Easter 3 day holiday to Paris (Newmarket Holidays Coach Tours)

Member Name: KD

Product:	Newmarket Holidays Coach Tours
Date:	14/04/09 (370 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: They got us there eventually

Disadvantages: Too many to list

Nothing short of shameful is Newmarket Holidays to Paris for Easter by coach. They have the nerve to call it a 3 day holiday; no it most definitely is not. It is 2 days of pure endurance testing through and through. If anyone can call a 12 hour journey to Paris by coach outward and 15 hours return (and we live in West London; my sympathies go to those who came in from Burton on Trent, Bedford and Milton Keynes who would be justified in adding at least a generous couple of hours each end to their travel times) then this is a case of of debating 'what exactly IS a holiday'??
Our first driver was abusive and threw a wild temper tantrum at Heston Services over his breakfast. The coach had travelled from out of town, (see above), to Wembley, to Ealing, to Uxbridge (for 9.20), to Slough (waited for 30 mins on the coach looking at the rain, for late passengers, who didn't show up), to Chiswick roundabout (yes, look at a map..) to go to Heston Services for our driver's breakfast, while being told this was the only stop before yet another pick up stop at Maidstone, so a last chance to pick up over priced supplies and a leg stretch which wasn't really needed at this stage. We thought we were going by ferry to France, but in fact were put onto the Shuttle at around 3.30pm.
So far, we had enjoyed a full day on UK motorways and rip-off service stations. The Shuttle was hideous. The coach is herded on, and there is no air to breath,apart from that breathed by 50 other people sitting in close proximity, the heat is unbearable, and for anyone with claustrophobic tendencies do not do this at any cost. I would rather swim.
We arrived at the Novotel at 8.00pm, the restaurant was closed, and there was no provision for this, leaving shattered though still reasonably optimistic passengers to fend for themselves around the local industrial estate, get a takeaway pizza, or go it alone into central Paris some 18kms away costing a questionable 60 Euros by taxi to get to the Eiffle tower. The RER train station is a 40 minute pleasant walk away, but no information about this was presented; we worked it out for ourselves.
Our guide, who claims to have been to Paris no less than 14 times had the knowledge of a one time day tripper, negative at best, and downright misleading ar worst and a mastery of the French language I would expect from a first year GCSE student with learning difficulties. Our 2nd driver on the France side had no idea where he was going, his satnav not working and a complete inability to read French Road signs. Is 'Paris-Centre' too difficult to figure out as a driver of a tour company? On the only night the coach party saw Paris (Easter Sunday) he got spectaculary lost trying to navigate back to the Novotel way out in the suburbs near Charles de Gaulle Airport. Our guide said it was 'quite frightening'... Please, Basra, Paris is not...
Yesterday, Easter Monday, we were herded back onto the coach at 9.30 to go to Monte Martre and the Sacre Coeur...via CDG airport (driver went wrong way) where our guide trilled that it might be nice to see this airport, but in her opinion a nightmare to travel through because of the distance between 2 terminals.. She obvioulsy has not enjoyed what our dear Heathrow has to offer. And, her opinion is not particularly of interest either.
Our now, somewhat flustered driver (though amiable enough) then proceeded to drive all the way around the south of Paris on the ring road, ignoring ANY sign which said 'Paris-Centre'. A well meaning passenger who happened to have his own satnav went down to help. But, damage done, we were heading for signs for 'Paris-Sud, Orly'!!(South Paris and Orly airport!!).
We finally end up at the Arc de Triomphe, go round it twice until he found the street he wanted to get us to Monte Martre. This left us with 1 hour 20 mins to go up the steps, see the basillica, go to the Place du Tertre (get a quicky portrait done while you're there), have lunch, and back on the coach at 1.30 to drive back to the UK.
There was no time to enjoy lunch, so takeaways were bought, and eaten on the now filthy, smelling coach, which got lost again, getting out of Paris (and another quick double take of the Arc de T). The air-con was random too.
Our guide tried to sell us a set menu meal 'with all the wine you could drink!' for 35 Euros, in cash, in advance to dine at a restaurant well known to her in the Latin Quarter for the Sunday night. We largely did our own thing anyway and did not take up the 'offer' only to hear that the wine was fit for French Fries only and the fact that you had to pay in cash in advance beggars the question of a litte earner being the reason why. We'll never know, or now care.
Our guide talked incessantly about buying or making time up, changing our stop times constantly, and the best bit was her concern that we might get 'bored' if we stopped at Monte Martre for too long. The old saying 'If you are tired of London you are tired of life' came mind, but this time with Paris in mind. How can 24 hours in Paris be a bore??
The return journey was one never to attempt to remember. We arrived home at 11..00pm (midnight in French time), and we were by no means the last to get home. Our thoughts and commiserations to those from out of town.
Never, ever will we consider this company again for anything. Take the Eurostar, fly, but do not do this trip by coach with Newmarket. This holiday was a birthday present from my mother and I feel angered that her well meant gift was nothing short of a rip off of the first order.

Summary: Shameful