Family Holidays in Paris

by Paris Glover:

One of the best places in the world to take family holidays is in Paris. There are so many things to do there, this article will list some of the best places to visit including top days out, attractions and even restaurants, which will hopefully help to prepare you for the trip of a lifetime.

Museums and Galleries

There are so many in this city that it's hard to know which ones to visit so to help, I've selected a few of my favourites which I think you should go and see. Here they are:

Musée du Louvre
One of the world's largest collections of art and antiques, including the famous Mona Lisa. It was a royal residence for 700 years before it was a museum. Visit their web site at www.louvre.fr.

Musée d'Orsay This is a huge iron and glass railway station built in 1900 (it was originally the Gare d'Orsay) - it was converted to an arts complex in 1986. There are paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, furniture, architecture and photography, all illustrating (in their words) 'the artistic creation of the western world from 1848 to 1914'. It is considered by a lot of people to be the most viewer-friendly of the Paris museums, even in the world - I would urge you to go and decide for yourself! Find out more at www.musee-orsay.fr.

Musée Picasso There are over 3000 examples of Picasso's work plus art by Cézanne and Matisse. It all belongs to the man who collected the salt tax in the 17th century, who owned the hotel that the museum is housed in.


For the Family There are lots of places that the whole family can enjoy. The 2 best places to go are:

Disneyland Paris The one place you absolutely must visit with kids is Disneyland. Every child dreams of visiting the magical kingdom and you'll see their faces light up as they meet Mickey, Minnie and all their other favourite characters. It's great any time of year, with rides and attractions for kids and adults of all ages – there's even a world-class golf course, a luxurious spa and loads of shops. You can take advantage of some great offers, including some ‘kids go free' packages. Family holidays have never been more fun!
Aquaboulevard It's a large indoor aquatic park on the edge of Paris with waves, slides, exotic trees, swimming pools… and gorgeously inviting water. It also has tennis and squash courts, and a fitness centre. All in all, it's a great day out if you're looking to have fun, relax or indulge in a bit of sport – or all three!

Shopping For designer labels like Cartier, Dior and Chanel, you need to visit Rue du Cherche-Midi and Rue de Grenelle. If you're like me and can't quite stretch to that, then move onto the Champs-Elysees where you can find slightly more affordable stores like Zara, GAP and H&M. The one place you have to go is Paris' flea markets – they're great for picking up bargains and unusual treasures. Eating Out There are far too many great restaurants in Paris to even begin to write a good list. Instead there are 1 or 2 which you absolutely HAVE to visit:

Au Bon Accueil This chic restaurant used to be a bistro and serves a great value set lunch cooked by chef Naobuni Sasaki. The pavement terrace has an Eiffel Tower view.

L'Avant Goût This is a classic French bistro. A typical dish is the pot-au-feu de cochon – pork served with sweet potatoes, fennel and a glass of spiced broth. At lunch, you can have a soup, plat du jour, glass of wine and coffee for just €14!

So there you have it. If your planning on visiting Paris for your family holidays, the above list should keep you fairly busy. Have a great trip!

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