Paris for the family – get the best of both worlds.

France has long been a desirable holiday destination, and it’s no wonder when you think about the major sights there are to explore, the countryside to take in, and the amazing city of Paris it is most famous for.

When you head off on holiday, it’s sometimes hard to keep the kids occupied whilst you do the sightseeing thing, but the great thing about a family break to France is that you can bribe the kids with a few days in Disneyland!
We did a two tiered kind of break last year, and I have to say, it gave us the perfect blend of family fun, and culture in the French capital.

Disneyland is around two hours outside of Paris, depending on the traffic, and you can either choose to commute in and out of the city, or you can stay in the heart of the magic at one of the themed hotels. We chose to stay inside Disney, simply because it kept the kids happy, and also because it was much easier to start our day fresh, rather than having to do battle with Paris traffic.

We bought a two-day pass ahead of time, which saved us money on the gate price, and also meant we beat the rather sizeable queue first thing in the morning. I’d recommend this to anyone, because those queues are really quite horrendous!

This half-way measure between us and the kids meant that we were able to have the best of both worlds, and to be honest, we both enjoyed the magic of Disney too.

We planned our Disney stay halfway between our sightseeing break in Paris, and the kids seemed more interested in what we were seeing in the city as a result. There is plenty to see in the capital for kids, and many free activities too; it’s simply a case of doing a little research beforehand.

Back in Paris, we had to visit the Eiffel Tower: it would have been sacrilege to bypass it. Again, buying your tickets to the top level ahead of time is the way to go in order to beat the queues. And here’s an important tip – make sure you and the kids to go the toilet beforehand, because being stuck up there when you’re bursting really is not fun! We all loved the view, and the kids enjoyed the bragging rights the adventure afforded them on on their return to school. Going to the top of the Eiffel Tower has major kudos!

Paris is certainly a beautiful city, not least because there is so much history, culture and fashion there. If you want to look the part and are wondering what to pack for Paris when you might like to check out our post on this subject. Paris has one of the best examples of Gothic architecture in the form of the Notre Dame, the amazing Louvre where you could happily lose yourself for a week (unfortunately my young children could only last half a day!), the romance of the Seine river, and the aforementioned iconic Eiffel Tower. My personal favorite art gallery is the Musee D’Orsay, smaller and more manageable than the enormous Louvre, and another gorgeous example of Parisian architecture. I also enjoyed the Rodin Museum which showcases the talent of this brilliant sculptor and has a beautiful setting, but this was on a previous trip before I had children. Whether its a romantic weekend for two, a fun weekend with a bunch of friends, or a family vacation check, out this great advice for your weekend trip to Paris from France Voyage.

It’s only natural that the kids are going to start whining a little if you do constant sightseeing, so it’s best to combine your sightseeing jaunts with something like a little Disney magic. You might actually enjoy it yourself too!

Image: Unsplash CC0
This post was written in association with France-Voyage.