My family (me, wife, 20 & a5 year old girls) are planning a visit to Paris next August 2008. I hoped for a different time, but between work, college and high school, this will have to do. I am planning to stay in an apartment rental and have foud a useful discussion on the forum (I think AC is necessary, is it?). My real question is about the itenary. My wife and I have been to Paris, but not the girls. They will not like the art museums much, but we will go to them. I would like to spend a day at the Normandy beaches. Is this feasible or not? Can you take the train and then get a tour, or is it a bus from Paris?
I am sure I will have many more questions later, but this is a start.

Hi R,

>I think AC is necessary, is it?

Yup.

I think that you might want to plan on an overnight to visit the Normandy beaches.

>They will not like the art museums much...

So much for a college education.

One word of warning, Paris in August can be a ghost town. I went last year in mid-August and many shops and even some restaurants were closed. The museums are open, however, if that's your main reason for going. But the girls may be disappointed if they are wanting to shop (although the main department stores are open). Oh and August 15 is a national holiday, so plan for that.

I think the girls will surprise you with the art museums.

Definitely spend some time around Normandy. Plan for at least a night. We have done one day trip, which was good if that is all you can manage. But this summer we stayed in Bayeux for a couple nights and much preferred that. We did a full day tour with Battlebus and highly recommend it. Although we were kicking ourselves for not doing the 2 day tour. And this was with a 16 yr old girl.

Be sure to involve the girls in the planning. Maybe let them each pick one sight to see. They'll be a lot more enthusiastic -- and may surprise you.

August 2007 was the coldest August in 60 years in Paris. I think I turned on my air conditioner a grand total of two days all summer, and that was just to make sure the motor still worked.

I was in Paris in last August, and it wasn't cold. That was the beginning of August. It was pretty hot some days, moderate others. I was sure glad I had AC in my hotels several days. But I would never say AC was "necessary" in northern Europe. I would in northern Africa in summer, and in very southern Europe, also.

I think you can take a train and then catch a local tour for the Normandy thing, but the schedule makes it a little difficult. I think it can be done, but you'd have to check. I think you may need to take the train very very early to get there at the time any local tour company starts (say around 8-9 am). SO you'd have to leave Paris maybe 5-6 am. Some day bus tours may make it more feasible (like Parisvision or Cityrama).

Some restaurants are closed in August, but I don't think any major shops are closed that would affect your daughters at all. I didn't really notice any shops being closed except for things like bakeries. I also don't like the idea or stereotype that women's main goal or function is shopping.

As a Parisian, August is my favorite month in Paris, except for maybe February, which is the only month with very few tourists (relatively). This is true for hotel rates as well, because February is the cheapest month, followed by August.

August is the month when the tourists are not in a hurry, nor the Parisians. There is Paris Plage for the first half of the month and the gradual return to normal activity the second half of the month.

Plenty of restaurants are open, but it must be admitted that many of the restaurants in guidebooks do close in either July or August. Who cares? 95% of the restaurants in Paris are not in guidebooks, yet they are just fine for the most part.

I would never characterize Paris as a "ghost town" in August. In fact, if this is your first trip to Paris, I highly doubt you'll even notice anything unusual. It's a known fact that more and more Parisians are forsaking the formerly obligatory rush out of the city in August. Yes, some of the "name" restaurants and a few shops here and there will be closed, but it won't even be noticeable to the average tourist.

I would recommend you spend at least two days in Normandy. There's a lot of territory to cover, and even visiting the Memorial museum in Caen can easily take a half-day.

The girls might also enjoy the castles of the Loire. Many tours run from Paris for the day -- the main companies being Cityrama and Parisvision, but smaller companies and even private tours as well. The tours usually do three castles and lunch on an all-day trip.

Thanks for all of your info. I plan to include the girls in the planning, but as it turns out, we may not be able to get more than 6 days in Paris, may have to plan Normandy for another time. Older daughter finishes work on August 3 and younger one starts marching band on Aug 11. We are going to talk to the band director to see if it would be OK for her to miss a few days of band.
And, even though it is a stereotype for girls to love shopping, mine do.