Paris with the family
by Flann, Central New Jersey, Wednesday, February 19, 2020, 10:46 (1816 days ago)
The family and I will be visiting relatives in greater London for three weeks in late July and early August. The kids have never been to Europe and it’s been 15 years since Mom and Dad have been able to get over there.
We have a pretty open schedule and want to include a Paris trip as part of the vacation. Advice on where to stay and what to do in Paris with a family of six would be greatly appreciated. In addition to mom and dad, we have kids aged 16 (girl), 13 (girl), 11 (boy), and 7 (girl). We generally stay in Airbnbs when traveling anywhere more than a night or two and I’d guess we’d go this route in Paris (we’ll be staying with family in London). Any thoughts on neighborhoods to stay in and/ or what we should be looking for in a Parisian Airbnb? I assume we want to take the train from London and hope nobody goes on strike? Thinking 4-5 nights, but pretty flexible.
Advice on London and daytrips out of London with the family would be welcome as well.
neighborhoods in Paris
by Jay , San Diego, Thursday, February 20, 2020, 08:16 (1815 days ago) @ Flann
Lots of good info below on sights and tourism. I would just highlight the walking tours link (if your family would be into that), Paris Walks, in this thread of Paris sights:
https://bluegraysky.com/forum/index.php?id=392116
For neighborhoods, anywhere in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th will be fine. You should be able to find a place in there that works. Public transpo is all restored and should be through the summer for the tourists so I wouldn't worry about that.
I would start by looking for rentals in the 3rd & 4th. This is the Marais, with narrower streets and more of a neighborhood feel.
Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions, or if you want me to have a look at potential rentals you're considering. I may be able to give you more specific info about that particular neighborhood.
couple more tips on Paris rentals
by Jay , San Diego, Thursday, February 20, 2020, 08:51 (1815 days ago) @ Jay
* read the descriptions closely for floor location. Some places have elevators but there are a lot of 4- and 5-story walk-ups. You can hoof it if the place is good, but you also don't want a nasty surprise here. (I'm sure you already know this but "1er étage" is the second floor, one flight up, etc).
* it will be hot when you are there (could be 90s+) and apartments with AC are scarce. If AC is listed, it will most likely be an appliance unit (on the floor) with a vent out the window (central air is non-existent). Some places have those Dyson "cool air" machines and they like to say they are air conditioned, but those are not AC units. They're just fans with a mist. They suck.
Terrific info. Thanks everyone.
by Flann, Central New Jersey, Thursday, February 20, 2020, 07:06 (1815 days ago) @ Flann
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travel threads, some good stuff in here
by Jay , San Diego, Wednesday, February 19, 2020, 13:59 (1816 days ago) @ Flann
https://bluegraysky.com/forum/index.php?mode=search&search=travel&method=tags
Will follow up with some Paris recs too
Vet the airbnb's in Paris very closely
by Jack , Wednesday, February 19, 2020, 11:58 (1816 days ago) @ Flann
We got burned by a very overstated description (my wife hated the place and blamed me, made it even worse), and that was after I rejected two bait and switches from other people, one of the things I don't like about airbnb.
I had a lot better luck with HomeAway on the next trip and was able to find a really nice, very reasonably priced place near the Place de Republique.
airbnb has been good to me
by Jay , San Diego, Thursday, February 20, 2020, 08:06 (1815 days ago) @ Jack
Friends who have had issues with their airbnbs were impressed with the company's response and service. In one case, friends who rented a cottage in the French countryside arrived to find it infested with bugs. Airbnb had them in a much nicer property -- clearly much more expensive than their original booking -- later that day.
As with any rental site, scour the reviews, pepper the host with any questions, and avoid brand new listings (unless it's a Super Host or the like).
Did you follow up w AirBnB's support?
by Mark, O Town, Wednesday, February 19, 2020, 14:09 (1816 days ago) @ Jack
I worked on a project years ago setting up a call center (for Intel) with a guy who went on to oversee AirBnB's support centers. I've had multiple people tell me AirBnB has responded in very helpful ways when these kinds of bad actors abuse their system.
My buddy now works as an independent consultant but was with AirBnb in this capacity from 2015-2019 ...
--
"2020 ... Let's win it all ..."
No. I should have
by Jack , Wednesday, February 19, 2020, 16:50 (1816 days ago) @ Mark
In any case, it left a bad taste in my mouth, though, and I’ve gone with VRBO and HomeAway ever since. I’ve had only good experiences with both of them.
Jay will have AirBnB recs
by MattG, Wednesday, February 19, 2020, 11:55 (1816 days ago) @ Flann
We stayed in an apartment just northwest of Madeline, and that was just perfect. It's in the center of everything, but just ever-so-slightly on the periphery of the Louvre/Tuileries crowds.
PARIS
#1 Tip - Go to the Louvre on a WEDNESDAY or a FRIDAY, in the evening. It closes at 6 most days, but on Wed/Fri they stay open until almost 10.
Show up around dinner time and crowds are way, way down. I got a wide-angle photo of my then-10-year-old as the only person in the Mona Lisa room.
#2 Do a river cruise.
#3 Les Invalides is a pretty great war museum, as war museums go. You have to go to the Orsay, but some people skip Les Invalides.
#4 go all the way to the top of the Eiffel Tower. It costs a little more but you'll always wonder about it if you don't do it. Then afterward hang out on the big first-floor area and get champagne or something.
LONDON
My sister and her family live in the Guildford/Farnham area, and we went to Silent Pool gin distillery last time we were there. It's a great tour if you're in Surrey. Not fun for the kids though.
The river walk from Hammersmith west, almost all the way to Kew, is super cool and has a bunch of pubs that are good for people walking with kids.
Montmartre is totally worth it
by IrishGuard, Wednesday, February 19, 2020, 16:56 (1816 days ago) @ MattG
Take to Metro to Abesses and spend an afternoon wondering the shops and cafes. Grab a crepe and watch all the painters ply their trade. It’s all so Parisian you’ll vomirez.
Sacre Coeur is an amazing church, and the views of the city from up there are incredible.
walking tour of Montmartre is worth it
by Jay , San Diego, Thursday, February 20, 2020, 08:34 (1815 days ago) @ IrishGuard
Either guided or self-guided. It will send you down alleyways and into nooks and crannies you would have otherwise missed. So much history packed into such a small neighborhood. Recommend Chez Plumeau for lunch or dinner or just glasses of wine hanging out. Kid friendly and off the main scrum of the Place du Terte. There are some ripoff places there, but Chez Plumeau is a gem.
Some London ideas...
by BillyGoat, At Thanksgiving with Joe Bethersontin, Wednesday, February 19, 2020, 11:26 (1816 days ago) @ Flann
None of this is probably very earth-shattering. I think all of these would be fairly kid-friendly. Not meant to be exhaustive.
-Depending on when you arrive, the hop on/hop off bus tour might be a good way to kill that afternoon. Get everyone a lay of the land without pushing tired kids too hard to sightsee.
-Regent's Park Open Air Shakespeare Theater. I love almost everything about London and this is my absolute favorite. IMO, Midsummer Night's Dream outside is as good as it gets.
-Imperial War Museum. Sounds very stodgy, but it's an amazing museum of WWI and WWII. A good number of interactive exhibits that should engage the kids.
-Churchill War Rooms. If you only did one WWII thing, I think the museum would probably be better for kids. But the Churchill War Rooms are insanely cool.
-I'm an absolute sucker for the Tower. The Beefeater Tour is just fantastic. Virtually exactly the same every time. One thing been obsessed with since reading Patriot Games is the Ceremony of the Keys -- when the lock the Tower every night. I ALWAYS forget to order tickets (and it might already be too late). But that would be pretty unique.
-Take an afternoon and just chill in one of those parks. Have everyone bring a book or Uno or something. Get some ice cream. It's amazing. Hyde, Regents, whatever. Rent a rowboat on the Strand in Hyde Park. Go Horseback Riding in Hyde Park (one of the favorite things that my wife and I have ever done), but you need to be prepared to ride English style.
-Buckingham Palace. You can always see the Changing of the Guard, which is pretty cool. But at that time of year you should probably be able to go in and tour it. I think the Queen will be in Scotland. That was worth the price of admission. Half the freeking world was once run from that building. If you don't want to go through the hassle of the changing of the guard at Buckingham, I really like the dismounting ceremony at Horse Guards Parade on Whitehall, and I think kids would enjoy it (it's also way shorter and you can get way closer if you get there early and grab a spot in the courtyard). But the horse guards get inspected every day in the late afternoon because Queen Victoria once discovered that they were drinking all day (not a great quality for one's bodyguards). So she ordered that they be inspected at the end of the day in order to keep that under control.
-IF you and your wife can get away for an evening, go get a drink at Duke's Hotel. It's right by the Palace of St. James and the Ritz. Supposedly, it's where Ian Fleming decided that James Bond would drink Martinis. It's just a wonderful bar, with awesome cocktails. It's gotten more crowded over the years, but it's just a great spot.
-For less touristy and more hanging out, try Spitalfields Market. Food stalls from all over the world. Amazing stuff to eat. And a cool place to hang out. Kind of off the beaten path of the tourist stuff -- it's over by Liverpool St. Station.
-I guess there's the Harry Potter studio tour, which I've never done, but will the next time I go.
-Outside of London, two awesome options. Windsor and then Stonehenge/Bath. Personally, I love Windsor. The focus is on the castle, but the park is pretty amazing. Lots of good little pubs in town. Ride the train to and from, which is fun. Stonehenge and Bath, I think, is a bus trip (unless your family can give you all a lift), which isn't as great as the train. Stonehenge, IMO, is about a 3 minute thing and you can cross it off your bucket list. But kids all know what it is and that it's famous. Bath is the highlight of that little excursion. It's just a cool town. But the highlight is, obviously, the baths. It's just amazing how you can see the strata of architecture from the Romans to medieval monks to Victorian.
Tags:
travel
Where do you all recommend staying in London?
by oviedoirish , Oviedo, Florida, Thursday, February 20, 2020, 10:43 (1815 days ago) @ BillyGoat
We're going for the first time at the end of May. I'm leaning more to a hotel given that I've only used airbnb once, in the states.
My approach to London is Tube-based...
by BillyGoat, At Thanksgiving with Joe Bethersontin, Thursday, February 20, 2020, 11:18 (1815 days ago) @ oviedoirish
The system is pretty awesome and can get you basically everywhere you need to go. As with any city, staying in the thick of things is expensive (London pretty incredibly so).
In terms of the Tube, I generally focus on the Central, Circle and District lines. That provides good access to the main tourist places, and transfers to the other lines are easy.
I've stayed a few different places in London, and each has pros and cons.
First time was in Knightsbridge at the Park Tower. Ritzy quiet neighborhood. Walkable to Hyde Park. Not that close to the touristy stuff, but the Knightsbridge stop is pretty user friendly.
Second time was the Sheraton Park Lane, right on Picadilly across from Green Park. Bit more in the touristy part of town and walkable to Picadilly Circus. Good access to a bunch of the stuff you'll probably want to see, like Buckingham, Westminster Abby.
Third time was a Hilton right by Paddington. Super easy to and from the Airport, thanks to the Heathrow Express train, which is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Nice location at the northeast corner of Hyde Park and OK tube access.
Last time was at the Hyatt Adnaz by Liverpool Street Station. I really liked that neighborhood because of its proximity to the Tower and Spitalfields Market (see my long post below). Good to St. Paul's and the Tate also. But certainly more in the business district. Good tube and train access too.
My dream hotel would be Duke's (again, see below). Little boutique place right by the Palace of St. James with one of the greatest bars ever. Little pricy, but a pretty cool neighborhood if you want to picture yourself as part of old fashioned London.
IMO, the Tube lets you find good hotel values off the beaten path because the train makes it so easy for you to get places in a relatively short amount of time.
If you have questions, you can either reply further here or email me at groundbeefnd at gmail dot com
Thanks.
by oviedoirish , Oviedo, Florida, Thursday, February 20, 2020, 12:39 (1815 days ago) @ BillyGoat
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another great day trip with kids is Dover Castle
by Jay , San Diego, Thursday, February 20, 2020, 08:29 (1815 days ago) @ BillyGoat
It's like a history amusement park, with multiple areas to explore, from the medieval tunnels to the WW2 bunkers. We spent like 5 hours there and then had a picnic lunch on the grounds.
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/dover-castle/
Train takes ~90 minutes from St Pancras to Dover Priory station. Probably easiest to take a taxi up to the castle from the station but you can also walk it.
great post, added it to the 'travel' tag
by Jay , San Diego, Thursday, February 20, 2020, 08:23 (1815 days ago) @ BillyGoat
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Excellent recs. Two others & some day trips if time permits
by Jack , Wednesday, February 19, 2020, 13:52 (1816 days ago) @ BillyGoat
I am a sucker for the Tower also but equally for Westminster Abbey. Also, we did a Parliament tour a year ago last summer and it was great, for the exact reasons you'd expect. Book in advance because it's only open for complete tours days that Parliament is not in session (complete tours meaning the House of Commons and House of Lords), and not even all of those days either. All that information is available online on the Parliament website.
Hampton Court is effectively in the Surrey London suburbs, so very close - it's Henry VIII's castle that he swiped from Cardinal Wolsey, is another place kids would like, including kids like me who are also suckers for the Tower.
I really liked Canterbury and really liked Cambridge. Bath was good but a longer distance back and forth.
Kill 2 birds with 1 stone - take a river cruise to Hampton
by PasadenaDomer , Thursday, February 20, 2020, 06:18 (1815 days ago) @ Jack
Court. Did it decades and many London trips ago and still one of my favorite memories of London.
Hampton Court is a good call. I've always wanted to
by BillyGoat, At Thanksgiving with Joe Bethersontin, Wednesday, February 19, 2020, 14:20 (1816 days ago) @ Jack
see that.
Couple piggybacks
by CK08, Wednesday, February 19, 2020, 12:09 (1816 days ago) @ BillyGoat
If you're doing the Tower, get up and get there first thing in the morning, before the lines get huge. We stayed in Tower Hill with our then-three year old and were able to walk down to the tower and beat the rush to the crown jewels and other busy spots.
Bath is freaking awesome. The Roman Baths are super cool, and the city is both fun and gorgeous.
Stonehenge is, as you say, one of those "ok, seen it, moving on" things, although the people watching and the overwrought audio guide narration (which basically makes it really clear that we have no idea whatsoever what Stonehenge was or why it was built) both add some entertainment value.
Salisbury Cathedral, which is like five minutes from Stonehenge, is also worth seeing. They have the Magna Carta, and you can climb to the top of the steeple, which is an adventure that may be of interest to teenagers.
I did Airbnb in Paris
by Bryan (IrishCavan), Howth Castle and Environs, Wednesday, February 19, 2020, 10:59 (1816 days ago) @ Flann
we stayed in the 8th across from Parc Monceau, and it was surprisingly reasonable and not nearly so touristy. Purchase tickets to museums and sights before you go. The best place to see Paris from high is Montparnasse, much better than the Eiffel Tower. Your kids will probably like the Sewer Museum.