Family Guides

< More Things to Do: Ile de la Cité & Ile St-Louis

Notre-Dame

Letting Off Steam

Twirl around the square in front of the cathedral like Esmerelda, the gypsy dancer in Victor Hugo’s novel Notre Dame de Paris (1831), and stroll along the quayside. Square Jean XXIII, behind Notre-Dame, is a pretty park with a sandpit. In summer, head for the Paris-Plages on the Right Bank, when the main road along the river is transformed into “beaches” with real sand, water fountains and activities. In winter, go skating at the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville.

Shopping

Flick through English books in Shakespeare and Company (37 Rue de la Bûcherie, 75005) and in the green boxes of the Bouquinistes, who have been selling books on the Seine’s banks since the 16th century. After the Revolution they peddled entire libraries that had been seized from noble families.

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Digital

The cathedral’s website www.notredamedeparis.fr/Children-s-site has a children’s corner. Watch the video General de Gaulle at Notre Dame on 26 August 1944 at http://tinyurl.com/3jyujw5 and King Babar hunting Father Christmas in Paris in the Babar Christmas Special at http://tinyurl.com/3v7gvto. Discover Roman Paris at www.paris.culture.fr/en/

Film

Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) will show kids how the cathedral dominated medieval Paris.

Next Stop…

A Crypt and a Memorial

Visit the Crypte Archéologique (Pl Jean Paul II, Parvis de Notre-Dame, 75004; 01 55 42 50 10; www.crypte.paris.fr) in front of Notre-Dame. The city’s Roman remains, as well as medieval shops and pavements, can be seen here. The Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation (Sq de l’Ile de France, 75004; 01 46 33 87 56) behind the cathedral commemorates the deportation of 200,000 men, women and children to Nazi concentration camps.

< More Things to Do: Ile de la Cité & Ile St-Louis

Statue of Charlemagne

Letting Off Steam

The nearest bridge, Pont au Double, is a nice place to promenade and watch the rollerbladers swing by. It was originally built in 1623–34 to take patients to the Hôtel Dieu hospital; they were charged double the normal crossing toll, hence the name. The bridge leads over to Square René Viviani on the Left Bank, which is good for a run-about and has free Wi-Fi. It is home to the oldest tree in Paris, planted in 1601. The tree’s upper branches were blown off by a shell in World War I.

Stroll along the Seine like King Babar in search of Father Christmas but do not, like Madeline, end up in it – she was standing on the Pont au Double’s balustrades when she fell.

< More Things to Do: Ile de la Cité & Ile St-Louis

Petit Pont

Take Cover

Across the Petit Pont from the square in front of Notre-Dame is the wonderfully eccentric bookstore Shakespeare and Company. After a shot of culture, unwind in one of the cafés nearby. On Monday nights, look out for famous authors, who are invited for a drink before the weekly reading in the shop.

< More Things to Do: Ile de la Cité & Ile St-Louis

Marché aux Fleurs et aux Oiseaux & Quai de la Mégisserie

Take Cover

Gaze in wonder at the dizzyingly high ceiling and stunning stained glass inside Sainte-Chapelle, a Gothic masterpiece restored by Viollet-le-Duc and others in the mid-19th century.

< More Things to Do: Ile de la Cité & Ile St-Louis

Ile St-Louis

Letting Off Steam

There is a playground on Square Albert Schweitzer and the pleasant garden of Square Barye, by Pont de Sully. Quai de Bourbon is a nice spot for a quick sit-down before walking across Pont des Tournelles to see the statue of the city’s patron saint, Saint Geneviève, who, according to legend, saved Paris from destruction by Attila the Hun.

< More Things to Do: Ile de la Cité & Ile St-Louis

Paris-Plages on the Right Bank

Take Cover

If the sun is too strong or the weather turns nasty, head east. The winding medieval streets of the Marais are full of fascinating shops and lovely cafés.

< More Things to Do: Ile de la Cité & Ile St-Louis

Hôtel de Ville

Letting Off Steam

The square in front of the Hôtel de Ville is a great place for kids. There is an old-fashioned carousel and, in winter, an ice skating rink.

< More Things to Do: Ile de la Cité & Ile St-Louis

Conciergerie

Letting Off Steam

After a lesson in history, watch people playing boules (a game played with metal balls) and kick a ball around in Place Dauphine (enter by Rue Henri-Robert, 75001), laid out by Henri IV to honour his son and heir, Louis. In the summer, admire the storybook towers of the Conciergerie and build sandcastles on the Right Bank during the popular Paris-Plages.

Shopping

Just across the Seine on the Left Bank is a lively shopping street, the Rue St-André des Arts, or head to the Right Bank for boutique shops along Rue de Rivoli.

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Digital

Find videos, games and puzzles for kids on the French Revolution at www.neok12.com/French-Revolution.htm. Games for children based around France’s top tourist sights can be found at www.monuments-nationaux.fr/enfants/home_en.htm

Film

In The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934), a British aristocrat runs secret missions to rescue the condemned, including Louis XVII, in Robespierre’s Paris. The cartoon version of Charles Dickens’ novel A Tale of Two Cities (2002) is set in Paris and London during the Revolution.

Next Stop…

Centre Pompidou

After all that history it is fun to do something completely different. The crazy, modernist Centre Pompidou is a 15-minute walk across Pont au Change and up Boulevard Sébastopol. Marvel at the coloured pipes on the outisde of the building. Enjoy watching some entertaining street theatre here before riding up the bubble-like escalators to admire the lovely views.

< More Things to Do: Ile de la Cité & Ile St-Louis

Sainte-Chapelle

Letting Off Steam

The pretty Place Dauphine, laid out in 1607 by Henri IV and named after the Dauphin, the future Louis XIII, is an elegant square in which to kick a ball around.

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Pont Neuf

Letting Off Steam

One of the most magical spots in Paris, the Square du Vert-Galant is excellent for a picnic and a run around. Try to imagine what the locals felt like seeing the Vikings rowing towards them here in AD 845. This is also the point from which the Vedettes du Pont Neuf pleasure boats depart.

< More Things to Do: Ile de la Cité & Ile St-Louis

St-Germain l’Auxerrois

Letting Off Steam

A copy of the original Napoleonic bridge, the Pont des Arts (Quai du Louvre, Pl de l’Institut, 75006) is a beautiful pedestrianized footbridge and a great place for families to enjoy a stroll and for kids to run along.

< More Things to Do: Beaubourg & the Marais

Centre Pompidou

Letting Off Steam

Place Georges Pompidou, in front of the museum, is fun. Kids will love the sculptures of magical monsters on the Stravinsky Fountain in Place Igor Stravinsky.

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Digital

Visit the interactive site www.junior.centrepompidou.fr for games and information on exhibits, in English and French.

Film

Watch Mon Oncle (1958). In this film, French filmmaker Jacques Tati makes fun of Parisians who love anything modern – rather like Georges Pompidou.

Shopping

Not So Big (38 Rue Tiquetonne, 75002; www.notsobig.fr) is a concept store for kids. A La Poupée Merveilleuse (9 Rue du Temple, 75004; www.fete–paris.com) sells party trinkets and games for kids.

Next Stop…

The Marais

After a tour of the Centre Pompidou, set out to explore the nearby Marais area, a maze of winding streets full of designer boutiques, art galleries, cafés and shops. Let the children let off steam in the beautiful Place des Vosges, then head north towards Rue Montorgueil, one of the trendiest streets in Paris, full of market stalls and bakeries.

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Place Igor Stravinsky

Take Cover

Should the weather turn nasty, head back into the free areas of the Centre Pompidou, where levels zero and one have book and souvenir shops, and inviting cafés in which to linger.

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Les Halles

Letting Off Steam

Children can run around in the tiny playground near Square de Tour St-Jacques (Rue de Rivoli, 75004). Alternatively have a dip in the pool of the Forum des Halles.

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Tour de Jean Sans Peur

Letting Off Steam

Children will love the giant modern sculpted head, L’Ecoute, by Henri de Miller, in front of the St-Eustache church. They can even clamber up on the sculpture.

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Musée des Arts et Métiers

Letting Off Steam

Once a fortified enclave of the Knights Templar, the pretty Square du Temple (64 Rue de Bretagne, 75003) has a lovely garden with an adjoining children’s playground, and is a favourite picnic spot.

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Digital

Brush up your knowledge of science at www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/index_flash.shtml. For chemistry, check out www.chemistryforkids.net and www.physics4kids.com for physics. Watch the first great steps in aviation history on http://tinyurl.com/3e43juo.

Shopping

The area around Métro Etienne Marcel has trendy shops. The Passage de Grand Cerf just north of the Rue de Turbigo is a pretty, covered arcade dating from 1825.

Next Stop…

An arch and a crazy building

The museum is close to Porte St-Denis (Blvd St-Denis, 75003), the huge 17th-century arch that replaced one of the gates in the medieval city walls, once one of the entrances into Paris. Walk down Rue Beaubourg to the Centre Pompidou.

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51 Rue de Montmorency

Take Cover

There is a crazy collection of stuffed animals and guns at the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature (62 Rue des Archives, 75003; www.chassenature.org). Look out for the huge polar bear!

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Musée de la Poupée

Letting Off Steam

The museum is just by the gates to a little garden, the Jardin d’Anne Frank, which backs on to the Hôtel de St-Aignan, which houses the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire du Judaïsme. Look out for the locals’ vegetable patch.

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Musée d’Art et d’Histoire du Judaïsme

Letting Off Steam

Just behind the museum is the pretty Jardin d’Anne Frank. There is a small playground in Square Charles-Victor Langlois (Rue des Blancs-Manteaux, 75004) next to the church of Notre-Dame-des-Blancs-Manteaux. Look out for traces of an old tower on the ground.

< More Things to Do: Beaubourg & the Marais

Place des Vosges

Letting Off Steam

The canalside Jardin du Port de l’Arsenal is another good place to stroll around, or picnic and watch the barges. Nomades (37 Blvd Bourdon, 75004; www.nomadeshop.com; Tue–Sun) organizes Rollerblade tours of the city and rents out Rollerblades.

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Film

Two Victor Hugo classics are captured on film in Les Misérables (1978) and Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996). Alexander Dumas’ heroes have inspired numerous films. Disney’s 1993 and 2004 versions of The Three Musketeers – the latter a cartoon version featuring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy – are both entertaining. Find out who the mysterious prisoner in the Bastille was, in The Man in the Iron Mask (1998).

Shopping

The Marais is one of the nicest parts of Paris for shopping with children. For books, I Love My Blender (36 Rue du Temple, 75004; 01 42 77 50 32) is a good option. The children’s concept store Bonton (5 Blvd des Filles du Calvaire, 75003; 01 42 72 34 69) has a hairdresser, toys and cookery classes. L’Ours du Marais (18 Rue Pavée, 75004; 01 42 77 60 43) is a teddy-bear paradise. Merci (111 Blvd Beaumarchais, 75003; www.merci-merci.com) donates its profits to charity, and has a good restaurant and café.

Take Cover

Watch a magic show at the café Le Double Fond (1 Pl du Marché Ste-Catherine, 75004; 01 44 71 40 20; www.doublefond.com). Even the waiters are magicians, performing baffling sleights of hand at table as they serve.

Next Stop…

Museums and a prison

The Marais is home to museums, designer boutiques, art galleries and cafés. To relive the Revolution, go to Musée Carnavalet and Place de la Bastille.

< More Things to Do: Beaubourg & the Marais

Musée Carnavalet

Letting Off Steam

The museum has a lovely garden that is open to the public, with access from Rue des Francs Bourgeois in the summer. The Marais is full of tiny squares where children can run around. Just behind the museum, unwind in the tranquil Square Georges Cain (Rue Payenne, 75003), which has a fascinating collection of statues, or in Square Léopold Achille next door, which has a playground and a lawn also off Rue Payenne.

< More Things to Do: Beaubourg & the Marais

Musée Picasso

Letting Off Steam

The Jardin de l’Hôtel Sale (101 Rue Coutures St-Gervais, 75003) has ping pong tables and a playground. There is a merry-go-round outside Métro St-Paul, which is a convenient treat at the end of a day out.

< More Things to Do: Beaubourg & the Marais

Rue des Rosiers

Take Cover

The magical Musée de la Magie (11 Rue St-Paul, 75004; www.museedelamagie.com) is a subterranean 16th-century vault full of interesting curios, optical illusions, interactive games and magic tricks. There are seven rooms stuffed with magic wands and mirrors, magicians’ hats, secret boxes and all kinds of strange curios from the 18th century to the present day. There are regular magic shows and a great little shop full of tricks to play on friends and family.

< More Things to Do: Beaubourg & the Marais

Mémorial de la Shoah

Letting Off Steam

There is a little playground on Rue des Nonnains, behind the Hôtel de Sens, a beautiful Gothic mansion with magical towers. It now houses the Forney fine arts library. In the playground of the Lycée Charlemagne school on Rue des Jardins St-Paul, look out for part of the city wall built by king Philippe-Auguste. Just north of the memorial is Rue François Miron, lined with fairytale buildings and enticing shops for kids. Children who like to cook will enjoy sniffing around in Izrael, an Ali Baba cavern full of exotic spices.

< More Things to Do: Beaubourg & the Marais

Place de la Bastille

Letting Off Steam

Stroll along the canalside at the Bassin de l’Arsenal (Quai de la Rapée, Bastille). A charming little park here, Square Henri Galli, preserves some remains of the earliest Bastille, and the original outline of the fortress is marked on the pavements on the corner of Boulevard Henri IV and Rue St-Antoine. The foundation stones of this once-notorious prison can still be seen – in the Bastille Métro station on the line 5 platforms.

< More Things to Do: Tuileries, Opéra & Montmartre

The Louvre

Letting Off Steam

On the doorstep of the Louvre is one of Paris’s oldest and most beautiful parks, the Jardin des Tuileries. Sail wooden boats, play in the playground and relax under the trees.

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Digital

The Louvre website is fantastically child-friendly. Click on the cartoon figure of the first director Dominique Vivant Denon and check out ‘Tales of the Museum’ at www.louvre.fr. There is more to discover about Ancient Egypt at www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/egyptians. The museum shops also stock good CD-Roms, One Minute at the Museum and The Louvre, Art for Kids.

Film

Two excellent films for children are One Minute at the Museum and The Amazing Museum, both available in the museum shop. Looney Tunes Louvre Come Back to Me (1962) is more light-hearted. The Da Vinci Code (2006), a film adaptation of writer Dan Brown’s bestselling novel of the same name, features the museum.

Shopping

The underground Carrousel du Louvre is full of shops, including the Apple Store (99 Rue de Rivoli, 75001) and Nature et Découvertes (99 Rue de Rivoli, 75001), a branch of the scientific toy shop. Look out for scale models of the Louvre. The Librarie des Jardins (Jardin des Tuileries, 75001) sells children’s books in English. W H Smith (248 Rue de Rivoli, 75001; www.whsmith.fr) has the best collection of English-language books for children in Paris. Fans of model-making should not miss EOL (3 Rue du Louvre, 75001; www.eolmodelisme.com).

Next Stop…

A breath of fresh air

After a trip to the Louvre everyone needs to relax. In summer the gardens at the Palais Royal are a lovely place to take a stroll. Alternatively, walk over the Pont des Arts and admire the view at sunset. In bad weather, head to Aquarium de Paris – Cinéaqua, a cutting-edge aquarium at Trocadéro, which is the perfect antidote to too much sightseeing.

< More Things to Do: Tuileries, Opéra & Montmartre

Jardin des Tuileries

Take Cover

About 15 minutes’ walk up Avenue de l’Opéra is a multimedia museum, Paris Story (11 Rue Scribe, 75009; 01 42 66 62 06; www.paris-story.com; 10am–6pm daily) with an audiovisual show that appeals to kids. Although slightly overpriced, it gives a good historical overview for children who know little about the history of France.

< More Things to Do: Tuileries, Opéra & Montmartre

Musée de l’Orangerie

Letting Off Steam

The museum is located on the edge of the Jardin des Tuileries. The entrance to the gardens is just a few steps away to the north. Alternatively, walk across Place de la Concorde to the Jardin des Champs-Elysées.

< More Things to Do: Tuileries, Opéra & Montmartre

Rue de Rivoli

Letting Off Steam

Head to the Jardin des Tuileries. The arcaded stretch of the Rue de Rivoli, filled with a mix of shops selling luxury goods and tourist souvenirs, runs along the northern side of the gardens.

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Musée des Arts Décoratifs

Letting Off Steam

Cross Place André Malraux to reach the Jardin du Palais Royal, a good spot for running around.

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Joan of Arc Statue

Letting Off Steam

The statue is right by the gate to the Jardin des Tuileries and only moments from the gardens of the arcaded Jardin du Palais Royal, whose courtyard contains black-and-white-striped columns perfect for jumping off.

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Place Vendôme

Letting Off Steam

Nearby is the Jardin des Tuileries with lawns, fountains and a popular playground. Let the kids be mini-Parisians, sailing wooden boats on the pond.

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Comédie Française

Letting Off Steam

Walk up Rue de Richelieu to look at the fountain decorated with a statue of Molière and then enjoy a run around the Palais Royal.

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Palais Royal

Letting Off Steam

The delightful Jardin du Palais Royal is the perfect place to picnic. Bring a ball and a skipping rope or buy one in the toy shop by the Grand Véfour restaurant. Watch out for the pond – Louis XIV almost drowned here as a child.

< More Things to Do: Tuileries, Opéra & Montmartre

Musée en Herbe

Letting Off Steam

Stroll up to the square of Place des Victoires. Take the exit by Le Grand Véfour and turn right–it is a 5-minute walk. If the weather is bad, wander in the 19th-century arcade, Galerie Vivienne, which is close to the square.

< More Things to Do: Tuileries, Opéra & Montmartre

Musée Grévin

Letting Off Steam

There is a playground and ping pong tables in the pretty park in Square de Montholon (80 Rue Lafayette, 75009), a 10-minute walk to the northeast. For a serious run around take the metro and head for the Jardin des Tuileries or Parc Monceau.

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Digital

Watch Michael Jackson meet his wax model at http://tinyurl.com/3tjzkw5 and Pauvre Pierrot, the first cartoon film ever made and shown at the Musée Grévin at http://tinyurl.com/26fl8qn.

Shopping

Citadium (50–56 Rue de Caumartin, 75009) offers a good selection of cutting-edge streetwear. Passage Jouffroy, next to the museum, is a children’s paradise. Stock up with chocolate olives, nougat toffees and navettes (boat-shaped biscuits) at La Cure Gourmande. Buy everything to kit out a dolls’ house at Pain d’Epices or La Boîte à Joujoux. Le Petit Roi sells second-hand cartoon books. Stamp collectors should head for Rue Drouot. Perhaps the best-known department stores in Paris, Galeries Lafayette, with its great food hall, and elegant Printemps, are both on Boulevard Haussmann.

Next Stop…

Chocolates and movies

Discover the secrets of chocolate at Choco-Story (28 Blvd Bonne Nouvelle, 75010; 01 42 29 68 60), a museum offering the delicious opportunity to taste different varieties. Then watch a film in the old cinema, Les Etoiles du Rex (1 Blvd Poissonnière, 75002; 01 45 08 93 40; www.legrandrex.com). Built in 1932, it is the biggest in Europe, with 2,800 seats.

< More Things to Do: Tuileries, Opéra & Montmartre

Les Passages

Letting Off Steam

Save Passage des Princes until last and then let the kids loose in Village Joué Club’s myriad themed areas, full of every toy and game they can imagine – and more.

< More Things to Do: Tuileries, Opéra & Montmartre

Les Grands Boulevards

Letting Off Steam

Stroll down to the peaceful gardens at the former royal palace, the Palais Royal (Pl du Palais Royal, 75001) at the southern end of Avenue de l’Opéra.

< More Things to Do: Tuileries, Opéra & Montmartre

Opéra Garnier

Letting Off Steam

Walk down Rue de la Paix from Place de l’Opéra towards the river and Jardin des Tuileries (Pl de la Concorde, 75001; daily dawn–dusk) for some open space after all the traffic and commotion around the Grands Boulevards.

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Sacré-Coeur

Letting Off Steam

In Montmartre, the kids are spoilt for choice. The pretty gardens of Square Willette slope down in front of Sacré-Coeur and there is a carousel at the bottom of the hill. There is also Square Louise Michel, between Place St-Pierre and the Sacré-Coeur. Behind the cathedral is the Parc de la Turlure, where the Turlure windmill once stood. It is a peaceful place to picnic.

Shopping

Montmartre has lots of interesting shops selling original gift items, homewares and clothes. Do not miss the outfits and accessories at Antoine et Lili (90 Rue des Martyrs, 75018; www.antoineetlili.com) or the garlands of fancy lights (choose your own colour combination) in La Case de Cousin Paul (4 Rue Tardieu, 75018; www.lacasedecousinpaul.com). La Chaise Longue (91 Rue des Martyrs, 75018; www.lachaiselongue.fr) is also a fun place to browse for home decor items.

Find Out More

Digital

Watch rock band U2’s music video Two Hearts Beat as One, shot in front of the basilica and around Montmartre, at http://tinyurl.com/b8epuk

Film

Moulin Rouge (2001) is a romantic musical with Nicole Kidman. The films set here reflect life’s grittier side and are better for older kids. Louis Feuillade’s Fantômas films (1913–14), set in and around Place Pigalle, depict the criminal exploits of a slick but dastardly villain. Watch a clip http://tinyurl.com/coho3of

Next Stop…

MOULIN ROUGE One of the world’s most famous cabarets, the Moulin Rouge (82 Blvd de Clichy, 75018; 01 53 09 82 82; www.moulinrouge.fr) was built in 1885 and is topped off with a red windmill. Its name is synonymous with the high-kicking dance, the cancan, and was made famous in Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s drawings and posters. The building is worth a look from the outside, and if families fancy a show, 6–12-year-olds can get in to matinees half-price on two Sundays a month. The tourist train that leaves from Place Pigalle passes right in front and heads up to Sacré-Coeur.

< More Things to Do: Tuileries, Opéra & Montmartre

Place du Tertre and Montmartre Vineyard

Take Cover

Musée de Montmartre (12 Rue Cortot, 75018; www.museedemontmartre.fr) is a charming museum in an old house with lots of memorabilia of artists such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec who lived and worked here. There is also a fairly accurate scale model of the old village of Montmartre, which kids may like. Halle St Pierre at the foot of the butte (2 Rue Ronsard; 01 42 58 72 89, www.hallesaintpierre.org) is an interesting art space with children’s workshops.

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Espace Dalí Montmartre

Letting Off Steam

Take the funicular from the foot of Montmartre (Rue Tardieu) to Sacré-Coeur, which offers a fantastic view of the city. Local children play in Square Suzanne Buisson (Rue Girardon, 75018), which is located behind Moulin de la Galette. A statue of Saint Denis stands in the middle of the garden. This is a good place to get a feel of the real Montmartre.

< More Things to Do: Tuileries, Opéra & Montmartre

Rue Lepic

Letting Off Steam

There is a tiny square, Square Jehan Rictus, close to Place des Abbesses, which is known for its “mur des je t’aime” (wall of love).

< More Things to Do: Tuileries, Opéra & Montmartre

Cimetière de Montmartre

Take Cover

Close by is the Musée de Montmartre, housed in a charming 17th-century building, which gives a glimpse of what the area was once like.

< More Things to Do: Tuileries, Opéra & Montmartre

Europe

Letting Off Steam

Square Berlioz (Pl Adolphe Max, 75009), across Rue de Clichy to the south of Boulevard Clichy, is a pretty square with a quiet little playground.

< More Things to Do: Tuileries, Opéra & Montmartre

Les Batignolles

Letting Off Steam

Pretty Square des Batignolles is a classic little Parisian park with ducks, a waterfall, table tennis tables and swings. It also has free Wi-Fi. Across the road on Rue Cardinet is the large, ultramodern Parc Martin Luther King, which is a better option for older children and is full of skateboarders.

< More Things to Do: Champs-Elysées & Trocadéro

Arc de Triomphe

Letting Off Steam

If the Champs-Elysées seems too busy, opt for a 10-minute ride on bus No. 30, or take an easy walk to Parc Monceau, which has a popular playground. Or take a bus down the avenue to the Rond-Point des Champs-Elysées for the tree-lined Jardin des Champs-Elysées, with fountains and pavilions.

Shopping

Kit the kids out in style on the Champs-Elysées, where there are plenty of children’s designer outlets. Visit Paul & Joe (2 Ave Montaigne, 75008), which designer Sophie Albou named after her two sons, and check out the children’s collection at Christian Dior (28 Ave Montaigne, 75008). With chandeliers and a velvet-curtained changing room Mon Plus Beau Souvenir (144 Rue de Courcelles, 75017) is another place to shop for designer labels. International chain stores have crept in among the high-end boutiques on the Champs-Elysées, and there are computer games and DVDs at FNAC (No. 74). Football fans should head for the Paris St-Germain shop (No. 27). There are plenty of toys at the Disney Store (No. 44) and La Grande Récré (126 Rue de la Boétie, 75008).

Find Out More

Digital

Watch a documentary about the Battle of Austerlitz on www.history.com/videos/the-battle-of-austerlitz

Film

Teenage twins live it up by the Palais de l’Elysée in Passport to Paris (1999).

Next Stop…

Petit Palais and Palais de la Découverte

Check out the art at the Petit Palais, or discover the world of science at the Palais de la Découverte.

< More Things to Do: Champs-Elysées & Trocadéro

Grand Palais and Petit Palais

Letting Off Steam

In the Jardins des Champs-Elysées, across the road, there is plenty of space to run around. In the northwest corner, puppet shows are still staged in Paris’s oldest puppet theatre, Théâtre Guignol (Rond-Point des Champs-Elysées, 75008; 01 42 45 38 30; www.theatreguignol.fr; Wed, Sat, Sun & school hols 3pm, 4pm & 5pm), which opened in 1818.

< More Things to Do: Champs-Elysées & Trocadéro

Pont Alexandre III

Letting Off Steam

Stroll along the Seine from Pont Alexandre III to Place de la Concorde. Check out the houseboats here and imagine what it would be like to live in them.

< More Things to Do: Champs-Elysées & Trocadéro

Palais de la Découverte

Letting Off Steam

The ultra-modern car showroom Rendez-vous Toyota (79 Ave des Champs-Elysées, 75008) is crammed with interesting interactive activities for adults and children alike.

< More Things to Do: Champs-Elysées & Trocadéro

Palais de l’Elysée

Letting Off Steam

Behind the palace are the Jardins des Champs-Elysées, with a playground and free Wi-Fi.

< More Things to Do: Champs-Elysées & Trocadéro

Place de la Concorde

Letting Off Steam

On the northeastern side of the square is the Jardins des Tuileries, where kids can enjoy pony rides.

< More Things to Do: Champs-Elysées & Trocadéro

Place de la Madeleine

Letting Off Steam

It is a 10-minute walk to Square Louis XVI, on the corner of Rue d’Anjou and Boulevard Haussmann, which has benches to sit on and pathways to run along, as well as a slide and games for kids. Once the Madeleine’s cemetery, this was where victims of the guillotine – including Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette – were buried.

< More Things to Do: Champs-Elysées & Trocadéro

Musée Jacquemart-André

Letting Off Steam

Explore the leafy Parc Monceau, full of surprises, and with a sandpit for the little ones. The kiosk in the park sells balls, buckets, spades and toys.

< More Things to Do: Champs-Elysées & Trocadéro

Parc Monceau

Take Cover

Near the eastern gate on Avenue Vélasquez is the Musée Cernuschi (www.cernuschi.paris.fr). The museum houses a collection of Far Eastern treasures, and is free of charge. Nearby, the Musée Nissim de Camondo (63 Rue de Monceau, 75008; www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr/francais/nissim-de-camondo) was once the home of a Jewish family who moved to Paris in 1869 after building a powerful financial empire in Constantinople. Walk through the kitchen and servants’ quarters up to the stylish salons, full of fine art and antiques.

< More Things to Do: Champs-Elysées & Trocadéro

St-Alexandre-Nevsky Cathedral

Letting Off Steam

Just minutes away is Parc Monceau, which is a great spot for a picnic and a runabout. This park features many magnificent trees and rare plants.

< More Things to Do: Champs-Elysées & Trocadéro

Palais de Chaillot

Letting Off Steam

The Jardins du Trocadéro run down to the Seine alongside the most fantastic fountain in Paris. There is a playground and a vintage merry-go-round. During weekends there are street entertainers moon walking and breakdancing on the esplanade.

Shopping

Avenue Victor Hugo has children’s shops, cake shops and toy shops, the best of which is Oxybul Éveil & Jeux (148 Ave Victor Hugo, 75116).

Find Out More

Digital

Watch the video Hitler in Paris at http://tinyurl.com/cqpbtyf, the 1937 World Fair at http://tinyurl.com/3j3f6uy and baby sharks at http://tinyurl.com/3nvbtmm. Check out www.bbc.co.uk/oceans to explore the world’s oceans, www.academickids.com to learn about prehistory, and www.archkidecture.org for awesome buildings.

Next Stop…

Eiffel Tower

After taking a look at the Eiffel Tower from the Palais de Chaillot, walk across the Seine on Pont d’Iéna and whizz up to the top of the tower.

< More Things to Do: Champs-Elysées & Trocadéro

Musée Guimet

Letting Off Steam

Unwind in the Japanese garden around the Musée du Panthéon Bouddique (19 Ave d’Iéna, 75016), an oasis of waterfalls, pools and bamboo swaying in the wind.

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Palais de Tokyo & Musée d’Art Moderne

Letting Off Steam

Take the stairs leading from Avenue Président Wilson to Rue de la Manutention and walk to the little garden next to the Palais de Tokyo.

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Musée Galliéra

Letting Off Steam

The museum has a pretty garden while the terrace in front of the Palais de Tokyo (13 Ave du Président-Wilson, 75116; 01 47 23 54 01) is where local kids practise skateboarding.

The Cimetière de Passy (2 Rue du Commandant Schloesing, 75016) is the last resting place of some of the most famous names in the history of Paris, such as the composer Debussy and the painter Edouard Manet. Eminent politicians and aristocrats are also buried there. With excellent views of the Eiffel Tower, it is a pleasant place for a stroll.

< More Things to Do: Eiffel Tower & Les Invalides

Eiffel Tower

Letting Off Steam

Some years, in winter, there is an ice-skating rink on the first level, but the best place to burn off some energy, all year round, is on the well-manicured expanses of Champ-de-Mars, the park that stretches out from beneath the tower.

Find Out More

Digital

On http://tinyurl.com/2g5beua, watch daredevil French inline skater Taïg Khris set the world record for the highest rollerskate jump, at 40 m (131 ft), from the first floor of the Eiffel Tower in 2010. Find out about more towers on www.great-towers.com and play games with the Eiffel Tower on www.tour-eiffel.fr

Film

Check out James Bond in action on the tower in A View to Kill (1985), Chuckie and his friends in Rugrats in Paris (1996) and the cartoon heroes of Looney Tunes Back in Action (2003). It appears in Zazie dans le Métro (1960), The Aristocats (1970) and Ratatouille (2007). Ludwig Bemelmans’ heroine Madeline lives in a leafy street nearby in Madeline (1998).

Shopping

The only thing to buy next to the Eiffel Tower is a model of it. The original models were made of scrap metal from the tower, but now they come in all colours and materials.

Next Stop…

Notre-Dame

Take a river cruise from the Eiffel Tower past various famous sights, ending up at the other ultimate Paris icon, Notre-Dame.

< More Things to Do: Eiffel Tower & Les Invalides

Champ-de-Mars

Take Cover

The headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO (Pl de Fontenoy, 75007), has a huge mural inside by Pablo Picasso.

< More Things to Do: Eiffel Tower & Les Invalides

musée du quai Branly

Letting Off Steam

The musée du quai Branly is situated in a modern garden. In summer there are several events here for children. Look out for the wall of plants which makes up part of the outside of the building, and enjoy a picnic beside the fountains in the gardens.

< More Things to Do: Eiffel Tower & Les Invalides

Les Egouts

Letting Off Steam

There is a shortage of playgrounds in this part of Paris so head back into the Champ-de-Mars for a run around. The quickest way to get there is to walk down Avenue Rapp.

< More Things to Do: Eiffel Tower & Les Invalides

Les Invalides

Letting Off Steam

Run off steam on the lawns in front of the Hôtel des Invalides or in the little playground in the green central section of the tree-lined Avenue de Breteuil, just south of here. Square d’Ajaccio (Blvd des Invalides, 75007), just northeast of the Hôtel des Invalides, has a sandpit and games for kids. For a more serious park experience there is the nearby Champ-de-Mars.

Find Out More

Digital

Discover the lives of Napoleon and Charles de Gaulle at www.napoleon.org/en/kids and www.charles-de-gaulle.org. There are documentaries about Napoleon at http://tinyurl.com/4y9dx42. A number of computer games are also available, the best of which are Napoleon: Total War (2010) and Napoleon’s Campaigns (2008).

Film

Waterloo (1970) is a great family watch. Monsieur N (2007) is good for older children.

Shopping

Deyrolle (46 Rue du Bac, 75007), the famous taxidermist, opened in 1831 and is a bizarre menagerie of lions and creepy crawlies. Papillon (82 Rue de Grenelle, 75007), a clothes shop, is part of the Bonton stable. À la Mère de Famille (47 Rue Cler, 75007) is an irresistible chocolate shop.

Next Stop…

Puppets and gardens

Follow up the serious museum experience with some fresh air. Have a picnic and catch a puppet show in the Champ-de-Mars, or stroll across the beautiful Pont Alexandre III with its glittering statues. From here walk along the Seine past the houseboats to the tranquil Jardin des Tuileries and unwind in the playground.

< More Things to Do: Eiffel Tower & Les Invalides

Ecole Militaire

Letting Off Steam

After admiring the exterior of the building the ideal place to run about is the huge expanse of the Champ-de-Mars.

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Musée Rodin

Letting Off Steam

Bring a bucket and spade and create your own sculptures in the sandpit of the Rodin museum’s garden. Some of the most beautiful gardens in Paris belong to religious orders, one of the best being the Jardin Catherine Labouré (33 Rue de Babylone, 75007), with its long, vine-covered pergolas, kitchen garden and little playground. It is about a 10-minute walk from the Musée Rodin.

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Assemblée Nationale Palais-Bourbon

Letting Off Steam

There is a garden in front of the Basilique Ste-Clotilde (23 Rue Les Cases, 75007), a 10-minute walk down Boulevard St-Germain. Cross Place Jacques Bainville then go east along Rue St-Dominique. In 1830, the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to a nun, Catherine Labouré, at Chapelle Notre-Dame de la Médaille Miraculeuse on Rue du Bac. Picnic in the park named after her, on Rue de Babylone.

< More Things to Do: St-Germain & the Latin Quarter

Musée d’Orsay

Letting Off Steam

Head across the river to the Jardin des Tuileries to sail wooden boats on the pond. There is also a good free playground here.

Shopping

Stock Bonpoint (67 Rue de l’Université, 75007; www.bonpoint.com) has great reductions for kids on previous season’s clothes. Six Pieds Trois Pouces (223 Blvd St-Germain, 75007; www.sixpiedstroispouces.com) offers a good variety of stylish and trendy children’s shoes.

Find Out More

Digital

Download colouring pages from www.nowyouknowabout.com and watch a BBC mini-series about the history of Impressionism on http://tinyurl.com/3jwqsz3

Film

Now You Know About Artists (2006), a documentary film especially for children, is based on the great painters. Degas and the Dancer (1998) is the story behind the artist’s famous statuette.

Next Stop…

Musée rodin

Take advantage of the family ticket for €10 at Musée Rodin, which enables access for two adults and two children under 18. But the big draw is the beautiful garden, which has a lovely café and a sandpit to keep kids occupied. It is a walk of just over 10 minutes.

< More Things to Do: St-Germain & the Latin Quarter

St-Germain-des-Prés

Letting Off Steam

There is a small playground with a sandpit on the southern side of the church. The nearby Pont des Arts footbridge is a lovely spot for a picnic. There is a nice swimming pool, Piscine St-Germain (12 Rue Lobineau, 75006; 01 56 81 25 40), but be aware that swimming hats are obligatory in Paris and the opening hours of the pool are rather erratic, especially during term time.

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Cafés of St-Germain-des-Prés

Letting Off Steam

Walk down Rue Bonaparte to the delightful Jardin du Luxembourg for a real Parisian experience.

< More Things to Do: St-Germain & the Latin Quarter

Musée Eugène Delacroix

Letting Off Steam

Take a stroll in the peaceful Cour du Mûrier (14 Rue Bonaparte, 75006), an old cloister, which is now the garden of the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts.

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Musée de Cluny

Letting Off Steam

The museum has a lovely medieval garden with a children’s glade. Nearby is one of the best swimming pools in Paris, La Piscine Pontoise (19 Rue de Pontoise, 75005; 01 55 42 77 88), which has a changing room overlooking the pool. Further away is an open-air sculpture park, the Musée de la Sculpture en Plein Air (Quai St-Bernard, 75005), usually called Jardin Tino Rossi after the Corsican singer. It is a good spot for a picnic, with views across the river.

Shopping

Comic-book enthusiasts should head to Boulinier (20 Blvd St-Michel, 75006). More comics and designer gadgets are available at Album (8 Rue Dante, 75006). The world’s oldest magic shop, Magie (8 Rue des Carmes, 75006; www.mayette.com), also offers lessons in magic. Il était une fois (1 Rue Cassette, 75006; 01 45 48 21 10; www.iletaitunefois-paris.fr) is a treasure trove for children’s costumes and toys. Another good stop is Au Plat d’Etain (16 Rue Guisarde, 75006; www.auplatdetain.com), which has been selling tin soldiers since 1775.

Find Out More

Digital

Interactive games and lots of fun facts and information about the Middle Ages can be found at www.kidsonthenet.org.uk. Age of Empires (2009), a popular computer game series, challenges players to lead a medieval army to victory.

Film

Les Visiteurs (1993) is a French comedy in which a medieval knight and his servant are accidentally sent into the 20th century by a befuddled Merlin-like wizard. Watch Astérix the Gaul (1967) to find out what Paris was like as Lutetia. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) reveals more about Nicolas Flamel, a real-life author in the Middle Ages who gained a reputation as an alchemist.

Next Stop…

Medieval Paris

Walk across the Seine to Notre-Dame and get eye-to-eye with medieval Paris in the Crypte Archéologique there. It is a 10-minute walk to the Arènes de Lutèce, the old Roman amphitheatre, which is a good spot in which to enjoy a picnic and kick a football about.

< More Things to Do: St-Germain & the Latin Quarter

Quartier Latin

Take Cover

The Musée de la Préfecture de Police (4 Rue de la Montagne Ste-Geneviève; 9am–5pm Mon–Fri) is a rather old-fashioned museum with curiosities on show such as the arrest warrant for the revolutionary Danton and weapons used by criminals.

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Arènes de Lutèce

Take Cover

Travel to the Arab world at the Institut du Monde Arabe (1 Rue des Fossées-St-Bernard, 75005; www.imarabe.org), housed in a magnificent modern building with stunning glass windows. There is a small museum here along with a literary café and restaurant with views across to Notre-Dame.

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Rue Mouffetard

Letting Off Steam

There is a little park on Rue Ortolan, Square Ortolan, which is a good place for a quick picnic.

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Jardin des Plantes

Take Cover

Watch craftsmen at work at La Manufacture des Gobelins (42 Ave des Gobelins, 75013; guided tours: 2pm–3pm Tue–Thu), an old 17th-century tapestry factory where Flemish weavers made tapestries for Versailles. It is a short ride away on the Métro, down to Gobelins station.

< More Things to Do: St-Germain & the Latin Quarter

Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle

Letting Off Steam

Reurn to the Jardin des Plantes for a botanical picnic and plenty of play areas.

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Ménagerie

Letting Off Steam

Take a pleasant walk by the Seine along the Quai François Mauriac and see the interesting old industrial wharfs and the modern Bibliothèque François Mitterrand, both of which give a refreshingly different perspective to the city. There is a lovely swimming pool set in a barge on the Seine, the Piscine Joséphine Baker (Quai François Mauriac, 75013; 01 56 61 96 50; open daily). It takes water from the Seine – treated before use – and has a paddling pool for small children. In summer the roof retracts and the pool is in the open air.

< More Things to Do: Luxembourg & Montparnasse

Panthéon

Letting Off Steam

Head straight down the hill to the Jardin du Luxembourg (Blvd St-Michel, 75006), one of Paris’s most beautiful parks, or to the Arènes de Lutèce (49 Rue Monge, 75005; 01 43 31 46 34) to watch people play boules. Just behind the Panthéon is the most exclusive school in Paris, the Lycée Henri IV. Its swimming pool, Piscine Jean Taris (16 Rue Thouin, 75005; 01 55 42 81 90), is open to the public.

Find Out More

Digital

Watch films about the life of Marie Curie, including a cartoon version at http://tinyurl.com/3ry5uvl. There are also films on the French Resistance and Jean Moulin, including his interment in the Panthéon.

Film

Watch Alexandre Dumas’s famous novels on the big screen: The Count of Monte Cristo (2002 & 2005 with Gerard Depardieu), The Man in the Iron Mask (2000) and The Three Musketeers (1993). Also watch the cartoon version Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds (2004). Now You Know About Scientists (2010) tells the stories of Marie Curie and Louis Pasteur.

Shopping

There are two good toyshops in the area: Le Ciel est à Tout le Monde (10 Rue Gay Lussac, 75005) and L’Epée de Bois (12 Rue de L’Epée de Bois, 75005), which means the Wooden Sword and mostly sells wooden toys.

Next Stop…

A Church and a laboratory

Next to the Panthéon is the Church of St-Etienne-du-Mont where the city’s patron saint, St Geneviève, was buried – until her remains were destroyed in the Revolution, leaving only her finger for posterity. The Panthéon sits on top of the hill named in her honour, Montagne St-Geneviève.

In Rue Clovis, just behind the Panthéon, is part of Philippe Auguste’s medieval wall and the Lycée Henri IV, whose former pupils include Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone Weil. Marie Curie worked just around the corner. Visit her laboratory at Musée Curie (11 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005; www.curie.fr).

< More Things to Do: Luxembourg & Montparnasse

Jardin du Luxembourg

Take Cover

The huge and slightly bizarre-looking St-Sulpice (Pl St-Sulpice, 75006), just north of the Luxembourg Gardens on Place St-Sulpice, has murals by Delacroix and a fine organ. But it is its association with Dan Brown’s novel The Da Vinci Code that has put it on the map. The novel claims that the church is associated with a secret society, the Priory of Sion, and built on the site of an ancient temple. However, according to the church authorities, the letters P and S in the small round windows at both ends of the transept refer to Peter and Sulpice, the patron saints of the church, and not the Priory of Sion.

Shopping

Rue Vavin and Rue Brea, near the southwestern corner of the garden, are packed with toyshops and fashionable boutiques for children. There are branches of Catimini, Petit Bateau and an Oxybul Junior for books and games on Rue Vavin. IKKS (13 Rue Vavin, 75006) was the first shop to sell its own trendy children’s range, including fabulous shirts. Tikibou (33 Blvd Edgar Quinet, 75014) is a treasure trove of scale models, trains and toys.

Find Out More

Digital

Older children will enjoy playing The Da Vinci Code, a video game for PS2, Xbox and Windows.

Film

The gardens are featured in Victor Hugo’s novel Les Misérables. This is the place where the lovers Marius Pontmercy and Cosette first meet. Watch the 1978 film based on the book.

Next Stop…

Children’s shops & a tower

Combine a trip to the gardens with a visit to the Panthéon and browse through the shops around Rue Vavin, an enclave of children’s stores. After an afternoon in the park it is a wonderful experience to watch the sun set over a cold drink from the top of the Tour Montparnasse. As darkness falls Paris starts to twinkle.

< More Things to Do: Luxembourg & Montparnasse

Musée Zadkine

Letting Off Steam

Zadkine is buried in the sprawling Cimetière du Montparnasse (3 Blvd Edgar Quinet, 75014), a tranquil place for a stroll among the tombs of famous writers, actors and artists, including writer Simone de Beauvoir, singer Serge Gainsbourg, author Guy de Maupassant and philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre. Turn right into Rue Joseph Bara and cut across the back streets to Boulevard Edgar Quinet, a 10-minute walk away. On the other side of the cemetery is the underground graveyard, the Catacombes, open for public viewing since 1867. The caverns and tunnels add to a spooky afternoon out.

< More Things to Do: Luxembourg & Montparnasse

Tour Montparnasse

Letting Off Steam

In winter there is an ice-skating rink at the foot of the Tour Montparnasse by the Christmas Market and there is always an old-fashioned merry-go-round. Just behind the Monoprix supermarket on Rue Poinsot is Square Gaston Baty, a little playground.

< More Things to Do: Luxembourg & Montparnasse

Musée Antoine Bourdelle

Take Cover

On the other side of the main road is the Musée du Montparnasse (21 Ave du Maine, 75015; 01 42 22 91 96), once home of the Russian painter Marie Vassilieff, who ran a canteen for needy artists during World War I, among them Picasso, Modigliani, Chagall and Zadkine. Stroll down Boulevard du Montparnasse to the La Coupole (102 Blvd Montparnasse, 75014), a huge, iconic Art Deco brasserie where bustling waiters serve classic dishes.

< More Things to Do: Luxembourg & Montparnasse

Musée de la Poste

Letting Off Steam

The modern Jardin Atlantique (Blvd de Vaugirard) is located on top of the Gare Montparnasse station. Take a lift from Boulevard Vaugirard to the park. Kids like the location and it is also a great place to feed the birds or watch the locals playing tennis and ping pong.

< More Things to Do: Luxembourg & Montparnasse

Musée Jean Moulin

Letting Off Steam

The museum is located right by the Jardin Atlantique, so it is easy to combine a visit with a run around, away from the hustle and bustle of Montparnasse.

< More Things to Do: Luxembourg & Montparnasse

Musée Pasteur

Letting Off Steam

Take a short walk from the Musée Pasteur to the lovely playground in picturesque Place Adolphe Chérioux, which is located close to the Métro station Vaugirard.

< More Things to Do: Beyond the City Centre

Parc de la Villette

Letting Off Steam

In front of the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie museum there are 10 different themed gardens, among them the gardens of mirrors, mists and acrobatics.

The park has follies, walkways and playgrounds, and children’s activities at weekends. Watch a show on the canal boat Antipode (55 Quai de la Seine, 75019; 01 42 03 39 07; www.penicheantipode.fr; Wed, Sun & school hols).

Find Out More

Digital

Visit the interactive site http://www.universcience.fr/fr/juniors/contenu/c/1239022828832/surprises/. Watch an Ariane space rocket take off at www.arianespace.com. Get to grips with more science at www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/index_flash.shtml and www.kids-science-experiments.com. Watch films by the Lumière brothers on http://tinyurl.com/ybvdbuq.

Shopping

Concept store Antoine et Lili (95 Quai Valmy, 75010; www.antoineetlili.com), on the Canal St-Martin near the park, has household items and clothes for women and little girls.

Next Stop…

Canal tours & beaches

Take a cruise on a canal boat or stroll along the towpath of Canal de l’Ourcq, built by Napoleon. He knew that to gain the trust of the Parisians he needed plenty of fresh water, which was always in short supply in the city, so he diverted the River Ourcq into a 100-km (62-mile) long canal. It joins with the leafy Canal St-Martin, with its iron footbridges, which heads south to Bastille. In summer, the towpaths of the two canals are at their liveliest from mid-Jul to mid-Aug when the popular Paris-Plages turn them into a street party.

< More Things to Do: Beyond the City Centre

Cimetière du Père Lachaise

Letting Off Steam

By the southeastern corner of the cemetery there are some pretty cobbled streets running off Rue de Bagnolet and a small playground at the top of Rue des Balkans. The romantic landscape of Parc des Buttes-Chaumont (Rue Manin, 75019), with its craggy cliffs, grotto, colonnaded folly and waterfalls is a great place to feed the ducks, spend time in the playground and get a fine view of Paris.

< More Things to Do: Beyond the City Centre

Bois de Vincennes

Take Cover

The Cité Nationale de l’Histoire de l’Immigration (293 Ave Daumesnil, 75012; www.histoire-immigration.fr) charts the story of immigration in France. Kids will love the aquarium (www.aquarium-portedoree.fr) in the basement. Cirque Pinder (Pelouse de Reuilly, 75012; 01 45 90 21 25; www.cirquepinder.com), France’s oldest travelling circus, puts on shows in the winter months. It is a traditional show with animal acts.

< More Things to Do: Beyond the City Centre

Parc de Bercy

Take Cover

The park houses the Palais Omnisports (01 40 02 60 60; www.bercy.fr/patinoire), which is the place to enjoy ice skating. It is also a major music and sports venue. On the northwestern edge of the park is La Cinémathèque Française (51 Rue de Bercy; 01 71 19 33 33; www.cinematheque.fr), a museum of French cinema.

< More Things to Do: Beyond the City Centre

Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen

Take Cover

At the weekend there is plenty of good street theatre here to entertain the kids. If the weather turns nasty, the covered Marché Serpette, housed in an old garage, is a good option.

< More Things to Do: Beyond the City Centre

Basilique St-Denis

Letting Off Steam

There is a small pedestrianized square in front of the cathedral. The area is not very nice though, so it is better to head back towards more central parks for a run around.

< More Things to Do: Beyond the City Centre

Stade de France

Letting Off Steam

Get back on the RER and whizz down to the Jardin du Luxembourg, which has a puppet theatre and tennis courts, among other attractions. There is nowhere near the stadium to have a proper run around.

< More Things to Do: Beyond the City Centre

Jardin d’Acclimatation

Letting Off Steam

Rent bikes near the entrance of Jardin d’Acclimatation and cycle down to the Lac Inferieur. Avoid the southern part of the park, notorious for prostitution. The “Bois” is best avoided altogether after dark.

Find Out More

Digital

Watch a film of Jardin d’Acclimatation’s marionette puppets in action on http://tinyurl.com/3gvap5b.

Take Cover

For a quick culture fix, visit the Musée Marmottan-Claude Monet (2 Rue Louis Boilly, 75016; 01 44 96 50 33; closed Mon) by the Jardin du Ranelagh, housing 165 of Claude Monet’s paintings, his palette and sketchbook. On the other side of the huge Bois de Boulogne, sports fans can take a tour of the Parc des Princes (www.lesparcdesprinces.fr), home to Paris St-Germain, the city’s top football team, or Stade Roland Garros (www.rolandgarros.com), where the French Open tennis tournament is held.

Next Stop…

La défense

Do not miss this French-style mini Manhattan. Paris’s business district is home to a huge modern arch, La Grande Arche, built to mark the Revolution’s 200th anniversary. From the front steps is a stunning view along a straight avenue through the Arc de Triomphe to the Louvre.

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Château de Malmaison

Letting Off Steam

Little ones might like to pretend to be a bee in this stunning rose garden, choosing a favourite scent and colour from among the hundreds of varieties growing here. Stroll beneath the old trees in the romantic Parc de Bois Preau (01 41 29 05 55), just a few minutes’ walk north of the château, to see the statue of Joséphine in her typical Empire-line dress. South of the château, the extensive forested grounds include a 15-minute walk down to Etang de St-Cucufa (www.mairie-rueilmalmaison.fr), a small lake.

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Parc André Citroën

Take Cover

Whizz down slides, jump in the waves and relax under the palm trees until late at night in Europe’s biggest water park Aquaboulevard (4 Rue Louis Armand, 75015; www.aquaboulevard.fr). It is to the south of the park by the Périphérique.

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Statue of Liberty

Letting Off Steam

Take a stroll on the island, along the bank of the Seine, or head south to Parc André Citroën, a fascinating park with landscaped architecture.

< More Things to Do: Beyond the City Centre

Catacombes

Letting Off Steam

Carry on the theme and stroll through the tranquil and expansive Cimetière du Montparnasse, which is the nicest in Paris. It is on Rue Froidevaux, about a 10-minute walk from the Catacombes. Among the famous names buried here are the writer Guy de Maupassant and the car manufacturer, André Citroën.

Walk down Avenue René Coty to the atmospheric Parc Montsouris where kids can run around.

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Parc Montsouris

Take Cover

Over 700 items a day are lost in Paris and end up at the Lost and Found Office (Service des Objets Trouvés, 36 Rue des Morillons, 75015; 08 21 00 25 25). Among the mountains of umbrellas, phones and bags that have been handed in was a false leg found on Bus No. 168 in 2003. Two skulls were left on the Métro in 2002 and a young man mislaid a funeral urn containing his granny’s ashes at Père Lachaise Métro station. Also on display in the little museum here are a set of false teeth, a brand new wedding dress and top-secret documents.

< More Things to Do: Beyond the City Centre

Marché aux Puces de Vanves

Letting off steam/Take Cover

Parc Georges Brassens, located to the north of Boulevard Lefébvre, is named after the famous singer Georges Brassens, who lived nearby, and has ponds, playgrounds, sculptures and a scented garden.

If it rains, go five Métro stops to the Musée du Montparnasse (21 Ave du Maine, 75015; 01 42 22 91 96; www.museedumontparnasse.net). A canteen for needy artists during World War I, it is now an art gallery.

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Château de Versailles

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Digital

At http://tinyurl.com /239gsg8 watch Marie Antoinette, The Last Queen of France, a drama-documentary that sheds a different light on the accepted story of a frivolous, self-indulgent queen who alienated France. Two historical video games, Versailles Mysteries and Marie Antoinette and the War of Independence, can be found at www.nemopolis.net.

Film

Older children will enjoy watching Marie Antoinette (2006), directed by Sofia Coppola, which gives a Hollywood view of life at Versailles, while Versailles: Le Rêve d’un Roi (2007) is a colourful French drama about Louis XIV.

Shopping

There are plenty of designer shops selling children’s clothes in the town of Versailles but shopping is a bit stuffy and prim. Pick up some unusual vegetables at the Potager du Roi, the former palace kitchen garden where, in the 18th century, they grew new and exotic fruits from the colonies.

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Fun and frolics

Watch the sword-wielding riders at the Bartabas Academy of Equestrian Arts (Grande Ecurie du Roi; www.bartabas.fr), which puts on shows in the former royal stables at weekends and on certain weekdays. Take a quick look at the Salle du Jeu de Paume (Rue du Jeu de Paume; tours: Sat 3pm), the old tennis court, where a meeting was held in June 1789 that sparked the French Revolution. In summer head for France Miniature, and feel like a giant in Europe’s largest miniature model. The Playmobil Funpark (www.playmobil-funpark.fr), 17 km (11 miles) east at Fresnes, is an ideal place for younger kids.

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Rambouillet

Letting Off Steam

Climb trees and get up close to the birds at Odyssée Verte, the forest park at Espace Rambouillet (3 Rue de Groussay, Rambouillet, Yvelines, 78120; 01 34 83 05 00; www.onf.fr/espaceramb), which features 19 bridges and 18 platforms. Take a walk and enjoy rock climbing by the Abbaye des Vaux-de-Cernay, a ruined abbey in the old stone quarries located on the edge of the Forêt de Rambouillet. In winter there is also an ice skating rink in Place Félix Faure in the town centre.

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Le Parc Zoologique de Thoiry

Take Cover

Visit the Château de Thoiry in the park, which includes the Salon Blanc, where everything, including the piano, is white. The château is uniquely positioned so that during the summer and winter solstices, the sun’s rays form a “bridge of light” in the main hall that lights up the building like a lantern.

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France Miniature

Take Cover

The park is almost entirely outdoors, but kids aged 4 to 10 will have great fun driving little electric cars around a cartoon town in Ronde des Zotos while the grown-ups watch.

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Parc Astérix

Letting Off Steam

The park features a range of rides and attractions.There is a huge playground beside the Gaulish Village, the Druids’ Forest. Walk in the footsteps of the wise old druid Getafix, through the menhirs and the shifting swamps. It is located next to the Ronde des Rondins, a mini roller coaster suitable for younger members of the family. When the park opens for the Christmas holidays there are plenty of shows and entertainment and also a lovely ice skating rink.

Shopping

There is no end to the souvenirs here featuring Astérix, Obélix, Dogmatix and the rest – on towels, glasses, T-shirts, key rings and fridge magnets. The park also offers a good selection of the contents and films in English. Astérix and the Golden Sickle, the second volume in the famous comic-book series, is set in Lutetia, now Paris.

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Digital

A magical web potion can be taken at www.asterix.com

Film

There are as many as 11 films based on this popular comic strip. The Twelve Tasks of Astérix (1976) is unique as it is not based on an existing book. The Romans almost win in Astérix and the Big Fight (1989). Gerard Depardieu is hilarious as Obélix in Astérix and Obélix (1999), Astérix and Obélix: Mission Cleopatra (2002) and Astérix and the Olympic Games (2008).

Take Cover

There are daily shows at the Poseidon Theatre and the Roman Circus, but usually only at weekends and in high season.

Next Stop…

Forêt d’Ermenonville

Be Getafix and gather leaves to make magic potions in the Forêt d’Ermen-onville. To get there take the A1 to the city of Senlis, 10 km (6 miles) north of the theme park, then the D330A east for 4 km (2 miles) and south on the N330 through the forest. Head back to Lutetia to check the old Roman amphitheatre at Arènes de Lutèce.

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Auvers-sur-Oise

Letting Off Steam

Stroll along the banks of the Oise to Pontoise, a favourite walk of the artist Camille Pissarro, or dig sandcastles in the huge sandy beach at Isle d’Adam, which was a favourite weekend spot of painter Marc Chagall and his family.

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Abbaye de Royaumont

Letting Off Steam

Take a walk from the car park across the fields. King Louis IX was inspired to build the Abbaye de Royaumont after a walk in the nearby fairytale Forêt de Carnelle, just south of the abbey. Park by the lake, La Lac Bleu, just off the D85 near St Martin du Tertre.

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Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace

Letting Off Steam

There is nowhere close by to run about in. Get back on the Métro and head into town: line 7 stops at the Palais Royal–Musée du Louvre station. Enjoy a peaceful stroll in the beautiful gardens of the Jardin des Tuileries.

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Disneyland

Letting Off Steam

There are two playgrounds: the Pocahontas Indian Village in Frontierland® and the Plage des Pirates in Adventureland®.

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Digital

Go to www.disney.fr, www.disney.co.uk/playhouse-disney or www.hiddenmickeys.org for fun and games.

Film

Watch DVDs of the cartoons with a French feel such as Aristocats (1970), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Sleeping Beauty (1959), Cinderella (1950), The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1996) and Ratatouille (2007).

Shopping

The Disney® Village, just outside the park, is full of shops and restaurants, which stay open after the park has closed so there is no need to rush to shop in the park itself. Purchases made in the park before 3pm can be delivered to hotels or to the Disney® Village for collection at the end of the day. Souvenirs are expensive, so choose the bigger shops where there is more choice among the cheaper options. The Liberty Arcade (Main Street, USA®) shop is a good option. Buy books, stationery, videos, posters and CDs at the cosy Storybook Store (Main Street, USA®). La Boutique du Château (Fantasyland®) is a year-round Christmas-themed shop. Shop here for Christmas cards and holiday decorations. Kids will enjoy spending hours in the big Disney Store (Disney® Village) and browsing through the collection of merchandise, including clothes and toys. World of Disney, located at the entrance of Disney® Village, offers a vast and exciting range of Disney merchandise.

Staying over

The best way to relax is to stay overnight at one of the on-site hotels, which are also in Disney® Village. For children the bonus is that at the end of the day, when the park is empty, it is possible to have several goes on some of the rides. The hotels closest to the park are the most expensive. The most luxurious hotel is the Disneyland® Hotel. The main attraction here is a view of the fairy-tale castle down Main Street, USA®, and the copious breakfast with Disney characters. Kids will love Hotel Cheyenne®, which looks like a Wild West movie set. Some hotels also have indoor and outdoor pools. Watch out for seasonal package deals available for families on the official website.

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Walt disney studios

Under-10s will be exhausted by a day out at Disneyland® Park, so do not plan anything for the first evening. On day two head over to Walt Disney Studios®, the smaller theme park, next to the Disneyland® Park. This is the place to discover the world of the movies and find out how films are made, especially animated cartoons in the Toon Studio. The central feature of Front Lot, just inside the giant studio gates, is a fountain in the shape of Mickey. The big attraction is Toy Story Playland with ride such as the Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop and the Slinky Dog Zigzag. Do not miss the Studio Tram tour, which travels through an earthquake in an oilfield and on to the destroyed city of London. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ is a white-knuckle ride, good for older children.

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Provins

Letting Off Steam

Run along the ramparts, which are especially lovely at sunset. With vast, fortified gates, they were built between the 11th and 14th centuries and are uniquely well preserved.

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Vaux-le-Vicomte

Letting Off Steam

Children can choose from several puzzle books, available in English as well as French, in which they have to solve riddles and find clues to help them make their way around the castle and its beautiful gardens, laid out by Louis XIV’s landscape gardener, André Le Nôtre.

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Château de Blandy-les-Tours

Letting Off Steam

The village is in the heart of pretty countryside famous for its tasty Brie cheese. From the castle there is a lovely walk across the fields to the old windmill at Chaunoy (follow yellow arrows from church).

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Fontainebleau

Letting Off Steam

Kids will enjoy running along the paths around the Grand Canal and playing at the playground in the château gardens. Row across the castle lake in a boat or ride in a horse-drawn carriage in the grounds. Stop at the playground at the Musée Napoleon d’Art et d’Histoire Militaire (88 Rue St Honoré, Fontainebleau, 77300), which is a short stroll away from the château, or go horse-riding at Horse Dreams (www.horse-dreams.com), near Ury, which takes around 15 minutes by car.

Shopping

Reel Books (9 Rue de Ferrare, 77300) sells children’s books in English and French. Look out for farm shops along the side of the road. The area east of Fontainebleau is famous for its Brie and Coulommiers cheese.

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Film

Louis XIII, one of the characters in The Three Musketeers (1993), was born at Fontainebleau.

Next Stop…

Forests of fontainebleau

South of the château, via the Carrefour de Matignon on the N6, Fontainebleau’s forests have walking trails with beautiful views. There is a lovely walk from the village of Barbizon, 10 minutes northwest by car along the D64. Barbizon was the home of the landscape painter Jean-François Millet, who inspired Van Gogh. Also a short drive away is the medieval town of Moret-sur-Loing, which inspired Impressionist painter Alfred Sisley. Hire a canoe here for a trip on the river Loing.