Book a fat tire bike tour to versailles. This was my kids favorite activity in Patis. They also liked the smallish museum. Picasso... They really loved staying in an apartment and going to get bread and pastries every morning. We let them go by themselves and after a few days the shop keepers knew them and said bonjour. We stayed in the 7th which we love but have also stayed in the Marais which is also kid friendly.

Versailles is great for kids - the garden mazes, crazy topiaries, Marie Antoinette's dollhouse village, etc. you can rent bikes too to get around the gardens (highly highly recommend - the gardens are huge and plus biking around there is just amazing). There's also this riverside walk thing in Paris that is newish. There are ship containers that are 'hang out' rooms that you can rent for free by the hour (the city runs them). There are also play areas around there which kids like a lot too. Forgot what that area is called but you can look it up. Very cool way to spend an afternoon with kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are good travel guides for Paris with kids specifically. You'll want to rent an apt instead of staying in a hotel. It will make the visit much more enjoyable.

Why do people insist that an apartment is more enjoyable than a hotel? In some locals maybe, in Paris I don't think it is always the case.

We've done both, and strongly prefer apartments because they afford way more space when traveling as a family. Unless you can afford the highest end hotels, there usually isn't enough room for more than 2 people, unless it's an infant. My 10yo obv. won't fit in a crib & booking a second hotel room is so much more expensive than just renting a flat. Plus, I love going to markets and being able to buy awesome, fresh ingredients and having access to a way to cook them. We usually stay at least a week, and honestly, I get sick of eating one type of cuisine 3x per day. Even if it's French.

Agree - we had a much better vacation when we stayed in a 2 bedroom apartment. We were getting on each other's nerves in the hotel and sick of eating out every meal.

OP- There was a fire in August at Cite des Enfants/Sciences, so check to make sure it's reopened. One thing our kids loved that hasn't been mentioned yet was the Jardin d'Acclimatation in the Bois de Boulogne. Kids had a blast and we spent almost the whole day there. You could also go to Disneyland - you can take the RER train directly there.

The Jardin de Luxembourg is also really nice. Musee D'Orsay is great.

BTW - a PP mentioned going to London, but we were in Paris for 10 days and were never bored - we could have easily stayed a month. There's plenty to do.

There was an article in late August or early September in either the wall st journal or ny times about day trips from Paris- castles and things. It seemed really interesting- you may want to look for it.

Giverny/Claude Monet's gardens...not a boy but I did love it as a kid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are good travel guides for Paris with kids specifically. You'll want to rent an apt instead of staying in a hotel. It will make the visit much more enjoyable.

Why do people insist that an apartment is more enjoyable than a hotel? In some locals maybe, in Paris I don't think it is always the case.

We've done both, and strongly prefer apartments because they afford way more space when traveling as a family. Unless you can afford the highest end hotels, there usually isn't enough room for more than 2 people, unless it's an infant. My 10yo obv. won't fit in a crib & booking a second hotel room is so much more expensive than just renting a flat. Plus, I love going to markets and being able to buy awesome, fresh ingredients and having access to a way to cook them. We usually stay at least a week, and honestly, I get sick of eating one type of cuisine 3x per day. Even if it's French.

Anonymous wrote:There are good travel guides for Paris with kids specifically. You'll want to rent an apt instead of staying in a hotel. It will make the visit much more enjoyable.

Why do people insist that an apartment is more enjoyable than a hotel? In some locals maybe, in Paris I don't think it is always the case.

There are good travel guides for Paris with kids specifically. You'll want to rent an apt instead of staying in a hotel. It will make the visit much more enjoyable.

Male poster here. My parents took me to a Paris brothel when I was 10. I recommend you do the same.

Take the train to London. Don't stay in Paris for ten days. Fly into Paris, spend one or two days in the city, head out to the country, head to London (easy train ride). Two days in London then head out to the country (even if just a daytrip to the Cotswolds, Stratford upon Avon, oxford, etc.). Fly home from London.

Here is what we did:

Napoleon's tomb (Les Invalides) and the military museum (We were there all day)

The catacombs (a must do)

The sewers (another must do)

Art museums: Promised I wouldn't drag him through. Went to Louvre in the evening (open one or two nights a week) and hit the highlights, which was much easier without the usual crowds.

Day trip by train to Versailles (unexpectedly big hit)

Night boat ride on the Seine (Eiffel Tower is lit up)

The more usual: Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, St. Chapelle (stained glass window are impressive), Montmartre.

The Pompidou modern art museum, the Rodan, Montmarte walking tour, Dali musum

Catacombs, cite de la musique, cite des sciences, aquaarium, musée d'évolution (right near bug and gem museums, too), military museum (boats and guns and planes!)

Buy eurostar tix now and take at least a day or overnight to London. At the very least go to the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace (try to catch the changing of the guard or the queens horsemen).

Catacombs - wall of skulls
Bastille

My DH was asked to speak at a conference in Paris so we decided to make a little vacation out of it.

I would appreciate suggestions what to do with the kids during the day.

I have the Louvre, Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower on our list. Anything else we should not miss???


TIA