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5 1/2 Days in Paris with Kids

We have a family event in Germany at the beginning of September and have decided to stop off for a few days in Paris before taking the train on to our destination. We are 2 adults and 2 children, ages 7 and 9 coming from the States. We'll arrive midmorning on (I think) a Sunday and leave for Germany on the next Friday.

I asked everyone to write down what they want to see in Paris (first trip for 3 of us). I got such a long list. I don't know if it's possible to see everything in the time we have there without too much rushing. I'm tempted to cut out 2 of the 3 museums although I'd love to see all 3 (plus some) in favor of things that might be more family friendly for my relatively young children. However, it was the 7 year old who requested Giverny.

Please help me arrange and prioritize! Here is our list in no particular order

Notre Dame (exterior of course 💔)
Shakespeare and Company
Sainte Chapelle
The Louvre
The Orsay
The Orangerie
The Eiffel Tower
The Champs-Elysées and Arc de Triomphe
A Seine cruise
Sailboats at the Jardin du Luxembourg
Versailles
Giverny
Disneyland Paris

Posted by
203 posts

My kids are close in age to yours. One thing I’d recommend is marking all of those items on a map and trying to group your days by what’s closest together. That might help you decide how much you can fit in and make for less running around unnecessarily. I usually try to do one museum/big ticket item a day and then pair it with walks or other outdoor activities. Some of your items will take hours and some will be much shorter - maybe pair the sailboats up with a picnic lunch and you kill two birds with one stone.

Another recommendation I have is getting them the Mission Paris tour guide book. We’ve used the London and Rome ones and my kids really like them. They focus on some of the locations that might be less interesting to kids and give the kids specific things to look for, which keeps those places more engaging for kids.

Posted by
2094 posts

Hi Kim, I think you can do all the central Paris sites if you keep moving! Check into the Paris Museum Pass. Note dates that museums are closed and nights when they have extended hours. You could do an early evening concert at Sainte Chapelle to see the stained glass. Consider skipping Versailles. Giverny will take most of a day and Disney a whole day. Sounds like a great trip, have fun!