The ParisSharing Blog

Archive for the ‘Places to see in Paris’ Category

Some people think that France, or especially Paris, is a destination that isn’t too kid-friendly.  We even have a friend who passed on a trip to Paris as she didn’t know what she was going do with her young daughter.  Well, we’re here to tell you that Paris is just as much fun for children as for adults – especially if you know where to take them!

Here are 10 fun things to do with your kids while in Paris.  And these are just the tip of the iceberg.

1. Bateau Mouche

-       Boat tour of the Seine, catch boat in front of Notre Dame or the Eiffel Tower – the guided tours are offered in multiple languages, and are also available as lunch or dinner cruises

2. Eiffel Tower

-       Beat the lines by buying your tickets in advance online. The Eiffel Tower is open from 9 am until midnight in the summer – there’s also a restaurant on the first floor and a self-guided children’s tour

3. Notre Dame

-       Climb the 380 steps to the top of the bell tower to see the Emmanuel bell and then get an ice cream at Berthillon on the Ile St. Louis

4. Luxembourg Garden

-       Features an enclosed play area for kids ages 2-12 years old  (tickets are aprox. 2€) and a Guignol Theatre, which is a typical French marionette show – take the Metro to RER B Luxembourg

5. Jardins des Plantes

-       Includes not only beautiful gardens and recently renovated Art Décor greenhouses, and for the kids there’s a small zoo and the Natural History Museum

6. Discovery Museum

-       This science discovery museum regularily features hands-on exhibits with explanations in English  and also houses a planetarium

7. Cite de la Science et L’industrie

-       A wonderful kids science museum with a special kids’ discovery section  (must reserve in advance), plus an IMAX/Geode movie theatre

8. Parc d’acclimatation

-       Located in the Bois de Boulogne, the park features a small amusement park and a Guignol Theatre – every inch is filled with activities for kids including shows, farm animals and workshops

9. Bois de Boulogne

-       This lovely forest on the western edge of Paris with row boats, playgrounds and cafes is two and a half times larger than New York’s Central Park

10. Disneyland Paris

-       You may have visited Disney in the US but the Paris version is worth the trip – there’s something familiar yet uniquely French about DisneylandParis that makes it worth the trip

Not only can you enjoy these fun activities with your kids, but you can rent a ParisSharing apartment and feel at home in Paris while doing them.  What are your top things to do with kids in Paris? Let us know on our Facebook page.

I love the Tour de France.  I’m not even a cyclist but I love the excitement of the 3-week race.  If you will be in Paris for the final stage on July 24, the celebration on the Champs-Elysees is not to be missed.  If you can’t make it this year, I recommend planning a trip to Paris to coincide with the final sprint and the after party on the most beautiful street in the world!

The uniqueness of the Tour de France is not just the difficulty of the Tour itself, but the spectator’s proximity to the athletes.  It’s the one sport where you can stand on the sidelines and have the athletes pass within arms reach.  It makes you feel a part of the race rather than just a spectator.  And each day, the stage ends in a party with jerseys changing hands and daily results being tallied.

The race begins tomorrow, July 2 in Vendee on the Atlantic coast.  The 22 teams wind their way around France and end in Paris on July 24 (there are two rest days).  The cyclists will ride just over 3430 kilometers, or 2131 miles.

The final day begins in the suburban city of Creteil and includes a 95 kilometer ride through the Bois de Vincennes, along the Quai of the Seine, past Notre Dame and ends on the cobblestones of the Champs-Elysees (see map for route) with thousands of spectators cheering the cyclists on.  Although all but the final sprint has been decided, there’s something magical about watching the teams whiz by, and the riders celebrating surviving the grueling 21-days by drinking champagne while riding the final stage of the Tour!  After 8 laps, the winner, or the “yellow jersey,” of the Tour is crowned.  Thousands jam the Champs to not only to watch this final stage but, once the race ends, to participate in the biggest party of them all down the Champs-Elysees!

It’s important to understand that the Tour finish is a big event in Paris so you must expect the unexpected.  The streets will be packed so if you want to see the race, you should plan on staking out your spot by 10:30 am.  Shops and restaurants that are normally closed on Sundays will be open.  The streets will be lined with vendors.  And certain Metro stops will be closed.   And don’t even think about trying to cross the Champs-Elysees!

For more information on the Tour, the official website is www.letour.fr and includes route and team information as well as highlights from the race.  Who knows?  Maybe we’ll see you at the finish line this year?!   You can also follow the tour on Facebook  www.facebook.com/letour or Twitter: www.twitter.com/letdf.

If you aren’t in Paris this July and are  planning to make the trip next year, it’s never too early to book one of ParisSharing’s beautiful vacation apartments.

Posted by guest blogger Gwyn Lauber, bike and Paris enthusiast, she can be found at www.lauberpartners.com.

In France, you can find yourself in a different historical era depending on the direction that you head.  Thanks to the country’s vast transit system including the TGV (Train a Grande Vitesse), much of the country and its rich historical sites are only a few hours away from Paris.  Luckily, this means you can discover treasures outside Paris nearly as easily those that you stumbled upon simply walking around the city.

In an earlier post, we talked about taking a day trip to London for the Royal Wedding.  London, of course, is an option for the extreme day tripper.  There’s so much to see in France that we recommend staying within its borders and exploring what the country has to offer.

Here is the first in a series of day trip recommendations.  Below, you’ll find three of our favorite day trips that you might want to consider if time permits.

Giverny – Home to impressionist painter Claude Monet, Giverny hosts about half a million visitors a year who enjoy his house, his famous gardens and the village of Giverny with its unique light.  The area also boasts archeological sites, chateaux and other museums.

Take the Paris/Rouen/Le Havre SNCF train from St. Lazare to Vernon.  The fastest train takes 45 minutes.  At the station, take a taxi, bus or walk the 4km from Vernon to Giverny.  There’s a lovely, mostly flat trail that you can take rather than walk along the road with the traffic.

Vaux Le Vicomte – If you’ve already been to Versailles, a visit to this beautiful 17^th century chateau is a magical alternative.  Thought to be the inspiration for Versailles, the chateau and its gardens are filled with history and art.  The gardens were created by André LeNôtre, France’s most famous landscape architect, Vaux Le Vicomte was his first major commission and what led to his appointment at Versailles.  And if you are a fan of Moliere, a visit to Vaux-Le-Vicomte, where many of his plays were performed, is a must.

RER B from Chatelet to Melun plus a ten-minute ride by shuttle bus provided by the chateau  (only on weekends)

Fontainebleau – Fontainebleau is both a weekend getaway destination for Parisians as well as a former chateau for the kings of France.  Many events of great historical significance happened in Fontainebleau including the signing of treaties, the imprisonment of a pope and the farewell of an emperor.  The chateau has been beautifully restored and features four museums, a collection of historical pieces including Napolean’s throne, opulent royal apartments and galleries that rival Versailles.  The park is also not to be missed featuring Le Grande Parterre by Le Nôtre.

From the Gare de Lyon, take a regional TER to Fontainebleau.  The trip takes about 40 minutes from Paris.

Do you have a favorite day trip outside of Paris?  Let us know.

Many people believe that Paris changes in the summer (and not in a good way) as the Parisians leave the city and it is left to the tourists.  But that’s not altogether true.  Paris is host to many exiting summer events that delight both locals and tourists.

18 June – 3 September (Saturday nights only) Grandes Eaux Nocturnes/Fountains Night Show – Chateau de Versailles

A spectacular light and fountain show is performed every Saturday night throughout the summer in the royal gardens of Louis XIV.  The show features thousands of lights, laser beams and a fireworks display set against the magnificent fountains and canals that surround the Chateau. As a backdrop, French baroque music played by a live orchestra accompanies the light and water installations throughout the park.  Ticket prices are €22 for adults, 18€ ages 6 to 17 and children under 6 are free, book on line or tickets are available at the entrance to the gardens.

22 June – Paris Soldes (Summer Sales)

Traditionally, France has bi-annual sales for 6 weeks in Summer and Winter.  This year, the summer sales begin on June 22 and last until July 26.  From the first day, you can find prices reduced from 30 – 60% , with discounts increasing as the weeks of the sales go on.  Some tips to follow for a successful Paris Soldes are to avoid shopping on the weekends and try to shop midday when Parisians are working.  You need to approach the sales with patience, you’ll be waiting in lines for the dressing rooms, at the cash register and in some cases outside the boutique just to get in.  Also, know that usually after the first week, most of the popular sizes and styles are already gone.  If you can’t make it to Paris for the sales then you can also take advantage of  the same deals online at some of France’s leading retailers like www.lebonmarche.com, Galleries Lafayette, Gerard Darel (delivery only to the UK)  or Petit Bateau.

14 July – Bastille Day

France’s national holiday celebrates the storming of the Bastille prison and the beginning of the French Revolution.  The day begins with a military parade down the Champs Ellysee and features military bands, tanks and horses all marching from the Arc de Triomphe down to Place de la Concorde.  The parade ends with the French Air Force flying over the city.  Afterwards, much of the military equipment is on display at well-known locations throughout the city.  The night features a concert at the foot of the Eiffel Tower with a famous headliner band and then a spectacular fireworks display also shot from the Eiffel Tower.

21 July – 21 August – Paris Plage (Paris Beaches)

The 10^th annual Paris Plage takes place from July 21 to August 21, where the banks of the Seine will once again be transformed into a summer beach scene with palm trees, sandy “beaches”, volleyball courts and lounge chairs.  The streets running next to the Seine will become a pedestrian zone featuring concerts, a swimming pool, outside games and activities and lots of food and refreshments.  Paris Plage runs the length of the Right Bank just across from the Louvre to Pont Sully and also around the Basin de la Villette and is open everyday from 8 am – midnight.  Also during Paris Plage is the FNAC Live Festival from July 21-24 located outside the Hotel de Ville featuring 4 days of live open-air concerts from France’s up and coming bands.

It’s not too late to book your trip to Paris to experience some of these exciting Parisian events!  In addition, we have some wonderful apartments still available for your summer stay.  Know of an upcoming event in Paris?  Tell us about it.

Claude Monet Gare Saint Lazare

“Paris at the Time of the Impressionists: the Masterpieces of the Musée d’Orsay at the Hotel de Ville”, is an exceptional, FREE exhibit held until July 30 at the Hotel de Ville (Paris City Hall).  The exhibit features works by Degas, Monet, Van Gogh and several other major Impressionists.  This event is a “must-see” as you visit the Marais or the center of Paris.

Exhibit Details
The exhibit is made possible because of ongoing renovations of the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist floors of the Musée d’Orsay, allowing for some 60 works of art to be loaned to the Hotel de Ville for a limited time.  The exhibition is broken down into sections, the first is dedicated to the building of the “new” Paris at the end of the 1800s, and features architectural drawings and models that represent what would become the future “Hausmannien” architectural style of Paris.  The second section is focused on the “new” Paris as an inspiration for the Impressionists.   The paintings represent not only Paris monuments, but also street scenes and a depiction of urban life.  Hanging along side the works of the major Impressionists are lesser known artists who also contributed to the movement in Paris during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Practical Information
“Paris at the Time of the Impressionists: the Masterpieces of the Musée d’Orsay at the Hotel de Ville”
Until July 30, 2011
Hotel de Ville
5 rue de Loubau
75004 Paris
Metro: Hotel de Ville (lines 1 & 7)
10 am – 7 pm Monday – Saturday