disneymom

We have a layover in Paris arriving 10:30 am one morning, and leaving the next morming at 11:30. We have a 8 and 10 year old, what should we take them to? My thought are going by the Eiffel Tower, into Notre Dame. Is there a city tour that would be good to hit the highlights, or are we better walking and using mass transit?

hellokittie

Take a boat ride on the Seine, Eiffel tower, walk up and then take the elevator. Eat pain au chocolat at the tower's snack bar. Get souvenirs. Visit a beautiful bakery for treats to eat on the boat ride--bread, croissants, cakes; eat crepes at a side stand. Go to the top of the
big department store--cannot recall name right now--which has a beautiful roof deck with great views. Arch de triomphe...you will not have time for all of this. Must take the metro.

mari5

You had the same question in two different posts and I responded to the first one. Sorry. This one gives the ages of your children.
You really don't have much time, but some good ideas were suggested.

A city tour is always a good idea to get an over view of a city in a short time. Cityrama !. I wonder if they are in Paris as in most cities.
The view from the top of the dept. store mentioned by "hellokittie" is/WAS wonderful...360 degrees with metal markings. BUT I believe that hasn't been there for the past 3 or 4 years...UNLESS one has opened up again. It was Samaritaine Dept Store.!
For such a short time, I wouldn't spend a minute underground in the metro,, unless you just want the "experience" and need to get from place to place fast. And you might not have time to spend (in lines) with the Eiffel tower, exept to look at it..perhaps even going right to it, but not "up' it.

The city tour sounds like a great solution!
Your children are at good ages..(we moved overseas for 5 years when our children were ages 7,8,10...and it was a great time!and lots of fun)

I'm curious as to where you are "off to" after Paris?

Graziella5b

I think a better idea would be to take the Batobus, that is a boat that is like a tour, but allows you to get in and off at 8 great places. Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame are included.
Navettes BATOBUS : www.batobus.com
You can have a ticket that lasts one or two days and also have a ride at night when all buildings are lighted.

hellokittie

Galeries Lafayette is the department store with the beautiful roof; the store itself is magnificent.

The boat rides are narrated while the batobus is not; you can do the boat ride at night and enjoy the illuminated city. Find one that has an english narration, most do.

My 12 yo loved the metro--especially the cars which you open from the outside yourself.

Christina

I think these are all pretty good ideas for half a day (which is about all you've have. I think kids will like the Eiffel Tower. Not sure they'll be thrilled with Notre Dame, but it is definitely an important landmark and historical part of the city. I think maybe just walking around that area and the islands would be okay. Cityrama is in Paris (near place de la Concorde), but I think maybe they'd rather do an open-top bus tour, if this is in good weather. There are two of those companies and you can get on and off as you wish, at the important landmarks. I would probably lean towards that myself, rather than Cityrama. There is Open Tour and Cars Rouges, both have websites. A boat ride also sounds good.

Samaritaine is closed, but there is rooftop view from Galeries Lafayette store, I guess folks didn't consider it as grand. I wouldn't spend my limited time doing that at all -- even if Samaritaine were open, I wouldn't do that.

mariebut

I think hellokittie may be referring to Tour Montparnasse

Graziella5b

If they were my children I would definitely take them to Notre Dame. One can be surprised with the appreciation of young children....each person has different choices, I would also prefer the Batobus with out the narration instead I would tell them something in advance and would replace the boat 's narration with my own narration trying to reach them in a better way.
(I know this is silly but they might even have seen the Walt Disney version of Victor Hugo 's hunchback of
Notre Dame....)

kwcm

another suggestion (which if you are purely walking and not stopping takes about 1.5 hr at leisure pace) is to start around the Ile Saint - Louis and walking along the river, through the Paris Plage, past Pont des Arts, through the square where the Louvre is, into Jardin des Tuileries, onto Place de la Concorde, and onto Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomph

Gretchen

I would not waste hours waiting to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. But do go, of course. I think the Batobus is a good idea. The hop on and off bus tour would be a good idea too, and you can cover several different parts of paris. I would prefer that over Cityrama.

disneymom

Thank You! I will definitely research the ideas, especially the Batobus. We will be heading home after Paris, as we would have just spent a week in Marbella Spain. Back to the big D, Dallas, Texas for us, can't get too much more different from Paris. Thanks again, I really appreciate all the help!

Vttraveler

If you do go to Notre Dame (and I definitely would) I recommend climbing the tower. That way you see the gargoyles and the bell and get a good view of the city.
The PBS show based on David Macaulay's Cathedral is a great to watch in advance--it has a story line of the building of a gothic cathedral plus footage of actual cathedrals including ND (or you can read the book)
After ND I'd go to Bertillon for great ice cream and a walk through Ile Saint Louis

I would also take some kind of boat trip on the Seine.