Help with Paris hotel and possible Languish meet

[Brazen]

I'm off to Paris for work for a couple of days mid-June. Can any of you well-travelled Languishites help me find a business hotel near the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre for less than £100/€123 a night within walking or simple Metro journey distance? Or a useful website that would help me find such a thing?

Not sure we've got anyone thereabouts any more, but dinner and/or drinks one night would be a pleasant dustraction 

[Gups]

Trip advisor is usually good for that kind of thing.

[Richard Hakluyt]

This might help :

http://www.booking.com/searchresults.en-gb.html?aid=314919;label=villepinte-yP4dDTuMIUq2s5nYLKU7_wS10870141034;sid=e31eb8d3260c1d71d9ae8c0f75df6aa9;dcid=1;class_interval=1;inac=0;landmark=9938;redirected_from_city=0;redirected_from_landmark=0;review_score_group=empty;score_min=0;ss_all=0;ssb=empty;radius=20;order=distance

[Brazen]

Thanks! It seems we have a travel bureau which books these things and the only out-of-pocket expenses are subsistence, thank goodness. I get to specify "preferred" location and "preferred" hotel, under £100. You don't get much for that in Central Paris these days, despite the Euro taking a dive! My main concern is that if it's beyond reasonable walking distance in business attire, say a mile and a half, the transport each day could be a terrible faff.

[Oexmelin]

All hotels at "Le Blanc-Mesnil", "Villepinte" and even Charles-de-Gaulle Airport will have easy access to the Parc des Expos through the suburban train (RER B). Hotels at CDG will usually have shuttle to the train station. Avoid the Ibis at Villepinte.

[Brazen]

All hotels at "Le Blanc-Mesnil", "Villepinte" and even Charles-de-Gaulle Airport will have easy access to the Parc des Expos through the suburban train (RER B). Hotels at CDG will usually have shuttle to the train station. Avoid the Ibis at Villepinte.

That's the kind of insider info I was after, thanks! I've done the main touristy things in Paris, so is there anything to do/anywhere nice but affordable to eat (£20 limit) up that end of things, or is it an industrial wasteland, like round the equivalent London Excel Centre?

[Oexmelin]

At Villepinte proper, I only have been around the area, like thousands of people, for professional reasons... Thus, I have seen mostly utterly forgettable chains, über expensive hotel restaurants - sorry. I'd say your best bet is to catch the RER and go to Paris intra muros... 30 min to Gare du Nord.

[Duque de Bragança]

Won't be around in mid-June. I'll be in Paris during the long Ascension week-end and the last week of June.

As for Villepinte, as a true Parisian, I don't know anything about it nor do I want to know about it.

I don't know how good the RER B service is there up north since even I preferred the Air France coaches from Roissy CDG.
Very fast to Gare du Nord given no disturbances as said by Oexmelin and yes, Paris intra-muros über alles.

[Brazen]

Ah, so flying good, Eurostar bad for this particularly crappy part of Gay Paree, gotcha 

[Oexmelin]

Meh, it is not especially crappy, it is... artificial. At least the Parc des Expos. Make sure you are flying to Charles de Gaulle, if you are (i.e., Orly would be counterproductive). But, really, you can pick the least expensive option or the more confortable one, according to taste. Eurostar arrives at Gare du Nord. From there, it is simply a matter of going down one flight of stairs to the RER, and 30 min to Villepinte.

[mongers]

Meh, it is not especially crappy, it is... artificial. At least the Parc des Expos. Make sure you are flying to Charles de Gaulle, if you are (i.e., Orly would be counterproductive). But, really, you can pick the least expensive option or the more confortable one, according to taste. Eurostar arrives at Gare du Nord. From there, it is simply a matter of going down one flight of stairs to the RER, and 30 min to Villepinte.

Sounds nicely efficient.

So tell me, would I be taking my life in my hands if I intended to cycle across Paris ?

[Oexmelin]

It is a strange experience. On the one hand, it can be incredibly stressful, because cars and motorcycles arrive from all directions, and %$"/! pedestrians don't pay attention to the bike paths. On the other, car drivers are used to seeing lots of cyclists, and thus a) pay attention to them, and b) know how to behave around them. I cannot say the same thing about suburban US...

Also, bear in mind that "cycling around Paris" will take you 2 hours. It is a small, dense city.

[Ed Anger]

I cannot say the same thing about suburban US...

I like to hit bicycles.

[Duque de Bragança]

So tell me, would I be taking my life in my hands if I intended to cycle across Paris ?

15 years ago, yes. It has changed since then. You're not a Velib user I hope so the drivers will respect you more (hipstersVelib users are notorious for completely disregarding road rules).
Way lots more cycling paths now that when I was a kid. I'd recommend cycling as well in the Bois de Boulogne and Vincennes during daylight if you can for some green cycling.

[mongers]

It is a strange experience. On the one hand, it can be incredibly stressful, because cars and motorcycles arrive from all directions, and %$"/! pedestrians don't pay attention to the bike paths. On the other, car drivers are used to seeing lots of cyclists, and thus a) pay attention to them, and b) know how to behave around them. I cannot say the same thing about suburban US...

Also, bear in mind that "cycling around Paris" will take you 2 hours. It is a small, dense city.

Excellent, thanks for that.