I an taking my daughter to Paris in July. Just the two of us. It has been many years since I have been to the city and I have never taken a child. Can anyone advise me on a child friendly hotel or apartment, (not too expensive I have to pay adult prices for both of us). In my single days I would have stayed on the left bank around Montparnasse, is this area still relatively safe?, we will be dining out quite late most nights. I would like to be near a well connected railway station as I will be going to Charles de Gaulle Airport, Disneyland, Versailles, Parc de Asterix etc. If I remember correctly French trains are excellent and if I stay pretty central, it is easy enough to walk to the main touristy sites. Where is the best place for my daughter to play with other children, (she makes friends easy and will try a few French phrases). Any must does for children?
Looking forward to your replies
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Have you thought of staying at the Holiday Inn at disneyland?
If you book early on www.ichotels.com , it can be very reasonable.
I did this last year with my son, travelled into Paris (approx 30mins), looked at some sights and then at the end of the day brought a tired boy back to the hotel via the resteraunts in the disney village (two decent ones) or we ate at the hotel.
Certainly child friendly, and the trains run late and seem safe.
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There are some lengthy posts on this subject if you use the search function.
Off hand, I%26#39;d say that you can skip the big amusements parks, as she is really too young to remember it a year or so from now and there is so much to do in the city.
A very French park with rides and close to the center of things is the Jardin d%26#39;Acclimatation, in the Bois de Boulogne. Luxembourg Gardens and the Tuilleries are worth looking into, lots to do and plenty of locals. She will have no problem playing with the kids here...they barely notice language at that age. Merry go rounds are through out the city. The Rodin Gardens are a lovely oasis for families.
Montparnasse is a very safe neighborhood for you and your daughter.
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Thank you, I love the idea of visiting the parks and seeing the sites. I am less keen on the amusement parks, but I think a day trip to Disney will be unavoidable. However as we intend to stay at least a week I am sure that we can compromise on this.
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Found the search facility, but any other advise welcome.
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I don%26#39;t know if this is much help , but, the first time I went to Paris I was 10 yrs old. My mother and sister and I stayed with our grandmother who lived just outside Paris.
Other then going to the Effiel Tower and going on the Seine River boat tour, I didn%26#39;t actually like Paris.
Paris was crowded, hot, and the cars tried to kill you. I was not impressed. I wanted to stay at my grandmothers and play around the neighborhood.
My sister( who was 8) and I played easily with the french children, even without any language( beleive it or not, we spoke no french!)
Oh, yes I also remember enjoying the climb up Notre Dame to see the gargoyles.
I would stay in Paris though if I was you, and just spend the day at Disney, I do beleive there are serveral nice parks in Paris for kids, ( as I am sure you have found out by now)
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I don%26#39;t know if this is much help , but, the first time I went to Paris I was 10 yrs old. My mother and sister and I stayed with our grandmother who lived just outside Paris.
Other then going to the Effiel Tower and going on the Seine River boat tour, I didn%26#39;t actually like Paris.
Paris was crowded, hot, and the cars tried to kill you. I was not impressed. I wanted to stay at my grandmothers and play around the neighborhood.
My sister( who was 8) and I played easily with the french children, even without any language( beleive it or not, we spoke no french!)
Oh, yes I also remember enjoying the climb up Notre Dame to see the gargoyles.
I would stay in Paris though if I was you, and just spend the day at Disney, I do beleive there are serveral nice parks in Paris for kids, ( as I am sure you have found out by now)
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Thanks Joan
I had forgotten the gargoyles, my daughter thinks that sounds like fun. She want to know if you saw the hunchback?
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I agree with phread. There are many things that a child would love in Paris. Letting her play with a sailboat on the pond in the Jardin du Luxembourg would be great for her. She will certainly find plenty of opportunity to interact with other children there!
Letting her get dressed up to go with you to one of the fancy tea-rooms for a chocolat chaud? She will be welcome in just about any restaurant in Paris assuming she knows, as I suspect she does, how to behave in a %26quot;grown-up%26quot; setting.
Many of the Paris museums have areas and activities specifically dedicated to young children. The Cite des Sciences et de l%26#39;Indusrie does, for example. It is a marvellous place for both adults and children if you have any interest at all in how things work and it is almost an amusement park by itself.
Here is the Sciences web page for kids:
cite-sciences.fr/english/…index.htm
I think if you let part of every day be dedicated to her, she will have such a wonderful time in Paris that she will forget about Disney!
You might want to stay a bit closer to the river in the 6th arrondissement. It will be easier for her to walk to a lot of different places that will interest her - the rue de Buci/rue de Seine for a lively market/shopping area, the pont des Arts to listen to musicians and watch the boats on the river - and NO CARS so she can run and play there, the Jardin du Luxembourg just a short disatnce to the south, and so on.
I think she and you might be happy staying in the Marais too, perhaps in a hotel like the Castex (check out the reviews on this site) which is on a charming pedestrian square and close to the Place des Vosges which is another great place for kids and adults.
Kids love to play on the installation of columns of various heights by Daniel Buren in the courtyard of the Palais Royal.
And the Stravinsky fountain with its brightly colored animated sculptures in the square close to the Pompidou is a big hit with children.
If somebody would have let me sit on a cafe terrace in Paris with a Diabolo Fraise or a dish of Berthillon ice cream when I was six I%26#39;d probably never have let my parents take me home!
One other thing - I have rambled on too long already - is that I wouldn%26#39;t let too much time elapse before booking a hotel.
Have a great trip!
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PS: The hunchback is rumored to be sleeping on cardboard boxes behind the BHV and dumpster-dining from the kitchens of the Hotel-Dieu!
:%26gt;)
(Check the thread on %26quot;Hotel-Dieu%26quot; if this reference seems a bit obscure...)
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Irish..that was gross re. the hunchback..but funny!
Gibson123...I%26#39;m sure that you%26#39;ll both have a great time whatever you choose but I guarantee that she won%26#39;t forget about Disney...kids memories are like elephants! You may get back home in Scotland and then she%26#39;ll want to know when you%26#39;re going to see Mickey and Minnie!
I would stay in Paris as the others have suggested and just do a daytrip to Disney.
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