rmalansky

Hello! My husband and I are looking to travel to Paris for 3 days with our 12 year old and 8 year old. Looking for any and all recommendations of sights and food! thank you!

Gretchen

Just wondering--have you got a guidebook and have you looked at it for some ideas? Or have you looked at many past threads here asking the same question, and even including "young children" in the title for things for them to do. Or for "good food in Paris".

Gretchen

Hire Michael Osman for at least a day for a guide.

mamcalice

What are your interests and those of your kids? Museums? Parks? What kind of food? Michelin starred restaurants? Crepe places? Sidewalk cafes? There is a wealth of information on this forum that you can find by searching. And many of us who travel frequently to Paris can help if we know a little more about your interests. Be sure to schedule a Seine cruise - that should be fun for everyone.

rmalansky

Thanks everyone! We are interested in the big things (eiffel tower, mona lisa, museums) I just don't know the best way to tackle it all in 3 days. My daughter is also VERY interested in fashion, so she may want to see some fashiony things.

Thank you!

rmalansky

travelplan -your blog is WONDERFUL! thanks!

Gretchen

I'll say again, contact Michael Osman. He will make your trip memorable and maximize the short time you have. He will also know the "fashion" areas. When we were with him we were interested in vintage clothes. He is excellent with kids of all ages--should be a teacher (I told him!!)

StCirq

Also pull out the guidebooks and maps and make a plan. Without one, 3 days will go by before you know it with lots of time wasted standing on streetcorners looking at a map or fiddling with apps to determine where you are. Familiarize yourself with www.ratp.fr and www.parisbytrain.com so you don't waste time shuffling around on the ground trying to figure out how to get around the city. Get the kids involved in planning. Make sure you research the opening days/hours for the things you know you want to see. On your map of Paris, figure out how to group things the most logical way so you don't zig-zag around the city.

PalenQ

Having taken my son several times to Paris when he was those ages (he lived near Paris but rarely went there unless I took him!)

some of the things he loved:

Taking the metro - going thru the turnstiles - I taught him to direct us by looking at where each tunnel was taking you - the last place on the list would mean 'ligne 6 directions Place d'Italie and have them coordinate on the metro map

He loved riding the "RER Doubles" - double-decker RERs like on line C along the Seine

Operating those toy boats in a pond in the Tuileries - something lots of Frenchfamilies love having their kids do

bien sur going all the way up to the third floor of the Eiffel Tower

glace - as they call ice cream - sold in storefronts - 'deux boules' - two scoops was a minimum - three boules a delight.

He loved the catacombs and egouts (sewer tours) though if claustrophobic forget the catacombs - all the skulls and bones fashioned into walls were awesome to him

So plan also from a kid's point of view - and climbing the towers of Notre-Dame Cathedral on ladders at the last part and seeing the Grand Bourdon (sp?) the huge bell and other bells up there.

And taking the series of escalators up the vfront of the Pompidou Center also a thrill.

Have a good time and do things everyone will like plus some mandatory boring things for kids - like the Louvre just because they 'should' have the experience of say seeing the Mona Lisa (La Jaconde).

And yes a Seine boat cruise or one on the canal to La Villette

LaVillette itself offers a Science Museum that has hands-on things for kids.

PalenQ

https://www.google.com/search?q=aqua...=1600&bih=1074

Aqua Boulevard is phenomenally popular with French families - right near the Eiffel Tower - could leave the kids there for a while if you want to do something adults may only like.

MonicaRichards

Here is our trip report with our kids to Paris in August, girls ages 9 and 11 then: http://rovingrichards.com/travel/france-2012/paris/

nytraveler

Boys or girls or ??? A 12 year old girl may have very different interests than an 8 year old boy. We went with 11 and 14 year old daughters and things they loved (Cluny Museum, Bon Marche) would probably bore an 8 year old boy. And they would have turned up their noses at sewers or toy boats. (And escalators are esclators - how is that a thrill? Maybe for a very naive 8 year old - but not for tween/teens used to Macys and Bloomies etc))

You may find it helpful to split into two pairs for some sights/items - depending on kids interests.

PMelo

I found this page before i visited paris and it was really informative. maybe you will get some ideas as well:
http://www.timeout.com/paris/en
montmartre is a must!!