Paris. The easy way. Advice needed.
Discussion
Thinking of a going for few nights in Paris. Myself and my girlfriend and our 3 month old baby.
Needs to be easy as its our first holiday with the baby. I have a few questions for those who have been.
What is the easyest way to get there. I'm guessing Eurostar?
I need a central hotel. Any recommendations? Must be a pleasant hotel and accept children.
Has anyone done Paris with kids? Any pearls of wisdom?
Thanks in advance.
Needs to be easy as its our first holiday with the baby. I have a few questions for those who have been.
What is the easyest way to get there. I'm guessing Eurostar?
I need a central hotel. Any recommendations? Must be a pleasant hotel and accept children.
Has anyone done Paris with kids? Any pearls of wisdom?
Thanks in advance.
Having seen the several pack-horses worth of stuff that it apparently necessary to maintain a baby, I wouldn't like to attempt schlepping across London with it, and then across a city I don't know very well at the far end to get to the hotel, without even thinking about moving around the city itself.
I think it might be worth leaving Paris until you don't have a babe-in-arms; go somewhere you can drive to, to avoid having to carry everything by hand.
I think it might be worth leaving Paris until you don't have a babe-in-arms; go somewhere you can drive to, to avoid having to carry everything by hand.
Paris is not a child friendly city. Wife and I took our son when he was 6 months old. The metro isn't pushchair friendly, very difficult to get access, very few escalators / lifts. Baby changing facilities are a nightmare. We snuck into shops to use the toilets, and when I say snuck, I mean snuck. Asking them to use the loos was met with sneers. Minimal high-chairs / baby seat facilities, couple of decent restaurants refused us entry etc. etc. I remember, it was a long weekend and we just struggled.
First holidays are meant to be filled with good memories, Paris was not it.
In terms of hotels, anything decent, be prepared to pay. Cheapest hotels are going to be in the business districts over the weekend as they are near empty until Sunday night / monday morning. La Renaissance in La Defense is pleasant enough, 2 min walk to a metro station, straight line into Champs Elysee.
My opinion? Don't go Paris.
First holidays are meant to be filled with good memories, Paris was not it.
In terms of hotels, anything decent, be prepared to pay. Cheapest hotels are going to be in the business districts over the weekend as they are near empty until Sunday night / monday morning. La Renaissance in La Defense is pleasant enough, 2 min walk to a metro station, straight line into Champs Elysee.
My opinion? Don't go Paris.
rufusgti said:
Thanks. Loud and clear. It's all new to me so I'm glad I sort advice..
What kind of holiday does suit young children. Please don't say buntlins
Well, you have a 3 month old baby. It's not going to want to do anything other than feed, sWhat kind of holiday does suit young children. Please don't say buntlins
t and sleep 
We went skiing with our 3 month old 2 years ago, I had a great time - the missus didn't!!
In all honesty just choose a nice town or city in the UK for a relaxing break. Go somewhere within a 2 or 3 hour drive of where you live.
Our 3 month old is now nearly 3, and we also now have a 1 month old. We are going to Peppa Pig World next week to treat #1 but wouldn't really consider a holiday abroad with #2 until next summer.
Just make it easy for yourself and go somewhere you can get home from fairly easily in case it all goes tits up!
As mentioned, a UK break is ideal. As a family, we've done a mixture of short and long haul holidays. However, the best holidays I have ever had have been UK breaks. The most memorable was, believe it or not, Torquay in Devon. It was just so so relaxed. Isle of Wight is a great shout too, very child friendly, great locals, cafes, pubs etc. We do one foreign and one UK holiday a year, I look forward to the UK one more than anything.
Dont listen to the naysayers...
Best tip I can give is get a hotel near the Seine and use the River taxi which stops at all the major sights. We spent five days last Sept and didnt use the Metro once! Just buy a hop on, hop off ticket and cruise to where you need to be, easy peasy and very low stress...
Best tip I can give is get a hotel near the Seine and use the River taxi which stops at all the major sights. We spent five days last Sept and didnt use the Metro once! Just buy a hop on, hop off ticket and cruise to where you need to be, easy peasy and very low stress...
We were in Paris with our kids in the summer and it's definitely not a city I'd want to visit with a baby and all the stuff that goes with that. Much much better, as advised, to stay in the UK and enjoy a city break where everything is familiar. How about Edinburgh or York?
Once they're a bit older we got into camping and renting a villa but in all honesty, a city break abroad is something that is much better suited to couples.
Once they're a bit older we got into camping and renting a villa but in all honesty, a city break abroad is something that is much better suited to couples.
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