Paris with kids in October, part 2
Sep 1st, 2007, 08:21 AM
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Paris with kids in October, part 2
1. Which park on the outskirts of Paris. I realize that with kids 2 and 6 1/2 yrs old., we won't be about to sightsee so much. We have 6 1/2 days and I've limited the sights to the Eiffel, Notre Dame, boat tour, Champs Elysees (Arc, Disney store), a quick night time stop at the Louvre for my daughter and loads of parks in between. The rest of the days, I'm afraid will be one for Disneyland and Versailles (the latter -only for its garden). My kids and my husband insist on both. That leaves me with one free day. Please help me choose between these: Park la Villette; Jardin des Plantes; or Bois de Boulogne. I'm leaning towards the latter as I'm captivated by the rides in Jardin d'acclimatation which will no doubt thrill my kids. Should I expect a whole day in any of these parks?
2. Private airport shuttle or cab? Hubby and I took the Eurostar from London last year and the cab queue took forever! Should we just book a private shuttle ahead of time?
3. Luggage. I know it's been discussed to death here. But since we are not travelling outside of Paris and staying at an apart'hotel, can we manage with the big luggages instead? I can't imagine lugging around smaller yet numerous suitcases. I'd rather have 1 or 2 big ones.
4. Should we just skip the metro most of the time? We will bring an umbrella stroller for the toddler and going up and down stairs in the metro stations will just stress us out. I would rather walk but I don't think my 6yr old can handle much. The bus has been suggested to me but I've read others who'd written about bad traffic and the fact that it's always crowded.
2. Private airport shuttle or cab? Hubby and I took the Eurostar from London last year and the cab queue took forever! Should we just book a private shuttle ahead of time?
3. Luggage. I know it's been discussed to death here. But since we are not travelling outside of Paris and staying at an apart'hotel, can we manage with the big luggages instead? I can't imagine lugging around smaller yet numerous suitcases. I'd rather have 1 or 2 big ones.
4. Should we just skip the metro most of the time? We will bring an umbrella stroller for the toddler and going up and down stairs in the metro stations will just stress us out. I would rather walk but I don't think my 6yr old can handle much. The bus has been suggested to me but I've read others who'd written about bad traffic and the fact that it's always crowded.
Sep 1st, 2007, 09:56 AM
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It's been a few years, but we first went to Paris when my kids were those exact ages. We were surprised how much the 6 year old was able to walk. I think the crepe stands and the carousels just kept her going.
We used an umbrella stroller for the 2 year old. Worked fine, we just folded it up at each metro stop, no problem. By the end of the trip we threw the stroller away. At the Louvre we rented a stroller for our 6 year old, the Louvre was very accommodating and showed us where all of the elevators were.
You might want to think about the hop on hop off bus. The kids really thought that was fun. It stops at most major sights would help with the walking.
The Arc de Triumph has an elevator that you can use when you have a stroller.
I would recommend a private shuttle. On this particular trip with our kids we used a shuttle where you had to call a number and they met you and others to pick you up. This was not fun. On subsequent trips we’ve used a private shuttle or taxi's. You could try www.beeshuttle.com and click on the private transfer button for information.
We used an umbrella stroller for the 2 year old. Worked fine, we just folded it up at each metro stop, no problem. By the end of the trip we threw the stroller away. At the Louvre we rented a stroller for our 6 year old, the Louvre was very accommodating and showed us where all of the elevators were.
You might want to think about the hop on hop off bus. The kids really thought that was fun. It stops at most major sights would help with the walking.
The Arc de Triumph has an elevator that you can use when you have a stroller.
I would recommend a private shuttle. On this particular trip with our kids we used a shuttle where you had to call a number and they met you and others to pick you up. This was not fun. On subsequent trips we’ve used a private shuttle or taxi's. You could try www.beeshuttle.com and click on the private transfer button for information.
Sep 2nd, 2007, 05:27 AM
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I had no idea we can use the elevator in Arc de Triomphe if we had the stroller. Really?! We went last year but didn't go up because hubby refused to walk up that many flight of stairs.
Still waiting for suggestions on which park to visit: Jardin des Plantes; La Villete; or Bois de Boulogne. Anyone...please?
Another question is: will reservations to Altitude 95 allow me to go up the higher floors or I have to queue up again to access the 2nd and the 3rd floors? I'm reluctant to book anything ahead of time as I never plan anything that concrete when the kids are around. You never know...
Also, the metro train 14: is the wait very long to get the prime front seats? My son loves trains and I'm sure this is something that will thrill him.
Still waiting for suggestions on which park to visit: Jardin des Plantes; La Villete; or Bois de Boulogne. Anyone...please?
Another question is: will reservations to Altitude 95 allow me to go up the higher floors or I have to queue up again to access the 2nd and the 3rd floors? I'm reluctant to book anything ahead of time as I never plan anything that concrete when the kids are around. You never know...
Also, the metro train 14: is the wait very long to get the prime front seats? My son loves trains and I'm sure this is something that will thrill him.
Sep 2nd, 2007, 06:17 AM
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1. The kids will enjoy the parc d'acclimatation. It's better than it used to be. Last time I was there they had good chicken nuggets and fries at one of the snack bars, too. Lots of rides for small children and a nice train that goes through the park and out in the Bois de Boulogne and back.
The Parc de la Villette is also a nice place, with a huge park, big playground, and things to visit, like a real submarine, the Géode (a big OMNIMAX theater), a "dynamic cinema" (a motion theater), a music museum, and of course the huge Cité des Sciences science museum, which has a superlative smaller museum within called the Cité des Enfants that young children love (all the exhibits are for young kids, they all work, and admission is metered so that there's never too much of a crowd).
2. Either taxi or shuttle is fine. Both are preferable to public transportation or buses if you have lots of luggage, or if you are coming from far away, or if you just don't know the city very well.
3. Luggage is up to you, but if you have a lot of luggage, the taxi/shuttle option is more attractive. You won't need to deal with luggage during your stay so that part isn't a concern. Apartment hotels are good for families with kids.
4. The Métro is fine. You do have stairs but as long as you don't have mobility problems they won't be much of an issue. The Métro is the fastest way to get around. Some young children enjoy watching and riding the trains. Avoid rush hour, though.
Buses work well, too, although finding the correct bus and route for your destination is a lot more tedious than using the Métro, and the buses are slower because of traffic. They are more scenic, however.
Walking is the best way to see the city. Walk as much as you can to see the most. If you get tired, public transportation is always nearby. In areas like the Latin Quarter or the Champs or Opera, there's lots to see when walking. Some of the districts in the east and north are low on interesting sights, so you might want to take the Métro past those to save time and walking.
The Parc de la Villette is also a nice place, with a huge park, big playground, and things to visit, like a real submarine, the Géode (a big OMNIMAX theater), a "dynamic cinema" (a motion theater), a music museum, and of course the huge Cité des Sciences science museum, which has a superlative smaller museum within called the Cité des Enfants that young children love (all the exhibits are for young kids, they all work, and admission is metered so that there's never too much of a crowd).
2. Either taxi or shuttle is fine. Both are preferable to public transportation or buses if you have lots of luggage, or if you are coming from far away, or if you just don't know the city very well.
3. Luggage is up to you, but if you have a lot of luggage, the taxi/shuttle option is more attractive. You won't need to deal with luggage during your stay so that part isn't a concern. Apartment hotels are good for families with kids.
4. The Métro is fine. You do have stairs but as long as you don't have mobility problems they won't be much of an issue. The Métro is the fastest way to get around. Some young children enjoy watching and riding the trains. Avoid rush hour, though.
Buses work well, too, although finding the correct bus and route for your destination is a lot more tedious than using the Métro, and the buses are slower because of traffic. They are more scenic, however.
Walking is the best way to see the city. Walk as much as you can to see the most. If you get tired, public transportation is always nearby. In areas like the Latin Quarter or the Champs or Opera, there's lots to see when walking. Some of the districts in the east and north are low on interesting sights, so you might want to take the Métro past those to save time and walking.
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