A Family Trip To Paris

Of all the cities in the world, Paris is arguably the most beautiful. We often hear complaints about the French being so arrogant. Well, after I visited Paris, I understood it. Man, they’ve got Paris, the City of Light, with its history, its art, its music, its food, its architecture, its couture, shall I go on?

Paris, as it turns out, is extremely child-friendly. And very dog friendly too, I might add. A family trip to Paris offers something for everyone, Begin your trip with a day pass on L’Open Tour, the double decker bus which tours the city and gives you a great overview of the city as a whole, so you can think about areas you really want to see when you’re in Paris. There are four different routes, but begin with the Paris Grand Tour (2 hours). This trip brings you past the Madeleine, the famous Opera House (setting for Phantom of the Opera) , the Louvre Museum (think DaVinci Code), Notre Dame Cathedral, Saint-Germain-des-Pres, the Orsay Museum, the Concorde, the Champs-Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe, the Trocadero, the Eiffel Tower and the Invalides. You can hop on and off at each site, and the busses come by each stop every 10 minutes or so. Tickets can be purchased on board.

Within the Luxembourg Gardens sits the best children’s playground in the city. It’s quite large with fabulous swings, climbing nets, springy animals and more. There are pony rides offered a few feet away from the gated play area, as well as a carousel, Pack a picnic with sandwiches, baguettes, cheese, pastries, cold drinks, maybe even a bottle of wine for mom and dad, and head over to Luxumborg Gardens for an afternoon. Set up a blanket on the enormous lawns and join the Parisians who spend their leisure time strolling around the beautiful gardens, soaking up the warm sun and enjoying life.

If you’re traveling with shoppers, especially the pre-teens or teenage crowd, don’t miss the wonderful and surprisingly affordable shopping blocks on the Rue De Rivoli, on the Marais side of the Siene (next to Il de la Cite), Within 2-3 blocks of the famous Hotel De Ville you’ll fine Etam, C&A, Clockwise, Bershka, H & M, Mango and Sephora. The fashions are hip, young, fashion-forward and again, relatively affordable, compared to the popular teen stores in the US.

Get up early one day and climb to the top of the bell tower (a la “Hunchback of Notre Dame) for an up-close look of the gargoyles which protect the Cathedral, and all of the spirits within. The view of the city is spectacular from the towers, with the Eiffel Tower well within sight.

You could literally spend a month in museums in Paris if you chose to, and not see all of the art housed in this city. With kids in tow, moderation is the key. Use a positive approach to help foster their appreciation of great art and antiquities. Purchase sketch books for the kids, and have them sit in various galleries and try to sketch their favorite works of art. They won’t tire out so easily, and the older kids or adults can wander around and look at the various artwork. The Museum d'Orsay, housed in the former central train station, along the river, is a great place to bring the kids. It has several floors of Impressionist art, as well as sculpture, and Roman and Egyptian antiquities. Oddly, the real treasures, a collection of impressionist paintings are crammed onto the very top floor…start there first! There is a beautiful dining room with gorgeous green wicker seats and tables covered with white linen all set under a fabulous baroque painted ceiling. The menu is very child-friendly with steak frites (grilled steak & french fries), soft drinks and ice cream.

If you choose to spend a few hours in the Louvre, start the day there, and for lunch wander out to the Tuileries, an enormous park with manicured gardens, gorgeous sculptures, a mile-long promenade, and carousels. Eat in one of the many outdoor cafes. In warm weather children can race remote-control boats (for rent) and feed the ducks. There are hundreds of chairs scattered around the large ponds with elaborate fountains, and on a warm day you will be joined by many of the local residents out for a stroll.

Spend an afternoon in the Left Bank. Wander the narrow, medieval streets lines with shops of all sorts, and hundreds of eateries, both inside & outside. It’s a great place to people watch! There are many internet cafes sprinkled around the Left Bank, and it’s a good place to stop and catch up with email and news from home.

Paris is a walking city, so be sure to pack comfortable shoes for the entire family. The metro system in this city is very well laid out and is a great way to get around. You can purchase books of 10 metro tickets from most Tabac stores throughout the city. Be sure to have the kids help figure out the trains to take, it’s good practice for them. The metro is always an adventure for kids.

The last night of your trip, take a boat ride down the Seine, for the night tour of the bridges. The boat cruises down the river, the length of the city, past the glorious Eiffel Tower, with its light show every 10 minutes or so. The bridges each offer fascinating history lessons, which the resident guide does a good job of explaining, and the lighting along the river and on the bridges is magical. It’s a great way to say goodbye to this timeless and unique city of the ages.

After the boat ride, be sure to walk to the end of the park (at the base of the bridge) and toss a coin into the Seine. It is said that if you toss a coin here, you will find your way back to Paris.