My husband, kids and I are doing a house swap with a family with a flat in the Marais for 17 days next summer (end of July and 1st 2 weeks of August). Although we know that there is plenty to do in Paris with our kids (ages 3, 6 and 8), since we'll be there so long, we would like to venture out for a few side trips. Since we have so many amusement parks available in the States, we're not interested in those at all. However, we would like to go to some places that all of us would enjoy. I've heard Provence is great with kids. Any thoughts? Any other side trip ideas? THANKS!

please get a map..Provence is not a day trip. Provins is and I think the children would enjoy it..Asterix although it is a theme park is something different. Chantilly is close and the stables are interesting. Sceaux is on the RER and has a great park designed by Le Notre..bring a soccer ball.

I was going to post the same thing but travelbunny beat me to it. Provence is not a "side trip" from Paris. Even for a couple of days - it is much too far. Sort of like "We are going to Chicago and want to do a side trip to New Orleans"

There is plenty to do right IN Paris - but other places you might want to consider are Chartres, Normandy, maybe Mt St Michel. Or an overnight or 2 to someplace like Brussels or Brugge. Or London - a doable day trip by Eurostar, or a great overnight trip.

Go to Amazon and purchase the book "Paris With Kids" (it is a bright pink and blue cover, 2nd edition). I find the info to be very valuable when travelling with kids to Paris.

I have actually house swapped with kids north of Paris in Montmorency. It was in 1993, but I don't think the "stuff" has changed much. We did do Provins, Parc Asterix and the small amusement park in the Bois de Boulougne. My kids also enjoyed the usual things: Eiffel Tower, Louvre (brief visit to see the "three things&quot, etc., etc. If you are doing any art galleries (and your kids are a lot younger than mine were), PREPARE them in advance and do not stay long. They both wanted to see the Mona Lisa. They saw her and the Winged Victory and Venus and we left. That was enough for an 11 & 13 year old.

I don't want to sound negative, but your kids are awfully young (even adding a year to all of their ages) so your trip will be dictated by the things your kids would enjoy at home (not a lot of art galleries and churches).

If you go to Versailles, I would do the gardens and let them run around. I would not attempt the palace with the ages of your kids.

Parc Asterix is mostly for older kids. Give the ages of your kids, the park in the Bois de Boulougne is probably enough.

We did a side trip to Mt. St. Michel and stayed out of the house a couple of nights. We also took the ferry from St. Malo to Jersey to do something different. The kids enjoyed the beach (but not the temperature of the water in the English Channel).

The absolute highlight of our 3 week stay was the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show at Disney. If you think watching French people yell "yee haw" for their "team" is not funny--well, it's hilarious.

Personally, I would wait a bit to do a trip like the one you are planning and home exchange within the US or Canada first before undertaking to schlep everyone over the Atlantic only to have them get the grouchies from too many adult sites. Mine were 11 & 13 when I did my trip--much easier than what you face. My kids were involved in the planning and also had a say in where we went (but not the LAST say).

Having said what I said, it is your trip and I would be interested to hear how it went after you return. Most people on airplanes with young children going a long distance go to visit relatives because they have to. If you must go to France, your kids would probably be happier somewhere they could swim (perhaps in the country outside of Paris).

Again that is my opinion. My kids are grown and gone and I just returned from two exchanges in Australia and a third on the North Island of New Zealand. I have done 37 home exchanges. My kids are grown and gone!

Well all kids are different. My 12 yr old daughter loved the Lourve and we went twice this past July, and each time spent a few hours there, but, my hubby took one of our sons last year when he was 14 ,, and they didn't even bother going in once!!

Have you considered the Dordogne region, the castles there are more the medival type( as opposed to the Chateau of the Loire Valley which are more palaces then castles) .

Your oldest may enjoy quite a few things, I certainly thing SOME 8 yr olds would enjoy museums and site,, but a 3 yr old,, well , maybe a boat ride, and many park visits.

I went to Paris first time at 9 . I liked parks and the Eiffel Tower, I was there for over 2 months( visiting grandma) , and I basically can only remember parks, ice cream, the ET and playing with neighborhood kids.

I think Provins is an excellant suggestion, look it up on google, like a living museum type of place, jousting , falcon demostrations, the old ramparts,, I think most kids would love it, and it would be educational.

read my trip report from 2007 -- we took our 5yo and 7yo girls to Paris for a week - and loved it!!!

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34982543

The best thing we did was do the museums in small doses. If they burned out (or were heading there), we bailed. You may want to consider getting a week museum pass and doing all of them in that time period to reduce on costs ? Obviously, though, that will make the days much more packed on those days.

good luck!

When we traveled with our two children at younger ages my husband and I often took turns going into museums. We definitely cut down on the number of art museums we tried to visit

Our kids liked the boat trips in Paris and the Metro and trains. we live in a small town in Vt so public transit and figuring out the routes was always fun. Following maps and "finding" fountains, statues or other landmarks helped make walks interesting for them

For the 3 year old maybe read the Madeleine books and Eloise in Paris if you haven't already

Our younger son was 5 when we went on a trip that included a brief stay in Paris. He watched the Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame movie and was quite happy to climb the tower and see the gargoyles and bell. The archeological museum has some good dioramas showing how the area looked when the cathedral was built. We also saw the PBS video of David Macaulay's excellent book, Cathedral. It has an animated story of the building of a Gothic cathedral interspersed with footage of actual cathedrals. I would probably not have taken him to Chartres or St. Denis on the same trip
He is now 17 and has only vague memories of that part of the trip although he remembers visiting our friends in Belgium and playing with their kids much better.

I have seen the Air and Space museum at Le Bourget airport recommended as a day trip from Paris w/ kids.
http://www.mae.org/

I agree with bozama that your kids might enjoy seeing at least one fortress-like castle. Châteaudun on the Loir near Chartres might be a good option. There are also caves (Grottes Du Foulon) nearby with tours which the kids would probably enjoy.

When I was a kid, we loved seeing the Thinker in the garden at the Rodin museum because we had a doorstop of the Thinker at home- propping the door of my dad's bathroom open when he wasn't in there with the paper!

I have spent time in Paris with my two kids every summer for the last 17 years - they are 18 and 21 now, so that gives you some idea of how early I started taking them. I can't remember a single trip there with them that was anything less than completely pleasurable.

It's all about planning the trip around age-appropriate activities, same as you would at home. My kids actually always enjoyed museums, at least in small doses. My daughter's favorite activity here at home when she was in middle school was to visit the Impressionists at the National Gallery. When they were 9 and 12 they spent almost a half-day at the Memorial museum in Caen without so much as a whimper. So not all kids are averse to museums. And if they are, there are a million other things to do - picnics in parks, boat rides, carousels, the Tour Eiffel and the Tour Montparnasse, riding the metro, sitting at cafes, visiting castles, watching street performers...the possibilities are endless.

A "side trip" to Provence is a bit over the top, though, unless you've got 4-5 days, IMO. There are loads and loads of closer places to Paris to go for a day trip. Search Paris day trips here and you'll have hundreds of ideas.

Given the fact that the OP has a 3 and a 6 year old (the 8 year old will be more amenable to touring at her age), I would recommend an exchange in an area where there was swimming nearby and not in Paris--if she must go to France.

To be fair, StCirq, that is exactly what you did when you took your kids to your vacation home in the Dordogne. If I remember your trip reports correctly, Paris was just a stop coming and going and the bulk of your time was spent in the Dordogne where your house is located near water and activites more amenable for children's enjoyment.

"I can't remember a single trip with them that was anything less then completly pleasurable"

St Cirq,, you have completely blown away any credibility with me when it comes to advise regarding kids. I

We have travelled alot with our three kids, starting at about 9 months( Hawaii and Mexico) and kids are now 12-18 ,, so within same age range as you two.

I can remember many times, events,locations and situations that were not completely pleasurable,, melt downs, tantrums, carsickness, exhaustion , fevers at 2 am, and various other incidents,,,

Apparently you have perfect children and you are in fact a perfect mom,, I could never live up to such a perfect standard of constant happiness.. LOL

Travelling with kids is work, it does have its rewards,, but , no one should go assuming their trip will be nothing but "completly pleasurable",, since reality may dissappoint them terribley then. Then again maybe your kids really are that great.. I know mine aren't, but I love them anyways, and travel with them anyways.

Reading through StCirq's posts about her children, they do appear to be perfect children. Mine, on the other hand, were more normal. At times they behaved and at times they didn't; most of the "didn't" occurred when they were bored or tired. When they were small, our vacations were two weeks in a rented beach house 2 1/2 to 4 hours driving from home. That is all ours could handle and that is also all the adults could handle. It still felt like preparing for an excursion to Mt. Everest when we packed the car to go to the beach. I would think "It would be easier to stay home." We used to take a teen babysitter with us as well to give the parents some nights out. It gave us flexibility to run errands, for the kids to be supervised at nap times, etc. as well.

Our first home exchange (and the first trip to Europe for the kids) occurred outside of London in 1990 when they were 8 & 10 and that was soon enough. I do remember adapting the entire itinerary to their needs. That is what you have to do when you travel with young kids--and, horrors, I even did amusement parks in Europe.

I would never recommend taking children as young as the OP's to Europe. It will end up being a very stressful holiday. Children are happiest doing "kid" things. They are not happy doing an adults' vacation on the adults' terms. Unfortunately, from time to time people post here thinking that they can just take very young kids to Europe and everything will be wonderful. It won't. Children are happiest on a regular schedule with plenty of time to run around. It doesn't mesh well with an ambitious European vacation.

If the OP wants to take kids to Europe--and hers are not as perfect as StCirq's--I would suggest a home exchange near a lake or beach where they could go swimming and to playgrounds every day. That could work. I would never attempt Paris with kids ages 3, 6 and 8 (or one year later for everyone if that is what they will be next summer). When you have young children, you need to give up the European trip to big cities for awhile until they are a bit older unless you are a glutton for punishment.

If you really must go to big city Europe, hire a babysitter for a 4-5 day weekend and go. Leave the kids home. Believe me, you will be glad you did. My ex and I did that once. We got a terrific sitter. The kids had a wonderful time with her and we had 5 days in London without them. Everyone was happy.

Lauren, I disagree and agree with you.

Yes, things must be done at a kid's pace. However, it is possible to do Paris or London or wherever you want. You won't do fancy romantic meals... or browsing in the museums... or shopping for that 'perfect gift'.

When we took ours to Paris, it was because I love Paris and I wanted them to share that love. We did museums... in VERY small doses. And in-between? We stopped at lots of parks. I know where some really fun playgrounds in Paris are We kept them on a relatively similar schedule - lots of snacks if need be, a lollipop in case of a long line, and normal bedtimes (7:30). They thought the fruit stands where you could buy one piece of fruit were a treat! We walked alot, but we took breaks.

I did very few ME things, but then again, since having kids, when do those things occur ? I was happy to see Paris on their terms (which is VERY different!) and have them embrace a different language and country. The downside: I don't think they realize what a big deal going to Paris for many people is.

Would I do it again? Absolutely. We are considering taking all three kids to London this spring (they will be 8,7, and 5) for break. If only my other house was sold, the tickets would be booked... but that is another thread.

I think this sounds like a great trip.

My first overseas trip was with our kids, who were 4 and 7 at the time. I took them and we met my DH there. I was more worried about myself not knowing the language than I was about how the kids would do. Turned out the kids were fine.

We went as a family to Paris the first time when they were 7 and 10. Again, they traveled fine and we all enjoyed it. We just took things in small doses and at a relaxed pace. Well, except that we did do a one day trip to Normandy. We hired a private guide who took us to the museum in Caen, then to a few beaches and finally ended up at the American cemetary. The kids did fall asleep on the drive back to Paris, but they traveled fine and our guide engaged them in conversation. They still remember him telling them about his kids and how the school system in France worked.

Even though you have a flat for the entire time, if you do Normandy I would suggest at least staying one night there. It would be a nice change from the city hustle and bustle.

I think the best thing about taking kids on these sorts of trips is that they see first hand that there are other cultures and it opens their eyes to the world around them. Same for adults.

We've travelled with our kids to Europe, beginning when they were 3 and 5. Each trip was lots of fun, but of course we had the same types of problems as we did at home, depending on their stages. We had to make sure to plan activities around their schedule and their interests.

Doing kid things made the trips much more interesting for me, as I found myself doing lots of things I wouldn't normally, such as playgrounds, the Pinocchio museum, a bicycling trip, and most recently, a Segway tour in Paris (they are now 13 and 15).

My recommendation to people is to travel with their kids, enjoy the time together, but don't expect perfection. It is so worth it to see everything from a child's perspective.

<<When you have young children, you need to give up the European trip to big cities for awhile until they are a bit older unless you are a glutton for punishment.>>

Utter nonsense.

StCirq: I'm not sure what's up w/ LaurenKahn &quot;<i>Reading through StCirq's posts about her children, they do appear to be perfect children. Mine, on the other hand, were more normal</i>&quot; - sheesh. Talk about passive aggressive

I'm not sure but I think she used to post as FauxSteMarie

Lauren: &quot;<i>Children are happiest doing &quot;kid&quot; things.</i>&quot; Of course - but ya know - one can do kid things in Europe. Millions of young children travel w/ their families every year. And most survive.

Some families prefer to hunker down until the kids are older. But MANY families travel when the kids are small and manage to have great trips. It is a bit more complicated w/ little ones, what w/ car seats, strollers and such. But just general everyday life is more complicated too.

You asked for any thoughts,... so here goes:

Provance is not a side trip from Paris.

Let your little kids just be kids! Take them on a 1-2 hour road trip,... camping! in their own state!!! What???

Let them run, enjoy nature, laugh and play and sleep in their little sleeping bags. Teach them to plan, organize and become team players.

Running, exploring, nature, and getting dirty can be very mind expanding! Searching during the day for kindling to build a camp fire in the evening and becoming skilled at toasting marshmellows builds memories that will last them a lifetime. Just to watch their smiling faces as they are allowed to stay up late and watch a log fire smolder would make them ever so greatful to you. This time in your life is not about you, it is about them!

Keep THEIR vacation short, sweet and simple.

When my two children were 3 and 6 they wouldn't have been too happy spending 2 hours in an airport, 10-15 hours in a plane and than to be shutteled to a strange bed to sleep and get rid of their jet-lag. And how happy can they be if there is a flight cancelation?

If you have 17 days ,... take them to a beach. They'd love it! Not a cosmopolitian city.

July and August is holiday time in Europe, so you are now figthing the vacationing crowds.

What are you thinking? And,... do you think this would be a relaxing trip for a mom? I doubt it? Your poor hardworking husband? Do you really think this is a vacation of his dreams? Think about it and not yourself!

If you need a break from being a stay-at-home mom, (and moms deserve to have a break)give the kids to gramma and gramps for the weekend. Then take off for a romantic weekend, even if you only drive downtown to a 4/5 star hotel, see the latest art show at a musuem, go to a nice play, order breakfast-in-bed, etc., etc. Relax, refresh, renew,... be happy!

From a mom, grandmother and former flight attentant.

To bring this back to specific requests of tkKate: Don't completely rule out amusement parks. We visited Disneyland Paris. It's not wonderful. It's actually pretty lame compared to the US version. However, my son (2 at the time) really enjoyed it. If you have 2 1/2 weeks a day at Disney -- or another park wouldn't take too much time away from other things. I would rec Disney over the other parks though because your children will already by familiar with the character and stories.

I also rec finding water for your kids. Maybe look into French &quot;camping.&quot; www.eurocamp.com. They stay in little cabins, there are usually several pools, playgrounds and other fun things for kids and parents.

Now -- to address the kids to Europe issue. You've got to be kidding me. The idea that you should not travel more than 2 hours from your home until your kids are in college is ridiculous. My son's first trip to Europe was at 11 months. He's made a total of 4 transatlantic trips in his 3 short years. He must be one of those mythical perfect children because I agree that all of our trips have been &quot;completely pleasurable.&quot; While I admire StCirg and have no doubt her children are also perfect I assume that it has more to do with our planning, expectations, flexibility, and overall outlook than our children's personalities!

Yes, overseas travel is different with children -- but so is camping, so is LIFE!

tkKate -- don't be discouraged -- just be prepared!