crepes_a_go_go

Can someone give me the exact location of the Paris Story? I've never been and since my sons will be with me this time, I want us to see it.

Thanks. Looks like lots of Fodorites will be there during Thanksgiving week!

Surfergirl

On food, take them to one of the many mussels places (there's a chain, forgot the name). Also, the Latin Quarter for dinner is good, big variety of different foods, even a decent pizza place. Definitely try a dinner at a creperie in the 14th.

Luxembourg gardens is great.

When it rains: funicular up to Montmartre, then tour the inside of the church, and have them play "find the saints" (each alcove is dedicated to a saint), and prowl the souvenir shops.

Sunday on the Ile St. Louis, with the birds and other strange little animals being sold.

Travelnut

http://www.paris-story.com/versangl/...il/accueil.htm

11bis rue Scribe

Stand facing the front of the Opera Garnier. Walk around to your left, and look for the American Express office on rue Scribe. "Paris Story" is next door. We just saw it this October on our 9th visit to Paris - it is a good introduction for anyone visiting Paris, reminding us of the extensive history contributing to this rich city.

cigalechanta

The puppet shows in a few parcs always entrance the younger ones, especially when sitting with the French childrn.Most

kids are so much better than adults in mixing

crepes_a_go_go

Thanks Travelnut. I am really going to try to see it this time. Cigalechanta, I have one child who is a mixer and one who isn't. Funny thing is, when the non-mixer gets pulled into it, he is great at it. I'm working on him!

kdk1965

This is absolutely awesome!

We will arrive late on Wednesday, get to our hotel and then dive into the beds. The hotel is right by Luxembourg Gardens so we will definitely see those more than once.

I am going to share the suggestions with the kids when they get up. We'll also do some online looking so they can have a good idea of what their choices are for first choice.

That's good to hear about the Latin Quarter. We had planned to picnic at least one meal since I've heard so much about the breat in France and how wonderful it is.

I do love travel, and the kids seem to enjoy it as well as long as I stay out of my "Nazi Travel Guide" mode. There's just SO much to see and do, and never enough time to do it.

I'm going to go look at those websites now

Mary

cigalechanta

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...231377-9156903

cigalechanta

I found this, a little out of date but interesting.

http://www.travelwithyourkids.com/

ninasdream

I am surprised that no one has mentioned the reknowned marionette theatre in Jardin du Luxembourg. Performances are usually Wed & Sun afternoon, it's an indoor theatre. The sailboat pond is also great, and as mentioned they can rent a boat, but also fun for running around, people watching or a picnic. There are stands all over for casual eating and picnic tables and one or two outdoor cafes. They also have pony rides-- on the animal or in a little drawn carriage.

KathrynT

My children also enjoyed figuring out the Metro in Paris. We'd go into the station and let them map out the best way to go from place to place. We also had the kids try to guide us in the larger museums (like the Louvre) using a museum map to find some of the highlights. We might not have always travelled in the most direct route, but we had fun!

kdk1965

I just said to my husband, "Forget Berlin at Christmas. We will have to return to Paris." There's so much to do and see that I can see why everyone always returns. Of course, we also have to see what used to be the wall, so a second trip to Paris will have to wait...

I get the feeling I simply have to hope we get to stay overseas since we will want to return to Paris, as well as so many other places.

I love being an American and I love home, but I don't know if I'll ever be able to go back and simply "be" without the travel...Normal?

Anyway, I just made reservations at Bofinger for Thanksgiving lunch and the children are already clamoring for pony rides, the sewer trip and the Eifel Tower. I seem to have a list a mile long of museums I am dying to see and artwork I want my children to experience.

Oh my, this is heady business

Thanks for all the suggestions!!
Mary in Naples

Tulips

I was just there with my kids (10 and 12) and they loved the Cite des Sciences, particularly the Cite des Enfants, a separate exhibit within the Cite des Sciences. The end of November, a special exhibit opens, called 'grossology' on all the gross things your body does. Should be interesting for kids!

dln

Mary, tell us how it went when you get back from your trip (especially if the 7 year olds liked the escargot)!

crepes_a_go_go

From St Cirq's post above, if you are interested in the Jardin d'Acclimation, here is their website. Malheureusement, it is in French, but maybe you can follow it well enough to at least get some basic information.

http://www.jardindacclimatation.fr/

Travelnut

Surfergirl is probably referring to the 'Leon de Bruxelles' chain for mussels. Heard the location in the 6th is one of the better ones, and the crème brulée is supposed to be very good there.
131 bd St Germain, Metro: Mabillon

kdk1965

Thanks! I found the mussels place and printed the menu. Time to study

The exhibit on grossology is right up my kids' alley. I am going to see if I can find the Cite des Sciences on the web.


Mary

chloer

kdk1965, you have alot of courage to travel with your whole family. Good luck! (I guess my age is showing.) DH and I are leaving for Paris next Saturday for a week and are also very busy setting up a workable itinerary.

I would recommend to you a visit to the catacombs. We visited them two years ago. A bit morbid but I bet your kids would love it! Enjoy your trip.

melissa19

hi k,

here's a link to the parc la villette in which the Cite is located-
http://www.villette.com/us/mainprog.htm

the parc itself also has cool stuff for kids.

my daughter loved "grossology" (called "cradologie" in french) here in philly. she is SO EXCITED to see it again in paris. the joys of being 9!

crepes_a_go_go

Can someone give me a step by step of how to do the catacombs? Like where you go in, best time, etc etc? And does it stink like the sewers tour?

Thanks!

Travelnut

Crepes, I need to find out something. I read (here?) that the Catacombs were closed for a while. I know the city is improving the bus lane along ave du General Leclerc and the entrance is on this street. I'll see if I can find more about that.

Meanwhile, here is a cool virtual visit:
http://triggur.org/cata/
The entrance to the catacombs is at place Denfert Rochereau. Come up out of the metro and look across avenue du General Leclerc at the old toll house with a black(?) door. That's the entrance. There is no smell - the bones are very old and there is nothing to cause any odor. The tunnels might be cool or damp as you might expect. It wasn't spooky to me, just very interesting and a bit unreal. I liked the plaques placed every so often with 'warnings' or platitudes about Death (in French). At the end of the walk, you exit the tunnel you will come out at a different location a few streets south at 36, rue Rémy Dumoncel. It doesn't take more than an hour; closed on Mondays.

A brief overview:
http://www.expatica.com/source/site_...ris+catacombs+