Mosslings

Hi we are leaving San Sebastian in Spain on the 24th September and are flying out of Paris on the 29th.
We have a car and 3 boys aged 8,10,12.
Any suggestions on itinery or do we go straight to Paris?
I don't think museums and art galleries will be that thrilling for the boys.
Thanks

Michael

If you have never been to Paris, go straight to Paris. There is more to Paris than museums and art galleries. The boys might enjoy a ride on the tethered balloon in the Parc André Citroën. Or at the opposite end of the city, the Science museum which has age specific sections.

adrienne

Perhaps a guide book would be good so you can see that Paris (as most major cities) is not only museums and art galleries. Plus, there are all sorts of museums. How about the army museum with Napoleon's tomb? Or the catacombs? Or the Police Museum? The Sewers? Marine Museum? There's the Eiffel Tower, Arch of Triumph, lots of parks. Boat ride on the Seine.

JeffaimeParis

Paris? The Batoux Mouches boats on the Seine are a gas. Great way to see some nice sights, and the kids will love the boat ride. At night, the city is beautiful. There also are boat rides up the Canal St. Martin. Just wandering along the Seine is a trip, especially in the evening when so many people are outside there, playing guitars, having picnics, etc. Pack a lunch or dinner and have your own picnic on Pont des Arts, or in Parc de la Villette, or other great parks. In fact, Villette has some really cool sculptures, like Oldenburg's HUGE bicycle (twenty feet tall, arising out of the earth). The roof of the Arc de Triumph offers a great view, and the Tour Montparnasse rooftop is a great view of the city (even though the building is ugly): almost as tall as the Eiffel Tower, and very easy to get up to. No wait for either of these two rooftops. The view from in front of Sacre Coeur is marvellous, and free. Take the Metros. Walk the river and the parks. Watch men play petanque. Eat ham sandwiches bought from sidewalk carts. Go to Notre Dame and look up. Go to Saint Etienne du Mont and gawk at the spiral stair of the rood screen then picnic in the Luxembourg Garden. The churches are free and gorgeous. Have a gas.

DebitNM

While I LOVE the boat ride on Canal St. Martin; there is no way I would take 3 boys of that age on it. They would be bored in after the first lock.

bilboburgler

You mean miss Parc Asterix, Disney Paris, Canoeing on the Loire or Tarn, walking with a Donkey at Millau, bike riding along the Loire, kiting on the Bordeaux coast, small boat sailing in Paimpol harbour etc and instead waste their time in Musee D'Orsay looking at old paintings??

Very good question. If you were talking early September I might do a lot of the first type of thing, given the dates I might look at a bike tour of paris with Fat Tires (or Segway), and then start surfing Paris TI for fun things to do.

Mosslings

Thank you all for your Paris suggestions. Looking at distances I think we will need to stop one night on the way for our sanity too.

Coquelicot

I plugged Guedelon, Chateau de Rivau, and Puy du Fou into a Google maps route between San Sebastian and Paris. These are three places boys and parents might enjoy that could be visited on the way to Paris. You're going to need more than an overnight stop to break up that long road trip.

Guedelon is a castle being built with the techniques of the middle ages.

Puy du Fou is a theme park which appeals to kids, which might be an all-day stop. It gets rave reviews on TA.

I just heard about Chateau du Rivau and looked at its website. I can't tell if they have special events every day, but it does seem to be set up for kids' benefit.

That's not even mentioning the chateaux of the Loire. You'll be driving through a lot of France, with a chance to see some wonderful countryside and beautiful villages, but not if you stick to autoroutes.

I understand that your time is short, but allow yourself at least one stop that lets you see why France is one of the most visited countries in the world.

StCirq

If you are renting a car in Spain and dropping it off in France, it's going to cost you an arm and a leg.

Michael

I still think going directly to Paris is the best idea. If the OP wants to see France outside Paris, a day trip to Troyes, Provins, Chantilly, Fontainebleau, or Chartres should satisfy that need within the time frame given.

Mimar

But it is a long drive. Google Maps says 8+ hours. One or 2 overnights leaves little time for Paris. However, Vueling flies from San Sebastian to Paris for $93. If you haven't been to Paris, I'd consider this.