Paris as a stopover with kids?

[brisklady]

We're planning to drive from Calais to the French Alps next summer with kids aged 11 and 8. We're looking at possible stopover ideas, and considering taking them to Paris, as they've never been. So, the question is - would one to two days (two to three nights) be worth it? Is there somewhere nice and convenient to stay where we could park easily and avoid driving right into Paris, but could easily get into the city on public transport for the day? Would need to be on the Eastern side of Paris for convenience. Or - is this a foolish idea?

La Croiz de Vieux Pont is an excellent holiday park and has a coach which leaves the campsite direct for Paris quite early in the morning and then returns in the evening.

Camping Le Chene Gris is another nice park with very easy train access to central Paris. If you plan well, you could do a lot in Paris in two days.

Thanks, but we won't be camping.

Though are they sites where you don't need to bring your own stuff?

We had an 8-hour stopover which was rather too tiring for the kids and us, but a day rather than half at the Natural History museum park would have been great, and then another day to see the Eiffel Tower and other sights.
A Campanile or similar near the metro should work.

Thanks, I'm guessing Campanile is a hotel chain?

www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-0382-novotel-paris-creteil-le-lac/index.shtml#origin=accorhotels We stayed here on a stopover once. We didn't go into Paris but it was easy enough to get to from the motorway, easy to park, and the metro is nearby. There is a pool and a nice view of the lake. The hotel was a bit tired looking, but free breakfast for kids and family rooms.

We did 2 nights in a budget hotel near Disneyland and had a great time. The first day the kids did (some of) Disneyland with DP and I had a blissful day to myself in central Paris, the second day we all went into Paris and did a river trip and a trip up the Eiffel tower (you need to book that months in advance if you don't want to queue for hours).

We stayed at a Eurocamp site on the outskirts of Paris when the kids where small. We did it as a short break at Easter. Plenty of room for 2 small hours to let of steam and about 15 minutes by train ( station a 5 minute walk away) from the centre.