Family City Break in Paris – 16 Best Spots

 

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Thinking of a family city break in Paris? Planning a vacation to the last detail is an efficient way for one or for the family to spend a holiday. Sometimes, however, the best experiences are the ones encountered in spur-of-the-moment decisions – which is not the case in these trying times. It has been years ago when the kids set foot on Parisian soil…We need new photos of them there, right? While we (hubby and I) have been back in between those years, the kids have had got no chance to go even in the summers, all the more so now that travel restrictions have been put.

So are you thinking of a family city break in Paris? Fortunately, after all these hullaballoos, those who feel a sudden urge for a lovely and spontaneous holiday can enjoy a city break in Paris at any time of the year. One can actually bring home a long list of wonderful memories from a short city break tour in any city – especially in this lovely and romantic city that has plenty to offer for anyone who wants to relax and have a good time.

Where to Book

With the convenience of online systems, a city break or a weekend in Paris for the family can be easily booked through travel agencies, travel club websites like Voyage Privé, and even independent travel agents.

You can tailor your booking to your and your family’s specific needs, so make sure to go through the details thoroughly to avoid any untoward inconveniences.

When to Go

When is the best time to visit Paris? The better question is, “when not to go to Paris?” And the answer is, there’s not a bad time to visit Paris. You can come by in summer and it would be buzzing and pretty, you can see the flowers in spring (explore Versailles too), and be awed by the vivid colors, you can explore it in autumn and be mesmerized by nature’s wonderful display of earth tones, and even when covered in snow, Paris will always be beautiful.

Consider your sensitivities when deciding, if the cold weather is too much for you, then avoid December (end of) – January (middle of) as these days tend to be the coldest.

I’m sure you’ll agree that we all have a good reason to visit the City of Lights, well, here are some more.

Exploring the Arts

The Parisians are known for their love of art and fashion, making Paris an ideal place to house some of the world-renowned art pieces like the Mona Lisa. Visitors who would like to enrich themselves in the world of art and humanities can spend their days exploring museums. Here are some of the most popular museums in Paris you should spend time in.

The Louvre

To explore the largest art museum in the world is truly an exciting experience. The kids were probably too young to remember that we had a wonderful tour around it, see here.

There are 35,000 pieces of works of arts displayed at the Louvre – paintings, sculptures, drawings, archaeological artefacts, out of the 380,000 objects in its whole collection. With the vast amount of what to see, it’s impossible to take everything in if you spend less than 3 hours there.

If you only plan to see the most popular pieces, then it’s doable – take a guided tour. But if you are like hubby and daughter (both artists in their own right), or like me (art enthusiast), explore as much as you want.

If you want to visit particular curatorial departments, choose from:

Egyptian antiquities
Near Eastern antiquities
Greek, Etruscan, and Roman
Islamic art
Sculptures
Decorative arts
Painting
Prints and drawings

Musee d’Orsay

Musee d’Orsay houses the largest collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces in the world and is also one of the largest art museums in the world. These include the works of Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin, and Van Gogh, so definitely give it a go if you are a fan of these artists.

Musee d’Orsay is housed at what was once a railway station. It took many years from the suggestion of turning it to a museum, to approval, to designing, to construction, to decorating and fittings, and it was finally opened in 1986.

National Museum of Natural History

The museum comprises fourteen sites throughout France with four in Paris, including the original location at the Jardin des Plantes in the 5th arrondissement by the river Seine.

Pompidou Centre

The Pompidou Centre is a high-tech architecture, multicultural complex building that houses the Public Information Library, the Musée National d’Art Moderne and the IRCAM (Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique).

 

Musée National d’Art Moderne

 

Famous Buildings

Paris is the birthplace of Gothic architecture with many buildings of this style listed with UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. Scenic or sight-seeing trips offer a more relaxed and possibly romantic experience to tourists with the Eiffel Tower at the top of the itinerary alongside a cruise in the River Seine. Walking around alleys and boulevards to spot beautiful buildings with a side trip to the Moulin Rouge Theater for some entertainment is worth your day out.

Arc de Triomphe

One can’t miss the Arc de Triomphe, standing at the center of Place Charles de Gaulle.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Sadly, the Cathedral suffered a devastating fire on April 15, 2019 and is under renovation. It is still on this list, because although scarred and all – the part standing is still awesome and worth taking pictures of.

Sacre-Coeur Basilica

Eiffel Tower

No Paris tour is complete without seeing and without a photo of you by the iconic tour Eiffel, the tallest structure in Paris and France’s most known cultural symbol.

Go up the tower to see Paris from a bird’s eye view (see garden photo below). Go up the tower and eat as you watch people below. There would be different programs and events around so you can also enjoy those.

And also don’t forget to come in the evening when it’s illuminated.

Gardens

The french capital may be well known for being congested, probably warm, and when it feels like that, it’s best to stroll around the many gardens that the city laid out as a city refuge of sorts.

Luxembourg Gardens

Location: 6th arrondissement

There are only a few places in the world that one can enjoy whenever they want and Paris is one of the best that one could hope for in a spur-of-the-moment vacation. The sights, sounds, scents and taste of this vibrant city definitely never fail to enchant its visitors.

Jardin des Champs-Élysées

Location: 8th arrondissement

Jardin des Champs-Élysées is a few minutes walk away from the Louvre.

Ménagerie du Jardin des plantes

It is the one of the oldest zoological garden in the world, second to our very own Tiergarten Schönbrunn.

Champ de Mars

Location: 7th arrondissement

This is the park and garden leading to the Eiffel Tower.

A stroll at the Latin Quarter and Saint Germain Boulevard provide their visitors with a taste of the Parisian street life and fashion.

Paris For Kids

This city isn’t just for romantic couples or adventurous art lovers though. One may also bring the whole family to the many amusement parks like Disneyland Paris and have a magical experience that only Disney can offer.

Disneyland Paris

 

Disneyland Paris‘ could be your kid’s highlight during a Paris visit. Spending days on end on different rides, dining american, eating sweets around while walking in the streets, and the anticipation to meet Mickey, Donald and the rest will keep kids going about. Dress the kids up as Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck, or simply don a hat of your favorite Disney character foe extra fun.

Parc Astérix

Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie

 

City Break in Paris autres

Aside from the many architectural greats and the vast array of art displays, walking around Paris is a joy in itself.

Cat Cafés

You probably know by now how much we love cats. It is our mission to visit all the cat cafés we could find. Paris has a number of them.

Marché aux puces

Flea markets abound in Paris in the most amusing ways. While high-end shopping stores abound, and it’s of course the first spots to go too, the flea markets will make you see Paris in a different light.

What and Where to Eat

Paris is not only known for haute couture, its haute cuisine is another thing one must experience there.

What To Pack

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Budgeting Tips