Mambo5

This sounds like it would be fun for our kids. Has anyone done it? I've tried finding more information on the 'net, but haven't found anything other than descriptions of the park. I won't get their hopes up by telling the kids this is something we WILL/CAN do, but it would be nice if I could get more information.
Thanks.

cammci

Yes you can rent boats there. I actually had to go back and take a look of a picture I took in the gardens to verify the charges. Cost for 1 hour is 3 euros, 1/2 hour is 1 or 2 euros (I couldn't tell the price).

ira

Hi M,

Kid's can't, but their parents can.

There's at least one rental stand near the pool.

Amart

I saw a vendor last summer and found these sites that say the same :http://www.sonic.net/~wdr3/paris/paris04.html , http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel...res-BR-13.html , http://home.att.net/~djsbourne/france04/fr04-15.html

Mambo5

Thank you, for replying and for the links.

We only have 1 and half days in Paris en route to England, so I'm trying to whittle the list of things to do down to the bare minimum without rushing the kids from site to site.

We arrive early am and are staying on Rue Cler. So the first thing will be to drop off our luggage, get something to eat and then stretch our legs.

I'm open to suggestions, so far these are the things I thought we would have time to see:

Eiffel Tower
Jardin du Luxembourg
Rodin
Notre Dame

It's a tossup between the Louvre and D'Orsay. D'Orsay is more manageable size-wise and an interesting building, my husband and I loved it, but the Louvre has the "biggies" so perhaps we should go there. I have a booklet from my first trip and could try to plan a condensed tour.

Ackislander

I wouldn't want to take kids to any museum after an overnight flight. Luxembourg is wonderful. They will see what French kids do and can do it themselves. In addition to boats, there are pony rides, playgrounds, Puppet shows, ice creams, etc. If they gotta have art, there is a lot of it on display in the garden of the Rodin Museum as well as toilets and a snack bar and a water feature, all for a very low admission for just the garden. Save the musees for when you have more time.

melissa19

hi,

i think the things you have planned for the kids (and yourself!) are fine. you'll do plenty of walking even between those 4, and you can easily see the outsides of both those museums. which are just as impressive as the inside!

in the jardin du lux., there is also a fabulous playground where you may spend lots of time. handily, there's an outdoor cafe right next to it.

when are you going?

have fun!

Mambo5

We are going at the end of July.

We'll probably spend the first day visiting the Eiffel Tower and Jardin Luxembourge. I agree, it's better to be outside in the fresh air after a long flight. After our first flight to Paris a few years ago, the first thing my husband and I did was to walk around, just to be outside and soak up the atmosphere and excitement!

The next day we should be feeling more "with it" and can take in a museum and something else.

The following day we go to England for two weeks.

missypie

I was amazed that our kids enjoyed the Louvre more than the Orsay. (I guess because I love the Orsay so much.) One thing you might think about, either in lieu of, or in addition to, the Luxemburg, is the Tuilleries, which is right outside the Louvre. My kids liked the playground equipment better at the Tuilleries than at the Luxemberg. The Tuilleries also has a carousel and trampolines. I believe you can also sail boats there, but I'm not sure (since we were there in March.)

Mambo5

So that's where the carousel is..in Tuilleres?!

Any suggestions on the Louvre with kids? Mine are 9, 13 and 16.

melissa19

there are carousels everywhere in paris! incl. the tuileries and the jardin du lux., the st. paul metro stop, montmartre, eiffel tower, etc. my daughter (10) likes the tuileries, too, though i would call the "trampolines" "mattresses," but it's only 2 euros.

we finally went inside the louvre on our 3rd trip to paris. there are two nights during the week with later opening hours, and the crowds were light. we saw mona, and a few other highlights, and just wandered around until we got tired. it's an incredible place, just huge. my daughter likes the architecture and sculptures better than the paintings.

paris is really great for kids. if they like science the "palais de decouverte" is very central.

missypie

Mambo, our kids were a bit younger at the time (7, 10 and 12) but we used the Rick Steves walking tour of the Louvre. He hits the high points, and inserts some humor (some just a tiny touch off color). We used his guide books' musuem tours in Italy this year (with the kids now 10, 13 and 15) and still liked them...enough detail so that you learn about some of the art, but not so much that everyone's eyes glaze over.

We also spent extra time in the Egyptian section of the Louvre, since my oldest is really into that stuff.

There is a carousel in the Tuilleries but there are carousels all over the place.