libssmfamily

We will be traveling in France at the beginning of August. Having come from Germany, we will not be jetlagged or tired. We have 3 nights with relatives (a requirement that cannot be changed) in Strasbourg (visiting nearby towns; Saint-Hippolyte, Ribeauville, Riquewihr and Colmar). Then on to Reims and Epernay for 1 night, 2 days including travel time. From there, we’ll be near Paris for 2 nights, 2 ½ days. We’ll be staying at the Chateau De Sancy-La Catouniere (a Best Western Hotel) in Sancy-Les-Meaux. What would you suggest for three DD's ages 7 to 11? Shopping is definitely not a priority. They like clothes, but would much rather be outside and have no issue with walking (fast if needed). Because of their ages, we were considering spending one day at nearby Disneyland Paris and the remaining day and 1/2 to see Paris sights... There is so much to see in such a little amount of time. We would consider dropping Disneyland if you recommend doing so. We really need help narrowing down our list of sights to see… Au secours s’il vous plait!
With this being our first time in Paris, we’re interested in the Champs-Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, a Seine boat cruise, the Eiffel Tower, touring the Notre Dame or Sainte-Chapelle, the oldest public clock near Boulevard du Palais, Pont Neuf, Berthillon ice cream parlor, flower market on Place Louis Lepine, and Rue St. Severin. We’re also interested in several museums; The Louvre (we would spend hours in there so we can save that for our next trip to Paris). We’re also interested in the Marmottan, d'Orsay or Orangerie (DD1, 2 & 3 have studied Monet, Cezanne, van Gogh in school). All 3 DD’s have been to the major museums in both Manhattan and San Francisco and have also seen The Cantor Art Center’s collection of Rodin bronzes (the largest in the world outside Paris & second only to the Musee Rodin) at Stanford Univ. in California. Perhaps we should save all museums for another time and focus on Notre Dame and Saint-Chapelle? Any suggestions? It is such a short time, but we would rather see 2 days of Paris then none at all.
Also, should we rely on the RER and Metro to get around, or drive our car in from the countryside (25-30 km) and pay for public parking, then walk? If traveling by RER and Metro, what time should we plan on returning to the Sancy-Les-Meaux area each evening? Is it safe at night? We appreciate your help with this! Merci beaucoup!

ParisAmsterdam

Have the children ever been to a Disney property in the US? If so,
drop the Euro Disney and spend
more time in Paris.

Why not have the girls do a little
research and let them each pick a site or 2 they'd like to see?

With the time you have it will be impossible to see everything on your
wish list so you'll have to choose
which are the most interesting to
your family.

But I think Disney should be out!

Rob

Barbara_in_FL

I would drop Disney and think about kid-friendly things to do within Paris itself...and agree with letting the kids, especially the two oldest, pick something they want to see. That worked wonderfully with DS (9 years old) on our recent trip -- perhaps I would not have chosen the Musee de L'Armee, but it was really fascinating, and he had a great time. (And when I took him to see the Pyramid from the outside, he asked if we could go there "next time," which I considered a success...) Think about the Luxembourg Gardens, for example.

Disney would be fine if you were there for a week and wanted a real change of pace, but with your limited time, I just don't think it's worth it.

timsmom

I would definitely recommend taking the RER and Metro rather than spend Euro on parking. Get a pass if possible - others can probably advise which one to get.

If they have studied Rodin, as a teacher, I would highly recommend the Rodin Museum with the audioguide. I loved seeing "The Thinker" in the garden, as well as many other sculptures in the museum.

You could take a Seine boat cruise at night to see the City of Lights at its finest, as well try to time it to see the Eiffel Tower glittering on the hour for 10 minutes - it's magical!

If they are very interested in art, either the Louvre or the Musee d'Orsay are a must - get a museum pass to avoid waiting in line for you - the girls are free as students. Also, the L'Orangerie has the murals by Monet that are fantastic.

Not sure how far you are from Paris, so I can't comment on how long to travel into the city. I would highly recommend either Galeries Lafayette on a Friday to attend a fashion show (I have not had the chance to attend but it is highly recommended) or go to Le Bon Marche - if you are there in August, it is always fun to shop for back to school clothing. You could also go to the markets, not just for food but for clothing as well.

If the girls are interested in history, you could also go to Notre Dame Cathedral (about one hour at the most, unless they want to climb the tower) then go to Berthillon for ice cream. You could go to Saint-Chapelle for a concert in the evening, combining a visit to the beautiful stained glass chapel with an opportunity to listen to some beautiful music.

I would also recommend going to Angelina's for amazing hot chocolate and pastries, also Laduree for macaroons.

Euro Disney could probably wait until another trip, the Champs d'Elysees could be something to see on another trip as well.

libssmfamily

Thank you Rob and Barbara for suggesting that I include the girls' insights as to what they want to see... I hadn't considered that before now. They're definitely old enough to voice their opinions and I should've thought of that earlier! 2 of 3 have been to Disney in CA, and we have relatives who live near Disney World in Orlando. They will have plenty of opportunities to visit Disney, but only a few to visit Paris. I appreciate your advice and have decided to nix that part of our itinerary... the youngest will be upset, but she'll get over it.

Thanks timsmom for the wonderful suggestions! Everything you recommended sounds perfect for a group of girls! I will take it all into consideration.

laverendrye

While in Alsace, be sure to include a visit to the castle of Haut-Koenigsbourg.

Nikki

Since the girls have been to major art museums and are familiar with some of the major French artists, I would incorporate museums into your two days in Paris so they can see the art and compare it to the art they have seen in other museums. I don't think that it is better to leave out museums just because they have been to other ones; on the contrary I think that if that is an interest and an experience of the girls, it is a sign that you should pursue it in Paris as well as at home.

If it were me, I would try to get to the Musee d'Orsay and the Orangerie. The Orangerie can be combined with your sightseeing on the Champs Elysees, and it is a small museum that can be visited in an hour or two. (Advance tickets or a museum pass will help with the line.)

I would definitely include Sainte Chapelle, which is quite close to Notre Dame.

StCirq

You already posted about this a few days ago, and got a number of suggestions. Why are you starting a whole new thread?

libssmfamily

Thank you Nikki regarding the museum suggestions. We love art, but we were concerned about time. I agree, I think the Orangerie would be an excellent museum for our itinerary. I appreciate the suggestion for the museum pass.

StCirq - I reposted in hopes to have replies from other fodorites concerning our stay in the outskirts of Paris and our limited time in Paris. I did receive one response - your's. Thanks for asking, but I'm still unfamiliar with Paris and with this being our first time traveling there, I need help with our plans. I value what others have to say, and isn't that what this forum was designed for? Sorry if I offended you by reposting my original questions with more information and a more detailed heading this time.