And finally, here is the essential information and a few tips:

Train time: 2 hours 15 minutes or more depending on stops.  You need to check in at least 30 minutes before departure.

Passport info: If you have a UK passport you don’t need any visa etc.  If you are travelling with children other than your own it’s quite hard to get accurate information about what is needed. The French government office advise a letter from the parents, but didn’t ask for it, Eurostar advised that I didn’t need anything, as did the UK Border Agency - but it was they who asked for the letter when we were coming back into the country!  Take a letter from the parents to be on the safe side.

Vaccinations: None needed - however it is always worth checking with the NHS website, as they give up to the minute advice.  It’s also worth taking the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which is free.

Currency: Euro

Time zone: usually 1 hour ahead of London time

Drinking water: Most water in Europe is pretty safe to drink, so you can enjoy ice in your drinks and brush your teeth with the tap water, but I would always recommend drinking bottled water - just because it takes anybody time to adjust to a new water system - and you don’t want that time to be on your holiday!

Language: French.  Most people in hotels, restaurants and spas speak very good English.

Safety: We didn’t have any problem at all with safety or security.  There is a safe in the hotel, and most of all, trust your instincts especially in areas like the Eiffel Tower and Sacre Coeur where I’ve found the most aggressive hawkers.

For a great sunset view: We saw the most incredible sunset as we were coming home in the cab, anywhere along the Seine would be magnifique!

The guide book: For a short trip the DK Eye Witness pocket guide and map is perfect!

Getting around: A carnet or book of 10 transport tickets is great value and you can even buy them on the Eurostar to avoid having to queue at Gare du Nord.  One ticket is a single RER, metro or bus journey.  Just be careful that you are not trying to go through a transport pass only turnstile - there’s a lot of them particularly at the Gare du Nord!

The RER is considered a bit seedy and there have been various incidents recently but it’s still pretty safe centrally.  The metro is in constant use and I’d go on this centrally at any time.  The metro 1 line will take you swiftly from La Defense to Hotel de Ville and onwards, although some of the other lines are a bit slow and clunky.  I try to walk wherever possible and the bus is also great as many of them have maps and announce each stop as you arrive!

But I still recommend the Batobus, and you can get a tourist bus ticket with this (although it is a bit expensive).  They also do extended 2 day passes and so on which make the tickets a much better deal overall.

Taxis are also cheaper than London (although that’s not saying much!) so they are often worth it to avoid a tricky metro change or just if the kids are tired!  If their signs are all lit up they are free, if the side lights are on they’re in use.

Tips for kids: Many of the main attractions are free for kids under 18 and 18-25 year olds get concessions too, which makes visiting the Louvre or going up the Arc de Triomphe a great deal for a family!

Tipping: In Paris it’s usual to just round up or leave small change for a tip, whether it’s a taxi or a cafe.  As a result English tourists sometimes get the best service in cafes because we are used to tipping 10-12.5% in restaurants in the UK.  If it’s bad service I don’t leave a tip, and I round up generously for great service - our taxi driver or our waitress at Le Flore En L’Ile.