Paris, Avec Des Petits
October 5, 2016 3:27 PM Subscribe
I am excited to be spending a couple of days sight-seeing in Paris in late October. I've never been before, I may never go again. How can I make the most of my visit - which will be accompanied by a four year old and an infant. I expect the bébé will spend most of her time eating or sleeping, but what memorable, Parisian activities can we take part in?
I'm meeting an expat friend and her two French children - a four year old boy and a 3 month old girl - in Paris (they live elsewhere in France). We've already booked an AirBnB to stay in near Montmartre (in the 17th arrondissement). Possible activities thus far are visiting the Eiffel Tower (yes, I'm just embracing the cliche on this one) and a walk in the nearby Cimetière Montmartre.
I am looking for recommendations for distinctly Parisian places to visit and explore that will entertain and not over-exhaust the four year old. For example, I figure the Louvre is probably not a good choice, nor is Notre Dame. I am not particularly interested in, say, a children's museum unless it is especially unique to Paris. (I have visited the Boston's Children's Museum and while it is very entertaining for children, it is neither entertaining for adults nor memorable Boston location). But if there's a good neighborhood to wander around and find parks and playgrounds in, that would be great. Is the Centre Pompidou kid-appropriate?
(I'd also be happy to receive your recommendations for the best places nearby boulangeries, patisseries, and chocolatiers, even if they are not kid-friendly. And maisons du thé. And cafés. Basically, I don't mind a few off-topic recommendations)
FYI, my French will likely be passable (6+ en lycée), but stunted (I am embarassed by my accent). My friend is fluent, having lived in France and Switzerland for ten-ish years now. The four year old is bilingual and excited to go visit Paris. The infant is an infant. I do not have children myself, but very much enjoy their company and planning on learning about both changing diapers and Thomas the Tank Engine on this visit.
I'm visiting in late October and will be in Paris a full Friday and Saturday (arriving Thursday, leaving Sunday).
I'm meeting an expat friend and her two French children - a four year old boy and a 3 month old girl - in Paris (they live elsewhere in France). We've already booked an AirBnB to stay in near Montmartre (in the 17th arrondissement). Possible activities thus far are visiting the Eiffel Tower (yes, I'm just embracing the cliche on this one) and a walk in the nearby Cimetière Montmartre.
I am looking for recommendations for distinctly Parisian places to visit and explore that will entertain and not over-exhaust the four year old. For example, I figure the Louvre is probably not a good choice, nor is Notre Dame. I am not particularly interested in, say, a children's museum unless it is especially unique to Paris. (I have visited the Boston's Children's Museum and while it is very entertaining for children, it is neither entertaining for adults nor memorable Boston location). But if there's a good neighborhood to wander around and find parks and playgrounds in, that would be great. Is the Centre Pompidou kid-appropriate?
(I'd also be happy to receive your recommendations for the best places nearby boulangeries, patisseries, and chocolatiers, even if they are not kid-friendly. And maisons du thé. And cafés. Basically, I don't mind a few off-topic recommendations)
FYI, my French will likely be passable (6+ en lycée), but stunted (I am embarassed by my accent). My friend is fluent, having lived in France and Switzerland for ten-ish years now. The four year old is bilingual and excited to go visit Paris. The infant is an infant. I do not have children myself, but very much enjoy their company and planning on learning about both changing diapers and Thomas the Tank Engine on this visit.
I'm visiting in late October and will be in Paris a full Friday and Saturday (arriving Thursday, leaving Sunday).
Bateau Mouche -- those are the low boats on the Seine -- at night, so you get to see the Eiffel Tower light up as you're motoring along. Don't do an actual dinner cruise, but just bring some snacks for the kids.
posted by BlahLaLa at 4:07 PM on October 5, 2016
posted by BlahLaLa at 4:07 PM on October 5, 2016
We took our then-2-year-old to Paris in 2003 and the thing she loved best was playing in the playground in the Place des Vosges. We also went to the Cité des sciences et de l'industrie, which she was a little young for at the time but still enjoyed, including the giant dragon slide in the playground there and a nearby toy store. We skipped the bateaux mouches, but did a Thames river cruise in London on the same trip and she liked that, so a cruise on the Seine seems to be a likely win. Also, look for carousels at various tourist locations around the city (we rode one near Sacre Coeur and another near the Eiffel Tower)
posted by briank at 4:23 PM on October 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by briank at 4:23 PM on October 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best thing: Sailing boats on the fountain at the Jardin du Luxembourg.
posted by Kafkaesque at 4:39 PM on October 5, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by Kafkaesque at 4:39 PM on October 5, 2016 [4 favorites]
Four years old is perhaps slightly too young for this, but I've always figured that if you're going to take a child to France, you should do something Proustian. That way, the child's involuntary memories would not be of a cookie dipped in tea, or the town in which he dipped his cookies in tea, or whatever, but of Proust himself. This is a little meta for some people, especially if you don't care about A la recherche, but if you do, Proust's room has been recreated at the Musee Carnavalet.
posted by kevinbelt at 4:56 PM on October 5, 2016
posted by kevinbelt at 4:56 PM on October 5, 2016
One of the things I was shocked by was the number of playgrounds in Paris. As mentioned, the Place des Vosges has a nice sandbox, but there are others: southeast corner of Notre Dame, Tuileries, Jardin du Luxembourg (in addition to the must-do boats), just north of the Eiffel Tower, by the Tour Saint Jacques, near the Catacombs, etc., etc., etc. If you look around you'll find something almost everywhere.
There's a heritage puppet show, Le Théâtre des Marionnettes du jardin du Luxembourg, all in French that was fun for me but my non-French-speaking 8-year-old didn't seem to like it much. It's about as far from Monmartre as it could possibly be, but another spectacular place is the circus arts museum Musée des Arts Forains. It's a private museum, so book a tour in advance, but they have precious artifacts from many circus traditions, including a Venetian merry-go-round, marionettes, games, etc., all housed in what used to be the wine caves of Bercy. Truly, one of the most French things I've ever seen. The adjacent Bercy village is tourist-free and very cool, and the Parc de Bercy often has live outdoor performances and is gorgeous, lots of kids around.
Pompidou itself is not really kid-friendly, and while the art inside is spectacular I doubt the 4-year-old would be interested. However, the Stravinsky Fountain outside is really neat, and I believe you can ride the escalators at Pompidou without paying, so that could be fun. I wouldn't dismiss Notre Dame out of hand; the wait is long but inside you can stroll through and take it in relatively quickly, and it's free. Another thing to consider would be Versailles. The interior is probably not that interesting, but in the gardens (the real highlight for me) there's lots of room to run around, no kid activities per se, but you can ride the little tram. Up to you whether it's worth the trek out on the RER. Definitely Berthillon ice cream on the Ile Saint Louis! The two bateaux companies I found recommended were Batobus (which was hop-on, hop-off) and Les Bateaux Mouches, which was very reasonably priced and nice. Is the ferris wheel at Place de le Concorde still up this time of year? Basically, there's a bazillion things to do with kids that are still Parisian.
posted by wnissen at 5:19 PM on October 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
There's a heritage puppet show, Le Théâtre des Marionnettes du jardin du Luxembourg, all in French that was fun for me but my non-French-speaking 8-year-old didn't seem to like it much. It's about as far from Monmartre as it could possibly be, but another spectacular place is the circus arts museum Musée des Arts Forains. It's a private museum, so book a tour in advance, but they have precious artifacts from many circus traditions, including a Venetian merry-go-round, marionettes, games, etc., all housed in what used to be the wine caves of Bercy. Truly, one of the most French things I've ever seen. The adjacent Bercy village is tourist-free and very cool, and the Parc de Bercy often has live outdoor performances and is gorgeous, lots of kids around.
Pompidou itself is not really kid-friendly, and while the art inside is spectacular I doubt the 4-year-old would be interested. However, the Stravinsky Fountain outside is really neat, and I believe you can ride the escalators at Pompidou without paying, so that could be fun. I wouldn't dismiss Notre Dame out of hand; the wait is long but inside you can stroll through and take it in relatively quickly, and it's free. Another thing to consider would be Versailles. The interior is probably not that interesting, but in the gardens (the real highlight for me) there's lots of room to run around, no kid activities per se, but you can ride the little tram. Up to you whether it's worth the trek out on the RER. Definitely Berthillon ice cream on the Ile Saint Louis! The two bateaux companies I found recommended were Batobus (which was hop-on, hop-off) and Les Bateaux Mouches, which was very reasonably priced and nice. Is the ferris wheel at Place de le Concorde still up this time of year? Basically, there's a bazillion things to do with kids that are still Parisian.
posted by wnissen at 5:19 PM on October 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
There are marionette shows in a couple of parks (site is old but info is still good), Jardin de Luxembourg has great playgrounds (French parents don't hover as much as California parents.)
posted by Ideefixe at 5:22 PM on October 5, 2016
posted by Ideefixe at 5:22 PM on October 5, 2016
Best answer: There are at least two playgrounds at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, (one on each side of the river) so the kid can play while you bask in the shadow of the tower.
Ride every carousel you see. Ride the funicular at Montmartre. (Maybe interesting only to my train-obsessed six year old.) Ride buses and subways if they're not used to doing so.
The Jardin des Plantes has a series of several science museums. The dinosaur one was surprisingly old school and way not appropriate for a four year old who wants to touch everything, but I got a huge kick out of the throwback-iness of it. There's a small ménagerie in the Jardin des Plantes too if you want to zoo it up.
posted by Liesl at 5:43 PM on October 5, 2016
Ride every carousel you see. Ride the funicular at Montmartre. (Maybe interesting only to my train-obsessed six year old.) Ride buses and subways if they're not used to doing so.
The Jardin des Plantes has a series of several science museums. The dinosaur one was surprisingly old school and way not appropriate for a four year old who wants to touch everything, but I got a huge kick out of the throwback-iness of it. There's a small ménagerie in the Jardin des Plantes too if you want to zoo it up.
posted by Liesl at 5:43 PM on October 5, 2016
Seconding carousels; my friend with kids that age found them all over the place and delightful.
posted by Nelson at 12:34 AM on October 6, 2016
posted by Nelson at 12:34 AM on October 6, 2016
You know what, I say just let your friend take the lead on deciding what to do with the kids - she knows France better and she knows her kids better. I've never taken kids to Paris but French cities in general strike me as being pretty child-friendly compared to American cities.
Figure out what you want to do/see in Paris and then talk with your friend about what will/won't work with her kids. Definitely don't rule out Notre-Dame if it's something you want to see, there's a playground right next to it and the line probably won't be a big deal in late October. Maybe try and sneak out to the Louvre after the kids are asleep (although maybe you'd rather use that time to catch up with your friend, your call).
posted by mskyle at 2:08 AM on October 6, 2016 [2 favorites]
Figure out what you want to do/see in Paris and then talk with your friend about what will/won't work with her kids. Definitely don't rule out Notre-Dame if it's something you want to see, there's a playground right next to it and the line probably won't be a big deal in late October. Maybe try and sneak out to the Louvre after the kids are asleep (although maybe you'd rather use that time to catch up with your friend, your call).
posted by mskyle at 2:08 AM on October 6, 2016 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Just got back from Paris on Sunday. The 4-year-old might like the funicular at Montmartre — he and mom can ride it while you walk up with the baby?
As other have suggested, there are playgrounds at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. It might be cold out but it was t-shirt weather last week.
The Paris verison of the High Line, the Coulée Verte René Dumont is also pretty cool, and the section we visited included a kids' park. That section started at Square Charles Péguy.
Also seconding a boat ride. We had drinks and lunch at Paname Brewing Company (near Gare du Nord) and there were lots of kids running around there.
posted by Brittanie at 2:32 AM on October 6, 2016
As other have suggested, there are playgrounds at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. It might be cold out but it was t-shirt weather last week.
The Paris verison of the High Line, the Coulée Verte René Dumont is also pretty cool, and the section we visited included a kids' park. That section started at Square Charles Péguy.
Also seconding a boat ride. We had drinks and lunch at Paname Brewing Company (near Gare du Nord) and there were lots of kids running around there.
posted by Brittanie at 2:32 AM on October 6, 2016
As a couple of concrete suggestions, our kids enjoyed the Jardin d'Acclimatation and the little zoo in the Jardin Des Plantes when we visited Paris back when they were similar ages to yours.
The more general thing I'd say though is that they really don't remember much of that trip now so I would suggest you try to please yourselves as much as possible - as long as you don't overschedule and hit a playground or two (the one in Place des Vosges is nice as mentioned + it is a beautiful place to visit) - then everyone will have a good time.
posted by crocomancer at 3:24 AM on October 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
The more general thing I'd say though is that they really don't remember much of that trip now so I would suggest you try to please yourselves as much as possible - as long as you don't overschedule and hit a playground or two (the one in Place des Vosges is nice as mentioned + it is a beautiful place to visit) - then everyone will have a good time.
posted by crocomancer at 3:24 AM on October 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
My 4 year old was a bit of a mess at the Pompidou in Paris a couple of years ago. We thought the modern art would appeal to him, and we got there first thing in the morning when he was fresh. It was not to be. Such is life travelling with a 4 year old.
I was surprised at how many little parks and playgrounds there are in Paris. Find one near where you are staying using google maps, and be prepared to do some quick visits.
The Orangerie is compact, inexpensive, well located, and has some giant Monets.
We went to Lauderee for Macrons, which was a highlight.
The little guy also really liked a boat cruise on the Seine. He liked running around the field next to the Eiffel Tower, but was a bit upset that the lines were so long, and we bailed on going up.
posted by thenormshow at 7:59 AM on October 6, 2016
I was surprised at how many little parks and playgrounds there are in Paris. Find one near where you are staying using google maps, and be prepared to do some quick visits.
The Orangerie is compact, inexpensive, well located, and has some giant Monets.
We went to Lauderee for Macrons, which was a highlight.
The little guy also really liked a boat cruise on the Seine. He liked running around the field next to the Eiffel Tower, but was a bit upset that the lines were so long, and we bailed on going up.
posted by thenormshow at 7:59 AM on October 6, 2016
We went to Lauderee for Macrons, which was a highlight.
Not to correct you, but it is called "Ladurée" if you're searching for it online. And their desserts are not only absolutely amazing, but you can pick up a reusable box of macarons, that is a beautiful keepsake in its own right.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 9:54 AM on October 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
Not to correct you, but it is called "Ladurée" if you're searching for it online. And their desserts are not only absolutely amazing, but you can pick up a reusable box of macarons, that is a beautiful keepsake in its own right.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 9:54 AM on October 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
"Pompidou itself is not really kid-friendly, and while the art inside is spectacular I doubt the 4-year-old would be interested. However, the Stravinsky Fountain outside is really neat, and I believe you can ride the escalators at Pompidou without paying, so that could be fun."
I was surprised that our (at the time) 3-year-old was generally pretty happy about museums. I mean, he had his own idiosyncratic ideas about pacing and about which parts exactly were interesting, but, in general--big weird building to walk around with lots of weird objects to look at? OK!
Also agreed on the playgrounds. There were playgrounds all over, both large and small, and they were appreciated.
A couple years later I think he still talks about the Pompidou (the fountain and the escalator) and the Coulée Verte, but mainly, let's confess, the toys at the airbnb.
One of the frustrations was having to schedule everything around naptime and bedtime. Looking for things to do in the blocks right around your airbnb might help, as would some willingness to share babysitting duties.
Though, wait, I just reread your post: you're flying to Paris for a possibly once-in-a-lifetime trip and you're only staying the weekend? What on earth? Anyway, assuming that terrible idea is set in stone for some inexplicable reason--maybe sitting in an apartment with sleeping kids wouldn't be the best use of time, so scratch that last idea....
posted by bfields at 11:24 AM on October 6, 2016
I was surprised that our (at the time) 3-year-old was generally pretty happy about museums. I mean, he had his own idiosyncratic ideas about pacing and about which parts exactly were interesting, but, in general--big weird building to walk around with lots of weird objects to look at? OK!
Also agreed on the playgrounds. There were playgrounds all over, both large and small, and they were appreciated.
A couple years later I think he still talks about the Pompidou (the fountain and the escalator) and the Coulée Verte, but mainly, let's confess, the toys at the airbnb.
One of the frustrations was having to schedule everything around naptime and bedtime. Looking for things to do in the blocks right around your airbnb might help, as would some willingness to share babysitting duties.
Though, wait, I just reread your post: you're flying to Paris for a possibly once-in-a-lifetime trip and you're only staying the weekend? What on earth? Anyway, assuming that terrible idea is set in stone for some inexplicable reason--maybe sitting in an apartment with sleeping kids wouldn't be the best use of time, so scratch that last idea....
posted by bfields at 11:24 AM on October 6, 2016
Best answer: Yeah, in re kids and naps -- I haven't been to Paris in many years, so you'll want to check my math, but I think if you're staying in the 17th you're looking at an inconveniently long metro ride to almost anything you might want to see in the city center. Once you're out for the day you're going to be out for the day.
If you're considering a museum, I'd plump for the Musée d'Orsay --- it's much smaller than the Louvre and therefore much easier to get a kid through without a meltdown, it has an eclectic collection and the building itself is quite lovely and striking --- it's a late 19th century train station.
As you're going to be near Monmarte anyway, the Sacrée Coeur does have the best views of the city. Maybe swing by there before dinner at a cafe some night? An evening stroll around Monmarte would be a nice way to end the day. Some of the streets near the Moulin Rouge were a little sketch though, if I recall, not sure if anything's changed.
posted by Diablevert at 12:34 PM on October 6, 2016
If you're considering a museum, I'd plump for the Musée d'Orsay --- it's much smaller than the Louvre and therefore much easier to get a kid through without a meltdown, it has an eclectic collection and the building itself is quite lovely and striking --- it's a late 19th century train station.
As you're going to be near Monmarte anyway, the Sacrée Coeur does have the best views of the city. Maybe swing by there before dinner at a cafe some night? An evening stroll around Monmarte would be a nice way to end the day. Some of the streets near the Moulin Rouge were a little sketch though, if I recall, not sure if anything's changed.
posted by Diablevert at 12:34 PM on October 6, 2016
Just a dinner recommendation for Montmarte, try Virage Lepic, very friendly little classic bistro, only like 10 tables though so swing by earlyish, like half seven! Plenty of decent patisserie along Rue Caulaincourt too, Maison Laurent next to Square Caulaincourt is great.
posted by nicolas léonard sadi carnot at 6:12 PM on October 6, 2016
posted by nicolas léonard sadi carnot at 6:12 PM on October 6, 2016
Best answer: I actually went to Paris for the first time around the age of 4. Memories that stayed with me are mostly food based, with a few iconic landmarks thrown in. So, I remember the Eiffel Tower quite well, but also buying roast chestnuts from a street vendor near the Eiffel Tower equally well. We did go to the Louvre (Mom was an artist!), but I don't remember much of it except the Mona Lisa. I do remember liking France Miniature, and the boats on the fountain at the Jardin du Luxembourg, and going to patisseries and boulangeries was always fun.
As for yourself, if you find yourself near a Mariage Frères, definitely seek it out for tea. Another tea place would be Betjeman & Barton. (Most of the French tea places sell caramel flavored tea, so if you do have a child along, they might like something like that with some milk and sugar).
posted by gudrun at 6:22 PM on October 6, 2016
As for yourself, if you find yourself near a Mariage Frères, definitely seek it out for tea. Another tea place would be Betjeman & Barton. (Most of the French tea places sell caramel flavored tea, so if you do have a child along, they might like something like that with some milk and sugar).
posted by gudrun at 6:22 PM on October 6, 2016
Response by poster: Fairly belatedly offering a follow up: By far the four year old's favorite part of the trip was the Eiffel Tower. He had picked out and acquired an Eiffel Tower memento before we even got to the Eiffel Tower. He played a bunch on one of the playgrounds near the base and very much enjoyed the merry-go-round. We lucked out by walking along the river with just the right timing to see the Tower lit up and sparkling. Oh, and in Square Rapp, not far from the Eiffel Tower, there is a charming little candy store called Le Petit Duc that may have been my favorite discovery of the trip - they make delicious candies with traditional techniques. The pistaches dragéifiées were amazing and the pâtes de fruit des Hautes Alpes are incredible. Along with Mariage Frères (already my favorite tea maker! definitely get the American Breakfast if you like sweet black teas), I would absolutely recommend Le Petit Duc for anyone visiting, particularly if they are going to the Eiffel Tower already.
My friend had been forewarned by a mom's group that modern strollers would not work on the Metro and I'm glad we had that warning - they don't even fit through the gates. Fortunately, we were able to ride the bus around for the most part. Bus routes did not necessarily get suggested by Google Maps, but I saved a route PDF to my phone and we were able to usually navigate by that. Oh, the RER was stroller-accessible, but the elevators were not easy to find. We spent a lot of time looking for elevators in train stations.
The 4 y.o. also had a scooter that could be folded up and placed in the stroller when he wasn't riding it - this was a lifesaver on longer walks. NOTE: You can NOT take scooters under the Eiffel Tower though - mom & baby had to take the scooter around while 4 y.o. on foot and I went under. (We didn't go up, just under. Free that way, heh.)
The only other thing I can think of to add overall is that we were basically unable to plan meals ahead of time - they were sort of based on when the 4 y.o. started to break down. Buying picnic food ahead of time resulted in our best planned meal. We had an internationally themed dinner in the mall under the Louvre (but did not visit the Louvre) one evening when we stopped for a bathroom break and a lovely crepe and tea across the street from Notre Dame thanks to some wet socks. I saw the outside of most of Paris's great landmarks, although not the insides. Which is fine! I had a great time. I took like a thousand pictures.
posted by maryr at 1:39 PM on May 1, 2017 [3 favorites]
My friend had been forewarned by a mom's group that modern strollers would not work on the Metro and I'm glad we had that warning - they don't even fit through the gates. Fortunately, we were able to ride the bus around for the most part. Bus routes did not necessarily get suggested by Google Maps, but I saved a route PDF to my phone and we were able to usually navigate by that. Oh, the RER was stroller-accessible, but the elevators were not easy to find. We spent a lot of time looking for elevators in train stations.
The 4 y.o. also had a scooter that could be folded up and placed in the stroller when he wasn't riding it - this was a lifesaver on longer walks. NOTE: You can NOT take scooters under the Eiffel Tower though - mom & baby had to take the scooter around while 4 y.o. on foot and I went under. (We didn't go up, just under. Free that way, heh.)
The only other thing I can think of to add overall is that we were basically unable to plan meals ahead of time - they were sort of based on when the 4 y.o. started to break down. Buying picnic food ahead of time resulted in our best planned meal. We had an internationally themed dinner in the mall under the Louvre (but did not visit the Louvre) one evening when we stopped for a bathroom break and a lovely crepe and tea across the street from Notre Dame thanks to some wet socks. I saw the outside of most of Paris's great landmarks, although not the insides. Which is fine! I had a great time. I took like a thousand pictures.
posted by maryr at 1:39 PM on May 1, 2017 [3 favorites]
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posted by Sublimity at 3:41 PM on October 5, 2016 [4 favorites]