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Paris for Thanksgiving - side trips?
Posted on 4/12/23 at 12:19 pm
Posted on 4/12/23 at 12:19 pm
Beginning to plan a trip for our family of 4- kids ages 13/11 to Paris.
We would probably be in country for 7 nights. Should we stick to Paris, or try to hit another region such as Normandy or Colmar?
My past experience has been the major cities (Rome/Dublin) weren't nearly as interesting as being out in the country. But I am assuming Paris is a whole other animal. If we spend a night or 2 outside of town I don't mind renting a car.
Off the top of my head just for Paris is 2-3 days around town, then a day each for Louvre and Versailles. Wondering if we should venture out to see the WWII area of Normandy, maybe the Colmar region, or something else?
Any advice is appreciated.
We would probably be in country for 7 nights. Should we stick to Paris, or try to hit another region such as Normandy or Colmar?
My past experience has been the major cities (Rome/Dublin) weren't nearly as interesting as being out in the country. But I am assuming Paris is a whole other animal. If we spend a night or 2 outside of town I don't mind renting a car.
Off the top of my head just for Paris is 2-3 days around town, then a day each for Louvre and Versailles. Wondering if we should venture out to see the WWII area of Normandy, maybe the Colmar region, or something else?
Any advice is appreciated.
8
Posted on 4/12/23 at 12:32 pm to slinger1317
Spend a couple of days in Bayeux and take the all day Overload Tours tour of the DDay beaches. You can make the easy drive to Mont St Michel the next day. Spend the rest of the time in Paris.
Posted on 4/12/23 at 12:36 pm to geauxpurple
Yeah I'd spend 5 days in Paris and 2 days doing the above.
Posted on 4/12/23 at 1:10 pm to slinger1317
I love Colmar, but 7 days isn't as long as you think.
The standard easy "day trips" from Paris are Versailles and Reims/Champagne. Versailles only really takes a half day so you don't have to include that as a day trip and could just consider it part of Paris, and Champagne seems like a waste of time with kids (although the cathedral is very nice).
Suggestions already in this thread are good.
The standard easy "day trips" from Paris are Versailles and Reims/Champagne. Versailles only really takes a half day so you don't have to include that as a day trip and could just consider it part of Paris, and Champagne seems like a waste of time with kids (although the cathedral is very nice).
Suggestions already in this thread are good.
Posted on 4/12/23 at 1:37 pm to geauxpurple
quote:
Spend a couple of days in Bayeux and take the all day Overload Tours tour of the DDay beaches. You can make the easy drive to Mont St Michel the next day. Spend the rest of the time in Paris.
This was the best advice you could get.
Posted on 4/12/23 at 2:23 pm to Barrister
Awesome, so it looks like if we do leave Paris it will be Bayeaux.
Any suggestions on which Arr. to stay in Paris? Looking for family friendly and walkable as much as possible
Any suggestions on which Arr. to stay in Paris? Looking for family friendly and walkable as much as possible
This post was edited on 4/12/23 at 3:23 pm
Posted on 4/12/23 at 3:16 pm to slinger1317
My family of 5 plus my MIL went to Paris last Thanksgiving for 14 nights, our first 3 were in Disney Land Paris though.
The only day trip we did was Versailles. Normandy was on our list but I also wanted Mont St- Michelle so I wanted at least 2 to 3 days and we just didn't have the time. So I figured we'd save it for another trip.
You will be better off, my kids were all under 9 so we were definitely slowed occasionally by our youngest. But don't forget almost nothing opens before 10 in Paris and it gets dark early in the winter. So you are somewhat limited on your time to do activities.
Versailles is absolutely an all day trip. We took like a 7 am trip and got back after dark and easily could have had more time. Make sure to pack a lunch or make a reservation as its definitely busy all year. It wasn't slammed but much busier then I expected.
There's tons to do and there are multiple things we didn't get to (like I wanted to go to a soccer game but it was World Cup) but we did do a PSG stadium tour which was actually great. We did quite a few things that were not on the touristy top 25 but we really enjoyed.
ETA: I forgot we went to Provins also. Which was great but I wouldn't recommend on a trip that short.
We didn't have time for Fontainebleau either but we did go to chateau vincennes which is where the Monarchy lived prior to Versailles and a great castle.
There's really tons and more to do in Paris for a week. The french don't work hard (long hours) or move fast, so just be prepared that things can take a lot longer then you think. While compared to the entire area of Paris most of the touristy things are in the very inner quarters, its still miles apart. I'd plan to only do 2/3s of what you want daily unless you are really only go to spend a short amount of time in places like the Louvre.
We did a Louvre treasure hunt with a company which really helped to get my oldest 2 involved in looking for items and it helped give some motivation to really see more parts of the museum then you may otherwise.
The only day trip we did was Versailles. Normandy was on our list but I also wanted Mont St- Michelle so I wanted at least 2 to 3 days and we just didn't have the time. So I figured we'd save it for another trip.
You will be better off, my kids were all under 9 so we were definitely slowed occasionally by our youngest. But don't forget almost nothing opens before 10 in Paris and it gets dark early in the winter. So you are somewhat limited on your time to do activities.
Versailles is absolutely an all day trip. We took like a 7 am trip and got back after dark and easily could have had more time. Make sure to pack a lunch or make a reservation as its definitely busy all year. It wasn't slammed but much busier then I expected.
There's tons to do and there are multiple things we didn't get to (like I wanted to go to a soccer game but it was World Cup) but we did do a PSG stadium tour which was actually great. We did quite a few things that were not on the touristy top 25 but we really enjoyed.
ETA: I forgot we went to Provins also. Which was great but I wouldn't recommend on a trip that short.
We didn't have time for Fontainebleau either but we did go to chateau vincennes which is where the Monarchy lived prior to Versailles and a great castle.
There's really tons and more to do in Paris for a week. The french don't work hard (long hours) or move fast, so just be prepared that things can take a lot longer then you think. While compared to the entire area of Paris most of the touristy things are in the very inner quarters, its still miles apart. I'd plan to only do 2/3s of what you want daily unless you are really only go to spend a short amount of time in places like the Louvre.
We did a Louvre treasure hunt with a company which really helped to get my oldest 2 involved in looking for items and it helped give some motivation to really see more parts of the museum then you may otherwise.
This post was edited on 4/12/23 at 3:27 pm
Posted on 4/12/23 at 4:09 pm to slinger1317
Recommendations on Arrondosiments
Try the 6th near rue De Buci.
We usually stay in the 6th or the 1st.
The 1st has more of a big city feel whereas the 6th has more of a neighborhood feel.
Try the 6th near rue De Buci.
We usually stay in the 6th or the 1st.
The 1st has more of a big city feel whereas the 6th has more of a neighborhood feel.
Posted on 4/12/23 at 7:09 pm to slinger1317
Versailles is easy to get to on the train from the city, and can be done in a day or less. Not sure if you're up for another country but Belgium is close via Thalys train. We're taking it in June so don't have any firsthand experience with it.
Posted on 4/12/23 at 9:48 pm to slinger1317
It’s a pretty long drive. (2.5 ish hours I think ) but Mont St Michel looks pretty badass. Reminds of the old castlevania video game.
Posted on 4/12/23 at 10:50 pm to jkylejohnson
Just checked my notes from 2019. The drive from Bayeux to Mont St Michel is an hour and a half and it is a pleasant drive.
Mt St Michel from Bayeux is a good day trip. From Paris not so much.
Mt St Michel from Bayeux is a good day trip. From Paris not so much.
This post was edited on 4/12/23 at 10:56 pm
Posted on 4/13/23 at 7:20 am to slinger1317
Personally, I prefer to stay in the Latin Quarter but I think next trip I’ll spend a little extra and stay in the Montmarte area
Posted on 4/13/23 at 10:31 am to Barrister
I would rather stay in the Latin Quarter than Montmarte. Montmarte is too far away from everything else.
Posted on 4/13/23 at 11:08 am to geauxpurple
We stayed in the 6th also on St Germain and it was a fantastic location. The only minor problem was the RER line was being remodeled there which runs east-west down the Seine so that hurt our super easy transportation. Instead of a no change to say the Eiffel tower it was multiple changes. So just an inside tip may look into that as it was a major project.
Its really nice in the big cities to stay somewhere close to an intersection of public transportation lines you can take north south and easy west to get almost anywhere. The bus can work for that too and is very underated especially for short 1 mile trips.
Its really nice in the big cities to stay somewhere close to an intersection of public transportation lines you can take north south and easy west to get almost anywhere. The bus can work for that too and is very underated especially for short 1 mile trips.
Posted on 4/15/23 at 8:23 pm to slinger1317
I 2nd Bayeux. Stayed there 3 nights. It was much cheaper than Paris and the full day DDay tours were awesome. The tapestry was a cool visit to burn a few hours. It’s in the middle of town.
Posted on 4/15/23 at 11:15 pm to slinger1317
I enjoyed Bayeux and touring Normandy infinitely more than Versailles
Posted on 4/16/23 at 12:38 am to slinger1317
If the fam can put up with it, head east to Verdun and the Somme. Paris is kind of F-ed out, but better than London. I'd suggest anywhere in the country as others have over Paris. Paris is checking a box, if you have a daughter, that's what she's going to mention to her pals, not the magnificent stuff she ate near Champagne, etc.
Especially in the winter, you need to find an excuse (if you have any interest in military history at all) to understand why near Champagne, Bastogne, etc., when they said planes are grounded, what that actually meant. I've never gone from "just fine" to "ooooooh Farks" after crossing a hill in terms of visibility as I did on my way from Paris to Bastogne.
Everything you're going to see in the Louvre or other art museums is online. Take a boat trip down the Seine, and pretty much leave Paris. Beware, not all unattended gas pumps sell fuel, even if you have a card. I found that out the hard way.
If you have at least one boy, the Musee de Armee in Paris is stupendous. 16" cannons with golden dragons carved all 'round? Yes please.
I 100% agree with you, the country is where it's at. That's where people talk to you, and you exchange interesting stories, which is what everyone remembers, right? I was in Manchester last week and of course, the people I talked to were... Irish. Not shocked.
As far as looking at things besides Normandy, I would base it off of high speed train routes. Not train routes, high speed routes. It'll take you longer to get to Normandy beaches than it will take you to get to Marseilles. I drug my 6/8 year olds from Paris to Marseilles to Barcelona, no issues. The train from Marseilles to Barca I'm pretty sure took longer than the TGV from Gare du Nord to Marseilles. Shout out to my boy who trucked 12+ miles in Paris and just wanted a double burger at the end. Sniff.
Especially in the winter, you need to find an excuse (if you have any interest in military history at all) to understand why near Champagne, Bastogne, etc., when they said planes are grounded, what that actually meant. I've never gone from "just fine" to "ooooooh Farks" after crossing a hill in terms of visibility as I did on my way from Paris to Bastogne.
Everything you're going to see in the Louvre or other art museums is online. Take a boat trip down the Seine, and pretty much leave Paris. Beware, not all unattended gas pumps sell fuel, even if you have a card. I found that out the hard way.
If you have at least one boy, the Musee de Armee in Paris is stupendous. 16" cannons with golden dragons carved all 'round? Yes please.
I 100% agree with you, the country is where it's at. That's where people talk to you, and you exchange interesting stories, which is what everyone remembers, right? I was in Manchester last week and of course, the people I talked to were... Irish. Not shocked.
As far as looking at things besides Normandy, I would base it off of high speed train routes. Not train routes, high speed routes. It'll take you longer to get to Normandy beaches than it will take you to get to Marseilles. I drug my 6/8 year olds from Paris to Marseilles to Barcelona, no issues. The train from Marseilles to Barca I'm pretty sure took longer than the TGV from Gare du Nord to Marseilles. Shout out to my boy who trucked 12+ miles in Paris and just wanted a double burger at the end. Sniff.
Posted on 4/18/23 at 8:54 am to slinger1317
Starting to flesh out our itinerary.
Booked flights for Nov 17-24
We land at CDG at 7:30 am, going to spend a few hours in Paris then drive to Bayeux. We booked a private tour through Overlord for the next morning. It is their low season so the private tour was the same cost as a normal full day tour. Since it is private, we are able to shorten the day just a bit in order to make the drive back to Paris that evening.
We booked an AirBnB in Les Halles area of the 1st Arr for 5 nights before heading out mid morning Friday.
Booked flights for Nov 17-24
We land at CDG at 7:30 am, going to spend a few hours in Paris then drive to Bayeux. We booked a private tour through Overlord for the next morning. It is their low season so the private tour was the same cost as a normal full day tour. Since it is private, we are able to shorten the day just a bit in order to make the drive back to Paris that evening.
We booked an AirBnB in Les Halles area of the 1st Arr for 5 nights before heading out mid morning Friday.
This post was edited on 4/18/23 at 8:54 am
Posted on 4/18/23 at 9:24 am to slinger1317
Perfect
Posted on 4/18/23 at 9:50 am to slinger1317
quote:
We land at CDG at 7:30 am, going to spend a few hours in Paris then drive to Bayeux
I wouldn't do this personally. Driving in a foreign country the day of an international flight with jet lag is not the safest and is not easy. Its doable, but I'm just warning you I'd look into other options.
Maybe train to Bayeux and rent a car there? At least then you can nap on the train. Just trying to help with my experience.
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