A few more Paris questions I'm afraid!

[ROBEAR84]

With just one week until our trip (or 6 days until we leave our house!) I'm still trying to figure out everything for our Paris day trip on the Monday.

We were planning to leave really early in order to get in line for the Eiffel Tower early as obviously we can't prebook now. However, I'm a little concerned about getting caught up with the hustle and bustle of the commuter rush with two young children.

So... Firstly, how feasible would it be to walk the stairs at the Eiffel tower with the little ones? DH would carry DS but DD would have to walk and we'd also have a buggy to carry (though it is very compact, not an umbrella fold type)

If we did do this we could obviously leave a lot later, thereby missing the rush and giving us a lie in after the long drive to DLP the day before.

Also, what is the least costly way of getting to the Eiffel tower? I'm thinking the Mobilis for me and DH but I can't see that there is a child option so would we have to pay full price for DD too? (DS will be free as he's only 3)

Also is there anything else close by to the Eiffel tower that would be good to do with the little ones? Any parks etc? We have a boat trip booked already. There are loads of attractions me and DH would like to do but with the little ones it makes more sense to stay in one area rather than spend lots of time on the metro.

Any help will be greatly received as its my last stumbling block now!!

Thank you

 

[Jules1212]

Hi. We are going in 9 days ourselves and I thought I would share with you what we are doing on our day trip in Paris - although my children are older (13 and one turning 11 while we are there).......

We have decided to give the Eiffel Tower a miss as I really don't want to queue for hours and hours and I do believe that seeing the Eiffel Tower will be enough for my two (I have been up it and it was 'alright'), so we are going up the Montparnasse Tower instead for the views of the city. We used Tesco Clubcard vouchers to pay for this.

We are also going on an open topped bus tour of 40 attractions and sights (it has a sliding glass roof if needed) which was cracking good value as under 12's go free and it lasts 1 hr 45 minutes and saves on trying to walk everywhere or be on the Metro every few minutes. You wear headphones with for the English commentary.

We are also going on a 1 hr cruise on The Seine which has again been paid for out of clubcard vouchers. We also hope to go into the Notre Dame cathedral ans pop into The Louvre as my son is desperate to see the Mona Lisa in real life (despite rotten Mum & Dad telling him it is tiny!). Everything I have planned is so that it is all in bite size chunks so more enjoyable rather than a hard slog sightseeing in a capital city. If we get time, we will also try to have some time in the Tuileries garden.

Itinerary:

Arrive Paris 11am
Bus Tour 12noon - 1:45 pm (we will eat a packed lunch on the bus)
Notre Dame Cathedral
Tuileries Garden (can be dropped if necessary)
Boat Trip 4 - 5pm
Louvre for about an hour - 90 minutes
Dinner
Montparnasse Tower at dusk (might not be, as it gets dark so late in June).

Hope some of that may be of help to you.

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Hi. We are going in 9 days ourselves and I thought I would share with you what we are doing on our day trip in Paris - although my children are older (13 and one turning 11 while we are there).......

We have decided to give the Eiffel Tower a miss as I really don't want to queue for hours and hours and I do believe that seeing the Eiffel Tower will be enough for my two (I have been up it and it was 'alright'), so we are going up the Montparnasse Tower instead for the views of the city. We used Tesco Clubcard vouchers to pay for this.

We are also going on an open topped bus tour of 40 attractions and sights (it has a sliding glass roof if needed) which was cracking good value as under 12's go free and it lasts 1 hr 45 minutes and saves on trying to walk everywhere or be on the Metro every few minutes. You wear headphones with for the English commentary.

We are also going on a 1 hr cruise on The Seine which has again been paid for out of clubcard vouchers. We also hope to go into the Notre Dame cathedral ans pop into The Louvre as my son is desperate to see the Mona Lisa in real life (despite rotten Mum & Dad telling him it is tiny!). Everything I have planned is so that it is all in bite size chunks so more enjoyable rather than a hard slog sightseeing in a capital city. If we get time, we will also try to have some time in the Tuileries garden.

Itinerary:

Arrive Paris 11am
Bus Tour 12noon - 1:45 pm (we will eat a packed lunch on the bus)
Notre Dame Cathedral
Tuileries Garden (can be dropped if necessary)
Boat Trip 4 - 5pm
Louvre for about an hour - 90 minutes
Dinner
Montparnasse Tower at dusk (might not be, as it gets dark so late in June).

Hope some of that may be of help to you.

are you doing the Foxity tour ? We did it in March (I got a Groupon offer) and it was great fun.

Beautiful day and we sat upstairs with the roof rolled back. I got some great pics of the ET as we drove towards it too

It will be light until late start of June as the sun won't be setting until around 21.45 but whatever the time of day you get a great view from up there

 

[Carrie_Cat]

With just one week until our trip (or 6 days until we leave our house!) I'm still trying to figure out everything for our Paris day trip on the Monday.

We were planning to leave really early in order to get in line for the Eiffel Tower early as obviously we can't prebook now. However, I'm a little concerned about getting caught up with the hustle and bustle of the commuter rush with two young children.

So... Firstly, how feasible would it be to walk the stairs at the Eiffel tower with the little ones? DH would carry DS but DD would have to walk and we'd also have a buggy to carry (though it is very compact, not an umbrella fold type)

The stairs are wide with room to rest on each "landing" but carrying a buggy..I don't know tbh They say on the ET site that

For safety reasons, only fold up pushchairs are allowed into the Eiffel Tower (this is because other types of pushchairs could block escape routes in the event of the tower having to be evacuated in an emergency).

If we did do this we could obviously leave a lot later, thereby missing the rush and giving us a lie in after the long drive to DLP the day before.

Also, what is the least costly way of getting to the Eiffel tower? I'm thinking the Mobilis for me and DH but I can't see that there is a child option so would we have to pay full price for DD too? (DS will be free as he's only 3)

Have replied


Also is there anything else close by to the Eiffel tower that would be good to do with the little ones? Any parks etc? We have a boat trip booked already. There are loads of attractions me and DH would like to do but with the little ones it makes more sense to stay in one area rather than spend lots of time on the metro.

There are the Jardins du Trocadéro with fountains and a carousel.

You can also walk on the Champs de Mars and you'll find donkey/pony rides and little go carts amongst other things for little ones.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champ_de_Mars,_Paris

You could picnic here as well

There's the Aquarium de Paris also at Trocadéro but I've not been so I don't know how good it is

http://www.cineaqua.com/index.php/en/

Any help will be greatly received as its my last stumbling block now!!

Thank you

 

[Jules1212]

Hi Carrie.

Yes, it is the Foxcity tour. I haven't encountered anyone else who has been on it for feedback, so thank you for saying that you have and that you enjoyed it - that's good to know.

I don't mind if it isn't dusk when we go up the Montparnasse Tower, I just thought it would be nice for the kids to see the view by both day and evening, but I don't want to make it an endless day even though my two have great staying power.

I am more excited than a kid myself now! only a week until we leave. Yay!!!!!!

 

[ROBEAR84]

Thanks Carrie and Jules.

We are doing the vedettes de Paris boat trip as managed to get 1 ticket through clubcard and DS will be free so that's a plus too.

I thought about just going to the Tower and not climbing it at all but I think DD will be keen to. DH isn't bothered though (he still holds a grudge that I made him go up to the 3rd floor on our 2004 trip! He was not at all happy up there!! ) so he may take DS to a park whilst me and DD go up.

I remember seeing something about Tuileries a while back so that definitely sounds like somewhere we could spend the rest of the afternoon if the weather's nice and then I think we'll head back to DLP early to avoid the afternoon rush.

 

[Dumbo Deb]

I am intereste too in the walk up to the 2nd floor? has any one an estimate time for to unfit parents?

Bactobus does anyone know if we can buy a single trip or does it have to be a pass?

 

[ROBEAR84]

I am intereste too in the walk up to the 2nd floor? has any one an estimate time for to unfit parents?

Bactobus does anyone know if we can buy a single trip or does it have to be a pass?

I'm pretty sure it's just the hop on hop off passes with batobus but I may be wrong as the last time we used them was in 2004! We just used them to go on a single journey though but paid for the pass.

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Hi Carrie.

Yes, it is the Foxcity tour. I haven't encountered anyone else who has been on it for feedback, so thank you for saying that you have and that you enjoyed it - that's good to know.

I don't mind if it isn't dusk when we go up the Montparnasse Tower, I just thought it would be nice for the kids to see the view by both day and evening, but I don't want to make it an endless day even though my two have great staying power.

I am more excited than a kid myself now! only a week until we leave. Yay!!!!!!

Here's a photo for you, taken with my phone, from the bus (sitting down) when we were going towards the ET.Hope you get as glorious weather

so he may take DS to a park whilst me and DD go up.

I remember seeing something about Tuileries a while back so that definitely sounds like somewhere we could spend the rest of the afternoon if the weather's nice and then I think we'll head back to DLP early to avoid the afternoon rush.

He could always walk around the Champs de Mars while you are up there it is really pleasant

If you wanted to go to the Tuilleries you could walk along the river from the ET it's a nice walk, and you'd enter from Place de la Concorde.

You could then get on the metro (line 1 direction Chateau de Vincennes) at either Concorde/Tuilleries/Palais Royal/Louvre Rivoli (depending on where you wanted to come out) and change onto the RER A at Gare de Lyon or Nation and head back to DLP

I am intereste too in the walk up to the 2nd floor? has any one an estimate time for to unfit parents?

Bactobus does anyone know if we can buy a single trip or does it have to be a pass?

It's an easy walk up even if you are unfit as there is lots of room on the stairs and lots of places to stop. No idea of a time frame as such as you go at your pace, stop at the 1st floor and then look round before continuing onto the 2nd floor.

Batobus is a pass now and it costs 15€ You don't fancy doing a boat trip instead for 11€ ? You see more and it's a lot more fun