My wife and I are planning a trip to Paris in the early Fall of 2012 or spring of 2013. I was last there as a student 35 years ago. We are planning 4 days in Paris and then taking the train to spend 3 days in Caen where I went to school.
1. Can anyone recommend a couple of small hotels that are reasonably priced in any of the arondissments or are within a couple of blocks of the metro?
2. Are there some travel magazines or websites that cater to travellers like me who want to avoid the chain places and are looking for inexpensive ways to travel. I hope to be able to use my US Air FF miles for at least one ticket.
3. Are there any special deals on the French railroad (SNCF) that I should know about.

Thanks for any updates!