I went out to Melun (metro then train) to see Vaux le Vicomte chateaux. It is the chateaux that Versailles is based on. The tour is great because it gets into the history of the owner (who was the financier of Louis XIV) and the historical significance of the architecture and gardens. My friend was not excited about the tour because she lives in UK and has toured a million castles/chateaus. She loved it! It’s really a cool unique place that is historically significant.

(I’m a huge fan of the place and did a paper on it in college. It was a life dream to visit in person.)

Try the art museum at the Petit Palais. It's free, the building is amazing and when we went, it wasn't busy.

https://www.petitpalais.paris.fr/en

Musee de Cluny in the Latin quarter is wonderful; would be a good choice for a hot day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you have kids with you (and haven't done it yet), the Conciergerie was so well done. The kids had ipads they could use to see how different parts of it looked throughout time. It was so cool!

Is that the orangerie? Or something else that I’ve never heard of?

DP. No. It's an old castle/fortress/prison where Marie Antoinette was kept before she was executed. One of the last extant parts of medieval Paris.

It has a medieval great hall, a prison/jail, and a Marie Antoinette exhibit.

It's on the same island as Notre Dame and St. Chapelle. Tickets can be bundled with St. Chapelle.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you have kids with you (and haven't done it yet), the Conciergerie was so well done. The kids had ipads they could use to see how different parts of it looked throughout time. It was so cool!

Is that the orangerie? Or something else that I’ve never heard of?

Different. Former prison most famous for being the place where Marie Antoinette was held. Next to sainte-Chappelle.

We heard good things about the Dior experience if you want to book one thing and then spend rest of day wandering.

Anonymous wrote:If you have kids with you (and haven't done it yet), the Conciergerie was so well done. The kids had ipads they could use to see how different parts of it looked throughout time. It was so cool!

Is that the orangerie? Or something else that I’ve never heard of?

Shop in Le Marais

Anonymous wrote:We did a day trip to Reims and did some wine tastings. Veuve Clicquot is there.

I love Reims - especially with the cathedral - but think the tour is better at Pommery because of the art installations. Don’t prefer their champagne as much but any cafe can get you the tasting of the wines you prefer and their tour is the best IMO.

45 minute TGV ride - super easy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:but also just...walk, get some food, go shopping, walk across bridges. I like the 9th, 10th, 17th arrondissements, for wandering. Canal St Martin is still trendy I think.

This. Du Pain et des Idées is considered one of the top bakeries in Paris and less than a 5 minute walk from the canal.

Yes it's fantastic, and there are so many great places to eat and drink around the Canal. Also some great shops, including probably my favorite bookstore, Artazart.

There's an old bakery that has a chandelier made of bread. DD got a kick out of it.

In your shoes, id just wander...

Anonymous wrote:but also just...walk, get some food, go shopping, walk across bridges. I like the 9th, 10th, 17th arrondissements, for wandering. Canal St Martin is still trendy I think.

This. Du Pain et des Idées is considered one of the top bakeries in Paris and less than a 5 minute walk from the canal.

If you have kids with you (and haven't done it yet), the Conciergerie was so well done. The kids had ipads they could use to see how different parts of it looked throughout time. It was so cool!

catacombs are fun and cool (literally); my kids really enjoyed them but so did I.

carnavalet is lovely; many smaller museums are worth a visit: musee de la vie romantique in the 9th, musee guimet for asian art, jacquemart andree for 17-18th century, marmottan for impressionism, fondation louis vuitton, usually has spectacular modern and contemporary shows, plus great architecture.

but also just...walk, get some food, go shopping, walk across bridges. I like the 9th, 10th, 17th arrondissements, for wandering. Canal St Martin is still trendy I think.

for parks the buttes chaumont and then explore the 18th/19th, go to cafe charbon in the 11th, or a beer garden in the 19th. or go to the petite Parc Monceau and then walk around the 17th.

or go to the 5th arrondissement, rue monge/mouffetard, go to the cluny museum and the musee de l'histoire naturelle.

Anonymous wrote:If it's nice, go to Parc Butte Chaumont and have a meal or a glass at on of the spots in or next to the park. Or one of the less-touristy museums, like the Musée Carnavalet or the Musée de Cluny or the Rodin museum.

Yes Parc des Buttes-Chaumont is a great idea. Definitely go up to the top and make your way down if possible.