25 days in Paris with a 9 year old
 

Hello!

After spending 3 weeks in Greece, my family will be heading to Paris for almost 3.5 weeks. I have not been to Paris in almost 20 years and now going there to spend most days just with my 9 year old. For 4-5 days, I will also have my 13 year old and my husband.

So, given that I will be on my own with my 9 year old, my hope is to keep our stay in Paris very simple and slow paced. On most days, we will just do one tourist/planned activity and keep rest of the day open for wandering around, visit to parks or cafes, people watching etc. While most of our days will be in Paris, I also want to travel to Mont Saint Michel and Normandy area for 4-5 days (will rent a car just for this portion or will use train - undecided)

What I am confused about is: Should I book an apartment for the entire stay even though we are planning to be out of Paris for about 5 days? While this will definitely be very convenient, it means our entire stay in one arrondissement. I am tempted that we should book one apartment for the first ~10 days, move out and do a little road trip for ~ 5 days and then move into a second apartment for final ~10 days.

I also would love recommendations for which areas to focus. I am leaning towards Le Marais or Latin Quarter but until I book something, it’s all open!

Thank you!!

Splitting the stay makes sense, but I would choose the Quartier Latin and then maybe a neighborhood on the west side of Paris, perhaps the 15th arrondissement near the métro Dupleix. Or maybe stay in the 12th arrondissement near the Ledru-Rollin métro stop which is a less touristy area.

Hi there,
I would split the stays as you suggested too. If you rent a car, you could see so much on your way to Mont Saint Michel, like Lyons-la-Forêt picturesque village, then stop at Rouen and visit the memorial for Jeanne d'Arc alongside other fantastic sights in the area. Bayeux is also on the way!

Thanks, Michael ! For the Quartier Latin, do you know if the area around censier daubenton(rue de la clef) good? I will look into the 12th and 15th as well!

@deniseoliver86 - thanks for recommendations! I am bit nervous about the road trip but there are so many wonderful places to see, I have to do it. Looks like splitting the stay is not a bad idea :)

I'd definitely split the stay, also, and stay in two completely different places.

The area around Censier is great, I've stayed there a couple times.

With a 9 year old, I would choose the 19th arrondissement with the Parc de la Villette, the Buttes Chaumont, the Bassin de la Villette, the T3B tramway. If you are in Paris during the Paris Plages event, the Bassin de la Villette is by far the best place with zip lines, swimming pools, electric boats and all sorts of other things. Just about everything of interest to children of that age is in outer Paris. Once you have been to some of the museums and taken a boat on the Seine, central Paris is mostly of interest to the elderly.

A nine-year-old in Paris? 25 days? I would be on Klonopin and Zoloft. And vodka.

Thin🍸🔪

Getting an apartment makes a lot of sense. At what time of the year will you be in Paris? If in summer, there will be Paris Plages and if the weather is good, you can have Paris as a beach destination for your 9 y.o., with lots to do every day.
Also, in choosing a location, you might want to look out for facilities for your child (and their sibling) in addition to your own needs. Are there playgrounds, for instance? Things to do? A way your child could get your baguettes in the morning without having to cross the street for instance? Also supermarkets nearby, or a good market where you can buy food? Etc.

Done it with my son. We had a great time.

Exactly.

Boring for a 9 year old.

The Porte Dorée area of the 12th arrondissement could be good -- there's the Bois de Vincennes, rowboats, the zoo and the T3a tram to speed all over the place.

Another tip - Last time I went to Paris, we booked through booking.com and then we received a discount pass for many fun activities, and I think this would be perfect for you and your son - https://en.parisinfo.com/guided-tour...Paris-Generali, also cruise on Seine was only 7 euros

I actually have been on that balloon ride, be aware, it's not hot air balloon even though it's mentioned in some ads, and you see Eiffel Tower for only a few mins from a distance, but nevertheless, it's a great way to kill time with your 9-year-old.

One thing to consider if you don't want to drive in and out of Paris would be to take a TGV to La Rochelle then use the car only around the area to see the sites that interest you and take a TGV back.

A lot of what I would suggest would depend on your dates-summer, winter fall etc.

Great suggestions! Paris Plages, Bois de Vincennes, boat on the Seine - all seem like wonderful options! We will stay in the center for first half and then move to outer Paris (12th, 15th and 19th) apartments for the second half after our road trip.

@menachem, @jpie - we will be there this summer between mid-july and mid-aug .

I like the option of taking a train out of Paris and then renting a car, but I am also ok if I need to rent it in Paris. I will then find a rental place that’s away from the center.

What are some road trip (5 to 7 nights) itineraries that would allow us to visit Mont Saint-Michel and perhaps spend couple of nights close to ocean?

There is no reason to rent a car in Paris. The sights around Paris are readily accessible via public transportation, with perhaps the one exception of Vaux-le-Vicomte. But otherwise here, off the top of my head, is a list of places to visit via public transportation: Versailles, Rouen, Giverny, Chartres, Fontainebleau, Chantilly and more.

With 25 days... I definitely think you should go to the French Disneyland for the day.

I also think you might want to look for a Paris for Kids online guide or book. There's probably lots of new things to do that young parents have discovered that we haven't.

It sounds like you don't have work commitments in Paris. If that is true: I know it's absolutely nowhere near Paris itself--there's an area of France known for its caves. Some of the people who are regulars on this board occasionally post about it. Not just the cave paintings (which may not capture a 9 year old's attention anyway). But big caves with geological formations. My kids would have been all over that.

I have never been, so that's all I can tell you. The area is called the Dordogne.

https://www.northofthedordogne.com/caves.php

With a car, I would recommend making a trip to Pierrefonds, about 100km north of Paris.

Pierrefonds without Merlin | Any Port in a Storm