Winter day trips from Paris?

With only a week, I wouldn't plan on more than a couple day trips and the ones you've chosen sound the best. Do plan to leave very early for Versailles, since it gets dark so early.

In Paris, you may want to go to the doll museum (Musée de la Poupée). It's short walk from the Pompidou Centre.

If coming off a long-haul flight, you might be jet-lagged, and would probably want to take it easy the first day. You can wander over to Luxembourg gardens and have a light lunch in a nearby cafe. If you have an early flight back, you'll lose that day to travel - so you'll only have about 5 days in Paris, which isn't much time.

If you're planning to go to Disneyland, school vacations begin on 17 December and run through 3 January. If you're going during that time, you can expect extremely long lines, including trying to buy food and go to the toilettes. If you are going earlier than that, there will still be long lines, but not quite so serious.

But you could also go to the Jardin d'Acclimatation, which is easier to get to than Disneyland and probably just as much fun: http://jardindacclimatation.fr/
You can use Google Translate or go to TripAdvisor for information in English.

Versailles will not be at its best during this time of year, and the estate is enormous. You'll have to plan on at least 8 hours, including round-trip transportation and standing in line.
But if it's a must-see, you should go. If the weather's not too wet, you can rent bikes at Versailles, which is a good way to see a lot of the grounds. Stop in the town to buy a picnic lunch.

There are several "maneges" (antique wooden merry-go-rounds) in Paris:
One at Hotel de Ville, one across from the Eiffel Tower, and one in Luxembourg gardens.

You might be able to see a marionnette show at Luxembourg and Eiffel Tower, but the schedule isn't up yet.

A traditional family circus sets up in the Cirque d'Hiver - worth seeing if your child likes animals and acrobats. Buy tickets in advance and pick up at the box office:
http://www.cirquedhiver.com/en/bookings/

A boat cruise on the Seine is a good idea - especially at night (around 6PM) when everything is illuminated. http://www.vedettesdupontneuf.com/home/

The Cluny Museum is near your neighborhood. The Unicorn Tapestries have been restored and are on the second floor, and the rest of the museum was a Roman bath.

Other than that, eat as many pastries and chocolat chaud as you possibly can and have fun!

An 8 year old girl would have fun at the doll museum, I think. (Musee des Poupees). And the Christmas - themed windows of the big department stores on Boul. Haussmann are a delight. Lots of kids with noses pressed to the glass, accompanied by doting grandparents. The ice skating rink at Hotel de Ville is fun to see even if you don't actually put on skates and do a round or two.

A 15 minute bus ride from La Defense will take you to Empress Josephine's Chateau Malmaison. It is not too huge .... maybe just the right size for a child, so as not to overwhelm.

A short visit to a street market one morning could fascinate, especially if you buy some cheese or other goodies, so entirely different from the usual N. American way of shopping. The neatly dressed Parisian ladies, with their dogs in their shopping trollies, selecting only the finest green vegetables for that night's dinner. A bit of googling will help you find the market day nearest your hotel.

I agree about the doll museum. I guess you will have to do Disneyland, but with the time you have i think you should skip Versailles.
I think the area there that your daughter would enjoy would be the gardens, trianons and queen's hamlet - rather than the crowded palace, and weather might not be good for being outside.

I would stick to wonderful sights and activities in Paris that would be fun for kids -- including:
Deyrolle (46 rue de Bac) 2nd floor taxidermy (from animals who died naturally) fascinating and beautiful
hot chocolate at Angelina or any Laduree (there is a cute one on rue Bonaparte, probably near your hotel)

there will be ice rinks at Hotel de Ville and on the Eiffel Tower -- fun to watch.
St. Chapelle stained glass windows, on a day with good light.
Bon Marche Epicerie
any Christmas market
any outdoor market
view Monet's waterlilies at the Orangerie
boat cruise on the Seine (sit inside if cold)
Mix with other kids on carousels in the Tuileries, Hotel de Ville, Eiffel Tower and other locations.
and yes, the Christmas windows at Printemps, Galleries Lafayette, Bon Marche are great! (the decorations all over the city and inside stores are wonderful)

Thanks all, we leave tomorrow, so we'll see what we end up with!

OK! Let us know how you do!
bon voyage.

Hi Jenny, sounds like a wonderful trip for you and your daughter! I guess you've already landed in Paris. I really hope that you report back and let us know about your trip. I love Paris and can't imagine how excited you must be!