Paris-Rome-Venice with kids

While I don't have answers to the questions you have asked, I do have a recommendation for you. There is a television show on our PBS network called "Traveling With Kids." They have done shows on Venice, Rome, and Paris that I think would make your visits even more enjoyable. Most of the shows can be found on YouTube for free or you can download them from iTunes. I find that they contain a lot of great information even for those who aren't traveling with kids. Take a look, you won't be sorry you did.

Unless you're planning on taking the Delta/Air France nonstop from Paris to Vancouver, I don't see any reason to go back to Paris only to head home. Shorter in transit times will be much easier on your kids. So if you're buying anything other than the Paris to Vancouver nonstop, you might as well route yourself home directly from Venice

I speak almost no Italian and no French and I do fine in both countries.

I think it's a good thing to settle down in each city for a bit - that will definitely make it less tiring for your kids.

If you are going back to Paris to catch the nonstop - take a flight there. Train takes a long time.

I like your plan, except for backtracking to Paris for Disney and flight home. Perhaps you could go to Disney at the beginning of your trip?

If you and your children learn a little Italian, they will be more confident. Just the polite phrases and some numbers should go a long way.

I think 7 nights in Rome with kids is too long. Why not squeeze in Florence ?
Fly from Paris to Venice. Finish up in Rome and fly home from there.

Paris (5nts)
Venice (5nts)
Florence (3nts)
Rome (5nts)

Or reverse the above, to finish in Paris for EuroDisney.

I agree with the others that doubling back is not the way to go - wastes time and money. I like David's plan, but if you do want to end in Disneyland Paris (or DLP as the fans seem to call it), then reverse the itinerary. Start in Venice, go to Florence and Rome by train, fly to Paris and fly home from there.

Be aware that flying home from Venice is tricky, because the flights from Venice to North America almost all leave at shockingly early hours due to the connections involved, and getting to the Venice airport early is expensive, time consuming, or both. Getting to the Rome and Paris airports early is much easier. So, ending your trip in either Paris or Rome is much better.

As for language, you'll quickly find that while Italian and French as spoken are not mutually intelligible, they are related "under the hood." With a little study, you'll find lots of similarities. Just one example: to say "need" in French, you use the verb "to have" with besoin (e.g, nous avons besoin). To say it in Italian, you use the verb "to have" with bisogno (e.g., abbiamo bisogno). Note that while spoken Spanish sounds more similar to Italian than French does, its grammar is different (they actually have a verb for "to need," which doesn't exist in Italian or French).

It's certainly true that you don't need Italian to visit Venice, Florence, or Rome, but every little bit you or your kids do learn will enhance the trip. You should start with an "Italian For Travelers" CD (perhaps from the library); you'll get a lot of use from what you learn from it. You can then decide if you want to do more. Do brush up (and have the kids do the same) with a "French for Travelers" CD, as well. Again, don't sweat it.

Rick's Italy and France books do not have specific chapters on kid-friendly activities, but his Venice, Florence, Rome, and Paris books do.

Sounds like your family is all on the same page destination-wise. That's half the battle! Agree with others' advice about not backtracking from Italy back to Paris. Unless the flights are already booked or there's some other compelling reason for both arriving and departing out of Paris, that's a lot of extra time and expense that you could avoid with a well-thought-out open-jaws itinerary.

I suggest you see what it might look like flying into or out of one point, and into or out of the other. Flying into Rome or Venice and out of Paris, for instance, might give you everything you're looking for, including that last hurrah at Disney before flying home?

That itinerary could look something like this...

Venice 5 nights
Rome 7 nights
Paris 7 nights (with a grand finale at DLP)

Or, based on a few other commenter's suggestions (stealing a few days from Rome and Venice to add Florence)...

Venice 4 nights
Florence 3 nights
Rome 5 nights
Paris 7 nights (with a grand finale at DLP)

However your itinerary turns out, I wouldn't worry too much about the languages. In our first trip to Italy last summer, we managed just fine with "grazi" and "prego" being the extent of our Italian. : )

Thanks everyone. We did look into the open jaw thing but it was going to cost an additional $1000 CDN to fly into Paris and out of Rome (or any variation of that). We found flights for the whole family from Venice to Paris for about $250 CDN so it's worth the hassle of returning. Plus, I sort of figure that we might be a little overwhelmed/jet-lagged during our first days in Paris so we'll have a second chance to see anything we missed!

Anyone have some "outside the norm" suggestions of things to do in any of these cities? Thinking budget here...but what about some non-touristy ideas we might enjoy?

Wow what a great trip. We went to Disney on our first trip to Paris. My daughter was 10 at the time. We did it first. Thought it was a way to ease into a foreign country while still seeming familiar.

In Paris go to the Shakespeare book store. I would suggest the museum pass for you I believe the kids are free in Paris then you can stop in any museum for a little bit & if the kids are bored move on without worrying about spending a lot of money. I think we hit about 15 museums on our first visit to Paris.

Venice we went to a mask making demonstration which I think would be cool for younger kids. We were on a RS tour so not sure how it works if you are not?

I would try to keep it less cities not more. It helps for kids to not be traveling, packing etc. I think there is tons to do in Rome. I personally wouldn't add Florence to the mix.

My daughter had to try McDonalds in every country. Yes it was mostly locals in there. It was a way to see a part of home.

Enjoy your trip

So are your flights already booked? If not, you might want to look again. Just checked SkyScanner (Nov 1- Nov 18) for open-jaws into Paris and out of either Rome or Venice. Saw options in the high $600-$700 range, per person, round-trip. May be different for your specific dates, but it looks encouraging if it's not too late to reconsider...

Be sure you try "multi-city" bookings, not two one-way flights.

I use the small traveler language books. I study and memorize a lot in them. I also continually refer to them so I can at least begin the conversation in the other person's language. I believe it is appreciated and often the other party becomes very intrigued with my little language book. You'll be surprised about how soon you are picking up more and more just by hearing it all the time...and I bet the kids out do you! I find Italian to be the easiest because, IMO, it sounds the most like it is written of the languages with which I've tinkered.

Sounds like a great trip.... I have traveled a few times to Europe with kids and what I have found is that a bit of a break from all cities is nice... So maybe take a day from 2 of the cities and add a village in Tuscany. Makes for some nice family time to just enjoy cafes, shopping and wandering around a village.

Did hou look at airtransat ? Perhaps they stop flyi v into rome off season,

Never mind, done is done.

I rather agree 7 nights in Rome might be a tad long.....maybe a side tdip to Pompei , i know that was on my kids wish list but we never made it.