kerouac

That goes for municipal pools, not hotel pools or private pools.

greg

This depends on children.
In my case, my regret with children has been not having taken them on trips before they reached 12. I naively assumed they would get more out of trips when they got older. It was the direct opposite.
I remember fond memories of them discovering new things on trips when they were smaller. It was ok to travel with parents. Once they reached 12, they cared less about what they saw. Just wanted to communicate with their friends at home and resented being away. We were on a travel black out until they left home to go to college. Too young to leave alone at home, didn't want to stay with relatives (cannot hang around with friends), and didn't want to travel with us.

kerouac

It is very true that in the 21st century older children may care only about Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Parents need to adjust their expectations to current conditions.

menachem

I've always traveled with my son, on work assignments, I travel with him today on holidays to cities (as long as the hotels are 4 star or more)

He used to be into gaming a lot, first runescape, then WoW, also pokemon on the Nintendo. I used to take my computer with me so he would be able to play and skype and such.

@kerouac, you're right: for us the biggest fun always was to swim at municipal pools. Paris has a couple of pretty cool ones.

Gretchen

We were on a travel black out until they left home to go to college. Too young to leave alone at home, didn't want to stay with relatives (cannot hang around with friends), and didn't want to travel with us

That's too bad and everyone has a different story. Ours went with us as teens==and will still go with us as adults with their kids.

I think they "get something out of it" sort of, when 5. Better a little later, IMO.

Ackislander

Got back from Paris yesterday. Two kids, boy about 6, girl about 8, were perfectly behaved all the way to Boston. One data point.

My own granddaughters would be completely different: one would settle in with a book, the other would fidget. Second data point.

My first impression after arriving back in Boston yesterday afternoon is how incredibly empty it is compared to Paris. There is no one, comparatively, on the street. Okay, the T is busy at commuter hours, and Trader Joe's in Coolidge Corner is busy from 4:45 to 6:45, but not as busy as Franprix. I mentioned this to a relative who has lived in both Manhattan and London, and she confirmed the impression.

Thus, how does your daughter handle really serious crowds? I think that would be the key.

Ackislander

Not my kids, just to be clear, who were perfect on the plane.

kasperdoggie

Thank you again for very diverse and wonderful thoughts and points of view. So the decision is yet to be made but the clock is ticking, I think I should secure tickets on hold today or tomorrow or give up the idea until the next year. Wrt crowds - kid was fine in NYC around Christmas time so I think she won't be overwhelmed. Tired - maybe.

I grew up in a large city and then moved to a much larger one (population 10 million or thereabouts) and we now live in a suburb. Before the child, beach vacations were not a done thing (I grew up near the sea, love it, but my ideal vacation destination is always a city or at least a town, since I miss that energy). Kind of wanted to have the child exposed to city vibe early. But of course there's no real rush.

I might leave the decision up to my daughter - we will see tonight if she *really* wants to go or somewhat indifferent to the idea. That might be as good a way to finalize the decision as any...

grandmere

If this were a "once in a lifetime" trip, I'd say wait until she was older, but it sounds as though you travel a lot, and she will most likely be back many times before she is an adult. Even if she doesn't remember it perfectly, it's still a wonderful experience for a child to begin to enjoy different cultures at this age, etc. At the time of their first trip to France, my grandchildren were ages 4.5, 5, 6, and 6.5 ( different trips--daughter's kids and son's!) and they all loved it. No problems sleeping on plane, hit the ground running, always something to eat that they liked, loved the iconic sights as well as the little everyday aspects that are different from life here in US, etc. All 10 of us were there together last summer when kids were 4.5, 6.5, 8, and 11, and the then 4.5 probably still talks about it as much as the older ones!
Here are some books that I bought when the oldest was making her first trip at age 6:
Adele et Simon
La La Rose
Everybody Bonjours
A Spree in Paree
Eloise in Paris

justineparis

hmm.. my first visit to Paris.. I was 7. I did not like it. I preferred to stay in my grandmothers garden, , or play with neighborhood kids ( which btw my grandmother had arranged the play dates, or they were relatives) .. I though Paris was just a big city where cars threatened to run you over constantly.. Other then visiting the Eiffel Tower.. I was not impressed. I was horrified by what people called a great park ( Luxembourg gardens).. there was very little grass.. I recall no flowers.. mostly gravel , and the playground was nothing special to me.

Now.. flash forward to when I was 12,13.. those trips became a lot more fun.

Regarding Paris Plage.. it does not run all of August..so do check dates its over before one counts on it as an activity. I do think Paris Plage is GREAT for you younger children.. older ones not so much. Many locals picnic there all day and well into a warm summer evening.

Personally .. If your child is happy to stay with grandparents then I would make this just a nice romantic trip.

Finally a question..

Here you can certainly take a child in kindergarden out of class for a few weeks for such a trip.. teachers would see the educational value of it.. and kindergarden is not such a big deal.. in fact my step son is still in elementary school ( here that's up to grade 5) and his mom has taken him out of classes for up to two weeks for various trips. Is that forbidden where you live? I think older kids should not miss school..or students who are struggling, but a young child .. well can't teacher just send along some worksheets,, have child journal etc.

debbienyc

I would go. There are plenty of things to do with kids and the flight isn't really that long. I am going with my son this summer, he was 8 when he first went to Paris, but I certainly could have taken him earlier. Our strategy for traveling to Europe is not to take the overnight flight. We take a very early am flight so that we have to wake up around 4:30. The kids are so excited they don't really mind and it's late morning in Paris. By the time we land, get to the hotel, order room service and eat, it's 10 or 11 and everyone is so tired from getting up early and traveling that there is no problem going to sleep. We get up by 10 the next day and there is no adjustment! Yes you spend a day traveling, but having no jetlag is worth it. Just a suggestion. Works great for us everytime.

AlessandraZoe

As I have often written here, I do think there was a lot of truth in the statements others made to me when we took our kids to Europe so early: "They won't remember it."

They were not wrong. Without snapshots and without the postcards I had them send themselves each day, my now adult daughters remember very little of those early travels.

NEVERTHELESS...the response I gave back was even more true:
"BUT I WILL REMEMBER EVERY SECOND."

And I do.

No regrets. Take her!!!

manouche

So, you have what amounts to a virtually cost-free trip, right? That alone would influence my decision, since travelling with kids costs money - passports, flights and hotel rooms, just to start with. Also, kids this age don't eat much. So, from the financial point of view, this trip makes sense. We didn't take our kids to France until they were 10 and 12, which cost a lot, but we thought it was the best choice, since by that time they could really use the French they had learned in school.

You'll need to stay in a hotel, since apartments are rarely air-conditioned, and certainly are much more trouble in Paris at the present moment than anyone needs to deal with. The current Mayor is conducting sting operations on vacation rentals, and you could have to deal with a last-minute cancellation or other foolishness. It's a lot of stress that you don't need, and the "good" properties have been booked by this time.

You'll need to be prepared for very long lines at the major attractions, and pretty much anywhere that has a terrace. Contrary to what people who haven't been here for a couple of years will tell you, Paris in August is open, and it is crowded. The French don't have as much travel money as they used to, so a lot of them are taking "staycations" in Paris. The Asians are everywhere, usually in large groups. Then there's everyone else...If you get the Museum Pass (attractions and museums, check the list on the official website), you will be able to skip the admission lines, and will be able to re-visit places, which will help tremendously.

Paris Plage is great for kids, but has been pretty much rained out for most of the period, over the last 3 years. It opens on July 20 and ends on August 23 this year. Tons of stuff to do for everybody, as long as it doesn't rain - make sure to have a Plan B.

August always suffers through at least 2 miserable heat waves, when it's impossible to do anything but "lie around in a pool of your own gravy" (thanks, Letterman). These last about 5 days, on the average. A municipal swimming pool costs 3 EU per visit, requires a towel, bathing suit and cap for everyone, and toiletries. Most places have a coin-operated storage unit (1 EU coin is returned), changing cabins and separate showers for men and women. There are always a lot of families or just kids on their own here - if your daughter is bi-lingual in French, she'll have loads of fun.

You will need frequent ice cream stops, which is no problem in Paris. It's a lot less expensive to get a cup or cone to go, than to sit down and eat it - if you sit down, you'll also have to wade through your weight in chantilly before you can reach the ice cream.

I don't know where you'll be coming from, but with all the "wait time" involved, you'll probably be in transit for at least 15 hours, without a break - getting to the airport, pre-flight check-in, actual flight time, getting luggage, then getting to your hotel - that's if all goes as planned, and that's a lot for a grown up. Not all kids can handle that amount of stress without a major meltdown - or three...

I also don't think your child will remember too much about the trip - but you certainly will. Maybe this is something you wish you had done when you were her age? Maybe this trip is really all about you? Maybe none of that matters. If your kid is a good traveller, you might as well go for it. Just make sure you check your fantasies at the door.

pariswat

Hi

Our opinion as parents is that we shouldn't have had kids if it were to leave them home.
So we took our first child at 1 year to go to Dominican republic.
Then with the first 2 from Brussels to US (back from SF) when they were 2 and 4.
Then to Cuba when 5 and 3.
Then I forgot...
Then recently to Guadeloupe with 15, 12 and 4, last year to Mexico 16 13 and 5.

I don't understand the term hellish hot for Paris. And I ne ver use AC, being a good old fashioned European (or just old european).

So my advice is to take the kids wherever you go. Holidays are usuammy magical moments, when you're most relaxed and can enjoy your kids all day.
My own philosophy, any other is valid.
Enjoy your trip.

kerouac

Sometimes I wonder if the parents who don't want to take their young children on a trip are the same ones who feed them early and put them to bed so that the adults can eat alone rather than eating as a family.

We always ate as a family, and my parents absolutely never left us home for any kind of trip. The thought of doing so would never even have crossed their mind.

PatrickLondon

Not meant as an argument either way, but another couple of suggestions for children at various ages:

the Parc de la Villette (maybe take a canal boat either to or from) - museums not cheap and maybe of interest only to older children, but masses of space to run around in, and various street entertainers around from time to time, not to mention spotting bits of the "buried" giant bicycle.

the Promenade Plantée (imagine when trains ran along it, look out at the flats close by, spot the decorative sculptures on the buildings that you wouldn't see so well at street level, and stop off at one of the parks en route).

Gretchen

Kerouac, watch that first step as your getting off that horse.
I really did love the scene one night in a pleasant little restaurant in the 7th. It was about 9 and some folks walked in to be seated--4 adults at one table and 4 maybe pre-teens at the table next to them--all out for a nice dinner.

Christina

A friend of mine just went to Italy for 10-14 days with her husband and left her baby daughter at home with the grandparents. I don't think it odd at all, the grandparents loved it and so did the baby. It didn't make any sense to take the baby with them (about one year old). Lots of people do it that I know and they don't dine alone, excedpt of course, a lot of children are supposed to be put to bed early. And many professionals I know just can't sit around the table for a family dinner at 6 pm, they aren't home.

nytraveler

I've been in Paris in the summer several times when the temps were 95 or above. To me - that is hellishly hot.

And as an old fashioned american - I want AC that keeps the indoor temp at 72, so I can sleep without sweating.

We typically run the AC in our apartment - except for rare very cool nights - from early/mid May through mid/late Sept. And every office building, store, restaurant, movie, theater, church, bus, subway, train, etc - anything you can think of - has AC running similar dates.

You can't buy a car without AC - it comes standard. And it's impossible to sell a house or apartment without it - no one would buy it except as a complete renovation job. And this has been true for at least the last 40 years.

AlessandraZoe

Christina has helped a lot of people on this board over time.

I think we need to remember that the OP's issue is not a baby (who could be left at home with lovely grandparents for whom it would be a treat and for the two parents who might need to re-connect), but is instead a child who will be going to Kindergarten--and that age is SO lovely that it's hard to leave at home. Co-discovery of the world is so fabulous then.