During an extended stay in England I am taking my 2 children, ages 9 and 14 to Paris. I have reserved a triple room in the 6th arrondissement for 2 nights. I know this is not enough time for a proper visit to Paris, but I am hoping this will be a pleasant taste of the city. I have no particular plans for meals, but will stop wherever we see that looks appealing. Obviously, we can’t see everything and I don’t want to ruin our stay by trying. I hope my itinerary is not too ambitious for our short time. I would appreciate feedback or recommendations for changes. Thank you in advance!

Wednesday-- Arrive midmorning, explore (suggestions) until we can check into hotel at 14:00 Afterward, head to The Louvre (open until 10pm on Wednesdays, also not trying to see the whole museum so we shouldn’t have to rush)

Thursday--
Arrive early at Notre Dame
Catacombs I have mixed feelings about the tour for my 9 year old. I can’t decide if he would love it or hate it, so this is only a maybe.
Visit to Musee Carnavalet
Eiffel Tower at twilight (go up only if line isn’t too long)

Friday--
final shopping/exploring
Check out of hotel at noon
Musee d’Orsay, walk through Jardin des Tuileries
Musee de l’Orangerie
(Should I remove one of these museums from the itinerary for a more leisurely visit, and if so which would you recommend keeping?)

Thank you!

You shouldn't have to wait until your room is ready to check into your hotel. Every hotel I've ever been to allows you to leave your bags when you arrive, whether you can get into the room or not. And I wouldn't limit myself to just the Louvre on that first day. You could do lots more.

I would get the Michelin Green Guide to Paris and look at the Louvre--and choose what your children might like better/best.
I would also say that is a real "diet" of museums for children!! You know yours best, of course, but for a pleasant taste, maybe some variety? Maybe your name gives us a clue--but variety is good no matter what.
I don't see a Seine river boat trip?
The Rodin might be a little different museum with its sculptures.
What about a street market--and get them a cute pocketbook or memento.
HOw about the Luxembourg Gardens-and a puppet show.
How about the Opera Garnier tour--art and architecture.
Some of the Passages are interesting not only for their architectural beauty but for the lovely shops.
How about exploring Ile St. Louis after Notre Dame. On the main street there is an absolutely magical puppet/marionette shop that is really fun to just look in the window.
Sainte Chapelle?

Variety is good! I love the suggestion for Ile St. Louis with the puppet/marionette shop. The Rodin and Opera Garnier had been on my original itinerary, but I removed it before posting so it might be a good idea to put that back on. I had thought the time we did not have scheduled would likely get filled up just exploring and wanted to remain flexible and leave time for leisurely meals. A street market would be wonderful. St-Germain Covered Market? Luxembourg Gardens would also be easy to add. Thank you for your suggestions!

I'm just about to head to Paris and have just bought (on the recommendation of a friend)
"DK Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide: Paris"
Gerrard, Mike; Paperback;

It's really handy and includes a Top 10 things to do with Children....

Thank you!

when we took our kids to paris just for a day, when they were about the same age, the things they liked were the Eiffel tower, Notre Dame, the ride on the Seine. markets are also a good bet - always a winner looking at all the lovely veg, fruit and fish displays. and chocolate shops and patisseries of course!

Visiting the Rodin straight off is a great idea, because seeing those really interesting (and one that is going to be familiar to them) sculptures in the garden is a good way to ease them into seeing art and expressing their opinions about it (For some reason, it is a lot easier for kids to do this when they are outside! I've watched it happen on many field trips with my kids' classes as they grew up.)

Don't know about the catacombs@ Notre Dame, but certainly climb up to the top among the gargoyles. I also like the Carnavalet on your schedule. Pack a great picnic to eat in Place des Vosges that day. You may also want to fold in a bit of shopping around the Marais. I've always enjoyed those shops.

Sounds like you are going to have a terrific time. Lucky kids to get to experience Paris at a very impressionable age.

As for the catacombs, I assume you mean the ones in the 14th arrondissement (not Notre Dame). Depending on your 9 year old, I'd say this would be a very cool thing to do. The stairs to the catecombs are windy and plentiful, fair warning. But the piles of bones & sculls are actually kind of beautiful and worth seeing IMO. (As a 9 year old, I would have been tired and cranky at the Louvre, after about an hour... The smaller museums you mention - in particular the Orsay, might be more manageable & interesting.)

I agree with the Seine river tour as suggested above. You see a lovely view of the city, and will break up your activities a bit more.

Wow, this brings back memories for me, since my sister and I were just (each) one year younger than your kids on our first trip to Paris - a short stay in the 6th arrondisement during a longer visit to England. The first of many for me, including junior year abroad study.

A few thoughts:
- To me, one of the most interesting parts of the Louvre isn't actually inside the ticketed area: when they renovated for I.M. Pei's pyramid, they unearthed the moat and other parts of the 12th century castle. Definitely worth a peek - and maybe will satisfy the "subterranean" view?
- For kids, I'd choose Musee d'Orsay over the Orangerie. However, as an adult, I love love love Monet's water lilies at the latter! [I wouldn't call the Orsay *small* though! The Louvre is really in a class its own on that count.] The Orsay has wide-open spaces and a good amount of sculpture - not to mention the view through the clock faces! Even though it's now a museum instead of a working train station, you can still see the "bones" of its former use - and standing in those clock faces, maybe even pretend you're Hugo.
- Following the train station theme, if you want a fun, truly French restaurant experience, you could make a reservation at Le Train Bleu at Gare de Lyon. http://www.le-train-bleu.com/uk/index.php
- The Rodin museum is very accessible, given that it's in a home. (You wander from room to room with the changing views of the gardens out the windows and the creaking floorboards reminding you you're inside!)
- On Ile St. Louis, don't forget to queue for <i>les glaces</i> at Bertillon!
- If you want a view from above without waiting in line at the Tour Eiffel, think about going up the Tour Montparnasse. There's a decent view from the top of the Arc de Triomphe as well, and though rather staid, the Champs Elysees is a beautiful, leafy boulevard to stroll along. (Plus, the famous Maison Laduree with its <i>macarons</i> is located there!)

Thank you for all of your responses. The Catacombs (in the 14th) have moved to the definite catagory. I will definitely add The Rodin. My 9 year old was quite excited about Le Train Bleu! Everyone is so helpful! Thank you so much. I'll be offline for awhile. I have a plane to England catch

Also, a picnic to eat in Place des Vosges sounds perfect.

( les glaces at Berillon and Hugo comment = <3 )

Art-mom,

if you're going to be in the 14th, then the Tour Montparnasse would be the obvious choice, rather than the Tour Eiffel. it has the advantage that you can see the Eiffel tower from it of course!

Hi Art_Mom, hope you had a good flight!

I took another look at your initial itinerary, and I'm a little concerned that your Thursday has you going all over town - and that's before adding in some of these other interests!

Here's a potential re-write, though I haven't included everything on the list...

<b>WEDNESDAY</b> - from midmorning
• Seine cruise: Vedettes du Pont Neuf from the tip of Ile de la Cité
[lunch; for example, there are some brasseries etc. on the western end of Ile de la Cité]
• Ile St. Louis: puppet store, Berthillon
• Musee Carnavalet (open 10a-6p)
[dinner in the Marais]
<i>M1 to Palais Royale/Musée du Louvre, best for museum entrance</i>
• Musée du Louvre (open until 10pm)

<b>THURSDAY</b>
• Cathédrale Notre Dame (open 8a-6:45p; tower access 10a-6:30p in summer)
• walk down Boulevard St. Michel, past La Sorbonne to
• Jardins du Luxembourg
[lunch: many student-oriented shops along Blvd St Michel, or try the far side of the gardens in the 6th for quieter cafés; you also could wait and go to one of the cafés made famous in the 1920's just south of the gardens, such as Closerie des Lilas. La Rotonde or La Coupole...]
• walk through Jardins du Luxembourg and past the cool-looking Observatory at the southern end
• Catacombs (open 10a-5p)
• Montparnasse tower (viewing platform open 9:30a-11:30p in summer)
<i>M6 to Bir-Hakeim</i>
• Tour Eiffel (open 9:30a-11p)
<i>RER C to Gare d'Austerlitz, walk across river to Gare de Lyon</i>
[dinner: Le Train Bleu]

<b>FRIDAY</b>
• shopping, etc.
• Musée Rodin (open 10a to 5:45p; Wednesday evenings until 8:45p)
[lunch]
• Musée d'Orsay (open 9:30a-6p; until 9:45p Thursday)


// If you're interested in a Seine cruise, I highly recommend doing it first. You'll get a "lay of the land" and be ready for whatever you do next. The Vedettes du Pont Neuf are not far from the 6th, and an easy walk from there to Ile St. Louis or to the Louvre and Tuileries, whichever you prefer. (I recommended the former so that it's an easy walk from there to the Musée Carnavalet. But maybe too much museum in one afternoon/evening?)

I included both Tour Montparnasse and Tour Eiffel since as you say, you might not go up the latter anyway. If you do, it would be one daytime and one twilight...

IMO, there aren't great eating options near Orsay or the Louvre, and not much better in the immediate proximity of the Rodin museum. However, you could always bring sandwiches with you and picnic in the Tuileries or at Les Invalides!

I didn't realize this before, but the Musée Rodin is partially closed for renovation. The gardens are open, and they have reopened half of the Hôtel Biron...

Interesting note: The movie "Hugo" is set in the old Gare Montparnasse. The station now is completely contemporary, located behind the Tour Montparnasse. Gare de Lyon comes closer to looking like an old station, complete with a clock tower.

hi again,

if you want to do the vedettes du pont-nuef, you can save some money by buying the ticket on-line - here's the link: http://www.vedettesdupontneuf.com/

and if you are sure you want to go up the Eiffel Tower, reserve your tickets NOW on the official website: http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/

for the louvre, they do many different tours, some designed especially for children:

http://www.louvre.fr/en/parcours?dep...ublic=children

again, i would book tickets in advance because with such a short trip, you don't want to waste time waiting in a queue.

have a fab time!

when you're walking through the Ile St Louis (after Notre Dame), get a scoop of chocolate ice cream at Berthillon!