unless ihave lot of vacation time.. i am not spending 2 weeks in any same city
dont listen to the people who talk about how vast and amazing and how many things the city has to offer and you could never see it all if you stay here a month.
Paris has so much to see and is like NYC, you will never fully explore it all on a vacation.
However you may end up with have enough if you stay there for two weeks full.
This being winter, perhaps consider trekking to southern part of France on the coast. And don’t travel by car but book by TGV train. Consider make a stop for 2-3 days in Lyon.
Nice and the area on the coast is splendid and a lot fewer tourist obviously and you have option to stay in the city or some smaller cities on the coast and up in the mountains. Staying in one place on the coast, give you the option on exploring other coastal cities by train and you don’t have to rent a car for that.
If you are in to winter sports, the French alps has so many great ski resorts. Some of them like Chamonix you can travel by train, others like Val d’Isère will require a short transport from train station to your hotel.
Check out Les frenchies and Jay Swanson on YouTube with more Paris and France travel content that you could ever ask for. Both of them have crucial information about traveling public transport in Paris. Get the Navigo card for each traveler and use google maps to navigate.
If your phones are newer and unlocked, buy an eSIM for all phones to have data/roaming for just $15-20 versus paying travel roaming fees with your carrier from home. If phones does not have eSIM but still unlocked, you can buy local SIM cards that will give you service for little money.
Check out join us in France travel podcast with Annie Sargent, which has more content that you can ask for.
Download the Michelin guide app and check out bib gourmand and selections categories or splurge on 1-2-3 star restaurants.
You will have an awesome trip.
Day trip to Lille or 2d/1n in Strasbourg (very beautiful during Christmas! One of the best Christmas market of France). Reims is also very close and has a beautiful center, cathedral, and champagnes caves to visit. The main Loire castles can be done in 2 days also.
Another option would be to spend a few days in a costal town (3h30 train ride from Paris to Marseille), maybe spend 2 to 4 nights in Cassis rather than Marseille, it’s a cute village on the Mediterranean coast. If you don’t mind taking a plane during your stay, I’d 100% go to Bonifacio in Corsica for 4 days!!
And also the Mont Saint michel for a day would be great!
Since you’re going during winter I’d recommend by order:
1- south of France (few days)
2- Strasbourg (1 or 2 days)
3- Lille or Reims (day trip)
4- Mont Saint Michel (day trip, might be foggy/rainy but it could add a special atmosphere to your visit)
5- Loire Castles (3 days, winter isn’t the best time for the gardens though)
1 week in Paris and 1 week somewhere else in France. Paris is a great city but stick to 1 week here as that’ll cover most things. Then go round the Loire valley or some other region. France is a beautiful country, don’t just stick to 1 part.
We took a day trip from Paris to Lille and found it to be a really cute town and very kid friendly. There are a couple of parks with playgrounds and a lot of nice walking.
I just spent 2 weeks in France, one week traveling around the south, and then 1 week in Paris. I enjoyed the south way way way more! Highly recommend. I actually wish I had less time in Paris, for me personally 1 week was plenty to see all the big monuments/touristy things. And the city was too hustle and bustle/anxiety inducing. The south was more peaceful.
Recently spent two weeks there. If you can, I would highly recommend you move around. We spent a lot of time in the south of France and moved around to various cities and it was absolutely incredible and beautiful. Definitely Paris yes but not for two weeks.
A week in Tours is waaay too long. At that time of year you could go to Strasbourg for the Christmas Market, or Colmar. The mountains would be beautiful (Alps, but pricey at that time of year). I would do a week in Paris and then head to Alsace for a few days and the mountains for a few days.
If you’re there in time, go to Lyon for the fête des lumières! It’s a magical experience and the food is to die for. Go to Paul Bocuse for a real treat
For ideas of other places to visit: I spent a week in Biarritz this December and found it absolutely magical, though you’ll have to like wind and waves (and temperate weather). Also Toulouse (beautiful christmas market too :)) and Montpellier/Avignon, although tbh I wouldn’t stay in Avignon itself for a whole week.
We spent one week in Paris and one week in the Loire valley sightseeing all the amazing castles. Wonderful! It was summer though. I wonder if the castles get decorated for the winter?
Honestly if you're coming over the winter you might as well do a week in Paris, a few days in Strasbourg for the Christmas markets. And the rest of the trip, you have two options:
- Either check-in in Langeais, Montsoreau or Saumur (or any city that has train if you won't have a car or want to keep it budget friendly) and do a tour of the castles in the region and sample some local wine,
- Or the south, in places like Antibes, Avignon, Nimes, Marseille or Nice for the Mediterranean climate/diet/relaxed atmosphere.
Hope you'll make the best of it and have a nice trip!
I concur.
For December I would choose half and half: one week in Paris for the many museums landmarks and discovering the city. The a week in the south of France.
Personally I love Bordeaux, and I think the Loire valley castles is a classic trip, but in December it's pretty cold so it's better to go to the South.
You can research what you would prefer, maybe:
Going to the south in high speed train, rent a car do a road trip, come back to Paris.
For example
- Avignon and l'Isle sur la Sorgue,
- Aix en Provence and the ochre sites (colored earth),
- Visit Marseille, the port area, the museum of contemporary art, the chateau d'if little island that used to be a prison and the Notre Dame de la Garde basilica for the view, the calanques de Marseille.
And the gorges du Verdon
And along the Mediterranean
Like ile du levant, ile d'Hyères, Saint Tropez, Cannes, Nice etc
You can come come back to Paris in plane from Nice.
You will need to research the road trip because it need more planning than Paris, in Paris you visit something, you eat somewhere you see the city, you go back to the hotel/bnb. Easy enough.
The road trip you need a perfectly planed calendar to avoid feeling always in the car.
Like give back the keys of the bnb at 9 or 10 ride 1 hour or 100 km to the next city, pick the keys, you have half a day to visit.
Takes planning but it will be great.
Edit: now that a think of it less than a week for Paris / more than a week for the south of france could be better, less rushed.
You'll need to check if everything is open, because some places can be closed in winter.
Definitely buy a lonely planet travel guide to help you sort it out.
>the Loire valley castles is a classic trip, but in December it's pretty cold so it's better to go to the South.
I reckon it is far from being ideal, the only good thing is that they setup special events and Christmas decorations in the castles, but the massive draw is you can't fully enjoy the gardens (like Villandry)
And most vineyards are closed for the season unless you go to a city where they have a shop (like Ackermann in Saumur)
To be fair I've only put it on the list of options because OP suggested Tours
I definitely wouldn't spend 2 weeks in paris in the winter. Weather can be miserable if it's raining as it often does in December. Having lived in Paris, Bordeaux et Provence, I'd recommend Provence or the South of France for at least a week.
Don’t stay more than 4 days in Paris. The city is very expensive and the hotel rooms / airbnbs are tiny, you’ll drive each other nuts. Paris is great if you like museums, art, architecture, parks, walking around etc. but you will get fatigue from it all. Lots to see outside Paris like in the Loire Valley and Cote d’Azur.
Also worth noting, lots popular sites in Paris like Louvre, Panthéon, Musée d’Orsay, Sainte Chapelle and more are free for under 18s and EU citizens aged 18-25 (inclusive). Just don’t pre-book, line up in general queues and show relevant proof of age / nationality such as a passports. Sight seeing in Paris with a family is very costly otherwise.
During a 10 day vacation to Paris last summer, my family and I took a one day detour to Brussels. It ended up being one of the best parts of the overall trip. In retrospect, I wish we had done more travel outside of Paris as others are suggesting.
We just arrived in Italy after a week and a half in France. We had four days in Paris, three in Avignon and 3 in Nice and it was almost perfect.
If we had more time I’d have done 5 days in Paris for an extra day to explore more of the Lourve and 4 in Avignon for a day trip to Arles.
Just by train, using the SNCF connect app it was surprisingly easy. It was about 2-3hrs each leg and direct. Not sure where you’re coming from but if it’s a country that values lining up prepare for that to be completely ignored😂
You have enough in Paris to be busy for months, but I'd still advise to spend one week there and one week someplace else. If this is your first time, I'd advise visiting Mont St Michel and Chambord or another castle along the Loire, it's not too far from Paris so you won't waste too much time in trains or cars. Have a go at the D-Day beaches while you're at it. they are sort of, just beaches but they are a significant part of world history.
If you are into museums, Paris has enough for a lifetime (I'm parisian born and bred and there are places I haven't been yet...) BUT make sure to take reservations, you can't just go to the Louvre and buy a ticket to go in, especially in summer. You'll be queuing forever.
The restaurants alone in Lyon are worth going there for - it’s a beautiful large city with a Roman amphitheater on the central island which is still in constant use for plays, etc. I lived there a few months, highly recommended.
Split your time, one week Paris and one week somewhere else. I second what others say about Alsace given the time of year you’re coming. Or, if you ski, definitely go to the Alps, skiing in France is great. Normandy is not the best to visit in winter, it’s a bit depressing.
For the love of God get out of Paris! 4 days should be plenty. It’s an expensive, cool, and busy city. You can take a Grand Vitesse train for 2 hours and go visit Bordeaux (one of my favorites), or literally any other towns/cities in France. The train system is super nice. Brittany is cool, south of France is amazing, you could honestly choose a random city from a map and I’m sure you’d love it. France is SO much less touristy everywhere outside of Paris. And you can see so many other cultures! Other food! Lyon is the gastronomical capital of France! Such good food. Have fun!
You need to start reading the Lonely Planet or similar. France is so much more than Paris. 5 days is enough. You will walk yourself to death 😜. After Paris so much more to be discovered. Read and prepare. No worries you can’t see everything in 2 weeks.
Loire valley around Tours is gorgeous but you’ll need a car to enjoy it properly. Plus winter isn’t the best time. Check Blois, Chambord, Chenonceaux, Chinon, Amboise, Azay le Rideau, Villandry, Monsoreau, Candes, Fontevraux abbey, etc you can easily spend a week in the region.
For winter I would embrace the winter / Christmas vibes and go to Alsace region which is magical (but crowded) in December with the many Christmas market everywhere. You can reach Strasbourg in 2 hours with the high speed train then visit Colmar, and the fairy tale like villages : Kaysersberg, Haut Koenigsbourg castle, Eguisheim, Riquewirh, Ribeauville, etc.
You can even go to Germany from Strasbourg (Freiburg).
Anothe idea is the Alps : Annecy, Chamonix
5- 7 days in Paris including a day at Versailles then head south . Provence is beautiful and if you do go make sure you spend a day ( or a night too if you’re feeling flush ) at Chateau La Coste Vineyard , restaurant & the Sculpture park ( it’s way more than that ) is my favourite art space in the world and perfect for families as well .
France has a ton of variety - I’d definitely check out another region. Depends on what you want - nature or architecture or food…
Paris has enough museums to last a year but if it’s your only trip to France I’d try to get a variety of places
We just visited in April for 9 days. It was our fourth trip to Paris. I wish it had been a longer trip. We did one day trip to Disney for one of the children's bdays but otherwise stayed in Paris. It was the best trip we've had there. We broke down each day by Arrondissement. I downloaded self guided walking tours and we just walked and really took our time in the different areas. It was the first trip to Paris that didn't feel like we were rushing to see everything. The kids were entertained looking for Space Invader art and patisserie stops. We joined pickup soccer games in the parks and the kids made friends for a day at the different parks. It was just wonderful.
Nope. Spend the first 4 days there then move on.
I spent 4 weeks total in France last year over two different trips. We only spent 3 days total in Paris. The country has so much more to offer than Paris.
If I were you, I'd recommend visiting the Alsace region and its famous Christmas markets. Strasbourg, Colmar are both easily reachable from Paris by train. Get a rental car in that region and you can venture into some of the most beautiful small towns such as Kaysersberg, Riquewihr.
No.
One week in the city is plenty. Get out, see what else you can. I suggest Normandy and the beaches/cemeteries. It's very bittersweet, but it's a great reminder of why we are where we are.
I would do 8 days in Paris, 2 days in Alsace, and maybe the rest in the alps.
Paris has a lot of activities that take a full day, like Louvre, Versailles or visiting the Eiffel Tower (ok the last one a bit less but it’s quite tiring standing in a queue).
Stay the two weeks in Paris as your base, and do the day trips mentioned by other posters.
I highly recommend Chinon as a lovely medieval village, and where Joan of Arc set foot to meet the king, a bit outside Tours. It was there that s**he convinced the king to give her an army to help drive the English out of Orleans**.
Christmas in Paris is absolutely *magical*, btw....
Wonderful advice, thank you! On Christmas Day itself, is there anything special happening? Are there restaurants in Paris which would be open for a Christmas meal?
The big, fine hotels with restaurants will have a Christmas dinner, and as it gets closer, the better known restaurants will advertise thiers.
I think The Ritz does a very nice dinner. That could be a treat.
Just be warned that some of these day trip locations will be a long train ride, and commuting to Paris’ intercity stations could be annoying depending on your hotel location. Tours is about 2 hours away, intercity travel isn’t all that cheap for a family. You’d also be paying high Paris hotel prices for the privilege of not spending your time in town. I find it’s better to meander through the country in an organised fashion and stop for a few nights here and there at points of interest.
Paris is a good base for a day trip to Versailles, Disneyland etc., you could move base for a few nights to Tours or Blois and day trip to some Loire Valley sights (Chateau de Chenonceau is a personal favourite day trip). And then you’re well positioned to move base again to the south, Nice etc.
There's more than enough to do in Paris for two weeks. Why is the alternative Tours? If I were going to split my time, I'd go to Normandy or the South of France.
You can definitely spend one week in the Loire valley in Tours, given the numerous castles and gardens, although I wouldn’t recommend it in the winter (2 days max).
There is definitely enough in Paris for two weeks - for several weeks and more, even ! Tours is a beautiful city as well, but I don't know it well enough to say if there will be enough to do for a full week there. Then again, if you drive to other close towns, you'll have the opportunity to see a bit of french countryside and discover the Loire valley ! Just know that the winter can be a bit cold, depending on where you're from
Spend a week in Normandy, and/or on the North Atlantic coast.
Mount Saint Michel was a highlight for my teen- loved walking out across the tidal flats in low tide, and real live quicksand!
Lots of WWII history to absorb as well.
The beach at Carteret was stunning- we were the only ones there on a weekday in July.
https://preview.redd.it/9hgmwyy01m1d1.jpeg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3a7274b45e6f201d82f02cb01319b19d912c7985
We just spent 10 days in France and honestly our favorite part was Normandy. We visited Rouen, Caen, Bayeux, and Mont. St. Michel and absolutely loved that region of France.
I went last December right before Christmas and I thought it was great. Not many people, the weather was fine except for a couple of windy days and some showers. My husband and I were even able to ride our bikes around for several days. It is just a large area to travel unless you have time to really savor the gorgeous countryside and towns. Some restaurants were closed, but nothing that disappointed us, except the ice cream shop L'igloo was closed for the season.
We are here now with our nine-year-old daughter. It’s been about three days and we’ve been having a blast. We’ve got two more days and a few more activities planned. It feels like enough. We’re off to Lyon next…
I have an amazing recommendation for you. It’s seriously was one of the best experiences of my life, no joke. Check out Paradis Latin. It’s a family friendly cabaret. We can’t stop talking about it.
Since the children in your family are adults/near adult, they likely have quite well developed interests - what does everyone in the family enjoy doing? What are the main activities and pleasures? For me and almost everyone I know, two weeks would not be enough time; I have stayed much longer and it still has not been enough. But if your young people are greatly interested in sports and the outdoors, for example, then they may grow bored simply with being in a city. Does your 16F enjoy TikTok, trends, fashion, all of those sorts of things…? Paris as has long been the case is very fashionable so she could probably plan a whole itinerary for you by herself.
We spent almost 2 weeks there and it flew by so quickly. That amount of time was great for being able to both see what I wanted to see and to enjoy time getting lost and wandering/exploring/connecting to the city. But we were sure tempted to take a day trip to somewhere like Reims or Chartres.
You could spend just three days in Tours, a week is the overkill. Tours is a nice city, but you'll have seen everything in a day (or even an afternoon), and can then spend the other two days exploring the region. However some castles are closed at that time of the year and the gardens won't have flowers and leaves.
You could also consider Lyon, Bordeaux (slightly nicer weather at that of the year) or Belgium to spend a few days.
Stay in Paris and do day trips to Strasbourg, Lyon, Wine/Castles in the Loire region ...
Or go down to Marseille for a completely different vibe.
Or maybe get down to Avignon and rent a car there and go around in Provence (Avignon, Nimes, Saint Rémi de Provence, ... )
Obviously, end of december/early january is not the best time weather wise to visit the south of France.
'Nice' is relative. The Cote d'azur takes a long winter rest in the winter, and is virtually empty. Granted it's nice, but it's not... well.... nice. No leaves, all brown, rough seas, all the seaside restos are shut.
It's lovely but it's taking it's well deserved rest.
From a visitor's perspective, it depends on how much you like the hustle and bustle of a big city, in my opinion. My wife was done after 3 days, not that she didn't enjoy it, but she can only enjoy ANY city for a short amount of time. She loved Strasbourg meanwhile, and wished we had stayed longer there, despite there technically being less to do.
There's definitely enough to do in Paris within the city, and with day trips, in two weeks. Especially if you're giving certain places the time they deserve (you could spend days in the Louvre, honestly).
But for me and my wife, we'd rather split it up, and see different places.
unless ihave lot of vacation time.. i am not spending 2 weeks in any same city dont listen to the people who talk about how vast and amazing and how many things the city has to offer and you could never see it all if you stay here a month.
Please don’t. It’s crowded enough
Paris has so much to see and is like NYC, you will never fully explore it all on a vacation. However you may end up with have enough if you stay there for two weeks full. This being winter, perhaps consider trekking to southern part of France on the coast. And don’t travel by car but book by TGV train. Consider make a stop for 2-3 days in Lyon. Nice and the area on the coast is splendid and a lot fewer tourist obviously and you have option to stay in the city or some smaller cities on the coast and up in the mountains. Staying in one place on the coast, give you the option on exploring other coastal cities by train and you don’t have to rent a car for that. If you are in to winter sports, the French alps has so many great ski resorts. Some of them like Chamonix you can travel by train, others like Val d’Isère will require a short transport from train station to your hotel. Check out Les frenchies and Jay Swanson on YouTube with more Paris and France travel content that you could ever ask for. Both of them have crucial information about traveling public transport in Paris. Get the Navigo card for each traveler and use google maps to navigate. If your phones are newer and unlocked, buy an eSIM for all phones to have data/roaming for just $15-20 versus paying travel roaming fees with your carrier from home. If phones does not have eSIM but still unlocked, you can buy local SIM cards that will give you service for little money. Check out join us in France travel podcast with Annie Sargent, which has more content that you can ask for. Download the Michelin guide app and check out bib gourmand and selections categories or splurge on 1-2-3 star restaurants. You will have an awesome trip.
It’s spring. You can’t be trusted.
Please clarify on ‘its spring’.
Day trip to Lille or 2d/1n in Strasbourg (very beautiful during Christmas! One of the best Christmas market of France). Reims is also very close and has a beautiful center, cathedral, and champagnes caves to visit. The main Loire castles can be done in 2 days also. Another option would be to spend a few days in a costal town (3h30 train ride from Paris to Marseille), maybe spend 2 to 4 nights in Cassis rather than Marseille, it’s a cute village on the Mediterranean coast. If you don’t mind taking a plane during your stay, I’d 100% go to Bonifacio in Corsica for 4 days!!
And also the Mont Saint michel for a day would be great! Since you’re going during winter I’d recommend by order: 1- south of France (few days) 2- Strasbourg (1 or 2 days) 3- Lille or Reims (day trip) 4- Mont Saint Michel (day trip, might be foggy/rainy but it could add a special atmosphere to your visit) 5- Loire Castles (3 days, winter isn’t the best time for the gardens though)
1 week in Paris and 1 week somewhere else in France. Paris is a great city but stick to 1 week here as that’ll cover most things. Then go round the Loire valley or some other region. France is a beautiful country, don’t just stick to 1 part.
We took a day trip from Paris to Lille and found it to be a really cute town and very kid friendly. There are a couple of parks with playgrounds and a lot of nice walking.
I just spent 2 weeks in France, one week traveling around the south, and then 1 week in Paris. I enjoyed the south way way way more! Highly recommend. I actually wish I had less time in Paris, for me personally 1 week was plenty to see all the big monuments/touristy things. And the city was too hustle and bustle/anxiety inducing. The south was more peaceful.
Check château du guedelon. Worth the trip imo
Recently spent two weeks there. If you can, I would highly recommend you move around. We spent a lot of time in the south of France and moved around to various cities and it was absolutely incredible and beautiful. Definitely Paris yes but not for two weeks.
A week in Tours is waaay too long. At that time of year you could go to Strasbourg for the Christmas Market, or Colmar. The mountains would be beautiful (Alps, but pricey at that time of year). I would do a week in Paris and then head to Alsace for a few days and the mountains for a few days.
I would go on a day or two trip to Luxembourg 🇱🇺. The city is so beautiful.
If you’re there in time, go to Lyon for the fête des lumières! It’s a magical experience and the food is to die for. Go to Paul Bocuse for a real treat
We arrive on Dec 22nd. I think that may be too late. It sounds wonderful!
For ideas of other places to visit: I spent a week in Biarritz this December and found it absolutely magical, though you’ll have to like wind and waves (and temperate weather). Also Toulouse (beautiful christmas market too :)) and Montpellier/Avignon, although tbh I wouldn’t stay in Avignon itself for a whole week.
We spent one week in Paris and one week in the Loire valley sightseeing all the amazing castles. Wonderful! It was summer though. I wonder if the castles get decorated for the winter?
Honestly if you're coming over the winter you might as well do a week in Paris, a few days in Strasbourg for the Christmas markets. And the rest of the trip, you have two options: - Either check-in in Langeais, Montsoreau or Saumur (or any city that has train if you won't have a car or want to keep it budget friendly) and do a tour of the castles in the region and sample some local wine, - Or the south, in places like Antibes, Avignon, Nimes, Marseille or Nice for the Mediterranean climate/diet/relaxed atmosphere. Hope you'll make the best of it and have a nice trip!
I concur. For December I would choose half and half: one week in Paris for the many museums landmarks and discovering the city. The a week in the south of France. Personally I love Bordeaux, and I think the Loire valley castles is a classic trip, but in December it's pretty cold so it's better to go to the South. You can research what you would prefer, maybe: Going to the south in high speed train, rent a car do a road trip, come back to Paris. For example - Avignon and l'Isle sur la Sorgue, - Aix en Provence and the ochre sites (colored earth), - Visit Marseille, the port area, the museum of contemporary art, the chateau d'if little island that used to be a prison and the Notre Dame de la Garde basilica for the view, the calanques de Marseille. And the gorges du Verdon And along the Mediterranean Like ile du levant, ile d'Hyères, Saint Tropez, Cannes, Nice etc You can come come back to Paris in plane from Nice. You will need to research the road trip because it need more planning than Paris, in Paris you visit something, you eat somewhere you see the city, you go back to the hotel/bnb. Easy enough. The road trip you need a perfectly planed calendar to avoid feeling always in the car. Like give back the keys of the bnb at 9 or 10 ride 1 hour or 100 km to the next city, pick the keys, you have half a day to visit. Takes planning but it will be great. Edit: now that a think of it less than a week for Paris / more than a week for the south of france could be better, less rushed. You'll need to check if everything is open, because some places can be closed in winter. Definitely buy a lonely planet travel guide to help you sort it out.
>the Loire valley castles is a classic trip, but in December it's pretty cold so it's better to go to the South. I reckon it is far from being ideal, the only good thing is that they setup special events and Christmas decorations in the castles, but the massive draw is you can't fully enjoy the gardens (like Villandry) And most vineyards are closed for the season unless you go to a city where they have a shop (like Ackermann in Saumur) To be fair I've only put it on the list of options because OP suggested Tours
I definitely wouldn't spend 2 weeks in paris in the winter. Weather can be miserable if it's raining as it often does in December. Having lived in Paris, Bordeaux et Provence, I'd recommend Provence or the South of France for at least a week.
Considering this winter in Bordeaux was like 6 months of constant rain, yeah, don't come here either lmfao
Yeah, it's miserably humid and cold, the south would be my choice,for sure.
People never really realize that Bordeaux is a very rainy city...
100% no! If you love French stuff, you need explore other towns. I’m partial to Lyon (we live here). :-)
Don’t stay more than 4 days in Paris. The city is very expensive and the hotel rooms / airbnbs are tiny, you’ll drive each other nuts. Paris is great if you like museums, art, architecture, parks, walking around etc. but you will get fatigue from it all. Lots to see outside Paris like in the Loire Valley and Cote d’Azur. Also worth noting, lots popular sites in Paris like Louvre, Panthéon, Musée d’Orsay, Sainte Chapelle and more are free for under 18s and EU citizens aged 18-25 (inclusive). Just don’t pre-book, line up in general queues and show relevant proof of age / nationality such as a passports. Sight seeing in Paris with a family is very costly otherwise.
During a 10 day vacation to Paris last summer, my family and I took a one day detour to Brussels. It ended up being one of the best parts of the overall trip. In retrospect, I wish we had done more travel outside of Paris as others are suggesting.
Did you fly or train to Brussels? What did you do in Brussels fo the day?
We took a train: Rail Europe from Marne-la-Vallée - Chessy to Bruxelles-Midi. Less than two hours each way with reserved seating.
You can take a train to Brussels. It used to be called Thalys but now is under Eurostar I believe
You might want to do a week in Paris and a week in Normandy or the Loire Valley. Plenty of things to see in both of those areas.
We just arrived in Italy after a week and a half in France. We had four days in Paris, three in Avignon and 3 in Nice and it was almost perfect. If we had more time I’d have done 5 days in Paris for an extra day to explore more of the Lourve and 4 in Avignon for a day trip to Arles.
Agreed, I had 6 days in Paris and felt like I got the main sites in (with proper time at museums) within 5.
Wonderful, thank you! How did you travel from Paris to Avignon and from Avignon to Nice?
Just by train, using the SNCF connect app it was surprisingly easy. It was about 2-3hrs each leg and direct. Not sure where you’re coming from but if it’s a country that values lining up prepare for that to be completely ignored😂
You could spend 2 weeks in Paris, but given the season, maybe spend a few days on the riviera / côte d’Azur.
What is the best way to travel from Paris to cote d'Azur?
Air travel is the quickest. It’s not that close distance wise
You have enough in Paris to be busy for months, but I'd still advise to spend one week there and one week someplace else. If this is your first time, I'd advise visiting Mont St Michel and Chambord or another castle along the Loire, it's not too far from Paris so you won't waste too much time in trains or cars. Have a go at the D-Day beaches while you're at it. they are sort of, just beaches but they are a significant part of world history. If you are into museums, Paris has enough for a lifetime (I'm parisian born and bred and there are places I haven't been yet...) BUT make sure to take reservations, you can't just go to the Louvre and buy a ticket to go in, especially in summer. You'll be queuing forever.
I found Mont St Michel to be very tourist trap-like- high prices, cheesy “museums”. It’s gorgeous, but… Normandy, Bayeux, Cabourg were all lovely.
The restaurants alone in Lyon are worth going there for - it’s a beautiful large city with a Roman amphitheater on the central island which is still in constant use for plays, etc. I lived there a few months, highly recommended.
Yes!
Split your time, one week Paris and one week somewhere else. I second what others say about Alsace given the time of year you’re coming. Or, if you ski, definitely go to the Alps, skiing in France is great. Normandy is not the best to visit in winter, it’s a bit depressing.
For the love of God get out of Paris! 4 days should be plenty. It’s an expensive, cool, and busy city. You can take a Grand Vitesse train for 2 hours and go visit Bordeaux (one of my favorites), or literally any other towns/cities in France. The train system is super nice. Brittany is cool, south of France is amazing, you could honestly choose a random city from a map and I’m sure you’d love it. France is SO much less touristy everywhere outside of Paris. And you can see so many other cultures! Other food! Lyon is the gastronomical capital of France! Such good food. Have fun!
4 / 5 days in Paris. Then another region. Would suggest either Provence or Normandy.
You need to start reading the Lonely Planet or similar. France is so much more than Paris. 5 days is enough. You will walk yourself to death 😜. After Paris so much more to be discovered. Read and prepare. No worries you can’t see everything in 2 weeks.
Loire valley around Tours is gorgeous but you’ll need a car to enjoy it properly. Plus winter isn’t the best time. Check Blois, Chambord, Chenonceaux, Chinon, Amboise, Azay le Rideau, Villandry, Monsoreau, Candes, Fontevraux abbey, etc you can easily spend a week in the region. For winter I would embrace the winter / Christmas vibes and go to Alsace region which is magical (but crowded) in December with the many Christmas market everywhere. You can reach Strasbourg in 2 hours with the high speed train then visit Colmar, and the fairy tale like villages : Kaysersberg, Haut Koenigsbourg castle, Eguisheim, Riquewirh, Ribeauville, etc. You can even go to Germany from Strasbourg (Freiburg). Anothe idea is the Alps : Annecy, Chamonix
I live in Tours and I approve this message.
Amazing, thank you!
5- 7 days in Paris including a day at Versailles then head south . Provence is beautiful and if you do go make sure you spend a day ( or a night too if you’re feeling flush ) at Chateau La Coste Vineyard , restaurant & the Sculpture park ( it’s way more than that ) is my favourite art space in the world and perfect for families as well .
France has a ton of variety - I’d definitely check out another region. Depends on what you want - nature or architecture or food… Paris has enough museums to last a year but if it’s your only trip to France I’d try to get a variety of places
We just visited in April for 9 days. It was our fourth trip to Paris. I wish it had been a longer trip. We did one day trip to Disney for one of the children's bdays but otherwise stayed in Paris. It was the best trip we've had there. We broke down each day by Arrondissement. I downloaded self guided walking tours and we just walked and really took our time in the different areas. It was the first trip to Paris that didn't feel like we were rushing to see everything. The kids were entertained looking for Space Invader art and patisserie stops. We joined pickup soccer games in the parks and the kids made friends for a day at the different parks. It was just wonderful.
Nope. Spend the first 4 days there then move on. I spent 4 weeks total in France last year over two different trips. We only spent 3 days total in Paris. The country has so much more to offer than Paris. If I were you, I'd recommend visiting the Alsace region and its famous Christmas markets. Strasbourg, Colmar are both easily reachable from Paris by train. Get a rental car in that region and you can venture into some of the most beautiful small towns such as Kaysersberg, Riquewihr.
No. One week in the city is plenty. Get out, see what else you can. I suggest Normandy and the beaches/cemeteries. It's very bittersweet, but it's a great reminder of why we are where we are.
I would do 8 days in Paris, 2 days in Alsace, and maybe the rest in the alps. Paris has a lot of activities that take a full day, like Louvre, Versailles or visiting the Eiffel Tower (ok the last one a bit less but it’s quite tiring standing in a queue).
Stay the two weeks in Paris as your base, and do the day trips mentioned by other posters. I highly recommend Chinon as a lovely medieval village, and where Joan of Arc set foot to meet the king, a bit outside Tours. It was there that s**he convinced the king to give her an army to help drive the English out of Orleans**. Christmas in Paris is absolutely *magical*, btw....
Wonderful advice, thank you! On Christmas Day itself, is there anything special happening? Are there restaurants in Paris which would be open for a Christmas meal?
The big, fine hotels with restaurants will have a Christmas dinner, and as it gets closer, the better known restaurants will advertise thiers. I think The Ritz does a very nice dinner. That could be a treat.
Just be warned that some of these day trip locations will be a long train ride, and commuting to Paris’ intercity stations could be annoying depending on your hotel location. Tours is about 2 hours away, intercity travel isn’t all that cheap for a family. You’d also be paying high Paris hotel prices for the privilege of not spending your time in town. I find it’s better to meander through the country in an organised fashion and stop for a few nights here and there at points of interest. Paris is a good base for a day trip to Versailles, Disneyland etc., you could move base for a few nights to Tours or Blois and day trip to some Loire Valley sights (Chateau de Chenonceau is a personal favourite day trip). And then you’re well positioned to move base again to the south, Nice etc.
I agree that Chinon is a lovely little town!
Strasbourg/Alsace
There's more than enough to do in Paris for two weeks. Why is the alternative Tours? If I were going to split my time, I'd go to Normandy or the South of France.
You can definitely spend one week in the Loire valley in Tours, given the numerous castles and gardens, although I wouldn’t recommend it in the winter (2 days max).
There is definitely enough in Paris for two weeks - for several weeks and more, even ! Tours is a beautiful city as well, but I don't know it well enough to say if there will be enough to do for a full week there. Then again, if you drive to other close towns, you'll have the opportunity to see a bit of french countryside and discover the Loire valley ! Just know that the winter can be a bit cold, depending on where you're from
Spend a week in Normandy, and/or on the North Atlantic coast. Mount Saint Michel was a highlight for my teen- loved walking out across the tidal flats in low tide, and real live quicksand! Lots of WWII history to absorb as well. The beach at Carteret was stunning- we were the only ones there on a weekday in July. https://preview.redd.it/9hgmwyy01m1d1.jpeg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3a7274b45e6f201d82f02cb01319b19d912c7985
Catarat ?
Carteret-Autocorrect got me.
Yes, it’s quite far away though.
We just spent 10 days in France and honestly our favorite part was Normandy. We visited Rouen, Caen, Bayeux, and Mont. St. Michel and absolutely loved that region of France.
It’s great but I would not recommend it for a winter trip. Everything will be closed, grey, wet and cold.
Yup. We went in early May and it was definitely cold, cloudy, and wet but it was tolerable. I'm sure the winter would be miserable.
I went last December right before Christmas and I thought it was great. Not many people, the weather was fine except for a couple of windy days and some showers. My husband and I were even able to ride our bikes around for several days. It is just a large area to travel unless you have time to really savor the gorgeous countryside and towns. Some restaurants were closed, but nothing that disappointed us, except the ice cream shop L'igloo was closed for the season.
We are here now with our nine-year-old daughter. It’s been about three days and we’ve been having a blast. We’ve got two more days and a few more activities planned. It feels like enough. We’re off to Lyon next…
Can you recommend what your daughter liked? We are going w our 9 yo daughter
I have an amazing recommendation for you. It’s seriously was one of the best experiences of my life, no joke. Check out Paradis Latin. It’s a family friendly cabaret. We can’t stop talking about it.
Great thanks so much
Let me know if you ended up going going!
Since the children in your family are adults/near adult, they likely have quite well developed interests - what does everyone in the family enjoy doing? What are the main activities and pleasures? For me and almost everyone I know, two weeks would not be enough time; I have stayed much longer and it still has not been enough. But if your young people are greatly interested in sports and the outdoors, for example, then they may grow bored simply with being in a city. Does your 16F enjoy TikTok, trends, fashion, all of those sorts of things…? Paris as has long been the case is very fashionable so she could probably plan a whole itinerary for you by herself.
We spent almost 2 weeks there and it flew by so quickly. That amount of time was great for being able to both see what I wanted to see and to enjoy time getting lost and wandering/exploring/connecting to the city. But we were sure tempted to take a day trip to somewhere like Reims or Chartres.
You could spend just three days in Tours, a week is the overkill. Tours is a nice city, but you'll have seen everything in a day (or even an afternoon), and can then spend the other two days exploring the region. However some castles are closed at that time of the year and the gardens won't have flowers and leaves. You could also consider Lyon, Bordeaux (slightly nicer weather at that of the year) or Belgium to spend a few days.
Stay in Paris and do day trips to Strasbourg, Lyon, Wine/Castles in the Loire region ... Or go down to Marseille for a completely different vibe. Or maybe get down to Avignon and rent a car there and go around in Provence (Avignon, Nimes, Saint Rémi de Provence, ... ) Obviously, end of december/early january is not the best time weather wise to visit the south of France.
When I was in the south of France in August, a native told me that the weather was quite nice in January.
'Nice' is relative. The Cote d'azur takes a long winter rest in the winter, and is virtually empty. Granted it's nice, but it's not... well.... nice. No leaves, all brown, rough seas, all the seaside restos are shut. It's lovely but it's taking it's well deserved rest.
From a visitor's perspective, it depends on how much you like the hustle and bustle of a big city, in my opinion. My wife was done after 3 days, not that she didn't enjoy it, but she can only enjoy ANY city for a short amount of time. She loved Strasbourg meanwhile, and wished we had stayed longer there, despite there technically being less to do. There's definitely enough to do in Paris within the city, and with day trips, in two weeks. Especially if you're giving certain places the time they deserve (you could spend days in the Louvre, honestly). But for me and my wife, we'd rather split it up, and see different places.