We're going to Paris for Christmas..... What shall we do?

[Bensonbluebird]

Hurrah! I'm so excited.

What are the top entertainments for an almost 3yr old and a 7 month old?

ive been to paris hundreds of times and know it quite well and unless your dcs love art galleries, museums, shopping, sightseeing and sitting in brasseries then i don't think there is much for them to do im afraid, i could be wrong of course, i don't know every inch of paris but ive never seen anything very young children would enjoy.
there are the parks like disney and park asterix but they are right outside paris.

i hope you can find some places and prove me wrong, i hate the idea of ruining your excitement, have you looked on lonely planet and the rough guide for ideas?

Fantastic adventure playground in the Jardin Luxembourg there is also a great puppet theatre in there. At Christmas there will be old fashioned merry-go-rounds dotted all over the city (certainly at the Hotel de Ville and outside Montparnasse station where there are also usually ice rinks). Mine were always very entertained by the Christmas window displays in Boulevard Haussman and at Bonne Marche in St Germain (we lived in Paris until the children were three-and-half and one-and-a-half respectively). Not sure what sex they are but my daughter's all time favourite was the Musee de la poupee (dolls museum) in Impasse Berthaud (not far from the Pompidou Centre). Have just posted on this very topic on another thread, but a great place to eat with young children in Pizza Milano in the Place St Michel. It is opposite Notre Dame on the banks of the Seine and if you go upstairs and get a table by the window you'll have as good a view as from any restaurant in Paris - v child friendly, highchairs, colouring books, kids menu etc. I think you'll have a great time.

Oh God, I am so jealous I can hardly type! I must go to Paris for Christmas 2008 - please let us know how it goes!

I have never taken my kids to Paris and the only 'child friendly' thing I can think of is a Seine river cruises. I reckon most toddlers would also like a good wander around Pere LaChaise cemetery.

However, I do love Fodor's travel guides and they do a Kids Paris one. Might be worth getting if no MNer can help (suspect that like me Paris was a pre-kids lurve fest destination for most of us ), but I know that there are some Parisians on here.

www.amazon.co.uk/Around-Paris-Kids-Fodors-Together/dp/1400011507

Have a lovely time and think of me. While you wonder through those beautiful boulevards I will be trying not to kill my sister with a turkey leg!

Just thought of another thing you should do - go to rue d'Alesia (metro Alesia) - full of designer stock shops (ie cut price) and shoe shops, get dh to take kids in huge toy shop at the other end of the road while you have a browse (also a couple of good depot de vente - antiques/bric-a-brac down there). Also just remembered new tramway has now opened - that's got to be good entertainment for any child.

Thanks for the suggestions Lilian, I'd almost forgotten that I'd started this thread! I've ordered a copy of that guidebook so will have a look for other things in there. We are not going to do any Christmas shopping for immediate family before we go, so we will have that to do when we get there (could end up with some fairly random Christmas presents but that will be fun in itself).

Thought we should also do a couple of really touristy things like the Eiffel Tower and a boat trip which I'm sure DS1 will love, I don't think DS2 will care much!

Will be printing this thread out...

If you want to go up something I would choose the Montparnasse Tower rather than the Eiffel Tower. You go up by lift (queue up inside - though queues are rarely long) and you don't have to look at the ugly old Montparnasse Tower when you get to the top!

i ahev a book "paris wiht kdis" its good

Reading 'Paris with Kids' just now and finding plenty to entertain the wee ones.

" parc du luxembourg" stunning park, room to roam, great for children

" notre dame stunning",
"Look at pompidou centre - aesthetic masterpiece",

love love love paris - enjoy