps, navigating Paris’s transport system was a breeze. I just searched for where I wanted to go, and it guided me effortlessly. Despite having been to France and Disneyland Paris many times, this was actually our first time in the city of Paris itself, so it was exciting to finally explore. My daughter has been begging me to see the Eiffel Tower for years, and we finally got to tick it off the list. Since we visited in the evening, we got to see the tower all lit up and sparkling, which was magical.
Here are the details: Every evening, the Eiffel Tower is illuminated with its golden lights and sparkles for five minutes every hour, on the hour. When the tower closes at 11:45 pm, the lights are switched off completely, and the final sparkle show happens at 11:00 pm. During the summer and French holiday periods, the tower stays open until 12:45 am, with the last sparkle show happening at 1:00 am. It’s truly a stunning sight, and I’m so glad we got to experience it.
If you’re looking for the best spot to view the sparkling Eiffel Tower, I recommend checking TikTok for suggestions. There are plenty of different perspectives shared by people.
On our second day in Paris, we used public transport to get to Disneyland Paris. Since it’s October and Halloween season, it was the perfect time to visit if you’re into spooky fun! I’ve written plenty of blog posts about Disneyland Paris, so if you want more details, check out the “All Things Disney” category on my blog.
However, I’ll share how we got to Disneyland Paris and how much it cost. As mentioned earlier, we had a 3-day travel pass for zones 1-3, but since Disneyland Paris is in zone 5, we needed to buy additional tickets. From our hotel, we walked to Mairie de Saint-Ouen and took the M14 line to Gare de Lyon. At Gare de Lyon, we used the ticket machine to purchase tickets to Disneyland Paris, which cost €5 for adults and €2.50 for kids under 10 (one way). From there, we took the RER A, and the journey was about 39 minutes, which wasn’t bad at all. The end station, Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy, is located directly opposite the entrance to Disneyland Paris, so it’s super convenient. If I could do it, you can too!
Now, if you’re considering taking the Eurostar directly to Disneyland Paris, unfortunately, that’s no longer an option. Instead, you’d need to get off at Paris Gare du Nord and take the RER B or D to Châtelet-Les Halles, where you can then transfer to the RER A straight to Disneyland Paris. I didn’t take this route, so I’m not sure about the exact cost, but it seems like a straightforward journey. According to Apple Maps, the trip should take around 45 minutes, but I recommend researching ticket prices ahead of time.
On our third and final day in Paris, we started with breakfast at Paris-Brest, where I grabbed a cappuccino and two croissants for £5.62. Not too bad! We had originally planned to go to Lidl, but when we arrived, their bakery section was almost empty. That’s how we ended up at this café, and I’m glad we did because the croissants were delicious.
Later, we attended a cool workshop I found through the Fever app called “Kids in the Kitchen in Paris: Croissants.” As you probably know by now, we love interactive classes like this, so it was a no-brainer. It was easy to find, but not the cheapest experience—€130 for kids and €140 for adults. Initially, I didn’t plan on participating, but since the class required two or more people, and no one else had booked, I signed up as well. I really wanted my daughter to have this experience. It’s €35 to sit there and watch so you might as well get completely involved.
The croissant-making class was held in someone’s apartment, which looked a bit sketchy from the outside, but once inside, it was lovely. I had read reviews beforehand to ensure it was safe, and I’m glad I did because the instructor was wonderful. I feel terrible for forgetting her name, but she made the class enjoyable and conducted it in English (since we don’t speak French). She was attentive, especially towards my daughter, and took hygiene very seriously.
During the class, we made both croissants and pain au chocolat—two things we had never tried making before. I know for a fact I wouldn’t attempt these at home, as they are too messy, and everyone knows I don’t like mess! These workshops are perfect for giving my daughter these hands-on experiences without me having to deal with the cleanup. Plus, how cool is it to say you made croissants in Paris? Definitely something to brag about, haha!
We made the dough from scratch, shaped the croissants, and assembled the pain au chocolat. The instructor also offered tea, coffee, and other refreshments, making it a really lovely experience. Of course, we got to eat what we made, which was the best part! I would highly recommend this class if you’re visiting Paris. All the details for this workshop can be found here.
The old me would’ve packed the last day full of activities, but now I feel like the one activity we did was more than enough—and honestly, I was just tired. We spent some time walking around Paris and got to see the Eiffel Tower during the day, which was a nice contrast to the sparkling night view. One fun thing we did that I saw on TikTok was take the M6 train from Bir-Hakeim to Passy for a beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower. It’s a cute and easy way to catch another glimpse of the tower from a different perspective.
After that, it was time to head back to the hotel to grab our luggage and make our way to Paris Gare du Nord to catch the Eurostar. The station was easy to navigate—just follow the signs. Of course, we had to go through passport control again, but the great thing is once you arrive back in the UK, it’s straight off the train with no passport control on that side. Super convenient!
It was a really lovely weekend, and if you ever come across a Eurostar flash sale, I highly recommend taking advantage of it. This was such a reasonably priced weekend getaway, and I can definitely see us doing it again in the future.
Sounds like a worthwhiled weekend.
Author
Absolutely. We love it 🙂