Magical Night in Paris???
 

Any suggestions (besides touring the illuminated Eiffel Tower and seeing Moulin Rouge) of something fun to do in the evening in Paris. Having a birthday and wanted to celebrate with my girls. Thanks

How old are your girls? Not that their ages matter at all, I would skip the Moulin Rouge. It is widely considered here and elsewhere to be a tourist trap. You can search this forum and find plenty who would not go near it. But a nice dinner and then a boat ride on the Seine would be nice. Depending on the time of year you will be there, the boat ride could be either before or after dinner.

IMHO Moulin Rouge is a tourist trap and not worth the money.

Depending n the girls and their interests you might want to

Do a boat ride on the Seine after dark (and a nice dinner)
Go to the ballet or a concert
Got to one of the file festivals that Paris is often full of (typically films are shown in the original language - with subtitles) We went to a Mar Brother triple show once - I love them and was in heaven

I'm not sure how old your girls are, but my family of six (4 teenagers 13-17 at the time) loved the evening Fat Tire bike tour. We saw the sun setting at the Louvre and took a nighttime boat ride down the Seine, watching the Eiffel Tower illuminate and sparkle from the river. Seeing all the beautiful architecture and lights from the river was amazing. Plus we were moving, not waiting in lines or sitting in a restaurant so the kids were completely engaged. After returning we went out for dessert. It was truly a memorable night. Plus we met other folks on the ride from all over the world which is always fun.

I would also recommend a ballet at the Opera Garnier IF they have been to the ballet and like it, girls who are taking ballet often are. Otherwise, don't go if they don't as it will be long and expensive. Looking at their calendar, they don't have anything in mid-March, anyway, though (no ballets).

I actually think the concept of magical with young girls out in the evening is a real challenge. Something fun and special would be a more realistic target.

I will suggest having dinner in the top of the Montparnasse Tower. At least that is something you can do with your girls, and at night, the view is really nice, also you can walk totally around the building at the top, and see it from different angles. That restaurant is a bit pricey, but I don't think that is an issue to you. It's not that bad. I think it makes more sense than dinner in the restaurant IN the Eiffel Tower as you can't see it when inside it, and that restaurant is really expensive. The restaurant is called the Ciel de Paris.

But I think their window seats are really suited to couples, not a group, so not sure that would really be special if that's true and you just sit more in the interior. You can still look at the windows before/after in the top room, of course, but you can do that without paying for dinner. The Menu Balcon is 68 euro and the best deal as it doesn't include champagne as the more expensive one does, or wine. You can reserve online and even pick your table by a plan and it does seem there are some 4-person tables by the windows.
here
http://www.cieldeparis.com/fr/reservations.html
You can try to get the concierge at your hotel to make that reservation for you, of course--actually, it could be too late to get reservations in a restaurant like that for mid-March, not sure.

The Beauty and the Beast musical is playing at the Theatre Mogodor in the 9th arr. It is in French, however. This is like the Broadway show. This is their website http://www.labelleetlabete.fr/

I would have said the circus (Cirque d'Hiver) which would be fun and different, but there is no show in midMarch.

Those are the best ideas I could come up with that are anything more than the usual (like a movie and dinner): Ciel de Paris dinner or Beauty and the Beast musical in French.

http://www.fodors.com/news/photos/20...-bateau-mouche

I wish we had done this.

Don't just look at The Eiffel Tower, have dinner IN The Eiffel Tower
http://www.lejulesverne-paris.com

Then go on a boat ride on the Seine. Can't top that.

I think all of these ideas are far better than taking a 7 year old to see topless dancing at the touristic Moulin Rouge.

Our most magical night was dinner at Les Ombres. The Eiffel tower lights go on and with the glass ceiling its just spectacular. We took our 21 year old daughter and had a fabulous dinner.

that sounds great (Les Ombres). Actually, even though the dinner Seine boat rides are expensive food and not gourmet for the money, I think that would be special and worth it, and appropriate for this group, which is more difficult to find. I might have forgotten, but I think the OP's girls range from about 8 to 15 in age.

I had forgotten about the Seine dinner boat rides, that sounds like a good idea. The lights are beautiful and it will be fun. You have to check the age range allowed, I think some of those don't want kids under age 12 on the dinner cruises. And in March, at least it will be dark fairly early. There are several:

This one is 99 euro at 8:30 and doesn't mention age restrictions (I took a regular cruise with them and they were good):
http://www.bateauxparisiens.com/dinn...e-8-30-pm.html

Bateaux Mouches is also 99 euro for the Prestige Menu at 8:30 pm (2:15 hr cruise with traditional French music in the background) http://www.bateaux-mouches.fr/en/res...n-en-ligne.php

I don't think the other company, Vedettes du Pont Neuf, do dinner cruises.

Thanks for the suggestions. My daughters are 7, 14, & 16.

There is absolutely nothing magical about the Moulin Rouge. I would take the girls on a dinner cruise with Le Calife: www.lecalife.com

Please don't take them to the Moulin Rouge.

Thanks again. Really excited!!!

ending this thread now. Started a new one for my whole trip. Easier to look at 1 thread.