the Louvre, tuileries gardens children
 

We will be visiting Paris next week with our friends. There will be 5 children total with 4 adults. The kids are all 7 and under. FUN!! :) We have been to Paris before with our kids, but this is our friend's first time.

On the day we visit the Louvre, we would like to "take turns" visiting Angelina's for their famous hot chocolate. Can anyone help with a "plan of action?" We have yet to visit the Louvre or the Tuilleries Gardens. If we were to visit the Louvre then head into the gardens, how long would it take for me and my friend to get to Angelinas? I am thinking while we are doing that, the dad's can entertain the children in the gardens letting them run and play, eat lunch, ride the carousel for an 1-1.5 hours. Would that be enough time for us at Angelinas?

Then, if we wanted to "swap," to let the dad's get their turn of "guy time," what is around he area for pubs in case they don't want to go to Angelinas. And any recommendations for more child-friendly things in that area? I am thinking the kids might be done with the gardens, and ready for something indoors to warm up at this time.

I think Angelina's is almost directly across the rue de Rivoli from the playground in the Tuileries, so swapping should be easy. The service in Angelina's is pretty fast. In addition to the carousel, there are also "trampolines" (more like mattresses) for jumping. They are closer to the Place de Concorde end of the gardens, where they can also go to see the big fountains and obelisk.

Have fun!

Why don't you all just go to Angelina together? Why the "swap" ?

When my son was a young kid we enjoyed renting a small wooden sail boat in one of the large ponds in the Tuileries - a very popular thing for French folk to do - you can set in chairs and watch the kids have fun sailing their boats on the circular pond.

There are also some neat pylons at the Palais Royal garden that kids seem to like, and I believe...some outdoor play area (sand, swings)

A map with Angelina's on it

http://tinyurl.com/yf5ef7j

Angelina's didn't strike me as especially kid-friendly for such a big group of them. I think the idea is for the adults to get a little away time, right? An hour or so should be plenty of time. It was fairly busy when we were there recently and we were in and out in an hour and a half, just having a drink and pastry.

bit farther afield but at Les Halles gardens there are supervised child's playgrounds

Angelina's isn't terribly customer-friendly, period, whether it's kids or adults. They do rush you through service, so an hour or a bit more would be more than adequate. I just think for the kids not to taste that hot chocolate when they're right there would be a shame.

Is the ferris wheel still in the Tuilleries? This summer when we were in Coprenhagen, we were told that the large ferris wheel opposite Tivoli Gardens was the Paris Ferris Wheel, on temporary loan.

Angelina's has always seemed like a stuck up old lady's place to me. Even though the hot chocolate is good, I don't go to unfriendly places just to say I've been there.

The Ferris wheel is currently being set up for the Christmas season. I imagine that it will be in operation by the day the Champs Elysées Christmas illuminations begin. I think that's the 20th (but I didn't check).

Historically Angelina's may have been a stuck up old lady's place, but the young waitress was very friendly and accommodating with my 6 yr old granddaughter when we were there in April. The crowd appeared to be Parisian "ladies who lunch" as well as tourists and family groups.

My son was gobsmacked that he wasn't allowed on the grass at the Tuilleries Gardens. Grass is for playing on isn't it?? Especially if you've brought your favourite ball? He was very disappointed and just didn't get it.

Ooooooohhhhh no. Not this group of children. My husband would be a paranoid wreck the whole time.;) At any moment there could be a screaming melt-down so we try not to bring them places that would ruin other people's experience. The ages are 7, 5, 4, 3, and 2.

But, I am going back to Paris for a day trip in December and bringing my 2 girls, ages 5 and 7 who are just lovely in quiet situations. It is my 2 year old tornado of a son that we try to keep in open spaces.

Thanks everyone!

Parks & Gardens in Paris at Frommer's
The spectacular statue-studded Jardin des Tuileries, bordering place de la Concorde, ... ride a pony, or attend an occasional Grand Guignol puppet show. ...
http://www.frommers.com/destinations...062020226.html

if the iconic Guignol puppet theatre, means for small tykes, is on that could be an option - even if they do not speak French they will love the mischevous antics of the Grand Guignol

Most of the parks of Paris allow you access to the grass now. Of course, most of the parks of Paris are in the outlying arrondissements.

<Pelous Interdit SVP>

signs warn folks against going on lawns in parks that prohibit it - when i first went to France years ago most parks had <Pelouse Interdit> signs or something similar but now i find this to be rather rare

For one thing even small parks that seemed to have their own park gendarme - some low-paid civil servant - do not have these so much so enforcement is lacking.

Most French i know ridicule the idea of manicured grass being off-limits in parks.

But they back off when the whistle blows!