Travelling Around Paris with Children
 

Can someone help us to decide if it is better to go by car to central Paris (we are staying in Disneyland)or if it better to take the metro and trains? We want to do the main tourust attractions in a day - is that possible?

Hi F,

You don't want to drive into Paris.

>We want to do the main tourust attractions in a day - is that possible?

No. Especially with kids.

((I))

Paris is a large city. A tourist should never, without any exception I can think of, drive a car in a large city. Not only is it a bad idea for the tourists, it is very inconsiderate to the people who live there.

Thanks for the replies. How easy is it then to negotiate the train system and find the main attractions?

The RER A is direct from Disneyland to central Paris. Metro connections are easy. And children absolutely LOVE taking the metro; they even love the connections if there are escalators, moving walkways or glass elevators.

How many kids? What ages? Any strollers? Accustomed to an urban environment? How likely to behave while traveling? What adult to child ratio?

It is really no different than an large city. If you get familiar with the routes and know where you are going it is not difficult. Connections can sometimes require a good deal of walking, including stairs. Even where elevators are present they may not be working. Stations can be quite crowded and you will need to have "positive control" - e.g., hold by the hand - any kid who might wander.

And just what do you consider to be the main tourist attractions? Knowing that will help give a better, more practical response.

<i>A tourist should never, without any exception I can think of, drive a car in a large city. Not only is it a bad idea for the tourists, it is very inconsiderate to the people who live there.</i>

LOL, Christina, *that* is one of the most emphatic, best pieces of advice I've seen on this board! :D

It's barely possible to see the main attractions of Paris in a week, never mind in a day, and with kids. You might get to one or two, if you're lucky. What is it you want to see?

And no, don't drive. Please don't drive.

That's advice from someone who lives and works in a city with a lot of tourists, too many who drive themselves within the city even though there is excellent public transportation. They contribute to pollution, traffic congestation, take up the few parking spaces that exist, and slow down traffic a lot because they don't know what they are doing or where they are going. They also contribute to accidents.